stNES(Dis) - A Time of White Sorrow

Uhoh. I have a feeling I'm in some trouble.

Window to History, Newspaper Clippings.

New Westminister Daily Courier said:

Parliamentary Scandal!

Following an anonymous tip, an audit of this year's budget has brough to light a great conflict of interests, with responsibility possibly stretching all the way up to Australasian Prime Minister William T. Jennings himself.

Tax cuts on industries, while described as 'thorough and nationwide', were discovered to have only half the planned affect, and only in certain regions. On top of that, untold thousands of Pounds were sent off to fund new industrial developments not mentioned in the budget, most notably a large kitchenware factory and other metal working complexes. While this is not necessarily abnormal, as our government funds many similar developments, its details most certainly are. Primarily, all of the land, and later, developments, belonged to Industry Magnate Clark Jennings, a cousin of the Prime Minister and a majour monetary contributer to the Liberal campaign.

After the Courier began to investigate this as well, more details arose. We have discovered the man who gave the tip, but he wishes to remain anonymous at the moment. But he confesses himself to be "Firmly against corruption, and fed up with the Liberal government."

"It's time for our leadership to change." The man added.

That comment has proved to be very true. The Social Party, who had been giving their support to the Liberals in a coalition government, rescinded their support upon getting word of the 'Kitchenware Scandal'. They then joined the Conservative and Imperial parties in demanding an election.

At this moment, Prime Minister Jennings has made few comments about the scandal, but insists innocence on his part. Clark Jennings has yet to make a public statement.

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New Westminister Daily Courier said:

Conservatives win Landslide Election Victory!

Thomas Hawke was sworn in as the 5th Prime Minister of the Dominion of Australasia and South Africa early this morning. Following the downfall of William Jennings due to his (still unproven) involvement in the Kitchenware Scandal, Hawke promises to clean up corruption and get Australasia "Back on Track, and back into the efficient state it was before the Liberals".

While almost all political observers had expected a Conservative government, very few could have predicted a majority, especially a majority of nearly ten percent in the typically close Australasian elections.

"Well, of course the whole party is very pleased with our showing here. We're going to clean up the mess the Liberals left us with and leave Australasia sparkling." Said Brisbane's Conservative Member of Parliament Robert Walker.

The New Westminister Daily Courier will refrain from judgement until the New Government convenes next week.

Final Election Results
Conservative- 58%
Social- 18%
Imperial- 15%
Liberal- 9%

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13 front wars are like that.

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Muwhahahaha. So anyway, how did you decide to call this new war.

I feel ashamed for not being at war.

You sure?

tenchar

das said:

Don't worry, there are several hours left at the least. Will send orders soon - shudder, ye Master of the Finns!

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I fear it is you who will shudder, O noble Russia, at least after the update..

Don't be afraid, I wouldn't shudder because I have pretty good reasons to believe that in a 13-front war, we will emerge triumphant (we, as in Russia and certain allies).

But Russia is blind to the world in this case.

Okay computer failures aside, everything but the spotlight is done (I miscounted by the way - there are *only* 11 fronts) so expect it in 2 hours or so. This war shall be named the 'Messy War' or maybe the 'Greater Zaporozhian War' or maybe 'Dis's headache'

But Russia is blind to the world in this case.

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That's wishful thinking.

there are *only* 11 fronts

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Counting the naval theatres? Because otherwise I could only count 8 or so...

You sure?

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Yeah, that's what I'm thinking too. Looking forward to the update!

1832 Update 2: Machinations

Non-Military Events

Thanks to massive northern investment and general economic growth the Fourth Gayanashagowa/Dominion of Canada surges to the north like a tide as thousands of prospectors, foresters and fur trappers wander all over the north of the American continent and the governments mounted patrols extend even to the northern shore of Lake Templeton[1]. There are resources abounding in this vast wilderness and with government funding several cities spring up along the Nelson river and the Yukon, if some distribution centre, perhaps a northern coastal city, was picked and appropriate resources invested into infrastructure then serious profits are likely in the future. The Canadians also expand along the shores of the Davis Strait in Greenland, and meet Irish fishermen with increasing frequency.

