Maxim I

We Eslandolans don't evaluate forts based on their cost/profit value, but more on their cost/prestige value. I don't want to be the mayor of a settlement with a meager small fort I would not dare to show up at the fancy parties... They would all talk behind my back, stating that I am a poor guy... Now I think about it, time to make a royal fortress for Trador

Right now, Eslandolan players and companies are sitting on a cash mount of 220k. 2% gives 4400 db's. I do prefer 1% then Otherwise, Eslandola will have to tax itself for becoming too rich... Not only that, but for those having 20k in their account, 400 a turn is a lot if they want to stay competitive with members of other factions. Reducing to 1% makes it 200 (the amount I proposed) I agree that your system (but then only 1%) is easier to maintain. Only flaw: some people have an account in the BoC

Not entirely true as my royal property is being transferred to MAESTRO (since only trade companies, settlements and factions will be able to own those). So that means I'll have an income of 320 a month

My reasoning is the following: If we need to make sure Eslandola gains let's say 1500 db's a month in property income, the following needs to be built: 10 royal properties 100 Large properties Given that we are with 8 active members right now (trade companies can not build something in real life), that would mean that every member has to build around 13 large properties. Not everyone is able to produce 3 large properties each turn, so this will take more than 12 turns to achieve. Given the current deficit of Eslandola, we would lose half the current funds by then. Another option is building two class 8 trade vessels for the nation of Eslandola. But honestly, having built one already (Gotheborg), I prefer to keep it for myself... Not for the income, but more for the prestige and the play-factor in this game. Not forgetting that vessels come with an upkeep, and given the size of the fleet of Eslandola, this will be a lot. In the end, I prefer the activation of players. A class 4 trader makes already 300 db's a turn. So if everyone makes (or buy from another player) a class 4 trader, licences it and makes it sail, the taxes are already paid back. The 13 large properties they would have made for Eslandola can be licenced in their name, granting an extra 180 db's a turn for those players. After all, this game is mostly focused on building (pirate) vessels. And the more vessels, the more interesting for actual pirate vessels. The Oleon system, (tax on income) is good as well and fair for everyone, but we are Eslandola and the Oleon system would be too much of a forced tax. The more the players earn, the richer the nation (the horror!). My proposal is more of a contribution to Eslandola, giving the Council members power to discuss the numbers every now and then (so we don't make Eslandola too rich). As it will be paid by active members, members being inactive won't feel it. A tax on wealth is a no go for me. It is not because my attention the past years was solely on BoBS and not on other stuff as well (like GoH), I should be punished more now by seeing 2% of my wealth gone every turn. For me that would be 400 db's a turn, for Elos even 1000 db's a turn. And again, I am against fixed taxes that generate an unlimited income for the nation Ofcourse, Gedren for example would be safe for this contribution for at least 7 turns, since he transferred already 1500 db's to Eslandolan's treasure chest.

Mayor's ofice, Trador: Word reached Sir Yohannes Ethiximus about his proposal not being suited for young Eslandolans. It is true that a fresh new adventurer doesn't have the income to pay the taxes. And what about Eslandolans that are not so active at the moment? Sir Yohannes Ethiximus looked once again at his copy of the King's Port Advertiser. 7 Eslandolans and 2 entities made it into the papers last turn. One only sent a small vessel, another one lost a vessel. But all others made at least 500 db's last turn. Not counting land based income! 200 db's may seem a lot, but it gives everyone the freedom to increase their wealth as they want. Instead of building for Eslandola, they can build and expand their own income! Just like many other prominent Eslandolans, Sir Yohannes Ethiximus (and he was sure Lord Maximilian Damaximus was on the same page on this one), is against faction owned properties and trade ships. The stronger the TC's, the better for Eslandola (or at least his own purse). But for new players, 200 db's a turn would be killing their future. So why not giving them a year "free of taxation" welcome bonus? And after the first year, they got a "only 100 db's tax reduction!" year. After 2 years they should be able to pay the 200 db tax. And ofcourse, based on a months revenues, one can ask a pardon to skip that month. If one only earns 100 db's, paying 200 db's would be harsh. For last month, Eslandola would have earned 1400 db's (7 active Eslandolans that made more than 400 db's by trade). MAESTRO is interested in taking over the forts of Trador and Elysabethtown, which cuts expenses for Eslandola by 300 db's a turn. Checking the results of the KPA a last time, he noticed how out of the 9 entities being mentioned, 4 of them are MAESTRO and its members. Even with the Gotheborg not sailing out last turn, the results were very good. Looking at the known map, he checked the locations of the MAESTRO warehouses. Madin, Drolic, Fuji, Jameston, Breshaun, ... . The start of a world wide empire! But now back to the tax discussio...

