Mechanics (2)

Note: A huge chunk of credit for the creation of this forum goes to Talis, Theo, Aspen and various others from Warping Empires and Warring Fronts who gave me a wealth of background from past forums to work from!

Empire Size

The size of an empire indicates how large its territory and influence is. More concretely, it determines the number of regions an empire controls. A large empire will have a larger industry and army, but will also be more spread out, more vulnerable, and more likely to make enemies. Note that the size of an empire has little effect on its population; a small empire can be densely populated, while a large one can be spread thin.

Fledgling:
A Fledgling empire is one that is just starting to assert it control in the world, or which has decayed to the point that it only controls a very tiny area. Fledgling empires have a single region. With such a small amount of territory it is easy for a fledgling empire to watch and defend its borders, but its size also means that these empires have limited industry.

Modest:
An empire of this size is big enough to be command considerable industrial output. It now has between two and four regions. With an additional industrialized region comes a great increase in production capabilities. However, two industrial regions also means twice as much vulnerability.

Massive:
A massive empire has spread its influence over an impressive amount of land. It has up to six regions. Massive empires control a considerable amount of space, and often have difficulty protecting the full extent of their territory.

Population:

Population indicates the number of citizens living within an empire. It is unrelated to empire size; a small empire can be packed to the brim, while a large one can be thinly spread. Population determines two things: The size of an empire's military, and its rate of population growth. Large populations will have slower population growth, while smaller empires will have faster population growth. You can start with a population anywhere between 5 million to 60 million, but numbers beyond 60 million can only be achieved through population growth. Likewise, populations under 5 million can only be achieved through massive casualties.

Population growth reflects both the birthrate and the rate of maturation, so in a given time period a thousand citizens may be born, and a thousand will also come of age.

Populations between 5 million and 10 million have a High birthrate :
- Increase of 4 million per week

Populations between 20 million and 40 million have a Modest birthrate :
- Increase of 2 million per week

Populations between 50 million and 60 million have a low birthrate :
-Increase of 1 million per week

Population Growth

Your population is recounted every week like this:

Old Population + Population Growth = New Population

So if the original population is 40 million, then it would look like this:
40 million + 4 million = 44 million

The empire's new population would be 44 million.

Every week when these increases are calculated you will receive a Private Message telling you your new population, as well as the number of military personnel available for assignment.

Manpower
Manpower is the pool of citizens and personnel an empire can draw upon to field its army. Manpower is a fraction of an Empire's total population. By default, each empire gains 10 manpower per 1 million citizens.

It's the Economy, Stupid!:
Income or Income Points is a measurement of how much money your Empire earns in a given period. Every week your government will receive more Income, which can then be spent on soldiers, constructs, diplomacy and other projects. Players can also save up income to spend later.

To determine how high your Empire's kingdom is, look at your regions and constructs. Each region's Income is determined by its economy type, and can be as low as 10 or as high as 30.

Resources
Resources are static elements present in certain regions that provide advantages to the empire that controls that region. There are three resources, and each resource has its own uses.

Oil - Oil is used to recruit mechanized units such as tanks, warships, and mechanized infantry. Each Empire starts with an income of 10 Oil per turn, and can improve its income by capturing regions with oil resources. Building an Oil Refinery in a region with an oil resource will increase the amount of oil generated.

Agriculture - The second resource is agriculture. Agriculture nodes boost population growth and happiness, allowing you to more quickly regain manpower.

In addition, it keeps your current population from starving! You need 1 food for every citizen. So, an empire with five million people would require five million a turn to keep the populace fed. Surplus food can be put towards additional population growth.

Soldiers also need to be fed, but much more than the average citizen as they are constantly moving and on the march. Soldiers require 3 food per 1 soldier. A 300,000 man army would require 900,000 food to keep the troops fed.


Steel - Steel is used primarily to recruit warships, but also for some land units such as tanks. Each steel node produces 10 steel per turn, and can improve its income by capturing regions with Steel resources. Building Factories can improve a region's steel income.

Starting Resources
Your empire begins with one oil and one steel node with a level I construct on each, which offers 10 oil and steel per turn. In addition, you start with two turns worth of food and enough food nodes to feed half your existing population.

So, if you have 20 million population, you'd start with two food nodes that provide 5 million food each as a base.


