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Lords X House Rules
[ General Notes | 5.10.0 | 3.3.4 | R & D | Troops | Builds | RI Chart ]

My campaigns use the Middle Ages 5.10.0 and The Modern Era 3.3.4 rule books. They can be purchased on the main Lords web site. This page attempts to point out differences from the those rules and rules SPECIFIC to this game.


Some highlighted notes:

  • Building Cities: please provide me with the NAMES of the cities that you are building. If you do not, earthquakes, fires or the plague will consume them.
  • Leader Names: any leader that you have not named doesn't move and suffers a -1 modifier if they are engaged. Just name those leaders, huh?
  • Renumbering leaders: Don't renumber your leaders - use the leader number given on the stat sheet.
  • HOT This game uses HOT - Hands Off Trade, as described in the Modern Era Rules.
  • NFP Across the Sea: NFP must be transported by a leader if it's not connected by controlled land regions to your HBZ for anything requiring it as a resource. This will probably require transports. [See 5.3.5 notes]
  • Tech Transfers: Are no longer allowed in Lords X. [See 10.9.3]
  • NT sharing: Unlimited regional sharing is gone. [See 10.14]
  • Investing in other people's stats: If you've got better stats than a trade partner, you can invest in their stats, to help them improve, assuming their religion is tolerant, and their language the same, otherwise, its not much help - worse than just tranfering gold and letting them invest it themselves.
  • Gold Bonus: My campaigns use a stepped system for bonuses. The actual number of dice thrown to figure out the bonus that will be applied to the Op or Action is [RoundUp(CubeRoot(RoundDown(Gold)))]. The first ten steps are 1, 2, 9, 28, 65, 126, 217, 344, 513, and 730. At each step a additional die (d10) is thrown. If the die is even the bonus is +1, odd its + 0, and on a 10 add -1 to the bonus. Example: Russia spends 126gp for a bribe in his diplomacy on Muscovy. That will give him 6 dice to figure the bonus. 3(+0) 6(+1) 4(+1) 9(+0) 7(+0) 0(-1) for a total of +1. Negatives?!? Yes, Bribes can backfire. Power corrupts. This is Lords of the Earth, not Gold of the Earth.
  • +1 Bonus?: If you provide a Flag (100 pixel wide), an image of your King or best leader (for the fax), and a web site for your nation (must include very obvious link to Lords 10), I'll give you a +1 bonus for one of your leader's action rolls. You must specify which leader CLEARLY in his orders.
  • Open Positions: If you're dropping, let me know ASAP. Most open positions are available First Come/First Served.
  • Grudge Positions: I try not to allow players to play positions directly next to positions they just lost, except in the case of an SE set up in the nation they just lost. In other words, Grudge and Bloc play is discouraged.
  • Multiple Actions: I'll have you know that, like the diplomacy action, I don't know of any action that will succeed if you try it a second (or more) times in the same turn. Example: Multiple ST actions in the same turn by the same nation against the same enemy treasury will fail.
  • Insufficient Funds: If you don’t have enough GP to pay for everything on your orders, I will make up the shortfall by reducing your Saved, and then working up your expenses from the bottom (investments) to the top (builds).
  • Yard Capacity Costs for Units: I’ve updated the Unit Build Charts to include Yard Costs for heavy unit types… to summarize: Heavy units cost, all Ship units cost some, Engineers now cost 1 Yard Cap to build, and all Artillery costs at least 0.5 Yard Cap per unit. [See 3.6 in Modern Rules]
  • Transferring Gold, Agro and NFP: Sending resources to another nation by Leader or Trade Route now takes a turn to effect and goes into the other nation’s Saved. Essentially, you can only spend what is on your stat sheet at the beginning of the turn, plus Bank Loans.
  • Leader Gold: If you send out a leader with some gold for bribes or whatever and they can’t spend it all, or don’t get where they’re supposed to go, the GP are now listed with the leader in the armies section. That GP can only be used by that leader thereafter unless they return to the Capital and turn it in to the treasury. Plus, they might just spend it…
  • Famines and Importing Grain: Previously, if you started a turn in Famine, with a depressed tax rate, you could import grain from your trading partners and tax at the full rate for the current turn. This is no longer allowed. You can, of course, continue to import grain, but you must suffer the effects of Famine as they arise. The imported grain will offset any shortfall arising from the harvest calculated at the end of the turn, as per usual.
  • Counter-Intel: When you issue a CI operation, you can differentiate it in three ways:
    (1) As a general CI, which will apply to every hostile operation directed against your nation, but the initial operation will be at a -2 modifier. [Ex. CI+0 : Whole nation ]
    (2) As a CI directed against a designated type of hostile operation, which is the default. [Ex. CI+1: vs. Infiltrate Enemy]
    (3) As a CI directed against a specific hostile op, which gets you a +2 bonus to your CI. [Ex. CI+1: vs. IE-Intel Service]
  • Combined Intel/Assassin operations: If you attempt to get something done with more than one Intel or Assassin op, then the results of all those ops combine to a final Success Effect number. So if you tried, for example, six Terrorist Attack ops and got some successes and some failures, all those plusses and minuses would be totaled to get your final effect number. Which might be less than if you just pitched in one Op with lots of bonus points behind it. Focus is a good thing.
  • Intel Orders: When listing Intel and Assassin actions, put them in order and together, Intel first, then Assassin. Also, please allocate all of your operations points to something, otherwise the GM will allocate the extras as he sees fit.
