Player Guide Project

[JG Chan]

I wonder, though, what format are we using? I did my posts based on what ZL27 said...semi-RPed type of thing that gives information without the really technical details. And while the stuff Xeni has is good (I learned something new, at least), I'm not sure that newer players will be able to understand much of it. Maybe there could be a summary of some sort for the Tactics section, with Xeni's part following it as more advanced reading?

Also, unit types stuff. Some are a little short, so suggestions welcome.

Archers are the Best!
"TWANG!"
-The Qin Army, Hero

Now see here, youngster...archers are the most important units in a battle! No other troops can attack at range as effectively as we can, mowing down enemies without taking a single casualty...unless that enemy knows how to counter, but only other archers can do that anyway. Our volleys strike entire areas, and those of us who are wily enough can even avoid friendlies! Our storms of arrows crush the enemy's spirit as well as their numbers! Our missiles rain fiery death upon the enemy, and we are the only ones who can move reliably after launching a fusillade! And for those kingdoms who are rich enough to field the mighty arbalests, well...you'll see, and you'll be awed when you do.

So what if infantry and cavalry are stronger and more mobile than us? It's not like our generals are dumb enough to let us stay in melee, y'know. Once we gain the advantage of terrain and our own meatshields move to block them, we will destroy them with impunity. Alright, granted, those darned horse archers can do a lot of the same things we can...but they can't fire missiles, so HA!

Infantry is the Best!
"This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die!"
-Leonidas, 300

Now see here, greenhorn...infantry are the most important units in a battle! We are the core of the army, the troops who do all the heavy work, and the ones who'll be around even when the lord can't afford anything else. We can go anywhere, even scale mountains to charge down upon our enemies! When united, we can close in behind a wall of shields, protecting each other from attack. When isolated, we can smash out in all directions in a rapid blitz! And when equipped with heavy arms, we can stand toe-to-toe against even the 'mighty' cavalry!

In fact, the only thing those oh-so-great riders can do that we can't is trample foes, and they cost a lot more in food and gold. So they're more mobile, big deal...let's see them try to get on the castle walls with us! And those cowardly archers think they're better with their ranged attacks, but once we hem them in, they're nothing more than fodder! So HA!

Cavalry is the Best!
"Ride now, ride now, ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending!"
-Theoden, Return of the King

Now see here, kiddo...cavalry are the most important units in a battle! We are the strongest and swiftest troops upon the field; pure and simple, with no need for fancy tricks. We are worth every tael of our price, mark my words. None can outrun us before we trample them beneath our hooves, leaving confusion in our wake!

The infantry may charge us, but our charge will be stronger! Let them trudge along with the heavy equipment, while we run in for the decisive blow. Archers may try to whittle us down from afar, but we will be upon before they even take aim! And who's to say only they can use bows? Our horse archers can attack at range as they can, and not fall like hay when the enemy closes in...so HA!

Navies are the Best!
"Where there are seas there are pirates."
-Old proverb

Now see here, landlubber...pirates are the most important units in a battle! Wait, what do you mean not all naval officers are pirates? Bah, nonsense...but I s'pose that isn't the point. Thing is, them archers and infantry and cavalry can go about singin' their own praise and whatnot, but as soon as they come to a decent-sized body of water, they have to use ships! Oh, they can try to build bridges, if they got engineers...but good luck getting off it on the other side when the enemy's gotten weeks to prepare!

Anyhow, just ships ain't enough. Even the good ones like skirmishers and warships do poorly without a proper captain, not to mention them cavalry and siege weapons that can only use dingy old transport ships. And if they try chaining themselves together for stability...well, better pray the enemy don't use fire. Nope, none but a true pirate can fight well on water, to the point where we can even ram and sink the enemy! How's that for strength, eh? So all those landlubbers better think twice about barging onto our rivers, or else...HA! Fishfood!

[Xeniphon]

I dont think there really is an easy way to explain tactics... Ive been working on them for 3 versions and I still have things to learn... Though Im also prone to technical writing, its my nature as a historian... I supose I could come up with something RPish, but it would probably be much larger to account for the information since most of the stuff that you need to know about tactics isnt done ICly but is arranged so the staff dont get confused when reading it. So its a little hard to put it into those terms. I think a set of example tactics would probably help and I can do that but I havent had the time so far. Than again tactics and the ruling sections are probably going to be the most complicated sections in the guide due simply to all the considerations that need to be accounted for, but then again they are also the two things that take the most time too so I figure if your going to do it you should do it right.

I'll throw something together when a have some time to do so. For things we dont really need to work on there is already a good explination of stats floating around somewhere that we can just copy/paste and the skills will have to be reworked with each version probably... There is also a roleplaying guide but I'll leave it to others to decide if that is good or needs an update.

[JG Chan]

Yeah, you're probably right there, tactics aren't really something that can be simplified that much... Anyway, I'll keep working at this too. Also, I vote Kentalot writes the 'crafting and going into business' section, if we ever have one.

[Sun Tang]

I hope no one minds, i am going to work on this area. Placeholder for the moment.

Kingdom Turns Kingdom turns (KT) are those actions that enable a ruler to improve any cities that they occupy. By performing various actions with the assistance of your officer corps you can develop your territories significantly if done correctly and on-time. Every Kingdom Turn will have a set amount of time for the ruler to post a Kingdom Turn and they will be done during Civil Phase. The Kingdom Turn deadline will be posted in the Headquarters/Game Turn Information thread. The amount of time a ruler has to post a turn change in their Planning Hall (PH) is always generous, you can expect at least one week to devise and post a KT, but it is usually longer than a week. There are many actions that may be done in a KT which will call upon various types of officers with various skills. It is up to every ruler to be familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of those whom they employ so that they can maximize the potential of not only their kingdom, but the development of their officers, whom gain experience by performing different actions which can lead to increasing their base stats. It will benefit a ruler in the long-run if they are able to balance the needs of their kingdom with developing their officers.

