1000 2wk [Game 144]: Standard game - new format for set-up, regional
placement, King and Prince characters, extra PCs, SNAs prices changed, more armies. Ask for rules. 6 players so far.
Looks like a goer- get in touch if you are interested in seeing the rules -I’ll put them here but the format won’t be as good.
Clint
1000 changes Improving Fourth Age Version 2 Updated 21/11/04
Over the years we have had a lot of suggestions for changes and amendments to the rules for SNAs and set-ups for 1000. In particular Agents are perceived to be a bigger part of the game than most (not all) players would like and a large number of the players are not particularly a big fan of being on the receiving end of the Agents with +20% Kidnap/Assassinate, with Agents @40 or Double Scout.
We originally modified the game so that there were a few different set-ups available; Normal, where one nation per allegiance is allowed to have the +20% Kidnap/Assassinate ability (now no Neutral nation is allowed it); NKA – No Kidnap or Assassination allowed at all; Variants (determined by a group of players joining together and getting 25 players) and by far the most popular LAS – Limited Assassination – no Double Scout, Stealth Bonus nor Kidnap/Assassinate SNAs allowed.
Unfortunately 1000 games are the slowest to fill of all the modules available; the last took over 4 months to fill. The following suggestions are what I hope would help to fix both problems; by limiting the set-up to ONE type (Variants would always be available of course) to Standard 1000 so that all players would join this format and to correct some of the SNAs costs as shown below. This should bring back some of the original design concepts of getting nations of varied abilities more to the fore rather than what seems to be occurring that players choose a pretty much standard template for each type of nation.
SPECIAL NATION ABILITIES LIST: (The abilities listed below are NOT considered cumulative)
Hidden Population Centre (#1-4) Old Cost: 10,000 gold; New cost: 6,000 Gold
Artefacts Old Cost: 4,000 gold each; New cost: 3,000 Gold
Armies – now cost ½ cost so you can buy twice as much starting troops if you want.
Old Cost/ New Cost # Description
7000/9000 1 Scout/recon at double normal skill rank.
3000/4000 2 Scout/recon at +20 to normal skill rank.
4000/3000 3 Scout/recon at minimum 50 (all characters) - Dwarves only.
2000/Same 4 Challenge rank bonus (a character special ability) more likely for new
characters.
7000/8000 5 Stealth rank bonus (a character special ability) more likely for new
characters.
2000/1000 6 Armies lose no morale for force march.
2000/1000 7 Armies w/o food gain 1-2 morale while stationary, lose 1-2 moral while
traveling; troops lose 1-2 moral while force marching, lose 2-5 morale
while force marching w/o food.
6000/8000 8 Buy/sell orders receive 20% market adjustment.
6000/7000 9 New emissaries start at rank up to 40 (Order #734).
4000/Same 10 New mages start at rank up to 40 (Order #737).
6000/8000 11 New agents start at rank up to 40 (Order #731).
3000/Same 12 New commanders start at rank up to 40 (Order #728).
2000/1000 13 All new troop recruits start at training 20.
3000/1000 14 All new troop recruits start at training 25 - Elves only.
2000/1000 15 All new HI recruits start at training 30 - Dwarves only.
1000/100 16 All new MA recruits start at training 25.
2000/1000 17 Build ships at 1/2 timber cost.
2000/Same 18 Build ships at 1/3 timber cost - Elves only.
4000/3000 19 Build fortifications at 1/2 timber cost.
3000/2000 20 New armies start at morale 40.
7000/8000 21 New armies hired at no cost.
2000/100 22 Uncover secrets at minimum 40 (all characters).
4000/Same 23 Can learn lost “weakness” spell.
4000/8000 24 Can learn lost “conjure mounts” spell.
4000/2000 25 Can learn lost “conjure food” spell.
4000/3000 26 Can learn lost “conjure hordes” spell - Dark Servants only.
3000/100 27 Can learn lost “fearful hearts” spell - Dark Servants only.
3000/100 28 Can learn lost “fanaticism” spell - Dark Servants only.
