UPDATE TWO: JANUARY 1st 2102-DECEMBER 31st 2103
First, a few notes,
Again, thank you all to those who are adding content to this NES through stories, diplomacy and Wiki articles.
Secondly, remember that if you want to get bonuses for stories, you have to include a link to it or some reference to it in your order set (to make updating your stats easier for me). If you are due a story bonus and didn’t get one this turn because you forgot to do this, you can include it in your next order set.
Thirdly, I’ve adjusted the cost of the techs to accelerate technological development a tiny bit. If you have spent EP to research a tech to completion since the game began, you got an EP back (since the cost of basic techs went from 12 to 11 EP).
ThomasBerubeg: If you want to set up trade contacts with NPC neighbors, you can do so between turns, just as you would with player-controlled nations.
Dreadnaught- the peeps you tried to send your design to don’t have the requisite technology. They’ll buy units from you though.
Chiefdesigner, Thomasberubeg, your sale of energy fell through due to disparities in cost between your orders.
I got no orders from Lord of Elves or Flock. So, LoE, Flock, please make it clear if you are dropping or not. Everyone else- thanks for the orders!
Okay, that said, lets get on with the update. (drum roll please)
UPDATE TWO: JANUARY 1st 2102-DECEMBER 31st 2103
"Bad faith likes discourse on friendship and loyalty."
Mason Cooley
NORTH AMERICA:
Building on the friendship created through the Arctic Pact, the Cascadians and Quebecois, share technical experiences, Quebec providing its insights into the fuel cell technology it utilizes to capture local hydro-power and Cascadia providing technical expertise relating to its battery systems.
Canadians meanwhile continue their development of heavy industry slave and thorium-powered factories in the Calgary regions, using much of the produced product to test and develop their new stealth strike-fighter design, the
‘Shawinigan Handshake’. (new design, + industry produced, +energy spent, Canada)
Researchers at the Crosshairs research institute continue to make significant independently-financed advances into solar energy technology. The board of trustees are discussing larger then usual Christmas bonuses for the motivated and productive ‘Solar Energy’ team that has done so much with a very limited budget (+ research into solar energy technology, Absaroka)
Crosshairs is also eager to ensure that its forces are of the best quality that it can field and invests in several military bases throughout their territory. The expected result is that forces might more easily respond to threats, both internal and external, as well as train with the most up to date weaponry and tactics available. (+ army quality, + power, military executives faction, Absaroka)
The heartland union completes its development of fuel cell technology, turning their massive agricultural might into bio-ethanol and, via the fuel cells, portable electric power. (+ power, Stonecutter’s Council faction, Heartland Union)
The United States of American stratocracy completes its development of functional molten salt batteries in 2104; already the rare battery powered vehicle has been seen in the streets of the capital.
Using a system first outlined in the 1990s and their excellent understanding of solar power processes, the Californians soon begin developing ‘salt-steam farming’. This ingenious process involves pumping seawater (or allowing it to gravitate in cases where the ocean water is higher) to an arid region containing specialized greenhouses, where it is used to humidify and cool the air, then secondly, evaporated by solar heating and the fresh water used to water plants and the salt used for industry or preservation. Humidified air from the green house can even be used to improve growing conditions for outdoor plants in the area in this way. This method has been very successful and some neighbors are watching the ‘salt-steam farming’ process with a keen and hungry eye. (+ agriculture produced, + industry, energy spent, California)
Leaders keep their eyes on the horizon, not just on the bottom line.
