Week 10:  Mentoring, Beeps, and One Census to Rule Them All

Interesting times ahead

Now along with last week’s return to study, I've now been notified that I was successful in a stint in a higher duties role at work.  I’m quietly hopeful that I can hold up under all the rapid change, secretly relieved to be given the chance to focus on tasks that occupy my brain a bit more, and holding back disbelief at the reality of this position even going ahead after the change of our state government.  Yes, I’m quite capable of all these things at the same time.  It’s an emotion I call Thursday, for want of a better term.

This week in The Last Journey of the Eye of Odin

This charge was of higher intensity.

An alert. The requested vector was dangerous, but necessary.

“Override.” The alert was silenced.

The charge released.

“Where.”

Another alert sounded. Radiation bombardment was increasing.

“Override.” The alert was silenced.

A new charge was building.

Another alert sounded. External communication received. Processing data...

Fantasy Tabletop Strategy Game - continued

This week we cover something that has wide-ranging mechanical effects to each Side in the game, and allows for some heavy hitting in the tactics department, even before a single battle has been joined.

Population

City population has many effects, but one of the most obvious is the size of each city’s sphere of influence. With each new population point gained, a city can acquire a new hex of territory. The new hex will be the one that borders the most other already-acquired hexes. For example, Icy Springs gains in population, rising from four to five population points. The Side can then choose a new hex in which to expand the city’s influence. One of the nearby hexes borders three hexes already acquired by the city, and all other nearby hexes only border two, so that hex is chosen by default. If there are multiple hexes of the same influence, for example three hexes each bordering two previously acquired hexes, the one closest to the city with the population increase is chosen. If more than one of these possible hexes are the same distance from the city then the Side can choose which one to claim.

But how often does a city gain a population point?  Due to the randomness of the world, city populations fluctuate due to reasons like illness or migration, but it is noted that populace will tend to move towards (and build families in) population centres they deem relatively safe.  In mechanical gameplay terms, this means that the longer cities do not see war, the more likely it is that their population will rise.  To achieve this, every turn a Side will roll a six-sided dice for each city they control.  They can add to this roll the number of turns it has been since an enemy stack (either from another Side or a neutral camp) has occupied a hex in the city’s sphere of influence with one of its stacks.  If the total is six or more, then a new population point is gained.  If not, then the population remains the same.

This makes it possible for rush tactics, as well as forcing important decisions on how to spend early resources.  It means that in extended periods of peace (enforced or otherwise), all Sides may enter the next war with large population centres capable of a lot of production and construction.  Also, it reinforces the need for strong unit stacks, protected by powerful warlords with high leadership scores, capable of bunkering down inside enemy territory - just to prevent that enemy city from growing until the siege engines arrive.

Youtube

I’m planning on uploading some more Crash Landing stuff tonight or tomorrow night, depending on variables.  Here’s another link to the playlist so you don’t have to look back in time.

I know it was a late one this week.  I’m trying really hard to keep this thing going, so I should see you again next week, unless something really bad happens.

-Ix.