Game 10

Sometimes get the feeling that getting involved with NPC positions is more trouble than it is worth, simply because as far as Richard is concern, you are keeping yourself busy, issuing lots of orders & generating articles for the Newspapers so it makes sense for the NPC not to make peace & saves him having to think up horrendous things that need to happen to you because you normally manage to generate then for yourself.

On subject of NPC's I work on basis that if you ask them a question without holding a gun to their head the answer is "No".

But if you do hold a gun to their head or even insult them they can develop a dislike of your character.

In G2 the Janissary Corp were clearly out to get my character(s). Ok, Ok I admit it......every time Richard put out a lure I took the bait.

I think G10 may be going the same way. Fairly sure we now have NPC Jacobites and x3 Players who's alter ego's in game are at least in part definded by being anti Jacobites - passing anti Jacobite laws, making anti Jacobite statements in press, filling the Jacobite Court in exile with agents etc etc.

But every time one of them does something like pass a anti Jacobite law we get a new Jacobite revolt somewhere or other. I wonder if this goes on for any length of time the G10 Jacobites will develop the ability to teleport & cloaking powers?

Anyone else found a situation were the more you do apart a particular NPC problem the worse it gets?

Deacon wrote:
Well, sometimes Richard doesn't make it easier either.

In Game 8, Hispania retook Zanzibar. This is a traditional Portuguese holding that was taken by the Omani. I took it back. It was/is a center of the east african slave and spice trade, but it is hardly an enormous prize. The population of the entire island is 37,000. I am quite sure that the costs of retaking it exceed its benefit by a fair margin, but it was ours, after all.

After months of raiding on the Omani coast, demanding acknowledgment, still no peep out of them.

In all fairness, I think you have got a reaction out of them...they appear to be trying to annex my (Persia's) city of Muscat by stealth!

Jason wrote:

Deacon wrote:
Well, sometimes Richard doesn't make it easier either.

In Game 8, Hispania retook Zanzibar. This is a traditional Portuguese holding that was taken by the Omani. I took it back. It was/is a center of the east african slave and spice trade, but it is hardly an enormous prize. The population of the entire island is 37,000. I am quite sure that the costs of retaking it exceed its benefit by a fair margin, but it was ours, after all.

After months of raiding on the Omani coast, demanding acknowledgment, still no peep out of them.

In all fairness, I think you have got a reaction out of them...they appear to be trying to annex my (Persia's) city of Muscat by stealth! ;)

Well, they may get distracted because I'm getting annoyed enough to start getting more violent!

Is there a recognised scale for violence, in a similar way to wind speed.

Starting with a little bit upset & going all the way up to Homicidal maniac please call a doctor & the police?

J Flower wrote:Is there a recognised scale for violence, in a similar way to wind speed.

Starting with a little bit upset & going all the way up to Homicidal maniac please call a doctor & the police?  

Not with the Ottomans. They have only two settings, calm and "mad as a hatter".

Deacon wrote:

J Flower wrote:Is there a recognised scale for violence, in a similar way to wind speed.

Starting with a little bit upset & going all the way up to Homicidal maniac please call a doctor & the police?  

Not with the Ottomans. They have only two settings, calm and "mad as a hatter".

This is not actually true........my Rumelians had several different scales:

Treatment of Envoys/messengers when sending declaration of war

1) Send envoy back with letter which included expression of sorrow that it was come to this & why are you picking on a poor over worked & under paid Ottoman Civil servent?

2) Give envoy/messenger a good thrashing and send him back with dire threats to burn country down to bedrock unless anti Ottoman party see's the light.

3) No letter, envoys head left on Rumelian War lance outside of city gates ......backlite by burning villages etc.

Treatment of POWs

1) Exchanged at end of war or given chance to convert and join Ottomans.

2) Sold into Slavery.......for people who are technically Military Slaves anyway like Jannissaries & Mamlukes etc this can be seen as an occupational hazard.  My Harem also offered good opportunities for advancement.....being sold to mines or galley's less good opportunities.

3) 99 out of 100 blinded and one left with one eye to guide the others back to their master.

4) Impaled and/or flayed alive

Treatment of dec'd/captured foes

1) Greatly admired foe and most noble King of Poland..........body embalmed and returned to Warsaw in gold lined Coffin.

2) Doge of Genoa.......left on field for dogs or Italians to recover if they wanted.