You will also be able to purchase starting units. You gain 100 IP, 20 steel, and 15 Oil Resources to spend alongside your first turn's income. Starting resources do not carry over! So spend as much as you can.

You will also start with two specialist constructs or one depending on how many specialists your doctrine gives you access too.


Regions:
Regions are where you draw the bulk of your taxable income. Regions come with 7 construct slots which can be dedicated to either food, oil, and steel nodes. Or to building constructs.

For example, Chernogov's capital region Novgorod has 7 spots split up amongst the following: 2 oil, 2 food, 1 steel, two open construct spots.

Forms of Government:

Constitutional Monarchy-
In this form of government, the Monarch exists as the head of state within the parameters of the constitution. Generally, a constitutional monarchy has been stripped of most of its powers and serves as more of a figurehead. While the real politics of the nation are conducted in a Parliamentarian system. However, there have been cases where a constitutional monarch has existed side by side with a Fascist dictator.

Rich Tradition:
--Cultural Monarchies have 10% bonus to renown.

Absolute Monarchy-
In an Absolute Monarchy, all the political power of a state has been vested in one individual as both head of state and government. An absolute monarch wields absolute power over the state and its subject people, in effect his word is law. Though an Absolute Monarchy may have weak or symbolic parliaments, in reality the monarch is quite capable of dissolving these at will. The monarch is the state in this society.


I Am The State:
-- Absolute Monarchies have +2 to security in every region.

Dictatorship - Unlike monarchs, dictators don't have legitimacy to back them up; they have to fight tooth and nail to seize power and hold it. This gives them an iron grip on policy, and a uniquely grim worldview. Dictators can always say that they have earned their place in the world.

Military First Policy:
--Dictatorships have 10% miitary discount on all purchases.


Republic - A Republic is a representative government. While other governments might rules by tradition, wealth, or force of arms, the republic rules through the will of the people. Apart from elections, republics can take many forms, from parliamentary to senatorial. Still, representatives will always rule at the whims of political elections.

Power to the People:
--Republic's have +3 happiness from all citizens.

Single Party State:
Whether through elections or revolution, this nation has developed a single governing party to rule over the country and for good or ill, it has little in the way of political opposition to keep it from carrying out it's objectives.

State Run Industry:
--Single Party State's have 10% discounts on all constructs.

Economy:

As a base,

REGIONS generate 20 IP/turn each.
TRADE ROUTES between nations of the same Economic Type generate 20 IP/turn for each partner.
TRADE ROUTES between nations of different Economic Types generate 10 IP/turn for each partner.

Mixed Economy:
This empire's economic policy is a matter of careful pragmatism and extensive compromise. A sensible mix of state, private, and popular controls ensures that the interests of all stakeholders in the economy are accounted for. However, with no side fully satisfied and no strong economic ideology to unite disparate factions, this balance is difficult to maintain. It takes only a single unwarranted concession of power to upset such a precarious equilibrium.

Economic Policies Effect: No bonuses or maluses to income; may take an action to change into any other economic type at a moderator-determined cost.

Traditional Economy:
The means of production are owned and managed the same way they have been for centuries. Though a little room has been made for modern industry and finance, the true wealth of the nation remains its land. Every member of society knows her place in the working of this wealth, almost certainly the same place as her parents, and their parents before them.

Economic Policies Effect: Regions produce 40 IP/turn each, Industrial Constructs and Trade Routes generate 50% less for the nation. Will not transition into another economic type unless strong foreign influence or action forces a change.

Capitalist Economy:
The market knows best. Though a few state interventions may help direct it, the market has the ultimate say in how the economy functions. Curiously, this means that the market can function quite differently under different circumstances, as wealth distribution changes to flow to the current "winners" and away from the current "losers."
--Choose one of the following Capitalist Economies. Depending on internal conditions, actions by other nations, and policy decisions, the nation's economy may transition to the other type or a Mixed Economy without warning, causing temporary unrest as citizens adjust.

• "True" Capitalism:
  A competitive market may be free of regulations, or the government may intervene in it, but only to prevent any one firm from gaining too much control over the market. In either case, the result is that it is truly up to this empire's consumer to ensure which product reigns superior. Companies are constantly struggling to outbid, outprice, and outdo one another for the consumer's dollar, often flooding the market with a flow goods or resources that monopolists would restrict. However, this leaves the government with few controls over the economy, denying it use of a large portion of the Empire's industry.
  
