Lords 24

Turn Zero - Start Up

1000 AD Industrial Stage 0 (The Middle Ages)  

Announcements & Comments

Welcome to Lords 24 - this is a new campaign which will be starting in May.

The campaign will be relying primarily on Version 5.5 of the rulebook (Version 5.4 in conjunction with the Rules Addenda on the webpage will work fine). Any rule, chart, or procedure that I am using that is not included in Version 5.4 or the Addenda will be documented in future Admin sections of the forthcoming webpage. Anyone who plays in Lords 17 will be familiar with the layout as this will be the initial basis for any information.

I will put any rules additions/changes, or new rule proposals here, but the best way to stay informed is to keep checking the website. I will try and update the site as often as I can, and that will be the main method I have of getting information out to you. Once the Lottery is conducted, I will ask Kerry Harrison if I can get a mail list going - once we get it going all the players who run countries will be added to it, as will any new ones.

You may rename your countries, cities, and Leaders at will--in fact if you do not name your Leaders they suffer a severe negative modifier to all actions, and if you do not name your cities....well, Godzilla and Tokyo come to mind. The only thing you cannot rename are the regions...those names are fixed and permanent.

I am planning on having all of the maps on-line for you to download, but there are a couple of administration problems to sort out first. Until such time versions of the maps can be found at Maps (make sure you set your browser's default preference for GIFs to "Save to Disk"!!!)

Lastly, some thank you's--Thomas Harlan for his inspiration and help and Steve Tranzow (Lords 17 GM - aethelred@umit.maine.com from whom I've have pinched this start up page and initial set up.

Fees & Other Such Nonsense

Start-up Fee: £2.50 (Sterling)
Turn Fees: £2.50 (Sterling)

For more information go here

Printed Rules: Version 5.5 is available from Thomas Harlan for $15.00 mailed in the US, or $20.00 mailed overseas. You can also get a pdf copy for $5.00. Contact Thomas at thomash@rtd.com for more information.

Contacting the GM

The best way to reach me is by e-mail at eensmb@elec-eng.leeds.ac.uk, I will get back to you as soon as I can.

My snail-mail address (for cheques and such) is;

Steve Brunt
20 Ringrose Close
Newark
Nottinghamshire
NG24 2JL
United Kingdom

Troop Conversions

Infantry: 200 men = 1 point
Cavalry: 200 men and 200 horses = 1 point
Siege Engineers: 200 miners/sappers/engineers = 1 point
Warships: 2 ships = 1 point
Transports: 2 ships = 1 point

Free Start Rules

In a free start, your nation consists of your homeland (and maybe another region), your King, a Lieutenant, and perhaps an Heir. You also have 200 GP with which to customize and improve your starting position. The free start money can be spent as follows (Note--support costs {i.e. Government, Troop, and Project Support} will not be charged until Turn 6, starting then the normal support costs for everything will kick in):

City: You may either build a new city or expand an existing city at a cost of 10 GP per level. Cities may be built or expanded in your starting region, or any region that you purchase to a controlled status (see below). Improving cities by this method is limited to 50% of the city's starting size, rounded down (i.e. a 3 GPv city could be improved by 1 GPv, and a 4 GPv city could be improved by 2GPv). A new city may be built to a maximum of 1 GPv.

Army: You may build any non-elite unit (remember, only TL6 can build elites!) for the GP cost shown on the build chart for your particular nation type. No NFP will be required to build these units. You may only build up to 40 units on this free start turn. Nations in areas that would not normally possess cavalry (Americas, southern Africa, Oceania) may not build cavalry units.

Fortifications: There is no limit to the amount of fortifications that you can build. For all nations: Field Forts cost 3 GP each, Wall Points cost 5 GP each, and the foundations for Fortresses and/or Port Fortresses can be built for 10 GP each.

