Future Faction Design – Swashbucklers of Fortune

[DarkShadows]

Factional name:
Swashbucklers of Fortune

The primary purpose for the faction to exist:
The Swashbucklers of Fortune faction is a Naval Merc faction that will defend Sea Routes, defend port Cities and their harbors, or attack naval Pirates and Barbarian naval forces. It is pure Naval Merc but has a strong merchant defensive side too. They have their own designed ship types that can be built in any city that has level 30 of their factional office within a given city, which is called a Harbor Hall. They view themselves as a Naval Mercenary to defend the seas from raiders like the Barbarians, and Pirates, or other such bad influence factions. They are allies of the Cymru, and Getham Family and seek to protect their Sea Routes and Harbors/ports. Being Mercs, they are willing to be hired to almost anyone for a fee. They have a friendly relationship with the Seekers, Gift , and Ring Religions as well. They prefer to be defenders but can be attackers as well and work well at embargoing cities ports too. They seek to be the main Naval Mercenary faction of Midgard and Kalmar. They also view themselves as explorers and adventurers. They seek adventure for the sake of fun of the experience. They fighting skill with weapons is greatly sought after. There are skilled at training men to fight better at their offices with a city that has their Harbor Halls.

What distinguishing feature does this faction have:
They will have (3) specific ship types that they produce in any harbor city depending on if a city has (30) factional Harbor Halls offices in that city or a declared Swashbucklers of Fortune cities.

They fight on shipboard or defending a Port city, but do not fight on land as Foot soldier Merc’s. They will defend or attack a port city and if hired to do so will defend a port city standing as it’s defenders from within. They excel in either Sword MI or Bow MM troops from shipboard engagements or standing city walls. To see their Black Flags with a symbol of a Burning Moon on it is to drive fear in the hearts of their targets.

What specific in-game benefit can this faction have:
– The factional office is a Harbor Hall and with each office, it gives a city +2% per office to increase a cities Harbor size.
– New ship types can be built within any city depending if the city has (30) Harbor Halls offices: a fast merchant type, a combat based merchantmen , and a heavy combat ship type.
– With (30) Harbor Shops, the city can if the City wishes to build it, can build a Harbor Fort, which adds two great walls with towers at their ends that encircle the cities port/harbor and aids in its protection. The city has to supply the resources and man cycles to build this supper structure, but the Swashbucklers will supervise its construction as only they know it’s secret design.
– Clans in Naval engagements gain a +1 Damage as well as a +1 Defense in Naval battles.
– Clan can train their retainers at the Harbor Halls to improve their combat stats

What makes this faction interesting and fun to play:

The Swashbucklers of Fortune are persons who engage in daring and romantic adventures with bravado or flamboyance. They are an explorer and something of a swashbuckler. They are a daredevil, seeker of adventures, hero, crusader, adventurer, traveler, voyager, wanderer, buccaneer, mercenary, a soldier of fortune, madcap, hothead, adventurer · exhibitionist, stuntman, show-off, showboat, and desperado. They are the ultimate Naval Merc that has style to command the seas, and sail in the search for life’s adventures.

What (usually mutual) factional enemies:

Their main enemies are the Barbarians, Pirates, but also the repressive factions that seek to control everyone and everything. Their Allies are the Cymru, Getham family, and hold strong respect for the Seekers religion, Gift religion and Ring religion.

What are the factional skill set:

CMD – Command
NST – Naval Strategy
NTA – Naval Tactics
TAC – Tactics
NAV – Navigation
SEA – Seamanship
SHW – Shipwright

NOTE on Skills: These are the common / standard skills that the faction is known for. These are the skills that those that are playing a Naval Merc would mostly need playing in this faction.

Swashbucklers of Fortune Skill setup: (10 skill point standard starting setup)
LDR: CMD -1, NST-1, NAV-1, SEA-1, SHW-1
F1: NTA-1, TAC-1
F2: NTA-1, TAC-1
F3: NTA-1

[DarkShadows]

I am not excited by the proposed faction that is replacing the Buccaneers that has been called “The Sea Wolves”. I am sorry but it is not that exciting to me at all. I have played: Buccaneers, Naval SOA, and SeaKings. To me it is not what I wish to play and I know I have talked to others that agree that they are not interested in that proposed faction. We want a Naval Merc not a Naval Merchant faction.

