Assassination!

[Velax]

Sounds like a world war one thing is happening

Bags being the UK! Although given our geographical position, we might end up being more like Russia. Hopefully without the mid-war revolution.

[Bendix]

World War One? That's a ridiculous comparison.

First of all, the country which plotted the assassination was the same one that declared war, which would be an absolutely !@#$ing absurd in any real international political situation. It's just nonsense.

Second, it was a larger country which conspired to assassinate the sovereign ruler of a smaller country, not the other way around. The list of demands the Austrians gave to the Serbs was strict, but it was not designed to incite war; rather, the intention was to make Serbia a puppet state so they could control the Black Sea shipping routes, hence why Russia became involved. Germany took out France so it could focus on the Russian flank unperturbed, England joined because of France, and America joined because it was profitable.

However right or wrong some of the reasons for the first World War seemed, they all came from logic. This war in the Far East was only started because everyone was bored with peace.

[Indirik]

However right or wrong some of the reasons for the first World War seemed, they all came from logic. This war in the Far East was only started because everyone was bored with peace.

Well, that is kind of logical. After all, this is a game. And who wants to play a game to be bored?

[Ender]

Well, that is kind of logical. After all, this is a game. And who wants to play a game to be bored?

I agree personally. I feel that sometimes in this game we have to make over-the-top silly decisions to get things moving. It might be hard for characters to justify the decisions sometimes, but that's why I find playing somewhat over-the-top characters works for the game since it forces a variety of reactions from players.

That's probably the same reason why characters like Victor end up doing the things they do.

[Bendix]

Well, I guess they don't call it "Battlemaster" for nothing. Still, it's difficult to roleplay so far outside the boundaries of what's realistically human.

[Tom]

Real-world rulers often had ambitions that don't make sense from a gamey/rational perspective, because they are overblown. They also often had a ton less information available than players in BM. So they take risks and make mistakes.

Example, in CK2 I decided to play a "small" game, so I'm just the Count of Leicester. Through some scheming I came upon a weak claim to the duchy of Normandie - and decided to press it while everyone was busy fighting everyone else. I forgot that my king, William the Conqueror, is, of course, from Normandie and allied. Ooops. I didn't even get to the channel, much less to Normandie.

Things like that happened all the time. They should happen more often in BM.

[Hyral]

Well, I guess they don't call it "Battlemaster" for nothing. Still, it's difficult to roleplay so far outside the boundaries of what's realistically human.

One could argue that it isn't justified, but I wouldn't say Kindara's war isn't human. Pride, I think, is very, very human. A quick look at their history and anyone can see that  they don't deal with disrespect very well, perceived or otherwise. They conquered C'thonia because their ruler got a bit too mouthy. They conquered Cathay(v1) because their ruler may have told someone to intimidate a Kindaran duke with impossibly hollow threats, before he even became ruler. So when the king of Cathay(v2) demanded that the king of Kindara to walk into Anacan and on his knees grovel before him and his court...yes, the Kindarans stopped feeling sorry pretty fast. And there are plenty of good IC arguments to be made, and are being made, against that response. Characters are being consistently played, realms are being consistently played, so let's not label it as some impossibly contrived meta-fest.

[Indirik]

They conquered C'thonia because their ruler got a bit too mouthy.

To be fair, I think everyone felt that way about C'thonia.

[Ender]

To be fair, I think everyone felt that way about C'thonia.

Well they were very mouthy.

Pride, I think, is very, very human.

Exactly! Kindara is a very prideful realm and most of the leading nobles tend to be pretty prideful themselves. Its as much a failing as it is a  good quality, but that's just the facts.

[Tom]

Exactly! Kindara is a very prideful realm and most of the leading nobles tend to be pretty prideful themselves. Its as much a failing as it is a  good quality, but that's just the facts.

And that's what makes BM a great game. We have entire realms with character. I know entire games where you'd be hard pressed to find anyone with that.

[Bedwyr]

However right or wrong some of the reasons for the first World War seemed, they all came from logic. This war in the Far East was only started because everyone was bored with peace.

You have heard of the Pig War, yes?  And all sorts of other ridiculous wars throughout history?  Including the various infamous invasions of Russia from the west?

What I think BM needs more of (and what I tried to introduce, with limited success, and will be damn well doing better when I come back to the game, mwa ha ha!) is greater ideologies.  Don't fight to make your realm more powerful: Fight because that realm uses torture on nobles!  Fight because someone implied that your family has commoners in it (especially if it does)!  Fight because you want to unify an entire region, religion, or continent!  Fight to try something new that no one has done before!  Make honour really mean something, carry grudges that last lifetimes, don't settle for abdications when you can press for skulls, and make your mark on the history of the (game) world!

[Tom]

Oh yeah, on that last - I think the religious game is missing one piece of the puzzle: Making a religion illegal. By the lord. With a certain effect on the followers (dropping them considerably until a small bunch of fanatics is left).

That might give religions a push to use their influence to start a war. And realm a way to "fight back" against foreign realm religions (sadly the standard).

[fodder]

that would make paganism the norm.. due to a lack of religions that actually "work" in that it's not "artificial", you have people actually trying to do it properly, etc?

i still maintain we need some way to do cross continent religions.. so people can feed off existing religions...

[egamma]

that would make paganism the norm.. due to a lack of religions that actually "work" in that it's not "artificial", you have people actually trying to do it properly, etc?

i still maintain we need some way to do cross continent religions.. so people can feed off existing religions...

You can. Just name it the same and use the same Wiki pages.

[fodder]

not exactly the same thing