Covenants Expenditure

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

So we got together tonight to stat out a trial covenant.... we were doing fine until pg 63 of the covenant book when we hit expenditure.... now admittedly we may have partaken in a few libations at this point but seriously what the actual... where is the spread sheet, I know you've got one, I'm willing to do an ordeal to get access to the inner mysteries.. help please

2

I can't say I have ever seen a good spreadsheet, not for any application really. But, feel free to peek at this one, if you want to: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1a4rWW-4-F_1AyjkiF18-o5dsjNJbgc5YlJV069_eSiY/edit#gid=741508684

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3

Cheers this could be a life line, but where do we put the grogs etc in the SUM cat?

4

In the Covenfolk tab. You can do named individuals on a line each, or group them together in categories and put the number of individuals in the number column. Just insert a line and copy an existing line to use as template.

The sheet is made as a calculator for those who know the rules, not as a simple GUI allowing the user to rely on the sheet knowing the rules for them. YMMV.

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5

I made my own spreadsheet a few years ago, so I can calculate any time the costs.
It is a bit more detailed than the above linked, if anybody is interested, I can share it.
But, I do not advise to use this chapter: it does not give anything to the roleplaying feeling, but the bookkeeping takes away a lot of time.

I suggest to simplify it, and use only the covenant virtues/flaws to determine the monetary position of the covenant.

6

That is certainly worth considering.

However, it does have consequences for the roleplaying. Unless you play a fairly static game, you will have to decide whether the covenant can afford such things as

  1. recruiting a new scribe.
  2. a lavish gift for the neighbour lord on the occasion of his daughter's marriage.
  3. a good lab upgrade.
  4. a silver crown for your staff talisman.
  5. et cetera.

While the finance chapter does not answer all the questions you are going to have, it does give some guidelines, which makes it just that much easier to decide whether a given expenditure is affordable or not. The alternative is pretty much to allow the PCs to spend almost anything or almost nothing, both of which are valid styles of playing.

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7

I'm of the opinion that its best to keep track of everything myself and just let the players know in a general fashion if the steward thinks they can afford the things they want, unless one of the players takes a greater interest and wants to explore that aspect of the game then I would present in to them in a thematic way like a ledger or some such i guess

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8

David I would love to get a copy of your sheet too if possible thanks

9

In our sagas we assign jobs to various magi, and one of those jobs is to manage covenant finances. Magi with jobs get first choices of vis from stores when vis is disbursed.

10

@FezzieModo : here it is: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aTHdf1sKonBl0OHN_a-xqmHjC7KkhrdPg7zopxjRiGw/edit?usp=sharing

It is filled with the data of an old covenant we played.

The Expenditures tab is the summary
You need to fill the yellow cells in the following tabs:

  • Inhabitants
  • Buildings (most apsects are not covered, need modification)
  • Laboratory
  • Wr.mat. (Writing materials)
  • Cost savings

We had veteran soldiers instead of normal grogs/soldiers, they cost much more; probably need some modification in the Wages tab.

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