Okay, revised version is simpler and you just pick a faction or start a new one if you really want.
Rules:
Character Rules:
This is the big one. Character format should now look like this:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Name:
Age: (keep this updated every turn BTW)
Class: (Not social class, but whether you are playing as Politician or General/Admiral/Air Marshal)
Noble titles: (only if you have them and you're not a Terrorist)
Ethnicity:
Religion:
Social background:
Biography:
Money: (Keep track of this, a lot. I cannot stress the importance of making sure your bank account is up to date in this game, where personal funds will be extremely important)
However, your Ethnicity, Religion and Social Background will all play a major role in shaping both your character and his future; they will determine your likeliest supporters and enemies, as well as the beliefs he should support if you want to stay in-character (which you should ).
Ethnic backgrounds and their effects:
Be whatever you want, so long as it makes sense.
And the available social backgrounds:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:The following can be used by any player regardless of his location in the Empire:
Rural aristocrat: You are the 'old money', a landowning gentleman with a fortune behind his name (and quite possibly one or more fancy titles) who lives out in the country and plays an active part in administering his large farms, plantations and ranches. You hold conservative views and try to live the 'Boyar's Life' of Faith, Honor and Valor - which, in public satire, translate to politicized Orthodoxy, Tsarist political beliefs and an eagerness to buy an officer's commission whenever a war breaks out - but try to emphasize rural interests while you're at it.
Urban aristocrat: You are also 'old money', and while you probably no longer own a massive tract of land like the Rural Aristocrats, you have likely dipped your hands into the business world and serve as the center of the Russian social scene, bringing glamour and good fun to meetings and social activities instead of being boarded up in an office managing stacks of paperwork like your stuffy rural counterparts. You also hold conservative views and try to live the Boyar Ideals, but will advocate urban interests over those of the countryside.
Business magnate: You are 'new money'. You managed to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and rise from the gray masses into an elite circle of the country's wealthiest men, and you take great pride in the fact that you did all of this largely on your own instead of inheriting money and estates from someone else without actually doing anything to earn it. You may try to live the Boyar Ideals, but hold the aristocracy in contempt as a bunch of inbred, doddering old fools who have never done an honest day's work in their lives (and they, in turn, see you as an arrogant upstart who lucked out) and lean toward classical liberalism and pro-business policies. You might also be a socialist.
Clergyman: You are a member of the clergy. You can be an Orthodox bishop, Protestant preacher, Muslim imam, Hindu brahmin, etc. but one thing about your position is that it means people listen to you. You hold a traditionally deeply respected position in the social order, and in the case of Orthodox clergy you actually get quite a bit of money off the government tab. Naturally, once you enter politics you will almost certainly hold fiercely conservative, if not outright reactionary views, and will try to put the creed you belong to into the political limelight (or, in the case of Orthodox, keep it there).
Soldier: You are a military man, though your experience can range from several battle honors won for 'unsurpassed valor' and other such things in the Great War to almost blowing your own foot off in boot camp and occasionally making rude gestures toward Jerries on the Polish border. Regardless, joining the military one way or another is one of the fastest tracks into politics, as even a few years of experience carries with it a certain respect in Russian society. You will likely try to prioritize the military over everyone else's interests, and may be White or Red.
Factory worker: You've worked twelve-to-eighteen hour days in filthy factories for what amounts to chump change, or even less if your boss was particularly nasty, and were forced to endure torrents of abuse from your employers without ever retaliating out of fear that you'd be kicked to the curb and left to starve. However, the emergence of the Reds has brought hope to the politically active members of the proletariat like you, and you decided to enter politics with the ultimate objective of easing the suffering of your fellow workers. You're most likely a Red or Black.
Peasant: You are a rural laborer, possibly bound to a noble's land not by serfdom but by lack of money with which to feed your family, forcing you to work the fields for many hours under the sun, rain and snow. Nevertheless, you and your fellow peasants just grin and bear it, seeing your hard labor as your duty in the social hierarchy. Peasants like you tend to be much more conservative than urban factory workers; the ideal peasant is one who obeys his lord unquestioningly, does whatever is needed of him to keep the women and children well fed, actively attends church and pays the proper respects to Russia- and this is an ideal you and your fellow country folk do their best to live up to. You might be ANYTHING, it depends on your views.
