Iron and Blood - Game Thread

New England - the CSA has been expanding its economic reach into the area. However, the Northeast states proved tenacious, and resisted being incorporated into the CSA. They managed to formally annex Washington DC, however.

Yukon - Librulstani colonists have trekked north into the Yukon. By 1834 their presence in strong enough that Librulstan was able to annex the area without much resistance.

Maghreb - the future ownership of the Barbary Coast is disputed between Spain and Great Britain. However, before Spain could launch its amphibious invasion, the British has convinced the beys of Algiers, Tunis and Tangiers - with vast sums of money - into accepting a British protectorate. British businesses quickly moved in to cement the deal, and a small economic boom saw the opening of some factories in Algiers.

Sudan - the flourishing state of the Horn of Africa incorporated impoverished Sudan without much of a fight.

Zambia - At a grand gathering at the ruins of the great city of Zimbabwe, ninety chiefs of the Zambia region accepted Swazi rule. Official reports make much of the chiefs' respect for the Swazi king, though neglect to say that these chiefs were heavily bribed to bring their tribes into the Swazi sphere. Some resisted however, defiantly stating that their allegiance cannot be bought, though this usually means the Swazis need to make a higher offer.

Turkey - another contentious territory. The heartland of the old Ottoman Empire is contested between Rome (dreaming of Mare Nostrum) and Bosnia (which regarded itself as the Ottoman successor state). The Romans bribed the leaders of the emirates to accept a Roman protectorate before Bosnia can march in with its armies, though the Bosnians did manage to secure the surrender of the former imperial capital Istanbul. (Rome won the coin toss to bribe Turkey first).

Syria - the Caliphate has swayed Jerusalem Al-Quds into accepting its authority, though the northern city of Aleppo still remained independent under its Ottoman governor.

Iran - the Afghan economic offensive against the Iranian confederation has been hughly successful. Hamadan still resisted, though it seems a matter of time.

Mughal Empire - the Mughal reconquest of India got off to a very good start. Rather than resorting to brute force, Emperor Mirza charmed and bribed his way into Bombay, which was surprisingly easily annexed.

Siam - Siamese industrial goods did not impress the Malays, and the sultans rebuffed the Siamese offer of a protectorate.

Indonesia - Likewise, the petty states of Indonesia scorned Australia's attempt to buy their allegiances.

Livonia - Scandinavians returned to Livonia for the first time since the Swedish defeat in the Great Northern War. The Livonians did not resist much.

Benelux - Napoleon II's attempt to spread the Revolution north into the city-states of the Netherland was not very successful. Only French-speaking Wallonia came into the fold.

Central Europe - In a heavily-rigged referendum, Austria and Bohemia elected to join the German Empire. The eastern part of the former Austrian Empire proved more problematic, however.

Siam – Hawks Demand Action

(Bad event)

Siam’s failure to bribe Malaya into the Kingdom prompted a demand from the more hawkish at court for a more forceful expansion policy.

Options:
1) We shall not hide from battle!: Gain three armies, -1 stability
2) Make merit not war: +5% culture, +1 Stability, cannot expand for two turns.

Librulstan – Drugs Epidemic

(Middle event)

Librulstan’s ultraliberal social policies have been blamed for a recent proliferation of drug use among young men, young women, middle-aged men, middle-aged women, teenagers, children, toddlers, the elderly, family pets, and grizzly bears.

Options:
1) We should do something about this: lose 1 factory, gain 1 stability, +10% conservative influence
2) It’s time for a War on Drugs!: Lose 1 stability, gain 1 factory, +20% Conservative influence
3) This provides a unique opportunity for an unethical scientific experiment: gain 2 free science investment points, Lose 1 stability

Xi'an – Conservatives Resists Industrialisation

(Moderate event)

The scholars at the court have remonstrated against recent plans by the Great King to expand Xi’an industries. They fear that traditional cottage industries and crafts will be neglected, and that social turmoil will follow as the peasants move to find jobs in the cities.

Options:
1) They have a point – cannot build factories this turn, +1 stability, +10% conservative influence
2) We must move on with the times – gain two new factories, -1 stability, -10% conservative influence

Germany – Hungarian Rebellion!

(Very bad event)

Only a few months after the Imperial German Army liberated Budapest, the ungrateful citizens inspired by the cause of Hungarian nationalism armed themselves and stormed the German army barracks. They have taken control of the city and the surrounding countryside, and intelligence suggests that the rebels are planning a march on Vienna. The rebel leader gave a speech in Budapest about a “Magyar Destiny” to lead Central Europe and other nonsense.

Options:
1) Crush them – the rebels must be defeated by military action (they have one irregular army)
2) Let’s negotiate – the rebellion will end, Stability set to “fragile”.

Horn of Africa – Sudanese Arabs Restless

(Middle event)

The incorporation of Sudan into the Horn has some unforeseen repercussions. The Sudanese Arabs do not seem to share the rest of the country’s relaxed attitude to politics and are demanding a bigger – some say disproportional - say in government for their ethnic group.

Options:
1) Listen to their demands – -1 Stability, +20% conservative influence, Sudan becomes a core of the Horn of Africa
2) Everyone is equal - +1 Stability, +20% liberal influence, 25% chance of rebellion in Sudan.

France – Rule Francia!

(Good event)

Sick and tired of having to endure jokes made at the expense of the French Navy at international naval conferences, French admirals have came together to draft a plan for an expansion of the navy, which have been approved by the Parliament.

Options
1) Take that, England! - Gain one navy and 2 factories, lose -1 IC for this turn.
2) This is the start of a beautiful colonial empire – Gain one navy and 2 factories, gain core on Maghreb, -3 IC for this turn, +10% nationalist influence

Spain – Imperialists Impatient

(Middle event)

Now that Spain has a leader sanctioned by God, many extremists felt it is time for Spain to reclaim her rightful place atop the world, and that the Garcia government is not doing enough to make this happen. North Africa, snatched from Spain by the vile British, should be her first target.

Options:
1) To war! Plus Ultra! – +10% ultranationalist influence, Gain 2 armies, gain core on Maghreb, Spain goes to war with Great Britain, cultural influence set to 0%
2) If you want war, prepare for war – Gain 2 factories, -1 stability

Quebec – Electromagnetic telegraph



Several leading scientists in Quebec have developed improved telegraphy systems. Businesses as well as the Government of Quebec have been quick to recognize the importance of this new technology in long-distance communication, especially important in such a large country as Quebec.

Bonus: +1 factory in Quebec, +1 Stability

Quebec – Reaping machine



A reaping machine cuts crops at harvest time. A much improved mechanical reaper has been invented by Quebecois Jean-Paul Arbour, and has been heralded by some of the more eccentric scientists in the country as the first step towards a more complete mechanization of agriculture, freeing mankind from its millennia of hard work and toil in the fields.

Bonus: +1 factory in Quebec, +1 Stability

1. Stability. If you did not succeed in increasing your stability this turn you do not lose your investment. This is in the column labelled "next lvl": for instance, California which spent 50% of its income on stability last turn has a 50% chance of gaining 1 stability if he doesn't put in any extra investment into it this turn. If he wants he can put more into stability this turn. If he spends another 50% of his income this turn, he'll have a 100% chance of gaining a stability level this turn; however, note that any stability spending above that is wasteful and does nothing.

2. Battle result: in the "how I calculate battles" picture I said I use the difference between the combatant's final (ie modified) strength (FS) to calculate the type of victory. After doing Bosnia's battle result for Istanbul I realize that this is silly, so this is how I'll calculate it from now on: