Fortifications Update!
On (hopefully!) the last update for Turn 1, to keep track of major or famous military fortifications built to defend the player’s kingdoms, I’m introducing the Fortifications Update! A small tab at the top of your Council of War section will keep track of the major individual fortresses and citadels built by your kingdom, as well as region wide defenses incorporating multiple forts or walls. Keep in mind this represents only the major and particularly notable fortifications, not exhaustively listing all forts and walled settlements in your realm. Each major fortification will have a maximum garrison number listed next to it in brackets (example: Veligrad [3,000]), showing how many it can hold in its defense, which you can assign either troops from the Armed Levy and Retinue to garrison, but NOT from the Total Levy. Likewise, this does not represent the static local garrisons and town guard that may defend other unlisted settlements or minor forts in your realm, which are not represented in the available Total Levy at your disposal as the central ruler.
The costs of constructing a major fortification, as with all things, is a variable investment, with factors such as terrain (hill, mountain, desert, etc. that may make construction more difficult), distance from your center of power, availability of labor, etc. which may solicit you to invest more than the base cost. In general, however, for a rough guide of expenses, the intended maximum size of the garrison will be a 1:1 cost in silver: a fort with a garrison of 600 will have a base cost of 600 silver to build, to put it simply. Construction materials will amplify this cost: a wooden wall, earthwork, or stockade multiplies by x1, a brick-and-mortar or baked mud-brick wall by x2, a dressed-stone wall by x3, and a concentric double wall by x4.
To be clear the maximum garrison simply represents the total number it can hold: you must assign troops from your Armed Levy or Retinue to staff and defend it! These garrisons are not permanent, however, and can be moved at your command at will based on your priorities and strategic needs towards offense or defense. I am attaching a list of famous or well-known fortifications known to the merchants traveling the trade routes of the world for your consideration among the Trade Rumors in the Marketplace. If you feel like your country has a particularly notable fortification that I missed, let me know by Discord or PM and I can consider adding it to the list!
Lastly, Siege Engines and Implements will be introduced to the game to tackle these fortifications and the walls of lesser obstacles! The full variety will be player restricted by culture and relative advancement, but they can be built with the aid of foreign engineers lent on a case by case basis by more advanced cultures. Siege engines are built on a single use basis per siege/battle, as most are constructed on site for aid in breaching the walls or softening the enemy: most can be mounted on ships as well. Some siege engines or units are more permanent, however, and thus in the spirit of the Fortification Update have duly been added to some players’ cards! The prices for the Siege Engines and Implements are listed below, and will be added beneath the Ship Cards on your CCs!
Siege Engines and Implements:
Grappling Irons: 5 Silver per Implement
Ladders: 10 Silver per Ladder
Battering Rams: 50 Silver per Ram
Ballista: 100 Silver per Ballista
Catapults: 125 Silver per Catapult
Sapping Tunnel: 150 Silver per Tunnel
Manjaniq (Trebuchet): 175 Silver per Trebuchet
Siege Towers: 200 Silver per Tower