Once the real fun begins, you may make speeches to ask for troops. This is one of the main ways you'll get to recruit men, as recruitment normally will take a LOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG time.
There are three social classes, on whose support you will have to rely on to get troops:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
-The Poor. 90% of the Empire's population. They are ideologically split between liberal and socialist/Marxist urban poor and the conservative rural poor. They contribute the least money in donations. Easy to please, but quick to anger as well, and when you won't like the mob when they get angry...
-The Upper Class. 10% of the Empire's population. They are either aristocrats who own and manage vast tracts of land, or 'nouveau riche' types who worked their way up into corporate management positions. They contribute the most money in donations. The hardest class to please; the nobles are solidly conservative and in many cases reactionary, while the big businessmen tend to be liberal but always favor pro-business policies, and at times their interests can even collide with each other. They are moderately slow to anger, and tend to make their displeasure known not by staging revolts, but by hiring hitmen to take out their rivals instead...
The Parties are as follows:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Bolsheviks: A group of Reds who oppose the rightist Whites and Duma, they have little political power now but they can easily sway the Mob. Form most of the Reds.
Mendesheviks: Centrists who may help or fight the Bolsheviks, depending on the outcome of the war... Reds.
Tsarists: Whites who want Nick back. Whites.
Democrats: Whites and Greens who want democracy. Whites, Greens.
Anarchists: Not a party, but representative of those nuts who just want to shoot everything. Blacks, Greens.
You can also become a Nobleman. As becoming a Noble brings with it estates and a pension, you will get more money directed to your Personal Funds every turn. Being a noble right now may not be great however. In fact, unless the Whites win, it might be bad for your health to be a Noble...
The noble ranks are:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Duke: The highest rank in the aristocracy. +25,000 to Personal Funds/turn.
Marquess: The second-highest rank in the aristocracy. +20,000 to Personal Funds/turn.
Earl: The third-highest rank in the aristocracy. +15,000 to Personal Funds/turn.
Count: The fourth-highest rank in the aristocracy. +10,000 to Personal Funds/turn.
Viscount: The fifth-highest rank in the aristocracy. +5,000 to Personal Funds/turn.
Baron: The second-lowest rank in the aristocracy. +2,500 to Personal Funds/turn.
Baronet: The absolute lowest rank in the aristocracy. +1,500 to Personal Funds/turn. All Urban and Rural Aristocrats who don't become Terrorists start with this title.
Hereditary Knighthood: A rank outside the traditional noble structure, you get to keep this one - and its bonuses - even as you rise up the social hierarchy, unlike conventional ranks (Baronet-->Duke) which are successively replaced by the title above them. For example, if you were a Baron and ascended to the rank of Viscount, you lose the bonus attached to the Baron title but keep the bonus provided by the HK. +1,000 to Personal Funds/turn.
BTW, every step you take in the aristocratic hierarchy will help your relations with the Upper Class but weaken relations with the Poor.
Political Rules:
Since politics are dead, the illegal rules are all that are left.
Not about to play fair? Feeling oppressed for some reason or other? Have no fear, you can start either aterroristfreedom-fighters' organization!
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Bank Robbery - Rob some banks. This doesn't actually advance your cause, but will be the only way to raise money considering that the government probably won't be too happy with any leaflet fundraising campaigns for enemies of the state. Requires Assassin.
Bombing Campaign - Stick bombs in public places, mailboxes, government offices etc. to strike terror into the hearts of the oppressors and inflict a variable number of casualties, to be determined by dice roll. Requires Assassin.
Propaganda Campaign - Try to build support for a future armed insurrection against the government. A successful propaganda campaign gets you money and troops. Requires Propagandist and at least 5,000 pounds sterling.
Assassination (NPC) - Try to assassinate an important NPC (governor, colonial administrator, police chief, maybe even the Emperor if you're feeling brave). This will be determined by dice roll. Requires Assassin.
Assassination (PC) - Try to assassinate a player character. This will not be determined by dice roll; you will instead have to play out a battle with their guards ala a WEF 1960 assassination attempt. Requires at least one Assassin.
