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Old 04-11-2021, 02:11 AM   #51
Michele
 
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Default Re: Realm Management examples

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Originally Posted by maximara View Post
I don't think internal self-rule doesn't mean you can't be part of another realm. For example, to a large extent (due to distances) colonies were more or less left to their own devices.

Similarly, states within the US have their own self-rule. It was so strong that it wasn't until the end of the Civil War that you could use "is" rather than "are" for the United States. A point that comes up for Steampunk Earth in the Five Earths setting. The closest equivalent today to the pre Civil War US would be the EU.

Native American reservations in the United States are in a similar situation. They are their own self-ruling realms that are still answerable to the Federal government.
Indeed, GURPS Realm Management suggests that colonies be treated as separate realms from their controlling realm. They're just non-independent realms, see p. 17. That's not just a matter of administering the place from afar, but also of different government systems. France in 1890 was a Representative Democracy, and if French Indochina that year had been one and the same realm, it would have been a democracy, and part of the French democracy. It very clearly was not.

Also, I wouldn't compare Greenland's standing with Vermont's. The former does send a couple of representatives to the Danish parliament, but their presence is token and their influence minimal, if any. Vermont's 2 senators represent 2% of a federal legislative body that often needs broad majorities to do anything, and that, pointedly, has a particular role in the US federation's foreign policies - exactly what Greenland has no saying into. That's not counting Vermont's representatives and presidential electoral votes.
I'll also add a reference to the Montevideo Convention here, Article 2.

If you want US rough equivalents of Greenland, you have them - places like Puerto Rico and Guam. Which also are, IMHO, to be considered as separate realms from the USA, albeit under the (benign) foreign control of the USA.

Heck, the fact alone that Greenland is not part of the EU should serve to conclude it's not one and the same realm as Denmark.
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Old 04-11-2021, 06:57 AM   #52
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Default Re: Realm Management examples

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Originally Posted by Michele View Post
If you want US rough equivalents of Greenland, you have them - places like Puerto Rico and Guam. Which also are, IMHO, to be considered as separate realms from the USA, albeit under the (benign) foreign control of the USA.
Actually per the American Empire video I linked to Puerto Rico and Guam are Organized (self governing) Unincorporated (not all of the US continuation applies)

However, Puerto Rico is for all practical purpose an Organized Incorporated domain (last held by Hawaii)

Then there is America Samoa which is still in the Unorganized (No local government) Unincorporated category because Congress finds other things to do then address the fact they do self-govern.

The closest thing the US has to Greenland is the three Compact of Free Association countries: Palau, Marshal Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. They have seats at the US but their military defense (and economic aid) comes from the US.
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Old 04-12-2021, 09:17 AM   #53
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Default Re: Realm Management examples

I suspect that in practical play layered realms will become a thing. The aforementioned state of Vermont probably counts as its own realm, even if it is part of a larger realm, the united states. And there are probably cities in vermont with distinctive enough governments and identities to be considered their own mini-realms.


I think revenue and CR and the hardest things there. City governments can extract revenue and make laws... but the amount they can do is constrained by the state, and their revenue is often much smaller than larger entities. So we'd need to split the tax pie.



It is worth remembering though that cities can change CR through more or less strict laws, and more or less strict enforcement.
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Old 04-13-2021, 01:10 AM   #54
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Default Re: Realm Management examples

