HRE NES

[Cyclotron]

I should note that, as years go on, things will become less and less historical, so don't assume that people neccesarily die at the same time or that battles end the same way. This is especially true of events that you are a part of; the more influence you have, the less likely events are to follow a historical course.

That said, I've no problem with historical research - I encourage it, as you as a leader would certainly know more about various leaders than I tell you in this thread. Just don't count on history turning out the same way - say, Simeon dieing of a heart attack in 927, for example.

[appleciders]

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to Doge Orso II Participazio of Venice
Your offer is intriguing, but as I have no ports and no borders with you, I am wary of inefficiencies and lost cargoes, especially with the Magyars infesting so much of the wilderness today. However, I am not a man insensible to profit, so by all means, make an offer.

[Cyclotron]

Still working over here. Again, in the meantime...

Saxony's acquisition of 10 longships begs the question of navies. They work in essentially the same way as armies; you can send your recruits to be soldiers in your ships, and arm them appropriately. They can be commanded by generals in the same way as armies, but because naval battles rely much more on the weather and happenstance, generals have a lesser impact when fighting at sea.

The main difference is that the number of soldiers in a navy group is limited by the amount the ships can carry. For instance, longboats carry 60 men per ship, so a navy with 10 of them could have a maximum of 600 men in it.

Having (well manned and armed) navies stick around in rivers and oceans helps decrease piracy and makes sea trade routes more profitable. Otherwise, you can order them around like any army.

You are limited in what kind of ships you can build. Germans, for example, cannot build longboats, but Saxony could invest in looking into the captured longboats it has to try and figure out how they're constructed.

For low tech ships, like Roundships (what everyone can build) and Longships, it doesn't matter too much what the kind of ship is - more numbers of soldiers will usually be the deciding factor. Some ships (usually ones with weapons, like galleys or byzantine dromons, do actually convey an advantage over other navies.

[appleciders]

How much can we expect ships to cost?

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by appleciders
How much can we expect ships to cost?

I'm not sure, I'll give it some thought to make sure it's balanced.

New Stat block is up. However, the trade routes need to be updated/modified, and casualties from battles have not yet been deducted - this will be done first thing tomorrow. Besides that, they're ready.

PMs will also be sent out tomorrow.

Chancellor of Saxony to Duke Heinrich
My Lord, your treasury runs perilously low. A positive flow of denarii is predicted for next year, but I must advise that you keep your expenses in check this year so that we may continue to compensate our soldiers and creditors in full.

[Cyclotron]

All updating of the Stat block is done.

I have added "The Marketplace" right above the Mercenary Billboard, where you can see all trade routes in one place and see what your profit is from trade.

PMs will be out shortly.

Doge Orso II Participazio of Venice to Duke Arnulf of Bavaria
I understand your concern - as a merchant of no small means myself, I can sympathize with the problem of lost cargo and piracy. I respect your decision, but know that - God willing - Berengar's hold on northern Italy may not be as long lasting as you think. Should a more opportune time arrive, please reconsider our offer.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by appleciders
How much can we expect ships to cost?

Roundship: 50 denarii
Roundships are the merchant and transport ship of choice ever since the fall of the Roman Empire. They are flat-bottomed and wide ships, not very large but with a good cargo capacity. They typically have one or two masts, but also have oars for when these are needed. They can navigate rivers with ease, but are not seaworthy away from the coast. They can carry 50 men.

Longship: 75 denarii
Longships are expertly built ships used by the Vikings on their raids and voyages. They have somewhat deeper keels than Roundships, and so are far more seaworthy without sacrificing much ability to traverse rivers. They can be either sailed or rowed, with equal effectiveness. They can carry 60 men.

So, you see that for transporting troops, Roundships are more economical (more men per denarii), but Longships are more seaworthy, able to go farther and better survive storms. Currently, all German Duchies with a port city can build Roundships.

[appleciders]

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to Duke Erchanger of Swabia, Duke Heinrich of Germany, King Conrad of Franconia, Doge Orso II Participazio of Venice and King Berengar of Italy

I have recently completed a salt mine which has vastly exceeded my expectations for productivity. I am pleased to be able to offer salt for trade. Any takers?

[Cyclotron]

To Micha: Scouts from Franconia and Bavaria have made contact with Duke Heinrich and his forces at Zwickau. They inform him that a sizeable Magyar army is less than 40 miles south of his position, but it appears to have no knowledge of your position here. They do not know where the next target of the Magyars is.

[appleciders]

Bavarian Orders (Complete):

50 denarii to "special projects".

Continue encouraging displaced Slavs who are already in Bavaria to either settle on my demense in Bavaria or Carinthia or work in mines. Allocate 100 denarii to help these Slavs get settled and become productive members of society. Use that money to purchase plows to be shared by whole communities, improve roads, provide cheap or free lumber for house building, that kind of thing.

