Tani Coyote
Son of Huehuecoyotl
- Joined
- May 28, 2007
- Messages
- 15,191
Prologue
Under the careful administration of Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck, Prussia rose from one of the German states to the unifier of almost all of them. With his tact and Germanys resources, the new German Empire was able to assert itself on multiple continents, gaining large holdings in Africa and the Pacific Rim. He further secured Germanys newfound power through strategic alliances meant to keep the peace in Europe amidst the tensions of colonial expansionism. Though he would later be forced from his position due to disagreements with Kaiser Wilhelm II, the legacy of Germany owes much to the pragmatic man and his realpolitik.
Under Leo von Caprivi, Bismarcks successors, Germanys diplomatic machine crumbled, with only the alliance with Austria remaining solid. When the old Prince Hohenlohe succeeded Caprivi in 1894, this allowed an extremely ambitious foreign minister, von Buelow, to assert his policies. Wilhelm being the impetuous, aggressive type, was soon quick to give von Buelow immense leeway in foreign affairs. Wilhelm called for a large naval buildup, but this necessitated a stronger industrial base von Buelow was able to ensure the Emperor coerced the weak Hohenlohe to strive for maximum economic production, even if many German citizens might starve due to the sheer pace of converting agrarian land tor industrial use. With an enlarged military, Germany made sure a lid was kept on dissent.
As the years went by, von Buelow glossed over his Emperors irresponsible, belligerent remarks and provided an image of Germany peacefully rising. Germanys productivity surged in the period from 1895 to the turn of the century. With Hohenlohes health rapidly declining and with a close relationship with the Emperor, it was not surprising von Buelow had his eyes on the Chancellory itself, able to take effective command of foreign policy from an early date in his term.
Such was the influence von Buelow had on the Emperor (being far more agreeable than Bismarck had ever been, for better or worse), that he was able to declare war on the Low Countries in 1899, with Wilhelm lending full support. Germanys peaceful rise was over.
Recap of the War of 1899
Not wanting to risk imperial overstretch, Germany was quick to make peace with the Dutch and Belgians on New Years Eve. The Treaty of Brussels preserved the alliance between the Dutch and Belgians, but stripped them of their homelands, the two states rechristening themselves the Belgian Kingdom of the Kongo and the Dutch Kingdom of the Indies. The British, presiding as observers, were also able to gain a portion of the Congo in exchange for non-intervention. Germany annexed Flanders, Luxemburg and the Netherlands into the Reich mere seconds after the Belgians and Dutch renounced their territories. To top it all off, the Netherlands and Belgium were forced to pay reparations of over 14 billion marks between them. The German flag now flew over the Low Countries.
It is now a new century, and pressure has ensured the resignation of Hohenlowe in favor of von Buelow, who many feel may as well be declared Co-Emperor with how much authority he now wields over foreign and domestic policy. While he has proven capable, he is far from superhuman and could very well be forced out if enough support fell behind another leader
That leader could very well be you. Whether born into privilege or having accumulated it, you are the leader of one of the finest factions in the German Empire. You have many ambitious rivals who would also seek to consolidate their power, but perhaps you could make a deal with them? Failing the pen, there is always the sword, with economic warfare and criminal activities to even the odds. Win the hearts of the people and your rivals, or beat them into fearful submission, the choice is yours.
What is clear is that the politics of empire must be approached with caution, lest you and your faction become little more than ghosts
===
Welcome to the Politics of Empire, or POE. This is a game focused on internal politicking rather than serving as competing nations. The setting is 1900 Germany, fresh from a trip through alt-history that included conquest of Belgian and Dutch territory. You will play as a faction - which could be a company, aristocratic family, company, or otherwise - that has clear power and influence in German politics. Your faction strives to increase its wealth and power, with the ultimate goal being the dictation of German domestic and foreign policy.
Signing Up
To start, name your faction. Also choose a color there wont be a map with your color on it, but I will color code you for easy reference.
Beyond that, simply pick an ideology. There are four categories of ideologies: Government Style, Legal System, Economic System, and Foreign Policy. You may have one type from each category. Your ideology determines rewards/penalties your actions give you if you are a Socialist, for example, increasing the workers share of the economy would improve your standing, whereas supporting tax cuts for the wealthy most likely would not. For the first three categories, you are free to recommend an alternative ideology if I missed one.
Government Style: Democracy, Oligarchy, Autocracy. Democrats strive to increase the power of the people in politics through free elections and transparency. Oligarchs believe that a privileged elite, whether hereditary, elected (likely by a larger privileged group), or appointed, should govern policy. Autocrats believe in a single leader making the decisions (though how effective these are can still be hamstrung by power brokers). Germany is currently an Oligarchy, due to the power of the Bundesrat and Emperor.