- Kingdom Turn Information: In every KT post, you must properly format it in such a way that the staff will be able to efficiently expedite the process with the least possible confusion and room for errors. Luckily in each version of simrtk the staff will provide a guideline and examples of how to post a KT. It is important to follow this guideline because if you do not, they may not accept incorrect entries or actions submitted in your KT. It is also possible that your entire KT post will be denied. This will usually happen if you have a history of mistakes in submitting and formatting previous KT’s and fail to correct them in future KT submissions, or if you post your KT after the deadline. Because you have ample time to submit a KT, do not expect leniency if you post a late turn, it will usually be denied. It is a good idea to post a KT at the beginning of every civil phase and edit the KT accordingly or direct trusted officer(s) to post one if you are unable. Always make a real effort to post your KT. If the turn changes and you do not post a KT, this will likely cause a negative affect with your officers. It makes you look incompetent or like you do not care, they may leave your kingdom if you miss even 1 KT. Do not use officers in your KT, who have become inactive, it is highly shunned. So pay close attention to the proper formatting and be certain that your officer and kingdom information is correct and accountable.

- Administrative Actions: The Administrative actions portion of your KT will be the most highly visible by the staff. The reason is because this section provides the staff with notification of important changes in your kingdom, as well as actions that must be rolled (Determined by the staff). This section is unique from other areas of the KT because you will not be able to anticipate certain results in this field. The kinds of actions that will be rolled consist of espionage and sabotage actions (Spying, Arson, riot, etc). Keep in mind that any sabotage or espionage actions may fail, and there is a chance that whomever you are acting against may become aware of your actions or even capture the culprit. Before selecting someone to perform these actions, make sure they have the correct stats and skills that will improve their chances of success. Stealth and high Intelligence stat should be the most important factors when attempting any sort of espionage or sabotage. Admin section is also where you will list any promotions/demotions, new officers/officer losses, governor appointments, Gold given to officers/troops as well, any recruitment/search attempts and PR changes.

- Development Actions: In this section a ruler will choose how to develop his/her kingdom, which officers will do which actions and finally rulers will calculate the results which will be held accountable. Staff, may check your calculations. At the beginning of each Development section of your KT, there is a format you must follow in three steps. You are required to post the stats of the city you will be developing prior development, your development actions, and finally the new city stats which include the results of your development actions. There will be various formulas to calculate which will be graciously provided with samples in the KT section of the rules thread. Keep in mind that certain skills will grant bonuses to development, and some development actions can benefit from multiple skills. There are many actions you may perform. You will be able to use up to three officers for most development actions. The actions available consist of raising Public Safety (PS), Agriculture, Commerce, Infrastructure and other important areas of your kingdom. You will also be able to construct buildings (You may find out more info on these buildings in the KT rules section titled “Structures and Monuments), draft/train troops, supplies/troop movements and more. It is imperative that you make every attempt to utilize every officer at your disposal if at all possible. Officers under your employ do not enjoy being left out of KT’s as it hurts their experience gains and character development, as well as it may make them feel as if they are not needed. Be mindful of the Structures, Fortifications and Natural resources available for your city, as they may provide benefits to your kingdom and give bonuses to developments. Some may be costly and time consuming, but they may also yield great rewards in the long run.

- Military Actions: If you choose to go to battle, reinforce an army or build a fort, you will have to inform the staff via Private Message (PM). You must PM the "Forum Administration" as well as "Xiahou Mao". Keep in mind that there is a proper format for posting your military forces, as well as dedicated rules in the battles rules thread, Check there for specifics. When posting your military force, be certain that all officers are active, and be certain that you have not used them for any other KT action that month.

- Governors: Make sure that you trust your Governors, as it is possible they may revolt against you and claim the city as their own or even conspire with a neighboring kingdom, leaving your kingdom and handing your city to an enemy. Certain skills may benefit a Governor and wield benefits to development. It is wise to choose a governor whom has a good reputation amongst your officers and the people. This will reduce the chances of your officers becoming jealous that they are not governors and reduce chanced of the people revolting.

[JG Chan]

Short unit type blurb that should go before the sections I posted earlier, plus a part on sieges and siege equipment rolled into one. I tried to only include the parts unique to sieges, as the more general stuff should probably have their own 'Battle' section. Also, I might make some edits to the Navy section pending answers to my questions. >.>

Components of an Army

An army is not a single, homogeneous mass of bodies, nor a simple set of numbers on paper. It is a varied force, with different parts serving different functions. While all such parts may not be available at all times, a skilled general should know of them and their functions, so that they may be used well when the time comes.

What types of troops are available is determined by the arms owned by the kingdom. Soldiers are soldiers, and differ from each other mostly just by their level of training until they are outfitted for their specific role in a coming battle. Thus, to possess a versatile army, a ruler must ensure a sufficient supply of mounts and equipment. This is discussed further in the sections on kingdom management.

Catapult Stones and Boiling Pitch
"Storm the castle!"
-Lots of people

Ah, and now we come to the fine points of besieging a stronghold. A siege battle is similar to a field battle, except that one side has walls and gates to hide behind. So most of the same rules still apply, with some additions which will be discussed here.

Firstly, the city walls and gates are the property and advantage of the defenders. They may move onto or along the walls and through the gates at their leisure, though they can't jump off outside the city or jump back in. Meanwhile, attackers must somehow break open the gates or attempt the arduous task of scaling the walls. Defenders on the walls are also protected from ranged attacks while gaining the freedom to shoot those below them, or worse, drop rocks, pitch, and other nasties on them. So the lesson here is, don't stand right next to a wall without good reason.

But of course, no obstacle is insurmountable. The attackers have various options at their disposal for breaking into the city, and the most straightforward of these involve what are called siege equipment. Such things do not come free; they usually must be build in a city with the necessary supporting infrastructure, and troops handling them are unable to fight and move to their full potential until they abandon them. That said, siege equipment can serve a variety of purposes.

Rams are great, lumbering juggernauts made to batter down fortifications. They are slow, but are quite efficient in their role so long as they are well protected against fire and counterattacks. Catapults have the same function, but carry it out by launching great boulders from safer distances.

On the other hand, when fortifications are incredibly resilient or time is an issue, attackers may try to scale the walls instead. Ladders serve this purpose, allowing units outside to climb and attack onto the walls, though not without some effort and danger. Siege towers allow the same things while better protecting the soldiers inside, and also gives invading archers clear shots at defenders on the walls.

Lastly, for those who master the deceptions of war, a risky but potentially rewarding solution exists. If inside agents have been recruited beforehand, the attacking advisor may arrange with them to open the gates for a price, granting immediate access to the city. In any case, if the invaders take a city's headquarters, then they will have won, even if the enemy has yet to be completely destroyed or routed.

