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Re: Of Kings and Queens [Pros and Cons, fair questions not yet seen]




Poster: Bob Minowicz <minowicz@nc.na.auspex.com>

This post may seem counterproductive to some. As it rambles on some of
the time my statements seem to be for and some against my own proposal. 
That is because I want the best possible method to be found and want to
push the discussion along.  I've said from the beginning that I've not
worked out the details and that I know there are some problems with my
idea.

I think my last two posts have addressed what I feel the problem is and
how my proposal is different as well as the feasibility of such a
change.  With luck the real issues can be addressed now.

If it is feasible and if it is desirable to the majority to make a
change like this, then the question becomes, 'to what exactly do we
change?'

My suggestion is 'play at making a war of succession.'  Play is an
operative word there.  Use a point system over a series of varied events
to determine a winner, or alternately to determine a starting point for
a 'decisive battle.'  Details?

Use large point values assigned to events (on the order of hundreds of
points per event).  This allows points to be split easily and in a
fine-grained way between elements in a single event.

Try to choose or create events that are geographically diverse as well
as diverse in content.  Make an effort to balance various types of
fighting, arts and sciences, and geographical location so that no single
group should have an advantage in all areas of the competition.  This
also has the effect of making sure it would be impractical to unfairly
influence the distribution of a large number of points to a single
group.

Not all events included in the war cycle have to be well rounded.  Some
can be strictly military and some can be strictly A&S.  Just make sure
that for a given war cycle the points allocated to each is equal.  The
same is true of regionality.  Make sure that the points are evenly
spread across the kingdom so that no one region has the advantage due to
location alone.

Since the cycle runs every six months and many events are annual,
obviously the wars will not be the same from one cycle to the next.  A
core set of events for each cycle might be.  Alternately, events with
similar point values and content that occur in opposite halves of the
year could be included in the appropriate cycles.

Someone would have to be in charge of tracking the scores of factions in
an official manner.  Someone would have to be in charge of claimants
registering their bid for the Crown. There must obviously be some
infrastructure worked out here.

Perhaps this should all then be tested in some way to see how well it
runs.  I like the idea of running a series that grant's some alternate
prize upon the winner.  Perhaps our Royal Highnesses will be so kind as
to step in here and come up with an appropriate reward for the winner? 
Maybe a court title?  Some other recognition maybe?

I do not like the idea of turning  TNNP into a guinea pig for the
process though. It would be unfair to foist this method on them before
testing it in a harmless way.

Work on codifying the rules for all of this.  Questions that come to
mind:

Would it be allowed for a faction to back a claimant the whole war only
to switch their support at the last minute to a different claimant?  In
short, who is the owner of the points once they are won?  The claimant
or the faction?  I think this is a detail that would be important to
work out in advance.

What about mercenary groups?  Would it be allowed to have groups that
had no claimant but could throw points won at events to the group that
best courts them?  What types of things are fair or unfair practice in
such courting?  Promises of awards and order membership, important
posts, etc.?

What about groups that wish to drop out of the race for crown?  Can they
throw their accumulated points behind a different claimant or faction? 
Or can they only form an alliance with a faction and contribute to the
winning of new points, their old points being lost?

In short, I know where are a lot of potential pitfalls with my
proposal.  Just write the rules to take into account for the things that
might be construed as unfair.  Make it fair through careful planning.

--
Stanislaw Mynyowycz
Canton of Elvegast, Barony of Windmaster's Hill, Kingdom of Atlantia
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