Middle Provincial Era GROGPUBLIC game thread

Started by JasonPratt, September 17, 2018, 05:04:17 PM

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JasonPratt

First, the pre-Early random even table is set aside (along with its Italian Era modification card), and the Early Era Random Event table goes into effect. We'll talk about the particulars next Turn, since they won't apply this Turn (Tripoli being the last Player with a round.)

Second, any pre-Early Statesmen remaining in the deck discard permanently. But none remain.

Third, all remaining cards from the Italian Deck stack on top of the Early Provincial Deck. But none (as it turns out) remain.

Fourth: all pre-Early Statesmen being held in Players' Faction hands face-down, discard permanently. As it happens this only affects I.I., who was holding the Italian Statesman Marcus Atillius Regulus -- whom he couldn't play because the Frog already had family #12 (the Acilians) on the board.

Fifth: all active pre-Early Statesmen without families discard permanently. This only affects AzTank, whose family #24 Spurius Cassius Vicellinus was always going to be "spurious" this way, since his family could never be politically important in time to inherit from him.

Marcus Furius Camillus, venerable and honored Faction Leader of the Conservatives, also discards; but AzTank does have his family card, so all the chips pass down. That includes the Faction Leader status; "prior consul" status (oddly enough); 2 Talents; 2 Popularity; and 5 Influence (Cam's current 10 minus his 5 original Inf stat).

Keep in mind that this inheritance process, from Statesman to family Senator, remains an ongoing Conservative ability for the rest of the game, unique to AzTank's Faction!

The legendary Quinctius Cincinnatus has also (just recently!) managed to train an heir, retiring to pass down his prior consul training; 5 Talents; 1 knight; 1 popularity (2 current minus his original 1); and 14 Influence (15 minus his original 1). As it happens, the Quinctian family Senator always starts with 1 Influence, so the stat remains 15.

The original Manlius of the Militarists, meanwhile, was an otherwise unnamed Military Leader Statesman (unique to the Latin Era). He also retires, transferring all his chips directly to the new Manlius -- the only difference being a reduction of 2 Mil skill back from 5 to the original 3. But Manlius' three inherited minions bump that back up to 6. (The net result being a drop from 8 to 6.) All other stats necessarily remain the same, since this "Statesman" was simply a Mil skill buff.

Last but not least, the famous and influential Censor Appius Claudius, who wanted so much to help promote families into the Senate (but failed on his only such roll), and who wanted so much to fight in the 1st Latin War (but whose Mil skill barely existed), hands on his legacy to his family heir! The Censorial office; prior consul training; 7 Talentons; 4 knights; and 14 Influence (19 minus Ap's original 5). Since the Claudian family normally starts with 4 Influence, this adjusts down to 18.

I feel genuine nostalgia at the passing of these great Statesmen and their deeds which shall live in our memories as examples going into the future!

(I'll post new screenshots of the Player mats soon, before the Senate starts, as usual, so everyone can see where they're at now.)
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JasonPratt

Per Tripoli's instructions, Julius spends 5 of his 7 talentons automatically gaining his 4th minion, who also increases his Mil Skil to 8.

I was given provisional instructions for Aelius to spend all 11 of his cash to Sponsor games; but since only 1 Unrest remains, and since Tripoli might take a shot at Persuading the new family Senator in the Forum...



...whose arrival triggered the Early Provincial Era, then I'm going to pause here to see if Tripoli wants to adjust his instructions.
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
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JasonPratt

Since Tripoli's choice about that isn't going to affect the Population Phase, and since his choice will end the Forum Phase, I'll move along for now...

TURN EIGHT -- POPULATION PHASE
------------------------------

Putting Rome in order: all senators with PontMax office and above get one Major marker. (Technically Acilius gets two Majors, but it isn't possible for someone to be investigated twice in one Turn for Major suspicion. I'm including them both for illustration of the point this time, but in future Turns I'll only give one Major marker to senators with both PontMax and some other higher office.)

No Tax Farming Concessions are threatened; and no destroyed Concessions in the Curia. Nor are there any Aging Enemy Leaders.

The Fabian family in the Curia rolls a 2 on a 1d6, and can't promote a new patrician this Turn. (The late Appius Claudius wouldn't have helped that result either, bless his heart.)

There are no drought effects, and no Unprosecuted Wars, so the Unrest stays at 1.

Roman Consul Acilius of the Plutocrats is the HRAO (I said ApClaud earlier by habit, but it didn't matter since the Plutocrats had both the Censor and the Roman Consul). Therefore he takes his place on the steps to open the Senate this Turn as the Presiding Magistrate, and gives the State of the Republic! Popularity 0 minus 1 Unrest plus 3d6 of 3+1+1 (yeek!) equals 4! According to the chart, this adds 5 to the unrest level, increasing it to 6!


