Resources Questions (and Factions)

[Poppyseed45]

So, as written earlier here, I am gearing up for a BW game in the near future, and the players will be a merchant family trying to revive their fortunes. This obviously means Resources will be used a lot, and I thought that after the first session or two, Faction rules as well (as they vie for power).

I have a bunch of question:

1. For this sort of game, I assume Resource Cycle should be 1/2 year or one year, right?

2. If so, obviously players will have Taxed Resources at some point and will need to Get a Job. If so, then, that character is out for six months or a year as they work? What do other players do?

3. Linked to the above. Is there anyway to use Cash or Fund dice to replenish Taxed Resources? Like, cash dice at 4 to 1 and Fund dice at 3 to 1 or something like that (or is the only way to increase the Resources exponent is to use Resources normally and advance it like a skill, even if it’s Taxed?).

4. As I understand it, to start a Faction (their family/company) the players will need to create Fund dice; how much of a fund equals that first 1D faction dice? 10D (books mentions amounts can be 10 or more dice; is that the floor)?

5. How do Factions advance? Based on Fund amount (if so, when does it move from 1D to 2D? At 20D Fund? More?). Or is it through “roleplay” (which means, whenever the GM and players think so)?

6. It feels like, with Factions making rolls once or twice at the end of the year, there’s going to be a lot of time passing. I assume players can “push things along” if they proactively do things rather than wait for the company roll (for example, could they go and in a few weeks negotiate a contract with a mercenary company, and then have that as forces to attack a rival)?

I think that’s a good start. I may have more! Please help!

[Gnosego (Quincy)]

@Poppyseed45

For this sort of game, I assume Resource Cycle should be 1/2 year or one year, right?

Not necessarily. I get the impression that you’re thinking that because the most concrete time to bring in a Faction Phase is after a year passes in game, but it can also happen anytime the characters get downtime. So if the goal is to encourage players to spend a long time working a job so you can get more Faction Phases in, I feel I should point out that you can do a Faction Phase anytime they Get a Job! or have similar downtime.

I also kind of think that the Faction Phase works best as a gear turning in the background, while the characters are in the limelights up front.

2

@Poppyseed45

If so, obviously players will have Taxed Resources at some point and will need to Get a Job. If so, then, that character is out for six months or a year as they work? What do other players do?

Practice! Probably. Or recover from wounds, or learn spells, or research something. Build a house. Anything that takes a long time. And practice!

3.a.

@Poppyseed45

Linked to the above. Is there anyway to use Cash or Fund dice to replenish Taxed Resources?

Nope. You can use funds to pretend you ain’t broke, but the only way to get unbroke is to Get a Job!.

3.b.

@Poppyseed45

(or is the only way to increase the Resources exponent is to use Resources normally and advance it like a skill, even if it’s Taxed?).

(Yup! Well, or Title on page 374, BWGR.)

4.a.

[quote=“Poppyseed45, post:1, topic:24587”]
As I understand it, to start a Faction (their family/company) the players will need to create Fund dice;[/quote]

This is incorrect; there’s nothing about such a requirement under Forming a Faction (115 ANTH). A fund is a nice thing to have, and Factions often have one (or more), but funds are not integral to a Faction’s being.

4.b.

@Poppyseed45

how much of a fund equals that first 1D faction dice?

None. Influence is independent of funds. The king can be broke; he still wields a lot of power. A local religion can be super rich, but wield little influence.

In character burning, you determine a Faction’s Influence by how many rps a player spent on it; check the affiliation costs pages 94 and 95 (BWGR). Check the Types of Factions on page 110 (ANTH), pick the type that best fits the business concept, and constrain affiliation purchases to that option.

In play, look at the collection of people that have been united (cohesively) behind the Faction’s Doctrine, then pick the Type of Faction that best suits that group. (Would be my suggestion).

4.c.

@Poppyseed45

• 10D (books mentions amounts can be 10 or more dice; is that the floor)?

No. 10, 15, 20 are common sizes. Use the standard fund generation rules, and generate whatever size fund you desire(/can afford).

@Poppyseed45

How do Factions advance?

Dunno! It’s not via getting a better fund (see above).
I would write a Belief about taking my local family business (1D) and making it a regional trade guild (or something) (2D), and then I would play toward accomplishing that goal. Then, if I did, it would.

@Poppyseed45

It feels like, with Factions making rolls once or twice at the end of the year, there’s going to be a lot of time passing.

How many trait votes do you expect to have in a year of game time? Each one can activate a Faction Phase. How much downtime?

@Poppyseed45

I assume players can “push things along” if they proactively do things rather than wait for the company roll (for example, could they go and in a few weeks negotiate a contract with a mercenary company, and then have that as forces to attack a rival)?

Heh. I might call this “playing the game,” but yeah. Like I say, I think Factions are cool as a background element – a structure for your big picture movement. Players dealing with a merc captain to arrange a raid on a rival’s territory, that’s cool foreground stuff. (And maybe Interference.)

[Poppyseed45]

Lots of cool thoughts and ideas here, thank you! I might comment specifically later (on the way to work now) but plenty of food for thought. And a lot of it (not typing the Faction to the Fund size, for example) makes certain things easier.

[silverwizard]

Factions are generally Affiliations as far as I know, so if I was leveling them up, I would have the Resources test be required. This means you’re generally working with largish resources tests to get larger, beyond making the opportunity, gotta make sure those pieces are available.

Also - remember you can make Getting A Job go faster. If you have a 6 month resources cycle, using the new Anthology timing rules, each extra success takes a month off the time required for your job. This can be incredibly valuable.

[Poppyseed45]

Ah, that’s true! The new timing stuff! Yes, that could make this easier.