LuckNES2: The Fatal Balance

Update 9 IT 2
Year 1854


Non Military Events:

The United Kingdom of Great Britain, remaining to its semi-isolation status with the rest of the world. Works hard on immigration and building up of Asian cities within its colonies and cities back home in Britain itself. These programs go quite well as many cities construction picks up drastically. Some however due to weather or money issues do not go as far along in development as wanted. Notable successes are Manchester, Cairo and Chittagong. Other programs are also undertaken to the peoples likening. A larger education expansion program goes under way as top professors write new text books for the schools across the Empire. Giving new and up to date views on science and math to the students throughout the British Empire. A huge percentage of the countries budget is spent on increasing road and rail networks in the colonies. Namely Siam and Egypt. Things go quite well with this program and the influence over these areas spreads with easier travel and trade for the people. The Royal Science Foundation is founded and helps complete research on a project over the past few years. A new fully metal but expensive battleship known as a dreadnought class. The HMS Francis Drake is launched in the summer months after much work and preparations. At this time they are very expensive to manufacture but this gives the British a huge leap in naval tech. For now. With an increasing demand for oil based products. Namely for the research parts of the Empire and all countries really. Prospecting for oil throughout the Empire takes place. Many new oil wells are found in Middle East. Around this time a monetary union with Ireland begins. Ireland adopts the Pound and many other British things to help ease the alliance and trade without to much hassle. This is well received. A trade alliance similar to with Ireland is signed with Persia. Making the exports from the Middle East in British favor. Very little militarily takes place only defense and expansion in Africa connecting the two colonies. Oman is fully integrated into the alliance and economic observation by Britain begins.

The Empire of Portugal, long the king of the seas. Has fallen behind in tech and wishes to catch up. Large sums of money are invested into ships similar to Britain. Nothing has come of it yet but many breakthroughs in steam driven technology come about and a more reliable and more powerful propeller shafts. Military training exercises with the newest in military equipment take place. Raising overall the training of the Imperial Army. Metal helmets are introduced, as research shows shrapnel from artillery could several harm the armies and something was needed to protect them to some extent. The Portuguese also note the changes in warfare to come. No longer the line formations of old, but a more fast paced war to keep up with recent techs. Industry is spread to the Congo as the city of New Santarem becomes a important center of trade and exports in the area.

Peace continues as a time of great wealth comes to Europe like never before. USEC continues to be the economic powerhouse of Europe and spreads its influence across the world with its many industrial exports. The middle class becomes more wealthy and Poverty at least in most areas begins to subside. No man shall go hungry is the slogan of President Paul Schneider as he becomes one of them sot popular leaders in European history. As with Portugal and Britain research in military fields prospers. The Polish side of the country however slides into deeper poverty as the exports from their factories and farms are ignored for cheaper ones in the colonies. Dissent becomes a huge factor as Polish politicians start rally’s against the President and blame him for being to Western in nature. Nothing radical has come from this yet but Poland is increasingly hostile. As tech research continues and what scientist call the combustion engine begins to see early forms of life in research centers. It appears to only a short amount of time before the world changes all together. Problems continue in the Middle East. -see military events-

Sweden-Norway continues to be the richest over all country in Europe. Expanding its economic needs and gaining many new cities of great economic worth. The selling of most of Greenland for a very steep price to FSA brings in much more income to be spent on spreading the industrial wealth around the cities. Which it is largely. One of the few nations who create a national bank so o say and create a economic reserve. Making sure to always have money when it is needed.

The Russians sell off Alaska to the FSA, as it appears to be faraway and untenable. Something they wish not to waste time and money on. This is apart of the Russian plans to largely move away from the far east and concentrate on the west at this time. Notably a full alliance with India is signed, named the Treaty of Srinagar. Allowing Russian navies and industries into the port cities of the Indian Empire and signing of a defensive pact. Raising fears among the British. During this time huge efforts are made in training the military up to standards of the rest of Europe. The training is long but highly productive as the Russian military becomes more and more of a professional army. The fleet is expanded to help defend the Black Sea from possible attacks. As the tension rises between USEC and Russia these military defensive measures seem more and more important. With the people out crying for government programs to better Russia. A new program working on the schooling system is instituted. Also proving successful. Within the first year alone the schooling averages are up. Finnish separatist movements begin in the summer months and oddly enough nothing bad happens to them. Until later in the year when, ‘non Russians’ assassinated leading members. The people do not know what to think of this at this time. Though it is believed USEC is trying to turn the people against Russia.