At this point I really do have to pause until we hear back from Tripoli one way or another, not least so that I can be sure of providing accurate snapshots going into the Senate Phase this Turn.  O:-)

Thus, neither has the Senate Phase officially started, so don't try throwing assassinations, or Tribuning Proposals for the new Consuls (nor the Frog normally Proposing anything) yet. You can discuss things, of course, but not make actual proposals yet.
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
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JasonPratt

Okay, Tripoli confirms that he will try to Persuade the Sulpician family to join the Militarists.

Aelius be Persuading, and will spend 4 of his 11 Talents on the attempt.

12 Influence + 4 Oratory - 8 Loyalty + 4 bribery = +12 Base Number.

That doesn't mean he'll automatically win. A natural roll of 10, 11, or 12 will always fail to Persuade a Senator. (This keeps super-rich Players toward the end of the game from poaching senators from poorer players automatically.)

Since no Faction card preventing counter-bribery will be played on this attempt, all Players must now state whether or not they will add any cash to Sulp's card as counter-bribes. This cash can only come from your Faction Treasuries. Each Talent in Sulp's personal Treasury will reduce the Base Number one point. Once the BN drops below 2, no possible roll can win.

Once everyone has stated whether you will or not, Tripoli will have one last opportunity to add the rest of Aelius' 7 remaining Talents to the bribery.

Sulp will keep all Talents bribed to him regardless, making him that much more difficult to Persuade in the future -- but anyone who succeeds will end up controlling all his personal Treasury, too!
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
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PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
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Ethel the Frog

I will spend 7 from faction cash to prevent the persuasion. 

IncompetentIdiot


malize

#786
Not getting involved in this (don't really have the cash to anyway, let's be honest :) )


However, Junius should've also gotten +1 Pop from the games since Aurelius' pop went up.   

Erax

I don't have the cash to get into a bidding war, I'm staying out.

Tripoli

Quik point of order: Rule 1.07.413 says that all bribes must come from the faction treasury.  I can't tell if II and Ethel have that much in their faction treasury. If they do, then I won't counter-bribe.  My persuasion attempt fails, and the subject walks off  14 silver richer.  Nice work, if you can get it.. :)
"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" -Abraham Lincoln

JasonPratt

Argh! -- yep, good catch Malize! I'll adjust that this afternoon (I hope). You'd think I'd remember that more often...  :hide: :-[ :pullhair: #:-)

The Frog had 11 in his Faction Treasury, and I.I. had plenty, too -- I'd have to check exactly how much, but more than the Plutocrats!

So yep, they can afford it.

I'm going to count your public message at 6:16 (system time) to override your pmail at 6:02 (system time) about what to do after counter-bribing is done.

So, Tripoli concedes and there will be no further bribing from him. However, Sulp isn't only 14 Talents richer (7 from the Frog and from I.I.'s Faction Treasury.) He's also another 4 Talents richer from Aelius' personal Treasury!

Thus, Sulp will have 18 Talents now (7+7+4). And he'll be that much more difficult (18 points worth) to Persuade to join anyone. (Until when-if-ever he dies and respawns from the Curia.)
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

JasonPratt

This means the Senate Phase has officially started now. Assassinations can be thrown, and Tribunes and the Frog can make Proposals.

First Mandatory Business is the Proposal and election of two new Consuls. Keep in mind that you've got one easy War to deal with this turn (force strength only two), and increasingly difficult Wars coming up over the next two Turns. This would be a good milk-run for some doofy little senator as Field Consul.

The Senate can however vote to send the Roman as well as the Field Consul out to hit two of the three Wars on the board; and those two Wars can even include (or both can be) the two Immanent Wars!

If y'all decide to hit those, though, you had better make sure you win, because any attacked War will immediately go Active after the fight -- and since all three are Matching each other, they'll multiply each other, too! (I'll have to double-check, but I don't think attacking a non-Active Matching War means they go Active and so multiply strengths before the fight. If so, it would almost always be better to leave them alone and let them promote up to Active in their own time.)
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

JasonPratt

#791
Another big main-game factor that triggers in the Early Provincial Era, is that now one Player can win the game by himself by making one of his senators Emperor!  <:-)

Naturally there are a bunnnccchh of rules about this, but I'll cover the basics of the three methods for doing this:


1st.) Your senator can be elected Consul for Life during a Senate Phase. (CfL is the legal way to become Emperor.) Naturally, every other Player will have a vested interest in voting against you, but your nominee's personal Influence also counts (in this one unique situation) as extra votes in the Senate! The Proposal can be made by Tribune, and only one Proposal for CfL can be made per Turn. Losing the vote (somehow) doesn't bring any penalties. The Proposal can be made any time after new Consuls are elected, except not while the Censor is PM (because no Proposals can be made while he's deciding whether to investigate someone or actually prosecuting them.)

