Magicka et Machina II
 

"Magic was but a tool for the savage peoples of a bygone era to spread their bestial bloodlust, while the machine provides us the opportunity to liberate ourselves from barbarism."

King Akhu I of Augutain

I. Introduction

Welcome to "Magicka et Machina II", a game set in a world that is a combination of the early twentieth century and a fantasy world, filled with goblins, elves, dwarves, and a whole host of other creatures.  The industrial revolution has taken place, pitting machine against magic.  In this world, Goblin Machine gunners cut down goose-stepping elven stormtroopers, Dwarves pilot zeppelins, which traverse a broad continent, gnomish women march for suffrage, and troll symphonies are lauded around the world as the peak of world civilization.  This game owes its very existence to the proud franchise of War and Peace, created by Erich Elfers in 2001 and modified by Gavin Bates in 2006. The rules you will see below are very similar to the Elfers system, although you will find a variety of modifications, additions, and subtractions. In large part, they are lifted directly or in part straight from the traditional Elfers rulebook.  The credit should be shared.

This game, like its glorious predecessors, provides a unique mixture of depth and simplicity, of domestic, foreign, military and economic management. The game is heavily interactive and encourages creativity and thought, without the constraints (or costs!) imposed by graphics cards and expensive processors.
 

II.  Economy

a.  Loans

Another way to raise money is debt.  “Outstanding” states how much debt a faction has at the beginning of the year.  “New Debt” is how much additional money a faction is borrowing for the year.  “Debt Paid” is how much money a faction is paying back for the year.  “Total Debt” for the end of the year results from “Outstanding” debt plus “New Debt” or minus “Debt Paid.”  “Rate” defines the interest rate on “Total Debt.”  “Interest” is calculated as follows: (Total Debt * (Interest Rate / 100)).  The more indebted a faction is, the worse will be its credit rating, and the higher its interest rate.  If interest is not paid, a default will follow, which will hurt the economy.

b.  Tariffs

Through tariffs, a faction may force foreign merchants to pay tolls for the right to do business within its territory.  These tolls generate revenue.

 

The three types of tariff systems are:

Free Trade

Moderate

Protectionist
 

To determine one's tariff policy, one must make a decision about the nature of one's economy:
 

A 'Free Trade' policy will bring players 5% of their Total Production in tariff revenues. This, however, will also lead to the swiftest growth rate possible.

A Moderate Tariff Policy will bring players 10% of their Total Production in tariff revenues. This will leader to a moderate growth rate.

A Protectionist Tariff Policy will bring players 15% of their Total Production in tariff revenues. This will slow economic growth, however.

There is no need for a player to determine which nations that they would like to tariff. This is determined to be a general tariff policy. However, economic warfare may be waged and players can choose “Specific Tariff Targets” at their own discretion. Such a target's imports will be hit with higher tariffs, causing a slowing of their economic growth, while generally lifting tariff burdens on other nations. There is no additional revenue for selecting a “Specific Tariff Target.”

c.  Production

The world is subdivided into provinces.  A province’s production represents its total output of goods and services.  Although vague, production is the best and simplest way to deal with the complexities of economics.  A faction’s production consists of the production of all provinces it controls added together.

d.  Income

A faction can calculate its income by inserting its total production under “Total Production”, then setting a tax rate on that production, and then making use of the following formula: (Production * (Tax Rate / 100)).  Under “Loan Balance” write the income gained through new loans or the income lost from the repayment of old loans.  Under “Tariff Income” write the “Total Tariff Income” as listed under “Tariffs.”  The “Treasury” is money saved in previous years and counts as income.
 

III.  Society

A society's type is determined by the improvements within it.  All improvements have a "value" and an "orientation".  An improvement's "value" is how many points it grants toward a particular orientation.  An improvement's "orientation" is either toward happiness, law & order or commerce. 

a.  Building

To build a new improvement write under “Type,” whether the improvement is to be public or private, under “Improvement,” the improvement's name, under “Value,” a variable between 1 and 10, under "Orientation", whether the improvement is to promote happiness, law & order or commerce, and under "Cost", the total amount of money the improvement will require.

The "Cost" to build an institution is equal to the following formula:  (Value x Production / 100).
 

