Just your time and effort in running your country. There is no fee.

Not really. The countries are not balanced, so everyone would probably opt for Vailand, Kamos or Hsou. The countries in play are likely to be smaller than that. But you can ask for a type of nation, for instance: civilised, nomad, mysterious, evil, pirate, with no land boundaries. You could even write your own background, and I will change what the web site says about your nation, when you are assigned one (though only if the background is both interesting and original).

At least once a week, more often if I can manage it. Budget 1 and Turn 1 will take at least two weeks, as everyone sorts out what they are trying to do, and I help you all over any sticky patches. After that I want to get everyone's turn processed in the same week. To do that, I need the turns back as soon as possible.

Mostly, first come, first served. But that is only a guideline, I do them as the whim takes me. I will not be more definite because I do not want people rushing in turns or withholding turns to the last minute because they have spotted some advantage to being first or last. I will normally send out the turns simultaneously, when I have processed all of them.

The real-world excuse is that the head of state of a large nation in the ancient world knows that he can be deposed at any moment, and is careful not to appoint anyone too ambitious and competent. (The Council of Kamos is simply unable to agree on who is best for a job). The leader of a smaller nation is known personally to his people, and has more need to keep their respect than to protect himself from rivals. He does that by appointing the best leaders he can, thus giving his little nation the best possible chance to thrive.

But the real reason is in the game-mechanics. High POP gives big militia and high income. Having extra points to spend on leaders gives the players of smaller nations a fairer shot at world-conquest.

if you possibly can, let me know what is happening. You can send me a a few conditional turns, but keep it simple. For instance, "If the army is attacked I will do A, otherwise I will do B. Keep the trade fleet moving." Any player I have not heard from (without prior warning) for more than a week will be dropped.

Your militia is composed of the ordinary citizens of your nation. Most of the time they are at home, paying taxes and raising crops. They automatically rush to defend their homeland if it is invaded. Otherwise they have to be paid to serve in the army. Militia of conquered countries still defend their homeland, but refuse to go abroad to fight for their conqueror. Professional troops do what they are damned well told, but you have to pay for their equipment when you raise them, and their upkeep (maintenance) each year.

Any troops you buy that turn were already in your pay when the game started. Your nation did not spring into existence on Turn 1, it has a history.

Leaders can take one and only one action per turn (even if this is movement), but you hire them during the Budget, so they can still act on the turn immediately after they are hired.

No. Only a conquered nation can be looted.

Ships must end each turn in a nation. If that nation is not controlled by you, and has its own fleet, combat will take place. Otherwise there are no limits on where you can leave a fleet. The fleet can, if you want, raid the country where it ended its last turn.

No. All money gets sent automatically to your treasury as soon as you are entitled to it. This saves the GameMaster having to keep records of items in transit.

Sponsoring pirates is a diplomatic action with a MOD of 5. It can only be performed by a leader, and unless you have a huge Diplomatic Budget, probably only an Ambassador will succeed. All nation orders are automatic. Of course, an alternative is to send out your own ships to do the pirating, using the Raid order.

No. I cannot guarantee to remember everybody's orders. All you have to do is copy the order from one e-mail to the next. If you really want to please me, copy my answer too, so I don't have to work out the result again.

Yes. Nations never consider interference in their internal affairs peaceful. Remember that to fail by 20+ the Ambassador must have a nett chance of less than one. The moral of that is that rubbish Ambassadors should not try hard tasks unless their government is supporting them with lots of money.

It is the acting Ambassador's quality, plus your Diplomatic Bonus, minus the figure in the MOD column for the action.

No. Look at the chart under DIPLOMATIC BUDGET. Five MUs give +1, and the extra MU is wasted. If you spent MU 175 (as given in the Cumulative column) you would get +15. If you spent MU 155 you would get +14, because at that level it is costing you MU 20 per extra +1.

No, just until the next Budget. But look at the list of Diplomatic Orders and you will see that your Diplomatic Budget is potentially only investing money to earn money.

To anywhere in the known world. Remember, each turn is three months long, and these people have magic to help them move (A Teleport spell, for instance).

You get a reply something like: "Illegal order, target is not independent". The chance to succeed is not rolled for an illegal order, so you never get onto the Diplomatic Failure Table.

I do, and update you each Budget Day. You may want to keep your own record to check that it agrees with mine, since I am not infallible. If you do not want to, there is no real need.

Return to main page. Go to the Introduction to the nations of Varna. Go to Playing the Wargame. Go to Hints.