  • Riverine Traffic: Only “light” class ships can move up Rivers, not heavy. This includes Transports assigned to inter-nation or inter-city trade. Exception! Heavy warships may pass through the Lower Nile/Nile Canal sea zone between Gulf of Cyprus and Red Sea. Canals are not considered Rivers and so can handle heavy class ships.
  • Action Effects: I’ve implemented a new Action module in the GM’s program, which calculates many modifiers, rolls the dice to do actions and automatically implements the results. As part of that, if you fail badly at a Status-creation action (diplomacy, creating a cultic site, etc.) your previous status in that location may degrade.
  • Action AP Bonuses: A supplementary note to the new Action module. You get bonuses for spending extra AP in groups of 5 AP at a time. So spending 4 AP extra does not get you a bonus. You must explicitly note how many AP your leader is spending as a bonus to an action.
  • Playing Under An Alias: The GM has no problem with you playing under an alias. Alias email accounts, in fact, can be provided on the throneworld.com server, but you are not allowed to misrepresent yourself to the GM! If you do, you will lose your position and be ejected from the game. Any positive credit will be returned. End of story.
  • Submitting Turns: please try and make sure that the orders you submit are readable. Print them for yourself to be sure. Delete unused sections. I LOVE short and even numbered pages. PDF and Excel files are nice, too. Word files are good. For Text files, use a monospaced font (ie. Courier) and use spaces, NO tabs. Pasting your orders into your email program is a bad thing (unless it's TEXT email with mono spaced font, even then they can get screwed up...) because email programs and web remailers tend to reformat the text - then I can't tell if you're spending nfp for that BL or what. Here are some good Order Forms:
    - - - Dave's Text Template
    - - - Leslie's Text Template
    - - - Dave's Excel Spreadsheet
  • Who are you?: Let’s not forget to include your Nation Name, Player Name, Address, Phone Number and Email Address on the top of your orders either. When you email your orders to me, please set the Subject line of the email to read like so: <Campaign>, <Turn Number>, <Nation Name>, So Nihon’s subject line would be: Lords X, Turn 102, Nihon. So simple, so easy… why doesn’t everyone do it?
  • Drop zeroes: Leave any Investment fields which are zero empty.
  • Projects: When listing Projects, put them in Project ID order.
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Clarify
1.3 Payment And Credit
PayPal is the preferred method.
• This is a hobby for me, so if you don't have a PayPal account, or your account is outside the US or don't have a verified account, PayPal charges a fee, which I pass on to you. Use L4X_credit@throneworld.com
• If you have a verified US PayPal account, use L4X_nofee@throneworld.com
2.2.4.11 Theocracy
Theocracies can have Prince (P) leaders only if the leader is the prince from another Nation (usually transferred as the son of the ruling family to a Primate). [See 7.1.3]
2.3 Economic Information
This game has a few Economic limiters in place that you may not be aware of. This is just FYI, so you won't be surprised.
• MaxTrade=2 Maximum InterNation Trade [See 2.3.9.1]
• MaxTax=1.5 A general Tax limit of 1.5. This means that the most that can be taken from a region is 150%. This is divided among most players who have some tax status in that region or city (SEs are imune). It effects Regional income as well as City and Public Works income. So, while a nation may have a tax status multiple of 2.0 for their homeland, the most that they will see from that is 1.5 times the GPV or PWB.
• There is a Trade Exponent in place. This introduces a Law of Limited Returns where higher trade values return incrementally less income than lower trade values. Using an exponent here attempts to reign in on the multiplicative nature of trade. A simplified example would be for two players with low trade values trading - 4 x 4 = 16. But higher trade values would return less, (but still more) income - 16 x 16 = 200. This really shouldn't be too noticable until you're dealing with trade values in excess of 50, and you're comparing to old values, like from turn 98.
• The most a player can save at the end of a turn is triple their Base Revenue, which is defined as Regional + City + Intercity + Public Works Bonus. This is the limit of your treasury. If you're finding this a problem, you need to buy more stuff or expand your Base Revenue.
2.3.9.1 Maximum International Trade
The maximum International Trade an Open Nation may receive is twice their Base Revenue.
• Merchant Houses are immune to this maximum and should REPLACE the value here with the trade figure found at the bottom of their Trade Routes section.
2.4.1 Bureaucracy
Heir and Regent may Rule, not just King (or Queen) [See 7.2.4.30]
2.14.6.9 Feudal Allied
Tributary is a higher status - don't be confused by the fact that it's listed this way. [See 10.2.1.1]
2.14.11.1 Regional Garrisons
An unled garrison will fight with a combat leadership between zero and five (1d10 - 5). [See 7.1.10]
2.14.15 City and Trade Center Industry
Industry capacities are in use [See 5.4.5]
2.16 Merchant Shipping Allocations
Number and type of Units are not listed, except for warship escorts.
• MSP from routes which are Over Capacity will probably be turned into Unused fleets in the port. Unused fleets still carry a troop support cost, but are otherwise useless. Re-allocate them as Internal Trade Fleets to a port with higher capacity.
2.17.3 Trade Route Type
If trade can occur by Land, it will. There is no player choice in this matter.
2.17.4 Trade Route Status
For all Land by ... trade routes, regions must be at Tributary status or better to carry trade (can't trade through C, NT, of FA - but you can trade through P or PT). Having a port city in an NT region does not allow you to trade through that port, although it can be used as an anchor city. [See 6.1.4]
• LTH - Called Land by Hostile or Land by Dangerous, not to be confused with Land by Difficult, which is easier and thus more profitable.