Legal System: Liberalism, Authoritarianism, Totalitarianism. Liberals advocate a system of government with rigorous protections for the accused and extensive rights in daily lives. Authoritarians usually put the needs of authority above that of the individual, and so excuse the use of state power if it serves the ends of the state. Totalitarians go to the extreme, with a desire for the state to completely control citizens lives. Germany is currently authoritarian, as an oligarchy commands a great deal of power to its own ends despite the nominal power of the elected Reichstag, while there are abuses against many non-German groups.
Economic System: Laissez-Faire, Mixed Economy, Socialism. Laissez-faire advocates desire minimal government ownership and regulation in the economy. Mixed economy advocates want regulation and/or government ownership of various industries for some reason or another. Socialists advocate the whole or partial abolition of private property in favor of communal ownership through varying means, such as ownership by groups of workers, trade organizations, or the government. Germany is currently a mixed economy, having a robust welfare state despite its strong capitalist industrial base.
Foreign Policy: There are so many ways this could go that you are free to state your own foreign policy platform. You will rise and fall based on what you have set out to achieve, so keep that in mind. Do you want to unify all the Germanic nations? Best the British fleet or multiple fleets combined in size? Gain colonies, whether in specific areas, or in general? You have your full imagination on this one.
Thats it. Your faction is crafted and ready to go.
What the Stats Mean
Every turn an update will be posted containing various statistics on a spreadsheet.
The most useful one will be the Factions sheet, which simply outlines a faction name, its player, its income, its overall national influence, and its ideologies. Income is how much money you have to spend (more detail later), whereas National Influence shows how much clout you have across the Empire; this is not just national positions but subnational positions as well. Even if you had no government posts, a faction owning 20% of the country would be one to pay attention to.
The Provinces sheet may look scary with its columns, but dont be afraid. It outlines the key cities around the empire, their region (region is for flavor and means little else), how much income they generate in tens of billions of USD, the national clout of the city, who controls it, and on the far right, how much of the city is influenced by each faction. Think of each city as a corporation with influence as shares in the city; the more of the city you own the more of its GDP you collect as your income. A city is controlled by whoever has majority influence, whether that is a single faction or a coalition; if a majority holder loses the majority, they retain power over the city until someone else ousts them. Control of a city is important the national clout of a city determines how much pull it has politically, and whoever runs the city will see their own factions clout increase.
The Industries sheet divides the economy into various industries, hence its name. An industry generates so much money per turn, which is split between the various stakeholders (thats you!). To invest in an industry, simply specify to do so. Stakes in an industry may be sold off to other players or traded; for your convenience, the income value of each ownership point is recorded. Common sense dictates the strength of industries a bigger army will make armaments more valuable, an emphasis on roads and railways will increase infrastructure, more factories will equate to more manufacturing, more minerals will increase raw materials, etc. Like any good oligarch, you can thus base political decisions around increasing the value of your portfolio.
The Electioneering sheet is the last one you need to see, and is simple. It simply lists the various cities and what issues are dominant in their attention; these are randomized and change with time. Investing in cities favorable to your cause increases the effectiveness of investments. This sheet is separate from the main provinces page for aesthetics.
Sending Orders and Participation
The part that scares a lot of people. This game is designed so you only need to be as involved as you want, whether roleplaying or orders.
Orders are simple: you receive income and then may choose what to do with it. You may invest in cities on the Provinces sheet, thus increasing your city income and how much pull you have in a particular locale. You can alternatively invest in an industry, gaining additional income from that industry. Your final hardcoded option is to invest in espionage; you invest espionage in each individual city. These are where the money is spent, though you can also send and receive money to other players for deals and the like.
You can order your spies in a city to engage in practically any activity of your choice. Assassination, sabotage, slander, robbery everythings legal in politics. There is no limit on what you can order spies to do, only a limit on how many missions you can order 5. This is for simplicity.
Beyond that, all involvement is primarily with other players. You can cut deals to govern cities together, or, assuming you have the sufficient National Influence, the entire country and its policies. You may also roleplay, whether about events or your factions political stances.
One of your greatest ways to be involved is your vote on national decisions. In absence of a governing coalition or other power, the Government (that is, me) will forward policy options that you have the right to vote on. Whichever option catches the most support (i.e. national influence) will be given precedence. The Empire will almost always be pursuing more land and resources for the German people, and so shaping where and when German soldiers march is a great source of prestige and power.
While the power to send armies against each other as in a normal IOT is gone, there is no effective limit on what else you can roleplay and discuss. Work with other players to form a lasting coalition, or ruthlessly backstab your way to the top. Transform Germany into a proto-fascist totalitarian society, or have Germany, and not Russia, become the worlds first socialist republic. Or simply sit back as an observer and build a commercial empire within Germanys growing economy.
Orders can be given in both a general (all into x, half into y) format or specific (120 into X, 60 into Y, etc.) format. Be sure to inform me if you drop as a courtesy; going AWOL is extremely disruptive.
