[Discuss] Various Feature Reworks/Requests

[Andrew Asche]

I've got a few ideas of things that could be reworked/added to make
the game more realistic and accurate...

First, banking.
At this point, I think it is both too difficult and too easy to
transfer funds in BattleMaster, depending on the situation.
First of all, I don't think its all that accurate that *anyone* can
send funds to *anyone else*.  In my opinion, Knights should be engaged
in friendly competition with each other, and thus would not be all
that interested in just dropping off gold to other knights whenever it
appears they need it.  I think the ability to do this adds to the
"commonwealth" feeling of realms.
I propose that the current banking system be restricted to the following:
-Up and down the hierarchy, and the military hierarchy.  Rulers can
fund Generals and Dukes, Generals can fund Marshals, Marshals Knights.
 Dukes can fund region Lords and their vassals, Region lords can fund
their vassals, and all of these work in reverse.
I'm not sure what this would do to things like funding rebel party
members, etc.  It would have to be looked into and considered.

Second of all, I think it is too difficult to transfer funds when you
are in the field.  I have had situations where I am a few coins short.
 There are realm-mates, fellow Knights, Region Lords, etc all around
me, any of which could easily drop a few coins into my hand, but it
can't be done.  I think this is something that should be possible, but
in order to stop it becoming a way to get around the first system I
mentioned, I propose it be implemented with a *pair* of options.
Names can be changed to be more realistic, etc, I'm just using what
comes to mind by definition:
-Handouts: Coins (up to a limit, maybe 25 or 50?) can be given out as
a 'handout' to a fellow noble in need.  People are unimpressed with
the recipients inability to support themselves, and he risks a minor
loss, say 1 point of honour.
-Tributes: Coins (again, up to a limit) can be given as a 'tribute' to
a respected noble who needs the coin or could put them to better use.
This comes with a risk of a small loss, again say 1 point of honour,
to the sender, because he seems to be "sucking up".  This however
would be accurate, and perhaps the influential noble that was
tributed, maybe a region lord or high council member, will remember
the "suck up" when an appointment needs to be made.

I don't see this as the standard way for coins to be transfered,
merely a *possibility* if it becomes necessary while in the field.
Note that whenever it happens in the field and outside a bank, there
is a risk of honour loss, to avoid abusing the system.


Second rework:
Title loss.
I think the code is essentially in place for this already.  Rulers can
set High Council titles, government types, and titles for Region
Lords.  I think added to this should be the decision of how wounds,
serious wounds, and imprisonment affect the claim to a title.  I think
that is realistic given the different types of governemnts in
place....In a democracy, I don't think a wound or imprisonment would
be cause for too much concern.  In say, a Tyranny, where local leaders
are a constant threat to the central government, the leader would very
easily lose their position.  These situations would need to be
explored and tweaked, I'm not an expert on any of these things, but I
think the idea is a valid one.

Third, a feature request:
A new takeover type....I'm not sure what to call it, but it would be
something like a super-friendly TO.
I envision it as something that a single, good sized unit could do, if
they had a *lot* of uncontested time in a region, I'm thinking 7+
days.  Essentially, it would be like squatter's rights.  After a long
time of that military force being in the region, uncontested by the
owner, the region would simply realize those troops are more
interested in them then their current owners, and switch over.  I
think this would represent the simple-mindedness and fickleness of
peasantry, as well as boosting the chances of beating an enemy
employing the "blob army" strategy.  Again, details will have to be
worked out and sorted.

Thats all for now.