  Economic Policies Effect: -10% to Industrial Point income, +50% to Resource income
  
  
• Industrial Capitalism
  Allowing the entrepreneur and business to thrive is this Empire's trademark. Under the guise of "laissez-faire," a small elite of extremely wealthy private investors rules the domestic market and keeps foreign competitors out. These plutocrats dominate an industry apiece, allowing each to invest and profit massively from the "economies of scale" of industrial development. Of course, if the little people must be thrown out of their old homes and occupations and into poverty to spur "modernization," it'll all even out eventually. The wealth always trickles down!
  
  Economic Policies Effect: Industrial Constructs generate 50% more IP, upgrading an Industrial Construct in a region reduces Public Approval by 1.
  
  
• International Capitalism: Though the firms of the nation seem like monopolies on paper, they are geared to engage in cutthroat competition on the world market. Instead of focusing on bleeding domestic markets dry, they dream of financial world conquest. Of course, to gain an edge or a foothold in a foreign market, one must be willing to take on new ideas from abroad, and even to abandon old prejudices.
  
  Economic Policies Effect: Every Trade Route, regardless of Economic Types, generates 40 IP/turn for the International Capitalist nation, and every trade partner gets +2 Influence/turn in said nation.

Revolutionary Economy:
The will of the people has overthrown the shackles of capitalism, and the workers are now free! Unfortunately, it seems that different workers conceive of freedom differently, and the united front that fought against the bourgeoisie has become more divided since taking power.
--Choose one of the following Revolutionary Economies. Depending on your nation's government type, it will automatically suffer from Opposition Parties or Rebels advocating the other Revolutionary Economy or a Mixed Economy.

• State Socialism
  One of the two major "Revolutionary Economies," State Socialism allows this empire's leadership to harness the raw power of its industrial and manpower base with the sheer will of it's workers. This allows the state to undertake massive development projects at breakneck speeds, transforming the economy as the state sees fit.
  
  Economic Policies Effect: Constructs are 30% cheaper.
  
  
• Syndicalism:
  Rejecting both the state bureaucrat and the private investor as ultimate owner of the means of production, this nation's economy is managed by a network of trade unions or worker-owned cooperatives. This radically direct form of popular sovereignty brings democracy to the workplace and protects the dignity of the common laborer, but struggles to consolidate the massive productive capacity that more centralized and hierarchical systems can achieve.
  
  Economic Policies Effect: Every 2 non-military constructs in a region raise Public Approval by 1.

Doctrine Trait:

Doctrine:
Every nation has a military theory, and in one sense or another by focusing these resources can become superior over the other in a particular field. The question becomes in battle, which doctrine is superior?

Blitzkrieg:
Airpower + Armor
Unlocks Light Armor and Dive Bombers
For years armies have toiled back and fourth across static defenses, with thousands of lives lost for only a few hundred yards gained. Designed to break the deadlock of trench warfare, Blitzkrieg utilizes air support as accurate mobile artillery to ensure the advance of the fast tanks are never hindered. Using grand pincer movements and flanking attacks, Blitzkrieg is a powerful force to be reckoned with.

Mass Attack:
Armor + Infantry
Unlocks heavy tanks and assault troopers
Using tanks and armor in any assault is dangerous, but utilizing them together with the right application of firepower and elite infantry to exploit a breakthrough can win wars. A mass attack doctrine ensures an Empire can field tanks that are capable of reducing defenses to slag, with powerful infantry to ensure that the enemies inevitable counterattack is crushed.

Amphibious:
Naval + Infantry
Unlocks Marine Corp and Dreadnoughts
Assaulting by sea is one of the most dangerous tactics a commander can employ. But it is also one of the most effective, landing by sea can open up new routes of attack, establishing crucial beachhead's in an enemies rear and ensuring a constant threat on any piece of coastline. To ensure that these amphibious assaults succeed, your country has invested in a powerful surface fleet. The huge guns battleships can provide fire support
as your men storm the beaches!