For the Irish as well have been expanding their Greenland holdings, and their Icelandic ones. Despite paying the Scottish for exclusive claim to Iceland the Scottish have not yet quit the island – however they have not expanded their holdings so the Irish have let it slide for now, instead choosing to exploit the mid-Atlantic fishing stocks with gusto (+1 Economy).

The Scottish despite seemingly giving up in Iceland has not been idle; the Norwegian recolonisation has expanded and several urban areas have been formed. With continued rise in industrial fishing a little more government investment could make these cities very profitable, although back in the home country the demands of outfitting the new expanded navy is giving a spur to Glaswegian industry, and this could also be a future region of economic growth.

It’s a quiet year in the southern parts of North America as the USA invests in its people and the Hispaniolian work feverishly to expand the infrastructure to a level demanded of the their extractive industries (+1 Infrastructure, -1 Living Standards).

South America however is rocked by cries of approval as the Empire of Portugal is renamed the “Empire of Portugal-Brazil”, though the old Spanish settlements grumble quietly (+1 Confidence). The additional spending on the colonial infrastructure and army meets with the further approval in the southern colonies, but receives ambivalence in Portugal itself; most of the elite having large investments in Brazil anyway.

Portugal, or should I say ‘Portugal-Brazil’ decides to stop and digest her new Africa conquests this year, but the slack in violent expansionism is taken up by their Atlantic neighbours the United States, which grows its colony of Guinea rather impressively, and establishes a new colony in Gabon (see military events), and by her old rival the Australasians, who push north from their south African holdings. England, France and Scotland also do a small amount of expansion due to private investment, but this does not receive the support of their central governments.

In Europe the web of Portuguese influence stretches further as a Mutual Protection Pact is signed with Spain, and there are indications that the Venetians, having distanced themselves from their old allies the Ottomans (see spotlight) will sign a similar agreement within the year. France as ever reacts irritably to this and strengthens her army still further.

The Polish colonies on the gulf of Bothnia are at first expanded by new immigrants, but when the events of the wars in the south cut them off from the homeland they seek temporary refuge and supply with Novgorod and Finland, and decide to declare themselves ‘temporary associates of the Novogorodian Republic’ mimicking Finland…though later events may have proved this a less than brilliant move.

Russia continues her growth towards the Urals and the north and several cities are founded or rebuilt, however her attempts to attract European specialists fail this year as the war cuts off nearly all contact with the west. Foreign trade suffers as well, but that was never a huge part of the Tsarist economy; however if the lack of contact continues they may find economic growth difficult, and may even experience a decline. Novgorod’s gaining of the Archangelsk port, and the still neutral trade partners of Scotland, Ireland and England prevent a similar strangulation there.

In Kalmykistan the Khan establishes a proper capital in Bukhara, giving the Uzbeks much influence and reassuring his more loyal hosts (+1 Confidence) however some groups are somewhat left out in the cold by this (-1 Culture) and the borders of the realm being to fray, hindering the Khans call for trade with outsiders. Perhaps Tsarist Russia with its problems to the west would be good enough to take the Khan up on his offer.

Australasia experiences much investment in its agriculture and industry from the central government; however the manpower in Australia is still somewhat limited. The growth of South Africa and the recent discovery of gold and diamonds in the north spurs economic growth (+Jacksonsburg [2] Economic centre) of the extractive industries. The Australasians also build an impressive series of forts all across their Indian and Indochinese holdings.

The Holy Kingdom of Tibet is kicked out of its lethargy by the Xin Ming threats and begins serious attempts to modernize (+ 1 Education) and experts believe it will enter the late gunpowder age within a year or three. Its small army drills relentlessly on the high plateaus, and although technologically inferior, contains some of the most skilled and tireless soldiers on the continent.

The far eastern trio of Qing Manchuria, Xin Ming China and the Japanese empire are very quiet…almost too quiet.

Military Events

The various colonial powers expand into Africa, some humanely (Scotland, England and France) and some more aggressively (Australasia and the USA), Australasia’s overwhelming force doctrines and less advanced foes causes them to take very few loses, whilst the Americans loose some men to disease and skirmishes with the more powerful Muslim tribes of west Africa.