4000/2000 29 Can learn lost “summon storms” spell - Dark Servants only.
6000/4000 30 Can learn lost “teleport” spell.
12000/20000 31 Kidnappings/assassinations at +20. - Only available for non-Neutrals
3000/100 32 Navies can travel open seas w/o fear of storms or becoming lost.
2000/1000 33 Navy warship strength at 4.
3000/2000 34 Navy warship strength at 5.
CHARACTERS Old Rules cost for each Skill Rank listed below:
60 1500 Dwarvish races can create 60 rank Commanders at the 50 rank cost.
50 1000 Non-human races can create 60 rank Agents at the 50 rank cost.
40 600 Human races can create 60 rank Emissaries at the 50 rank cost.
30 400 Elvish races can create 60 rank Mages at the 50 rank cost.
20* 300 (*minimum total rank of each character must be 30)
New rule for character creation:
Step 1) The racial bonus for reduced cost for 60 rank characters is now modified. For characters that gain a Racial bonus; the first 60 rank character costs 1000 gold, the second 60 rank character costs 1300; all subsequent 60 rank characters cost 1500. Eg As an Elf you used to be able to get Mages @60 for 1000 gold. Instead this new set-up rule would allow you to get one Mage at rank 60 for 1000 gold, one for 1300 gold and a third (and additional Mages @60) for 1500 gold.
60 Rank characters should be rare characters. Some games of Middle-earth end with 10 or more Emissaries with 100 Rank which, considering that Galadriel herself might be hard put to achieve, seems somewhat against the feel of the game.
Step 2) Royalty:
Characters 1 and 2 are now designated as King and Prince character (Queen or Princess) respectively. You get an additional 1000 Gold to spend on your King character and 600 Gold to spend on your Prince character. This gold must be spent on a skill that they don’t presently have.
Step 3) Racial Skill Modifiers:
After completing all the above, you can SELECT a single character to receive an additional skill bonus.
Good
Dwarf – One character without Command rank gains 10 Command.
Human - One character without Command rank to gain 10 Command.
Elven - One character without Mage rank to gain 30 Mage and 3 spells as per normal.
Evil
Human - One character without Emissary rank to gain 20 Emissary.
Non-Humans - One character without Agent rank to gain 20 Agent.
Neutral
Human - One character without Emissary rank to gain 20 Emissary.
Population Centre
Each nation gets an ADDITIONAL Major Town as part of their set-up. In addition, to encourage placement of PCs in a more “realistic” manner we’re the following additions apply:
· If all your Townsized or bigger pcs are placed on a road you gain a Village as part of your set-up.
· If all your Townsized or bigger pcs are placed on a on a non-Mountain hex you gain a Village as part of your set-up.
In addition, if your set-up is placed in the following regions you gain a pc of the appropriate size to your set-up.
· Angmar, Northern Wastes, Eregion: 1 Major Town
· Mirkwood, Rhovanion, Rhun: 1 Town
· Lindon, Lorien, Rohan, Dunland: 1Village
· North Mordor, South Mordor, North Harad, North Khand, South Khand, South Harad: No change
Eg, if you started in Rhovanion and placed all your starting Towns, Major Towns and Cities on roads in the plains, forest and hills and rough, you would start with : 2 Major Towns, 2 Towns, 3 Villages and 1 Camp (this is before you purchase any extra PCs with your 8000 gold).
Regional Set-up
Each player MUST chooses at least 3 regions from the following regions (unless you are choosing Any (1,2,3); a first choice, a second choice and a third choice (if no choices are given then you are assumed to desire Any region):
Lindon, Angmar, Mirkwood, Northern Wastes, Lorien, Eregion, Dunland, Rohan, Rhovanion, Rhun, North Mordor, South Mordor, North Harad, North Khand, South Khand, South Harad plus Any (1,2,3). A total of 17 regions. Arnor and Gondor are out of bounds for all except the Kingdoms at game start.
Regions
Map courtesy of Mike Mulka
http://middle-earth.darkfortress.us , the regional map is at the bottom of the page.