Now I am NOT calling to stand this faction up from the beginning of the game, but would like to have the proposed standards to stand up a new faction within the game. Under Zan it was (10) players and (20) active clans stating that they would like to declare for the Swashbucklers of Fortune. Then we would need to remain as Independent clans and play the game for (12) Cycles. We will need the GM to tell us what his process will be.

Looking at this the skill set that you could do if your a Enhanced Clan startup with (13) skill points I would advise choosing the following skills:

F1: NTA-1
F2: NTA-1
F3: NTA-1

Next remember as a Enhanced Startup your starting with: 1,000 Retainers, 100,000 Crowns, and 10,000 Influence. Start up as a Vanal clan and set sial for a Cymru city within Kalmar and enter the city and build and train for the next (12) cyles. I would have all the clan’s characters (LDR,F1,F2,F3) to first train in CMD-1, and then next have the LDR train in STR-1, and at the same time have the three Followers (F1,F2,F3) train in TAC-1. I might even advise everyone once the faction gets started to continue to build just our factional Harbor Halls within that city and training in PCB-1 as well. This would give you the following skill list and remember to train your retainers each turn as well too to increase your combat stats:
LDR: NST-3, NAV-1, SEA-1, SHW-3, ORA-1, REC-1, CMD-1, STR-1, PCB-1
F1: NTA-1, CMD-1, TAC-1, PCB-1
F2: NTA-1, CMD-1, TAC-1, PCB-1
F3: NTA-1, CMD-1, TAC-1, PCB-1

After doing the above you will be ready to go out and start being a Naval Merc. Most likely by this point you will be near to a 2,500 retainer size clan, and be able to afford all the ships to staff out your clan’s needs.
This faction is a real Merc faction and remember with NO SOA or Merc Verk there is no Merc in the game. So whom wants to be a real Naval Merc, come join the cause and become the Swashbucklers of Fortune.

[KarlPrie]

Their Allies are the Cymru, Getham family, and hold strong respect for the Seekers religion, Gift religion and Ring religion.

I would argue the case to have ties to the Cymru faction (Land based), and working out of their cities could be a perfect symbiotic relationship.

A Mercenary Faction should be neutral to all Factions in my opinion, or you’re not really Mercenaries.

Stephen

[DarkShadows]

Seems like there was a missing line for the above skill set and I can not edit it.

Start as a declared Independent clan with this skill set up:

LDR: NST-3, NAV-1, SEA-1, SHW-3, ORA-1, REC-1
F1: NTA-1
F2: NTA-1
F3: NTA-1

Next remember as a Enhanced Startup your starting with: 1,000 Retainers, 100,000 Crowns, and 10,000 Influence. Start up as a Vanal clan and set sial for a Cymru city within Kalmar and enter the city and build and train for the next (12) cyles. I would have all the clan’s characters (LDR,F1,F2,F3) to first train in CMD-1, and then next have the LDR train in STR-1, and at the same time have the three Followers (F1,F2,F3) train in TAC-1. I might even advise everyone once the faction gets started to continue to build just our factional Harbor Halls within that city and training in PCB-1 as well. This would give you the following skill list and remember to train your retainers each turn as well too to increase your combat stats:

LDR: NST-3, NAV-1, SEA-1, SHW-3, ORA-1, REC-1, CMD-1, STR-1, PCB-1
F1: NTA-1, CMD-1, TAC-1, PCB-1
F2: NTA-1, CMD-1, TAC-1, PCB-1
F3: NTA-1, CMD-1, TAC-1, PCB-1

[windpeoples]

An interesting proposal… I do think Midgard does need mercenaries, both on land and at sea.

Having said that, since all factions are currently in a state of flux, perhaps you would be best served by waiting until the Sea Wolves are finalized. I believe you will not find the tame… not at all…

[DarkShadows]

Hello Jorge I remember you from Midgard USA before you left/stepped down as the Buccaneer senior. As to the Sea Wolves, I do not like the concept that Jon has proposed as being a Country and Naval Merchants as it’s focus. So far it is a combination of the Sea Kings and some of the minor Bucc side of things. The write up that “Dreamweaver” proposed was my own that he posted for me at my request. It seems the GM wants something different than what I and others want to play. What I have proposed here in this thread is what I and others are interested in playing. Now I am not saying this can not be created, it would be a good idea to have a Naval Merchant in the game, BUT it is not what I want to play. Now my faction of Swashbucklers of Fortune could be hired by your faction and add much needed protection services. The lines are being drawn as we speak, and people are standing up behind the Rally flags that they believe in. I just don’t believe in what has been proposed for the Sea Kings and can’t get behind that flag…I am sorry. Those that want to be a Naval Merc can come stand behind our Rally Black Flag with a symbol of a Burning Moon on it! All are welcome.

