Armchair Strategy #2: Fantasy Kingdom

[Stofsk]

You are the monarch of a Fantasy Kingdom. Your nation is small, relatively prosperous, but there are all sorts of problems. To the north lies the barbarian horde. Your kingdom is protected by a mountain pass to the east and north, but to the south is sea, and to the west is badlands. There are rumours of a nomadic tribe of magi who live there. Your land has small deposits of gold, mana (magic shit that sorcerors can use), and of course the usual: trees, coal, oil, farmland etc.

The barbarian horde is hostile but non-expansionistic. They won't fight you unless you invade their territory. They outnumber you 10 to 1, but have no form of magic using ability. The Southern seas are preyed on by pirates, who in some cases do use magic. To the east lie Mountain-orcs, who are massing for an attack on your kingdom, for reasons that could be best described as 'arseholish'.

You have a number of concerns:

• The Mountain-Orcs hope to mass numbers and invade your kingdom, therein make you all slaves. They are individually dumber than your footmen, but are stronger than two. They are less co-ordinated, but have a number of dark magics open to them. They cannot be reasoned with by appealing to mercy, as they do not have any. Their gods demand worship in the form of blood spilled and conquering. If you are to negotiate, you must find a different angle beyond "We'll give you money to stay the fuck away."
• As stated, the barbarian hordes to the north are already heavily populated, hostile, but non-expansionistic. But who knows how long that will last? They are fascinated by riches and jewels however.
• The South Seas pirates have a reputation for coming to your coastal towns and making off with plunder, booty, and women, but they haven't been making any noise lately. As in, for many years.
• There are four classes of magic: Necromancy, which involves summoning, raising the dead and using curses; Elementalism, which involves energy and fireballs and that kind of shit; Divination which is essentially intelligence gathering; and Protection, which amounts to casting barriers and strengthening your buildings and materials etc

Half of your land is cultivated and explored, the other half is only kinda-sorta mapped out and explored (in the sense of resources). Your government is a monarchy. There are mage clans who represent each of the four classes: IE a Necromancer Guild, Elementalist Guild etc. You have conscripted armies, a nobility of the sword (IE Knights), archers etc. The main problem is, you have a small army. The forests of the North have many monstrous creatures who can be tamed, but to do so risks entering the Barbarian territory. The mountains to the East have winged creatures who again, can be tamed, but must risk lands patrolled by the mountain-orcs. The lands of the west are unexplored and harsh, but can hold allies or tameable creatures. The south seas hold markets from other Kingdoms that can increase your wealth but hold the danger of pirates, and sea creatures.

You have to worship a god out of a pantheon. Your society gains 'favour' by building gaudy temples and having people genuflect regularly. Favour can net you boons and divine intervention. There are five gods you can worship, and you must choose one:

1. Earth God. He can cause the earth to shake, and is lord of the creatures who travel over the surface. He hates the Sea Goddess, because she didn't return his calls. He is blunt and grounded, straight talker. All that is on the earth can be known by him.
2. Sea Goddess. She can bring to you tamed sea creatures, as well as increasing any harvest made from fish. She's jealous of the Air Goddess, but is playful with her twin brother, the Fire God. She is cunning, she can advise on slippery tactics. Nothing passes through the sea without her being aware of it.
3. Fire God. Fire from the sky happens when he is angered, or upset. He is temperamental, but honourable, as his heat protects those in winter. He can provide bravery to your people to get through hardship. He likes all his brothers and sisters.
4. Air Goddess. She is quicker than the wind and can chill to the bone or lift with a warm wind, depending on her mood. She is impetuous, righteous, and free; but also fickle, and random. She sees all from above.
5. The Void. The higher god, the elder sibling. This god rules the void that exists beyond all that is known. He knows all but is blind in his realm. He cannot see what transpires, but in a sense, he has already seen it in his mind's eye.

You have a number of objectives:

1. Build up an army.
2. Formulate a strategy to deal with the listed problems.
3. Choose a god and begin worship.

[frigidmagi]

I advise hiring the barbarians to go hit the orcs about the head and shoulders while building a better army.

Tell them you'll pay the surviviors in jewels and gold and get out of their way.

[Stofsk]

There are a lot of Barbarians, and not a lot of gold.

[frigidmagi]

That's why you only pay the surviviors.

[Stofsk]

Yes, but you also have to remember: the barbarians need to be negotiated. Even then, this is just one of the many things you have to consider.

There is also the question of what exactly you do to get a better army. What resources you look out for. Magic depends on mana reserves. Meanwhile, you can't engage in trade unless you harvest things.

Also, don't forget you have to pick one of the five gods to worship.

[Lord Stormbringer]

There are a lot of Barbarians, and not a lot of gold.

True but things like good steel, medicines, sanitation, and the general benefits of civilization. I pay for them in that and if I can turn it around and do my darndest to assimilate them as Rome did Italy, the closer Gallic provinces, and Spain. That should give me a fairly respectable army and recruiting base. Conclude the beginnings of that as early as possible and on fair turns.

Other than that, I would suggest something along the lines of the Roman legions for foot, and mounted, long ranged archers for the cavalry. That gives me a fairly well balanced force. About all I can say for the composition of the army. Should work, both worked quite well historically. It also won't require huge numbers to beat up undisciplined mobs.

Lastly, I'd say that the wisest god to worship would be the Fire God. Some decent benefits and no chance of pissing off other deities. The rest don't provide many concrete benefits and have their rivalries.

[Cynical Cat]

Also, the Barbarians most likely to accept your offer are the young turks who might otherwise be tempted to raid you in order to prove their manhood. By focusing their aggression on the orcs you potentially solve two problems.

[Stofsk]

Bump!

Also, the Barbarians most likely to accept your offer are the young turks who might otherwise be tempted to raid you in order to prove their manhood. By focusing their aggression on the orcs you potentially solve two problems.

How do you get the Barbarians to do this? How do you negotiate with them? Stormie has some good ideas.

What about the South Seas Pirates? There is massive wealth in the direction of offshore markets from other kingdoms. Or would you rather look through your own lands for resources?

[Cynical Cat]

I was expanding on the benefits of Stormbringer's plan, not suggesting an alternate one. The problems on the northern boarder (orcs and dark magic) seem both more urgent and serious than the pirate problem. Once you got the orc problem under control, a pirate hunting navy should help increase the wealth of your kingdom which can then be applied to solve other problems.

[Knife]

Worship the sea goddess, build up a good Navy *you live by the sea, you have to have some knowledge in ship building* and train two armies.

When the time comes, land one army west behind the orc army while the other one defends at the boarder. Leave the barbarians out of it, perhaps negotiate with the Mages, trade in mana or what ever for their support.

Use the Sea Goddess and your now superior navy to nullify the pirate threat.