Neighboring Regions: You may "buy" neighboring regions at varying costs, depending on status. Eligible regions MUST border your starting region(s). The costs to buy neighboring regions (and everything in it, such as cities) are as follows - Friendly costs 50 GP, Full Allied costs 40 GP, Feudal Allied costs 35 GP. Economic Allied costs 30 GP, Tributary costs 25 GP, Non-paying Tributary costs 20 GP, and Claimed costs 10 GP. You will not get the normal troops from any Friendly or Allied regions for use during the free start turn (they will be available on the first actual turn), nor will you gain the services of the Allied Leaders until the free start turns are done. If two or more regions attempt to buy the same region, the nation spending more will get the region at a level equal to the difference between the two amounts. If both nations spend the same amount, both nations will get the region as Claimed.

Tribal Points and Colonies: Tribal Points (tbl) can be bought for 30 GP this turn only. Uninhabited regions next to your starting region(s) or any of your purchased regions can be colonized at the cost of 30 GP, but cannot be improved.

Cultivation: Your starting regions and any region that you have purchased can be brought under Cultivation for 50 GP. Deserts, Tundra, Mountain, and Oases cannot be Cultivated (as per the normal rules). Note--the cities that you build or expand WILL contribute to the Cultivation of the region that they are in, with their bonus being dependant on their size.

Seafaring Culture: You may switch to Seafaring if your nation's description allows it, at a cost of 25 GP. Seafaring nations may select one adjacent sea zone which can be considered part of the homeland for the purpose of buying neighboring regions. Seafaring nations may buy "rutters" of any arrows which leave this homeland sea zone for 25 GP per segment.

Changing Society, Economic, Government, or Culture Type: Except as noted above for Seafaring nations, none of these can be altered on the free start turn, but they can be altered normally through the course of play.

Religion: You may change your religion to one that is tolerant of yours in your continental area at the cost of 100 GP. Doing this will change your homeland's religion as well. Converting any nearby region from a tolerant religion to yours will cost 25 GP. Converting any nearby region from a hostile religion to yours will cost 50 GP. You may not convert another nation's homeland. If two or more nations strive to convert the same region, a die will be rolled to see who wins. You can also increase or decrease you rReligious Strength by one, at the cost of 25 GP per point either way.

Religious Primate: If you wish your nation to become a Religious Primate (like the Pope), you must spend 75 GP to do so (if your Religious Strength is 8 or more). If you do this, you will gain a Holy City in your homeland, and your government will become a Theocracy. There can be moe than one Religious Primate per religion, but if this happens a schism will occur. You cannot purchase any regions if you choose to become a Religious Primate, but you can buy Holy Sites (see below).

Holy Sites: A Religious Primate can build Holy Sites in regions of the same religion. Cathedrals can be built for 40 GP in regions adjacent to the Holy City or another Cathedral. Monasteries can be built for 30 GP adjacent to the Holy City or a Cathedral. Abbeys can be built for 20 GP adjacent to the Holy City, a Cathedral, or a Monastery.

Secret Empire: You cannot play a Secret Empire during the free start. If you are interested in running a Secret Empire, e-mail me privately and I will give you more info as to when I may be opening such empires for play.

Public Works Bonus: Each PWB can be built at a cost of 10 GP. You may place them in the city or region of your choice (provided that you control that city or region).

Investments: You can spend any amount of GP in the various investments. Such Investments include your government stats (BL and Infra), your Intel ratings (Operations Capacity and Operations Bonus, Assassin Capacity and Assassin Bonus), your Army Quality Ratings (Cavalry, Infantry, Warship, and Siege QRs), your Religious stats (Religious Operations Capacity and Religious Bonus). The free start turn is definitely the best time to invest in these--for every 20 GP that you invest I will roll for improvement (i.e. if you invest 25 in BL you will get 2 rolls...one with an Investment of 20 and one with an Investment of 25...if the stat goes up on the first roll, the second roll would be at an Investment of 5).

Saved GP: No money from the free start can be saved. If you do not spend it, it will disappear from your Treasury.

Free Start Actions

Your King, Lieutenant , and Heir (if you have one, and if he/she is of age) may perform any action that is described in the Lords of the Earth rulebooks (with or without armies under their command), subject to some restrictions. You may not perform Diplomacy against any region that you have purchased in the free start (also, any Diplomacy by another nation on a region that you have bought will be ignored).

If the instructions for your nation call for you to build units, they may be regular or inexperienced; light, medium, or heavy - so long as they are of the same type as is called for. You may attack another nation during the free start, but remember they can also do the same to you!