3) Archduke of Austria.......head fired into Vienna.  Roughly equal..... Spanish Envoy to France nailed to gates of Versailles which we then set on fire.

Thus it can clearly be seen that the Ottomans have an extensive and expressive scale of violence. Abet one with a rather higher top end than many others inferior and rather boreing scales.

You know...I really need to up Lord Fong's game...maybe send a vast fleet and impale the Pope, King of England, King of France, Grand Vizier, Blackbeard and Duke of Lorraine along side each other..

Maybe just open a chain of take-away restaurants to act as safe houses for Lord Fongs Spy network. With the added advantage that they could be self financing.

Hmmm...plus also would allow a growth of rice exports so benefiting industry in China too...

Maybe also cut down on number of stray dogs & cats in various towns & cities across Europe.

Maybe opening a chain of Haggis takeaways could have the same effect?

Mind you, takeaways as a front for spies seems more Scramble than Glory

The good ole doctrine of Escalating Reciprocity... It is what has kept most civil nations in check during times of war. I know that doesn't work on Ottomans and the like, but it was worth a shot.

The most recent discussion of takeaway ,or "carry out" here in the states, certain does have a Scramble ring to it. I wonder if good ole Derby can put it to use somehow. It seems that the only thing we have had "taken away" lately is company engineers.

July Mercurius Politicus has shown up and for non G10 players here are the highlights in brief:

1) Not much new's of the Jacobite revolt in Ireland but a English fleet now has Dublin under blockade, while up in Scotland Lord Melville is hitting the whisky due to concerns about Grain Shortages (could lack of Barley hit Scots Whisky production?), Jacobites and concerns that the current French Government may not be aware of promises not to help the Jacobites.

- This is indeed possible as the 1697 treaty wordings were famously different in the French & English versions.

- BUT never fear KING BILLY here. Yes the Boyo of the Boyne is back in London town ready to save the day.

2) Meanwhile back in the UDP its all talk about VOIC share issues, Engineering in Saxony and fears that the Dutch Government has been infiltrated by the French. Oddly the UDP seems to be one of the few places were an opinion is not being expressed on the Crowning of the Base Born Rodrigo de Abello as King of Spain etc. Which is odd when Rodrigo is also claiming to be Duke of Fanders.

3) In other places:

- The most honoured lay Catholic leader in Europe the Royal Steward of Poland set the tone with a brutaly frank and honest summary of the situation and appeal to the Papacy to excommunicate Cardinal Portocarrero.

- The Royal Steward's opinion was broadly shared in the Imperial Diet which expressed view that while the Spanish could decide own rules of succession Flanders & Milan were Imperial fiefs and Naples is a Papal Fief so the proper legitimate rules of succession need to be followed in these places.

- Opinion in France may not agree with the diet 100% over Imperial claims to Milan and the French fief of Flanders but the French Court seem to be showing great respect to Charles von Hapsburg the Hapsburg Claiment to Spain. While the French Claiment to the Kingdom of Naples has sent the Pope the traditional tribute of the Kingdom.

People are starting to wonder if Cardinal Portocarrero and his merry Junta have so outraged Public opinion by crowning a unknown questionable birth that the legitimate heirs will be forced to come to a agreement.

- In other anti Rodrigo statements the Landgrave of Hesse-Kessel has declared for Philip of Anjou as King of Spain based on strict legal opinion while the Chevalier Rene Trouin has called two of Rodrigo Ministers bullies, cads and bounders who bring disgrace and dishonour on the good name of Spain. He also replied to Lord Godolphin calling him a intoxicated puppet who wants to drink, steal and whore across Europe by calling Lord Godolphin out and by calling Godolphin a molly or a puritan roundhead with ice in his blood.

Unlike the Landgraves opinion Rene Trouin views are purely his own and have no official status in France. On the other hand no one seems to be locking the Sieur du Gue up or ordering his banishment from Court.

4) Two voices were raised against the tide of outrage which has started to rise against the coup in Spain

- The Duke of Modena acting for the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was pleased to acknowlege Rodrigo as King of Spain........Oh dear what will the Catholic Church back in Tuscany & his Wife think?

- Between Whiskies Lord Melville expressed view that Spain was not worth the bones of one true Scotsman

5) Meanwhile in Spain following Earthquake and failed Harvest Catalina de Abello unmaried 42 year old shameless halot and mother of Rodrigo passed away in her sleep without full confession of her many adultries so it now seems that the true Father of Rodrigo will never be known which may be good news for the Junta.

