HarlNESIII - The Decline of France

Hq, in my orders sign the trade agreement with russia. Its not worth it to send a whole new set just for that.
 
Shoot, I've made a huge blunder. I need to re-write the entire Brazil section and sort out a huge mess. I completely overlooked that the rebels and the new government are two various players. With all the messages saying Brazil I didn't notice it was two different until I started on Europe and noticed Lucky talking about the Farow... and then confusing me since I hadn't noticed he was the new legal government. I also need to get the map redone as I'd just filled all of Brazil out with one colour. Quite demoralizing.
 
Aw... I hate it when I do that on updates (I once had to spend hours redoing the Illyrian/New Atlantis war in LINES)
 
WAIIIIITTTTT I need a response to my PM Harl!!! :cry:
 
You do? Ok, sending it now. Don't worry. I'll try to anticipate your response and take it into account. ONly need to do the Asian wars and the European ones.... oh, and the Brazilian civil war.
 
Shoooooottttt, sending additional orders to your Harl!! Wait for me!!!! :p
 
I also sent you PM's telling you about this prior to my orders. Farow to. But mistakes happen. Gladly waiting for the update.
 
UPDATE 7 – April-September 1829

SOUTH AMERICA
In southern America the conflict between Spain and her unruly colonies heats up as declarations of war are delivered to Madrid from Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay. Declaring Spain an imperialist nation which seeks nothing but the continued repression of free people the nations of the continent have signed an alliance with the express purpose of seeing the continent free of foreign oppressors.

Speeches and declarations in the newspapers rouse the population for what is called the “Final Fight for Freedom”. Rumors even say that El Libertador, Simon Bolivar, is leading one of the armies. This took the Spanish quite by surprise, but the general opinion in Valencia is that it is just a challenge and nothing that can’t be handled by the new Neo-Conquistadors. The rebellion in Gran Granada is almost completely crushed by crack Spanish troops who win two battles in swift succession forcing the rebels to fall back and taking several rebel bases, the location of which were revealed by Imperial Spy-drones.

Having learned a lesson by the failed attack in the Andes, the Spanish stay closer to the coast this time. Aware of the presence of large enemy forces in the mountains, the Spanish don’t dare move too far from their base of operations in Lima though as the risk of losing the city and then suffering logistical problems is quite high.

In Brazil, the situation is quite confusing. With the army up in arms for a free Brazil this causes Portugal to react in a quite unexpected way by announcing Brazil would have full independence. An election was rapidly organized in the major population centers and the people elected were announced to be the emergency government of Brazil until such time when more complete elections could be held.
Having received power and established a parliament in Rio, messengers were sent to the armed forces demanding that they stop fighting and take their rightful place as the Free Brazilian Army. Some of the rebels were against this, mainly amongst the leaders, as they suddenly saw their chance for power evaporate. The common soldier was only too happy to agree having achieved his goal. When the officers tried to convince them to stop fighting, the result was disastrous. Some simply threw down their weapons, others turned around and left, but some were so annoyed with the officers seeking more than the independence which they had gained and decided to deal with them in their own manner. The piranhas ate well that day.

In the ideal world this would have been the end of the rebellion. Unfortunately, in most other areas, this approach didn’t work. Many of the messengers found their deaths at the poisoned arrows used by Indians who had taken up a common cause with the rebels. Fighting the propaganda from Rio became a massive priority as more and more soldiers were swayed by it. The counter was found though through a combination of promises of land to the soldiers and claims that the so-called new government was nothing but a Portuguese puppet and that nothing would change.

The main battles occurred in the north where the rebels had taken control. Well, main battles might be exaggerating it a bit as it was mainly smaller skirmishes between irregular forces. The Colonial troops of the rebels did lend a hand here and there and the loyal forces did use some better trained Portuguese troops. Casualties were light on both sides, but there were not much change in the distribution of land. Partially due to the slow movement through jungle, partially due to confusion and partially due to troops being well entrenched. [1]

NORTH AMERICA
Further north things are much more quiet. Not content with adding Florida and Quebec to their young nation, a deal was signed with Russia over their territories on the continent. While a lot of money changes hands in the deal, it is still quite a bargain for the Americans. At the same time as the treaty between Russia and the United States is signed, a message it also sent to all the major nations in the world, not only informing them about the transfer of territory, but also that the USA lays claims to the entire arctic region bordering their lands.

ASIA
After all the drama in Europe in recent years and the quiet in Asia, the situation changes dramatically as several conflicts erupt, all involving European forces freed from the conflict in Europe.

In China things are getting quiet yet again. Some things do happen though. As the great conference in Beijing draws to an end, vows of friendship and cooperation are exchanged, as usual, but the real action is in the west where Chinese forces move into the troubled area that used to be a part of Turkmenistan and annexes it.