As a final point, some mention should be made of those skills that have a direct impact on the arts of the siege. A trained military engineer is especially useful, for he can construct rams and ladders with whatever materials are on hand, giving attackers a quicker though weaker means of entering the city. Moreover, he can undermine defenses personally by tunneling or by sapping them beforehand, while such a talent on the defending side can quickly repair fortifications during the siege. Officers trained in siegecraft are also invaluable for their great ability in handling siege equipment and the increased damage they deal to their enemies, both as attackers and defenders. For a ruler planning for sieges, it would be prudent to ensure that both these talents are present in their officer corps.

[Xeniphon]

I could work on it, but Im working on other things right now so if someone else wants to do it go for it and I will add my thoughts later. If nobody wants to handle it I will throw something together when I have a little more time (my girlfriend's mother is over so I get called away to do things alot for the next week or so).

[JG Chan]

No can do here. I've barely written any counterplots, and even those are more for RP's sake than real effectiveness, so I know nothing. I'll probably take a crack at PT- or more battle-related stuff later.

[JG Chan]

Supplies! Corrections always welcome.

Please Do Feed the Soldiers
"What was that!? You say that every bit of our supplies are gone, all put to the torch? Hmmph...I praise Cao Cao's strategy, it was very clever of him. However, Cao Cao has underestimated the Yuan Family Fortitude!"
-Yuan Shao, Battle of Guandu, Dynasty Warriors 6

Alas that none of us have such great fortitude, for you will find that your armies will quickly go to pieces when denied food. Units carrying supplies of food and gold can be just as or even more important than the commander's unit; their safety should be a high priority for any ally, and their defeat a priority for any enemy. Thus, supply units merit special consideration for planners of battles.

To begin with, a unit leading supply wagons is severely hampered in battle, as its duty of safeguarding the supplies leaves little opportunity for effective fighting. Supply units are also quite slow, and susceptible to fire. A general with knowledge of logistics can compensate for these problems to some extent, and an army may also build supply depots upon suitable ground, where supplies may be deposited and defended more easily. In city sieges, supplies may be stored in the defenders' headquarters, thus saving them some trouble.

Even with such precautions, a supply unit will always be a tempting target, and so a prudent commander would do well to protect it. Leaving it behind the front lines with other units helping to guard it is a good idea, if such units can be spared. One should also take care not to distance the supply unit too much from its allies, especially if the enemy is fielding fast and mobile units that can outmaneuver yours. While some armies allow their weakest commander to mind the supplies, a strong, defensive-minded general may be a more prudent choice for such an important task. Finally, one might keep in mind that such a tempting target can make excellent bait...so long as one is aware of the risks.

For the attackers, taking the enemy's supplies is both a powerful blow to their plans and morale, and a boon to your own resources. However, there are many factors to consider when attempting to do so. Aside from the enemy's defensive efforts, one must remember that a unit that takes over supplies becomes itself a supply unit, with all the weaknesses thereof. Keeping this in mind and planning accordingly is important to be able to enjoy the spoils gained.

[Sun Tang]

I am sure Xeni could do this better than me, and many others, but i will provide the rough draft that will likely be picked apart and thats cool.



A players guide to plotting:


Plot Basic Information: A plot in SIM RTK is best described as a pre-meditated action or event that one or more players participate in; with a desired result that will involve staff intervention and potentially danger. During the course of the game there will be opportunities or times where you may consider attempting an assassination, infiltration, or other various stealth related actions. When you have a valid motive to form a plot, it must consist of 100% In-Character (IC) game knowledge. For clarification on IC knowledge, please refer to the game rules section of the website titled “Guide to Role-playing”. All Plots must have proper-justification. If you are ever unsure if you plot is permissible, please ask a staff member via PM. Before submitting a plot, it is highly recommended that you review the “Guide to Role-Playing” thread in the rules section of the website. Remember, all skills have certain Role-Play use.

Forming a Plot:Every good plot has a valid purpose, clear and concise actions, contingency plans in the event your actions fail or are not possible, IC knowledge, IC reasoning, and as much info as possible that could potentially aid you in the success of your plot (or counter plot).

Plot Considerations: When performing an assassination attempt or any plot, it is important to understand that failure may mean death for your character. Not all plots will consist of inflicting harm or damage, but most will. It is paramount to conceal your intentions and keep a low profile about your actions while informing only those with a valid “need to know” about your plot. If you are performing an assassination or plot within the kingdom that employs you, there are certain advantages when compared to attempting assassination or plots outside your borders. The biggest advantage is that you are already in the city. The ability to be where you want to be and ease of entry to your desired location is very important. If inside your kingdom you likely have access to the palace, barracks, and other important areas. You may often come in close proximity to high officials in your kingdom, emissaries, and even your ruler. Attempting an assassination in your kingdom is also notably easier because you can easily monitor the routine actions of guards, and officials in your kingdom, you basically have home court advantage and can be more creative in your plot with more resources available to you. Stealth and an innocuous presence will come in handy in all assassination attempts and a general rule of thumb is that high Intelligence is the most important stat in most plots. If you are performing an assassination outside your territory it all starts at the gates of the city you wish to plot in without drawing unwanted attention to yourself and entering the city. If you do enter the city you must now head to your destination and locate your target. It is a good idea to consider gaining the support of any officials that are members of the target kingdom; perhaps you may be able to bribe them to aid you in getting you near your target, remove obstacles, distract guards or even join the assassination or plot itself. There are a lot of variables and possibilities that may arise in any plot, especially an assassination. When you are near your target it is best to perform your assassination as quietly, stealthily and quickly as possible so that you can increase your chances of escaping and remaining undetected.

[JG Chan]

CinCs and Advisors! Actually, the wording on the advisor one is a bit off somehow, so someone is free to write a better one.

Commanders-in-Chief
"When a general has once taken the field, even the royal command is of no effect. I bade farewell to the Emperor, I received the Prime Minister's commands, and there can be nothing further to talk about. You may return forthwith and take that as my reply."
-Liu Bei, Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The commander-in-chief is the general in charge of an army in the field, and aside from the mettle and ability of this officer, rulers should take loyalty into account as well. Indeed, a general in the field need not heed the commands of a distant ruler, and can override them as the situation or his objectives demand. Individual generals have even tighter control, though only on their own units.

