Time of Troubles Game

Medieval times were troublesome times, even when things were good. Incessant wars, plague, Mongols and general disorder. But things could get worse. And in the Time of Troubles we play a historical game with all the "troubles" that actually happened, plus many that could have.

Here would be the regular historical game, featuring the conflict between England and France. But even here we will have a few historical twists.

The ruler of England is Isabella (age 41). Queen Isabella had overthrown her hapless husband (Edward II) and had him murdered. She sits on a shaky throne. Historically, her eldest son, the future Edward III, put momma away and took the throne in 1327. But here we have Isabella holding off her ambitious son, for the moment, anyway. Isabellas other three children are not by Edward II. Two were fathered by Mortimer (her live-in lover) and another by de Grosmont.) Isabella's older brother, Charles IV Capet, is the French king. Historically, the three sons of Philippe IV (Isabellas and Charles father) died (Philippe IV died in 1314, his eldest son Louis X died in 1316, next son of Philippe IV, Philippe V died in 1322 and, historically, Charles IV passed away in 1328) in rapid succession before any could have a son who lived long enough to keep the Capetian line going. Thus the French crown passed to a grandson of Philippe IV's father (Philippe III). In our game, Charles IV takes care of himself, is still alive in 1337 (age 43) and has a son (Charles V, age 12), two daughters (Marie, age 13 and Margot, age 8). Wife is Jeanne, age 33. Interesting, no?

The game offers a long list of troubles. Something old, something new, something borrowed and all of it blue. To wit: 

The Troubles

The Mongols, who come in more than once. When they do arrive, two Mongol characters enters Venice with 80-120,000 men (combined) and purse of 100 million ducats (combined). They have high stats. Can marry, but only male heirs may continue the line and then only if the Mongols hold at least one megafief or hold 5 other Italian fiefs.

Vikings, One player lands in North Sea port fief with 7-11,000 men and 15 million ducats. Low health, cannot marry. Excellent combat stats. Eric, Olaf and so on. All fiefs within 2 spaces will go into rebellion due the chaos caused by the invasion.

Berbers (Mohammed the Maranid from North Africa), who attempt to reconquer Christian Spain, and whatever else they can grab. One player enters Aragon with 60,000 troops and 100 million ducats. Can marry and continue line only if the Berber controls one of the following, any Spanish Mega fief or 5 fiefs in any of the following provinces, Navarre, Bearn, Bigorre, Foix or Mallorca.

The Turks move west into Italy. One player enters Venice with 50,000 men and 200 million ducats. Can marry and continue line only if Turk controls 1 megafief or controls 5 or more fiefs in Italy or Arles Orkhan the Turk (to 1359),

Hussites heretics march in from Germany with their highly effective army. One leader (good stats, can't marry) and 20,000 troops. Leader set up as high stats English so the troops will be yeoman class. Anytime after 1400.

Massive outbreaks of Heresy (with members of the Bad Company taking ownership of all the fiefs in provinces so afflicted and tasked with trying to "convert" everyone else.) These events are more likely to come in the wake of the Plague. There will be Lollards, Bogomils, Waldensians and, by special request, a return appearance of the Cathars. Each holy man will, in addition to control of the province, be given a few million ducats. Each outbreak of heresy will result in one to three provinces going heretical and falling under the control of a local holy man (who will obtain ancestral owner status). The local holy man cannot pass on his position (i.e., marry and have heirs). So once you nail the holy roller, you're home free (except that ancestral ownership status goes south with the chief heretic.)

Moorish Pirate Armies land in Italy, France and Spain. Land in Mediterranean port fief with 4-5,000 men and 10 million ducats. Cannot marry, low health. Hussan, Abdul, etc. The Port and all fiefs adjacent will go into chaos with the landing of the pirate.

The Mighty Bruce, a much improved king of Scotland, tries to do what William Wallace could not. The Bruce is a mighty general and periodically is able to raise the clans (as a levy) into an army he doesn't have to pay for.

The Irish Pretender. Paderick de Burgh, erstwhile Earl of Connaught and pretender to the throne of Ireland. He has good stats and is 25 years old. Has ancestral rebellion rights for Irish fiefs (is considered the ancestral owner). Has small army (large enough to quell an ancestral rebellion in one of the Irish fiefs.) After that, has to raise more money, and troops, to use the ancestral rebellion and quell the other parts of Ireland. Also has to worry about the English. Is periodically able to raise the a levy into an army that he doesn't have to pay for.

The Empire Strikes Back (the Holy Roman Empire decides to assert control over Imperial lands). The Emperor gets an army of about 20,000 Germans from the east (every few years) and goes to work on Italy and France. At the same time, he gets 50 million ducats of tax revenue from his eastern subjects.

The Empire Revived. The REAL Roman empire revives led by united Italian princes. The Duke of Lombardy manages to unite Lombardy, Venice, Florence, Genoa and the Papal States as the new Imperium Romanum. The player positions that normally hold each of these megafiefs still exist, and when they come into play they can trigger an ancestral rebellion and, given a subsidy from another player, can retake their ancestral megafief. Meanwhile, Visconti is the "Imperator Romanum" and can try reassembling the rest of the old Imperium Romanum, when he isn't fighting off Mongols, Turks, Moorish pirates and heresy. The new imperial title is not official. But as long as de Visconti holds two or more of the Italian megafiefs, he is recognized as the de facto Roman Emperor. It usually takes a century or so before these new titles become official.

The pope is in Rome, as a guest of the Imperator Romanum. The papal fiefs in France have reverted to the French king. The anti-pope routines are still in effect.