Under the careful administration of Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck, Prussia rose from one of the German states to the unifier of almost all of them. With his tact and Germanys resources, the new German Empire was able to assert itself on multiple continents, gaining large holdings in Africa and the Pacific Rim. He further secured Germanys newfound power through strategic alliances meant to keep the peace in Europe amidst the tensions of colonial expansionism. Though he would later be forced from his position due to disagreements with Kaiser Wilhelm II, the legacy of Germany owes much to the pragmatic man and his realpolitik.
Under Leo von Caprivi, Bismarcks successors, Germanys diplomatic machine crumbled, with only the alliance with Austria remaining solid. When the old Prince Hohenlohe succeeded Caprivi in 1894, this allowed an extremely ambitious foreign minister, von Buelow, to assert his policies. Wilhelm being the impetuous, aggressive type, was soon quick to give von Buelow immense leeway in foreign affairs. Wilhelm called for a large naval buildup, but this necessitated a stronger industrial base von Buelow was able to ensure the Emperor coerced the weak Hohenlohe to strive for maximum economic production, even if many German citizens might starve due to the sheer pace of converting agrarian land tor industrial use. With an enlarged military, Germany made sure a lid was kept on dissent.
As the years went by, von Buelow glossed over his Emperors irresponsible, belligerent remarks and provided an image of Germany peacefully rising. Germanys productivity surged in the period from 1895 to the turn of the century. With Hohenlohes health rapidly declining and with a close relationship with the Emperor, it was not surprising von Buelow had his eyes on the Chancellory itself, able to take effective command of foreign policy from an early date in his term.
Such was the influence von Buelow had on the Emperor (being far more agreeable than Bismarck had ever been, for better or worse), that he was able to declare war on the Low Countries in 1899, with Wilhelm lending full support. Germanys peaceful rise was over.
Recap of the War of 1899
Spoiler :
Not wanting to risk imperial overstretch, Germany was quick to make peace with the Dutch and Belgians on New Years Eve. The Treaty of Brussels preserved the alliance between the Dutch and Belgians, but stripped them of their homelands, the two states rechristening themselves the Belgian Kingdom of the Kongo and the Dutch Kingdom of the Indies. The British, presiding as observers, were also able to gain a portion of the Congo in exchange for non-intervention. Germany annexed Flanders, Luxemburg and the Netherlands into the Reich mere seconds after the Belgians and Dutch renounced their territories. To top it all off, the Netherlands and Belgium were forced to pay reparations of over 14 billion marks between them. The German flag now flew over the Low Countries.
It is now a new century, and pressure has ensured the resignation of Hohenlowe in favor of von Buelow, who many feel may as well be declared Co-Emperor with how much authority he now wields over foreign and domestic policy. While he has proven capable, he is far from superhuman and could very well be forced out if enough support fell behind another leader
That leader could very well be you. Whether born into privilege or having accumulated it, you are the leader of one of the finest factions in the German Empire. You have many ambitious rivals who would also seek to consolidate their power, but perhaps you could make a deal with them? Failing the pen, there is always the sword, with economic warfare and criminal activities to even the odds. Win the hearts of the people and your rivals, or beat them into fearful submission, the choice is yours.
What is clear is that the politics of empire must be approached with caution, lest you and your faction become little more than ghosts
===
Welcome to the Politics of Empire, or POE. This is a game focused on internal politicking rather than serving as competing nations. The setting is 1900 Germany, fresh from a trip through alt-history that included conquest of Belgian and Dutch territory. You will play as a faction - which could be a company, aristocratic family, company, or otherwise - that has clear power and influence in German politics. Your faction strives to increase its wealth and power, with the ultimate goal being the dictation of German domestic and foreign policy.
Signing Up
To start, name your faction. Also choose a color there wont be a map with your color on it, but I will color code you for easy reference.
Beyond that, simply pick an ideology. There are four categories of ideologies: Government Style, Legal System, Economic System, and Foreign Policy. You may have one type from each category. Your ideology determines rewards/penalties your actions give you if you are a Socialist, for example, increasing the workers share of the economy would improve your standing, whereas supporting tax cuts for the wealthy most likely would not. For the first three categories, you are free to recommend an alternative ideology if I missed one.
Government Style: Democracy, Oligarchy, Autocracy. Democrats strive to increase the power of the people in politics through free elections and transparency. Oligarchs believe that a privileged elite, whether hereditary, elected (likely by a larger privileged group), or appointed, should govern policy. Autocrats believe in a single leader making the decisions (though how effective these are can still be hamstrung by power brokers). Germany is currently an Oligarchy, due to the power of the Bundesrat and Emperor.
