Angst

Introducing The Known World

This is a private, non-commercial PBM game of politics, economics and warfare in the ancient era. Designed by Bruce Douglas and moderated by his other persona, Zeus, it has been running continuously for some 33 years, which must make it one of the longest-running PBM games in the world - if not the longest-running. It has a very loyal player-base, some having been in the game since its start.

The Known World is Europe, including the Black Sea and the south coast of the Baltic Sea, the Middle East and North Africa, though some parts, including the British Isles, are not currently occupied by players. East of these areas is the Eastern Ocean, the end of the known world.

It is important to stress that the geography of The Known World departs in important respects from that of the real ancient world. The cities, mountains, marshes, and forests in the Known World bear little relation to geography in the real world. Even the rivers and coastline which are similar to those of the real world are not identical, perhaps particularly importantly, fords are not located as in the real world.

The more detailed in-game maps are those on which the game is based. Examples of such maps can be seen in other threads in this forum.

Map of Known World



Each player takes the role of a ruler, several as satraps paying allegiance to an overlord. There are also numerous named NPCs, or cardboard characters, with particular characteristics. These include town leaders, provincial rulers, generals, charismatic leaders of movements, etc. Marriage, ethnic group and geneology are important aspects, and players are encouraged to design their own family trees and related NPCs. Trade is encouraged, each satrapy/realm having surpluses and deficits of different trade goods: armour, heavy horses, grain, herbs and spices, ivory, slaves etc.

Campaigning takes place in the summer half of the year and during these months orders are written for each month. There is no set format and Bruce decides when the next order deadline should be with each round of turn results, usually 3 or 4 weeks. In the winter orders are usually asked to cover three months. The winter half of the year is often busy with economic and military planning. Orders were originally sent in by post but now most players use email. The results, however, including the newsletter, are still sent out by post.

With each turn results comes the newsletter covering the period of the turn. But during the campaigning season it is a month in arrears, with a Stop Press covering the current month and only including news each players characters would have access to. This may be supplemented by extra information or answers to specific questions. The Newsletter is now over 1,150 word-processed pages of single-spaced small type.

Each year, usually in the winter, players receive a detailed statistical report on their realm, including population, living standards, harvest surpluses/deficits, degree of social unrest, etc. With this also come a budget showing taxes, incomes, expenditures and balance in taxes and payments in kind (horses, grain, etc). Usually at the start of the campaign season the player will also receive updated army lists.

Three empires have emerged, each with its satrapies. The strongest is probably Carthage extending from the Nile Delta to the Pillars of Hercules and extending into Europe, covering much of its Mediterranean coast from Iberia to Greece. The Pontic Empire stretches from north of the Dardenelles to the upper Euphrates and includes the southern steppes of Rusland. New Persia includes most of the Twin Rivers including Mesopotamia, Palestine, and Achmaenia. Sassanidia includes much of the Nile Valley. Satrapies on the fringes of these empires are relatively independent and include the steppes of Hunland and Chaldea in the Arabian Peninsula.

Hopefully players will start their own threads to cover their own realms.

There is also a now redundant yahoo discussion list. But its worth joining this list to download from the files section which contains maps in gif format and some back issues of the News in pdf format.

Angst

The News of the Known World is the main medium of communication between Zeus and players. The Known World year begins on the 1st of Dorman in the middle of winter, this being the first day of the year. The safe campaigning season is from Wapenry to Humshofbrew. The months of the year are:

Dormon
Frostmon
Printemps
Wapenry
Funfly
Ete
Dujuly
Aufield
Humshofbrew
Hexober
Northumber
Mithrasmus

Players send in orders for either one or two winter-periods of varying length as determined by Zeus, and one for each month during the campaigning season. The orders are written assuming they are issued on the first of the month, and cover the whole month.

The News of the Known World is printed and distributed to players once or twice during the winter months and first becomes monthly at the end of Wapenry. Players receive a “Stop Press” giving them the news their character would have of the area where they are campaigning, plus a complete issue of the News for the previous month (in Wapenry the previous winter months). They also receive a “Saturnalia”, game related trade ads, court and social announcements, jokes and jibes, and any out-of-character information including the deadline for receipt of next month’s orders.

So at the end of Ete players receive a Stop Press for what happened that they would know about in Ete, plus the complete News of the Known World for Wapenry, and a Saturnalia. They would then have 3 or 4 weeks to confer with allies, ask Zeus any questions and meet the deadline for the next month’s orders (Dujuly). Their next results would arrive a few weeks later by post and include a Stop Press for Dujuly, a complete News of the Known World for Ete, and a Saturnalia.

In recent years most players have gone over from hand-written or typed orders sent by letter to email orders, and communication between players has also largely gone over to email, though it is still possible to play entirely by post and to diplome by telephone or meeting, and some players do so. The turn results are, as they always have been, posted. However, it is planned to start a thread to archive The News of the Known World, monthly (a turn or so in arrears) primarily as an aid in searching backnumbers.

There have never been any fees or postage charges for playing.