As the leader of the army, the commander-in-chief's importance is great. Beyond his control of an army's tactics, he also serves as its symbolic heart, and his fall severely affects the morale of his allies. He may also benefit from the aid of an advisor, who can contribute his expertise to the commander and carry out ploys of his own. Finally, the commander-in-chief is the one to take charge of a conquered city or fort, pending the arrival of a replacement.

Apart from the above, the commander-in-chief is much like other units. Depending on the talents of the general and the demands of the situation, he may lead the attack from the front, support his comrades with his and his advisor's ploys, or even remain behind to guard supplies. The conditions of this decision changes with every battle, and so every commander-in-chief might act differently.

Advisors
"I, Guo Jia, order you, Lord Cao Cao, to provide me with free room and board!"
-Guo Jia with Baozi Hat, San: Three Kingdoms Comic

An advisor's role in battle is unique, and a ruler should know this in order to make the best use of one. While having an advisor is not required, with the right set of skills they can add great versatility to any army.

To begin with, an advisor need not be a trained tactician; there is nothing preventing any officer from becoming an advisor, even diplomats and other civil officials. However, due to the capabilities that come with this position, there are naturally certain people who are more suited to it than others. The chief criteria lie in the officer's ability as a tactician and ploy user. A good tactician can not only grant some of his expertise to the commander-in-chief of the army, but also bring to bear specialized campaigns that affect the performance of the entire force. The presence of such an advisor thus greatly increases the number of options his commander has at his disposal.

Within the army on the march, the advisor does not command his own unit. Instead, he travels with the commander-in-chief, to whom he gives counsel and advice. In the field, an advisor's tactics may override those set out by his ruler, but only if the commander-in-chief allows it. Also, as he does not command troops directly, he cannot order large-scale attacks and operations. Instead, the advisor can use what ploys he has available, including some unique to his position, to disrupt the enemy or aid his allies. In this sense, the advisor and his commander act separately, each using their own skills as the opportunities arise, but if the commander's unit is hindered or stopped, the advisor is likewise unable to act. Keeping these facts in mind will allow a ruler to choose the most suitable advisor for any given battle.

[Xeniphon]

I'll throw together something about character creation as far as stats and skills go. I will however keep it general since we dont know what next version will look like.

Skills and What They Mean To A Player;

Skills are those things that help define what a character is best at. They do not represent your ability to do something but your ability to excel at something beyond the norm. For instance anyone can yell "CHARGE" and point towards the enemy, but a comander especialy skilled in the orginization, preperation, training, and spacific formations that lend the most weight to a charge (not to mention experiance leading them) will undoubtedly be able to get more out of the manuver than the farmboy who points and shouts to "go that way". So these skills are what truely shine about your character and denotes what they are likely to do in their career. Often skills are paired with the stats that go along with them, this makes sense but is not in any way required. You can discover what stats go with what skills by looking at the skill to discover what actions the skill enables or improves and then go to the Battle Rules, Personal Turn rules, or Kingdom Turn rules (Battle rules for battle skills, Personal Turn rules for PT skills, and Kingdom Turn rules for civil skills). Some skills and abilities have no listed stat so use the action that most closely aproximates it, for instance Charge has no primary stats listed but it is a melee attack and the normal melee attack lists "Lead, War, Int, and Cha" as the primary stats used for it. Other skills dont require stats at all such as Stealth, Valor, Wealth, ect... either because the skill offers a passive effect such as a bonus to other actions or because their effects are totaly divorced from stats such as Wealth.

Each skill has set mechanical benifits which are either listed in the skill description or in the description of the action in one of the three rules sections mentioned above. These are the things that the skill allows you to do. The sole exception is the "Inocuous" skill which is purely an RP (roleplay) based skill and is primarily useful for plotting without getting caught. Because of the nature of plotting the bonuses cannot be revealed so a general description of what the skill does and requires is given, any questions on it's uses or applicability is judged on a case by case basis and will also rely on how you RP your character rather than simply giving you a fixed bonus regardless of what you do.

Speaking of plots there are also roleplay uses for each skill. They are varied and can be anything you can imagine so long as it makes sense and the staff do not decide that it is unbalanced. For instance you could use Civil Engineer to build a secret passage to escape through given enough time, or you could use Charming to try and win over a guard watching over your jail cell... However you could not use Mystic to hit an assasination target with a lightning bolt or use Inspire to grant you better protection in a plot when you are by yourself. The lighting bolt is considered overpowered and the Inspire situation just doesnt make any sense... A clever plotter (or counterplotter) will find any number of uses for each skill in any plot they might devise such as using Volley to shoot several arrows at once (Legolas style), use Investigator or Zeal to find those officials open to bribes so you can get aid from the inside, ect... Skills and combinations of skills can form any number of benificial RP circumstances. questions about what are and are not permitted should be directed to the staff via PM since only the staff are aware or able to make the judgment call on what is and is not permited, sometimes each staff member is different but under most circumstances they will come to a concensus over an issue before it is permited. Regardless it's better to ask and know than to rely on it working and have it denied part way through a plot.

An expertised skill is a representation of skill far above and beyond. you are one of the few in the world with such great talent in this area. At sign up only 1 skill can be expertised but through study (not tutoring) more expertises can be aquired. Expertising a skill takes 1 month less than it would take you to learn the skill the first time. So be aware that expertising skills that cost more SP will take more time. Items can also grant you an expertise skill if you have the normal skill and an item you gain has as a bonus *Skill (for instance *Medic). The asterisk designates that the skill or the expertise comes from an item (thus if you have Medic and get an item with *Medic you would gain "*Medic(e)"). If however you do not have the base skill you gain that base skill but not the expertised skill so that if you do not have Medic and get an item with *Medic you would gain "*Medic" and be able to function as if you had the Medic skill so long as that item is equiped on your character.