Legal System: Liberalism, Authoritarianism, Totalitarianism. Liberals advocate a system of government with rigorous protections for the accused and extensive rights in daily lives. Authoritarians usually put the needs of authority above that of the individual, and so excuse the use of state power if it serves the ends of the state. Totalitarians go to the extreme, with a desire for the state to completely control citizens lives. Germany is currently authoritarian, as an oligarchy commands a great deal of power to its own ends despite the nominal power of the elected Reichstag, while there are abuses against many non-German groups.
Economic System: Laissez-Faire, Mixed Economy, Socialism. Laissez-faire advocates desire minimal government ownership and regulation in the economy. Mixed economy advocates want regulation and/or government ownership of various industries for some reason or another. Socialists advocate the whole or partial abolition of private property in favor of communal ownership through varying means, such as ownership by groups of workers, trade organizations, or the government. Germany is currently a mixed economy, having a robust welfare state despite its strong capitalist industrial base.
Foreign Policy: There are so many ways this could go that you are free to state your own foreign policy platform. You will rise and fall based on what you have set out to achieve, so keep that in mind. Do you want to unify all the Germanic nations? Best the British fleet or multiple fleets combined in size? Gain colonies, whether in specific areas, or in general? You have your full imagination on this one.
Thats it. Your faction is crafted and ready to go.
What the Stats Mean
Every turn an update will be posted containing various statistics on a spreadsheet.
The most useful one will be the Factions sheet, which simply outlines a faction name, its player, its income, its overall national influence, and its ideologies. Income is how much money you have to spend (more detail later), whereas National Influence shows how much clout you have across the Empire; this is not just national positions but subnational positions as well. Even if you had no government posts, a faction owning 20% of the country would be one to pay attention to.
The Provinces sheet may look scary with its columns, but dont be afraid. It outlines the key cities around the empire, their region (region is for flavor and means little else), how much income they generate in tens of billions of USD, the national clout of the city, who controls it, and on the far right, how much of the city is influenced by each faction. Think of each city as a corporation with influence as shares in the city; the more of the city you own the more of its GDP you collect as your income. A city is controlled by whoever has majority influence, whether that is a single faction or a coalition; if a majority holder loses the majority, they retain power over the city until someone else ousts them. Control of a city is important the national clout of a city determines how much pull it has politically, and whoever runs the city will see their own factions clout increase.
The Industries sheet divides the economy into various industries, hence its name. An industry generates so much money per turn, which is split between the various stakeholders (thats you!). To invest in an industry, simply specify to do so. Stakes in an industry may be sold off to other players or traded; for your convenience, the income value of each ownership point is recorded. Common sense dictates the strength of industries a bigger army will make armaments more valuable, an emphasis on roads and railways will increase infrastructure, more factories will equate to more manufacturing, more minerals will increase raw materials, etc. Like any good oligarch, you can thus base political decisions around increasing the value of your portfolio.
The Electioneering sheet is the last one you need to see, and is simple. It simply lists the various cities and what issues are dominant in their attention; these are randomized and change with time. Investing in cities favorable to your cause increases the effectiveness of investments. This sheet is separate from the main provinces page for aesthetics.
Sending Orders and Participation
The part that scares a lot of people. This game is designed so you only need to be as involved as you want, whether roleplaying or orders.
Orders are simple: you receive income and then may choose what to do with it. You may invest in cities on the Provinces sheet, thus increasing your city income and how much pull you have in a particular locale. You can alternatively invest in an industry, gaining additional income from that industry. Your final hardcoded option is to invest in espionage; you invest espionage in each individual city. These are where the money is spent, though you can also send and receive money to other players for deals and the like.
You can order your spies in a city to engage in practically any activity of your choice. Assassination, sabotage, slander, robbery everythings legal in politics. There is no limit on what you can order spies to do, only a limit on how many missions you can order 5. This is for simplicity.
Beyond that, all involvement is primarily with other players. You can cut deals to govern cities together, or, assuming you have the sufficient National Influence, the entire country and its policies. You may also roleplay, whether about events or your factions political stances.
One of your greatest ways to be involved is your vote on national decisions. In absence of a governing coalition or other power, the Government (that is, me) will forward policy options that you have the right to vote on. Whichever option catches the most support (i.e. national influence) will be given precedence. The Empire will almost always be pursuing more land and resources for the German people, and so shaping where and when German soldiers march is a great source of prestige and power.
While the power to send armies against each other as in a normal IOT is gone, there is no effective limit on what else you can roleplay and discuss. Work with other players to form a lasting coalition, or ruthlessly backstab your way to the top. Transform Germany into a proto-fascist totalitarian society, or have Germany, and not Russia, become the worlds first socialist republic. Or simply sit back as an observer and build a commercial empire within Germanys growing economy.
Orders can be given in both a general (all into x, half into y) format or specific (120 into X, 60 into Y, etc.) format. Be sure to inform me if you drop as a courtesy; going AWOL is extremely disruptive.
