Multipolar Politics (MP)

Send 2 EP to Vanuatu
Improve relations with Vanuatu
"It only makes sense for our two nations, who both have a proud seafaring tradition & a great love for democracy, to have close relations, especially considering how close you are geographically to our wider network of allies & clients."

Improve relations with South Island
"The Maori people living on the two islands of Aotearoa have been separated from each other for far too long; they should have freedom of movement between our countries, and we should strive for closer relations in general."

 

1. Accept Heavenly Kingdom's offer.
2. Cut red tape to make India a more investment friendly place.

 

Apologies for the delays, everyone, but classes are out for the semester so I'm now free to finish up this update!

Wars

Vandread Invasion of the Great Lakes

For all the Great Lakes’ efforts, Michigan is occupied without any real fight due to the destruction of the standing Army. The Vandreads annex the whole of the former Great Lakes Confederacy as the government flees into exile.

Assimilation counters:

Michigan – 1 (0)
Minnesota – 17 (15)
Wisconsin – 5 (3)
Ontario – 9 (7)

Conquest of Shanghai



Not only is the Sino-Korean Alliance a success, it’s a smashing one. With Shanghai being the one that’s smashed.

King Qiaozhi gives rousing speeches to crowds in Beijing that the peoples of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan and Zhejiang have toiled under the oppressive rule of the Shanghai clique for too long. Their government deceives their people with promises of "democracy" as they freely suppress all who would seek to improve their society. The time has come for these marginalized peoples to find their voice and opportunities in the glorious meritocratic autocracy of China!

In one of the most terrifying displays of coordinated force the world has seen in some time, the Chinese are able to deploy an Army into Shanghai with a massive amount of air and naval support. The core of Shanghai is overrun despite all the urban defenses. Without intervention, Shanghai’s fate is sealed.

(China occupies Zhejiang. Shanghai loses 11.65 Pop and 13.95 EP)

Balkan War



The Romanians continue their advance into Macedonian territory. Despite the best efforts of Skopje’s troops, Bulgaria falls under the Romanian yoke as well. With rumors swirling around that the Romanians are looking at shifting more of their military towards air power, there is legitimate fear the Empire will soon reach the shores of Albania.

(Romanian occupies Bulgaria. Macedonian loses 9 Pop and 8 EP)

 

The Clans' doors are open for those seeking asylum from the conflicts, as it is our duty to guard.

We also like to repeat that will stand with Quebec in case it and its allies suffer from any aggressive incursions.

Finally we like to encourage world nations to consider the right of refuge and to join the International Convention of Refugees & Asylum Seekers.

 

Actions

FRCN

Action One. Improve relations with Vanuatu. 2 EP included.

12 (15). As discussions go on, the delegates are able to incrementally propose more and more, and it is not long before the delegates go home with a comprehensive economic agreement.

(One-time gift grants permanent +2. Vanuatu gains a trade agreement with Oceania, granting each 5% of the other’s EP and also another +2 to relations.)

Action Two. Improve relations with South Island; establish freedom of movement in particular.

19 (20). South Island already has such fantastic relations with the FRCN that discussion begins to shift to deeper matters. The free movement is quickly followed by a customs union and currency union, and with so much support behind the Kiwi Unity movement, the Government surprises the FRCN delegation with a request to join as one of the FRCN’s constituent states. The powerful working relationship means those worried about sovereignty are readily swept aside, and the Federal Republic gains its newest member.

(FRCN diploannexes South Island; as a bonus, there is no annexation counter due to the high roll. FRCN’s Urbanization falls by 1.)

Ethiopia

N/A

Vandread Empire

Action 1. Expand ports to help trade. 18 (19). The rapid expansion of ports is a tremendous success. Freight companies shipping to and from North America actually begin to shift operations towards the Empire, which can provide more space at lower cost. The expansion of trade also leads to a steady swell in the urban population.

(+7 EP, +5 Urbanization)

Action 2. Trade agreement with Takrur. 12 (13). It’s nothing particularly noteworthy, but the Sultan does welcome closer trade relations with the mighty Vandread Empire.

(Trade agreement worth 3% of each other’s EP)

UUC

Action 1. Form the International Convention of Refugees & Asylum Seekers with Crete, Quebec, the Rhenish Republic; Papal States, Zapatistas, and South Africa apply to join. The ICRAS works to give refugees (of war, ecological damage, oppression) supplies and guide them towards sanctuary.

14 (15). The UUC’s power brokers are very supportive of the ICRAS’ formation, and formal invitations proceed to be sent around.

