Attacking a nation just because you can is not unrealistic. However, attacking without providing proper cause is. So, even as we seek to advance our position, and take advantage of a weaker state, we must take the time to find a casus belli and RP the events properly to lead to war.
The complicated balance between the above-mentioned element and the casting of various events and scenarios is what makes role playing a fine art.
What is the natural course of a game?
The natural course of the game assumes that you will act as a rational player and play to advance your own position, or at least maintain the balance of power, so that no player gains too much power and becomes dominant. In this condition, the actions of the players, as they wrestle for control, for the most case using diplomatic and economic means, the occasional subterfuge and the rare war, which are all means and extensions of state policy (i.e., state functions) , will create tensions and continue to fuel the RP, by providing events and scenarios which will lead to more events, in a self-sustaining manner, until such day when the number of players in the game gets reduced to the extent that there are only a few and more or less equal superpowers remaining, who are in a state of stalemate, and cannot continue the game further without RP, or such a state where the game finishes by one player reaching the victory condition.
How to represent adequately and with reasonable limits of realism?
Adequate realism, conforming to both the games requirements and the standards of the role-playing community is something of a balancing act. It requires practice, and patience. The first and most important thing is to understand that things can go wrong and be ready to make changes to meet the demands of others. At the same time, don't let others change your intrinsic style. Your choices should be your own.
Reasonable levels of realism mean that you should RP any event you may create, or influence, or otherwise interact with, and any communication you may engage in, with a likeness to the real-world interactions between nations. However, you need not go to great troubles to make it in depth.
Example: While in real life, there may be many bureaucratic works intervening between two heads of state as they establish contact, you may play it as two characters establishing direct contact. However, realistic titles and signatures to the correspondence would be appreciated.
Example: Most games use a time scale, like 1 game day being 1 month. In such games, if you are to date your articles, or your events (ex: declaring a time bound ultimatum) then you would have to keep note of the time scale used.
What is the balance of power?
In this game, strategically, every nation stands an equal chance to win. The resource distributions and locations might be different, but every nation can win according to the circumstances of the game.
In this game, whether you are playing an alliance game, individual game, role playing game, or any other version of it, your first intent should be in keeping the balance of power as it is, i.e., making sure that the balance of power does not shift in favor of any one or more players. If all it does, it should shift in your favor, not that of anyone else.
The basic idea of making yourself more powerful is in securing enough of all resources to make sure you can build up and progress. This must be so even more in an RP, where you are not allowed to wage endless wars and attack without proper reason, as it will destroy popular opinion and support for you and will make more players opposed to you, as your aggressive attempts to shift the balance of power in your favor may be seen as dangerous to others.
Similarly, when another player makes a gain, territorial, economic, political or diplomatic, you should work to neutralize this gain. If a nation has won over another in a war, allowing them to take over the whole of the conquered territory will not benefit you. You must attempt to minimize his gains as much as possible, by supporting a peaceful and equal solution, that would involve only a bare minimum of gains to the winner, and a bare minimum of losses to the vanquished. And an alliance should be countered by forming one of your own or making favorable acquaintance with the allies.
You must also avoid long wars and must try to make others stop prolonged conflict by using your diplomacy or ultimately, your own military intervention. This is because a war will eliminate one of more military powers, players on the geo-political playing field, which will tend to cast another power as dominant.
Playing with the balance of power in mind is important as, combined with good RPing, this will make for a game which lasts as players introduce checks and balances to neutralize each other, as well as providing enough tension and RP material, fueling events and scenarios to keep the game interesting. Remember, the real balance of power is not indicated by the DE points.
This, so far, describes the game as understood by the Old Guard and Leadership of The Roleplayers Union as well as any experienced players of the Role Playing Community. It is also the style that has generated games with the most interest and longest life.
But there are other things that set this community apart from the more informal players. Prominent among these other features are a "Code of Honor" and a "Game Limiting/Scheduling System", as well as an equal acceptance of classical, non-scenario-based games and other, more fashioned, scenario based games.
Codex Immortalis (Code of Honor)
This is the commonly accepted standards of behavior that are expected of you when you become a part of the community. Every respectable, responsible member of the roleplaying community is expected to stay true to this Code.
1. No Gold usage.
2. Respectful behavior, on the forum, on the community site, and in any discussions pertaining to the community
3. Proper usage of role-playing techniques in games. Avoid land grabbing, and understand and respect the fact that we are playing more for enjoyment than victory.
4. Use discretion in joining games; play to your strengths, as the enjoyment of others is also in your hands. Join only games that you will be able to play well in, and not all the games you would like to. Develop your knowledge and style before engaging in wider varieties, to make the gaming experience much richer for everyone
5. Launch games judiciously. This is the basis of the limiting system and will be explained in detail later.
6. Devote appropriate time to each game. Use all available resources to make your character and plot as realistic as possible. Make the historic founding as reliable as possible. Respect the commitment of others to the game by showing your commitment to be equal to theirs
7. Cooperate with your fellow role players, the EN Forum Staff, and all Call of War Staff and membership. The growth of the community requires that we put aside differences and work to overcome prejudices.
The Code is a general guideline for behavior in the community, and cannot be, and will not be, enforced. However, those who do not abide by this code, as and when reasonably possible, will not be considered as part of this community, and specifically, this faction of more stringent, formal and 'old school' gamers.
It is our belief that this code will only do good for the whole community, and it is with the greatest of regret that we are outlining this code of honor for the entire community as a protocol of operation for a 'faction'. However, in the hope that it will be accepted by practice, we are moving ahead to enforce these protocols amongst those who will accept and abide by these very general of guidelines, that will be most leniently enforced.
thank you for your time and consideration in reading part or all of this. I plan to create a new RP round soon and this will be a good gauge of activity.