Launch armed revolt - Start an armed uprising against the government. You will attract a random number of soldiers, depending on how many successful propaganda campaigns you've launched. You can start one whenever you want, but failure means the destruction of your organization. No requirements.
You can recruit the following agents to aid your cause:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Assassin - cost: 8,000 - 3 days - Exactly what it says on the tin. A stealthy and highly dangerous individual who is required to even start an Assassination mission.
Propagandist - cost: 5,000 - 3 days - A charismatic orator required for Propaganda Campaigns.
[B]Battle Rules:
Military Rules:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:If you want to become a General, Admiral or Air Marshal, just say you are.
Winning battles will naturally make you more popular, losing will disgrace your name and weaken your reputation, and of course there's the ever-present threat of your character coming down with a nasty case of death on the battlefield.
As usual, unit upkeep is 1/2 their original price.
Land units:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
National Levy - 50,000 - free pounds sterling, instant - Peasants with trenchcoats and sticks (maybe a pistol) that decided to join the Army at a moment's notice. Almost completely worthless (artillery fodder) unless they do something awesome, in which case they can pick up guns and become Infantry Divisions.
Militia Division - 20,000 - 15,000 pounds sterling, 5 days - poorly trained, ill-equipped and undisciplined (but cheap and quick to raise) irregulars useful for little more than human wave attacks, police actions or home defense while the real soldiers are off on campaign.
Infantry Division - 10,000 - 30,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - the bread and butter of any army, well-trained and well-equipped professionals/semi-professional troops who can effectively take and secure ground.
Cavalry Division - 10,000 - 30,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - Speedy mounted troops who can still be useful for outmaneuvering enemies, rushing weak points in enemy lines and harassing supply lines, though the days of the famous frontal cavalry charges of old are done with.
Light Infantry Division - 8,000 - 50,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - Lightly-equipped crack troops specially trained for rapid deployment and independent operations in rough terrain (ex. forests, mountains).
Guard Division - 15,000 - 100,000 pounds sterling, 25 days - Crack troops specially trained for shooting the other side. Each faction will get one of these at war start.
Artillery Division - 3,000, 100 guns - 80,000 pounds sterling, 20 days - Heavy artillery useful on both the offensive and the defensive.
Armored Regiment - 5,000, 500 tanks - 145,000 pounds sterling, 30 days - Men driving 'land battleships' into battle, capable of overrunning all but the greatest of fortified lines and turning everyone who comes their way into something resembling chunky salsa. Must be researched first.
UNIQUES:
Cossack Guard - 5,000 - Guards whose job is to protect the Tsar and his generals. White unique unit (can only be gotten in special events).
Cossack Guard Cavalry - 2,000 - Those fricking epic guys with lances, swords, and rifles who are perfect for destroying artillery, enemy cavalry, or those pesky peasant mobs that like to stand outside the Winter Palace and yell just because "They're hungry". Excellent counter to Patriot Citizens. White unique unit (can only be gotten in special events).
Red Guard - 10,000 - Guards whose job is to lead the Bolshevik armies. Excellent counter to Cossack Guard due to higher numbers. Red unique unit (can only be gotten in special events).
Patriot Citizens - 100,000 - Those damn mobs that suck at everything except charging, but can slaughter anything it gets close enough to. Red and Black unique unit (can only be gotten in special events).
Ukrainian Cossacks - 2,000 - Guerilla warfare horsemen who run around shooting everything. Excellent raiders. Black unique unit (can only be gotten in special events).
Home Guards - 1,000 - Poorly trained and equipped citizens who simply want to defend their homes. Will NEVER EVER rout, and as long as in defence will do a very good job at their job. Excellent counter to Patriot Citizens when far away. Green unique unit (can only be gotten in special events).
Recruitable brigades (to attach to divisions):
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Artillery Brigade - 3,000, 40 guns - 25,000 pounds sterling, 8 days - Mobile field artillery used primarily in support roles for offensive and defensive operations. Infantry (all types), Militia and Cavalry only.
