AAR: Me, Floris | Completed | Chapter 60 & Epilogue posted (19-09-2015)

Lord Brutus: No harm done . I'll certainly keep at it!
They indeed do not bode well, but I now highly suspect the Rhodoks are up to something.

Bobsama: That's a good idea: making both with the Sarranids and Rhodoks nonaggression pacts while I attack the Nords. That would prefent them from stabbing me in the back, which would hurt a lot with everything concentrating on the Nords.

Gerard Mulder: First to answer you questions:
- I don't find anything, since I let those workshops buy their own silk and dyes.
- Yes, that's possible. If there's nothing in the workshop's inventory, they will buy the raw materials themselves (and always find them, in contrary to players wandering around). You can also make them stockpile their production and letting them sell it.

Currently I'm earning with all my fiefs and businesses 26,217 denars, while the costs are, mainly due to tax inefficiency, 20,743 denars, resulting in weekly net income of 5474 denars.

When I add the income from all my workshops, Khudan, the tariffs of Khudan and the first three villages in the list (just to make things easy), I would get 17561 denars. The current costs for my army in Khudan and around me, and the costs of my advisors, is 3702 denars, what would make a net result of 13859 denars per week (the numbers are not that readable on the image, I'm sorry). That's the result if I'll ditch many of my fiefs and keep my current business-structure (most faraway businesses buy and sell their own stuff, and the nearby ones I stockpile with raw iron while they sell their own tools).

If I then start to rebuild some workshops in more effective ventures, who will buy locally cheap raw materials and stockpile the resources until I can collect them, the weekly budget would be a lot lower, but because I could sell those end products for a greater profit, the unofficial bookkeeping would plus me a lot more. Let me see at what places I could build such effective workshops:
- Brewery. Labor costs: 50, raw material costs: 13. Total costs: 63. Places: Praven, Uxkhal. I can get for the ale: 320. Profit: 257
- Tanneries. Labor costs: 50, raw material costs: 402. Total costs: 452. Places: Reyvadin, Wercheg. I can get for the leatherwork: 840. Profit: 388
- Wine presses. Labor costs: 60, raw material costs: 232. Total costs: 292. Places: Ahmerrad, Bariyye, Durquba, Shariz, Veluca, Yalen. I can get for the wine: 640. Profit: 348
- Oil presses. Labor costs: 80, raw material costs: 360. Total costs: 440. Places: Ahmerrad, Suno, Veluca. I can get for the oil: 1100. Profit: 660
- Ironworks.  Labor costs: 60, raw material costs: 224. Total costs: 284. Places: Curaw, Dhirim, Ahmerrad. I can get for the tools: 900. Profit: 616
- Dyeworks. Labor costs: 160, raw material costs: 1318. Total costs: 1478. Places: Jelkala. I can get for the velvet: 2050. Profit: 732
- Wool weavery. Labor costs: 120, raw material costs: 118. Total costs: 238. Places: Ahmerrad, Bariyye, Durquba, Shariz, Tulga. I can get for the wool cloth: 700. Profit: 462
- Linen weavery. Labor costs: 120, raw material costs: 70. Total costs: 190. Places: Sargoth. I can get for the linen: 700. Profit: 510
As you can see, I have a choice in some cities. I made the options I'd choose bold.

Let's look at the current revenues in those cities and see if we can improve that:
- Ahmerrad. Current wine presses: 624. New oil press: 660. Difference: 36.
- Bariyye. Current dyeworks: 668. New wool weavery: 462. Difference: 206.
- Curaw. Current ironworks: 524. New ironworks: 616. Difference: 92.
- Dhirim. Current ironworks: 500. New ironworks: 616. Difference: 116.
- Durquba. Current dyeworks: 623. New wool weavery: 462. Difference: 161.
- Jelkala. Current tannery: 415. New dyeworks: 732. Difference: 317.
- Praven. Current dyeworks: 611. New brewery: 257. Difference: 354.
- Reyvadin. Current ironworks: 436. New tannery: 388. Difference: 48.
- Sargoth. Current dyeworks: 605. New linen weavery: 510. Difference: 95.
- Shariz. Current linen weavery: 628. New wool weavery: 462. Difference: 166.
- Suno. Current dyeworks: 622. New oil press: 660. Difference: 38.
- Tulga. Current ironworks: 594. New wool weavery: 462. Difference: 132.
- Uxkhal. Current dyeworks: 531. New brewery: 257. Difference: 274.
- Veluca. Current oil press: 612. New oil press: 660. Difference: 48.
- Wercheg. Current dyeworks: 606. New tannery: 388. Difference: 218.
- Yalen. Current dyeworks: 577. New wine press: 348. Difference: 229.
In case of the current ironworks, I already substracted the 200 denars for raw iron I'm now spending on keeping their supply full.
I could replace my workshops in Ahmerrad and Suno with oil presses, but I'm not sure if the extra work would be worth the little extra profit. I think I keep it the same.