2.20 Unit Build Chart
Lords X uses its own build charts, found here on the House Rules web page.
3.4 Turn and Map set Pricing
Hey! Maps are free for the download. Cost is assumed to be included in your turn fees.
3.7 Military Strength Index
The ISI table shows the rankings, but not the actual MSI values. The rankings are divided by the mean of all MSI's and the standard deviations (given at the bottom of the ISI list in the back of each fax). Note that your own actual MSI is listed on your stat sheet (see 2.2.8).
4.1.3 Ports
Yes, there may only be one Port Area or City per region, except in a case were the region is your homeland and you have two separate coasts. If there is a port city built, the port area will be removed. If there is a port city, a port area cannot be built.
4.1.5 Roads
Roads are denoted on the maps by single lines. Postal Roads are thinner than Royal Roads.
4.4.2 Rivers
Since heavy ship units can't travel on rivers, you can't build heavy ship units at river ports.
4.4.2.1 Rivers - Navigation
Navigable rivers are either river deltas or clear rivers (no dashes on the river). Sections of the rivers, dividing them into separate "river zones" for movement up/down river, are shown with a line on the river - and seeing the differences in the names of the river, such as Upper Ganges and Lower Ganges.
4.4.2.2 Rivers - Dashed
Un-navigable rivers are located at the upper portions of the river and are located on the map to denote the movement penalty and the need for bridging if Roads are built across the border. Some of these rivers may be dredged to MAKE them navigable. See Canals for cost.
4.4.2.3 Rivers - Deltas
River Deltas are denoted at the mouths of larger rivers to indicate the need for +2 on Bridge construction (level 3 for a Royal Road in most cases) and +2 on movement, rather than +1.
4.4.2.4 Rivers - Cateracts
Many rivers have large X's on them. These represent cateracts (rapids or waterfalls) which impede all river traffic completely. They require a Megalithic Construction, usually a dam and canal system, in order to remove this natural obstacle. The cost of that MC varies.
4.5.12 Colonizable Regions
These may show up as ( 0 / 0 ) on your stat sheet, but without a resistance value, the region is colonizable.
5.2 Trade and Mercantile Activities
• Unless specified, all nations have an implied "Trade with Anyone" policy so that only one nation is required to open a route. So if you don't want to trade, you must list those nations (or groups of nations, like, all or nations west of Chah Bahar).
• If a route with you was opened and the route required the use of Anchor cities or had differing route distances, unless your prospective trade partner listed your anchors, you will probably have ended up with a route that shows that you cannot allocate MSP.
• If you feel you actually are able to operate MSP on a route that says No MSP, you have the option on any subsequent turn to note which anchors are to be used, as well as changing other aspects of the route. See Modern Rule 2.10 Hands-Off Trade.
5.2.1 Trading With Nations Overland
All the land regions forming the Trade Route must be controlled (at Tributary or better status) by one or the other of the two trade partners.
• Except for Silk Route or Sahara Trade - See 2.17.4.
• See 4.7 for Ferry Arrow usage.
• See 6.1.5 for Royal Road exceptions.
5.2.2 Sea Trade
The tracing or base port must be connected by controlled (at Tributary or better status) to your Capital.
5.2.3 Creating Merchant Shipping
MSP is only built in the following way: 1nfp and 4gp creates 4 MSP. This is similar to building one heavy transport and converting it to 4 points of merchant shipping, but is much more simple. Note that NFP cannot be spent fractionally.
5.2.4.3 New Sea Trade Routes
In addition to the Port of origin, if you wish the MSP to be harboured elsewhere, you must indicate it in the notes for this new route. This harbour must be within trade range of the tracing or base port.
• All conditions for trade to happen between two nations must exist at the beginning of the turn, or the attempt will fail.
• The distance is calculated as the average, rounded up, of the action points needed to travel by ship to the foreign port and back, not counting the AP to enter any port.
5.2.5 Conversion To Wartime Duty
MSP converted to Heavy Transports cannot then be converted to another troop type until the following turn. You can use them as Heavy Transports as soon as you convert them though. They can appear at the harbor or base port, anywhere Heavy Transports can be built by you.
5.3.2 Building Public Works
• If you're increasing the maximum in some way, you have to wait till the increase takes effect and you see it on your stat sheet, before you can build more.
• For regional PWB, the cost to build is taken from the terrain of the region at the beginning of the turn. Like waiting for a maximum to take effect, any scorched earth or cultivation project will need to show on your stat sheet.
5.3.5 NFP Across the Sea
• NFP must be transported by a leader as cargo (1 nfp = 1 cargo [See 10.4.3]) if it's not connected by controlled land regions to your HBZ for anything requiring it as a resource for build. This will probably require transports.
• MC/PRA/SE nations ignore this rule for site status upgrades only.
5.4.4 Training Levels
Only Regular and Elite forces are allowed (no inexperienced)
5.4.5 Equipment Classes
Only Heavy and Light forces are allowed (no medium)
5.4.6 Demobilizing Units
Demobilizing MSP - See Conversion to Wartime Duty. [See 5.2.5 notes]
5.7 CONSTRUCTION: BUILDING CITIES
• If it's not connected to your HBZ by land that you control, you'd better ship the NFP there, even if you own it. [See 5.3.5]
• Cities can only be built in regions where the owner of the region has allowed the city build. For regions without a population, at least 1 unit must be listed in the garrison, and the region would then be considered pacified. [See 7.2.4.24]
5.7.5 Building Port Areas
Port Areas cannot be built in a region with a Port City. And if a Port City is built in a region that has a Port Area, the Port Area is removed with no demobilizing returns (watch that port fortress...).