If you are wiped out during you free start, I will give you a nation that does not border anyone and you can try again! Nations not selected and player run during the free start will be played as non-player countries and their initial gold spent by the GM. Some of those nations will start disappearing, but most will continue to exist as NPC nations (as stated in the webpage).

    Starting Nations - Initial Lottery Draw
(Monday 18th May 1998, 10:00 GMT)

Players are asked to give 6-8 choices from the following nations located in

Northern Europe, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa;

The areas or zones of

India, Indochina, Indonesia and East Asia;

will be added next, followed by

West, East and South Africa;

and finally

Oceania and The Americas.

Northern Europe

The Commonwealth of Iceland
Erik the (not so) Sheepish
STARTS WITH: Iceland
Those who settled in Iceland were peaceful types who want nothing to do with the violent world. Those who show adventurous and cruel tendencies are put to sea on Viking longboats.
Can be Seafaring.

The High Kingdom of Eire
Dal Cuinn Ui Niall, High King of Eire
STARTS WITH: Ulster
The nominal rulers of Ireland have never had much control beyond Ulster. The Ui Nialls oppose the rise of Brian Boru, nor do they trust the Vikings.

The Tuath Kingdom of Thomond
Briain Boru, King of Mumu
STARTS WITH: Munster
Briain Boru has gained the support of the petty lords of Munster, and now seeks to unite all of Ireland. Boru ranks as one of the great warrior kings of Ireland.

The Jarldom of Orkneyjar
Sigurd (II) the Stout, Earl of Orkney
STARTS WITH: Orkney
Orkneyjar is a pagan stronghold of old style Vikings. They long for the good old days of pillage and plunder.
Must build 10w. Can be Seafaring.

The Kingdom of Scotland
Kenneth II, King of Scotland, Lord of the Dal Riada
STARTS WITH: Strathclyde
The fractious Scots have united under the Dal Riada to combat the Viking raids.

The Saxon Kingdom of England
Aethelred the Unready, King of England
STARTS WITH: Sussex (London)
The Saxons were united during their struggles against the Danelaw in the 9th Century. The Danes haven't given up--they raid the coastline still.

The Welsh Kingdom of Gwynned
Llywelyn ap Seisyll
STARTS WITH: Gwynned
These are the last Britons who rule themselves. Many commoners of Gwynned and Dyffed still cling to the old pagan rituals.

The Norwegians
Olaf Haraldson
STARTS WITH: Hordaland
Olaf Haraldson has finally rallied the routed Norse after they were forced from Norway by the Danes. Haraldson is now bent on revenge.
Must build 10i. Can be Seafaring.

The Kingdom of Svear
Olaf Skutkonung of Uppsala
STARTS WITH: Uppsala
The Swedes have begun to prosper in their quiet bay.
Can be Seafaring.

The Kingdom of Denmark
Svein Forkbeard, Jelling King of Denmark
STARTS WITH: Denamrk
The Danes are the most powerful of the Nordic Kingdoms. They are also the only Catholic one. The Jelling Dynasty has ruled Denmark for over 60 years.
Must build 10w and 10i. Can be Seafaring.

Western Europe

Le Duche de Normandie
Richard II, Duc de Normandie
STARTS WITH: Normandy
The Vikings who settled here have truly become Frenchmen. The Duke is only nominally loyal to the King of France.

Le Royaume de France
Robert (II) the Pious, King of West Francia
STARTS WITH: Ile de France (Paris)
Charlemagne's empire is now just a shadow of its former greatness. The King's influence doesn't carry far outside Paris.

Flanders
Count Baldwin
STARTS WITH: Flanders
The Flemish are already to starting to burgeon as a center of economic and trade activity.

Le Comte d'Anjou
Foulques (III) Nera, Count of Anjou
STARTS WITH: Anjou
The Angevin Plantagenets are perhaps the most powerful Duchy in all of France.

Le Royaume de Bourgogne
Rudolf III, King of Burgundy
STARTS WITH: Burgundy
The Burgundians were once part of the Carolingian Empire, but have once again regained their independence.