Greek, Serbian-Romanian and Turkish relations deteriorate. Each of the political leaders get into local trade and future economic arguments. Arguments about Russia and USEC. In Greece, large numbers of people protest against the Turkish and Serbians. Stating they are holding back Greece. Things could get much worse as time goes by. In Greece itself things go more according to plans. The military continues modernizing training as the economy is reformed. Other than this the area remains quite.
Throughout the Middle East, mostly only the colonial areas. Dissent and Muslim terrorist actions begin to escalate. -see military events-

The Indian Empire, after losing most of the Empire to the British in the years previous. Spends its time developing industrial centers throughout the country. Splitting the Empire into 11 Provinces and 2 Territories. Each lead by a Imperial Governor chosen by the Emperor and approved by the Rajaya Sabha. However the Territories differ and are run as military districts rather than like the Provinces. The treaty with Russia helps speed up the process of industrialization as railroads are being constructed to link up with Russia. As to bring supplies and such back and forth through the borders to and from the coast. It expands quickly and with high tariffs on foreign goods to keep from flooding the Indian market the industries are given the free reign to sell and export goods from India only further increasing the economy.

China continues to have open trade with Portugal and Britain only. The Emperor wishes to purchase the city of Macao back from the Portuguese.

Japan continues to expand its technology and with the happenings in the Americas its trade flourishes more.

The Indonesian/Philippines dissent is lowered by clever political operations by Britain and USEC.

North Australia and South Africa continue to be loyal and trade openly with USEC.

Sennar begins to demand more economic aid from the Europeans. Something unpopular among the Europeans. The Sultan brags about his military openly and could cause issues in the future.


Military Events:

In South America, Spain tries to stop the revolutionist and fails miserably. The leaders of the movements gather large amounts of troops to fight the Spanish who can’t fight back efficiently. The Free Peoples movement begins and push the Spanish back to the coast and in some areas out of south America all together. Even Aid from the British and USEC isn’t enough to help the Spanish. These could spark more South American Revolts.

(+ Free Peoples movement as faction, -2 Free Peoples Divisions, -4 Spanish Divisions)


In the Middle East things heat up as the constant anti-European movements and general Muslim stubbornness continue to go about. Iraq in it self is hit the worse. Large bombings take place killing anyone in the path. The rebel groups get a hold of artillery and use it whenever they can and hide in the desert when the armies come looking for them. The combat is new and nothing like the warfare in recent history. They use fast, run and gun tactics. Snipe from hiding locations and bomb markets with TNT. They seem to elude the USEC armies for the most part, and when one dies two more come back or at least it appears that way. As the combat in the area gets wilder and more widespread it is sure the middle east will not be easy to govern over.

(-2 Misc. Middle Eastern rebels divisions, -2 Divisions Iraq)


Technology Info:

Combustion Engines are in early development in all of the major countries and Japan.

Machine guns and other small arms of OTL late 1800’s are also in development.

Heavier than Air flight is not in development until after combustion engines.



Spotlight:



Greater American Union

"... one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all."


Long seen as a thing to come. Unification on one level or another has been spreading throughout the world for quite some time now and the two most likely of doing so would be the Canadians and Americans. Two nations who have upheld their alliance for decades without fault and fought together on fronts to secure peace and spread greatness throughout the Americas. The unification, as predicted by many other nations around the world the British for example, would undoubtedly create the richest and most patriotic nation in the world. Two countries a head in the technological race and ahead in all fields. Whether education, living standards or infrastructure. These two nations had it all.

Things were not so perfect however in the Federated States of America. The Latin American areas of the country lagged behind considerably in all fields. Living Standards education. You name it. Efforts began immediately when public resentment began. To build up the area. Canada to helped with its amazing school system and so forth to help educate the areas and bring schooling and whatever it took to make the people on par with the rest of the world. As all of this took place, land buys were being negotiated.