6.0 NATIONAL PROJECTS
• If it's not connected to your HBZ by land that you control at NT or better, you'd better ship the NFP there, even if you own it. [See 5.3.5]
• BACKSLIDE If a project is overdue (time requirement paid, but gold/nfp not) it will backslide by 25% per turn down to nothing. 1gp and 1nfp payment on the project will stop the backslide.
6.1.3 Canals
Canals count as Navigable Rivers for RIVER movement, not army movement crossing the border. The border terrain (previously no canal) remains the same. Canal construction assumes bridges are included.
• All fleets may use the canal, unless the owner of EITHER border region forbids it.
• Canals may carry all ship classes, both heavy and light.
• Some dashed rivers may be dredged. Cost is 1 Level per region border.
6.1.4 Royal Roads
Royal Roads in regions held, by you alone, at less than Tributary status (C, NT, FA) allow the passage of trade goods.
6.1.7 Regional Cultivation
• Regions do not automatically convert to cultivated. Use this MC.
• Base Level is 2. There are no terrain modifiers for this MC, so cost to cultivate Wilderness, Steppe, or Jungle is 50nfp/100gp/10yrs. If your culture is Barbaric, Nomadic, or Seafaring this is modified by 1.5. If your culture is Pre-Columbian your modifier is 2.0.
• As soon as all costs have been paid (including the 10-15 years), the region will be changed on the map and stats.
6.1.8 Intense Cultivation
Lists regions eligible for Intensive Agriculture in Medieval Era and beyond. Level 3 MCs are noted with (3). All regions must be converted to Cultivated before upgrading to IC. Here are additional regions:
The Yellow River Plain of China Composed of all those regions adjacent to the Huang Ho and the Grand Canal.
Japan The Island of Kyushu (Saga and Kagoshima) and the regions of Yamamoto and Kwanto - all (3).
Ganges River Valley The regions of Udyana, Uttar Pradesh (Sursuti), Bihar, Magahda, Kamarupa, Pavaka, and Samatata.
Mekong Uplands The region of Khemer and all cultivated regions adjacent to it. Also the regions of Annam and Pegu. All (3)
Indonesia Both Pajajaran and Kediri on Java.
The Middle East The regions of Mosul (Raqqah), Circis (Dulaym), Mesopotamia (Iraq), Abadan, and Egypt.
The Trans-Oxus The region of Khwarzim(3).
The Volga Basin The regions of L4: Bolgar, Kazar, Patzinak, Torki. LX: Rezh, Khazar, Don, Donets.
Africa Songhai, Kanem-Bornu, Ife, Benin, and Kwararafa.
North America Miami, Erie, Illinois, Michigamea, Wenro, Potawatomi, Iowa, all regions except Quapaw around the Missouri River.
North America Gosiute, Paiute, Yokuts (Nydania), Patwin (Asgard), Salinin, and Ipai (Aesir). All (3)
Central America Texcoco, Totonac, Oaxaca, Popoluca, Maya, Yucatec, Chiapas, and Tarascan.
South America Ayachucho, Pucara, Guanacane, Uru, Querrandi, Chechete, Chana, and Minuane.
7.1.1 Families And Heirs
"If you have no current Heir, and your King dies, it is very likely that your nation will succumb..." Ok, the chances are not VERY likely, just more likely.
7.1.3 Imperial Heirs and Princes
• All female leaders have no combat value. This is a historical judgement, not the personal opinion of the GM. Even in the USA today there are no female generals. There can be a Queen, but she can't lead forces in battle effectively.
• It is NOT possible to appoint any leader as your Heir.
7.1.4 Full Allies
Horde nations might have Allies due to Horde Diplomacy (rumbling through the next steppe region shouting, I'm bigger than you are!). These are considered "bonus" leaders, not really allies.
7.1.10 Temporary Leaders
The example here is assuming that an alternate combat system is in use, which it isn't. Only if the garrison is particularly huge (over 50 units), a temporary leader may be generated.
7.1.11 The Effect Of Marriages
• "Stake in nation" kinda like a free royal family infiltration level which can lead to rebelions if the nations go to war.
• There are no female allied leaders.
• Case by case situation when you marry off a Prince to a foreign Queen or Princess, not necessarily the loss of the Prince.
7.1.12 Leader Death: Causes & Effects
• You may list a line of succession in conditional orders, in case your king dies and your heir is dead or not of age. In the case that your Heir is not of age, this line would lead to a regent. If there isn't a DF, your conditional orders would be followed. In the case of a regent, there is a loyalty check when its time for the Heir to become King.
• If a lieutenant dies and you wish a new lieutenant to be promoted in the field, rather than from the homeland, the promoted lieutenant will have a lower loyalty than normal. But this is an option for the player.
7.2.4.1
7.2.4.3		 Active Siege & Assault City
If a city has no walls and there are units in the city these actions will be turned into Attack to Pacify 7.2.4.5, with a +1 bonus to the defenders due to house-to-house action.
7.2.4.2 Administer
Note who can and who cannot use this rule. [B] Bishop leaders ARE allowed. Heirs, kings, queens, etc., are not.
• All leaders have a separate Administrative value. Some leaders are good (+1), some are bad (-1). It's not tied to loyalty.
