Ulm beefed up ...

[Taqwus]

Hm, steel's metal. I was under the impression that metals tend not to be good electrical insulators.

However, it might not be unreasonable for black steel to be perhaps slightly fire resistant (perhaps only Ulm knows how to work with such a metal if so), or very strong for the weight and bulk (perhaps less encumberance, less reduction in AP and defense?) or harder to penetrate (perhaps AP effects reduced).

Perhaps the forgeable black steel items could also be forgeable by Ulm only. 2E mages aren't exactly confined to Ulm right now.

[PrinzMegaherz]

Hm, steel's metal. I was under the impression that metals tend not to be good electrical insulators.

But it's not plain steel!
It's the famous ulmish black steel(TM) that utilisez so much arcane knowledge in its forging you actually have to pay 10 earth gems to your local master smith to get your own copy of black steel armor

[Cainehill]

Taqwus said:
However, it might not be unreasonable for black steel to be perhaps slightly fire resistant (perhaps only Ulm knows how to work with such a metal if so), or very strong for the weight and bulk (perhaps less encumberance, less reduction in AP and defense?) or harder to penetrate (perhaps AP effects reduced).

Given that metal also conducts heat and cold very well, I'm not sure that any elemental resistance on it would be appropriate (armies baked in their armor, and they froze in it too). On the other paw, reduced encumbrance and whatnot would be appropriate, for all Ulm's Black Plate troops.

Reducing the encumbrance on that stuff would go a long way towards making Ulm's troops more useful; given the superior metalworking Ulm is considered to have, and the extra strength of the soldiers, they perhaps shouldn't get exhausted so soon.

[PrinzMegaherz]

My vision of Ulm:

Apprentice Smith
2E

Only a few people of ulm are gifted with magic powers. Those few are sent on a journey to learn the ways of the smithy, traveling with the ulmish legions of steel and searching for places of arcane knowledge.
While they have a long way to go before they can forge items as skillfully as their teachers, they are already immune to drain and have mastered the basics of earth magic.

Master Smith
3E2A2F
Immobile
When the time has come for the apprentice to return to the forges of their origin, they are awarded the title of a Master Smith, those who are capable to bind the elements to their steel. This power comes to a price, however. The master smiths are not allowed to leave their forges, so that the magic will be kept away from the pure land of ulm. While some might not accept this fade, most Smiths embrace their destiny, forging the best equipment for their friends with which they once traveled together.

Hero:
the Legate
2E1F
100% Resistance against everything
no body and hand slots
Might be an assassin
Those smiths who refuse to return to the forges of Ulm are called the exiles, or the fallen. They are sworn enemies of Ulm, and must be eliminated at all cost. If one is found, the council of master smith sends one of their own to return the fallen apprentice, dead or alive. The chosen one is then transformed into a being of pure steel, a man golem who is immun to all magic. He won't rest until the enemies of Ulm are defeated.

Special:
The forges

The laboratories of Ulm are, unlike those of the other nations, no places of contemplation and studying, but rather busy places of apprentices being trained and lots of military equipment being produced.

A mage doing research in an ulmish forge will have his research skill lowered by one. In exchange, each ulmish forge produces one earth gem each turn.

new neutral placement:
Exile conclave

This is a place where those fleeing from the wrath of Ulm have gathered. The original master smith 2E1F (now called Fallen Smith) is recruitable here as well as the rogue apprentice 2E, The master smith still has his forging bonus, but both lost their drain immunity.


I know not everything here is moddable, but this is my vision of making Ulm a nation to be reckoned with, but without loosing it's distinct feeling.
What do you think?