Alaska and Greenland, for the most part. Were purchased by the FSA, prior to the unification. This was a great sign of power and wealth to the people. Something the two Presidents had planned on. After these purchases and the programs in Latin America. The Parti Patriotiqe won elections in Canada by land slides. This party is pro American in nature and only helped deliver the ultimate Canadian signature on the new constitution for the new nation.

So months of planning, secretly of course to keep the British out of their business. The constitution was drawn up the unification goals listed and a capital chosen. For once, this was not a complete joining of two countries but a semi-joining. Both nations kept their respected governments and run the countries much the same as before. However the changes that took place were a Capital for the new Nation, a new constitution and a joined military and a sole president. Who at this time remains the former FSA president Frederick T. Williams.

The two governments are beginning to work together to further integrate the rail networks and anything else capable of being joined to make a more secure, and economically sound country. The two militaries join together making the worlds largest and best trained military fighting force. Much research by both of the nations former science teams working together will undoubtedly bring faster technological developments with the near limitless funding.

The new nation shocks the world, not in the unity but in the sheer size and power. Great Britain sends diplomats as soon as possible trying to sign deals of alliance which are not signed due to previous spy captures and USEC does much the same. Frederick Williams is said to have said.

“Look how fast they run, out of fear of superiority.”

Heh damn...now thats something. Nice update. Why Memphis though?

Rejoining as Spain. This is too interesting not to play.

TO: International Community
FROM: Greater American Union

The GAU, citing the obvious inability of the Spanish government in maintaining law and order within its South American colony, formerly acknowledges the efforts at independence of the Free People's Movement as representing the will of the people of that territory in their determination toward self-governance, and hereby grants official recognition to that entity. To combat the desires of the local people in their quest for self-determination is to deny them that right which other nations have fought and bled to obtain for millennia, and is to deny them their basic rights as fellow men. We therefore call upon the Spanish government and its allies to acknowledge the requests of the citizens residing in that colony for independence from their home country.

The GAU also notes that further armed actions against such a movement will carry the cost of unwelcome economic and diplomatic consequences for the prosecutors of such actions. Oppression in the name of colonialism will not be tolerated on the borders of this nation.

Nice update, of course. How is dreadnought training calculated? And why are there no story bonuses?

there was a story bonus. It's called getting most of what you wanted.

Nice update. And wow, really peaceful. No way that can last.

Nice Update Moose!

From Greece
To USEC

We would like to ensure in the event of war with Serbia or Turkey would count on your protection to ensure our continued independence.

OOC: You know that Serbia-Romania is a satellite of the USEC, right?

FROM: The United Kingdom of Great Britain
TO: The International Community

I recently received on my desk a document from the GAU Foreign Office concerning the situation in Spanish South America. Quite apart from the obvious irony of being lectured on self-determination by the successor to the Louisianan Empire, the document is rather interesting. It decries the recent Spanish inability to keep order in their territory and yet confers legitimacy on those who have caused that breakdown of order. The position of Mr. Williams' administration seems to be that the so-called Free Peoples' Movement is undesirable, but that destroying it now would be too difficult and so we should accomodate it. I am deeply disappointed to hear such a sentiment from my American colleagues. The British government will never back down from a righteous cause simply because the task is difficult. Neither will we condone the actions of criminals and terrorists simply because they call themselves "freedom fighters."

I would further note that support of the Free Peoples' Movement by the American government, or by any other state, will be viewed with displeasure by the British government. The existence of a rogue, dictatorial state on our borders is detrimental to our security, and so any attempt to establish the Free Peoples' Movement as a state will not be tolerated.

Henry Temple, Viscount Palmerston
HM Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs

Further OOC: Something that you may not have noticed:

Free Peoples' Movement Confidence: Barely Tolerating
Free Peoples' Movement Culture: Average
Spanish Confidence: Respecting
Spanish Culture: Patriotic

Click to expand...

It's not as though it has the overwhelming support of the population.

TO: United Kingdom of Great Britain
CC: International Community
FROM: Greater American Union

Quite apart from the obvious irony of being lectured on self-determination by the successor to the Louisianan Empire,

Click to expand...

