Here are the changes that are in place for Fracas IV, just so that you know what you're getting into when you sign up ;)
There are a large number of things that I've changed for this game, most of them intended to make play quicker and easier, with less micro- management and stuffing around with piddly things. I've given letter codes to each of the changes, so that you know (roughly) why I've made the change:
F Faster startup
M Min-maxing
X Misfeature
C Dunno, just seemed cool...
Alright, here goes:
I'm using Jan's new economy code, which seems to be working now. This means that buildings and stuff will attract people to your regions, and congregate into cities. I think ... this is still beta code, but I like to live life dangerously. Muahaha! (C)
Zero weight items have been restored. Silver now weighs 0, instead of 2500 silver weighing 1 (M)
Start money is 10000, plus 500 per turn past the first. You also start with an army of semi-skilled units, rather than just one leader. (F)
Disabled the following items and races, because they don't add anything to the game: (M)
I've also simplified the races significantly, which means that I've also disabled: (M)
While simplifying the races, I've also added Centaurs, a race with built-in riding ability, and Goblins, a cheap race that aren't good for much :) Some races are now better than others, and cost more (eg. high elves, dwarves, centaurs) (C)
I've also switched off tundra. Stupid terrain. (M)
Turned down the fear on skeletons to level 1. Hopefully this won't burn quite so many people when starting up. (X)
Disabled all of the trade items, except for six: (F, M)
Flying units no longer drown when ending their turn over water. (X, M)
No underworld or underdeep (M)
Tweaked the land generation to give some islands, and a greater chance of 'odd' one-off terrain types. (F,C)
Reduced the chance of towns forming next to each other. This should make it harder to form a big defensive position. (X,C)
Decreased the effect of terrain on the economy of towns and cities. ie. cities in the swamp, jungle, forest, etc. should now be a bit better. They're still not as good as plains cities, but you can't have everything ;) (F,C)
Reduced the chance of cities close to the arctic/antarctic circles (C)
Switched on the mage limits in buildings (X, since according to the rules and common sense they should be)
Turned on in-transit reports, to make scouting easier. You basically get a full report on hexes, but without using any of your skills (eg. OBSE, MINI, etc.). (F,M)
Switched on proportional AMTS usage - if you try and assassinate a unit with more men than AMTS, you now have a chance of pinging one of the AMTS guys and failing (you used to automatically pick one of the non-AMTS guys. (X,C)
Switched the monster control checks to mid-turn, to stop players loading up 'Balrog Missiles' (X)
Monsters (ie. Trolls) now regenerate in battle (forgot to switch regen on in rules.cpp) (X,C)
All of the changes from previous versions of Fracas still apply:
I've disabled the Find command, for those factions who wish to play anonymously.
Noaid has been changed - you won't draw allies into combat if you're set to noaid 1, even if they're in the same hex.
Cheaper roads (40 stone).
Defensive buildings are tougher.
Monsters have been played around with, and are generally tougher. You have been warned :> No really, you really have been warned now. Any whinging because you tried to take on a Lich with a mere 50 crossbowmen will be ignored. Or posted into the times.
Level 5 Tacticians are limited by the number of points that you spend on war, in a similar way to Mages and Quartermasters.
There's a small chance that you'll find good resources (eg. YEW, MITH) in desert, jungle and swamp regions.
Balrogs are much wussier, but still worthwhile.
Monster harvesting has been switched off.
Assassins only get one free attack.
IMTH is less of a waste of Mithril.
Hills are switched on.