Some Key Skills;

For some special positions or tasks there are always skills that make people far more desirable than others. These skills are by no means "the best", they are simply highly sought after for their particular skill/benifit. For instance Administration is highly sought in Govenors since it increases the tax revenue when such a skilled person controls the city. Another example would be that in order to spy well on the enemy both the Spy skill and the Stealth skill are highly sought after. For Warriors in particular the Duelist skill increases their ability to fight other warriors and the Investigator skill is highly sought by kingdoms for it's uses in developing public safety. In PTs Zeal is a very strong skill with the addition of more AP to do more things and the choice to preform 1 action a second time and the bonus to patrol/magistrate/teach letters. Study is also a key PT skill since it lets you reduce the time taken to learn new skills. Crafting skills are vital should you want to craft something but are not vital to a PT unless you intend to craft items and make money from it. For dealing with GMNPCs and NPCs the skills of Charming and Networking are both very useful and can prove the difference between recriuting and not. For the construction of equipment and the like Invent is a hugely advantagous skill to posess while several of the craft skills add bonuses as well.

For the military the key skills really depend on what task you are looking to preform. If you are bound and detirmined to be a cavalry general then Trample is a good pick since it is restricted to cavalry units. However there are some skills that are VERY highly sought for very spacific reasons. Logistics is one such skill that is highly prized in both supply units and CiCs since it reduces the amount of food the army eats (this is a huge benifit). For sieges the Siegecraft and Military Engineer skill make handling and building siege engines. Navy is a vital skill when there is any significant water on the battlefield and while the water routes are limited there are many battle maps where a general with Navy can prove the pivital factor in winning or losing a battle. For advisors Tactician is the most favored since it not only allows the advisor to lend skills to the CiC while still using them him/herself but it also allows them to use special campaigns and even invent their own to lend special benifits to the whole army. The Leader skill is probably the most flexable of all battle skills as it increases inititive so the general acts sooner, boosts unit limit so the general can lead more men, and provides improved troop training in KTs. Cunning is another flexable skills that grants you more TP and the ability to use a ploy action in addition to an attack once in a while, TP is the way to hurt the enemy and protect your allies so this skill means a more dangerous general overall.

Many skills are very good and most can be described as "key" in one area or another. Some skills are so useful that they will ALWAYS have a place in a kingdom such as development skills, others are only useful in some situations but make the officer more able to positivly effect the situation when the time comes (many ploys and battle skills are the most obvious examples), and some are skills that are rarely called on but can prove absolutely vital to a kingdom when they are finaly needed (an Inocuous assasin might not be asked to assasinate someone for some time but it might fall to them to eliminate the enemy's most powerful general before the decisive battle, and the result of that battle might well depend on the assasin's success). All skills are useful in their own way, and many players find new ways to use them, for instance many players have started using the Wile skill to prevent Volley attacks from striking friendly units whereas normaly they would not be able to do so. There is always a place for every skill and a task that only someone skilled in that skill can do.

In Conclusion;

Be creative and ask questions because you may well find that your crazzy idea for skills turns into the most desirable skill set of the game. Other players are always willing to give advice and insight into the skills and how they can be used. Make use of the veterans' knowledge and the fresh look of the imaginitive new player. You dont have to choose your skills without advice or ideas from others, but in the end it is your character and if you are happy with what you have chosen then it is a good character because this is a game and games are supposed to be fun!

[JG Chan]

PT time! Suggestions are good, despite the limited number of people interested in doing this. >.> I've left out crafting for now, as I think that might be better with its own section, in conjunction with player-run businesses.

Personal Turns

As heroes in a land at war, you will aid in the building of kingdoms and engage in battle...but you will also have some time each month to pursue more personal activities. These actions can help you improve as a person, earn money, and make friends, among other things. Each month, you choose what activities you will attempt; when the next month arrives, you will be able to see the fruits of your labour, evaluate the ways in which you have bettered yourself, and plan your next actions accordingly. Those who have been fortunate may find unexpected opportunities during the month, while the less lucky might be beset by calamity and bow-wielding tigers. Only the Heavens know what lies in store for you...

What exactly one can do with one's personal time is explained later, but it should be mentioned that there is a limit to how many actions you can fit into one month. This limit is affected by several things, such as the sense of time management that comes with high political skill, ranks which give the authority to work more efficiently, and involvement in time-consuming things such as kingdom work and battle. Also, unless you are a particularly zealous person, you are limited to a single attempt at whatever you want to do.

Finally, and this is very important...the Heavens that watch over us are strict concerning the sacred principle of 'formatting'. Thus, you should take care to abide by their regulations, lest your planned actions become mysteriously lost in the void, and fervent prayers become necessary to retrieve them...

Bondage: Endorsed by Li Jun
"Sun Jian, having influential friends and connections to support him, quickly got an appointment to a post of Commander of Changsha and went to assume the new office. But Liu Bei, in spite of Zhu Jun's memorial, waited in vain for preferment, and the three brothers became very sad."
-Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The value of knowing the right people can be important to success, especially in the area of politics. While this does not apply to one's peers and other great heroes, your interactions with most lesser officers is governed by the bond between you.

Those with whom you have strong bonds will more likely heed your attempts to recruit them, for example, even if they already serve another kingdom; for this reason, bond-building is important for rulers who wish to retain valuable officers. In addition, officers with whom you get along can assist you in certain kingdom-given tasks, improving your results for the benefit of all involved. And of course, good relations are necessary if you wish to swear brotherhood with others, ask for their hand in marriage, and so on.

For most people, bond-building is part of their personal activities. At the most basic level, writing to another officer is a good way of beginning a relationship, though the gains are small, and the overly persistent might be considered annoying instead. Needless to say, particularly articulate individuals will have more success in this area.

Once some familiarity has been established, you may attempt to visit the officer in question, or for those with a more martial bent, invite him out hunting. You may also give officers gifts of items, whether these have been bought or were created by your own hand. Finally, for those who can afford it, lavish banquets can be great occasions for meeting and befriending many people at once. In each of these cases, a charming personality is very helpful in making a good impression.

Work and Relaxation
"Thereupon Pang Tong bade the clerks bring in all the arrears and he would settle them at once. So they brought in the piles of papers and ordered the suitors to appear. They came and knelt in the hall while the magistrate, brush in hand, noted this and minuted that, all the while listening to the pleadings. Soon all the difficulties and disputes were adjusted, and never a mistake was made, as the satisfied bows of the people proved. By midday the whole of the cases were disposed of, and the arrears of the hundred days settled and decided."
-Romance of the Three Kingdoms

While work done at the behest of one's ruler improves the kingdom and its cities, similar work can also be done privately, for more personal gains. Warriors may patrol the streets, on the lookout for criminals; politicians can use their perspicacity to teach the common people; intelligent officers may act as magistrates to the people and fight corruption; while artisans confident in their charisma can take their wares to the bazaar. In each of these cases, one might earn money or gifts, uncover plots, or meet new people...so long as you succeed, of course, for which a zealous disposition is helpful.