The Louisianan Empire had, unlike its British equivalent, the good sense to recognize its constituent parts and citizens as equals in the business of government, and integrated them into a whole, rather than subjugating them and making them utterly dependent upon the home country for prosperity and manipulating them for its gain. Do not even attempt to deny these statements, for we are well aware of the British separation from the global economy and its dependency upon its colonies for subsistence, like a parasite. The only irony in these statements is that the British appear to have the gall to believe they have some moral high ground in the matter.

The British government will never back down from a righteous cause simply because the task is difficult. Neither will we condone the actions of criminals and terrorists simply because they call themselves "freedom fighters."

Click to expand...

Yea, verily, much as Britain did not acknowledge the wishes of its own North American colonies, and had to have its lip bloodied in years of fighting to finally give them up? We are all too well aware of British refusal to acknowledge facts and persevere against "terrorists"--a convenient catch-all term for any who would oppose the machinations of Albion, and would be none too surprised if in some hall of Parliament that term continues to be applied toward us as well some seventy eight years on.

The existence of a rogue, dictatorial state on our borders is detrimental to our security, and so any attempt to establish the Free Peoples' Movement as a state will not be tolerated.

Click to expand...

Given the propensity of the British government to meddle in the affairs of other states when it is not welcome, we find its accusations of any other state being rogue to be quite... amusing.

OOC:

It's not as though it has the overwhelming support of the population.

Click to expand...

Because comparing a tiny little slice of Venezuela against Spain and pretty much all of West Africa will yield such balanced and insightful results, don't you know. Why don't you start killing some of them and see if that doesn't give the people something to rally behind? Or, is history not full of enough examples of what happens when guerilla warfare is conducted in difficult terrain for you to understand precisely what's going to happen? Ever hear of a little group called FARC?

lurker's comment: This is going to be one intense world war when it happens...

The Farow said:

Nice Update Moose!

From Greece
To USEC

We would like to ensure in the event of war with Serbia or Turkey would count on your protection to ensure our continued independence.

Click to expand...

From: Turkey
To: Greece

We are a war ravaged country in the midst of a depression. You and I both know we have not the means to wage (sucessful) war upon Greece. We hope this is not simply an attempt to cover all of your bases for any future attempts at rebuilding Alexanders Empire.

FROM: The United Kingdom of Great Britain
TO: Greater American Union
CC: International Community

The GAU's response to our letter is extremely telling. The string of bizarre, outdated attacks on every aspect of Britain, while very amusing to us here at the Foreign Office, have absolutely nothing to do with the Spanish question. We wonder at the GAU's motives in issuing such an inflammatory document.

You are wrong Perfectionist.

No doubt, but that is not reflected in the stats.

Oh it is. Just those stats more represent Spanish people. The Free People's do not consider themselves Spanish and the colonies aren't either.

That is odd. So the stats for a nation do not actually apply to all the territory under said nation's control? What are the limitations on the others? Is my Infrastructure only the level for Britain proper, for example? And if that is the case, how do we know what the stats are for the rest of the country?

Right, now that I've had a look over it the whole thing seems odd. Culture is supposed to be the measure of how united the people are. In this case, it would be a measure of how many people think of themselves as Spanish, right? Spain's Culture is relatively high. It is, for example, higher than Portugal's Culture and the same as Russia's Culture. Why then is Spain dealing with a massive rebellion when Portugal and Russia aren't?

Anyway, whatever Spain's Culture means, it doesn't change the fact that the Free Peoples' Movement is the least popular government in the world, which was the original point.

Perfectionist said:

That is odd. So the stats for a nation do not actually apply to all the territory under said nation's control? What are the limitations on the others? Is my Infrastructure only the level for Britain proper, for example? And if that is the case, how do we know what the stats are for the rest of the country?

Right, now that I've had a look over it the whole thing seems odd. Culture is supposed to be the measure of how united the people are. In this case, it would be a measure of how many people think of themselves as Spanish, right? Spain's Culture is relatively high. It is, for example, higher than Portugal's Culture and the same as Russia's Culture. Why then is Spain dealing with a massive rebellion when Portugal and Russia aren't?

Anyway, whatever Spain's Culture means, it doesn't change the fact that the Free Peoples' Movement is the least popular government in the world, which was the original point.

Click to expand...

Your points are correct, but the Free People's do not see themselves as Spanish so your point is void.

Infrastructure is just a over all estimate for your populated areas. It is impossible to take them all into account. Same goes with all stats.