Morale Points

[Birthright-L]

Just a thought...



Instead of having "low" or "high" morale (or attitude

or whatever), what if we had morale points that worked

kind of like hitpoints for characters and represented

roughly the same sort of thing -- an astract measure

of the domain`s health?



So, for example, you could perform actions or cast

realm spells or hold festivals, or something that

might, say, increase your morale points by 1d10.

Priests, of course, would probably have substatial

bonuses. The best advantage of this is that different

factors might effects how much domain is effected by

certain actions. An agitate action from a powerful

priest, for example, might do 1d12+6 morale damage,

whereas a guilder agitating might just do 1d8.



Domains could have a slow healing rate of morale

damage, up to their normal maximum. Effects that

bring it above its maximum might act as "temporary

hitpoints" just as with certain magic spells.



Dropping to 0 hitpoints might bring about Unrest,

whereas negative -10 or whatever might bring your

nation to open rebellion. The more the damage, the

harder it will be to recover.



Certain domain actions (declare war?) might cost some

amount of Morale Points. Random events may raise or

lower Morale Points for a season or three. Raising

taxes might cost Morale points. Lowering taxes might

generate Morale Points.







=====

While I wrought out these fitful Danaan rhymes,

My heart would brim with dreams about the times

When we bent down above the fading coals

And talked of the dark folk who live in souls

Of passionate men, like bats in the dead trees;

And of the wayward twilight companies

Who sigh with mingled sorrow and content,

Because their blossoming dreams have never bent

Under the fruit of evil and of good:

And of the embattled flaming multitude

Who rise, wing above wing, flame above flame,

And, like a storm, cry the Ineffable Name,

And with the clashing of their sword-blades make

A rapturous music, till the morning break

And the white hush end all but the loud beat

Of their long wings, the flash of their white feet.







__________________________________

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[Altcar]

Hi,

It`s a very interesting concept that your bringing here.
I don`t know if it has been already thought but in that way, some domain may have some bonus when they are going to war or etc.

Maybe it could be possible to link the Moral-Concept point to any existing domain action characteristic ?! For instance, the cost of Moral Point versus the Price of an action... or the RP took the execute the action. For some other action, such as declaring war, maybe it could be good to see the number of allies and ennemies against whom you`re entering with.

It`s all vagues thought but I think it`s a good idea that we should develop...

Altcar

[Lord Rahvin]

I'm still trying to work on a system that works. The way I was writing it up, it kind of started to replace RP wherein they were points that more prosperous realms could collect and then spend to perform actions. The difference was that as this pool of points was spent, your realm could go from Prospererity to Decadence or Stagnation and back again in a single year and that really didn't seem right. Also, as a replacement to Loyalty, it made the whole realm effected by the regent's decisions as opposed to just a single province, which loses something really cool. I haven't yet tried to combine a province Loyalty system with an overall domain Morale system, though it has potential, it seems like it would be too complicated overall until I streamline it further and for that I need to know exactly what I want this system to accomplish and what I don't. And I haven't made those decisions quite yet. I don't think you could combine the current RP system, Loyalty step, and Morale system. Yet. Certainly not with my revised economic system which is already too complicated.

As far as abstract morale effects on the battlefield: I haven't yet found any real cool effects for abstract measurements of higher technology, morale, better leaders, etc. I don't want to just stack bonuses because overall I think the side with the most archers, infantry, pikemen, cavalry, and knights should be the victor. It's just a little bias on my part, I guess. What I'm thinking of going for is adding some kind of "attrition step" before and after a battle to help manage abstract morale benefits. Basically, due to standard attrition, you may lose units before or after a battle, while moving, etc. The more abstract morale/technology bonuses you have, the less units you'll lose between battles, assuming you survive them in the first place. This way, the battle still goes to the bigger force, but the overall war may go to the side with better technology, morale, leaders, strategy bonuses, etc.

Your number of allies idea seems good, but its questionable whether this can't already be represented by the ally investing gold and troops. Under the above "attrition" system, it might be possible to invest Morale points to an enemy fighting a battle. Even if you don't use the Morale system, if you use the attrition system, maybe an ally can spend RP and if you have more collected RP into a battle your attrition losses are likely to be lower. Just brainstorming. Anyone else got ideas?