Warren G. Bennis
The Californians are also keen to expand their horizons and trade with nations of any ideological bent. An exchange of technicians sees the Colombians gain insight into solar energy technology and the Californians learn about the benefits of a hydrogen economy and the ins and outs of fuel cells. The exchange does not end there however as the Californians also provide the Colombians assistance with their Peruvian conflict via use of mercenary forces of the ‘Target Corporation’ (
where low prices are just the beginning). The Californians continue their investment in Pacific businesses, focusing on Cascadia, Australia, Korea, Jiangnan, AU6, and Bangladesh, where they illustrate a steely knowledge of local business practices and are soon investing wisely in local companies. To make trade easier, several sail-based warships are decommissioned and added to the corporate merchant fleets, saving on maintenance costs and providing some incentive for trade-based industries to invest in shipping. (+EP/turn, + power, Corporate council faction, - power, Military executives faction, California)
The Frisco Bay Project continues development with a major electric rail-line to connect Fresno to the sea and the remaining San Francisco bay region. Already several corporations are making extensive use of the line for shipping freight both to and from foreign ports. (+ EP/turn, +industry, energy spent, +power, corporate executives faction, California)
Applying a strategy of ‘divide and conquer’, the Confederate States of America have begun courting some members of the Venezuelan Liberation Front least loyal to their cause and offering them positions within the local Venezuelan government. These ‘traitors to the cause’ often bring with them specific information about the rebel movements which the CSA has been able to utilize to further infiltrate and counter rebel actions (+ espionage quality, - power, Venezuelan Liberation Movement faction, CSA)
Continuing their drive to energy independence, the CSA continues to invest in low-tech bio-diesel production, converting their extensive corn fields into usable energy which they hope to develop into industrial and military strength one day (+ agriculture spent, + energy production, CSA)
Although they lack the expertise of the Californians or the Aztecs, the Los Zetas are eager to gather the energy of the sun and cartel “bosses” order the construction of a series of sun-powered energy stations that the Aztecs and others are calling ‘antique’. None-the-less, the energy is soon flowing and the Los Zetas manage to develop greater energy security (+ industry spent, +energy produced, Los Zetas)
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Using information gained from informants bribed away from the Venezuelan Liberation front, the Confederate States of America have been able to intercept and counter rebel attacks and even hit the rebels in their ‘secure’ bases, greatly decreasing their capacity to disrupt CSA slave-gathering operations in the area. The CSA is happy to report no major losses during these military procedures.
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA:
In the high-lands of Peru, the people are being asked to give to the war effort against the occupying Colombians until they can give no more. As the ‘free’ Peruvians (as the military junta like to call themselves) flee the lowland cities, they take with them anything they can, primarily weapons and industrial goods so that they might rebuild their armies in the highlands. There, anyone who can carry a gun is provided with one, regardless of training or experience. It is said that the relatively tiny nation of Peru has a nearly half-million man army. Those that can’t fight, if they can stitch, they’re on sandbag or uniform duty. If they’re a farmer, they’re seeing 90% of their harvest carted off to support the general’s army. Famine and destitution is beginning to spread as the massive army consumes all it can find and every able-bodied man is enlisted to fight, and yet it is the ‘rebel’ fighters that can afford to buy food and supplies- the Peruvians military has managed to maintain some small fraction of the national treasury and this ensures the relative loyalty of their soldiers amidst the chaos. (faction loyalties adjusted, Peru)
Forest fires strike the rapidly drying north of Brazil where the Amazonia deserts threaten to overwhelm the shrinking Brazilian rainforests. Fires have destroyed farms and villages and the people worry burnt forests may be replaced not with new growth but expanding desert. (- agriculture produced, Brazil)
While the war rages on across the border in Peru, Brazil keeps true to its word with the Colombians and their allies, distancing themselves from direct military involvement and instead assisting any Peruvians who wish to seek refuge in Brazil to do so. With prices for common goods like potatoes so high and conscription so common, many Peruvians do flee to Brazil, indeed nearly a million souls cross the Andes to seek refuge. Somehow, the ‘Free Peruvian’ generals seem willing to allow this exodus- perhaps they see it as one less factor they must worry about. (- population, Peru, + population, - power generals and elite officers faction, +loyalty, socialist rebels faction, Brazil)
Continuing its infrastructure development, Brazil invests in a series of water and wind-mills. Additionally, they invest in new farms for the Peruvian refugees (+ agriculture, energy produced, + industry spent, Brazil)
Pampasna continues to develop its farms, especially across the Pampasna plains from which their nation takes their name. Additionally they invest in roads, caravansarai, and mule-powered caravans to help improve trade with both the Andean commune and the Brazilians who soon see a reduction in food prices as a result.
Earth's dispossessed are vulnerable targets for extremists: those who teach that global justice is meaningless; that satisfaction can come only in violence, division, and intellectual isolation.