The nominee must be present in Rome (not off somewhere else), and needs 21 or more Influence (which will count toward his votes). He can hold any or no office, and does not need to be a prior Consul.

The Proposal cannot be vetoed (by Tribune or by PontMax or by some Statesmen abilities). But if it's proposed by a Tribune, there is at least one Intrigue card which can be played to make the Tribune withdraw his Proposal.

Since a vote is technically involved, it can be interrupted by assassinating your nominee! -- but keep in mind that a senator can only be targeted by one assassination attempt per Turn (so the Players can't run an assassination train on the nominee. ;) Not even every Player taking one attempt.) What you can expect, is that each of your voting senators will be targeted for assassination once by some Player's senator! -- since while that won't stop the vote (like assassinating the candidate), being dead will stop that/those other senator(s) from casting votes.


2nd.) Automatic appointment of any senator with 35 or more Influence. Since it's theoretically possible for more than one senator to cross that line together, the one farthest across the line gets the appointment. Total Faction Influence breaks any such ties; but oldest family among candidates does not break tied Faction Influence. (Usually oldest family is the ultimate tie-breaker.) This can happen at any time, not only in the Senate. Since no voting is involved, there can be no interruptions including by assassination -- though I think the rules may allow that one assassination attempt can be made afterward, if it happens during the Senate Phase.

A Player can avoid his senators being attacked as they approach the 35 Influence threshold, by publicly Contracting that one or some or all of his senators will never accept Consul for Life. He can exclude one or more of his senators from ever being elected or rebelling this way, too.


3rd.) A Faction may partly or completely rebel against the Senate during the Revolution Phase. In that case, one of the senators will be the Prime Rebel, and he'll create a War, which the Senate will have to start dealing with in the next Senate Phase. If at any time the Senate doesn't Prosecute his War, or all appointed commanders against his War suffer sufficient Defeat against it (below minimum Force levels to keep his War contained), then the Prime Rebel will take over the Republic as Emperor.

Becoming Emperor (or Consul for Life which is the same thing but more legally ;) ), doesn't necessarily mean that senator's Player automatically wins. The Republic can be restored if he dies consolidating his rule -- which mainly amounts to him successfully reducing Rome's Wars to three or less, but dying in the final success. (The official rules say that the Player will still win if his Consul for Life senator is captured, but I'm going to house rule that this restores the Republic, too, with various results if he pays his way free or is rescued by defeating his captor's War.)

A failed Prime Rebel will die, along with his fellow rebel senators, but this doesn't mean his Player is out of the game! -- even if there's a party wipe and all his senators die. You'll just be handicapped in continuing for a while until the game assigns you a new senatorial family from the Curia. It's possible for a failed Rebel Faction to win with everyone else if the Republic survives to the end of the game, or even to come back and win alone with an Emperor after all!
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
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PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
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Erax

Tribune!

I propose Julius and Aurelius for Consuls.

I also propose a public agreement between the Militarists, Progressives, Populists and Aristocrats to: 1) Vote for this proposal, 2) propose and vote for an Aristocrat Censor this turn, and 3) That Censor not prosecute anyone in the aforementioned four factions this turn.

IncompetentIdiot

Quote from: Erax on December 10, 2018, 07:22:37 PM
Tribune!

I propose Julius and Aurelius for Consuls.

I also propose a public agreement between the Militarists, Progressives, Populists and Aristocrats to: 1) Vote for this proposal, 2) propose and vote for an Aristocrat Censor this turn, and 3) That Censor not prosecute anyone in the aforementioned four factions this turn.

The Aristocrats vote for and agree to the contract.

JasonPratt

Phew, catching up! -- I had to stay late at work again (and will through the end of.... gosh, I dunno, Feburary maybe  :buck2: ), and then had to go out of town immediately afterward until returning just now!

But I've processed the plays so far, including the missing Populist point I should have reckoned for Junias.

Incidentally, the Tribune played by Erax tottered into the Senate from back in the Latin Era -- which was a weird balancing choice by the prologue/tutorial expansion designer, since there's no way to even play Tribunes until the Plebian Revolt of the Italian Era has been resolved!
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!