Iron and Blood - Game Thread

[kiwitt]

GM: Just a point about Response DoWs, if it not clear, in the game mechanics.

Declarations of War made within the Initial 48 hour period are NEW Declarations of War, regardless of whether they are in response to an ally being attacked or not. The point is they are in the initial 48 hour phase. The reason for the initial 48 hour period is to eliminate the surprise attacks, so the defender has time to change their orders.

Declarations of War made within the Response 48 hour period are RESPONSE Declarations of War, which can only be directed at nations who initiated the Declarations of War in the initial 48 hour period. This is to eliminate the possibility of surprise attacks on a nation's allies and their allies not being able to give immediate assistance.

The alternative would be to have only the initial phase as there was initially when TK was running the game and a player could wait until the end of the 48 hour period and then DoW and the allies would have to wait until next turn to respond. I think the second response period is fair and helps deter initial DoWs, knowing that allies can make counter DoWs.

 

[arya126]

But...that doesnt make sense! Why make allies wait until the second period in order to respond with a 'response' DoW? Response DoWs should be in both periods, with new DoWs only in the first 48 hours. Thats like forcing an ally to wait months in order to declare war on someone who attacks their ally.

 

[BSmith1068]

But...that doesnt make sense! Why make allies wait until the second period in order to respond with a 'response' DoW? Response DoWs should be in both periods, with new DoWs only in the first 48 hours. Thats like forcing an ally to wait months in order to declare war on someone who attacks their ally.

Because it is a game and there has to be some structure. While you could reduce the 4 year interval between turns to a months/day timeframe if you wanted to, that doesn’t really make sense. The minimum recognized time-frame is the official updates (currently 4 years, going to 2 years in a couple of updates). Everything that happens in-between updates happens over that time period, but is not defined as a specific date/time.

The DoW periods are in place for a good reason and I for one agree with the way it is now. It reduces many of the opportunities for players to game the system to gain an unfair advantage.

 

[kiwitt]

GM: Its a game mechanism because other players are not online all the time or only get on once every day or two, plus timezone differences. 48 hours does not equal elapsed in-game time.

EDIT: thanks Bsmith1068

 

[choxorn]

So... allow response DOW's to also be in the first time period, as well as new DOW's?

 

[kiwitt]

GM: Yes ... but they are still called initial phase DoWs for the game mechanics, regardless of the diplomatic reasoning behind it.

 

[arya126]

So... allow response DOW's to also be in the first time period, as well as new DOW's?

THIS. I dont know what the 2 posts in between me and Choxorn were talking about, but it couldnt have been my post. It makes no snese to structure DoWs THAT much. Yes, new, response, and the divisions of 48 hours can all make sense, even if I would rather be without them. BUT, making it so that response DoWs have to wait until the next 48 hours instead of just having response DoWs active against any new DoW for the entire 96 hours, doesnt make sense at all.

Basically, this is what should be used:

1st 48 hours- All NEW DoWs are required to be within this period.

Entire 96 hours of DoWs, including the 1st 48- Response DoWs to any new DoW. These response DoWs may be anywhere in the first 96 hours, as long as they quote the DoW that was posted in the thread that they are responding to so that people cant edit things out to trick people. Response DoWs MAY NOT be responded to directly with another DoW.

 

[kiwitt]

Entire 96 hours of DoWs, including the 1st 48- Response DoWs to any new DoW. These response DoWs may be anywhere in the first 96 hours, as long as they quote the DoW that was posted in the thread that they are responding to so that people cant edit things out to trick people. Response DoWs MAY NOT be responded to directly with another DoW.

GM: No ... A DoW is a DoW regardless of the diplomatic status. Also there is nothing to stop an ally DoWing in the initial 48 phase if their ally is attacked in the initial phase.

If any nation DoWs in the initial 48 phase, he is susceptible to a DoW in the response 48 phase. This is the game mechanics, for the reasoning I gave earlier. Please read that again.

Everything else is surrounding it is diplomacy and is to managed and handled by the players themselves. If the player does not think a DoW is fair, it can be handled by diplomatic actions. i.e. joining another alliance, leaving one, asking for allies or be ostracised, etc. The GM should not place too many restrictions on diplomacy, as I have been reminded about frequently.

Please read the Update Policy

 

[GamezRule]

FRANCE

The Late Former President​

Jules Simon had a wonderful first year of his presidency. However, soon international affairs began to wear on the president, and his health began to deteriorate. He kept his failing health from the public, and managed to cast an image of a strong stable leader.

In fact, in Europe, things had never been better. After 1890, things began to cool down with Germany, although it's exact leadership was uncertain. Relations with Russia also began to be restored. Ireland was seeing their Socialist Government gain great prosperity. The Ten-Year Plan for modernizing the Army had been temporary suspended to allow for development of the European Republic, an idea which was unstable, and much of the time, France had to bail it out. However, while the industrial growth of France continued to remain largely stagnant, in the rest of Western Europe, industry boomed.