Capital insurance is no longer a part of the game. All nations (ie non-Kingdom) start with 35,000 gold in their treasuries. Choosing regional placement “Any (1,2 & 3)” indicates that you are happy to be placed in any region and gain 10,000 additional gold to your treasury. Note there is a maximum of one player of each allegiance in any region. (Neutral Team count as separate to Neutral, and have the same rules for placement as Aligned nations). You cannot choose regions that members of your team have chosen (ie people that you have discussed the game with and/or joined up with).
· If you get your 1st choice, you lose 3000 gold from your starting treasury.
· If you get your 2nd choice, you don’t gain or lose any gold.
· If you get your 3rd choice, you gain 3000 gold.
· If you get your “4th choice”, (The GMs have contacted you because all three of your choices are invalid), then you gain 6000 gold.
· This money is added to your initial gold that start in your treasury.
Eg: I send in a FP set-up. I stipulate Rohan, South Harad and South Mordor as my 3 starting locations. Rohan is over-subscribed as FP so I then get bumped to South Harad. As it’s my second choice I don’t gain or lose any gold from my treasury. The GM then would get in touch with me and I’d then send in my set-up PCs in that region.
Eg2: I send in Any (1,2,3) as my choices. This gains me 10,000 gold (added to my treasury) and after the GM has allocated regions he gets back to me informing me that my set-up is to be placed in the Rhun area and so I send in my set-up PCs for that region.
Fortification
Each capital gets a Fort for free. You are still able to add to a PC’s fortifications as shown below with the New Cost (taken from your PC set-up as norma).
A capital upgrading from a Fort to Castle or Keep gains no discount.
Anyone working on updating the Excel design sheets? 
Øystein
Hi Clint,
This looks great.
A few clarifications please:
Are artifacts still 2 for 1 on the first purchase: ie 3,000 gold gets you 2 artifacts, 6,000 gold gets you 3?
What is the maximum number of SNA’s allowed? Since some are so cheap now, is it more than 4?
War machines are still 200 SNA gold each?
Is more than 1 hidden population center allowed?
Thanks!
Adam
*** Yes - the Yahoo group thought that Artefacts were being undervalued so this should upgrade that.
*** 4 note if a rule hasn’t been mentioned assume it’s changed.
*** See above.
*** See above.
Clint
For reference: We’ve not got 15 players and a lot checking out the rules. I’ll create the Document set-up sheets soon and get them to interested parties.
Clint
now 21 players.
Clint
Christ, that’s filling up quickly !
I’m still trying to decipher the set up rules. 
I must admit that I’m not familiar with FA although I may like to give it a go.
Is this now the standard set up method ?
If so I’ll give it a go in the future.
“Is this now the standard set up method ?”
Not yet. But if it works then possibly.
Note you don’t need to send your set-up in yet just say that you are interested and sign up. It might be that some bits are overtly strong or weak.
Clint
I havent suceeded to open the setupfile. Ill try again on another computer later.
Are there someone who has received this document who has suceeded to open it?
Or just as well, who has NOT suceeded to open it?
Sverre of the Nightmare Pirates144
Hi Clint,
I would encourage you not rush to create the “Standard” version too quickly. Take the opportunity to experiment a little bit. Clearly doing something new has tapped into the players imagination since FA 144 filled nearly instantly, compared to FA 143 which has been languishing for months.
FA is the easiest scenario in which to experiment with rules changes since it doesn’t upset the purists because it’s a wacky variant already. Let’s take this window of opportunity to experiment and keep improving the game.
Anyway I have a few ideas I’d like to share:
It might be useful to allow more than 4 SNA’s. I’d recommend 6. As it stands now, conjure mounts, even at 8000 is still far and away the best military SNA. But being able to “stack” more of the lesser SNA’s might encourage people to take them. The most precious commodity are my 4 SNA slots, not the few thousand gold between buying different SNA’s.