NAME: The Rebel Barony
Total Area: 1,000 sqm
Realm Size Value: +9
Resource Points: 5 +1d (2 Agriculture Points, 1 Luxury/Precious Goods Points, 1 Natural Resource Points, 1 +1d Workforce Points) *
TL: 3
Cultural Traits: None
Realm Inhabitant Racial Traits: None
Population: 10,000
Citizen Loyalty: Neutral (12; +2) †
Infrastructure Rating: 2 ‡
Control Rating: 4
Conformity Rating: 4
Openness Rating: 3
Education Rating: 1
Government Type: Feudal/Clan
Economy Type: Traditional
Defense Bonus and Terrain: 3; Mountains §
Management Skill: 12
Habitability: Neutral (10)
Reaction Time Modifier: +3 **
Realm Enhancements (+20%): Defensible Terrain 2 (+20%)
Realm Limitations (-%): Loose Society 1 (-15%); Obsolete Infrastructure 1 (-25%); Unrecognized (-5%); In Debt 5 (-5%)
Social Resonance: 0
Patron Value: 10
Enemy Value: -20
Realm Value: $2,940,000
Starting RP Cost: $105,000
Military Resources: $700,000 ††
Revenue: $798,000
Starting Revenue: $29,400
Inhabitants’ Status: -2 to 3
Inhabitant’s Wealth: Poor to Very Wealthy
Notes: See description below.

This was once a large barony within the Kingdom, in the highlands and mountains that occupy a corner of that realm’s island. Here, the traditional clan power structure that predated the development of a feudal type of government has not faded away entirely; clans remain a factor to be reckoned with, so much so that the government form is mixed. During the latest civil war, the Baron declared independence from the Kingdom, claiming that the King had not complied with covenants he had entered. That was some ten years ago. The Barony’s terrain is difficult and easily defensible, and the Kingdom has had other fish to fry, so that the Barony is still independent.
While the Kingdom does not recognize such a state of things and is sure to try and bring the rebels back to the fold sooner or later, the Barony has been promptly recognized as a realm by another enemy of the Kingdom: the Pirates. These provided the Baron with a vitally important loan, which is why the Barony is currently indebted. The Barony’s infrastructure is as decrepit as in the rest of the island.
The Barony has no negative Resonance in the Kingdom, or elsewhere. Only the nobles holding the fiefs on the border actually hate the rebels; and that’s because they accept escaped serfs and other malcontents from those nobles’ lands. Feudal duties in the Barony are less stifling than in the Kingdom because of the clan relations, and anyway the Baron is happy to weaken his future enemies by taking their workforce away. That’s why he’s been quietly shedding the strictest feudal customs, and the local CR is lower now.
Naturally, a form of government that is partly feudal means that the Rebel Baron’s knights, in turn, are not all that reliable and peace-loving.
An important factor that helps this realm to stay afloat even in the face of the Kingdom’s hostility is its fast reaction time, a result of its clan-based power system and of its less complex social structure.

* Includes +1d Workforce Points from Traditional economy.
† Includes +2 from CR4.
‡ Includes -1 from Obsolete Infrastructure 1.
§ Includes +2 from Defensible Terrain 2.
** Includes -1 from Clan government.
†† Includes +5% from Feudal government; occasionally Feudal government gives -30% instead.
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Old 04-14-2021, 01:36 AM   #55
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Default Re: Realm Management examples

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Originally Posted by Michele View Post
NAME: The Rebel Barony
To expand on this example, here's how one could use GURPS Mass Combat to flesh out the military expenditure of this small realm.

The Army
The Baron’s retinue and his scouts (on foot and mounted) are what passes for a standing army here; they are always in service. The noblemen (with their male family members, squires, and men-at-arms) and the bowmen carry out military service as part of their feudal duties. They can be called up at any time, and generally do show up in a few days. Finally, the clansmen are only available under the terms of a Levy (see GURPS Mass Combat, p. 9). On the plus side, they have no raising and maintenance costs.

The Leaders
The Baron is the commander of this army, having Strategy-11 and Leadership-13. His Bailiff is in charge of supplies, which he handles pretty well with Administration-13. The Barony’s High Priest oversees intelligence (Intelligence Analysis-11). The Baron’s Heir, with the title of Marshal, leads the main troop body, the clan levies. Probably it’s not the wisest choice to entrust Impetuous troops to a leader having Tactics-10 and Impulsiveness.

The Troops
Total elements: 45. Total cost: $2M to raise, $288K to maintain (but see below).