In Japan there is also expansion as the north of Hokkaido and the Kuriles are purchased from Russia. Reforms are also started. Several high-ranking nobles and people close to both the Shogun and the Emperor have returned from Europe with information about the situation there, particularly in the military. Aware that Japan is weak and that the traditional code of Bushido won’t do much good against rifles and cannons in modern warfare, steps are taken to rectify the situation, albeit, carefully.
Amongst the changes is a reduction in taxes for the peasants which are received extremely well. New standard measurements are also introduced to make life easier, but free trade is also introduced, at least for Japanese citizens. Aware of the power of the many Daimyos a new conscription system is introduced through which the Daimyo are required to supply troops for the Shogun to better protect the nation. As well as strengthening the state army, this also weakens the Daimyos. Finally, corruption as well as possession and use of drugs are made capital crimes.

In other parts things took a turn for the worse as already stated. In Southeast Asia the Portuguese attempted to make up for their loss of Brazil by launching an attack on Siam and Nam Viet. The initial landing in the north of Siam went very well, with both Bangkok and the royal family captured by the aggressors. As the forces moved south for an attack on the Malacca peninsula, things got more complicated though due to a large presence of Siamese troops. Having recently captured it from the United Provinces and expecting a counter attack, the Siamese were well dug in and prepared for the Portuguese. Even so, against the quality and leadership of the attackers, the bravery of the local troops accounted for little. Regardless, the Portuguese suffered heavily and, more importantly, were delayed long enough to mess up their plans.
The city of Singapore held and the commander of the Portuguese was faced with a dilemma. If storming the city losses could be great enough to stall the entire campaign, but he was also under orders to take it. Deciding that the best course of action would be keeping just a few troops in the area to keep it under siege and otherwise continue with the plan he took a great risk that could end with him under charges for disobeying orders.
He might not have anything to fear though as the remainder of his force did their task well capturing the assigned objectives. As the monsoon hit, Siam was almost completely in Portuguese hands.

Not content with those gains, the Portuguese fleet continued up along the coast of Nam Viet and attacked the local fleet. Some ships managed to escape into Chinese waters, but the majority was sunk or captured by the superior Portuguese navy. The attack on Nam Viet itself also went pretty well though the weather and the hostile terrain kept them from capturing much land. Hue did fall though due to the concentration of forces sent against it. The attack further north on Hanoi had to be abandoned though due to a combination of a lack of troops and the appearance of Chinese banners outside the city.
(Portugal: -5 ships, -4 divisions. Nam Viet and Siam: -a lot)

Another European power determined to expand in the region is Britain who launches attacks on both Burma and Balochistan in counters to the Portuguese expansion. The first attack came against Rangoon where the British won an overwhelming victory against the main force of the Burmese army, scattering the survivors and driving them back into the jungles. The Burmese fleet fared just as poorly with just a few ships escaping the Royal Navy.

The attack on Balochistan went just as smoothly though no decisive battles were fought. The main army of the Balochi was strangely absent and as thus the British could make huge, initial gains. The army was eventually located up in the north were they had deployed in defense against Sikh expansion. The battle was hard fought as the British came up against a numerically superior force that was pretty angry. In the harsh terrain the British were eventually forced to retreat back to the coast. Whilst their troops were better trained and led, they simply didn’t have the numbers needed as some divisions had been detached to secure the captured territories.
(-some forces and ships for all involved :p )

EUROPE
In Europe the British and the Portuguese were also busy, though not in an aggressive manner. In England the parliament unanimously votes to seize all holdings in Britain of the Hudson Bay Company, citing unlawful action by the company in joining with the United States and refusing to recognize the action (+2 spending points).
The Portuguese are busy using the newspapers to explain to the population why Brazil is no longer important despite the amount of money invested in the nation in recent years. The population is somewhat confused and some grumble a bit, but, on the whole, they don’t really know much about what is going on, so they accept this.

The United Provinces pull a surprising move as they sign an alliance with France. Seeking to avert any suspicion from Great Britain, the Dutch publicly announce the alliance citing it to be signed in order to preserve the peace in Western Europe and to have a nation with a foot on both sides and thus the ability to act as a negotiator in case of future trouble.
Domestically some radical changes are also introduced, at least technically, as Dutch and Flemish are made the two official languages of the Province, although both French, English and German received a special, protected status. In other words, little changed.

In Spain things are quiet. Large celebrations are held to celebrate the fact that Spain no longer has any foreign debts. As news arrives about victories in Gran Granada, this only adds to the good mood. Finally, the new parliament is finally formed.

