On advice from another thread, I'm running a campaign (so far) as a merc, doing "catch-and-release" on enemies I beat. Each iteration improves relations by 6 or 7 points, and each warband in a clan adds to the clan relations - so you can cream a guy, move on down the road, cream his brother, then his sister, and all three of them are at the same level of loving you.
So I have clans with +60 relations I've never run an errand for. Never saved their lives by showing up to share in a foregone victory. Heck, I'll meet a lord for the first time, and he/she is grinning his/her face off because he/she knows I am their clan's best friend, even before they know who I am!
I regularly end my merc contract and move on to another kingdom, so I can spread my happiness to their enemies too. Now I'm the most popular guy in Calradia because all I do is beat the pants off anyone I meet, and then let 'em go. (I keep my horses limber enough to escape parties I couldn't beat.)
Personally - I would feel absolute hatred for some upstart merc who has beaten me several times, stripped me of all my men and gear & wounded me in the left side (always!) each time. But M&B is a strange community. The lords LIKE to be beat up and have to start over.
... Does anyone else find this a strange way to run a continent?
Still, it's nice to have a straightforward way to build good will. I'm sure it will pay dividends later.
So I have clans with +60 relations I've never run an errand for. Never saved their lives by showing up to share in a foregone victory. Heck, I'll meet a lord for the first time, and he/she is grinning his/her face off because he/she knows I am their clan's best friend, even before they know who I am!
I regularly end my merc contract and move on to another kingdom, so I can spread my happiness to their enemies too. Now I'm the most popular guy in Calradia because all I do is beat the pants off anyone I meet, and then let 'em go. (I keep my horses limber enough to escape parties I couldn't beat.)
Personally - I would feel absolute hatred for some upstart merc who has beaten me several times, stripped me of all my men and gear & wounded me in the left side (always!) each time. But M&B is a strange community. The lords LIKE to be beat up and have to start over.
... Does anyone else find this a strange way to run a continent?
Still, it's nice to have a straightforward way to build good will. I'm sure it will pay dividends later.