Deep Strike:
Infantry + Air:
Unlocks Paratroopers and Commando Units
Dropping deep behind enemy lines to secure bridges, roads, and vital infrastructure, paratroopers are a new and dangerous innovation to warfare. Combined with commando units that can cause havoc with assassination of high value targets and sabotaging crucial infrastructure, deep strike can ensure victory long before the real battle even starts.

Traditional Army:
Infantry + Artillery + Cavalry
Unlocks Imperial Guard Horse and Infantry Divisions+ Experimental Siege Gun
Your soldiers have stuck to the tried fashions of the last wars, emphasizes infantry attacks, artillery barrages, and trench warfare. These men are better equipped than their opponents, and their artillery bigger.


Conscript Army:
30% IP and MP discount on all non specialist military units.
Quantity is it's own quality as the own saying goes, this Empire's army may not be the most advanced or half access to elite special units. But it can more than makeup for that with the sheer manpower and cheap producability of technology it can quickly bring to bear during times of war, overwhelming the enemy by numbers alone.

Sea Raiding:
Naval
Unlocks Frogmen and AIP enabled submarines
While other Admiral's continue to look to the surface fleet to win wars, your Empire has instead gone underneath the waves. Developing submarines that can last longer underwater before surfacing, waiting for enemy convoys or dreadnoughts that might slip within it's sights. Submarines can carry an even deadlier cargo than torpedoes. Frogmen, highly trained and deadly saboteurs that can raid shore targets or sabotage coastal infastructure.


Air Superiority:
Airpower
Unlocks experimental jet fighters, and increased range for all aircraft.
While other nation's have invested only piecemail in their aircraft development, your Empire has invested almost 100% of it's R&D into creating the world's first experimental jet fighters to dominate the skies.

Unconventional Warfare:
Infantry
Unlocks Partisan Fighters and unconventional tactics
Whether it's because this nation has been repeatedly invaded in the past or it's conventional forces are too weak for a sustained conflict, this Empire has turned to unconventional tactics to achieve victory. Partisan fighters to ambush enemy supply lines, and draw the enemy army into a long battle of attrition. New terror tactics such as bombings, assasinations, and deadly traps are all part of the playbook for this country. For in the end, the enemy will grow tired, and he will go home.

New Army:
Universal
Unlocks access to all units; all units are 30% more expensive in IP and MP
Rather than a massive force of conscripts, this nation has invested its money into building a small but elite professional force capable of taking on armies several times its own size thanks to its sheer discipline and training. This military has drafted in new innovative tactics to improve its combat performance and on the battlefield it shows.

Indirect Warfare:
Artillery
Truck mounted rockets and Dual Purpose Artillery Guns
While some nation's might prefer a bloody face off or decisive battle, this nation is content to fight it's enemy at a distance. Rocket batteries cover their target areas in fire and smoke in the space of seconds, while rapid-fire "dual-purpose" cannons turn to face enemies on the ground or in the sky as needed.

Empire Cards:
You can select 2 Empire Cards for your nation.


Cult of Personality - Social
One of this nation's leaders has built up a massive following as a Great Ideologue. The populace looks up the leader with reverence, and her presence can mean the difference between revolt and compliance.
Effects: Designate one person of importance in your application as Great Ideologue. Every turn, the Great Ideologue may be moved to any region in your nation to give a one-time +2 Happiness boost, or to any accessible foreign region to generate +2 Influence/turn in the nation that owns the region.

Missionaries - Social
Missionaries preach your specific interpretation of religion and spread your influence.
Effects: Every turn you may select one Nation for missionaries to preach in. You gain an additional point of influence in that Nation. You also gain +1 influence per turn in all Nations that sign trade agreements with you.

Holy War - Social
Declare a Holy War against the infidels, lending their zeal and fervor to your cause.
Effects: You may declare a Holy War in any circumstances you wish. Soldiers fighting in Holy Wars always have high morale and you do not suffer civil objection to the Holy War. In addition, any Nation you have 5 or more influence in will come under public pressure to support your war.
You are oblidged to continue a holy war until the original objective is completed. Failing to do so will result in halving all foreign influence and facing unrest.

Terrorism - Social
Provoke ideological terrorists to act in regions of influence.
Effects: You may provoke terrorist attacks in any Nation which you have influence in. The number, severity, and chance of success for the attacks is determined by your influence level.
You do not have control over the terrorists or their specific targets.