Abdallah II
Amazonia is a country divided- conflicting ideologies, power-structures and popular movements all make claims to lead the recovering nation. The fertile soil for foreign ideology proves too seductive for a variety of foreign powers keen to gain influence in the area. The Aztecs continue to send assistance to those municipalities they had assisted in 2100 and 2101, sending technicians, resources, and, strangely, priests. As a result the Amazonians are beginning to not only develop some energy independence but a larger population of faithful loyal to the ‘Ancient Ways’. Many municipalities begin warning the population against the danger of communist and socialist ideology, against involvement with the regional superpower of Colombia. These even begin distributing pamphlets amongst the population. While some advocate using foreign investment to develop local industries and providing some return on that investment annually in a model based on that of Absaroka, California, or Hubei, others want to take a more direct approach, seizing the nation by military means and enslaving those who do not fall into line. When some locals loyal to the communist cause try to defend their viewpoints (and often property) they soon find that the anti-communist agenda is well armed and soon anti-communist militias are not only patrolling several villages loyal to the ‘capitilist cause’ but visiting others not so loyal to their cause and ensuring that any ‘pinko traitors’ soon have the ‘red’, literally, beat out of them. (-population, factions adjusted, Amazonia)
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The Carribea seems ready to finally tackle their domestic problems with rebels and pirates when they launch an audacious campaign of ‘search and destroy’ to intercept pirate attacks, track the pirates to their bases, and launch infantry assaults upon those bases. The result is much messier then expected. The rebels are well armed and organized and soon inflict significant losses upon the Carribea, including upon their modern navy. None-the-less, several pirate and rebel bases are destroyed and the rebels themselves sent to prison or Davy Jones's Locker (- 1 infantry, - 2 frigates, + loyalty peasant faction, - power rebel faction, Carribea)
EUROPE:
Perhaps it is a sign of the further collapse of the northern Thermohaline circulation, or perhaps, as some say, it indicates a new current falling into place as the world’s oceans adapt to new, warmer, temperatures, and higher sea levels. Regardless, throughout the spring of 2102 and 2103, a series of cyclones form east of the Caribbean and migrate across the north Atlantic. Over the course of the two years, nearly sixty major cyclone-generated storms make landfall over Iberia, the Frankish Principalities and the Confederate Communalist Union bringing giant amounts of warm, tropical rain. As a consequence the once-depleted aquifers of western continental Europe are replenished like never before in the last half century and summers and autumn in the Confederate Communalist Union are not only wetter but also much warmer. It remains to be seen if these life-giving storms are freakish accidents or a sign of things to come (+agriculture Confederate Communalist Union, Iberia, Frankish Principalities)
The Iberians also continue their investment in agriculture and indeed, with these subsidies and the new rains, many farmers are finally able to capitalize and sink new, highly productive, wells in regions that were considered too dry to farm only two years ago. It looks as though the era of famine may have at long-last faded into history. In conjunction with these investments, the Iberian command also invests a small amount in local energy production, subsidizing part of the cost of municipal solar wind and hydro power development. (+ agriculture, energy produced, + industry spent, Iberia)
The Iberians continue developing their fortifications in both their southern territories adjacent to the Magreb Union border and throughout the Pyrenees. These defenses include subterranean bunkers, anti-aircraft (unguided) rocket batteries, mines, and a massive labyrinth of tunnels and reinforced command and control structures. All three nations on the borders can only hope the defense will never be tested (+ army, air quality, Iberia).
The Iberians also invest in their military with a series of training programs and ‘reeducation courses’ for problematic officers. Many soldiers who’s loyalty may be questionable soon learn many wonderful things about their great socialist leader including the benefits of hard labor, crime and punishment, and total loyalty. Amongst the lower ranks of officers there is rumors of purge but for now nothing comes of it. (- army quality, + espionage quality, + loyalty, military officers faction, Iberia)
Further north the confederate communities of the Communalist Union further develop their national army with new non-commissioned officer training, and training in various forms of irregular warfare should the worst happen and a professional hostile enemy ever invade. The tactics trained in are to maintain an insurgency and guerilla-type war in the face of a modern enemy invading. While the Confederates are not eager to take on a larger opponent head-on, they do want to ensure that any that invade will be unable to hold or conquer their lands and this training as well as a variety of infrastructure developments that remain secret will make such an effort much more difficult. (+ army, air quality, Confederate Communalist Union)
The problem is no longer that with every pair of hands that comes into the world there comes a hungry stomach. Rather it is that, attached to those hands are sharp elbows.
