Replacement Needed for: The War of the Five Houses
 

The War of the Five Houses:

The idea for this came from a discussion with SJ about the Play by Committee 2 game. In that, a single empire was split internally into five “houses” all controlled by separate players. This got me thinking of a way to approximate this in a PBW game.

This will be a 5 player PBW game set in a large quadrant. All five players will start with 5 homeworlds located near the center of the quadrant (not in the same system though). The quadrant will be populated with numerous AI races surrounding you, also starting with five planets each. You will all start the game with contact with and knowledge of the locations of the other four human players, but not the AI. At the beginning of the game, each player will abandon 4 of his or her five starting homewolrds and the game will proceed from there as normal. The exact mechanics of this have not been exactly determined, but it will probably involve the first couple turns being controlled by the game owner.

The idea here is NOT that this is a cooperative players versus AI game, although during the early game survival will probably require some level of cooperation as each AI player will start out at five times your strength individually. As the ultimate goal will be the reunification of the five houses under your leadership, you will at some point need to go to war with each other. Exactly when and how this happens will be up to you.

For role-play purposes there will be a couple rules regarding setup that must be followed. The houses have been in contact but living as separate socio-political entities on different worlds for many many generations. While they originated on the same world long ago and are of the same race, their cultural differences are real and deeply rooted. All five players must use some sort of human looking race. As humans, all five players’ races will also be setup as Rock/Oxygen races. There will be no ancient races, no mechanoids and no emotionless races. Beyond that you are free to manipulate your empire characteristics and racial traits as you like as this could reasonably be explained due to differences in culture between and selective breeding within the houses. You are free to come up with any sort of description and history for your race, as long as you leave the history sufficiently vague as to not conflict with the other players. The exact location of the original human homeworld is lost in the mists of time. It may be one of your five worlds, or it may be another world altogether. Feel free to be creative with that aspect. Keep in mind what you are writing is the truth as your house sees it, but not necessarily the factual historical record.

Also, since the populations of all five empires will be basically cousins and the object of the game is the reunification of, not the destruction, of the five houses, planetary glassing of the other human players colonies and homeworld is heavily discouraged. Of course in war there are unavoidable collateral damages, so there won’t be explicit penalties defined for loss of civilian life, but you can expect to lose some mojo because of it. On the other hand, you are free to treat the alien AI population as you see fit. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

You see normally I put these things out here and people say, "Oooo great idea! Count me in." or something to that effect. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Is the lack of response perhaps because of the story thread part of it? If that's it we can drop that aspect and make it a straight game.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

Great idea, but no time. Currently in finals, which is taking up nearly all my time. Then comes winter break, during which I plan on spending as little time around computers as possible. Then comes the beginning of my graduate-level classes, and I don't know how much time commitment those will require yet.

But it does raise some very interesting issues, opportunities for rapidly shifting alliances, very developed backstory... hell, if you get a good enough writer in on it, it would make a very good novel.

Maybe come summertime I could have time to do something like this. By then, we could probably use SEV, too.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

It sounds interesting, I'm just not sure about the RP aspect... sure, I like roleplaying, but requiring written AAR's seems a bit much for me http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif
Still, I guess it wouldn't hurt to give one of thse things a try! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif
Any mods, by chance?
edit: BTW, are you looking for AAR's, short stories with characters inside the houses, what?

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

Hey, I only didn't say "Count me in!" immediately because I've been at work all day!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif So...

Count me in!

At least, as long as doing turns only once or twice per day is permissable. I'll apply. Kick me if it isn't ok. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Hey, I've been promoted! <=======

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

"only" once or twice per day? wow, that's quick for a PBW game http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

My plan was for 2 or 3 day turns, but with only five players we should be able to do better. Especially in the early game.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

I have a lot of games and was planning on no more until SE5 but this sounds like fun. Count me in. We tried something like this earlier this year but never managed to get started. Keep in mind I am in almost an opposite timezone to most people so wouldn't be able to do turns when asleep.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

How many race points? Want to make my empire before I forget what it is http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif Well I know how people can get bored quickly if a game doesn't progress at a somewhat rapid rate, and so I do my best to keep a good pace going. Playing a couple turns a day helps! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif Of course, in large games, not possible.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