Also along these lines, intelligent warriors may opt to go hunting, whether by himself or with others. Bringing down prey will earn some money from the market, and defeating bandits or dangerous beasts might even improve the city's safety. This can be dangerous, however, as are things such as engaging in battle, and sometimes officers will sustain injuries. In this case, you may rest as much as you wants during your free time, slowly recovering from your wounds. The services of a skilled medic can be acquired during this time to speed the process, but such doctors may require payment. After all, they are officers like you, and using their personal time to help you.

Perfecting the Self
"Since I’ve taken up leadership, I’ve studied the Three Histories as well as military classics of different authors, and I feel that I have benefited greatly from it. The two of you have bright minds, and once you try to learn something, you will understand it. So why not do it? [...] Emperor Guangwu, even when out on the field, was never seen without a scroll in his hands. Mengde also says that he is fond of learning though he is old. Would you alone not seek to improve yourselves?"
-Sun Quan to Lu Meng and Jiang Qin, Jiangbiao Zhuan

Training and studying can be time-consuming pursuits, but for most officers, they are worth it for the significant boost they bring to one's abilities. Areas of focus include one's general abilities, specific skills, or in the case of trained tacticians, unique campaigns that can be used in battle. In each case, one may opt to study or train on one's own, or receive tutoring from a willing partner.

Training in base abilities such as leadership or intelligence is a short term activity, with tutoring granting a greater benefit if the tutor's ability is much greater than the pupil's. Of course, the higher your abilities already are, the harder it is to improve them. Studying campaigns is a more time-consuming process, and can fail if one does not plan out the campaign effectively. Once learned, such campaigns can be taught to other tacticians with one season of tutoring.

The study of skills is the most lengthy of all, with more complex skills requiring nearly a year of work. An aptitude for studying can decrease this time, as can receiving tutoring from an officer with the desired skill (at the cost of the tutor's personal time, of course). Officers already trained in a skill may also study it further for greater expertise; this takes slightly less time than normal, but they may not benefit from tutoring in this case.

One should also note that training and studying skills on one's own can only be done once per month, no matter how much zeal one puts into the attempt. However, one can benefit from both personal study and tutoring concurrently, but timing is important in this case, so as to prevent the waste of tutoring; if one learns a skill through study before completing the tutorial, then the tutorial becomes wasted, for it cannot grant expertise.

[Xeniphon]

Well, I'll try to write this as my character would explain it much as ZL27 origonaly intended, mainly to try it out but partialy because I intend to use it in an RP anyway...

General Tactics and Strategies;

When the snake and hawk meet, only one will live to hunt again. Even if one cannot finish off the other completely it will so weaken the opponent that another foe will finish the job. So it is also with kingdoms and those who rule them; they must fight to survive, but they must also become stronger while fighting or else victory it's self will only mean a slower death. Those who do not have the conviction to bare their fangs and talons at other kingdoms will not survive, however ruin waits for the hastey strike! "Nature is balance", say the old sages, and each step you take in nature is surrounded by the life and death strugles that bring that balance. In this chaotic land each lord is a cornered beast, waiting for it's moment to strike, each kingdom seeks advantage in both peace and war. However there are many paths to take and some offer greater chances of success than others. I have ever endevored to seek the path of greatest success, and often have done so, but not always.

Before any kingdom can expand it must first consolodate it's power. To attack from weakness brings nothing but distruction and wasted effort. When weak one must not only strive to become stronger but must protect your weaknesses against exploitation by the enemy. This is most commonly done by simply not exposing the weakness to plain sight, however a weakness can also be used as a strength if the skill of the planner is great enough. When you are weak your enemies will seek to strike that weakness; this is dangerous, however it is also an opportunity. If you are fully aware of your weakness and how to exploit it then your opponent's actions can be predicted. Foreknowledge of the enemy's plans is a great weapon and can be used to shift the advantage from the enemy by allowing you to bring strength from elsewhere and apply it at the critical point to turn what would normaly be a crushing defeat into a stunning victory. Alternitivly however you can use the knowledge of your weakness to lull an enemy into complacance, so that they turn to deal with a more dangerous threat before you. This strategy is particularly effective against ambitious enemies, since they must look more closely at the long term risks and prioritize their targets of opportunity. In doing this a small weak kingdom can convince a more powerful one to turn it's attention to a bigger threat that cannot be left to grow while the smaller kingdom makes use of the enemy's losses in that battle and the time gained to increase their strength to close the gap.

Of coarse one is not always weak, or stay that way forever, however so long as you do not trumpet your strength to the world at large and take pains that spies will not garner the information then the strategies used while weak can not only still be used but used to far greater effect since the weakness utilized in percieved rather than genuine. If for some reason though such ploys will not work there are many other ways to face the chaotic world. The firmest of these strategies is to divide and conquer. This strategy means that you must for a time let weaker or currently occupied enemies stand strong so that the iminent threat can be dealt with. Most often this threat is a kingdom already at odds with you, however it is just as often the need to cut off a rapidly growing threat before it becomes too great to handle. The safest way to handle this situation is to make peace with all around you except that one enemy you intend to fight, this makes your intent clear to that enemy but it also makes it clear to other kingdoms who can then safely see to their iminent threats without great concern. This of coarse can pose a problem if another kingdom decides that the opportunity is too good to pass up, however this danger can be reduced significantly by several means. One way is to set up a strong alliance with a kingdom on the opposite side of your neighboring kingdom, this will give that kingdom pause since if they attack you they will face assult from both sides, the third kingdom benifits in the same way with the same enemy and so is often willing to accomodate such arrangments. Another powerful tool in distracting other opponents is to convince them that their attention should be somewhere else, usualy by providing a target or enemy they wish to focus on. By providing incentives for them to move on that enemy you decrease the risk of their turning on you by an equal amount that their interest in attacking another rises, thus doubling the chance that they will not strike with each reason for them to attack another.