The French start the road to recovery after the devastating wars. The foundations are laid in Marseilles for a new Naval facility to replace the ones destroyed during the war. With no navy to speak of some improved docks are very much needed, but part of the problem is solved as the French buy the entire Russian fleet. Urged by his mother to help Austria in their time of need, Napoleon decides to heed her advice and do what he can to bring the conflict in Central Europe to an end, though not in the way she expected.
Claiming peace is necessary for order in Europe a large element of the French army crossed into Bavaria taking the defenders completely by surprise. Striking north from Italy the only real problem was the crossing of the Alps, but once the army was through the passes, the capital of Munich lay in front of them as an overripe plum, just waiting to be picked. With no defenders nearby in nearly sufficient numbers, the city fell without a fight.
As the Bavarian troops learned of the attack they were naturally stunned. With French forces behind them and Prussian in front, the situation was grim. As news arrived that the king had been deposed and a French nobleman installed, the troops had doubts as to what the proper course of action would be. They couldn’t go north or south. Austria was in trouble of her own and Saxony didn’t appear welcoming. The only real option appeared to be Hanover. For some troops, particularly those with families, this wasn’t too inviting an option either though. Eventually, some simply laid down their arms and uniforms, but a large part of the army left for Hanover in the hopes of one day getting their revenge on the French [2]. Shortly after, the good relations with Italy were confirmed at a ceremony in the Vatican.

On the southern border the Austrians had their problems with the Italians. As negotiations had broken down over the Italian demand of Trieste, the war went on. The fighting more or less died down though as the situation changed into a stalemate with neither side willing to commit the troops necessary to deal with the other side.
Not too concerned with this, Murat went ahead with his own plans in the Vatican along with Napoleon II. In a grand ceremony attended by countless French and Italian nobles, the Pope first crowned Napoleon as Emperor of France and, afterward, Murat as king of Italy.

So, all was not yet lost for Austria. The southern flank had stabilized, Bavaria was now neutral territory and though an ally was lost, it would stop the Prussians from moving that way. Peace was also signed with Saxony leaving the Austrians to focus on the Prussians and the Russians. This could still be more than enough to bring them down though. Some relief was gained as the war escalated with both the Ottomans and Persia joining in against the Russians.

Well, the Ottomans weren’t aware at first that their conflict was escalating, but as a proclamation was made in Moscow about the coming liberation of the Orthodox people in the Balkans and Georgia, it was obvious that something would happen. The Ottoman Sultan was busy in meetings with his administrators, discussing the future of the nation when a tired Persian emissary arrived and informed that they were under attack by the Russians. Having come to agreement earlier regarding the Russians, the Persians requested immediate help.
The Russians were indeed attacking using some of the best troops and had a slight numerical advantage allowing them to gain some progress. This soon stopped though as the fighting moved into fortified areas where the Persians were well entrenched. Progress was not stopped, but did slow down immensely as the army was forced to deal with the fortifications. The first fell easily enough, but the second was only taken after a long and bloody battle in which the Russian losses were frustratingly high.
(Persia: -2 divisions, Russia: -5 divisions)

On the Austrian front things went much better. Reinforced with large numbers of troops, the elite Cossacks broke through the Austrian lines causing panic in the defenders. In a matter of weeks the troops were at the Donau and it seems to be only a matter of time now before Austria folds.
(Austria: - a lot, Russia, -3 Cossacks, -6 green)

[1] I completely got the Brazilian campaign messed up. You’ll both get a PM soon detailing your precise forces and economic standing. For this turn I kept most things at a status quo.
[2] I need some specifics on what will be happening with Bavaria.
 
OOC: Fun update.

IC:

From: Qing China
To: The Portuguese and British Aliens

The Emperor requests that you cease your incursions in the Tributary Realms of Burma, Siam and Annam.
 
From Russia
To China

Russia begins to feel threatened by China's continued expansion into Central Asia, we would like to receive guarantees by the Chinese government that no further expansion in Central Asia will be made.
 
From: Qing China
To: Russian Empire

How is it that you feel threatened by such distant events?

Either way, we shall not advance further in Central Asia if you promise to restore order to the rest of it yourself within the next few years, and to protect the trade routes that go through your future Central Asian domains.
 
From Russia
To China

We'd Rather Not have a superpower bordering Russia's Heartland, hence why we feel threatened by the expansions.

We would have preferred those territories as buffer, but we are willing to make the subduing of those lands our priority once our other commitments have been dealt with.

Russia is willing to Sign a trade agreement with China so that our trade is Secured and Regulated between our nations.
 
To United Provinces
From Great Britian

Your colonies in Australia provide Great Britian with a cause for war, since we claimed Australasia almost 2 years ago. If you do not surrender your Colonies immediatly, Great Britian will prosecute a colonial war to seize your other colonies as well.
 
To: Spain
From: Argentina


You have ignored our advice to withdraw your troops from Peru. We had hoped that perhaps you were a sensible ruler, who preferred peace to the brutalities of war. But no, it seems all European tyrants are the same, they are reckless and arrogant, bowing only to the pressure from their own bloodthirsty desires. It seems once again our nation's best and brightest must take the battlefield to defend the liberties of Latin America. So be it. We have defeated your decadent empire once before, and we can do it again. But know this: the Sword of Liberty that is about to be unsheathed cannot be put away until the oppressor is completely vanquished from our soil.

To: Brazil
From: Argentina


Congratulations on your newfound independence! Will you agree to a non-aggression pact with us, to continue the warm relations our two peoples have always enjoyed?
 
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