President Simon also began to expand the Scientific program, as well as invest in technological research. Scientists and top military commanders began a joint program called "Pluie en Métal." The general idea was to try to develop new artillery pieces called Howitzers, and also to develop a network of forward observers to better coordinate artillery strikes. The network would allow coordinates to be sent back to the artillery battery from the forward observers, and allow them to fire from cover. The whole network would provide for better striking power for grande batteries.

However, in late 1892, President Jules Simon suddenly died of a massive heart attack, probably due to the stress of the Presidency. He was sitting down for an evening meal, when he complained of pain. He left to sit down in a soft chair, and never got back up. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louis Decazes, became the first ever Acting President, a role which he held for 4 months, until an election could be held.

Many believed that the Presidents death was an act of sabotage by either the Germans or Communists, and when the National Liberal Felix Faure finally gained the nomination, his Nationalist, anti-Communist, and anti-German rhetoric attracted large sections of the French population. The National Liberals also strengthened their lead in Parliament, gaining full power in the government. On February 14, 1883, Felix Faure was elected to be the Fifth President of France, and many believed that he would lead France to once again become the worlds greatest power.

------------------------------

President Felix Faure​

In 1893, Felix Faure took control of the European Republic. Widely popular through all of Western Europe, he continued many of the successful policies of his predecessor. However, he also increased military spending, and returned the Ten-Year plan to full funding, after it had seen two years of half funding and one year with no funding. He also redirected the focus of industrialization to return to building factories in France. However, this was only temporary, and plans are in place to return to other sections of the Republic later on. Pluie en Métal also saw an increase in funding, with hopes that returns would begin to appear by 1894. However, foreign affairs soon took the spotlight in France.

President Faure soon announced, with the approval of both parliaments, that unless Swaziland was close to victory in their war with Tawansitsuyo, then France would enter by March of 1894. He also revamped the government, shifting internal offices, to make things run more efficiently. His approval remained high, giving the appearance as a crusader against Communism and Germany, Frances two top enemies. However, time will only tell how successful Felix Faure will really be.

 

[Double A]

GM: No ... A DoW is a DoW regardless of the diplomatic status. Also there is nothing to stop an ally DoWing in the initial 48 phase if their ally is attacked in the initial phase.

If any nation DoWs in the initial 48 phase, he is susceptible to a DoW in the response 48 phase. This is the game mechanics, for the reasoning I gave earlier. Please read that again.

Everything else is surrounding it is diplomacy and is to managed and handled by the players themselves. If the player does not think a DoW is fair, it can be handled by diplomatic actions. i.e. joining another alliance, leaving one, asking for allies or be ostracised, etc. The GM should not place too many restrictions on diplomacy, as I have been reminded about frequently.

Please read the Update Policy

I'm gonna have to side with kiwitt on this. The way I see it, his job is a little easier when DoWs are separated into two groups based on time, and he doesn't have to worry about their classification the first 48 hours if he just dumps them into one category.

 

[Tee Kay]

I see kiwitt has thought more about this more thoroughly than I have. So I think the system's fine.

 

[Double A]

Must be the Energon deposits messing with your circuits.

 

[Tee Kay]

edit: never mind

 

[kiwitt]

GM: 24 hours to orders lock - Good luck

 

[mechaerik]

CALIPHATE OF MEDINA ORDERS

40IC
All to factories-
Five (10IC) in EGYPT (Nominate for Core)
Five (10IC) in AFGHANISTAN (Nominate for Core)
Five (10IC) in IRAN (Nominate for Core)
Five (10IC) in SYRIA

OTHER
Socialist parties in Medina have been forced to turn over membership lists and restricted from certain offices

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

Events in Russia had achieved a brief stabilisation. The reforms of the Kan had placated the masses for now, but it was clear it was only temporary. The Third Section continued to keep one step ahead of any of the more extremist groups, but the fact that such groups existed was a cause for concern.

For now, there was more worry in the outer provinces. Nationalist groups in the Ukraine, Idel-Ural, Kazakhstan and Siberia felt isolated and increasingly sidelined by St. Petersburg. ‘Independence or Interaction’ became the motto of the groups that, while not as violent as the communist groups in Russia proper, were just as vocal.

A poster advocating an independent Ukraine

The Kan decided on a third option - ‘Investment.’ Millions of rubles was spent on expanding the industries of the ‘middle and outer territories’, as well as encouraging Russians to emigrate to the provinces through a series of attractive propaganda campaigns. The territories outside the central territories were vast, and ready for more entrepreneurial types to take advantage of.