For the truely strong kingdom the key to victory lies in keeping other kingdoms weak and building strength. For truely strong kingdoms the lead is often tenuous and a single error can turn a lead into a dissadvantage with just a single battle or missdirection of troops. Of coarse there is also the threat of coalitions forming to bring down a large threat like a pack of wolves. To prevent, or at least reduce the damage of such eventualities, a strong kingdom must increase it's advantage while limiting, or if possible reducing, the force of all enemies around them with as little loss and danger as possible. The most efficient way to limit enemies is to turn others against them and have another do your fighting for you. This is not so much a function of strength but of cunning use and dispersal of information. Often by providing a pivital piece of information or slightly shifting the focus of another enough to lead to an incorrect conclusion, while not being so pattently false that a spy could uncover the ploy, you can nudge other kingdoms into acting in an expected manner that you can then take advantage of. With strength on your side you can afford to give out more information and so this strategy becomes more viable as strength increases, though the skillful manipulator can do exactly the same thing even when weak.

It is a given fact that force of arms wins the day in the end, however many facets come into play. The manipulation of information and perception plays a greater role in the world than many might imagine. Also the careful calculation of risk versus benifit is vital for any force that wishes to sit upon the throne. At the end of the Han Dynasty the ruling class forgot these truths and saw only strength. Had they but searched for a clever mind to weave them a path out of the darkness the dynasty might have grown stronger again. Disstrust and ambition have blinded many men to the truth of the world, but now these truths will again be revealed and a new path opened through the intilects of clever men of planning and missdirection! Those who rely only on strength will last and even thrive for a time, but those with a solid plan and deep insight will prosper over them in time as their plans come to fruition.

Xu Tsu
Colonal of the Elite Archers
In Service to Li Jun of Yun Nan

[C.C.]

A Rough Outline to the "Hundred Schools of Philosophy"

I thought it might be interesting for me to expand on this particular subject, especially for the curious-minded players who would like to develop their character background further. Currently, this serves as a rudimentary outline, though I can elaborate on particular schools as people like. Simply send me a message and I'll add the information here.

Obviously, I cannot do any of these philosophers justice. However, for the purpose of simulation gaming, I believe a little bit of knowledge is better than none.

In scholarly debate, announcing one's school is extremely important. It's a sign of respect to the opponent, a sign of respect to yourself, and let's face it. "My teacher can kick your teacher's ass" is pretty much one of the commonest comebacks for amateur scholars and students. Announcing one's school can usually count on senior students and other people who are friendly towards your school to pitch in, further making one's experience enjoyable.

School of Ru - Confucianism.
Leading Thinkers: Kong zi (Confucius). Meng zi (Mencius), Xun Zi (No idea what his English name is)
Key works: Lun Yu (The Analects of Confucius), Meng Zi, and Xun Zi.
Ruling Paradigm: Government should follow the "Way of Kings." Individual morality is stressed. Filial piety is vital. Loyalty and forgiveness is important. Rituals and courtly behavior is paramount. Education leads to prosperity, and therefore, one should strive to educate all gentlemen. De, as a philosophical guideline, suggests that if one acts benevolently, it will inspire the people to do the same.
Interesting concepts:
The Rituals of Zhou (Li Yue): A complex system of nobility and rankings, particularly important in musical presentations. People should bow a certain way depending on rank. Returning to the olden times is the optimal way to bring about peace.
Way of Kings: The nobility are entitled because they are the nobility. The Emperor is the Emperor because of a heavenly mandate. A popular saying goes, "One do not use punishment on Daifu (High ranking officer), and one do not apply Li to the common person."

Branching schools:
Meng zi: Proposes "Ren Zheng," or benevolent rule. Mankind is believed to be inherently good, and therefore, one only need to stress reward in order to govern.
Xun zi: Proposes "Zhong Lu," or the rule of the average. Mankind is believed to be neither good nor bad, and therefore, one need to reason with them in order to govern best.

School of Dao - Daoism. Also known as the School of the Way and Morality.
Leading Thinkers: Lao Zi, Zhuang Zi, Lei Zi.
Key works: Dao De Jing, Zhuang Zi, Lei Zi.
Governing paradigm: There is one force in the universe, known as the Way. Government should never strive against what is natural. Encourages a passive form of government with as little interference as possible.
Interesting concepts:
"Soft Overcoming Hard": In order to become a ruler, one must take as much responsibility and blame as possible. Like water - flowing, soft, but can also act as a raging current. Referring to a Dao mindset, in which one is passively focused until it is necessary to move.

Branching schools:
Yang Zhu: Proposes that one should focus on benefiting the self, not at the cost of others, but not benefiting others either. If no one wishes to harm another person, and everyone wishes to benefit themselves, then the world will be at peace.
Zhuang Zi: Proposes that all of these problems are fleeting, and not very important. Often accused of escapist.
Song Yin: (Refers to two philosophers. Song Kai and Yin Wen) Proposes that one should take a pacifist approach in ruling - one should not be jealous of their neighbors, nor seek to cultivate arms, but instead should live off the heavens and earth, and thus, everyone will be at peace.
Huang Lao: (Refers to Huang Di and Lao Zi) Proposes that one should take an even approach. The ruler should, if there is no problem to be addressed, be passive and maintain the way. However, if there are problems, the ruler should use the most efficient method possible, such as the law.

School of Mo - Mohist
Leading Thinkers: Mo Zi
Key works: Mo Zi
Governing paradigm: Before we get into this, look at their philosophical beliefs first. Technological advancement is greatly supported, as are craftsmen, doctors, and alchemists. Very individualist while still maintaining a focus on the group. Followers of Mo Zi are oftentimes swordsmen, merchants, craftsmen, or something else in addition to being a scholar.
Interesting concepts:
"Jian Ai": A concept that can be translated as "Love Equally." The idea is that you treat everyone as you would be treated. Showing no special preferences for kinship or family or relationships. Directly in conflict with the Ru scholars due to this fundamental difference.
Equality: Slavery is bad. Ranks are bad. Everyone should more or less be equal.
"Fei MIng": The power of the individual. Each individual have the duty and right to attempt to uphold what is right, and what is wrong.
"Democracy": Mo disciples have a rule: before any major action is taken, the group must unanimously agree. Even if there is one voice of objection, the person who objects have the right to voice his or her opinion and be addressed by the leader (Ju Zi) himself.

