10-22-2007, 09:56 PM
Lords of the Earth 42
A PBM Game Diary
Alexius Comnenus, Emperor of the Romans, aka SEAN M BOOMER takes stock ...
Byzantium Endures
PICTURE IT: The year is 1100, and a troubled Empire lies at a crossroads, beset by innumerable enemies both without and within. How shall it survive? Byzantium is bordered on the north by the Catholic powers of Bohemia and Hungary, to the south and southwest by a Mediterranean Sea aswarm with Norman freebooters and Venetian warships. The southeast is inhabited by the ruthless Latin Crusaders of Jerusalem, who recently swept through the Empire like a storm. Finally, to the east schemes the Rum Seljuk of Iconium, recently reeling from the First Crusade, but still full of elan and a yen to retake lands originally enjoyed at the Empire's expense. Beyond, in Bavaria and Baghdad, London and Lahore, lie a multitude of others, ecclesiasts and emirs, caliphs and kings, who are not currently interested in the Empire, but happy to do a little fishing in troubled waters if the opportunity presents itself.
What's an emperor to do?
Greetings: This is Sean M Boomer, part-time student, full-time bookseller, and occasional tutelary spirit of the dynasty of the Comneni, rulers of the tottering twelfth century Empire of the Romans, aka Byzantium. It is my intention to take you on a trip, to use a cliche, of the imagination, into the world of a Byzantine Emperor in Lords of the Earth Campaign 42, Historia Calamitatum, or 'History of Calamities'. So do not adjust your set...
Lords 42 was started as a 'historical start' LOTE campaign. This is to say that Campaign 42 was intended to simulate, loosely, of course, a particular point in world history, from which it would diverge as the campaign continued. In this instance, the year of start was 1100, the year after the Franks have taken Jerusalem and, more importantly, interesting civilisations and societies triumphed and fell the world over. The period, the late twelfth century, is one full of potential for war, societal upheaval, and the basest of intrigues - the perfect setting for a LOTE campaign.
A historical start campaign is a little bit different from other campaigns in Lords of the Earth, most of which are 'free start,' allowing the player considerable latitude in setting his or her borders and in determining his starting resources. Usually free start players are given a pot of gold points value (GPv, the representation of a nation's spending power within the game) with which they can invest in their armies and capabilities, and buy additional territories (or not) as they deem fit. Players in a historical start campaign, on the other hand, begin with predetermined borders and capabilities, and begin the first turn as though it were any other turn in the history of the campaign. Historical starts tend to maintain a more grandiose flavour, and their Gms tend to place a stronger emphasis upon role-play. They do, however, naturally diverge from real life history as time goes on, and become harder and harder to distinguish from other campaigns.
The powers around
My first task in this campaign was to review my neighbours, their geographical relationship to me and to each other, their relative strength as societies (that I could see), and the relationships and potential relationships that existed among them. Last, but certainly not least, I had to take into account what I knew, or might be able to find out, about the playing styles and dispositions of players who had chosen positions near to me (or at strategic points that might influence the behaviour of others nearby).
What did I see? To the north, Hungary was taken by a player who was competent with game mechanics and adept at working within small 'wolf packs' of allied nations. Alas, I had no full read on whether he could be considered an aggressive player or not. His neighbour, Bohemia, is quite similar. Both players had collaborated in the past, as I knew. Both players were also amenable to negotiation, in my experience: something to be kept in mind...
Hungary was large, with some cultivated regions but others that looked fairly poor - steppe and mountain. It was landlocked, save the blue Danube that winds its way down through musical Budapest. It looks like just the sort of large power that would desire nothing more than access to the sea, I thought gloomily, but at least those provinces of mine within easy reach were poor...
Bohemia, contrarily, looked compact (three provinces) but prosperous - cultivated, with a bit of wilderness. Not a threat in itself, but a potential aid to a belligerent Hungary, and the possible entry for mischief on the part of the pope and the German Emperor.