(-1 American Division)

The Russian revanchist campaign experiences some…complications which expand over all of Eastern Europe. (See spotlight)

(+2 Novgorodian Irregulars, +10 Polish Irregulars, +18 Tsarist Irregulars, +2 Ottoman Irregulars)

(-Zaporozhschina separatists as an independent nation, -Muscovian league as an independent nation, -1 Russian Confidence, -2 Polish Confidence, -11 Tsarist Divisions, -2 Letuchiye Eskadroni Divisions, -9 Tsarist Irregular divisions, -3 Tsarist Squadrons, -3 Novgorodian Divisions, -3 Ski Trooper Divisions, -11 Polish Divisions, -4 Polish Irregular divisions, - 1 Finnish Division, -1 Arkhangelsk irregular divisions, -4 Prussian Divisions, -6 Sturmtruppen Divisions, -13 Ottoman Divisions, -1 Ottoman Irregular division, -6 Ottoman Squadrons)

The borders of Kalmykistan fray and the Khan puts down some defiance of his rule near to the new capital.

(-1 Kalmykistani division)

The Ottomans put down several small scale revolts in Persia.

(-1 Ottoman divisions)

The Nizamate of Hyderabad, with its Muslim ruling elite and large Hindu populace has always been something of an annoyance for the powerful Marathas confederacy (surprisingly enough though the Hindu’s with the Nizamate are fine with the situation), and the Nizamate’s recent economic success while the Confederacy has annoyed the Peshwa still further. So in early 1832, with the newly reformed army just waiting to be tested Peshwa Srinath decided to do something about it. With the Peshwa not taking much interest in the planning itself his relatively competent generals decided on a multi-pronged attack on land and sea. Within the month thousands of Confederate troops were flowing through the northern regions of the Nizamate. The Nizamate troops, outnumbered almost 3 to 1, technologically inferior and worse trained to boot were easily brushed aside and soon began a headlong flight to defensive positions south of the Godavari.

Once there they were able to hold back the Marathas surprisingly well considering their early performance, and they were able to mobilize reserves to reinforce the river…allowing the Marathas allies the Kingdom of Mysore to attack from the south. The Mysore troops were more on par with those of the Nizamate but the northern distraction meant they were able to easily march in and lay siege to Hyderabad. In desperation the Nizam turned to the one power that could help – Australasia. Admiral Winkworth, commander of the Ceylon garrison and the northern Indian ocean fleets decided the threat to Australasian interests and the loss of an ally in India was worth intervening, and having sent word to New Westminster mobilized his fleets and troops.

The Marathas fleet in the Bay of Bengal was easily forced back to port and Australasian marines quickly regained control of the Nizamate’s coast and an expeditionary force was soon marching to relieve Hyderabad. When the Mysorians ceased their attacks it seemed the salvation of the Nizamate was at hand, but appearances were again deceptive, as the Confederacy decided to use its full strength against the northern defenses and overwhelmed them, pushing south to Hyderabad as the year drew to a close, and the Australasians didn’t have the men or supplies to push them back.

But why had the Mysorians turned back? Well it appears as if the third son of the reigning king decided to reach for more than his lot, and attempted a coup in Bangalore when the army was away, killing the king and his oldest brother. When the loyalist forces, rallying around the second son managed to oust the rebels from the city the power behind the fratricidal prince became apparent as Venetian troops landed in Madras and marched in from Mangalore in support of the rebels. In the main the army turned back from the Nizamate and moved south to support one prince or the other, leaving only defensive positions in the north.

(+5 Nizamate Irregular divisions. 2 Economy from Hyderabad to Marathas, 1 Economy from Hyderabad to Mysore, -2 Nizamate confidence, -2 Mysore Confidence)

(-8 Nizamate Divisions, -3 Nizamate irregular divisions, -5 Marathas Confederacy Divisions, -2 Imperial Guard Divisions, -2 Australasian Divisions, -9 Mysore Divisions, -1 Venetian Division)

Random Events

Tsarist Russia does…things…in stories…and confidence rises for some reason! (+2 Confidence)

Novgorod organises a new constitution and elects a new president who also goes on something of a restructuring of Parliament (+1 Confidence, +1 Civilian Leadership).

Conservatives win a surprising election victory in the GDASA (+2 Confidence)

Spotlight: The Downward Spiral

“If we fail today, Russia falls! If that’s not sufficient motivation I’ll F***ing shoot you myself!” - Captain Matvey “The Bullhorn” Apraksin, Speech to his men just before the battle of Kerch.