7.2.4.4 Attack to Make Tributary
This only works on regions that are not at friendly or homeland status to an enemy nation, in which case the order turns into Attack to Pacify.
7.2.4.11 Diplomacy
• DP + ALL does nothing. If you want the bonus, you'll need to calculate how much time you are spending there. It's not that hard.
• See 10.11.1 for DP on P and PT regions, but make a note for the GM that you are trying to get the YfC increased and not expecting the region to actually change status - which it won't do from the DP action.
• Diplomacy on a Nation: No marriage is required, but it certainly helps.
7.2.4.11 Religious Conversion
Unlike Missionary work, this is a one time attempt to change the ruler of the region targetted to change their religion completely - not some percentage. You can apply Religious operation bonus points towards the action, as well as Support Diplomacy operations, bribes and Missionary operations with their own bonus points, too. It may just end up causing a coup, with another noble family of the old religion taking over.
7.2.4.13 Enslave Population
This order does not automatically turn your nations economy to Slave.
7.2.4.14 Espionage
• Add King/Queen/Regent to the list. Essentially anyone except for Feudal Allies who are already limited to Combat actions only.
• Be sure to list exactly what the leader is trying to do. If you spend AP on this action, it will only help the leader conduct the Espionage action, it won't be a bonus to the intel action. Also, any gold spent in support of the action will be applied to the success of the Espionage action, not as a bonus to the intel action, unless you specify it as such. Also see 7.2.4.20 notes.
• Alternatively, a leader may act as a bonus point toward an intel action if he is within AR of the operation (and putting it in his orders) and passing this Charisma check - no modifiers. The lucky bastard generates 2 bonus points if his Charisma is rolled exactly. Make a note that this is what you are attempting because this is an unusual order (it'll confuse the GM without the explanation).
• The effects of the Espionage action will only be felt when all of the action points have been used. So, if you're wanting to use a leader for ES (BA) and the attack happens before the leader is done with the action, no bonus.
• A leader may only perform one (1) ES action per turn.
7.2.4.17 Explore
• Available to Tech 8+ or Seafaring nations only.
• Exploring long (multiple) Open Ocean Arrows, it's a really good idea to send LOTS of ships. You might not gain the rutter or navigational map fully, but if your leader survives you'll get some map points (percentage) toward the goal. You won't be told what that percentage is, but you will get some.
• The success of a leader will be noted, and that leader will have a better chance to explore other routes.
7.2.4.18 Have Children
• If the King or Heir attempting this action doesn't have a wife, a local will be taken (wed or added to a harem or made a concubine). During the time allotted for this action, a roll will be made twice per year. The results may be that the mother dies, in which case the HC action dies with her. Multiple attempts (conditional HCs if mother dies) may end up with illegitimate children (Mmmmmm, intrigue).
• In the case of an unwed Queen, her new husband would now be considered Prince and will be generated as a leader type. If she dies in childbirth, the same DF rolls will apply, except that her husband the "Prince" is the designated heir.
• Kings, Queens, Regents and Heirs do not Administrate - they Rule. See 7.2.4.2 & 7.2.4.30
7.2.4.19 Incite Rebellion
Only works on Pacified or Pacified Tributary regions - except in religious cases [See 9.4.3]
7.2.4.20 Investigate Location
• BAC 6+
• The IL leader action is analogous to the intel operation Reveal Fact (8.3.20). In this case a leader pokes around for information, the nature of which may include enemy troops, the royal family, local politics/control status, and so on. Like the RF operation, you must target something. The IL action may be performed by a leader with units, though of course any secret actions may have a greater chance for discovery if troops are involved. Also, this is not an easy action to accomplish. High Charisma is almost manditory if you want to make it out alive.
7.2.4.22 Loot Region
Concerning the last paragraph regarding distribution of the loot, it is possible to take twice as much from a loot if you specify it. You will then run the risk of mutiny - are you charismatic enough to risk it?
7.2.4.24 Movement
• Insufficient Action Points movement IS allowed.
• Fleets not ending in a controlled port (some land region) will lose 50% of their ships. If you're stuck at sea, you'll lose 100%.
• Forced March IS allowed.
7.2.4.25 Passive Siege
• Yes, even if a city doesn't have walls, if you're using an army to take it, it must be besieged in some form (Active, Assault, or Passive). [See 7.2.4.1]
• You will lose some forces due to attrition also. Historically, passive sieges were not as simple as you might think.
7.2.4.27 Raid
• Concerning the last paragraph regarding distribution of the spoils, it is possible to take twice as much from a raid if you specify it. You will then run the risk of mutiny - are you charismatic enough to risk it?
• Please note if you're gathering up all their Agro as well. May as well. Adds an extra AP.
7.2.4.30 Rule
• You cannot Rule and react (or defend) at the same time. A King ruling has a -1 modifier if the region he is in is attacked as he mobilizes his forces.
• HC action can (ought to) be used in conjunction with Rule.
7.2.4.31 Sack City
Concerning the last paragraph regarding distribution of the spoils, it is possible to take twice as much from a sack if you specify it. You will then run the risk of mutiny.
7.2.4.32 Scorched Earth
The region will become either Wilderness or Steppe, whichever it was before, or whichever is closer to what it may have been. For instance, Scorched Earth in Mesopotamia would result in a steppe region, even though it was supposedly the Garden of Eden, cultivated by God herself.
7.2.4.33 Secret Diplomacy
Sneaky, sneaky.
7.2.4.35 Conduct Census
Using it.
