New Estate System

[Bael]

will duchies (or their names) be shown on some of the maps?

The current map system is very limited in what it can show. They are hand-drawn, and everything, except for the banners (I believe) is fixed. This is why Tom has been tinkering, encouraging others to tinker with new map creations (as I have witnessed on this forum).

So under the current system, you will likely not see duchies marked on the map. However, under a new modular map system, I know that lots of tasty ideas have already been thought about ;) And the new estates system could very well not only see realms and duchies changing borders, but if a new modular map system is implemented, then regions could also start changing borders also...but this is obviously quite a ways in the future. I have not seen any updates on new map systems recently. And this is getting a bit off-topic :)

will huge duchies get some sort of inefficiency penalties?

Bigger duchies mean more power for the duke. Which the ruler may want to avoid. But I believe this is still a gray area  (undecided/not filled in yet).

[Chenier]

Bigger duchies mean more power for the duke. Which the ruler may want to avoid. But I believe this is still a gray area  (undecided/not filled in yet).

Unless said ruler is the duke.

[Stue (DC)]

in some looking over Wikipedia I found that marquis is often considered a tittle lower than duke but higher than other lord titles, so that could possibly be solution for C/S (not T) commanders who are not dukes.

[Telrunya]

Marquis is already in use though.

[Perth]

I like the idea of custom titles.

Or at least a drop box with a bunch of different options.

[Dante Silverfire]

Possible Abuse Worry: Couldn't this system be very heavily abused by a ruler to prevent any regions from being in a duchy of his choice?

Ex: Say the Ruler dislikes Duke A, and Duke A has lords B, C, and D who are all very loyal to Duke A, more so than they are to the Ruler. The ruler decides to ruin Duke A's duchy and does so by appointing Lords B, C, and D as Dukes of their own right. This would destroy Duke A's duchy and reduce it to a single region (assuming Duke A is also a lord).

1. Would this prevent Lords B,C, and D from leaving their new duchies and once again joining Duke A's duchy since they now have the title of "Duke?"

2. If 1 is NOT true, then couldn't this lead to just a dumb see-saw where the lords choose to rejoin Duchy A, only to have the Ruler immeadiately kick them out of the duchy?

This seems like a horrible situation to be in, and I think has a lot of balance issues with regards to what Rulers will now be capable of. Perhaps a capability to choose: "refuse to become Duke" option could be available for lords to be secure in their current duchies without interference from the ruler? (I know there is a similar system currently in place, but I didn't know if this would have some problems since the meaning of duke is changing completely)

[Tom]

Just wondering, but if it's possible to have duchies composed of basically anything, why have a restriction that they can only be created in C/S/T? [...]
But as others asked, where do the other council positions fit in all of this?

Yes, there will be restrictions that prevent realms with 100 empty duchies.

The other council positions have not yet been fitted into this, but they will.

[Tom]

The ruler decides to ruin Duke A's duchy and does so by appointing Lords B, C, and D as Dukes of their own right. This would destroy Duke A's duchy and reduce it to a single region (assuming Duke A is also a lord).

Not quite, as he can only create duchies out of cities, strongholds and townslands. But he could take all of those away from a duchy by promotion, yes. That is not an abuse, that's a power-struggle. And I want to encourage power-struggles.

There are a lot of ways in this new system in which the various parties can hurt each other and claim they didn't mean it (as in "sorry, I knew this would hurt your duchy, but the purpose was to give this great man his long-deserved promotion...").

[Indirik]

If duchies are tied to people, what happens if that person leaves? Can someone else be made the duke? Does that mean you could end up with duchies that have neither regions nor nobles in them?

Duchies are not "tied to people". It is a realm office. If the office holder leaves then he loses the position. (Assuming he hasn't left by taking his duchy to another realm. Let's assume he leaves via emigration.) In that case the office is empty, and the ruler can appoint a new Duke.

[Indirik]

will duchies (or their names) be shown on some of the maps? at least the current system is anchored... you can just about imagine the duchy of grehk, for example, eventually migrate all the way off to the north west corner of bt.

Not on the current maps. Perhaps if the map is ever replaced by a new system, we can do more with various overlays.

will tax still be received in gold when inside duchy?

Probably.

will huge duchies get some sort of inefficiency penalties?

Maybe, maybe not.

[JPierreD]

Duchies are not "tied to people". It is a realm office. If the office holder leaves then he loses the position. (Assuming he hasn't left by taking his duchy to another realm. Let's assume he leaves via emigration.) In that case the office is empty, and the ruler can appoint a new Duke.

If I had understood things right, there will be no more Claims, but only Knights of a given Region will be able to be promoted to Lord of it, after the Lord position is vacant, same for Lords of a Duchy to be promoted to Duke.

This will cause that a Duchy with no regions and just a single noble (the Duke), after the Duke's resigns gets no electable candidates. Thus, automatic Duchy death. Right?

[egamma]

This will cause that a Duchy with no regions and just a single noble (the Duke), after the Duke's resigns gets no electable candidates. Thus, automatic Duchy death. Right?

Duchies are not "tied to people". It is a realm office. If the office holder leaves then he loses the position. (Assuming he hasn't left by taking his duchy to another realm. Let's assume he leaves via emigration.) In that case the office is empty, and the ruler can appoint a new Duke.

[JPierreD]

So, that invalidates the idea that only people from the same Region/Duchy can be promoted to Lord/Duke, right?

[Velax]

Possible Abuse Worry: Couldn't this system be very heavily abused by a ruler to prevent any regions from being in a duchy of his choice?

Ex: Say the Ruler dislikes Duke A, and Duke A has lords B, C, and D who are all very loyal to Duke A, more so than they are to the Ruler. The ruler decides to ruin Duke A's duchy and does so by appointing Lords B, C, and D as Dukes of their own right. This would destroy Duke A's duchy and reduce it to a single region (assuming Duke A is also a lord).

1. Would this prevent Lords B,C, and D from leaving their new duchies and once again joining Duke A's duchy since they now have the title of "Duke?"

2. If 1 is NOT true, then couldn't this lead to just a dumb see-saw where the lords choose to rejoin Duchy A, only to have the Ruler immeadiately kick them out of the duchy?

This seems like a horrible situation to be in, and I think has a lot of balance issues with regards to what Rulers will now be capable of. Perhaps a capability to choose: "refuse to become Duke" option could be available for lords to be secure in their current duchies without interference from the ruler? (I know there is a similar system currently in place, but I didn't know if this would have some problems since the meaning of duke is changing completely)

Honestly? What sort of idiot rulers are getting appointed in this game where this would even be a possibility?

[Shenron]

Not quite, as he can only create duchies out of cities, strongholds and townslands. But he could take all of those away from a duchy by promotion, yes. That is not an abuse, that's a power-struggle. And I want to encourage power-struggles.

Could you please illustrate this? A power struggle implies there is actually a struggle, not just the duke taking a gigantic penis to the face with no option for retribution. What options can a duke pursue to fight against something like this.

What if the scenario Silverfire mentioned were to come true and the duke was left with one region. What could he about it?

Honestly? What sort of idiot rulers are getting appointed in this game where this would even be a possibility?

How is stupid? I think it's a very good idea if you know the duke is going to secede.