Well, if you want an answer to boster your ego: I was almost interested, but was reminded that I have trouble keeping up with my *two* low-maintenance games, so a high-maintenance game with writing isn't going to work so well. I was also reminded of my habit to drop off anything involving writing after a short period of time, if nobody is standing nearby with a gun pointed in my direction.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

If someone wants to join and doesn't want to or have time to write that'll be ok. The story part of it might be too much to ask, I just got a little carried away when thinking up all the possible angles for such a game. Heck, I may find myself without time for writing once school starts back up. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I would ask that you still abide by the "RPish" rule to avoid glassing human opponents worlds even if you aren't writing.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

maybe a tad OT but I have been reading the dread empires fall series (backstory: After the alien masters die off the races of the Praxis have a civil war. Naxids, who reckon they should lead having been the first subjects, vs the other races) Anyway its a good story of how different elements fight it out to take over leadership. At one point 5 billion people get glassed when the ringworld collapses. Anyway it talks about they are fighting to take over but they still try to avoid glassing each other, although the Naxids do stuff like execute 50 hostages for each of their troops they lose. As one loyalist says, they are fighting to win but their not barbarians.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

Ok, I've thought about this some more and decided to officially remove the paragraph about making it a story game. The more I thought about it I'm probably not going to have time to commit to writing as much as I did with the HOTG anyway. I do intend to write a little and I will encourage the other players to write if they want, but it's no longer a requirement.

As far as other setup issues, let's say 2000 point empires. I'm also thinking no events and no ruins. As fun as ruins would be from a story perspective, it's just too destabalising to get that extra colony tech.

My feeling is to disallow surrender, but if someone has a compelling reason to allow it for this game I might be swayed.

Any other thoughts?

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

Please upload .emp files so we can begin http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

One of our players has withdrawn. The House of Xarthus needs a new leader.

I will be upfront and tell you that this particular empire is in last place, but that's not as bad as it sounds. The five houses are all behind the AI players still. The Xarthus are not getting eaten up as far as I can tell. Thier empire is intact. They are surounded by AI, but we all are.

The game has not yet gotten to the point of open conflict between the houses. There have been some border skirmishes between AI and a couple of us, maybe all of us at this point. There have been some disagreements over territory between humans, but nothing that has caused any conflict that I have been notified about.

Anyone interested? I'd hate to turn this spot over to the AI. The game was kind of designed with the idea of five human players and giving one to the AI at this point could upset the balance.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

I *might* be able to take over. I'm still trying to get a feel for my schedule this semester. And there will probably be a few times where I'm away for 3 or 4 days, so I might miss a few turns.

Probably better to get someone with better availability, but if it gets to the point where you either really need to get a player or turn the AI on, let me know http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

So is anyone interested besides Will? I'd like to find someone that can play regularly. Turns are set to 72 hours, so it's not like you would have to play every day. On the other hand most of the turns so far have been pretty quick, so you don't have to worry about the game going too slow. The other players have been keeping it moving well.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

I'll take it so long as it's not hopeless.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

Nothings ever hopeless. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif As I said, the player is in last place, but it's not that far behind the other human players, and we are all behind the AI. The idea is we are more or less cooperating against the AI, but it's not a strict team thing. It's more of a gotta have allies to survive thing. At some point if we can beat off the AI I fully expect the long knives to come out. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

If you want the spot, go to PBW and apply to join. I'll approve you.

Geoschmo

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

LOL remember that SE3 game we had? Well that's the way I feel in most SE4 games http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif


Takeover request made.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

Would you care to extrapolate? This sounds interesting.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

Extrapolate would be something you or I would do. Thermo would *elaborate*.

(/nitpick)

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

I played Se3 quite a bit against the AI, but never got into playing online against other people. When SE4 came around I quickly got into PBEM and PBW once that got started, and quickly gained a reputation as being a moderately skilled player. I always heard great tales about the Se3 wars that the oldtimers had played, so Thermo agreed to play me.

He and I and another, Axel I think setup a PBEM game of Se3. Anyway, about 7 turns in, I hadn't even met Axel yet and had like two colonies and 5 ships and Thermo took out my homeworld with what seemed like two dozen destroyers. It was quite an education. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

OK. I have the turn. This might take a while, but I'll get it in tonight.

Re: New PBW Game: The War of the Five Houses
 

Well that didn't take long.............which is NOT a good thing.