Croatia, a second nation of Catholic Slavs, looked to be a near afterthought in the grand scheme - a splendid repast for a voracious Hungary marching triumphantly to the sea. It was poor (all mountain and wilderness), small, and beleaguered by a strong and confident Hungary (who claimed it as part of the Crown of St Stephen, royal evangelist of the Magyar people). Most of all, it was rudderless (without a player) and unlikely to present an aggressive threat. This being said, I would have thought quite differently were it occupied by an active, creative player. The South Slavs (Croats, Bosnians, and Serbs, to name a few) have many similarities, including similar Slavic dialects. A clever Croat player could have raised the spectre of Serbo-Croat cooperation along the Empire's northern border. They could have done this by using intel ops (a device in the game whereby one position can send spies or assassins to raise havoc upon another), such as 'Cause Unrest' or 'Incite Rebellion,' or a creative combination of these and the use of a charismatic leader. Fortunately, Croatia was without a player. Normally, when nations are without players, the GM has little time to invent actions on their behalf. They remain idle.
As it was, I expected war between Croatia and Hungary in the near future, or the arrival of a Hungarian leader in the Croatian court to negotiate a merger.
To my southeast lay the Norman dynasts of southern Italy and Sicily. I had little reason to be fond of these positions (the southern Italian duchies had attacked the Byzantine Empire a decade or so before the game's start date), but with matters occupying me in other areas, I decided to make peace with the Normans in southern Italy. The Sicilian Normans did not respond to my emails, so I remained wary.
To my further south, on the other hand, lay the realm of the Caliph of Cairo, fat and decadent and cunning beyond all imagining. We had no direct border or sphere of direct conflict, but a great deal of shared interest in manipulating Middle Eastern politics. Both Byzantium and the Fatimids also shared a similar predicament - both were powerful, wealthy nations isolated from their co-religionists as 'heretics'. Most importantly, both had been recent allies in world history.
I did also have some previous familiarity with the Egyptian player, a highly skilled, creative individual who tends to honour the word of agreements made with others. A relationship with the Fatimids, then might be fruitful, thought I.
To my immediate south east lay the Crusader states of Outremer. These Latin states had seized most of this land from the Seljuk Turks and the Fatimids during the First Crusade. They had also, with Byzantine help, made contact with the Christians of Lesser Armenia, who were their allies (and incorporated into the position by the GM). These states had broken an important treaty with Byzantium previous to the game start (although there was fault on both sides), and were resolutely refusing to pony up the promised city of Antioch. The Crusader player was an unknown quantity, playing under a nom de plume. A few exchanges did establish, however, that he was a roleplayer, which always makes things more colourful.
To my direct east lay two confederations of Turks - the Seljuks of Rum (Rome) and their slightly more warlike cousins the Danishmends. These two states were potential, probably even eventual, enemies of Byzantium. In real history, the Byzantine reluctance to pursue war with these powers to its conclusion led, in my opinion, to the Empire's ultimate demise (that and the Fourth Crusade, of course). While détente was tempting, I was not disposed to see these fellows as friends. Their lands were too limiting, and their military potential overmighty, and the temptation to expand into my own lands too great. Even so, much depended upon the disposition of the Crusaders. As I submitted my orders, however, both Turkish positions were rudderless, so I thought it best to let matters wait.
Finally, last but not least, the Russian Empire loomed to the northwest. Here, thought I, was a means of extending Byzantine prowess and influence to the northern steppes with little real effort. Further, Kievan Russia was a great power and a potential source for troops.
I quickly thought and drew up a game plan.
Planning: for survival and victory
On the diplomatic front, the Hungarians I wished to make friends with, but alas, no response was made to my email. This can mean anything from hostile intentions to a player too busy for communication (or invasions!). I remained wary, though hopeful, on that front. The Russians I also cultivated, to better effect. They saw the benefit of better collaboration, for Russia is a sprawling land and the barbarian Rus knew little about how to administer it properly. I could send scribes to better support their government. We also sealed a treaty of cross-border cooperation. The Crusaders I courted less well. I demanded the return of Antioch, while they whined for gold! While relations did not break down, they were not cordial either.
The Fatimids and I chose to pursue a (currently secret) détente against the Crusaders and the Turks. What can I say - two of a kind?
