Perspective

The current scoring system for nobles starts everyone at zero and leaves it to the conduct of the players character to add, or subtract, points for various actions. The old system was based on GDP growth only. The new system includes GDP growth plus a whole lot of other things. Thus the following data, from a 1992 game (that ended in 1993) is still instructive.

You don't have to start the game with a wealthy position in order to win via GDP growth. First, take a look at the final score for Game 1/92, and their rank (in terms of money generating ability of their fiefs) at game start.

Final Rank          ID #                PC Name             GDP Growth          Starting Rank       

1*                  46                  Bishop Robert       903.00              94                  

                                        Burys                                                       

2*                  114                 Odo d'Auvergne      1009.00             38                  

3                   35                  Eleanor d'Artois    491.00              153                 

4                   93                  Henry               459.00              87                  

                                        Plantagenet                                                 

5                   256                 Thomas de           447.00              92                  

                                        Beauchamp                                                   

6                   246                 Roger-Bernard de    376.00              57                  

                                        la Marche                                                   

7                   111                 James Touchet       351.00              54                  

                                        d'Audley                                                    

8                   22                  Felix V Pontifex    310.00              9                   

                                        Maximus                                                     

9                   168                 Laurence Talbot     267.00              123                 

10                  74                  Guillaume de        259.00              85
                  

                                        Bavaria                                                     

Note the top twenty positions at game start. Where are they now?

ID               Family           High Rank        Nat.             Val              Own              

200              de Valois        03 Roi France    Fra              156              87               

47               Plantagenet      03 King          Eng              153              84               

                                  England                                                             

17               de Visconti      07               Oth              127              1                

                                  Duca-Lombard                                                        

                                  ia                                                                  

231              d'Anjou          03 Re-Naples     Oth              101              27               

55               Dandolo          07               Oth              84               1                

                                  Doge-Venice                                                         

301              di Firenze       07               Oth              70               1                

                                  Gonfaloniere                                                        

                                  -Florence                                                           

197              Berenguer        03               Oth              61               5                

                                  Rey-Cataloni                                                        

                                  a                                                                   

8                de Castilla y    03               Oth              42               1                

                 Leon             Rey-Leon-Cas                                                        

                                  tille                                                               

22               Pontifex         01               Oth              42               4                

                 Maximus          Pope-Papacy                                                         

5                de Savoy         09               Oth              34               19               

                                  Prince-Piedm                                                        

                                  ont                                                                 

113              d'Armagnac       11               Fra              28               16               

                                  Comte-Commin                                                        

                                  ges                                                                 

157              de Navarra       03               Oth              24               14               

                                  Reina-Navarr                                                        

                                  e                                                                   

58               de Carcassone    11 Comte-Foix    Fra              22               13               

156              de Bourgogne     11               Fra              21               12               

                                  Comte-Franch                                                        

                                  e-Comte                                                             

303              de la Scala      10               Oth              18               1                

                                  Marchese-Ver                                                        

                                  ona                                                                 

110              de Mallorca      03               Oth              17               10               

                                  Rey-Mallorca                                                        

10               de St-Vollier    11 Comte         Fra              15               8                

                                  Valence                                                             

25               de Lyon          11               Fra              15               9                

                                  Comte-Forez                                                         

130              de Lothier       07               Oth              15               7
                

                                  Duc-Brabant                                                         

These were the positions, at game start, of the final winners.

ID               Family           High Rank        Nat.             Val              Own              

22               Pontifex         01               Oth              42               4                

                 Maximus          Pope-Papacy                                                         

114              d'Auvergne       11               Fra              10               6                

                                  Comte-Montfo                                                        

                                  rt                                                                  

111              Touchet          15 Baron         Eng              7                4                

                 d'Audley         Porlock                                                             

246              de la Marche     11               Fra              7                4                

                                  Comte-Perigo                                                        

                                  rd                                                                  

74               de Bavaria       07               Oth              6                4                

                                  Duc-Zealand                                                         

93               Plantagenet      11 Earl-Derby    Eng              5                3                

256              de Beauchamp     11               Eng              5                3                

                                  Earl-Warwick                                                        

                                  shire                                                               

46               Burys            06 Prince        Eng              5                3                

                                  Bishop                                                              

                                  Durham                                                              

168              Talbot           15 Baron         Eng              4                2
                

                                  Ludlow                                                              

There's a lesson in all this...