It also saw the strengthening of the ‘middle class’ across Russia, ready to exploit those below them, and encouraging Russian to move beyond the central provinces also encouraged the spreading of the Russian communist parties. Relatively safe from the reach of the Third Section, they congregated into two separate groups - the more liberal Mensheviks and the more radical Bolsheviks.

Such matters were of little importance to the Kan, however, as he continued to make Russia relevant on the world stage. Diplomatically his country remained isolated, though in-roads had developed with his European neighbours, in particular with France, who had always maintained a cordial relationship with Russia for the past fifty years.

Lusitaniov and Mauritanov

Less spectacular, though probably more relevant to the public, was the launching of the Lusitaniov and Mauritanov. Sister ships, though build at competing shipyards in St. Petersburg and Archangelsk respectively, they represented the supreme class of civilian passenger vessels. An unprecedented 31,000 tonnes, they were the largest ships in existence. Able to make speeds of 25 knots and beyond, they were the fastest ships in their trade.

With their powerful engines, both ships cut days off the Cherbourg-New York Atlantic run. Indeed, despite being sister ships, they caught the publics eye in competing for the ‘Blue Riband’ - the award given to the ship that made the journey in the fastest time. All too often one ship would win the award, only to have to surrender it to the other when it arrived in New York just minutes faster.

Lusitaniov, arriving in New York

It was, outwardly, a great time for Russia. One had to ignore the problems at home and, as long as the Third Section kept up their efforts, the Kan could afford to…

Imperial Russian Empire
68 IC

20IC For 10 Factories in Ukraine
20IC for 10 Factories in Idel-Ural
20IC for 10 Factories in Kazakhstan
8IC into SCIENCE!

 

[Mango Elephant]

Southern Han - A story of Indian people

Debby McNally, the average Indian woman under Southern Han.

Debby McNally was like any other Indian woman in the city of Madras, and as an Indian citizen she was happy with the way Southern Han was ruling her city. "Well, when I had heard after the Southern Han had toke us over here in Madras and they were wanting to give women equal rights as men to see if life would collapse, I was horrified. I may be a woman, but equal rights? Oh lord, that ain't ever been so, and it ain't right. So I thought, until when my husband died from eating too much chili powder, and his mother wanted to burn me with my husband's dead body! I wasn't havin' none of that, I tell you. So guess what I did, I told that hussey right then and there that I ain't goin' do that, and I didn't, I walked right out of that house and got myself a nose ring as defiance against the opressed women of this world. Woman pride, worldwide!" With this Debby pulled off her top and flashed us with her breasts, and let me tell you, her nose wasn't the only thing that was pierced.

And Debby's story isn't unique. Across Madras and Ceylon women are becoming independant and feminist, and we here in Canton and Japan can thank our lucky stars that that isn't happening here. A woman with a nose ring, denying the wishes of her late husband's mother's wishes? That's terrible!

This is from you're esteemed reporter, Wang Liu

 

[MaxaTheGreat]

As new opportunities opened up in Texas, more and more people moved into its territories, hoping to strike a living. While the rise of communism starts to pressure Texas, the king has managed to make sure that socialists who become citizens do not create problems for the empire.

The Caribbean

While growth in population at the Caribbean has declined since 1877, A new era in the economy of the region has emerged. While farming tobacco has crashed due to overproduction, major growth in industry has led to factory work becoming the dominant occupation in the Caribbean. The city of NASSAU, which was founded in 1855 in the Bahamas, was only a minor town until factories started to be built there. Several people moved to the town, hoping that they would be better off working in a factory instead of growing tobacco. By 1868, the city became the largest in the Bahamas, and in 1872 it became the capital of the province. The city grew more as tobacco prices dropped and plantation owners were forced to find a new job if they were to be able to support their family. On September 7, 1889, the king declared that Nassau was now a major population center.

A factory in Nassau.​

Chile

While the Caribbean's economy was changing, Chile's economy was growing. The discovery of gold led to a rush of people wishing to strike a fortune, and the demand for copper and iron was increasing. New railroads were built to connect the distant cities in the mountains. By 1882, PUNTA ARENAS, a city established on the shores of the Strait of Magellan, became a major population center, and by 1890, the city of LA SERENA also became a major population center. Although Punta Arenas gained its wealth through trading between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, most other large cities are based on mining, usually gold, iron, or copper.

Iron miners near La Serena.​

 

[mechaerik]

The Caliph, worried by the rise of Communism issued a statement-

"A man cannot be loyal to Allah and follow the false prophet Marx. Any declared Communists will be denied the hajj and be ineligible for/stripped of citizenship. In addition, we declare an embargo against the nations of Tawatinsuyo and Gran Colombia. We are also barring non-Muslim citizens of those countries from entering, and any citizens currently present must leave immediately. Medina also does not recognize the illegitimate Boj state."

 

[bestrfcplayer]

Hey kiwitt, can we send our battle orders by PM, or in the social group???