Paul A. Samuelson
The northern confederate municipalities are also eager to develop an environmentally friendly approach to community development, using a variety of efficiency-amplifying developments as simple as better insulation in homes to local geo-thermal heating in community centers to water-recycling stations, all built and developed at a local level and all with the aim to limit the environmental footprint of the people. A similar investment aimed at industrial waste, with sub-projects including the recycling of thermal waste, higher efficiency generators and even biological ‘waste capture’ systems based on designer microflora is highly effective in reducing industrial waste. Not only do many of the investments prove effective in reducing energy and other waste but they prove very popular with the environmentally-concerned citizenry. Amongst many neighboring countries concerned with efficiency, the successes and especially knock-on economic effects are being studied with an keenly appraising eye. (+ industry produced, -agriculture, industry, energy spent, + loyalty, Communalist Ecology Movement Citizenry, Green Gaia Movement factions, Confederate Communalist Union)
Perhaps the single greatest piece of news in Europe in the unification of the Prussian Kingdom with the corporate holdings of the European Trade Conglomerate. The united
Fourth German Reich promises to be a major power in Europe and potentially the world as it melds the technological expertise of the corporations with the economy and population of the Prussian kingdom. The new nation is nominally led by the Fuhrer, Katherine Voight, though her power is limited by restrictions based on preserving the power of both the Kaiser as well as the Spiegal corporation itself; indeed no Prussian soldier is even allowed entry to Stuttgart as it retains many extraordinary powers relating to its corporate territoriality. Not all are happy with the massive restructuring. In the east, many polish nobles want nothing to do with the new structure and indeed entire divisions, airfields and fighter squadrons have pledged their allegiance to the Polish crown and King Miroslaw Branicki. King Miroslaw claims that the Kaiser has sold-out the ideals of the Kingdom and that he, King Branicki, will at least uphold these ideals for the eastern nobles and their serfs. Perhaps most ominously, he claims as his capital, though has little control over it, the city of Wrocław. And though many eastern nobles have pledged their loyalty to the new Polish crown, fear of the Fuhrer and the forces of the Teutonic Order has pushed them to seek military agreements with the Russians and Zaporizhians. A second problem soon to develop is that while the Bavarians can provide substantial technical, industrial and energy assistance to the development of the new state, these require substantial transport across the wide nation and decentralization of many manufacturing and energy sectors will be required if losses due to transport and transport-related inefficiencies are to be avoided; the current plan is simply not efficient- with one region serving as the manufacturing and technical hub for an entire nation but with little transport infrastructure in place to allow dissemination of goods or energy. (- Prussian Kingdom, - Bavaria, + Fourth German Reich, - 2 infantry, -2 cavalry, -1 fighter plane, +agriculture, industry, energy spent, factions adjusted, Fourth German Reich)
Despite these difficulties, the new Fourth German Reich is quick to apply the technical knowledge of the Bavarians, developing a pair of new moderately sized thorium reactors with nobles trusted by the Fuhrer. Energy demands are also supplemented with new biodiesel refineries but their concentration in Bavaria further exacerbates the energy dissemination problem. Manufacturing is not ignored, with much of the new energy produced being used to power a large robotics-based manufacturing plant in Stuttgart specializing in the production of heavy industrial equipment as well as a series of smaller factories throughout the kingdom. Meanwhile the Bavarian academy continues to develop with new laboratories, engineering bays and especially security systems. One of those attending the academy is the Austrian Princess, who is due to marry the Kaiser’s son in seven years if everything goes to plan. (+ industry, energy produced, + agriculture, energy, industry spent, + espionage quality, Fourth German Reich)
Across the Fourth Reich, many who thought union with Baveria would bring an end to their energy needs have been sorely disappointed. The development of new industries, most of them in Stuttgart, and the lack of infrastructure to disseminate energy, means that most villages have no power and many noble estates have to pay very dearly indeed for the privilege (- EP/turn, -loyalty Kaiser faction, Fourth German Reich)
King Jörg Schüssel of Austria orders the continued development of windfarms across the high ridges of the Austrian Alps, coupling these developments with intentionally light industrial development. The wind-powered industries provide some small boost to manufacturing without too adversely affecting employment or transport costs. These decentralized, conservative developments continue to slowly develop the Austrian economy without unbalancing it (+ industry, energy production, + energy spent, Austrian Kingdom)
Both the papacy and the Confederate Princedoms of the Mediterranean seem willing to pretend that there was no issue with piracy and foreign attack between them. No doubt the papacy does not wish to be found out as being involved in piracy while the Princes no doubt simply wish to avoid war. Either way, both seem willing to simply ignore the matter with the Princes keen, in fact, to turn inwards, and develop their agricultural strength with new terraced farming along their eastern territories least affected by the drying climate. (+ agriculture produced, Mediterranean Principalities Confederation)
The Zaporizhian Republic sees the expansion of their agricultural sector when they found and subsidize a number of fortified farming communities in southern reaches of their territory near the Black Sea. Many of the Stanytsi, as a result, also see an expansion of population in that area as many shepherds or urbanites from the central region migrate to the area to take advantage of the farming subsidies. (+ agricultural production, + army quality, + power Stanytsi faction, Zaporizhian republic)
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With both the Magreb Union and Iberians focusing their military on their shared border, it is no real surprise that the two, historically hostile, forces might engage in some spontaneous name-calling, insults and eventually even live fire. No one is sure who shot first but what is known as the ‘November Incident’ has resulted in the death of 5 Magreb Union soldiers and 3 Iberians. Luckily officers were able to bring the conflict to a quick and peaceful resolution but the incident does illustrate the dangers of having two large, potentially enemy, forces in close proximity over a shared border for an extended length of time.