Put 150 denarii towards building a stone mine in Carinthia. If any money is left over, improve the roads running to the mine and build a decent town for the miners to live in.

Hire 200 Thuringian Woodsmen, and add them to the Fourth Regiment. Use them to scout ahead of the Magyars, and report back regularly.

Forge 400 sets of light armor and 100 javelins using 450 denarii from iron. Also make 100 sets of light armor from the 100 denarii of leather. Equip every Light Spearman in the Fourth Regiment with a set of light armor, and turn 100 Light Spearmen in the Third Regiment into Angonmen with the new javelins. Leave all regiments organized the way the are for the moment.

75 denarii to hiring agents to slip amongst the Bohemians and talk as many as possible into leaving the Bohemian army and, if possible, fighting on my side.

Instead of purchasing Foolish_Icarus's silver with cash, trade him 300 denarii worth of salt. I hope that'll bring the silver-salt exchange to the point where we can get trade benefits.

Call up some new generals. Keep von Brenner in the mix; he's worth having, but I need two new generals, smart and with high mathematical skills.

Call up 200 more men to begin training for the army.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by appleciders
If the leather being purchased from Italy can be used in making light armor, use that too!

That's a good idea, but on second consideration I'm wondering if it could make things too complicated. Thoughts?

Instead of purchasing Foolish_Icarus's silver with cash, trade him 300 denarii worth of salt. I hope that'll bring the silver-salt exchange to the point where we can get trade benefits.

Yes, it will. Marketplace and Stat block updated accordingly.

[appleciders]

Your call. I kind of foresee myself making a heck of a lot of light armor in the future, since heavy armor is just ridiculously expensive, but it could possibly tip the game balance. I sincerely doubt it will make the game much more complicated, but if we add too many of these special benefits, maybe. On the other hand, different special benefits can make things lots more fun. In other words, I have no clue. Make it 2 leather counts as 3 denarii in reference to light armor, maybe?

[Cyclotron]

I'd rather keep the 2:1 ratio for simplicity's sake if I do decide to use leather for this purpose.

Alright, then, I'll add this in for now. Leather now gives the same "double benefit" for the production of light armor only as iron does. These stack; 200 iron and 200 leather together can be used for up to 800 denarii worth of light armor.

[appleciders]

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to Duke Spytihnìv I of Bohemia
My friend, I see the havoc the Magyars have wreaked on your duchy, and I understand your surrendering out of a desire to save your people. But dragging them into a war against your Christian neighbors is wrong. Come back to the Christian way of life, and leave these pagans behind. King Conrad and I will seek to defeat these Magyars and put you back on your ducal throne where you belong. Come back to us, and bring your army with you so that we can defeat these pagan Magyars permanently.

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to Archbishop Hatto of Mainz and His Holiness Pope Lando
Reverend fathers, I humbly request your assistance in a dire matter threatening much of Christendom. A pagan army, assisted by a subjugated Christian Duke and his Christian army, are marching on Germany. I urge you to place this army and its commander under interdict unless they come to fight against the heathen for the Lord. I have returned all the Church's land I wrongfully stole and have given nearly one-third of the conquered Wachau valley to the Church as well. I beg your aid in this vital matter threatening Germany and all of central Europe.

[Cyclotron]

Ducal Herald to Duke Arnulf of Bavaria
My Lord, my men were unable to deliver your message to Duke Spytihnìv, though we tried. He is ever surrounded by the Magyars and their guards, and we lowly heralds cannot hope to deliver anything to him - if we are even spotted near the Magyar camp, we are shot or captured and subjected to harm most grevious, as we are taken to be my Lord's spies.

Ducal Herald to Duke Arnulf of Bavaria
My Lord, my sincere apologies again at the failure of my men - we waited long to have an audience with His Holiness, who finally had one of his cardinals see us, who expressed some degree of confusion as to where Bavaria was and why exactly my Lord's most pressing matters were the concern of the Papacy. He bid us return home, telling us that perhaps a goodly donation to the coffers of the Roman Church would give us the ear of His Holiness.

Archbishop Hatto of Mainz to Duke Arnulf of Bavaria
Good Duke, it surely pleases God greatly that you have reconciled yourself with His Church, and it pleases me that you have likewise reconciled yourself with our noble and righteous King.

Unfortunately, though I would surely put the Bohemians and every other enemy of Christendom under censure, this is not within my power. As Bohemia does not fall within my purview as the Archbishop of Mainz, I simply do not have the authority to excommunicate the Bohemian army.

Those who could perform this act are the Pope himself, a general Church council with the authority of the entire Church (which could take years to convene, if it could be done at all), a Bishop or Archbishop with authority over Bohemia (of which there is none, unfortunately) or a provincial council of the clergy of Bohemia. I hope this information will aid you, disappointing as it must be.