7.2.4.36 Re-Equip Troops
Using it - but the cost is 2gp, since there are no Medium class troops.
7.2.4.37 Upgrade Troops
Using it - but note that there are no inexperienced forces in Lords 4/X.
7.3 How To Fill Out Leader Action Order
That Via line in the example is messy. Separate each region you are going to a little better - squishing all your orders into one line is a good way of getting the GM confused. You don't want that to happen.
• If you have several leaders joining to do the same thing, place their orders near one another. Remember, the goal here is to write clear consise orders.
• Here is another example of the same set of orders, the way I would like to see them:
#5 LBBB Gaius Julius Caesar 60hi,40i / 20c,60hi,40i [24ap]
Thessaly -> Macedon [1ap] -> Thrace (DP+5ap) [11ap]
Thrace -> Bulgaria [2ap] -> Bosnia (+20c) [2ap]
Bosnia -> Serbia (A, -14i to garrison) [7ap]
Serbia -> Thessaly [2ap]
Notes: Try to capture King Veringdovix alive. We want him for a triumph in Rome!
8.1.1 Leaders Performing Intel Actions
When using bribes in this situation, be sure to specify what the bribe is targeting - the chance that the leader can attempt the operation, as a bonus to the operation he subsequently performs, or two separate bribes for both.
• Example, please note that all gold used here must be expensed in the builds area of the order form, whether successful or not.
11:L695 - Lieutenant Zork (24 Action Points)
Sussex, ES + 17gp [8ap]: RF + 1 + 65GP : Check University for infiltration
Notes: Apply Intel Bonus point to this RF operation.
8.2 ACTION RANGE
If you are using an army as your base of operations, please note this.
8.3.1 Assault Organization
This knocks out investment monies before actually damaging the government stats. Specify Government or Religious base. You'd better have an infiltration in their Government if you expect this op to work at all.
8.3.4 Counter Intelligence
• Counter Intel is NOT Counter Assassination.
8.3.5 Conceal Fact or Create Fact
YES! Attempt CF's to mislead and create false occurences. Very cool (GMs love this). Boring CF (with no back story) are lame (GMs hate them).
8.3.6 Crush Revolt
• The common use for this operation is to keep any regions from revolting. It will be triggered on the first region attempting to revolt, and the target of this operation should be "HiH" which stands for Hold in Hand.
• To use as a generic CR vs any Leader revolts please note that you do not need to use the KL operation. The target for this would be "Leaders".
• For a +2 bonus, target a specific leader number or region name.
8.3.8 Cause Unrest
Only works on Pacified or Pacified Tributary regions - except in religious cases [See 9.4.3]
8.3.9
8.3.10		 Destroy Assassin/Intel Base
First destroys any investments before actually damaging stats. You must have an infiltration in their Intel service if you expect either of these ops to work.
8.3.11 Infiltrate Enemy
Level 10 is the limit.
8.3.12 Jailbreak
If a seriously charismatic leader attempts and espionage action, please note that he has no gold to offer as a bribe, but its possible...
8.3.18 Rearrange Expenditures
Using it - you must have the Government sector Infiltrated.
8.3.19 Revise Orders
Using it - you must have the Intel sector Infiltrated.
8.3.23 Steal Object
Depending upon how creative the player is, objects to "steal" could be located with the RF action (with a detailed description of what you're looking for and what it'll do for you if you find it).
8.3.26 Subvert Infiltration
The limit is 10.
8.3.28 Support Diplomacy
This operation targets the leader only, not the DP of a specific region. Thus, he can perform multiple DP actions, gaining support from this one SD operation on all regions attempted, assuming the operation succeeds. Failure is a possibility...
9.3 Religious Operations
Please READ Table 9-3 if you're gonna use any of these.
• Secret Empires can't use Religious Ops to assist. They use Intel Ops.
9.3.6 Maintain Influence
You don't have to Maintain Influence if the influence is less than or equal to the RS of the Open Nation you are influencing.
9.3.8 Missionaries
Only one per region or leader per turn. The higher your RS the better - otherwise, you're probably reinforcing the religion of the target.
• Please note the presence of nearby Monasteries or Cathedrals for a bonus.
9.4.1 Colonial Conversion
See 5.6.3
9.4.3 Diplomatic Conversion
See Religious Conversion leader action. Note the difference between Missionary work aimed at the regional population, and Religious Conversion by a leader aimed at the ruling class of a region. If the region is at Friendly status to another nation, obviously Religious Conversion will have no effect (since the ruler of that region is the king of a nation, whose homeland is another region...). Missionaries in the homeland of another nation can be effective, if only to be able to apply the Incite Rebellion action or Cause Unrest operation.
9.6.1 Economic Aspects of the Primacy
• Yes, Primacies can trade. In fact, they need to trade to be able to transfer agro to/from anyone besides their host nation.
• Primacies can be effected by famine even if they don't control a region/city with a regular control status, for instance if they have a lot of troops. Best to store up some agro.
9.6.5 Religious Control Status Increase Limits
As a Primate's Action Range increases, this is the method of degrading those un-needed Cathedrals. There is no nfp or gp gained with a degradation though, and sites cannot be moved.
9.6.8.3 Exact Tithe
You can tithe freely up to the RS of the target Nation - anything over that cuts into their Tax rate. (This could be more than 4% by the way) The most you can possibly tithe is your Influence over that nation. If the Influence drops below the amount of the tithe, the tithe will go away, not drop with the influence.
