After taking a short walk, Darius stood before his City Core once again, this time he was studying a grey crystal orb in his hand. It was the last moment before he irrevocably specialized his Settlement in conducting war. He knew he’d made the decision to use it and focus his efforts on building up his defenses, but he still had niggling doubts about what such a choice would do to him. It seemed like every time he turned around; he was being pushed into more conflict and on a bigger scale. He worried that eventually he might turn into one of those tyrants that conquered nations and held everyone down under the sole of his boot.
The System seemed to thrive on conflict and force everyone into a position where they would have absolute rule over everyone else. Just look at the whole feudal Settlement system. He knew that once he upgraded Zuri from a simple hamlet to a village, he would gain the title of Earl, a lord according to the System, and then he would be able to create more settlements that fell beneath his authority. He knew the choice had been made already, and if he wanted his people to be kept as safe as possible, he didn’t have much of an alternative. With a heavy heart, he touched the smaller crystal orb to his City Core.
You have activated a Settlement Specialization Core: Military.
The Settlement Specialization Core allows your settlement to focus on a specific development path, granting unique benefits and altering future upgrade requirements. The Military specialization strengthens defenses, fortifies structures, and enhances your settlement's capacity for warfare.
This specialization will transform your Hamlet into a defensible stronghold with the following immediate effects:
* Training Camp: A free Training Camp will be constructed, offering a space for training defenders and honing combat skills.
* Structural Reinforcement: All buildings constructed with basic materials (such as adobe bricks and wood) will be upgraded to resilient stone with durable slate rooftops, significantly reducing fire risk and enhancing structural durability.
* Fortification of Walls: The existing walls will be expanded by 50% in height and area, providing a more formidable barrier against external threats.
* Upgrade Requirements Altered: To upgrade from Hamlet to Village, the following new requirements must be met:
* Administrative Building Rank 2
* Lord's Manor Rank 1
* Workshop Rank 1
* Stored Food Supplies sufficient to feed 21 people for 3 months (1800 units of food)
Warning: This decision will lock your settlement into a military-focused specialization, affecting future development and growth paths and cannot be changed without demolishing the existing Settlement and beginning anew.
Do you wish to continue with Specializing your Hamlet for Military?
Y/N
Darius was surprised at the amount of changes his home would undergo with the use of the core. He’d expected the training ground building and what not, but not the entire upgrading of everything he’d built to date. He paused for a moment, considering what he should do. He realized there was a golden opportunity Infront of him. If he were to construct a bunch of buildings using the adobe or wood, they would get the automatic upgrade. By the looks of it, with the three thousand units of food supplies that came in the War chest, the Hamlet would automatically upgrade to a village as soon as the transformation ended.
“I have just under thirteen hundred war points. I could get a blueprint or two, and still have enough to get a few sets of equipment for my future soldiers…how much were they again?” Darius minimized the specialization prompt and pulled up the war store. “Okay, the armor sets range from fifty points for five sets of Leather, to two hundred points for full plate armor. So that would be like having knights running around defending the Settlement. What’s a happy medium? Both chain-mail and scale-mail are a hundred points per set of five? What’s scale-mail?”
Scale-Mail Armor Set x5
* Cost: 100 War Points
* Quality: Excellent
* Rarity: Uncommon
* Durability: 39/39
* Defense: 26
* Weight: 35 lbs
Description:
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The Scale-Mail Armor Set is a robust and well-crafted defensive ensemble designed for warriors who need a balance between protection and mobility. Made from overlapping metal scales sewn onto a sturdy leather backing, this armor offers excellent defense without the full encumbrance of heavier plate armor.
Features:
* Medium Armor Movement Penalty: Each piece of the Scale-Mail set slightly reduces movement speed, with a penalty of -3% per equipped piece (6 pieces = -18% total movement speed).
* Full Armor Set Bonus: When the full Scale-Mail set is worn, the total defense rating receives a +10% boost, making it an even more formidable protective gear. Additionally, the movement penalty is reduced by 50%, allowing greater mobility in battle.
