Technology 16

This is the twelfth in a series of posts intended to provide a technological framework for my world. The purpose of this framework is to create unique, regional settings for player interaction. A realistic simulation of the actual world is not a goal of this system and will not be given credence when approving comments.

Regions with a technology of 16 will have an average population density of 186,151 to 409,530 per 20-mile hex. This includes the following regions, shown on this table:

15 regions. This technology accounts for 20.7 hexes of my world, occupied by 5,930,311 humans. There are no non-humans.  Once again, most of the actual people of this tech level are in India.  A significant portion of them are in Morocco - the Portuguese colony there includes Casablanca and Tangier.  I like the notion that both these places have a higher tech than Portugal itself.

After the size of the previous tech regions, this lot will seem, well, a bit passable.  To put it in perspective, 20.7 hexes will easily fit into Wales or Connecticut.  New Caledonia is 2 square miles bigger than the above collection.  Yet these above average double the density of those regions under tech 15, so that counts for something.

Available Technologies

See tech 15.

Military Tradition & Science.  This is the only technology I'm introducing at this level.  I thought about it and decided that given what was left, this alone makes a significant change over tech 15 and lower - for one reason only, the sort of thing that will make players sweat.

Military service for this level is mandatory.

I don't mean that every level is a fighter, but I do mean that the whole adult population (34% leveled) is combat trained - meaning they ain't afraid of nuthin'.  Ever spent time in a military town?  Yeah, that.

A significant part of the population, then, will be fully militarized, all the time.  The region will employ uniforms, something generally unseen elsewhere in the world.  This will tend to make them less engaging, terrifically taciturn and probably more interested in their business than in whatever the players have on their minds.  These are places in the world that will be downright uncomfortable.

At the same time, they will have all the characteristics of the lower tech levels described so far.  There will still be drinking, still be theatres, still be recognition of the monarch or titular head of the region and they will still be worldly enough to recognize when the players are full of shit.  The main difference will be that when acting against the players, ever, they will all act together.  Without having to think about it.

Along with the above, expect the spread of things like griffs, oliphants and a collection of other trained beasts, whatever happens to work for the region in question.  Cavalry will get a lot more organized and trained to be fearless when that's wanted.  And with military science comes the manufacturing of magic armor and weapons, naturally.

Conclusion

I wish I had more to offer.  These regions are all so small that while they can provide elite army corps, they're going to depend on other, larger entities to provide the main troops in most campaigns.  Still, I wouldn't be a player trying to siege Milan.

This is three tech posts all written back to back.  I think if I try to give tech 17 a go right now I'll be too dry to make a good job of it.  I'm worried I haven't given tech 16 the attention it deserves.  Sigh.  Just holding myself up to a high standard.

What would be a 16 intelligence reaction based on this tech level?  We will do what is necessary.  No matter what that is.