On other matters, I chose to take a pragmatic approach. I sought to bind more far-flung areas of the Empire together by sending diplomats (including the Emperor himself) to the further flung regions of the Empire, Bosnia and Isauria. Likewise, I tried to shore up the borders by building a large number of fortifications throughout provinces that I feared might be exposed to war.
How did this play out?
The Council was a bust, bringing neither Orthodox nor Monophysites together in a significant way. Relations with the Crusaders fell off, while those with the Russians improved. My efforts on the borders were marginally successful, but did not yield particularly great bounty (though they laid the foundations for an interesting plot line in the campaign's future).
Of greater import than any of my actions that turn, however, were those taken by a player who had taken his position after the turn due date had been announced. I refer here to the Rum Seljuk, New Rome's sworn enemy. His first actions on this turn were to launch raids into the lands held by both Byzantium and the Crusaders.
Raids, in Lords of the Earth, are just what the name implies - small punitive expeditions undertaken for the sake of loot. They are not intended to permanently hurt a province, but will diminish taxation available to the victim, and, if repeated, can cause economic harm to the province.
In and of themselves, the raids meant very little. The fortifications that I had built diminished any impact that they might have had, and indeed, the Turkish raiders sustained minor casualties with little or no booty. The raids undertaken into Crusader lands were more ineffectual still, for the raiders returned thence somewhat blooded by a passel of angry Armenians. More importantly, however, they had the effect of creating common cause between myself and the Crusader player. Both of us now identified the Turk as a common enemy. This was exacerbated by the demand by the Turkish player that I pay him tribute, a mistake that drove the Crusaders and Byzantium into one another's arms.
In other news, Pope and German emperor reconciled, but war brewed in distant Saxony. Conflict seemed imminent between Sicily, the southern Italian princelings, the Venetians, and Egypt, possibly dragging the Crusaders with them.... Interesting times indeed - I should have to keep my eye on these matters, I considered.
What would come of all this? Read my next article, and find out...
Lords of the Earth at a glance
A commercial PBeM powergame that exists in several separate games covering different historical periods. Game 42 is run by Leslie Dodd:
http://www.throneworld.com/lords/lote42/index.html
A PBM Game Diary
Alexius Comnenus, Emperor of the Romans, aka SEAN M BOOMER takes stock ...
Byzantium Endures
PICTURE IT: The year is 1100, and a troubled Empire lies at a crossroads, beset by innumerable enemies both without and within. How shall it survive? Byzantium is bordered on the north by the Catholic powers of Bohemia and Hungary, to the south and southwest by a Mediterranean Sea aswarm with Norman freebooters and Venetian warships. The southeast is inhabited by the ruthless Latin Crusaders of Jerusalem, who recently swept through the Empire like a storm. Finally, to the east schemes the Rum Seljuk of Iconium, recently reeling from the First Crusade, but still full of elan and a yen to retake lands originally enjoyed at the Empire's expense. Beyond, in Bavaria and Baghdad, London and Lahore, lie a multitude of others, ecclesiasts and emirs, caliphs and kings, who are not currently interested in the Empire, but happy to do a little fishing in troubled waters if the opportunity presents itself.
What's an emperor to do?
Greetings: This is Sean M Boomer, part-time student, full-time bookseller, and occasional tutelary spirit of the dynasty of the Comneni, rulers of the tottering twelfth century Empire of the Romans, aka Byzantium. It is my intention to take you on a trip, to use a cliche, of the imagination, into the world of a Byzantine Emperor in Lords of the Earth Campaign 42, Historia Calamitatum, or 'History of Calamities'. So do not adjust your set...
Lords 42 was started as a 'historical start' LOTE campaign. This is to say that Campaign 42 was intended to simulate, loosely, of course, a particular point in world history, from which it would diverge as the campaign continued. In this instance, the year of start was 1100, the year after the Franks have taken Jerusalem and, more importantly, interesting civilisations and societies triumphed and fell the world over. The period, the late twelfth century, is one full of potential for war, societal upheaval, and the basest of intrigues - the perfect setting for a LOTE campaign.