This gives me the following businessplan:
- I should give all my villages except 3 away to other lords.
- I should stockpile the tools in Curaw and Dhirim and sell them at more profitable places.
- I should stockpile the oil in Veluca and sell it at more profitable places.
- I should replace the tannery in Jelkala with a dyeworks, stockpile the velvet and sell it somewhere more profitable.
The stockpiling option is actually overall a little bit disappointing , although it sounded very nice.

The exceeding arrow: Thanks! But I'm really turning into a monster after executing the businessplan .

Next thing you'll tell us you don't want to wage war anymore because it hurts business! You're becoming a bourgeois, Monnikje!

Actually, when the Dutch revolted against the Spanish, they sold weapons to their enemies and made a huge profit. After the rebellion ended in independance, the country entered a golden age of prosperity. Now I wonder where I can buy cheap weapons and sell them with a huge profit to the Nords .
Don't worry, war will come .

monnikje said:

Actually, when the Dutch revolted against the Spanish, they sold weapons to their enemies and made a huge profit. After the rebellion ended in independance, the country entered a golden age of prosperity. Now I wonder where I can buy cheap weapons and sell them with a huge profit to the Nords .
Don't worry, war will come .

Click to expand...

*cough*searaiders*cough*

Phoss said:

*cough*searaiders*cough*

Click to expand...

sound like a  businesplan!

Looking at your business plan there, where do those 'sell' prices come from? Over 2000 for Velvet, 348 for Ale etc. That's twice what I've ever been able to sell at! Same for the rest of it too.

Phoss & The exceeding arrow: You're right, they are a natural weapons resource .

Phoss: That's because the industry produces two of each end product per week. And two velvet is indeed 2000 denars .

Man, you're really into this business thing. Next, we'll have the Dutch East Calradia Company, then the Dutch West Calradia Company. Then we'll hear about the founding of the Holland Stock Exchange in Khudan and in a couple of weeks someone will say, "whatever happened to war with the Nords?" And we'll hear, "Its bad for business". LOL
Seriously, excellent chapter about the masters. I'm sure glad those guys are on your side, they are spooky looking.
And Congrats to the Oranje!!!

Monnikje brings "de gouden eeuw" to Calradia. 

Nice so far. Can you please tell me again how to "BUY land for profitable venture" i tried what you said and it didnt work.

Mrr.Phil said:

Nice so far. Can you please tell me again how to "BUY land for profitable venture" i tried what you said and it didnt work.

Click to expand...

All the info is right here:
http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,120860.0.html

monnikje said:

This gives me the following businessplan:
- I should give all my villages except 3 away to other lords.
- I should stockpile the tools in Curaw and Dhirim and sell them at more profitable places.
- I should stockpile the oil in Veluca and sell it at more profitable places.
- I should replace the tannery in Jelkala with a dyeworks, stockpile the velvet and sell it somewhere more profitable.
The stockpiling option is actually overall a little bit disappointing , although it sounded very nice.

Click to expand...

Looks like on average you are getting good prices foor your goods locally. Only velvet in Jelkala is a bit of an improvement, great thing with localized production of course is that you can switch to autosell when you are in a protracted war and still make a profit without doing any trading.
So together with your capital city you would have 5 fiefs and no inefficiencies.
Still sounds like a lot of work running around stockpiling and selling stuff... I hope you will be still able to add some old fashioned carnage to the mix

Gerard.

Monnikje,

I heard that the profits of businesses in towns you are at war with, are impounded by the enemy... Hope Floris is able to protect his business interests in Nord country... In fact I would not be surprised if the jealous Nords declare war jujst to seize his ventures...

Cheers,

Gerard

Sorry for my absence this weekend, but it were some very busy days. And not only because of my birthday yesterday (which I will celebrate next sunday, so expect next weekend to be a little quiet too). Anyway, I saw a chance to work on the next chapter, so expect it in a few minutes .

Lord Brutus: Well, the whole business started in the east of Calradia. And I do have a monopoly on the spice now that I've got Tulga. I only need to sell more slaves to Ramun and it's indeed a fact .
Thanks!

killer-blead: Absolutely! And the only reason the European Holland saw it a few hundred years later instead of the 13th century, was because Floris had his fun in Calradia .

Mrr.Phil: killer-blead has shown you the way . I hope you already found out how to activate it? Also, don't forget to upgrade to the latest patch.

Gerard Mulder: This are going slightly different, but war there will be. And those businesses impounded by the enemy are a bit disturbing, but all the more reason to quickly conquer their cities. no more impounding if I own the places.
The velvet production is overall very profitable, even if you let the industry alone. In most cases iron isn't that good if you leave it be. It can be a lot of running around, but well, once in a while I had to run a trade route anyway. So no real harm is done.