AFRICA:
The Magreb Union continues to develop its economic infrastructure, focusing in these years upon their capacity for light infrastucture, greatly increasing their manfuactring base and capacity to produce those sub-assemblies critical for anything from vehicles, farm equipment, electric power stations or even military equipment (+ industry produced, + energy spent, Magreb union)
It seemed like a sign form Allah, some final judgment upon a world already found guilty. It started on Al Jazeera Al Khadra (island of Pemba) and the first to bleed was a Shia Imam. It was the Laylat al-Qadr, most blessed of Ramadan, favored by God, a night of power and, supposedly mercy. The Umma had been fasting all day, reinforcing their soul for the day when they would be judged. The local Umma had broken their fast together at Iftar and while mothers and children had retired to their homes to sleep, many men and women stayed at the Masjid and performed the Tariwah. Those who knew the Imam though his face pale and his eyes bloodshot but that was simply accredited to the fasting and sleeplessness; he was an older man and did not fast as easily as once he had. But as the night progressed and the congregation read one Surah after another, his eyes grew darker and redder. Dark bruises formed under them, and then finally he began crying tears of blood. It was a sign from God, interpreted differently by all, but universally understood to be a supernatural sign. By the following evening the ‘bleeding eyes’ had spread to the mainland and Dār as-Salām (the harbor of peace). All seemed to be affected and soon the “Bloody Eyes of Ramadan” could be found everywhere, amongst pious Muslims, Christians, and even the unbelievers. Panic soon swept the city and the Makuata senate soon closed the island and city, enforcing quarantine, believing the portent to be simply some sort of pandemic. Soon however the bloody eyes came to the Umma Al-Mu’minin, brought there aboard the trade ships. In desperation and panic, great fires swept the coastal cities of the Makuata state; many Umma Al-Mu’minin ships were burnt alongside shops, homes, factories and markets. The Bloody Eyes travelled to Karachi and Tehran and other great cities of the Umma Al-Mu’minin but it struck hardest at the coast of Makuata. Finally, as the people grew more zealous in their prayer, more sincere in their piety, God withdraw his portent and the ‘Bloody Eyes’ passed. And though there was carnage in the wake of the ‘great sign’, deaths could all be attributed to arson or assault or panic-induced stampede and not to the portent itself. It seemed that God had had mercy after all. (-EP, -population, -industry, energy produced, - energy spent, - loyalty, power Umma Al-Mu’minin faction, Makuata, -EP, -power merchant class faction, Umma Al-Mu’minin)
The council of the New Day soon develop the single greatest natural energy resources known to the Tukufu Tanganyika with a pair of major geo-thermal plants on the ‘Great Rift Valley’. Very soon, this power is will be used to energize low energy hydrocabons to synthetic fossil fuels for distribution throughout the nation. The net result greatly strengthens the local economy and promises to make the New Day a dominant local player. (+ energy produced, + industry spent, +peasantry loyalty, Tukufu Tanganyika)
The Tukufu Tanganyika also begin preferential trade with both the Khoisan and Bantu Ubuntu and though none of these nations are well situated to export a large amount of product, a near absence of trade goods has turned into a steady trickle. One potential fly in the ointment are the Eastern Shona warlords of the Bantu Ubantu through who’s territory much of the trade must pass. To date they have been willing to leave the trade alone but if it grows too lucrative, there is certainly the threat of banditry (- power, Umma Al-Mu’minin merchants faction, Khoisan Kingdom)
In the south, the Khoisan kingdom continues to develop its low-tech alternatives, this time focusing on development of a plentitude of cottage industries. Throughout the kingdom, nobles are awarded subsidies to develop their fiefs with whatever industries best suit them, from honey and candle production, to smithing iron, to woodworking, to leather-tanning to horse-rearing or what have you. Ultimately, this results in happier, wealthier nobles and a variety of low-tech industries that are feeding into the growing, very medieval, Khoison economy (+ industry produced, + industry, energy, agriculture spent, -power, king’s court faction, + power, loyalty, nobles faction, Khoisan kingdom)
Women, alcohol, university, all come first. 