A historical start campaign is a little bit different from other campaigns in Lords of the Earth, most of which are 'free start,' allowing the player considerable latitude in setting his or her borders and in determining his starting resources. Usually free start players are given a pot of gold points value (GPv, the representation of a nation's spending power within the game) with which they can invest in their armies and capabilities, and buy additional territories (or not) as they deem fit. Players in a historical start campaign, on the other hand, begin with predetermined borders and capabilities, and begin the first turn as though it were any other turn in the history of the campaign. Historical starts tend to maintain a more grandiose flavour, and their Gms tend to place a stronger emphasis upon role-play. They do, however, naturally diverge from real life history as time goes on, and become harder and harder to distinguish from other campaigns.
The powers around
My first task in this campaign was to review my neighbours, their geographical relationship to me and to each other, their relative strength as societies (that I could see), and the relationships and potential relationships that existed among them. Last, but certainly not least, I had to take into account what I knew, or might be able to find out, about the playing styles and dispositions of players who had chosen positions near to me (or at strategic points that might influence the behaviour of others nearby).
What did I see? To the north, Hungary was taken by a player who was competent with game mechanics and adept at working within small 'wolf packs' of allied nations. Alas, I had no full read on whether he could be considered an aggressive player or not. His neighbour, Bohemia, is quite similar. Both players had collaborated in the past, as I knew. Both players were also amenable to negotiation, in my experience: something to be kept in mind...
Hungary was large, with some cultivated regions but others that looked fairly poor - steppe and mountain. It was landlocked, save the blue Danube that winds its way down through musical Budapest. It looks like just the sort of large power that would desire nothing more than access to the sea, I thought gloomily, but at least those provinces of mine within easy reach were poor...
Bohemia, contrarily, looked compact (three provinces) but prosperous - cultivated, with a bit of wilderness. Not a threat in itself, but a potential aid to a belligerent Hungary, and the possible entry for mischief on the part of the pope and the German Emperor.
Croatia, a second nation of Catholic Slavs, looked to be a near afterthought in the grand scheme - a splendid repast for a voracious Hungary marching triumphantly to the sea. It was poor (all mountain and wilderness), small, and beleaguered by a strong and confident Hungary (who claimed it as part of the Crown of St Stephen, royal evangelist of the Magyar people). Most of all, it was rudderless (without a player) and unlikely to present an aggressive threat. This being said, I would have thought quite differently were it occupied by an active, creative player. The South Slavs (Croats, Bosnians, and Serbs, to name a few) have many similarities, including similar Slavic dialects. A clever Croat player could have raised the spectre of Serbo-Croat cooperation along the Empire's northern border. They could have done this by using intel ops (a device in the game whereby one position can send spies or assassins to raise havoc upon another), such as 'Cause Unrest' or 'Incite Rebellion,' or a creative combination of these and the use of a charismatic leader. Fortunately, Croatia was without a player. Normally, when nations are without players, the GM has little time to invent actions on their behalf. They remain idle.
As it was, I expected war between Croatia and Hungary in the near future, or the arrival of a Hungarian leader in the Croatian court to negotiate a merger.
To my southeast lay the Norman dynasts of southern Italy and Sicily. I had little reason to be fond of these positions (the southern Italian duchies had attacked the Byzantine Empire a decade or so before the game's start date), but with matters occupying me in other areas, I decided to make peace with the Normans in southern Italy. The Sicilian Normans did not respond to my emails, so I remained wary.
To my further south, on the other hand, lay the realm of the Caliph of Cairo, fat and decadent and cunning beyond all imagining. We had no direct border or sphere of direct conflict, but a great deal of shared interest in manipulating Middle Eastern politics. Both Byzantium and the Fatimids also shared a similar predicament - both were powerful, wealthy nations isolated from their co-religionists as 'heretics'. Most importantly, both had been recent allies in world history.
I did also have some previous familiarity with the Egyptian player, a highly skilled, creative individual who tends to honour the word of agreements made with others. A relationship with the Fatimids, then might be fruitful, thought I.