[windpeoples]

I have made a few suggestions that, if taken into consideration, would make the Brothers a lot of what you want to see, and then some. I did not post them openly because they include the personality, clan, and regiments of the #0, factional regimental composition, factional goals, advantages, disadvantages, etc. That is why I say “wait and see”.

Now, Jon is the GM, and he can say “no”, “no, but..”, “yes, but..”, or yes. It is his privilege. But until we get something definite from him, I suggest we are patient. An Imperial Preserve is not stormed in a day 🙂

[windpeoples]

Also… if my suggestions are accepted, and you see a banner sporting a rearing dragon sprouting fire, I suggest you turn tail and run. It will not be my flag ;p

[TheDarkSide]

Hello Jorge, I hear what your saying but I have a issue with the what your saying. The point of this thread and others is for the collective here on the forum to talk as a group about everything. Now your saying you have proposed different possible changes to this faction secretly, and that everyone is to just wait and see what you have proposed is excepted. Now the first Naval design of the Swashbucklers, was proposed first on another forum before this forum even existed. It was starting to build acceptance and approval there. It was then posted here as another possibility when Jon said that the Buccaneers were not to be included. Then Jon proposed the idea of the Sea Wolves.

I hear what your saying, but to get acceptance you need to publically present your ideas for the faction here for all to see and talk about. You can not assume that you will be the Senior #1 of the faction. So no ones ideas are more of value than anyone else. Now I am not going to just sit back and say or do nothing just because someone says wait an see. Maybe kind sir, what you propose will not fit what I would like to play. Also as you can see a new faction has been proposed and maybe there is a collective of players that like what has been proposed. Maybe two factions stand up. Remember as per the write up so far the Sea Wolves are a Country faction, while the Swashbucklers of Fortune are a Naval Mercenary faction. They have quite a different focus, and as more of this talk here and now they are slightly changing as well too. I think it might be fair to say that two factions will develop from these talks because only one is fully transparent here. If your willing to present your ideas here for what you have proposed in secret for the Sea Wolves maybe the two can merge together. Or maybe they are too different and their players wish to stand up another faction different from the Sea Wolves. The rest of us liking the Swashbucklers will keep our development and work to stand up another Naval Merc faction, we just need the GM’s to comment on the process.

[windpeoples]

I am assuming nothing except that I will play the Sea Wolves during the playtest. I am not assuming even one of my ideas will be accepted, which is why I did not post them in the forums. I am certain not all of my ideas will be accepted, and I am fine with that. I do agree with you in one thing: playing a naval Getham is not what I am looking for (no animosity towards the Getham… not good to get on their bad side).

I am merely making suggestions, and that is the tone of my correspondence with Jon. Before I made any suggestions, I asked what his thoughts were. He is the GM, after all. I found out that many of my assumptions were… wrong. I do not know how much to write about it, because Jon is working on startup turns, and not looking at what I sent him until he finishes with that. Some of my ideas are a bit unusual, and I would like to keep them private if they are not accepted (to perhaps use them later on), thus I preferred to send them privately.

There is one thing I do not want to see, though. Factional offices built in non-factional cities giving other factions the ability to build and purchase factional ships would erode the faction’s advantages far too much for my taste. What would stop a resource-rich faction from building a level 30 Harbour Hall, a huge shipyard, and just beat you at your own game? Ship designs can be copied in this game. Allowing everyone to build your ships would just make it that much easier.

Please forgive me if I sound haughty, unreasonable, patronizing, or angry. It is not my intention. One big problem with written communication is that there are no non-verbal, visual, or auditory clues. So, if I come across as offensive, it was not my intention to be, and I do apologize.