Members of the ICRAS receive refugees from nearby troubled areas. When trouble abates, some may return to their homeland, but others may permanently resettle. These people bring their labor and skills to their new homes, potentially altering the balance of power.

Crete. 16 (17). Crete joins its allies in the fight to protect human dignity.

Quebec. 3 (6)

Rhenish. 13 (18). The Republic accedes.

Papacy. 15 (16). His Holiness opens the arms of Italy to all in need, as Christ would do.

Zapatistas. 14. Imperialists are always on the lookout for indigenous people to colonize and destroy. The Zapatistas shall support the ICRAS initiative so long as it serves the purpose of peace.

South Africa. 15. At any moment, the Communist powers could open fire on each other. The Republic desires to give options to those who wish to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Action 2. Research underground mushroom farming so that they can be produced on a larger scale and increase food output.

13 (15). As expertise flows freely into laboratories, along with ample funding from the state, it’s not long before mushrooms are flowing into all kinds of caverns across the UUC, whether natural or orc-made.

(Population Growth rate +0.5%, +6 Health)

High Kingdom

Action One. Alliance with India. 3 (5). For all the possible threat of China, the High Kingdom’s politicos are hesitant to create commitments beyond the natural borders of the Kingdom. (-1 to Relations with India until Turn 7)

Action Two. Invest in factories in India. 16 (17). While formal diplomatic alliances do not seem to go anywhere, the cross-border investment program is a smashing success. The High Kingdom is able to contract large numbers of manufacturing facilities, granting the Kingdom a cheap source of luxury goods to please its population.

(+7 EP, +11 Leisure)

India

Action One. Alliance with High Kingdom. 5 (7). The legislature seems to have an isolationist streak. (-1 to Relations with the High Kingdom until Turn 7)

Action Two. Cut red tape to make India friendly to investments. 15 (16).

The Indian economy surges with influxes of wealth from the High Kingdom and elsewhere. Analysts expect India to rapidly grow for the future. (+8 EP, +0.5% to economic growth rate)

Other Powers

Zapatistas. Build new supply center. 13. The Yucatan jungle presents many obstacles. Not to the new air force base the Republic is deploying there! (+1 Supply Center)

Siberia. Build new supply center. 4 (6). The supply center construction is going well… then some dumb dumb ignites the whole stockpile. (-4 Security)

Thailand. Build new supply center. 9 (12). No one doubts the security of the Thai state now. (+1 Supply Center)

 

Turn V

Stats
Map

GM Notes

Due to inactivity, Ethiopia has been NPCed. It will count as a great power NPC for this turn (as power statuses have not been recalculated) which means it has automatic initiative, but only one action; it will fall to regional power status and be treated like other regional NPCs (needing to roll for initiative on any turn) assuming its power status does not change.

Now that school is out (which by extension also means I am unemployed), updates should come more frequently.

News from Around the World

Scandal in Jakarta

Evidence has leaked of a plot by the Indonesian government to launch a false flag operation in Papua, with the intention of framing the FRCN and pushing Papua out of the FRCN’s sphere of influence. As the leaks have spread, there is an even more concerning element: Indonesia does not seem to have been acting alone, but had resources from a third party. Intelligence agencies around the world are already wondering which of the major powers might have been trying to contain the FRCN’s growth.

The intrigue of nominally-peaceful Korea in pushing China towards invading Shanghai, furthermore, has people believing that no one can be ruled out as a suspect.

New Zealand Reunified

It came as a surprise that negotiations to open the border between North and South Island resulted in a treaty to dissolve them completely. South Island has acceded to the FRCN.

The Vandread Hegemony?

With the third highest standard of living and the largest domestic GDP in the world, the Vandread’s war against the Great Lakes Confederacy looks to have paid serious dividends. The war nearly doubled Vandread territory and, after a few years to take care of insurrections, should put the Empire in a position of clear military and economic dominance.

The Chinese Ascendance

King Qiaozhi of China is (at least somewhat) no longer satirically dubbed “Mad King George” for his apparent megalomaniacal views of Chinese importance. A surprise alliance with Korea paved the way for a sudden surge across the border into Shanghai, and analysts expect the state to be conquered within a year. It remains to be seen if the Sino-Korean Alliance will hold up, but analysts say Korea’s move to ally with China and serve its imperial ambitions was strategically brilliant, as it preempted any Sino-Japanese alliance that might try to carve up Korea.