El Reino de Navarre
Sancho the Great, King of Navarre
STARTS WITH: Navarre
Sancho has turned his backwards estate into the most powerful kingdom of Christian Spain.
Must build 10i.

El Reino de Leon
Alfonso V, King of Leon
STARTS WITH: Leon
The Leonnese are the heirs of the original Asturias Kingdom, who were the last remnant of the ancient Visigoths.

El Ummayad Caliphate al Cordoba
hishram, Commander of the Faithful, Caliph of Cordoba
STARTS WITH: Andalusia (Seville)
The Ummayad Caliphate is at the height of its wealth and power. It controls some of the largest cities in Europe.
Must invest 15 in BL and 15 in Infra.

Das Deutches Konigsreich
Otto III, Herzog of Saxony, King of Germany, Holy Roman Emperor
STARTS WITH: Saxony
Otto calls himself the Hole Roman Emperor, but the Church has not yet recognized him as such. He first needs to gain the support of the German dukes. Otto's kingdom is the remnant of East Francia.
Must invest 10 in BL and 10 in Infra.

The Frisians
Egmont
STARTS WITH: Friesland
The HRE did not pay much attention to these flooded lowlands.

The Duchy of Bohemia
Sviatopluk
STARTS WITH: Bohemia
A nominal possession of the HRE. The Bohemians are Czech Slavs.

The Lombard Kingdom of Italy
Arduin of Ivrea, King of the Lombards
STARTS WITH: Lombardy
The HRE has only loose control over the Kingdom of Italy.

The Republic of Venice
Guilando, Doge of Venice
STARTS WITH: Verona (Venice)
The Venetians control the land around their island city.
Can be Seafaring.

The Principality of Salerno
Isralo, Prince of Salerno
STARTS WITH: Campania (Naples)
The Principality has remained independent despite the pressures of the HRE and the Byzantines.

The Papal States
Sylvester II, Pope of the Roman Catholic Church
STARTS WITH: Latium (Rome)
The Church has started to become popular again. However, the rulers of Europe are worried about the idea of a Pope with a crown.
Must invest 25 in BL and 25 in Infra.

North Africa
 
El Hammadid Emirat al Qalat
Hammad bin Buluggin
STARTS WITH: Al'Hauts
The Hammadids are autonomous lieutenants of the Zirids, who themselves serve the Fatimids.

El Zirid Emirat al Mahidya
Nusir ad Dawla Badis
STARTS WITH: Tunisia (Mahidia)
The Zirids rule here because they served the early Fatimids well.

Al Fatimid Caliphat al Qaira
Al-Hakim the Mad, Commander of the Faithful, Mahdi Saviour of Dar al Islam, Caliph in Cairo
STARTS WITH: Mansura, Egypt (Alexandria)
The Fatimids were originally a secret cult who believed that only the descendants of Mohammed's daughter Fatima should be Caliph. After an uprising in Tunisia, the Fatimids were invited there to rule. They then began a program to conquer all of Islam, and have since moved their capitol to the Nile basin. Al-Hakim is preparing to march on the Buwayids and remove the false Caliph.
Must build 10c and 20i.

Eastern Europe

The Duchy of Poland
Boleslav the Brave, Duke of Poland
STARTS WITH: Kauyavia
Boleslav once declared himself a vassal of Otto III, but he's since changed his mind. Boleslav wants to expand Polish power everywhere so that he can call himself a King. He has asked the Pope for help in this quest.

The Wends
Jagiello
STARTS WITH: Lithuania
The Litva, or Wends, are in a raiding mood...

The Ests
Siakhau
STARTS WITH: Estonia
These are Baltic heathens who want to make trouble for the more settled regions in their area.

The Magyarorszagh Kingdom
Vaik Arpad, King of the Hungarians
STARTS WITH: Alfold
Since their defeat by the Germans in 955, the Hungarians have been having second thoughts about their raiding lifestyle. Vaik is thinking about converting to Catholicism.
Must build 20c.

The Kingdom of Croatia
Petar, Zhupan of Croatia
STARTS WITH: Croatia
The Croats are a Slavic pagan kingdom, hemmed in by the Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

The Western Bulgarian Empire
Samuel, Tsar of the Bulgars
STARTS WITH: Serbia (Ochirida)
Samual claims he doesn't fear the Byzantine Empire at all, and even boasts of Bulgaria's superiority.
Must build 10c.

