[Discuss] Limiting recruitment to centres from the region/duchy (not recruiting within the duchy)

[psymann]

Rob Croson wrote:
> On 2 Mar 2008 at 17:20, psymann wrote:
> 
>> -----Payment could be affected by distance to recruiting region-----
>>
> Interesting idea... Not sure that it really adds all that much to the 
> game, though.

As long as the percentages were high enough, it would mean that instead 
of having 30 recruitment centres and only generally using three of them, 
you'd use more of them.  This would mean that local lords wouldn't just 
destroy their recruitment centres whenever they were less good than one 
the other side of the realm and try again for a better one.  It would 
also mean that a knight would have a more personal decision to make when 
recruiting troops, rather than just follow realm-wide standard 
suggestions "get Blobville infantry or Splodgeville archers because 
they're best".

> 
>> -----Involvement for the Simple Knight-----
>>
> I really do not like this idea at all. More manual operations = bad 
> game. I really don't want to turn BattleMaster into LogisticsMaster. 
> All of this is plain drudgery that could be handled much better by an 
> automated system.

I can't agree with that.  More manual operations does not equal bad 
game.  As an example, Tom could give each knight a checkbox to tick for 
"Follow Marshal Orders".  If they tick it, then they'd just follow the 
Marshal's orders to the letter.  Instead of having to read "Forage 
battlefield, then change to Front, Middle, Line and Move to Blobville." 
and then perform the actions, the game could just say "Yes, they follow 
that.  Foraging...complete.  Settings...changed.  Moving...complete." 
and wait for the next set of orders.  In fact, playing an obedient 
knight could pretty much be completely automated, and the player need do 
nothing more than log in and write roleplays.  I don't think that would 
improve the game.

However, what I suggested is not something you could automate anyway. 
How would the game know whether to spend your hours drafting, or doing 
civil work?  Drafting or moving to the frontlines?  Drafting or Resting? 
  Drafting or doing Police Work?  Drafting or Scouting?  How would it 
know whether to remain on the frontlines with the army you have, or 
return to the capital to recruit because although you could stay out 
longer, going back would allow you to pass through your region and do 
some drafting?

These are not manual operations for the sake of making players click to 
do things that are done automatically.  They are manual operations 
because there is now something to choose that requires human thought and 
involvement.

psymann