Usage:
This armor set is ideal for warriors who value a mix of defense and agility. It’s particularly effective for those who need to stay light on their feet while still maintaining a solid defense against physical attacks.
Durability:
With a durability of 39/39, this armor is built to last through numerous battles, providing reliable protection against the rigors of combat.
Note:
The Scale-Mail Armor Set is designed for medium armor wearers, offering a tactical advantage in combat scenarios where both protection and mobility are critical.
Darius then compared it to chain-mail.
Chain-Mail Armor Set x5
* Cost: 100 War Points
* Quality: Excellent
* Rarity: Uncommon
* Durability: 39/39
* Defense: 33
* Weight: 45 lbs.
Description:
The Chain-Mail Armor Set is a dependable and well-engineered suit of armor, crafted from interlocking metal rings that form a flexible yet formidable barrier against physical attacks. This armor strikes a balance between the comprehensive protection of heavy armor and the flexibility needed for effective combat maneuvering.
Features:
* Heavy Armor Movement Penalty: Each piece of the Chain-Mail set imposes a -5% movement speed penalty, reflecting the heavier nature of this armor (5 pieces = -25% total movement speed).
* Full Armor Set Bonus: When the entire Chain-Mail set is worn, the defense rating is enhanced by +10%, further reinforcing the wearer's protection. Additionally, the movement penalty is reduced by 25%, allowing for better mobility while fully armored.
Usage:
This armor set is ideal for combatants who require maximum protection without fully sacrificing mobility. It’s especially suited for those who engage in prolonged or intense battles where durability and defense are paramount.
Durability:
With a durability of 39/39, the Chain-Mail Armor Set is built to withstand significant wear and tear, offering long-lasting protection even in the most challenging combat situations.
Note:
The Chain-Mail Armor Set is designed for heavy armor users who prioritize defense but still need a degree of flexibility. It’s perfect for front-line warriors who need to absorb damage while maintaining a solid defensive stance in the heat of battle.
“So, chain-mail is heavier, and provides a little more defense, but at the cost of an even higher speed penalty. Well, if they both cost the same, and the Defense difference is only seven points, I might as well go for the scale-mail. With that quality, if I remember right, then Ethan should be able to put some pretty good enchantments on them. So, I can have up to ten soldiers and one corporal at Tier 1, but it will upgrade to Tier two as soon as I finish everything. If I remember right, that will give me up to thirty soldiers, three corporals, and… right, one sergeant. That means I would need to buy it at least… five, ten… seven times. That’s seven hundred War points. That would leave me with only five hundred eighty-nine war points left. What can I get for that?” Darius then backed out of the armor section and went to the blueprints.
“I know I need a Communication Tower. A basic one is only one hundred fifty war points and can boost comm range up to seventy-five miles. What else? We don’t have a blacksmith’s forge yet. That’s only three hundred points for a rank two building. If I get that, then… the only other blueprint I can afford is the medical tent.” Darius took a moment to go over its bonuses and came away satisfied. “Okay, that gives some good healing bonuses. I don’t think the forge would be upgraded, since it already requires stone, but the healing tent is made of cloth and wood, so it should get upgraded, the comm tower probably wouldn’t, so I could build the Healing Tent, we can take it down after the upgrade and pack it away for when we need it… or just leave it up for if people around here get hurt. I could always build another one later to take along to any big campaigns we need to make.” With that plan firmly set in his mind, he went ahead and bought the three blueprints and the seven sets of armor for his soon to be soldiers. With only thirty-nine war points left, he closed that window and looked at the map of Zuri, trying to visualize the changes it would undergo and what he could do to maximize the benefits.
“With the walls being pushed out, I don’t have to worry about keeping that area clear for a central courtyard. I can also move the wall the garage is set up on too, once everything is finished. That means I can fit two more rows of huts, giving us an extra twenty rooms for people to live in. I’m going to lose the housing discount too, now that I think about it. So if I don’t build them now, it will cost me a shit tome more later.”