Personal rules for gameplay
So, I've thought about it, and decided I will enact personal rules for my planned campaign as Sicily. I haven't really played Medieval II much at all, tried a migration campaign as Norway recently with SS 6.4 + Gracul AI, BGR IV-E, Really Bad AI 5.1.3, Longer Assimilation, and the Next Heir Crown. I managed to survive, took Normandy from England, then spread to Brittany and then Wales (where the English have brutally murdered the King's youngest son, and look to be preparing to march on Caernarvon!). However, I'm not really attached to the faction or the campaign. Sicily has been - and always will be - a favourite (this started with Medieval I VI, which I sadly cannot play anymore due to the 8*** series and higher Nvidia graphics card problems). I'm English, and admire the Normans and their achievements (Normandy is a favourite holiday destination), so Sicily is naturally an enjoyable faction for me to play as, especially given that they start very small (England is too big for me - I like building up from a small faction, and they already have most of the British Isles as well as Normandy, which removes some of the fun).
I digress, though. I have written some personal rules up, and thought I'd share them here in the forum, and start a discussion about personal rules, in particular for SS 6.4 campaigns.
Here they are:
- Family Members and Generals may openly declare war and engage other armies freely. Captains may only enter foreign territory once war has been declared, and even then they may only act defensively, never being the force that initiates combat. In the player’s own* territory (*this includes any recently conquered lands), Captains are allowed to engage other Captains, but they are not allowed to engage Family Members or Generals (invading foreign forces or Rebels) except in defense. Navies may only blockade foreign ports once war has been declared (not that this will significantly affect the AI’s economy).
- It is considered fair play if the player always ends a siege by engaging the foreign force besieging the player, or the force holed up in the settlement the player is besieging. This means that the player should generally try to sally out, or accept being starved out, when under siege – this is to make it easier on the AI, which suffers greater casualties when attacking settlements (Castles are also a problem, as the AI has difficulty coping with the extra wall defences). When besieging a foreign settlement, the player should give the AI a fair chance to defend itself – meaning launching a direct assault. The player will no doubt suffer casualties in this instance, and it could even be very costly, but it gives the AI a chance as it may not be as willing as a Human player to take a gamble and refuse to go down without a fight.
- No stakes in front of gates or down routes the AI has no choice but to take to reach the centre of a settlement! The AI has no idea how to cope with such a defensive mechanism, so it’s soldiers will drop like flies.
- Tax rates can only be changed and construction and recruitment orders given/amended if a Family Member or General is present in the settlement concerned at the time. Once a Family Member or General leaves the settlement, all orders are final and must be carried through to a conclusion. A Family Member or General may enter the settlement at any time to change tax rates or construction/recruitment orders.
NB: I know that SS 6.4 provides a Limited Activities script, but I've messed about a bit with the early era installed files, so I'd rather not reset everything again and have to make the same changes (I have actually got back-ups, but not sure what files would be changed). Besides, it's more fun when you make the choice to do this, and the game doesn't physically force you to do it.
- All finances should be manually calculated – ignore what the Financial Scroll says! It is wrong anyway due to Byg’s Grim Reality, but using a natural calculator and not relying on the computer or blithely hoping that expenses do not exceed income too regularly is more fun and will keep the brain healthy.
- Only foreign Diplomats, Princesses, Family Members and Generals have the authority to engage in talks on behalf of their nation. Captains and ungoverned settlements may not be contacted under any circumstances.
- Only a Spy can freely observe foreign armies, agents, or settlements. Diplomats, Princesses, Merchants, Assassins, and armies led by Family Members, Generals, or Captains must be within one square of a foreign army, agent, or settlement in order to be allowed to view their details. This likely precludes most, if not all, navies from ever being able to observe the make-up of foreign armies. Also, a foreign Spy or Assassin – if visible on the campaign map – can never be observed except through the player using his/her own Spy and carrying out a spying mission.
- Further to the above rule, a Spy must have a certain rating before he can observe at a distance – if a Spy only has up to and including 3 Subterfuge, he must also be within one square of a foreign army, agent, or settlement. With 4-6 Subterfuge, two squares; 7-9 Subterfuge, three squares; and finally 10 Subterfuge, four squares.
- All agents have only one life. If a Spy, Assassin, or Merchant fail in a mission, then they fail – end of story. The AI gets no second chances, the player will never reload just to give them another try, so the player gets no second chances either. Same goes for diplomacy – if a Diplomat or Princess fails, and the foreign party leave the talks for the turn, the consequences must be accepted. This isn’t to say risks should not be taken – nail-biting gambles are part of the game, and can result in very favourable outcomes for the player. All this rule means is it is best to avoid taking stupid risks!
- The Heir Crown may only be moved once, from the current Heir Apparent to the next intended Heir Apparent. Once this has been done, the decision is set in stone (in most cases), so choose wisely. If in doubt, the Heir Crown should remain with the current Heir Apparent until a clear successor to his upcoming throne is recognised. The next Heir Apparent should be the current Heir Apparent’s first born son, and if he has no sons to give the Heir Crown to, it goes to the second eldest son of the current Faction Leader (should the current Heir Apparent then father a son who comes of age before the current Faction Leader dies, the Heir Crown must be moved to this individual as soon as possible).
- There are no reloads – all decisions are final after the turn has been ended. Make careful decisions in order to avoid catastrophe, or feeling like you wasted a character’s movement points and time!
So, what are the rules other people put into play for a more fun campaign?
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Originally Posted by TheBard
). However, after reading up on Norman Sicily, I have a little problem with the 23 year old Simone not being the heir and the 15 year old Ruggero being the heir. I made Ruggero 16, keeping him as their heir, and Simone 14 instead, as their real life counterparts were both very young when they ascended to the throne (although Simon ascended first, 1101-1105 - but I can't exactly mirror Roger II only coming of age in 1112 and taking over from his mother 
). I basically took a few historical liberties... But I love that I'm not using historical starting positions. Ever since the latest versions of the XL mod for Medieval I VI and another submod built on top of it, they gave all of southern Italy to the Sicilians (it was only one province, Naples, back then). I like conquering at least some of southern Italy. It gives a feel of...finishing the initial formation of a kingdom. It isn't already done for me.
