Balance of power and the new estate system

[STiAle]

A few considerations for the new estate system:

1. Infrastructure: I hope building/upgrading/maintaining roads is included in the consideration, especially if claiming an estate in person is maintained.

2. Harvest: Penalty, same as the tax penalty, for regions without sufficient coverage should be maintained. The theory being that without close supervision, the commoners might not be entirely truthful about their produce. This helps give more bargaining power for non-C/S/T  nobles in exchange for less tax gold and hopefully allow any decently managed/covered region to provide, relatively, equal income even if only in political capital rather than simple gold.

3. Logic and Politics: Recruiting of local units. Realm capital remains the center of recruitment for the whole realm, while individual regions can recruit locally produced unit. Providing militia is the most obvious consideration, ability to defend regional rights is another. This helps regions to defend itself against their government. As long as they can convince other nobles that they have justifiable complaints, they should be given the opportunity of making a stand. This may provide a richer role-paying experience instead of simply seceding or defecting. Basically a very strong protest just short of rebellion, which can escalate if mishandled.

[Nosferatus]

1. yes perhaps, but i can see much more fun and intresting options, perhaps even some mini events where in the knight has to make some decisions. like a pesky gang that has been stealing tax gold, as in how to deal with it. or make certain buildings to increase the benefits of an estate that last.
2. Definite no
3. No, militia units already belong to the region, if it defects, the militia defects with it.

[STiAle]

Sorry, Nosferatus, I think you're missing some points here:

1. A newcomer isn't going to happy spending a week just travelling to a vacant estate. Improving the road and travel time might help a lord attract nobles to the region. Strategically, one can choose to upgrade roads to help the realm's army get to the front easier, or choose not to improve the road and make it harder for the region to be invaded.

2. City/Stronghold/Town usually provides more income for their nobles, this suggestion was intended provides incentive to claim rural estates. I should know, one of my character is lord of the realm's granary, but financially me and my knights are the poorest. Political capital: don't insult the person who feeds you. Unless someone is willing to suggest we abolish non-C/S/T regions or make it a punishment post?

3. The idea was to not defect. If you're in rebellion, what are the chances of you going to the capital to recruit more soldiers to your cause, however just it may be? Balance of power, giving regional lords the opportunity to stand up to their rights, if they so choose, instead of running away. Politically, if you manage to antagonize every other nobles in the realm then you're better off defecting, if you have reasonable grievances, you have the option of making a stand for it. Come to think of it , this also applies to when the realm is split due to invasion or mismanagement of connecting regions, it will only be a stopgap measure but it will be there while the realm rallies to restore the connection.

[Indirik]

3. The idea was to not defect. If you're in rebellion, what are the chances of you going to the capital to recruit more soldiers to your cause, however just it may be?

Recruitment in the capital is an obvious OOC game mechanic. It is not intended to be realistic. It is also something that is not going to change short of a very major reworking of game mechanics.

[Chenier]

1. A newcomer isn't going to happy spending a week just travelling to a vacant estate. Improving the road and travel time might help a lord attract nobles to the region. Strategically, one can choose to upgrade roads to help the realm's army get to the front easier, or choose not to improve the road and make it harder for the region to be invaded.

Speaking of which...

We were all very happy when we could set our estates from afar. As long as the lord offered the oath, everything could be settled by day 1 from the capital.

Is the new system forcing us to start travelling to the regions to set up our estates again? I would very much like, if so, for the ability to pick up vacant estates from the capital and the duke's region (for estates of his duchy).

[JPierreD]

I would very much like, if so, for the ability to pick up vacant estates from the capital and the duke's region (for estates of his duchy).

There is no longer a Duchy capital.

[Anaris]

Is the new system forcing us to start travelling to the regions to set up our estates again?

Tom has said that he has some plans to change this.

[Chenier]

There is no longer a Duchy capital.

Indeed, but it could be brought back under some form.

[Indirik]

I agree that some way to pick up an estate when not in the region would be very nice.

[Tom]

Basically, right now you need to be there to pick up an estate.

For the future, I plan to add in ways like meeting with a lord, etc. - especially for tournaments. However, these are a bit more difficult to code, so don't expect them in the very near future.

[STiAle]

Basically, right now you need to be there to pick up an estate.

For the future, I plan to add in ways like meeting with a lord, etc. - especially for tournaments. However, these are a bit more difficult to code, so don't expect them in the very near future.

Understood.

A question, though: Would it be difficult to allow freemen to claim an estate?
Normal rules: 3 recommendations, acceptance by the region lord to be considered the 3rd; as well as the 1 recommendation per noble rule, cannot claim an estate from a region lord who has already given his/her recommendation.

[vonGenf]

I'm not sure what you wish to gain here.... once you have your three recommendations, you can declare yourself noble and then pick up an estate.

[STiAle]

I'm not sure what you wish to gain here.... once you have your three recommendations, you can declare yourself noble and then pick up an estate.

Partly for this reason:

... he had RP interaction with an advy that made him trust him, and he wants to give him a recommendation.

It was in a stable island though, so I don't see it happening any time soon without a whole lot of micro-managing to reflect the RP (e.g. manually paying his share every tax day, etc.)

[vonGenf]

I'm still not sure what you mean.

Unless what you mean is that you want freemen to have estates without becoming nobles first. If that's the case, I'll go on a limb here and say it will be shot down.

[Indirik]

Would it be difficult to allow freemen to claim an estate?

Difficult to code? Probably not.

But it will never, ever happen.