IV.  Programs

Programs reflect actual government spending for "Commerce," "Law & Order" and "Happiness."  To implement a new program, write down the name of the program under the desired category and the percent of total faction production, which is to be devoted to it.  To determine the total required expenditure for each category subtotal, tally all percentage modifiers and multiply these by total faction production.  Spending on 'Commerce" increases economic growth; spending on "Law & Order" suppresses social dissent, including crime and political unrest; spending on "Happiness" provides welfare and human services.
 

V.  Strategy

a.  Terminology

All infantry and armor units are formed in regiments consisting of 1,000 soldiers each.  All artillery units are formed in batteries consisting of 10 guns each.  All aircraft units are formed in squadrons consisting of 10 aircraft each.  Divisions represent 50 units.  All naval units represent individual ships or squadrons. The cost of a "unit" (regiment, battery, squadron or ship) is equal to the cost of the weaponry with which it is armed.  Formal unit notation is the recruitment policy followed by the quantity of soldiers followed by the type of unit the soldiers comprise followed by the level of training of the soldiers followed by their type, e.g. V50gINF Motorized would represent 50,000 green volunteer motorized infantry.  Each unit must be assigned to a group, e.g. an army, navy, garrison, air force or special force.

b.  Headquarters

II. Each player begins the game with two special generals.  Each army/naval group does NOT require a special general.  Players may create army/naval groups without a special general, although their skills can be extremely helpful.  The most straightforward manner to acquire new Generals is through experience on the battlefield.

c.  Armies, Garrisons, Navies & Aircraft

Here is the order of battle of all armies, navies, garrisons and special forces a faction controls.

d.  Orders

aa. It is possible to order armies, navies, garrisons, air forces and special forces to move, fortify, go into reserve, reorganize, train, upgrade, or disband.  Garrisons may not move, but may fortify, go into reserve, reorganize, train, upgrade or disband.  To give an order, write it next to the Orders & Cost slot, followed by the cost of the order.

bb. To move an army, navy, air force, aircraft or special force, write its destination, then tally the total cost of all units comprising that group and pay one half if the units are going into battle. If units are simply moving between territories peacefully, pay one-quarter of the total cost of the units. 

cc. To fortify an army, navy, air force, garrison or special force, tally the total cost of all units comprising that group and pay one quarter.  A fortified group cannot move, but will defend against invasion at full strength.

dd. To put an army, navy, air force, garrison or special force into reserve, tally the total cost of all units comprising that group and pay one tenth.  A group in reserve cannot move, but defend against invasion at one quarter strength. 

ee. To train an army, navy, air force, garrison or special force, tally the cost of all units comprising that group and pay one half.  The training level of the units in that group will increase by one level.  A group in training cannot move, but will defend against invasion.  A unit may be either green (g), veteran (t), or veteran (v). Only trained (t) units which have survived combat can become veteran (v).  All new units are green (g). 

ff. To reorganize an army, navy, air force, garrison or special force, tally the total cost of all units comprising that group and pay one quarter, then write to the right of each unit within that group to which new group the unit is to be assigned.  A group which is reorganizing will not move and will defend against invasion at one half strength. 

gg.  To upgrade an army, navy, air force, garrison or special force, tally the cost of all units comprising that group and pay one half, then write to the right of each unit within that group which new equipment it is to receive.  A group which is upgrading will not move and will not defend against invasion.

hh. To disband an army, navy, garrison or special force, pay nothing.  The army, navy, air force, garrison or special force will disappear.

e.  Movement

Armies not moving on roads or railways may advance one province per turn. Armies moving on roads may advance two provinces per turn. Armies moving on railways may advance an unlimited number of provinces per turn. Armies moving across the ocean must begin and end their turns in coastal province and must be accompanied by ships with sufficient carrying capacity.

f.  Combat

If two groups of hostile units are in the same province or sea zone at the same time, combat will occur.
 

VI.  Research

a.  Projected

Players will be developing their own technologies. If a player wants to develop a new unit, the player writes the name and a brief description of the unit desiring to be constructed. An engineer's report will be returned next turn with the feasibility and cost of constructing such units.

b.  Discovered

This is a list of all previously discovered and currently accessible technologies.
 