To my immediate south east lay the Crusader states of Outremer. These Latin states had seized most of this land from the Seljuk Turks and the Fatimids during the First Crusade. They had also, with Byzantine help, made contact with the Christians of Lesser Armenia, who were their allies (and incorporated into the position by the GM). These states had broken an important treaty with Byzantium previous to the game start (although there was fault on both sides), and were resolutely refusing to pony up the promised city of Antioch. The Crusader player was an unknown quantity, playing under a nom de plume. A few exchanges did establish, however, that he was a roleplayer, which always makes things more colourful.
To my direct east lay two confederations of Turks - the Seljuks of Rum (Rome) and their slightly more warlike cousins the Danishmends. These two states were potential, probably even eventual, enemies of Byzantium. In real history, the Byzantine reluctance to pursue war with these powers to its conclusion led, in my opinion, to the Empire's ultimate demise (that and the Fourth Crusade, of course). While détente was tempting, I was not disposed to see these fellows as friends. Their lands were too limiting, and their military potential overmighty, and the temptation to expand into my own lands too great. Even so, much depended upon the disposition of the Crusaders. As I submitted my orders, however, both Turkish positions were rudderless, so I thought it best to let matters wait.
Finally, last but not least, the Russian Empire loomed to the northwest. Here, thought I, was a means of extending Byzantine prowess and influence to the northern steppes with little real effort. Further, Kievan Russia was a great power and a potential source for troops.
I quickly thought and drew up a game plan.
Planning: for survival and victory
On the diplomatic front, the Hungarians I wished to make friends with, but alas, no response was made to my email. This can mean anything from hostile intentions to a player too busy for communication (or invasions!). I remained wary, though hopeful, on that front. The Russians I also cultivated, to better effect. They saw the benefit of better collaboration, for Russia is a sprawling land and the barbarian Rus knew little about how to administer it properly. I could send scribes to better support their government. We also sealed a treaty of cross-border cooperation. The Crusaders I courted less well. I demanded the return of Antioch, while they whined for gold! While relations did not break down, they were not cordial either.
The Fatimids and I chose to pursue a (currently secret) détente against the Crusaders and the Turks. What can I say - two of a kind?
On other matters, I chose to take a pragmatic approach. I sought to bind more far-flung areas of the Empire together by sending diplomats (including the Emperor himself) to the further flung regions of the Empire, Bosnia and Isauria. Likewise, I tried to shore up the borders by building a large number of fortifications throughout provinces that I feared might be exposed to war.
How did this play out?
The Council was a bust, bringing neither Orthodox nor Monophysites together in a significant way. Relations with the Crusaders fell off, while those with the Russians improved. My efforts on the borders were marginally successful, but did not yield particularly great bounty (though they laid the foundations for an interesting plot line in the campaign's future).
Of greater import than any of my actions that turn, however, were those taken by a player who had taken his position after the turn due date had been announced. I refer here to the Rum Seljuk, New Rome's sworn enemy. His first actions on this turn were to launch raids into the lands held by both Byzantium and the Crusaders.
Raids, in Lords of the Earth, are just what the name implies - small punitive expeditions undertaken for the sake of loot. They are not intended to permanently hurt a province, but will diminish taxation available to the victim, and, if repeated, can cause economic harm to the province.
In and of themselves, the raids meant very little. The fortifications that I had built diminished any impact that they might have had, and indeed, the Turkish raiders sustained minor casualties with little or no booty. The raids undertaken into Crusader lands were more ineffectual still, for the raiders returned thence somewhat blooded by a passel of angry Armenians. More importantly, however, they had the effect of creating common cause between myself and the Crusader player. Both of us now identified the Turk as a common enemy. This was exacerbated by the demand by the Turkish player that I pay him tribute, a mistake that drove the Crusaders and Byzantium into one another's arms.
In other news, Pope and German emperor reconciled, but war brewed in distant Saxony. Conflict seemed imminent between Sicily, the southern Italian princelings, the Venetians, and Egypt, possibly dragging the Crusaders with them.... Interesting times indeed - I should have to keep my eye on these matters, I considered.
What would come of all this? Read my next article, and find out...
Lords of the Earth at a glance
A commercial PBeM powergame that exists in several separate games covering different historical periods. Game 42 is run by Leslie Dodd:
http://www.throneworld.com/lords/lote42/index.html
SEAN M BOOMER
2004-12-06
2004-12-06