Armored Brigade - 3,000, 250 tanks - 60,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - Small detachments of armored troops to help with punching holes in enemy lines. Infantry (all types), Militia and Cavalry only. Must be researched first.
Armored Car Brigade - 3,000, 600 armored cars - 40,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - Detachments of speedy, lightly armored cars equipped with machine guns useful as support vehicles. Can be attached to all but Mountaineer and Marine Divisions.
Engineer Brigade - 3,000 men - 20,000 pounds sterling, 5 days - Trained combat engineers who can help construct pontoon bridges, trenches, crude bunkers etc. within short periods of times. On the offensive, they can mine an area and sabotage enemy defenses. Can be attached to all Divisions.
Armored Train Brigade - 3,000 men, 24 armored trains - 50,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - Massive, heavily armored trains that can quickly move troops and equipment along railways and function as mobile artillery platforms on the frontlines. Obviously, these brigades are restricted to railroads and will perform poorly (if at all) in low-infrastructure regions. Can be attached to any division.
Anti-Air Brigade - 3,000 men, 60 guns - 40,000 pounds sterling, 20 days - Troops equipped with and specially trained in the use of anti-air guns, an increasingly important asset to have on your side as the role of aircraft grows on the battlefield.
Gas Brigade - 3,000 men - 35,000 pounds sterling, 5 days - Men specially trained in the use of various poison gases, ranging from the relatively harmless tear gas to the infamous mustard and chlorine gases, as well as in countering these chemical weapons. Can be attached to any unarmored division.
Warships (since the RCW wasn't a naval war, ships will take forever until the RCW is over):Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Battleship - 300,000 pounds sterling, 15 days - The ruler of the high seas, a floating fortress that can blow lesser ships out of the water with little effort...but are vulnerable to submarines.
Battlecruiser - 200,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - A larger, heavier cruiser with the arms of a battleship, the perfect blend of speed and firepower that can serve as support vessels for battleships or fight in their own right.
Cruiser - 120,000 pounds sterling, 9 days - Ships balancing the massive firepower and heavy armor of the Battleship and the speed and maneuverability of Destroyers, the mainstay of most surface fleets.
Destroyer - 80,000 pounds sterling, 8 days - Small, lightly armed ships mostly used as escorts or submarine hunters.
Submarine - 80,000 pounds sterling, 15 days - Watercraft capable of extended underwater operations, invaluable in crippling an opposing country's merchant shipping lines and combating Battleships.
Minelayer - 40,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - Tiny, unarmed ships designed to litter an area with mines as quickly as possible.
Minesweeper - 40,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - Tiny, unarmed ships meant to sweep an area clean of mines as quickly as possible.
Aircraft (same with Air):Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Scout plane - 4 planes/squadron - 40,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - Fast, unarmed craft meant to collect intelligence on enemy movements and positions and report these findings to the troops on the ground.
One-seat fighter plane - 3 planes/squadron - 50,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - Planes armed with light machine guns and built specifically for high-speed dogfights, but also invaluable as escorts for Bombers and Airships.
Two-seat fighter plane - 2 planes/squadron - 75,000 pounds sterling, 10 days - Heavier planes with two-man crews (a pilot and gunner) and heavier armaments specialized in extended, long-range dogfights.
Bomber - 2 planes/squadron - 75,000 pounds sterling, 12 days - Slow, heavy warplanes outfitted with large payloads of explosives, capable of raining death from above on both enemy military installations and cities but highly vulnerable to enemy fighters.
Airship - 2/squadron - 80,000 pounds sterling, 20 days - Massive rigid dirigibles that can both scout enemy positions and serve as heavy bombers, but are lacking in the air-to-air defense department and so will have to rely on Fighters to protect them.
When recruiting units, please group them into named armies or fleets - makes them much easier to track, and much easier on the eyes (well, at least mine) too
Auxiliary rules:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Like in WEF 1914, you can create an auxiliary (secondary) character following the same format outlined for your first character.
IMPORTANT:
Now, the ONLY WAY to get troops is by making speeches! You get 200,000 to build an army with at first. These are your personal funds. After that, the troops you get depend entirely upon the quality of your speech and where you make it!
This may change, but only if one group completely takes over the government.