Dear Diary,

By the end of May I returned from a long trip through Calradia, starting business ventures in every city. Even though the trip was long and the investments high, it was well worth the effort. But could I improve my current profit even more? As soon as I entered the great hall, I called my loyal chamberlain Aubrey de Vere, my financial expert. Together we did some calculations, and came to the following conclusions:

- I should give away all my villages except three to new lords, to reduce the tax inefficiency. Apparently the workmasters are effected by the tax collectors, and are loosing much of my business profit.
- In Curaw, Dhirim and Veluca I should stockpile the end products instead of locally selling them: it would be better to sell them myself in some more profitable places.
- It would be better to replace the tannery in Jelkala by a dyeworks, stockpile the velvet and sell it elsewhere.

With these changes my business would reach its optimum. I was glad that both Deglan and Klargus were here too. Both have come to their senses, and left their services to the former Khergit khanate. I rewarded Klargus with the village of Dashbighar and Deglan with Bulugur. Hopefully more would follow soon. Before I could continue any of my other businesses, a messenger came bursting in the room. There was a small dispute between citizens of the Nord village of Ryibelet and the Hollandic village of Ruluns about some stream or something like that - nothing too important. But the discussion got out of hand, and the Nords killed some of my farmers, the messenger told me. Now the people of Holland are angry, and shout for repercussions. War must come.


A small incident gets out of hand. War is inevitable.

Immediately after hearing this news, I walked to constable Miles de Gloucester, to get the latest updates on my army. In total there were now 4363 soldiers garrisoned in 7 towns and 14 castles, and my lords had 2758 soldiers in the field. That's a total of 7121 soldiers. Only a year ago my total army had 2975 men: the country had surely grown in might. But the Nords shouldn't be underestimated. Together we made up a strategy for the coming campaign.

First I would send one of my companions to the Sarranids, and then to the Rhodoks: I would try to get a nonaggression pact with both. That way they wouldn't attack me in the back. After we had decided this, I send Lezalit immediately to the desert, to talk to sultan Hakim. He was the best persuader I had in my company. After he left, we looked further at our initial attack plan. I would gather all the lords as quickly as I could, and would start my conquest in Wercheg, their top north city. I would work my way south from there. That way they couldn't attack me in the back. If necessary, I would sacrifice my Swadian holdings in order to defeat them.

After we had discussed this, I ordered him to find more recruits and train them - I would need them. Then I set out into the open field, to search for my vassals and order them to come along with me, to create once again a huge marching army. Just after I rode out, Lezalit returned with good news: sultan Hakim agreed to have a nonaggression pact.


Lezalit was my loyal messenger who managed to convince sultan Hakim to conclude a nonaggression pact.

On my search for lords, I came across the city of Curaw, where I ordered the master smith to hold on to all the tools. Once I'd visit them again, I'll take them with me and sell for a better price than he can get. After I had arranged this, I rode back to Khudan, and send Lezalit once again out on a mission: this time to conclude a nonaggression pact with the Rhodoks. Unfortunately king Graveth apparently had other plans, and didn't want to bind himself to me with such a treaty. Well, then he also shouldn't complain if there are Rhodoks casualties to be seen in the upcoming war.

I rode through the Former Vaegir and Khergit lands, and spoke to all the lords I came across. In the end I had an army with 14 lords following me. I could ride to my Swadian holdings and search for every last of them, but that would take up too much of my time: already a week had passed. My preparations we ready. Before I was justified for war, I had to do one more thing: I send Lezalit to the Nords, and let him demand reprimands for the killing they had done in the village of Ruluns. As expected, they refused to acknowledge any of the demands.


Lezalit did his best, but the Nords just didn't listen.

There was no other option left. My army was ready, I had an agreement with the Sarranids and the Nords refused to listen to reason. So on the 8th of June I declared war on the kingdom of Nords, a move all of my lords appreciated. Those scumbacks would get what they deserve. Pah, killing innocent villagers... It is time I'd take over the scepter.


War!



*****
Gameplay notes
Here is a picture of Floris' current stats, even though they haven't changed a bit:


Here is the map of the current situation. As you can see, the only thing that has changed, is that I gave a few fiefs away. For the rest nothing has changed. But soon that will be different, for there will be brawl.

Now that will be an epic war! So, the next entry in floris diary will be D-Day? hehe 

Lol, with 14 lords following you, you should be unstoppable. I usually only get 2-3 to tag along when going for a city .

Have fun nord hunting! I have to crush the viagers now (all of their lords holed up in Rivacheg)

Liberty for the Dieworks in Wercheg!

For Pork and Chicken!

SimmiSumo: Well, I guess it's more a kind of operation Barbarossa, although I hope it will have a totally different outcome.

levache: It totally depends on how much the Nords manage to muster in one army. The Khergits did manage to gather most of their lords, making the battle pretty epic with almost 3000 men against each other. Thatś where my real worries lie: the opposition they will pose.

Mrr.Phil: Thanks! how did it go against the Vaegir? Did they fall?
I first read 'I have to crush the viagra now', but quickly saw my mistake.

Gerard Mulder: For Pork and Chicken! We want Wercheg, and that's where we'll go.

I know already that I won make it tomorrow with the next chapter, but I hope to have it Friday there.