International Solidarity

With the outbreak of conflicts across the globe as states seek to consolidate their power, the UUC has led an effort to protect the resultant large refugee populations through the ICRAS. While only a few states have joined, the effects are already being felt, as large numbers of refugees flee the warzones, taking their expertise and wealth with them when possible. Some are a relatively simple border crossing, but others – such as the Shanghai-Mexico route via the FRCN – are quite taxing.[/img]

 

"Indonesia's naked act of aggression towards our friend & ally, Papua, will not be allowed to stand. We demand that they immediately reveal who they were working with. Failure to comply *will* lead to consequences."
-Excerpt from an emergency press conference held following the bombshell revelations of Indonesian duplicity.

 

Indonesia's government concedes its fault in an attempt to undermine the Papuan government and frame the FRCN; it is public knowledge that Indonesia disputes Papua's control of its western islands. Of course, it is preposterous that Jakarta would have the resources to have pulled off such a move on its own, and indeed, Indonesia believes the world should be made aware of a Sino-Korean plot to undermine the FRCN's sphere of influence so that their campaign to extinguish Shanghai would go unmolested by the Pacific's leading power.

Korea responds that Indonesia's comments are baseless. Yes, the UDPRK assisted with an invasion of Shanghai, but China expected this sort of assistance in exchange for a full alliance; that is why it is a full alliance. Korea has no designs on the Pacific; the fact Korea's military is dedicated towards air superiority speaks to lack of imperial design, as its air wings are clearly better suited to support operations than occupying new territory. Korea does, however, wish to avoid being gobbled up by the irredentist, xenophobic regime in Tokyo, and so securing an alliance with Beijing was a matter of survival. To risk open war with the FRCN would be insane and compromise Korean objectives. Korea believes that Indonesia is falsely blaming other powers to draw attention away from itself... or perhaps is behaving on the orders of another great power.

China reiterates what Korea said for the most part. His Majesty King Qiaozhi adds that while China's military capacity is great, its black ops capacity is only sufficient to defend its own territory; it could not possibly have instigated an Indonesian operation against Papua.

Meanwhile, to stave off the Indonesian attempt to tarnish the prestigious reputation of China, its state and its people, the King has launched the "Rad King George" campaign, which stresses the personal capabilities of the monarch: he took down the old warlords in one-to-one combat! He could read in Mandarin since he was two! Where bodyguards have failed, His Majesty has effortlessly dispatched assassins! No other period of Chinese history has seen such low crime and high economic growth! Hail the King, claimer of the Mandate of Heaven, deliverer of China from corruption and discord!

 

The Clans will continue commitment to guard Quebec and our other allies from the fate of the Great Lakes.

Our refugee initiative will enable asylum for those fleeing from peril. We welcome our first refugees, including those fleeing the Baltic conflict.

We will like to announce actions

Action One: Offer Alliance and Trade Pacts with Iberia, to grand prosperity and security to both our powers. It is our believe that by combining our might be able to keep guard both our realms from hostilities, as well as a opportunity to able communion most joyful between our populaces. The shipping benefit will particular be excellence. Naturally this will come with invites to both IREGS and ICRAS.

Action Two: Encourage a Architectural Renaissance among the Clans, as the question of urban development must also come with the cultural need to ensure we are creating spaces of joy than just simply dwellings. May our architects innovate with support from the Clans, as they strive styles to the benefit of our culture and urban developments, as well as granting lovely spaces for those who will roofs over their heads and venues to use for their great benefit.

 

Korea is widely known to be an isolationist power, interested only in their immediate neighbors. Jakarta’s heinous attempt to deflect blame for their underhanded actions will not go unpunished. We *will* find out who is pulling your strings, one way or another.

A State of War now exists between the FRCN & Indonesia

 

OOC: Can I see that I absolutely love King Qiaozhi.

IC:

1. All high-schools will now teach lessons in business management and artificial intelligence, to allow Indian children to gain the necessary skills to succeed in the economy of the future.
   
2. Thank to the profits of deregulation agenda, the Indian government can now expand the social safety net. The benefits for low-earning Indians shall increase by 15%.

 

Orders:

• Invest 2 EP in the creation of a new center of film making excellence in Atlanta. These new government assisted studios will produce films to keep the Vandread populace entertained and spread pro Vandread messages to the world
• With the population of the empire growing ever larger, the new citizens will need somewhere to live. The empire will begin construction on new housing developments around the major cities of the empire.

 

I would say orders due in 48 hours. Courtesy pings for @Kinich-Ahau and @JimWUK

 

High Kingdom
1. Invests in Public Health Clinics
2. Invests in Public Literacy

Moves :