Mongoose "Empire" book?

[g33k]

How has @Loz' old volume stood the test of time?

My daughter just called saying her FLGS has a bunch of old Mongoose stuff at 50% off...

 

[soltakss]

It stands the test of time very well.

You can use all of it with Mythras, with no need for adapting.

Buy! Buy! Buy!

[g33k]

14 minutes ago, soltakss said:

It stands the test of time very well.

You can use all of it with Mythras, with no need for adapting.

Buy! Buy! Buy!

TYVM.

She describes it as essentially devoid of system specificity -- equally adaptable to the MRQII whose era it was in, as to D&D3.x/d20 -- whose era it was ALSO in...

From her description, I was almost reminded of Harn.

 

[lawrence.whitaker]

I think it depends which version. There was the MRQ1 version, which focuses on Empires exclusively, or the MRQII version, which contains an overhauled combat system for warring states, and folds into it the rules for factions. It's the better of the two.

Edited September 8, 2018 by lawrence.whitaker

[g33k]

46 minutes ago, lawrence.whitaker said:

I think it depends which version. There was the MRQ1 version, which focuses on Empires exclusively, or the MRQII version, which contains an overhauled combat system for warring states, and folds into it the rules for factions. It's the better of the two.

it's The Man himself!  Thank you for jumping in!

My quick Google hadn't seen that there were 2 ed's of this volume.  How do we tell them apart?  Cover art?  Crack the book and look for publication date?  Or ... ?

 

[lawrence.whitaker]

The MRQII book is (or should be) clearly labelled MRQII. They MRQ1 version has the convoluted red and black cover with the garish 'RuneQuest' logo.

[Prime Evil]

The MRQII Empires book is one of the best releases for that product line. The idea of treating realms and organisations like characters was clever and could be developed a lot further.

The MRQ I version has some poor editing and is inferior to the revision.

 

[g33k]

19 hours ago, lawrence.whitaker said:

The MRQII book is (or should be) clearly labelled MRQII. They MRQ1 version has the convoluted red and black cover with the garish 'RuneQuest' logo.

Google image-search is... full of spurious results.  Let me see if I've got a handle on this... 

MRQII "trade dress" is brown faux leather with "RuneQuest II" across the top, and a large rune (or other iconic/silhouette image, eg crossed bearded-axe heads on Vikings)?

MRQI has a arcs of "runestones" running across the cover, and a circle holding a similar rune/icon image?

[lawrence.whitaker]

12 minutes ago, g33k said:

Google image-search is... full of spurious results.  Let me see if I've got a handle on this... 

MRQII "trade dress" is brown faux leather with "RuneQuest II" across the top, and a large rune (or other iconic/silhouette image, eg crossed bearded-axe heads on Vikings)?

MRQI has a arcs of "runestones" running across the cover, and a circle holding a similar rune/icon image?

Correct.

[g33k]

19 hours ago, lawrence.whitaker said:

Correct.

Once again - TYVM!  I've passed along the info, and it seems to be the MRQII version, so I suspect she'll grab it.

I've explained the (MRQ1)/MRQII/Legend/RQ6/Mythras relationship if she wants to grab a ruleset to match...

 

[VonKatzen]

I have had this book for years and I really like it for sketching out the relationships between empires.

How well would this book interface with Ships & Shield Walls?

Anyway, now that I was reminded of this book I will retreat to my dungeon for the statistics of mid-republican Rome, imploding Carthage, and the Seleucid Empire.

Edited November 2, 2018 by VonKatzen

[lawrence.whitaker]

1 hour ago, VonKatzen said:

How well would this book interface with Ships & Shield Walls?

While the underlying mechanics are similar, they are designed to handle things at very different scales. 

[Prime Evil]

45 minutes ago, lawrence.whitaker said:

While the underlying mechanics are similar, they are designed to handle things at very different scales. 

Has anyone done any mechanics at an intermediate scale of small domain management?

I'm wondering if anyone has produced detailed rules for building a stronghold, ruling a frontier barony, engaging in regional trade, developing local communities, etc.

I think one of the MRQI books touched on this, but it wasn't in much detail...

[lawrence.whitaker]

Empires will handle it at the domain level.

If you're looking for something Feudal/medieval, there are a couple of very good Pendragon supplements that also work well.

[VonKatzen]

I can definitely second that, I have a couple of ratty old Pendragon books about Lordly Domains that is absolutely awesome for the purposes.

Many 'domain management' systems have mechanics which are not actually integrated with the core rules of the game and can be transplanted. For example, you could use the Darkest Dungeons (a free OSR game, physical copy $10) with just about any medieval/fantasy game; if you're more simulationist then HARN is an excellent source.

GURPS has a couple of supplements called Social Engineering that can be used to define organizations and their strengths, but it is premised on the overall GURPS mechanics.