9.6.8.9 Preach
Similar to Espionage 7.2.4.14, if you spend AP on this action, it will only help the leader conduct the Preach action, it won't be a bonus to the Religious Op you are attempting. Also, any gold spent in support of the action will be applied to the success of the Preach action, not as a bonus to the Religious Op, unless you specify it as such.
9.6.9 Bishopric Support
In order to grant BL or Infra to a co-religionist nation, the Primate must have a holy control status of some kind in the capital (or homeland if no capital exists) of said nation.
9.6.9.3 Bishops
While Lieutenants are not created, the Bishop (B) leader is not a real Bishop. Instead it is a loyal leader to your kingdom, freed up by the BL grant. They are not loyal to the Primacy in any way. Once a BL is granted, you may choose which of your leaders either becomes the new Bishop (B) or switches leader positions with him, in case the Primacy withdraws the BL grant.
9.6.10 Catholic Restrictions on Usury
Currently in Lords X, there is no Catholic Usury Restriction. [See 10.3.1]
9.7 Religious Orders
Not used in Lords X.
10.1.1.1 Tracing the Command Control Radius
Insufficient Action Points rules (as in moving) are in use.
10.1.6 The Census
Yes indeedy.
10.2.1.1 Changing the Imperial Size Divisor
Central Asia is all the contiguous land EAST of the Red Sea, The Gulf of Cyprus, The Agean Sea, The Black Sea, and The Volga River.
• Controlled means Tributary or better, this means that Non-Paying Tributary and Claimed statuses do not count. Also, Oasis regions do not count.
10.4 Inter-Nation Transference of Gold
Primacies may also transfer money to/from any nation they have holy sites in and are within the control web.
10.4.3 Inter-Nation Transference of NFP
Note the emphasis on Capital to Capital. Can't just drop off NFP in any port. sNFP on the other hand...
10.4.4 Inter-Nation Transference of Units
Exception to this rule is MSP transferred to a Merchant House via routes they run for the transferee/transferor. It does not suffer the 50% penalty. This even applies when transferring an existing route to a Merchant House.
10.5.1 Dynastic Failures
Some government types don't have Heir's, so this is not a penalty in those situations.
10.5.1.1 Successor State Regional Allegiance
Capturing the Capital and/or University will transfer government/university points to the controlling faction, port cities capture trade routes and/or MSP based there. Usually there is only one turn for the Factions in the war to conclude it. There is a 20% chance that the war will continue - meaning 80% of the time the faction will be forced to choose one of their friendly regions as a their homeland on the following turn.
10.7.1 Horde Diplomacy and Warfare
• Yes, these two normal options are available, but hordes have a special version of diplomacy available to them. This is called Horde Diplomacy and it is not necessary to indicate that you are attempting it - it happens automatically and takes no extra action points (unless there is a battle).
• When an active horde moves into a Horde Block, Horde Diplomacy takes place - this is not an option. Both hordes total up their population value (not tribe points), add in leader Charisma stats, and add 1d10. The difference will lead to one of 5 results.
• The Active horde will be destroyed; The hordes fight a round of combat; The Active horde is merely allowed to pass; The Inactive horde joins the Active horde providing a leader (Full Ally); or the Inactive horde is absorbed by the Active horde, with no leader.
• Except for the first two cases, the Inactive hordes' regions will become NT to the Active horde, but will probably revolt at the end of the turn due to CCR limitations.
10.8.1 The Cav Count
All areas except Madagascar have completed the Cav Count.
10.10 "Natural" Cultivation
There is no natural cultivation in Lords X.
10.11.1 The Natural Assimilation of Conquered Peoples
As it says in 7.2.4.11, Diplomacy has no effect on Pacified regions, except for increasing the YfC, and then only if you mention that is what you are doing explicitly.
• A P region can be granted PT status if and only if it was P on your stat sheet at the beginning of the turn. Any garrison in such a region MUST be removed at some point during the turn, or it won't become PT.
10.11.3 Other, Less Savory Means
Yes! YES!!
10.14 Sharing A Province
No formal treaty needs to be given to me (God, what a hassle) unless you want it for newsfax fodder. Just let me know what you're doing. I MAY be adopting Lords 42 Political rules at some point in the future, but I need to see how it plays out and what people think of it after 10 or so turns. Since that game seems to be on permanent hiatus...
• You may not grant NT status to regions you control at a higher status to another player. If you are a Vassal to another player, besides paying a tithe (which doesn't come out of your economy freely) you must provide guides (Leaders) for that player's armies in order for them to pass freely. Yes, you read correctly, guides are leaders.
11.1 Secret Empires
• In use.
• Don't confuse the terminology of the Secret Empire actions to mean that SEs are always religious in nature. Organized Crime is essentially an SE, as well as terrorist orginzations, and the Audubon Society.
• Play Illuminati.
11.1.6.5 Investigate Location
• BAC 6+
• The IL leader action is analogous to the intel operation Reveal Fact (8.3.20). In this case a leader pokes around for information, the nature of which may include enemy troops, the royal family, local politics/control status, and so on. Like the RF operation, you must target something. The IL action may be performed by a leader with units, though of course any secret actions may have a greater chance for discovery if troops are involved. Also, this is not an easy action to accomplish. High Charisma is almost manditory if you want to make it out alive.
11.1.6.9 Attempt Ceremony
NOT USED Secret Empires have just as much contact with super-natural forces as Open Nations. If this rule were used, we may as well let Open Nations use it, too.