But is also more evidence to the argument of the Royal Steward of Poland that if Spain continues to ignore the laws of God it will suffer continued Divine Displeasure.

6) Other events have mostly involved attempts to purchase grain and wide spread hunting in Africa, Poland and other places partly aimed at making up widespread Grain Shortages.

- Interestingly in Japan the Tokugawa Shogan has make the Rice Trade a monopoly of the Shoganate and the Osaka Brokers have been driven out of a large part of their business. The Shogan would seem have promised his people that a 1,300,000 ton rice shortage will be resolved by his new company. Failure to do so could bad damage the Prestige of the Shogan.

Stuart has neglected to point out that the cad Trouin has insulted Lord Melville by implying the Lord President enjoys the company of French ladies of the night and French red wine more than him.

Such an insult. Why on earth would the good Lord ever consort with such women when the ladies of Edinburgh are so nearby...or drink French wine when good Whisky is available. It will be bagpipes at dawn if Trouin isn't careful...

wrote:
6) Other events have mostly involved attempts to purchase grain and wide spread hunting in Africa, Poland and other places partly aimed at making up widespread Grain Shortages.

Yep, a great example of "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade" is the harvest failure for the Rozwi. Its given at least 4 possible routes for future game play and already helped expand our diplomatic dealings. Its given the armies employment and allowed characters to develop experience for themselves. In truth, it looks like I'll fail to make up the grain shortfall in time, but in the short term things are all fun and games ... until next year's famine and game position decline

Chap I sent to Mozambique possibly sounded a little bit more angry and demanding that I was expecting, however. Probably best to send him to charm school when he arrives home and have explained to him that diplomats are meant to use a modicum of diplomatic expression in their dealings.

Can't wait to see the ensuing action at low tide, Calais Sands.

"Fight. Fight. Fight."

Definitely should prove a hit with society. I can just see the tents and chairs set out, with servants serving the seated ladies and gents who've come to watch the spectacle of honour play out, spy glasses and sharp eyed onlookers in action calling out proceedings and results from dry ground as they look onward to the duelling ground.

2) Meanwhile back in the UDP its all talk about VOIC share issues, Engineering in Saxony and fears that the Dutch Government has been infiltrated by the French. Oddly the UDP seems to be one of the few places were an opinion is not being expressed on the Crowning of the Base Born Rodrigo de Abello as King of Spain etc. Which is odd when Rodrigo is also claiming to be Duke of Flanders.


UDP has "views" on the current situation in the Iberian peninsular, most of which cannot be typed due to fear of keyboard catching fire.

Concentrating on getting food into Holland at the moment, one crisis at a time, then there are the goat farmers to talk to, Gin makers to keep happy, holiday in Scotland to book, maybe then time will be spared to sort out Spain.

Seems that Spain's actions have so totally confused Vienna & Paris that they may actually have to work out what they are actually fighting for, it now seems that they both agree that they both have good claims. Spain in the mean time gets to keep all the inheritance so maybe the cunning plan will work, if Rodger the Dodger can keep it up then Franc & Spain may loose interest & go home, admittedly probably via Milan.......

If anyone has a spare box of matches then Dutch mercenaries are willing to burn certain parts of Italy at no extra cost to their employer.

A Royal Scottish Holiday? I better lay in extra whisky

Hello game tenners..Is August out yet ?

Nope.


EDIT: Game 8 had a due date 6 days before game 10, and dropped last week. If game 10 drops 6 days later I'd expect it Thursday. All other things being equal which they usually aren't.

Phew , I always get the feeling I never sent something or I never paid ...

Monday was a bank holiday, here, in the UK, so that could effect game turns this time around??

Rozwi_Game10 wrote:Monday was a bank holiday, here, in the UK, so that could effect game turns this time around??

Also. I hear a war has been declared this turn.

The Moghul have declared war on the Maharatans. (out of character and as a player, good for them. brave and bold to take on the big neighbor so early. Could really reshape power in India in the years to come.)

A lot of rumbling across the world on the Spanish Succession issue. The Pope has called for an explanation from Spain. Appears that Austrian and France may both be so outraged by Spain's actions that they'll actually come to agreement on the matter. Time will tell, but pressure seems to be building on Spain.

Some rumblings about the Jacobite matter. Lots of folks trying to solve their food problems.