Last year the Russians of the old Tsarist Empire decided to reach out for that which was once theirs, and although they hit rough patches such as Moscow and Kiev, nothing really slowed them down or even stood in their way and there only limits seemed to be how quickly they could move. However one nation has decided to draw a line in the sand against the Tsarists; Novgorod, and the ensuing war seems to be spiralling larger and larger, to all of Eastern Europe…and maybe beyond.

A break down in diplomacy between the Tsarists and newly elected Novgorodian president, Mats Åkerson, lend to both sides scurrying into action. Neither side formally declared war, but Novgorod quickly found some allies in Finland and Poland and prepared an expeditionary force. The Russians knew that their window of opportunity for unhindered action would be brief and the order came down on high – finish off the rebels…by any means possible.

The Tsarists surged into action and stampeded across the Ukrainian plains, within a week they reached the Dnestr, within two they had arrived at the Hungarian border, within three Kishinev and Chernovsty had fallen to heavy artillery transported up from the coast, and within the month the old Rada was finally cornered and surrendered. This lightning advance was costly in terms of men and horses which might otherwise been spared, but it meant that when the Polono-Novgorodian expeditionary force entered the north of the country they found the resistance broken, and the Tsarists rapidly securing the north. Some minor skirmishes resulted in defeat for the northerners, and after taking some time to destroy the bridges and so on they retreated north of the heavily fortified borders of Poland. The Tsarists, in need of breathing space, sighed in relief and began the construction of a counterpoint defensive line to the polish and Novogorodian one.

In Muscovy things went somewhat better for the Novgorodians. The Tsarists rapidly consolidated their gains yes, but unlike in Zaporozhschina their troops were not already in the field and had to be brought into position. The Tsarist marched about and where ever they went the resistance crumbled, however the Muscovian league was large and badly connected and precious months went by before everything south of the Volga and east of the Kama were secure. In that time the Novgorodians, well used to the northern conditions and deploying special ski divisions to combat it had managed to do their own marching. Convincing many locals with a combination of bribery and fear mongering about the tsarists the Republic has managed to convince the extreme north of the old Muscovian league to become its allied state. This new state, naming itself the Arkhangelsk league, marked the end of the old Muscovians as any serious entity, and the whole of northern Russia was on one side or the other. The two expeditionary forces met and clashed several times, but with neither wanting a serious fight and the appalling conditions, causalities were minimal. However, although the area each has gained from the Muscovites is roughly equal, the Tsarists hold the richer, more populous lands.

As summer wore on the two sides stared at each across the fortified borders, some small tsarists incursions were beaten back, and the Novgorodian and the Poles did not feel up attacking themselves. Each was content to wait…for other forces had yet to show their hands.

There were hints in the proceeding weeks of course; Scottish merchantmen hired to transport a rather large amount of sealed cargo from the Baltic to the Mediterranean…the Venetian ambassador storming out of Constantinople…supplies being redirected…patrol and service schedules altered…perhaps the combatant nations knew what was coming, or perhaps they were paranoid…but when on July 2nd ten thousand Sturmtruppen crossed the Polish border near Lwowek, and four days later the largest Ottoman fleet in the history of the empire slipped into the Black sea…no one was immensely surprised.

The Prussian Campaign first; two large army groups marched into Poland in a classic envelopment operation, ‘Yellow’ army Sweeping round from Pommerania and around, whilst the vast ‘red’ army slowly and surely advanced from west to east. The Polish army outnumbered the Germans in truth, but with some deployed east of Novgorod, and a great number tied down on the Zaporozhschinan border they were unable to match the German numbers in any engagement. The red army took its time, securing all the cities after extensive sieges whilst the yellow army dug in the east. With the supply system disrupted all of central Poland was soon in German hands (+10 Polish Irregulars), but the great fortified city of Lvov, the Lithuanian towns, and the polish- Zaporozhschinan border were all to much fro the Germans to handle. As winter drew near the Germans decided to fortify their gains and try one last ambitious move – a strong forced march of the elite Sturmtruppen north into Novgorod, arriving at Lake Peipus and fortifying their position just outside of Pskov. With this, and the Prussian Naval supremacy in the Baltic the two sides of Poland were cut in half, the only route of resupply being the vulnerable northern side of Lake Peipus. However the Polish are not yet out for the count – with the Russians distracted in the south then the polish reserves will be free to strike back.

