NES2 V - The Great Game.

[ThomAnder]

The Rzeczpospolita
February 20, 1866

The Faces of War-Within Poland​

Rationing?

As of yesterday, his imperial majesty Zygmungt the 4th has issued a decree that everyone who lives within the imperial palace will follow a rationing schedule, with all proceeds being directed toward the war effort. In addition to controlling the quantity of foods eaten to save money, his imperial majesty also announced that the quality of food served to him and all others within the palace will be no greater than that served in the army. In an interview with his majesty, he gave us the following explanation for this action.

“Do our brave soldiers fighting in foreign lands get to enjoy the same luxuries that we do? To them, even 3 full meals a day are considered a luxury. They are risking their lives for the good of Poland, and it is the least we can do to ensure that they receive the utmost support from the homeland. You are the journalist, you should have an idea how much is spent (and wasted) on foods here. As to the sudden change in taste, I do not consider what we’re doing here as a sacrifice. What difference is there between the food we used to serve here and the food served on the frontline once they’re in our stomach? As a matter of fact, I may have to look into hiring some of the army’s chefs…”

According to the steward of the palace, the amount spent on a meal for the monarch is equivalent to that for an entire squadron of men in the army.

When asked whether the same regulations will be applied to the rest of the nation, however, his imperial majesty gave this in response:

“It may or may not be a topic of discussion in the upcoming Sejm, but for now I can assure you that this is limited to my household only. Although we encourage all citizens of Poland to contribute to the war effort in whatever ways possible, rationing will only become a law when both the Sejm and I deem it so. Naturally we hope it won’t have to come down to that, but if it does happen, the burden will be bore by everybody, myself included.”

Conscription?

Needless to say, this word is one of the most feared words during times of war. It has been issued in many countries already, and the outcomes of many of those conscripts only elevate the fear. Already, thousands of conscripts’ lives have been lost in the ongoing war, with no doubt many more to follow. As of yet, Poland, unlike many other participating nations in the war, has not issue a mandatory military service act. According to the latest interview with his majesty, this won’t change in the near future.

“Without a doubt, this is certainly a much disputed issue around the world, especially during the time of war. The current opinion, supported by both the Sejm and I, is that the cost of conscripting our citizens for the cause of war outweighs the benefit by quite a large margin. Many of these men can help contribute to the war effort better in their daily work than sacrificing their lives on the battlefield. While we continue to encourage volunteers to help defend Poland and its ideals, we will not forcefully throw our men onto the battlefield with little to no training. After all, the very reason we abandon serfdom is so that the people can enjoy the same liberty we seek to defend right now.”

In addition to his majesty’s reply, many members of the Sejm were asked for their opinion on the matter, and the answer from those who replied matches closely with that of his majesty. This isn’t surprising, considering the number of volunteers reporting to the recruitment camps across the nation. According to sources from the army, they have just enough resources to train the current number of volunteers.

Cause

Why are we fighting? Why is there a war? More often than not, nations caught up in the midst of war and fighting fail to remember what it is they were fighting for. Many civilians become casualties of war without knowing why they were killed. The soldiers only know to follow orders from higher up, and to shoot the opposing soldiers, or even civilians. The generals themselves only know that they are defending the sovereignty of their nation, as well as the lives and honour of its rulers. Perhaps only the ruler or the ruling government truly know(s) the cause(s) of a war. Rarely do they share this with the general public, as rarely has there been a need to do such a thing. Adding on to his already long list of unique actions, his imperial majesty and members of the Sejm offered an explanation on the matter.