11.1.7 The War of Shadows
If this GM sees OPEN cooperation between an SEs and Open Nations, Primacies, MCs or another SE, that SE will surely be exposed, and probably wind up with a listing in the newsfax, like an Open Nation. Of course, no one would know exactly where the SE is located, just that it exists, or is it some CF/RF intel actions manipulating the newsfax? Hmmmm....
11.1.10 Suggested Reading
Most any good spy novel or gangster movie.
13-5 Religious Interaction Table
Please see Lords X Religious Interactions Table
• Here is the old Lords 4 table.

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Clarify
1.3 The New Map
A new map will be phased in prior to the use of Air and Steamships.
2.2.1 Tech Level Bonus to Tax Rate
• Not Used.
2.9.1.2 Effect on Mapping Unknown Sea Zones
Sea Zones need not be mapped, unless it's Hostile.
2.9.3.3 Opening a Sea Trade Route via Conduits
When initiating a route, list the Base Port, the Harbor Port, and any anchor ports used, as well as the distance.
2.10 Hands-Off-Trade
In use!
3.2 CONSTRUCTION: BUILDING ARMIES
• See Lords X Industrial build chart for the names of these units, as well as what is available. The Research and Development Chart also helps.
• As a general rule, there are no medium class units. The last letter indicates which Army Quality Rating is usually used. The first letter may define which technology, like S for Steam, D for Diesel.
• G units are Guns, A units are mono-wing Aircraft of some kind, W and T units are Warship and Transports respectively.
3.2.8 Reserve Units
In use.
3.3.1 Colonizing Inhabited Regions
There are no Pre-Columbian cultures left in Lords X, but there are Pre-Columbian Regions.
3.3.2 Improving Conquered Pre-Columbian Regions
This includes the Americas, Madagascar, South Africa, and Australia.
3.3.3 Improving Cultivated Regions
A base map specific to Lords X will be put out soon!
3.3.5 City Co-Builds
These rules are not used.
3.6 CONSTRUCTION: FACTORIES & YARDS
• The wording here is ambiguous. All Heavy prefix units require yard capacity, regardless of tech level. All Steam, Zeppelin, Submarine, Diesel, and Aircraft units require yard capacity of the appropriate kind.
• Airships are synonomous with Zeppelins, but should not be confused with Aircraft (or Artillery for god's sake): Zeppyards are Airship Factories (z, hz, zt), and Airyards are Aircraft Factories (b, hb, bt, a, ha, at, h, hh).
4.3 INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH PROJECTS
Several aspects of the nomenclature of units and the costs to research them have been changed for Lords X. [See 3.2 notes] Please use this Table 8-1.
4.4 PROJECT RECRUITMENT
Project Recruitment is available to Tech 12+ nations, and Tech 8+ Merchants for the purpose of Merchant Colonies (limited).
4.6 OVERREACHING
This is how a Tech 7 nation can start building G units.
5.2.1 Retraining Units
Similar to the Upgrade Troops action, but with the Combat Stat. [7.2.4.37]
5.2.2 Explore
• Already in Basic Rules. [7.2.4.17]
• Only Hostile Sea Zones (H), Inter-Island Arrows (IIA), and Open Ocean Arrows (OOA) need to be explored.
5.2.4 Colonize Inhabited Region
• Already CR in Basic Rules. [7.2.4.17]
• It must be noted that a CR is needed for colonizing inhabited regions, if only to make it explicit, in the case that the region is contiguous with or in your HBZ.
7 THE MERCHANT HOUSE
Section 2.10.4 of the basic rules should also include the Merchant House along with Religious Primates and Secret Empires as positions which do not pay project support, except on regions they own DIRECTLY (normal open control status, F,A,EA,T,FA,P,PT).
7.2.1 Controlling Monopolies
The Merchant House must have at least a Branch Office in the Capital of the Granting Nation. Similar requirements to the Acquire Monopoly action.
7.2.2 Establishing Colonies
Until Tech 12+, Merchant Houses can only spend 25gp per year per Mercenary Colony.
7.2.3 Cartel Trade
• A Merchant House must have at least a Branch Office in a port of the Client Nation to open (or accept) a Cartel Trade route. It is not necessary to have any status in the receiving port.
• The Client port may act as the base for their Cartel Trade, unless other Merchant statuses exist in the Client Nation (for purposes of calculating the route distance).
• When a Merchant House takes over another Nation's trade route(s) for the purpose of Cartel Trade, the MSP for the route must be harbored at a port city where the Merchant House has sufficient free capacity.
7.2.4 Mercenary Brokerage
• The House must have at least a Cartel City (ci) in the Mercenary area.
• If at some time after the Mercenaries are brokered the Merchant House does not have a Cartel City in the area, they will lose their Broker's rights.
7.3 Merchant House Control Statuses
The status code for Colony is [mc].
7.5.3 Open Branch Office
The cost is 10 gp and 1 nfp.
7.5.4 Found Cartel City
The cost is 25 gp and 3 nfp.
7.6 MUNITIONS AND HEAVY MACHINERY EXPORT
Not Used.

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LORDS 10 UNIT CONVERSION

  • Infantry (200 men = 1 point)
  • Cavalry (200 men = 1 point)
  • Siege Engineers (200 men = 1 point)
  • Sail Warships (2 ships = 1 point)
  • Sail Transports (2 ships = 1 point)
  • Steam Warships (1 ship = 1 point)
  • Gunnery (5 guns = 1 point)
  • Zeppelin (2 airships = 1 point)

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    Unit Build Charts