Baron’s Retinue
Heavy Infantry
The Baron, his squire, and a few bodyguards and retainers are all exceptional fighters and equipped with Dwarven weapons and armor. This is the unit where any PCs might be found, unless they rate as Heroes.
TS: 10. Classes: -. Mobility: Foot.
Quality: Good Quality Equipment; Elite Troops.
Features: -.
Cost: $140K to raise; $15.2K to maintain.
This is one element made up of some 10 individuals. Total TS: 10.

Noblemen
Heavy Infantry
These are the Baron’s noble liegemen, with their squires and well-trained men-at-arms, formed up as a heavily armored infantry guard.
TS: 8. Classes: -. Mobility: Foot.
Quality: Good Quality Equipment; Good Troops.
Features: -.
Cost: $500K to raise; $68K to maintain.
This unit counts about 50 heavy infantrymen: 5 elements. Total TS: 40.

Clansmen
Medium Infantry
These are the Barony’s warriors, a rather effective military body as levies go since they are the cream of their clans. They are used to fight in forbidding mountain terrain.
TS: 3. Classes: -. Mobility: Foot.
Quality: Basic Quality Equipment; Average Troops.
Features: Impetuous; Levy; Terrain (Mountain).
Cost: none (Levy) for two months a year, within 2 days of travel from their homes.
These are 200 clansmen. They are the highest number available for a levy from a realm counting 10,000 inhabitants, if one applies the proportion provided for by GURPS City Stats (p. 10): a total of 20 elements. Total TS: 60.

Baron’s Hunters
Bowmen
The bowmen are hand-picked among the best hunters in the Barony.
TS: 3. Classes: F. Mobility: Foot.
Quality: Basic Quality Equipment; Good Troops.
Features: Terrain (Mountains).
Cost: $616K to raise; $67.2K to maintain.
This unit forms up with 70 archers: 7 elements. Total TS: 21.

Scouts
Light Infantry
The scouts provide the Baron’s army with reconnaissance. In peacetime, they serve for patrolling the countryside and keeping the peace in the villages.
TS: 2. Classes: Rec. Mobility: Foot.
Quality: Basic Quality Equipment; Average Troops.
Features: Terrain (Mountains).
Cost: $480K to raise; $80K to maintain.
There are nearly 100 such light infantrymen; 10 elements. Total TS: 20.

Mounted Scouts
Horse Archers
This is the small fast-reaction force of the Barony. They also patrol the border with the Kingdom. They are the only mounted unit in this army.
TS: 3. Classes: Cv, F, Rec. Mobility: Mtd.
Quality: Basic Quality Equipment; Good Troops.
Features: -.
Cost: $264K to raise; $57.6K to maintain.
With just some two dozens of mounted scouts, the unit has no more than 2 elements. Total TS: 6.

Strategy
While the Baron and his noblemen do own horses, they are too rare and expensive in these highlands to use them in battle; the nobles always fight as heavily armored infantry.
The other reason why horses are essentially only used for patrolling and recon is that this army is ideally suited to fight in the mountainous terrain that characterizes their realm; several of the troop types are specialized in mountain fighting. That kind of terrain not only doubles the tactical strength of the specialized units, it also negates any cavalry superiority. So this army will, if at all possible, accept battle only in broken, mountainous terrain. If an invading enemy stays in the valley bottoms, which also provide the best arable lands in the Barony, that will be a problem. But even then, sooner or later there is a mountain pass to cross or a hillside to assault, and the Baron’s army will likely be waiting there.
Ambushes, skirmishes and harassing attacks in mountainous terrain are a wise choice for this force. Unfortunately, they don’t necessarily go down well with the famously aggressive clansmen. Their impetuousness may well be this army’s weakness.

