Political Model Changes

[Ry Vor]

Players should be aware that the Player Aid used in 3rd Cycle The Choosing does not work in Maelstrom for Incite and Rebellion, given the various changes to the political model.

In The Choosing, the Reaction Levels in a political power move were:

• Friendly - 1.0
  
• Tolerant - 2.0
  
• Suspicious - 3.0
  
• Hostile - 4.0
  

In Maelstrom, the Reaction Levels are:

• Loyal - 1.0
  
• Friendly - 1.5
  
• Tolerant - 2.5
  
• Suspicious - 3.5
  
• Hostile - 4.5
  

The base resistance in The Choosing (and so in the Player Aid) were:

• Village - 1.3
  
• Town - 2.6
  
• City - 5.0
  

In Maelstrom:

• Village - 1.5
  
• Town - 3.0
  
• Minor City - 5.0
  
• Major City - 6.0
  

Additionally, various kingdoms have gained or lost traits, so players should consider for example, when usurping a PC, if the kingdom has the trait of Order or Ruthless.

An easy example is in The Choosing, the calculated resistance of a Human Controlled Town in a region where you are friendly would be:
Friendly 1.0
x Town 2.6
= 2.6
To Incite Rebellion then, a Baron of a kingdom with Influence 12 would have power 6.0, and so would, without other factors like Maintain Status Quo, intrinsic or explicit, would have his 6 power vs. Town resistance of 2.6 or 5.2 to directly control (double resistance to usurp rather than incite), and so would be expected on all but his worst day (-15%) to successfully usurp this Human town.

In Maelstrom, the resistance is:
Friendly 1.5
x Town 3.0
=4.5
So the Baron of a kingdom with Influence 12 would still successfully Incite Rebellion under the same conditions, but would definitely fail and get rotten eggs thrown at him likely for attempting to Usurp Control.

Players will want to do their calculations, remember the good day / bad day of plus or minus up to 15%, and kingdom traits, if the region is controlled, the status quo effects of various PC Improvements etc. and that in Maelstrom their likely may be more use of the Stir Unrest order.  

Hope this is informative and please recall it when planning your political power moves in Maelstrom.

[DuPont]

I will never forget staying up all night in college with naught but that chart in the back of the rule book with percentages trying to crack the code and the feeling of delight when I succeeded. I wasn't at all sure that the Oracle would publish my findings and felt a ridiculous amount of pride when it did. Imagine how humbled I was when a trite bit of fiction snatched away the free setup I was hoping for as the prize for best article of the issue! Curse you 'Beach Patrol' - you sucked!

[Ry Vor]

I will never forget staying up all night in college with naught but that chart in the back of the rule book with percentages trying to crack the code and the feeling of delight when I succeeded. I wasn't at all sure that the Oracle would publish my findings and felt a ridiculous amount of pride when it did. Imagine how humbled I was when a trite bit of fiction snatched away the free setup I was hoping for as the prize for best article of the issue! Curse you 'Beach Patrol' - you sucked!

Wow, DuPont!  Nothing like a 30 year grudge!  My brother Russ who recently visited here in Minas Tirith was the editor of The Oracle way back then.  Those rule books remind me of all the problems I had with that commercial printer in Fort Lauderdale, doing 500 sets of the red and blue books, but even more trouble trying to get him to finally do the elaborate setup (this was 1987 so just color printing was something) for those poster sized 5 color maps.  Then entering all those orders, one by one by one.  Of course back then  turns were $7.50.  And the turns went through space by something called the post office that charged about $1.20 a turn to mail.  We'd wait for the mail to be delivered, and crap, once again, no turn, but then the next day, there it was, and then the most exciting 15 minutes of the week.  It kind of defined anticipation (in gaming, at least).  Now turns are about a buck, you get them 30 seconds after the deadline, sometimes before the deadline, and the next in no more than 72 hours.  But they still want to call it play by mail.

[Draugr]

I am no Frost Lord, but this should help.   it does not factor everything but for sure helps at least until someone makes a better version.
basically fill out the yellow stuff and it should give you a success rate. Green Good....Red Bad

  emmy_success_2.xlsx (Size: 12.61 KB / Downloads: 10)

[Calidor]

Thanks for sharing with the community Draugr.

[Rytek]

I would like to know what I am missing. I get failures when i shouldnt. Last turn I had 3 barons fail to incite rebellion in enemy towns. With an influence of 22.8. Tolerant in the region. So, I should need 7,5. yet with 11.4 3 fails. and the owning player elf so no modifiers like Ruthless. And no other emissaries maintaining influence.

[RELLGAR]

I had a similar situation in a game with CI dukes failing to rebel villages.

[Calidor]

I think it has to do with the control/reaction of the other party?
From UncleMikes Corner:

New Regional Reaction Loyal (higher than Friendly, may only be achieved if kingdom has Tight Control influence in the region, tougher for other kingdoms to gain control of pc's, 3 pts of morale to groups in Loyal regions)
         
New Regional Influence Tight Control (80%+ control of region, allows raising regional reactions to Loyal, kingdom cannot be denigrated in regions with Tight Control, tougher for other kingdoms to gain control of pc’s)

[Draugr]

So I think the issue is that like 315 your reaction level effects 320 order. So effectively giving you a double whammy being the dificulty is based on your reaction level and then your Emmy is less effective due to reaction level as well. I have not tested this but have suspected it is the case. Rytek’s Example would tend to maybe show this. Other factors like control and enemy reaction also effect but not as much as would be needed to make Ryteks guys not work. I find using 315 and 330 works much better than trying to use 320 orders.

My calculator does not currently divide an emmies strength by reaction since it already is part of difficulty. Bad math but is easy to put in if that is how it works

We need more better/detailed examples and to confirm they are correct. Would be really nice to gave a Frost lord type player aid mostly for emmies.

[Calidor]

So I think the issue is that like 315 your reaction level effects 320 order. So effectively giving you a double whammy being the dificulty is based on your reaction level and then your Emmy is less effective due to reaction level as well. I have not tested this but have suspected it is the case. Rytek’s Example would tend to maybe show this. Other factors like control and enemy reaction also effect but not as much as would be needed to make Ryteks guys not work. I find using 315 and 330 works much better than trying to use 320 orders.

My calculator does not currently divide an emmies strength by reaction since it already is part of difficulty. Bad math but is easy to put in if that is how it works

We need more better/detailed examples and to confirm they are correct. Would be really nice to gave a Frost lord type player aid mostly for emmies.

yeah when I plug in his info I get a 9.75 needed. Certainly higher than the 7.5 but also significantly lower than the 11.4 his emmies seem to be worth.