That’s a very fine looking distillery!! What is absolutely well-executed is your wall. You did an amazing job with that :)

Word reached Sir Yohannes Ethiximus of the discussions and proposals going on at the Colonial Council. Since he skipped this cycle, he was not following politics that close. But as the one in charge atm for MAESTRO's and Lord Damaximus business in Trador (and New Terra in general), he was thinking what Lord Damaximus would like. A tax, fair for everyone? Or a monthly payment, a vast amount? Maybe the latter would have the vote of Lord Damaximus. A returning donation every month of let's say 200 db's. Paid by every person and entity in Eslandola. That would cover the costs... And his argument would be that it is up to Eslandolan citizens to earn more than 200 db's a month... He would even say that this would be the amount a small tradevessel makes every month (month = MRCA turn)... That's not that much right? By focussing on the right stuff, Eslandolans still will be able to get filthy rich. The longer he thought about it, the better that sounded. After a while, Sir Yohannes Ethiximus, mayor of Trador, wrote done the proposal and sent it to the Colonial Council. Who knows a member would read it and discuss it with the Council??

Or she is talking about pimps :p

I am still somewhere in the South :) (I think I am not a member this cycle

I missed this as well. It is a very great MOC. One of the cool things is the MOC giving a classic Pirates feeling. The atmosphere and little scenes make the whole thing looking very fine :) Haha, didn't know that about Stella. It is my favourite pils, my fridge is always full of it (one of the few advantages of being Belgian, good beer is really cheap here). Hahaha awesome!

See the post of Legostone :)

First of all, I admire the work leadership puts in this. Secondly, I think war Will solve a lot for Sea Rats 1. Being hired as forces 2. Warships Will have other tasks then to guard tradevessels 3. Troops in settlements Will be reduced as they are needed for war & it Will be a money sink for sure (upkeep upkeep upkeep)

You know, I really hope that for Sea Rats (as you Guys are hurt the most by the update), something Will be done about upkeep prices (half fort upkeep? Pirates are Cheap soldiers :p) What if there is a certain discount for settlements to guarantee a minimum protection? Large town has a free medium fort upkeep, City a free medium and small, Large City a large One or 2 mediums etc? again, a medium fortress alone is not enough to defend a large town, but is sth.

That is absolutely true about Oleon Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of not automatically generating money out of thin air each month for settlements (the town banks). And the increased upkeep for everything. I am just not a fan of the losses by raiding coming out of someone's pockets. A part of it, maybe yes, but not everything. I am pretty sure that if someone raids a village, they raid everything, not only the house of the mayor Raiding is a part of the gameplay, just like trading. So it makes sense that a part of the loot comes out of thin air, just like revenues from TMRCA are coming out of thin air.

That's just the point I got enough db's, but I am sure there will be others who have less db's, but are in the same position. As said above, no settlement has more than 100 db's income, so atm, every settlement is a loss for its owner. The reason I never licenced in name of Trador and I'll probably won't do it very quickly is very simple. As Bart said, I see settlements as the extended bank account of its mayors, so kinda pointless... If Trador has debts, I'll pay for it, simple comme bonjours. In the end it is all the same. Licencing under a settlements name, TC name, player name... As long as I can transfer my money right away to another entity, I don't see a problem who licences what. A huge part of MAESTRO's property income is because of MOC's I made. Oleon has no income in their settlements. Building up an income to pay for upkeep, would take them probably 1 year (a medium and small fort is alrady 150 db's upkeep, which is 10 large properties. To do this for all their settlements, they would need probably around 100 large properties at least. Divided by 5 active builders, that's 20 large properties/builder. Only 3 licenced every turn + some projects for the builders theirself... Numbers are quickly, I admit, but I hope you get my point)