Bean Counting
Always provided that no noblemen go about warring against each other (which reduces Military Resources by 30% of their basic value), or raiding beyond the border on their own, the Barony has available $700,000 per turn for military expenses. A large part of that actually is a monetization of the feudal duties provided by the Baron’s vassals.
Military Resources: $700,000
Cost to Maintain Combat Troops: $288,000
Cost to Maintain Logistics (Land): $144,000
Total Maintenance Costs: $432,000
Military Resources Surplus: $268,000
The Barony is currently investing part of that surplus in improving its fortresses on both sides of the Great Waterfall, the main point of entry from the Kingdom into the most important valley in the Barony. Another part of that surplus is set aside. That reserve will be used if future campaigns will require to keep the clansmen in service for more than two months or to deploy them away from their lands. In that case, they will have to be paid as Mercenaries (see GURPS Mass Combat, p. 9).

Military Force Roster
Attached Files
File Type: pdf The Rebel Barony Military Force Roster.pdf (52.0 KB, 6 views)
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Old 04-14-2021, 07:06 AM   #56
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Default Re: Realm Management examples

These examples are wonderful. They will help me model a couple of realms in my fantasy setting with a similar dynamic - a feudal kingdom with a rebel duchy. I need to tweak some settings, but you've given me a better idea of how to simulate this in game terms.
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Old 04-14-2021, 07:22 PM   #57
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Default Re: Realm Management examples

I gotta agree. As the author seeing folks playing with the system makes me positively giddy. :-)
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Old 04-14-2021, 07:31 PM   #58
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Default Re: Realm Management examples

I feel like in a few more weeks, Michele will give us an entire medieval continent to work with. Maybe we can get someone else to have a continent's worth of nations for different eras, or maybe a solar system for the ultra tech people.
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Old 04-14-2021, 07:35 PM   #59
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Originally Posted by edk926 View Post
I feel like in a few more weeks, Michele will give us an entire medieval continent to work with. Maybe we can get someone else to have a continent's worth of nations for different eras, or maybe a solar system for the ultra tech people.
I wish I had more time to contribute some examples, but I just signed a contract for a new book and combined with my upcoming campaign and personal stuff I have zero time to do it. I'd really like to see someone put together a small campaign setting that people could just point to for how Realm Management could be used. Michele is getting there sure enough.
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Old 04-15-2021, 01:16 AM   #60
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Default Re: Realm Management examples

I'm glad that the examples are useful, and I accept the invitation to continue. There are, however, a few things to point out:

1) A realistic medieval/fantasy continent would have, for instance, ten feudal realms... all rather similar. If there's a TL2 corner, then you'd find there a hundred small chiefdoms... all pretty much indistinguishable from afar. I'm not going there. I can and will post realms, but each will be one of a kind. GMs who want multiple feudal statelets are welcome to start with my one example (post #29) and modify it a few times.

2) I'm not going to come up with fancy names, nor with details as to what the realm actually grows/breeds/mines/exports. The names of the realms themselves, as you will have noticed, are generic and serve to state what the realm is about. Less work for me, and less work for the GM who would anyway need to file those serial numbers away to adapt the realms to his setting. For the same reason, I'm not going to be specific as to who borders with whom, unless the mutual relationship is critical to what each realm is, as in the case of the Kingdom and the Rebel Barony (post #54). That way, the GM can juggle them around as he sees fit. This is also the reason why I began with islands - they're the easiest to place where you want.

3) This is important - a deviation from the RAW. I am automatically assigning a Defense Bonus of 1, for no cost. That is because I'm under the impression that, no matter what the terrain, the defender will always be at a slight advantage over an attacker, if for nothing else, for knowing better their turf. That is not what GURPS Realm Management provides for; the default Defense Bonus is 0, not 1. In practice, I'm giving out one level of that for free.
GMs who want to follow the RAW should either downgrade my realms' Defense Bonus by 1 level, or leave the modifier as it is, give them one additional level of the Defensible Terrain Enhancement, and adjust the realm cost (+10%).

If you're OK with these terms, you'll find more realms soon.
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