Branching schools:
School of Upper Mo: Focuses on sciences, logic, optics, mathematics, and construction. More like wandering cells of scholar/scientists than an actual philosophical group
School of Latter Mo: Focuses on individuals or small bands and upholding justice in the land. Many knight-errants, Wuxia, and swordsmen in this particular group.

School of Fa- Legalism. Also known as the School of Laws
Leading Thinkers: Shang Yang, Shen Buhai, Li Li, Guan Zhong, Han Fei
Key works: Shang Jun Shu (Book of Lord Shang), Shen Zi, Fa Ji (Codex of Laws)
Governing paradigm: People are inherently evil. What's more, people inherently suck. Thus, a strong system of laws are needed to keep people in check. The law is the highest source of authority, with zero room for flexibility. Under the law, all people are equal. Productive things, such as farming or forging is encouraged. The nobility ranks should be discarded, as well as the ancient system of Jing Tian (Farming system) and slaves. Education isn't important - what's important is that they follow the law.
Interesting concepts:
"Fa Zhi": Rule of Law. Not even the Emperor is exempt from the law, though interestingly, there are no recorded instance of the Emperor breaking a law.
Reward based on deed: For valor in battle or plentiful harvests, even commoners and former slaves may gain titles.

Branching Schools:
Shang Yang: Proposes "Fa Zhi," as mentioned above. The law is harsh, unyielding, but undeniably effective. A strong military is necessary to maintain a good society, and a strong military needs to be backed up by a strong economy. Only then can you begin reforming all other aspects of society. In terms of governence, enforcement of the law is key.
Shen Buhai: Proposes "Shu Zhi." The concept is similar to Shang Yang, except that the law is not key. Instead, the ruler's "secret police" - the "Shu," so to speak, is paramount. As a ruler, he must keep his officers in control at all times. Shu is a term for the technique and policies that will manipulate and check subordinates, ensuring there being no corruption and loyalty lies with the crown. Most of his work lost after an (understandably) unsuccessful legal reform.
Shen Dao: Proposes "Li Zhi," or Rule through Officers. The concept is also similar to Shang Yang's Fa Zhi, but the stress is upon public demonstration and officials. Talented individuals are rewarded according to merit, and stresses that non-talented individual or corrupt officers are executed in public in order to bolster the people's image of the king. Ultimately, the king or ruler holds the power of pardon, as well as arbitrarily changing the law as the Heavens decree.
Han Fei: (Note from C.C: I am not familiar with him to give a summary, sorry.)

School of Ming: No English translation. Translates to the School of Fame.
Leading Thinkers: Gongsun Long, Deng Zhe
Key works: Gongsun Long Zi
Governing paradigm: Widely considered to be the ancestor of Fa, Ming scholars propose a few things. First, that education is important, and there needs to be an inherent system of justice to avenge the people's wrongs. There should be a set of laws - clear, easy to understand, and something that is different from the old Confucian laws, which are hypocritical and unfair.
Interesting concepts:
"The White Horse is Not a Horse": Usage of logical paradoxes.
Changeless and change: The standard of morality, if one exists, should be unfallable and unchanging.

Branching Schools:
Gongsun Long: Basically Chinese Plato. Seriously.
Deng Zhe: Proposes that change is necessary, and that change should be immediate. The king should not be king if he does not act like a king - I.E. taking care of his people and so on. Basically Chinese Barack Obama.

School of Yin-Yang: No English translation. Translates to the School of Yin and Yang
Leading Thinkers: Zou Yan
Key works: Scattered bits and pieces everywhere.
Governing paradigm: Just as there are differences in the world - one light, and one dark, so one must take the same way with governance. Stresses careful analysis, but also auguries, mysticism, and borderlines on the arcane in some places.
Interesting concepts:
The Eternal Link: Everything has a counter, and something that it counters. Everyone is linked in such a way to everyone else.

Branching Schools:
Unknown. Very little is known about this school, though it was prominent in the Warring States period. Likely what fueled the Yellow Turbans.

School of Ce (Zong Heng): No English Translation. Translates to the School of Stratagems, or the School of Diplomacy, or somethings both.
Leading Thinkers: Guiguzi, Zhang Yi, Su Qin
Key Works: Guiguzi, Zhanguo Ce (Strategies of the Warring States)
Governing paradigm: Focuses on two things, and two things only. Practicality and diplomacy. In other words, if it produces results, keep people fed, and the nation running, it's a philosophy worth adapting or trying. Extremely flexible. Focuses on debates and argumentation and stresses diplomatic relations above all else. Open-minded and willing to try out stuff. Often accused of being copycats.
Interesting concepts:
He Zong: (Horizontal Alliance) A concept in which small nations should gang up on a big nation to beat it up so the world can be at peace again (because everyone's tense and paranoid).
Lian Heng: (Control and Restrict) A concept in which the small nations should actually try to get on the good side of that one big nation so that they can potentially benefit from the situation, and eventually turn the tables.

Branching schools:
Pretty much anyone with a mouth in the Ce school can found his own school. As a school that focuses so much on debate and argumentation, there is no "formal" paradigm to take.

Minor schools:
There are other philosophical schools out there. However, they're considered to be "Minor" because they either focus only on a few aspects, or are otherwise obscured by the history of time.

Nong (Farming): Exactly what it says on the tin. Focuses on agriculture, plants, and farming as the way to save the world.
Xiao Shuo (Novel?): A school that focuses on the people and the rumors in the countryside. A "populist" approach, if you will have it.
Bing (War): Pretty much all the badass generals like Sun Tzu came out of this one. Exactly what it says on the tin.
Yi (Medicine): Another one of those that's self-explanatory. In this case, it's not as much as using medicine to govern as much as stressing the importance of health of the general populace.

[JG Chan]

Thank you! I found this very educational myself, and I'll probably look into some of these a bit more when I have time. >.> I doubt I'll ever feel confident enough to play someone espousing one of these schools, but as you said, a little bit more knowledge is better than none.

One and a half questions for now. Shouldn't 'Ying-Yang' be 'Yin-Yang'? And I thought Daoism also touched on this concept to some extent?