Pilgrimage Site - Asset
A Holy site which pilgrims flock too for spiritual enlightenment or renewal.
Effects: You can bonus income equal to your influence in a nation if you have a trade agreement with them.

Cronyism - Social
Spend money to cause corruption and buy influence in foreign lands.
Effects: You may spend Industrial Points to buy influence in a Nation. It costs 10 IP to bring Influence from 0 to 1, 20 IP to bring it from 1 to 2, etc. Your influence causes corruption in foreign nations, increasing discontent in all regions by 1 for every two points of influence.

Repression - Social
Repress your people with violence and intimidation.
Effects: Every Army reduces discontent in the region it is stationed in.
You may choose to use a "Repression" action at any time, which will reduce all foreign influences in your Nation by an amount equal to the amount of discontent you allow it to be increased.

Multiculturalism - Social
Your society is multicultural, accepting and capitalizing on many different viewpoints.
Effect: You reduce discontent by 1 for every Nation which has influence within your own.

Media Capital - Asset
Your empire is a capital of media production, creating influential works of art that spread around the world.
Effect: You gain bonus influence equal to half your profit from all trade agreements.

Revolutionary Front - Social
Support a revolutionary insurgency in another nation.
Effect: Spend 10 IP per Influence point in the target nation to set off a Revolutionary rebellion in one of its regions. The strength of the rebellion is based on your influence in the target region.

World Fair - Social
Display the greatness of your people's culture and history to foster national pride.
Effect: Once per turn, you may spend IP to throw a World Fair in your nation, reducing all foreign Influence by 1 for every 100 IP spent.

Banker Diplomacy - Economic
"Invest" in trade partners' economic development to gain the approval of their people.
Effect: You may purchase a construct in any nation that has a trade agreement with yours in order to gain one-tenth the construct's IP cost in Influence in that nation. Unless other nation has a Capitalist Economy, this action requires its consent.

Purge - Social
Encourage the people to expel the poisonous works and ideas of the foreigners at any cost.
Effect: Once per turn, may sacrifice one random construct in every region to eliminate all foreign Influence.

International Influence:
Influence reflects the amount of pull your empire has inside player and NPC nation's. Whether it's trying to influence policy or public feelings towards an action that your nation is attempting. International Influence can help win allies to your side during war, it can increase your regional clout, turning countries into your puppets.

But if you don't have enough influence, it will be difficult for you to enforce your will on other people's without resistance, even force. A high influence rating can mean the difference between a bloodless conflict and all out war. There are various thing's you can do to increase influence with Empire Cards, in game actions, etc. Influence also affects the success of thing's like political parties that back your nation's particular ideology or an effective insurgency against the current government.


Scale
Limited Influence
1-10

Growing Influence
11-20

Major Influence
21-30

Dominant Influence
31-40

Security:

Security measures the amount of repression going on in a province and the ability of local security forces in the area (such as intelligence officials, police, army units) to quell uprisings, insurgencies, and espionage attempts. A high security rating in a region will mean that rebellions can be responded too quickly, and enemy agents have a greater chance of being apprehended or killed. However, a low security rating combined with a low public approval rating will mean mass unrest and the prospect of rebellion. Not to mention, enemy espionage agents will virtually have a free hand in the region.

Scale:

Anarchy: 1-2

High instability: 3-4

Minor instability: 5

Stable: 6-7

Secure: 8-9

Police State: 10


Public Approval:

Public Approval is the population's happiness level and goes hand in hand with security. A high public approval rating combined with a stable security rating will mean that espionage attempts to cause revolt will not be as effective. An enemy nation will not be able to find a large amount of informants to give it valuable intelligence or sympathizers to join enemy funded insurgencies. But a low public approval rating and a high security rating will mean the state attempting to quell a very hostile populace. Espionage attempts might be discovered 9 time's out of 10, but generally the enemy will have a supportive population to work with. It will be a balancing act to keep both in check. Constructs, public relations campaigns (see Actions threads), etc, all give bonuses to public approval.

Rebellious: 1-2

Growing Discontent: 3-4

Politically Unstable: 5

Content: 6-7

Joyous: 8-9

Fervent: 10