You (and everyone else) have every right to dislike and challenge everything I suggest. You also have the right (I think) to tell Jon how you would like the Sea Wolves to be. If you do not like the final factional design of the Sea Wolves, you have every right to start your own faction (it is in the rules, after all). All I asked was for you to wait until Jon publishes the new iteration of the factional design, to see if he liked any of my ideas. Perhaps I shouldn’t have. Once again, please forgive me.

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by windpeoples.

[DreamWeaver]

Jorge I would love to see your thoughts on the faction idea. I have had talks with Jon on this topic, but feel that maybe the ideas for these two factions could be merge together. They might be very close if I read what you have said and what has been written. I think all will be resolved as more talking is done in the threads explaining ides. Need to present ideas for everyone to talk about it together here. I am interested as I would like to play a naval clan myself.

[TheDarkSide]

I like the Naval SellSword Merc feel and flavor of the faction. I see plots within plots and political maneuvering happing behind the scenes here. I also see a faction that will stand on it’s feet out of the shoot, and be one that will be super popular as well. There are already players talking about this faction as a real option. Plus their factional office Harbor Halls, will really do something significant for both a city it is in and a player clan that wants to take advantage of it’s services.

Depending how long it takes to get started, if the GM want us to sit out for a while then that is ok. Start as a Independent clan set your skills and then sit in a Cymru city and declare for the Cymru and build, train, and grow. For the time being train and build up as a Cymru declared.

Starting skills as a Independent:
LDR: NST-3, NAV-1, SEA-1, SHW-3, ORA-1, REC-1
F1: NTA-1
F2: NTA-1
F3: NTA-1

Then declare Cymru and train & build…I am pretty sure the Cymru will aid the faction to standup and get started.
LDR: NST-3, NAV-1, SEA-1, SHW-3, ORA-1, REC-1, CMD-1, STR-1, PCB-1
F1: NTA-1, CMD-1, TAC-1, PCB-1
F2: NTA-1, CMD-1, TAC-1, PCB-1
F3: NTA-1, CMD-1, TAC-1, PCB-1

I would argue the case to have ties to the Cymru faction (Land based), and working out of their cities could be a perfect symbiotic relationship. The sky is the limit, and their are many possibilities. You just have to be creative enough to be able to pursue them.

[KarlPrie]

Are @TheDarkSide and @DarkShadows related to Penn?

Stephen

[Galan]

As I am setting up positions this weekend, I am finding out places where the Midgard system is really not liking the way Knightguild does things.
I like the concept of a mercenary faction – land or naval or both. Their income would be derived from contracts with the Kingdoms – not from other sources (other than loot). Factional offices would be maintained to coordinate, recruit, and solicit contracts. In the case of a Mercenary clan, I could see a bump to the defense of the city where they are based; they would fight to protect their homes without pay. How cohesion do they have? Could clans of the same faction take opposing sides in a conflict?

[KarlPrie]

I like the concept of a mercenary faction – land or naval or both.

What is the thinking behind removing the MercVerk and Society of Arms then, if you intend to add a Mercenary Faction?

Stephen

[windpeoples]

I think a true mercenary faction should be ENCOURAGED to provide troops to all sides in a conflict. Clans of such a faction should be allowed, but not forced, to fight each other… that would add a layer of complexity to things!

[Nazareth]

‘Could clans of the same faction take opposing sides in a conflict?’

If they’re mercs, then yea. That is if contracts are awarded to clans and not thru the factional leadership. However, if contracts are acquired thru the factional leadership, then no, the factional seniors flow down those contracts to the clans based on decisions by the seniors. At least that is how it makes sense to me…..

[Nazareth]

As an aside, if clans take on contracts on their on and perhaps they should have that option, then they very well could face off against another clan within their faction if that clan has taken a contract on their own with the opposing adversary OR be given one by their senior. How the merc faction decides to handle contracts and ‘inter-factional combat’ should be well documented by their charter.

[Steve-Kort]

I would agree I would not think any contract that went through Merc seniors would allow clans of the faction to fight each other unless a clan signed a contract before the Seniors signed a contract. In my mind when a Senior signs a contract to support something the factional clans should not be allowed to sign up for the other side.

[DreamWeaver]

Well if we are talking about the SOA, they could make the players sign a wavier that allows them to fight on opposite sides of a conflict and against other clans of their own faction. I would say this should be only allowed t be used by a Merc clan.

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