The Oriental Roman Empire
Basil II, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire
STARTS WITH: Constantinople (Constantinople), Thrace (Heraclea)
The Byzantine Empire, as it is also known, is at the peak of its power. Basil has fought successful wars against the Bulgars and the Arabs.
Must invest 25 in BL and 25 in Infra.

The Varangian Rus of Kiev
Vladimir, Grand Prince of Kiev
STARTS WITH: Kiev (Kiev)
Vladimir thinks he needs to convert to an organized religion to keep his kingdom together, but he's not willing to give up his vodka.

The Mordva
Belacogik
STARTS WITH: Mordva
The Mordva never accepted the idea of being ruled fair haried kings.

The East Bolgar Khanate
Al Babir Faiz
STARTS WITH: Bolgar
These steppe dwellers are getting the itch to move again...
Must build 20c.

The Kingdom of Abasigia
Siavan, King of the Colchis
STARTS WITH: Abasigia
This Christian kingdom exists as a buffer between the Byzantines and the Muslims.

The Shahdom of Armenia
Gagik, Shah of Armenia
Armenia is another Christian buffer state. Gagik is having a hard time holding his kingdom together.

The Middle East

Ar Rassid Imamat as Sa'na
Al Quasim, Zaidi Imam of Sana
STARTS WITH: Aden (Sana)
The Zaidi Imams couldn't care less what the rest of the Muslim Umma thinks.

The Hamadid Emirat
Sa'id ad Dawla Sa'id
STARTS WITH: Syria (Damascus)
To dissuade the Fatamids from attacking, the Hamadid have sworn fealty to the Buwayid Emir of Emirs.

The Buwayid Emirates
Baha al Dawla Firuz, Emir of Emirs, Protector of the Baghdad Caliph
Al Qa'im, Kaliphat Rasul Allah, Commander of the Faithful
STARTS WITH: Mesopotamia (Baghdad)
The Buwayids are the greatest of the Daylami, for they were able to capture the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad and imprison him in his own palace. The Buwayids use the Caliph to assert their legitimacy with the Fatimids.
Must invest 10 in BL and 20 in Infra

Ar Rawwadid Emirat at Tabriz
Abu Nasr Husayn bin Manlan
STARTS WITH: Azerbaijan (Tabriz)
The Rawwadids are Kurds that originally helped the Daylami destroy the Sadjids. Then they pushed the Musafirids out so that they could have Tabriz to themselves.

Az Ziyarid Sultanat at Tabaristan
Shams al Ma'ali Qabus
STARTS WITH: Tabaristan
The Ziyarids are perhaps some of the toughest Daylami to emerge from the mercenary days of the early 10th century. The original Ziyarid, Mardawij, helped the Samanids crush the Alids, then they took the land of Tabaristan as payment.

As Shaddadi Emirat
Fadl Ibn Mohammed
STARTS WITH: Media (Hamadan)
The Shaddadid found power during the Daylamite invasion of Persia.

The Khwarzimshah
Abu'l-Hasan Ali
STARTS WITH: Khwarzim (Khiva)
The Khwarzim started as a piece of the old Kushan Empire was back in 300 AD. Now they pay occassional tribute to their neighbors to remain independent.

The Karakhanate of Ilig
Ahmad Arslan, Kara Khan
STARTS WITH: Kara-Khitai (Samarkhand)
The Karakhanids came out of the east and overran the Samanid Emirat in 999 AD.
Must build 25c.

The Ghaznavid Sultanat
Yamin ad Dawla Mahmud, the Idol Breaker, Sultan of Ghazna
STARTS WITH: Afganistan
Mahmud is perhaps one of the greatest generals in history. He helped the Karakhans overthrow the Samanid Empire. Mahmud now gazes upon the wealth of India with disgust in his heart.
Must build 25c.

The Saffarids of Baluchistan
Wali ad Dawla Khalf bin Ahmad
STARTS WITH: Baluchistan
The Saffarids once ruled much of Persia, but have since been driven into exile.