And now onto that distraction of the Russians – just as the Russians have decided to reassert what they believe is theirs, so have the Ottomans; in Russia. The Ottomans first move was to make the Black sea an Ottoman lake once more, and although the Tsarist squadrons fought valiantly: valour is often not enough against a three to one numerical superiority. Although the Tsarists were able to keep control of the Sea of Azov thanks to numerous land batteries and strong defences in the Kerch strait, the Ottomans soon had a free reign in the Black Sea, a similar occurrence soon playing out in the Caspian. But now the Ottomans had to face the Bear on land…and that is a far more difficult foe. But the Ottoman’s many- headed hydra of aggression is not to be underestimated either; landing at Odessa and the mouth of the Dnepr, Sevastopol, all along the Caucasian coast and pushing in from their Armenian territories with hundreds of thousands of men combined. The fortress that is the Crimean peninsula managed to force off the invaders but the Dnepr delta was soon taken and the Ottomans were pushing in towards Azov, cutting off the Peninsula, whilst the Caucasus coast was quickly secured.

The Russians had left a reserve force in the central regions, and the Tsar was screaming for it to be deployed to fight the invaders, but his wily advisor Urluk-Baghatur knew better. He reasoned that it would be better to wait for the Northern army to be moved south, and that the Ottomans were not advancing very quickly – they must be up to something. Considering it was only Urluk-Baghaturs influence that was keeping the Tartars on the tsarist side the Tsar and his council was forced to agree.

Luckily for Urluk-Baghatur he was right; word soon reached him from his spies that an Ottoman force was advancing up the eastern coast of the Caspian, and another larger force was sailing north. The Tsarists moved quickly, picking whither to guard Astrakhan or Guryev, the Volga or the Ural; it was decided that Astrakhan was more important and the entire reserve force moved to guard it. Luckily or unluckily for the Russians the perhaps overly ambitious Sultan had decided to attack both cities; splitting his forces. Thus Astrakhan was held securely whilst Guryev fell; the Ottomans soon forged up the Ural and were soon within striking distance of Tsaritsyn itself! But bye now the tide had, well not turned exactly, but improved. The army intended to move into Novgorod had redeployed south, the Turks on the Dnepr were pushed back from Azov and were falling back towards the shore, the Caucasus landings were facing fierce resistance and seemed somewhat lacking for supplies, and Urluk-Baghaturs reserve force, swollen with irregulars has pushed back every thrust of the Turks out from the Ural. The offensively weak Novgorod army has been unable to capitalize on the Russian distraction, only taking some old Muscovian league lands and reinforcing the Polish positions.

Everything still hangs in the balance, and who knows who or what else will come into play as the conflict spirals outwards.



Diplomacy

From Venetia
To Spain and Portugal

We would love to sign a mutual protection pact with you, but would like to end Spain’s ill gotten gains in Italy first; perhaps a plebiscite in southern Italy and Sicily needs to be held?

From Venetia
To World

We do not support the Ottomans actions against the Russians

From France
To Portugal

What is the meaning of all these alliances!? You draw not a line of defence, but rather a noose around the republic!

Notes

[1] The Great Slave Lake was never named such in the ATL
[2] OTL Johannesburg

Map amp pma apm

From the USA
To Portugal, Louisine Empire, and Canada

We purpose a 3 turn NAP.

From the USA
To Portugal

We wish to purchase the Bahamas from you. At what price are you willing to sell it or even are you even willing to sell it? We wish to control the Bahamas for strategic reasons. We see no reason why the Protuguese must control territory so close to our country.

Disenfranchised, I was of the mind that since there are no actual settlements on iceland, renouncing my claims would simply lead to it turning to the Irish.

Good update though

To: USA
From: Fourth Gayanashagowa

We agree to this.

Kal'thzar said:

Disenfranchised, I was of the mind that since there are no actual settlements on iceland, renouncing my claims would simply lead to it turning to the Irish.

Good update though

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But you didn't include renouncing your claims in your orders , and you do have some 'stuff' there; fishing depot, dock, some people - just not enought o be a 'city' sized thing...

Nice update Dis!

Sheesh, the whole indian situation is quite confusing. I'll have to read over that again.

To: The United States
From: Louisine Empire

A NAP would be quite nice. Agreed.