Another idea is to revisit the SNA’s themselves. Some are rather silly at any price. For example, 25 training for men at arms just shouldn’t exist. It’s only function is as a trap for newbies who don’t know any better.
I’d much rather see any of the following:
Can learn lost “sickness”
Guarding/Rescue at +20%
Bribing/Recruiting/Double Agent at +20%
Influencing Other at +20%
Threaten/Siege at +20%
DS Lost List Spells (all 4 as a single SNA, hordes, hearts, storms, and fanatics)
75 training on archers (elves only)
Loyalties at +20% (for existing and created PC’s)
Metals production +10%
List of 10 artifact numbers
Specific type of artifact (command, weapon, mage, no agent, stealth, emmy)
A third idea would be to implement some of the adjustments to troop type strength, constitution, food consumption, movement, etc…, which have been floating around for years. They’ve never been tried out to my knowledge, and FA seems like the place.
A fourth idea would be custom character images (which I believe GSI had at some point), or a way for players to pick from a rogue’s gallery to assign their characters pictures. Nothing is worse than naming your favorite commander “Bolg Bloodtongue” then getting some wimpy little snivler as the picture. This will add to the customization of FA which is a big part of its magic.
Anyway, these are just ideas, some of which would be harder than others to implement. I encourage you, now that you’re fiddling with the FA rules to be creative and try out new things.
You’re off to a great start with characters, popcenters, and regional placement. Keep going. Don’t rush to create the “Standard” version too soon and lose the opportunity to create an even better game.
I know there are a number of players out there who are delighted by the idea of a fresh take on FA, as evidenced by the instant fill up. As long as that interest is there, let’s keep experimenting and improving FA.
cheers,
Adam
Hya Adam great ideas but at present they need Code changes and we can’t do that easily yet.
So we’re going with game 144 (and game 145 now as there is so much interest!) I might be tempted to make g145 a GB game instead though.
Clint
Sure games are selling and evryones happy yeah right. I had a nation design that was legal and ready to play one day, now is moot and impossible another?
:mad: 
I understand you think you are improving your games by making these changes. More people must mean an improvement right? I also understand that in todays political arena is is popular and considered fair to screw a few by appeasing to the masses.
The kingdoms advantage to me is only an illusion. I for one know this all too well, for I had played a game in which while attacking FP to prove my attempt to join DS, the DS grew tired of waiting for me to formally go DS and proceeded to systmatically take my strategic pc’s, while all I could do was watch as they did so. One large nation against 10 organized team members is no advantage. I see them as the only deterrent in early games from the allegienges totally going insane and playing even more strong arm tactics and threats toward the poor neutrals than they already do. Of course they are supposed to be a bit larger and stronger in the beginning. They are the descendants of Numenorean ancestors, for Illuvatar’s sake!
To consider Dunnish tribes for instance to have the same level of culture as Gondor or Arthedain is just absurd. Or have we forgotten that this is Middle Earth we play in and not just an abstract of numbers?
So of course I want a fair game, that is why I love neutrals in the first place. But just because Gondor was more powerful than Dunland, still does not justify to bed down with orcs.
I wonder what Tolkien would have said if Gondor appeased Mordor by turning over Minas Tirith “peacefully”, or by giving the Mouth of Sauron a heroes funeral and burying him next to the White tree. Some things are just wrong no matter how many believe otherwise.
So while on paper it appears to make things more “fair”, a system by which i played for years has now been changed. Sure players are now appeased, but is it still Middle Earth?
So, how’s the first game going? Also, has anyone finished an Excel / sign-up sheet yet for this format method? It sounds interesting to try. I presume if you blow your 20k on +20 assassins, you don’t get any other SNAs.
Mark F.
Game 144 hasnt started yet. Dont know why. Shouldnt it start soon?
Game 144 should go out today or tomorrow. Game 145 is now taking set-ups - minor changes to the format from g144 - and has 20 players. So if you are interested get in touch about that game.
Clint (GM)
As a player who has signed up for Game 144 I am wondering what ‘minor changes’ there are between Games 144 & 145.
Just for curiousity’s sake.
GB