I know a lot of you out there play in a BR PBeM campaign. I have played
BR PBeM for several weeks now, and I want your opinion on two things:

First, I have noticed that nearly all attack and contest attempts on
foreign lands and holdings seem to fail miserably. This greatly
discourages regents from being offensive. Result: They play highly
defensive, and instead of taking from others they use all resources to
rule up their provinces and ally with one guild and one priest to make
an incredible powerbase impossible to penetrate for outsiders. What is
wrong with that, you ask? Three things:

1) It is NOT very exciting. Most BR settings are set in the anuirean
lands, where battle and conquering is the spirit, not ruling and forging
inbreakble alliances (being friends in the real world doesn't mean you
have to be friends in the BR game, too). Anuire is a place of action! In
Darkstar's campaign, allow me to salute the regents of Alamie, Haelyn's
Aegis and Zikala. They bring action and feed the anuirean newspaper with
exciting news. Thank you! That is what we need! (or am I alone on this?)

2) The rule and ally tactic spreads like a disease because if you do not
rule also, your kingdom will grow relatively weaker. And if your
neighbour is sponsored by that guild and that temple, you'd better have
such sponsors too. "Keeping up with the Jones'", eh? And if everybody
get stronger, who gain anything relatively? No one!

3) It is unrealistic. If everybody rules provinces, population will
soar. In Darkstar's campaign (no offense, Ian, this goes to the players,
and NOT to you) the anuirean population has doubled in 10 DTs, that is
in less than 3 years! (who said the population of India is growing
fast?) Please correct me if I am wrong, Ian.

Comments? What can be done? Do the rules need to be modyfied to
encourage offensive action? Or is everybody happy playing defensively
and build up strong kingdoms?

My second point regards lieutenants. When I order my lieutenant to do
some domain action when does he start and when does he finish? Does it
take one month? Three months?

That's all, folks. Thanks for listening.

Morten.

PS: To be absolutely certain that no misunderstandings occur, let me say
that I *love* to play in Darkstar's campaign. It's HUGE and it's
GREAAAAT! (ups, to much Frosties cornflakes for me :)

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