VII.  Military

a.  Industry

Each nation may use all of its industrial zones for production.

b.  Production

To produce new military units, write under "Industry" the industrial zone that is being tapped as a source of production, under "Weapon", write which type of equipment (rifle, battleship, fighter, etc.) is being used, under "Quantity", how many of that type of equipment, under "Cost", the total cost as calculated in the formula below, under "Notation", the official notation of the newly to be built unit (V, a) and under "Assignment", the group with which the unit is to be deployed.

c.  Classified

This section is for secret projects, the specific details of which are worked out between the GM and the player.
 

VIII.  Intelligence

a.  Network

The higher this number, the more numerous a faction's spies, informants and operatives and the higher their level of funding.

b.  Ability

This reflects the experience and sophistication of a faction's intelligence network.  A rating of five is the highest, whereas a 0 indicates total inexperience.

c.  Maintain

The cost to maintain an intelligence network is equal to the network value as listed under VIII, a.  If maintenance spending is less than the network value the network will be reduced to the new funding level.

d.  Expand

The cost to expand an intelligence network is equal to $2 for every increase of 1 in network value.

e.  Priorities

This is where an intelligence network's current missions are to be listed.  The more missions a network is ordered to undertake, the less effective it will be at each one.
 

IX.  Budget

a.  Society

Under “Building,” write the total amount of money spent on constructing institutions.  Under “Commerce,” write the total amount of money to be spent on subsidies and infrastructure.  Under “Law & Order,” write the total amount of money to be spent on police and the courts.  Under “Happiness,” write the total amount to be spent on convincing the people to like the government.

b.  Strategy

Here is where the total cost for all orders assigned to all armies, navies, garrisons and special forces is filled in respectively under “Armies," “Navies,” "Garrisons" and "Special".

c.  Military

Here is where the total cost for new military units and special projects is filled in respectively under “Production" and "Classified".

d.  Research

Here is where the total cost for new research is inserted as under the subtotal for "Projected".

e.  Intelligence

Here is where the total cost for all maintenance and expansion of the intelligence network is filled in under "Maintain" and "Expand".

f.  Total

Here is where “Expenditures” are subtracted from “Income” to yield “Treasury.”  Copy “Income” from the Economy section.  “Expenditures” can be arrived at by adding all costs in the Military, Strategy, and Society sub-sections of the Budget section.
 

X.  Government

Each faction begins the game with two traits:  One government and one economic.

Government and economic types can be changed through roleplaying. Through a sustained effort of roleplaying, institution building and the like, a player may change either one of their traits (or even both) to another combination of one government trait and one economic trait. Such an act might be take the form of an RPed revolution of cultists who would transform a faction into a theocracy. However, the number of traits remains at a maximum of two, with one in each category.

The types of government, in no particular order, are listed below.

Government Type:

Republic:  +2 happiness, -1 law and order, +2 commerce

Constitutional Monarchy (Fascist, Liberal, Conservative)

Fascist: +3 law and order, -3 happiness

Liberal:  +3 happiness, +1 commerce, -3 law and order

Conservative:  +1 law and order, +1 commerce, -1 happiness

Theocracy: +1 law and order, +1 happiness, -2 commerce

Oligarchy:  +3 law and order, +2 commerce, -4 happiness

Dictatorship:  +5 law and order, -5 happiness, -1 commerce

Absolute Monarchy:  +4 law and order, -3 happiness



Economic Types:

Capitalist:  +3 commerce, -2 happiness

Protectionist:  +2 commerce

Mixed/Hybrid: +2 happiness, +1 law and order

Socialist:  +3 happiness, +1 law and order, -1 commerce

Command:  +3 law and order, -3 commerce

 

XI.  National and Colonial Territories
 

National and Colonial Territories are two very different regions within an Empire. As players begin to conquer foreign territories, they must make determinations on how those populations will be handled.

A player would generally prefer to treat their national population differently from conquered foreign peoples. As such, a greater degree of 'happiness' spending at home would keep the population supportive of the government, while higher levels of 'law and order' could have the potential to upset the populace. As such, a player may choose to increase more expensive, but more effective, 'happiness' spending, while using less 'law and order' spending.

A player may chose to forgo more expensive 'happiness' modifiers in exchange for a higher (but cheaper) level of 'law and order' spending in a colonial territory. As such, a player would make such determinations in “Colonial Programs.”

As such, players may use very different policies for their colonial populations versus their national populations.