“Simply put, we are fighting for freedom. Poland is surrounded by nations ruled with absolutism, and it is only a matter of time until they spread their fangs upon us. Liberty cannot be taken for granted. It must be defended. Furthermore, by spreading liberalism to our neighbours, we are ensuring ourselves of a long lasting peace, albeit at the cost of a temporary war. As to why we initiated the battles, we must look north at what Muscovy has done to Sweden. Theirs is an example of what happens when we let absolutist monarchs do as they wish. Poland will not wait for these rabid tigers to unleash their claws in our homes. We will subdue them before they threaten our homeland. My loyal citizens, even as we speak the trend in Europe is moving away from absolutism to Liberalism. Do not view this war simply as one of territorial greed as the absolutist nations are doing. Ours is a war of ideology, of spreading liberalism across Europe. This is why we fight. This is why we will win.”


War parade

Yesterday, thousands of men marched along the streets of Warsaw, headed toward the parliament building first, then the imperial palace. These are not victorious men from the fronts, nor are they fresh soldiers ready to defend Poland and its allies from the fangs of absolutism. These are the men of the last generation, whose deeds and sacrifices were mostly forgotten amidst the current war. They are the survivors (or descendants of survivors, I don’t know how long ago the last great war was) of the Nine Years War. It was with their help that Poland wasn’t taken over completely by foreign forces. In a ceremony that lasted for the entirety of the day, all of them were presented with medals representing their respective contribution to the nation. In addition to this parade, his imperial majesty promised that a proper memorial would be built to honour the deceased members as well. The memorial site will also include a separate monument that lists the casualties of the present war.

 

[Finmaster]

Comeon M. Leu! INVADE THE BRITISH! SWISS TAKEOVER OF ZE VURRLDD.

Btw, M. Leu has retired

But Emperor Wilhelmus shall consider your proposal carefully

 

[Azale]

constructing orders...

 

[Stormbringer]

Azi? Who are YOU playing?

 

[MjM]

Was thinking the same myself..

 

[Stormbringer]

apparantly Italy...wow, I missed that one

 

[Kal'thzar]

Finmaster its more that you still have french speaking peoples.

 

[Azale]

apparantly Italy...wow, I missed that one

Hey....Im hurt

I only posted about 10 times after the update, I almost felt like I was spamming.

 

[ThomAnder]

The Rzeczpospolita
February 20, 1866
The Faces of War – At The Fronts​

Summary

1866 was the year when Poland entered the war as a member of the RGC. For a long time now both the tension and the military have been building up, in preparation for the moment that will redefine Poland’s future. Poland’s ally, Sweden, was already in a state of war with the Holy Roman Empire and Muscovy, so it wasn’t a question of if or when it will happen so much as who we will be fighting against. The answer came as a surprise to many people, including the Sejm itself. The public opinion of the decision to start two wars simultaneously was mostly of doubt and fear. Although stronger than either of the nations individually, many wondered if it was wiser to war one first, then the other.

It is natural for normal civilians like us with little to no political knowledge to think differently than his imperial majesty. Nobody could have predicted 5 years ago that Poland will be the (prosperous) state it is now. Serfdom, a tradition that lasted for centuries, is abolished and all of Poland’s citizens now live under protection of the law. The famous golden liberty has been reintroduced to the land, in the form of a parliamentary government. A nation that was once known for its agricultural produce solely now has a booming industry as well. Times are changing, and although we can try predicting the future, it rarely matches our prediction. The same could be said of this war. What seem like a foolish at first is now completely reasonable on retrospect. The world has (for the most part) split into two alliances. One may argue that the wars are individual and separate, but eventually all the paths will converge. There is only one war, a world war. We claim that we are fighting two separate wars, but we are just participating in two different fronts of the same war. It seemed risky at first, but like all other actions he has taken in the past, fact is that his imperial majesty has surprised us once again (at the very least for now) with the outcome of his actions.



HRE Theatre

The plan here was simple: Fake an invasion of Vienna, and capture Prague. To the surprise of everybody, it worked perfectly. Much territory has been gained, most importantly the city of Prague. This came as a surprise even to the generals themselves, as we found out:

“When we drew up these plans, none of us in our wildest imaginations thought we would make it this far. We expected heavy imperial resistance in the area, since this was after all one of their economic veins. Fortunately for us, we were proven wrong, and we were able to take Prague with little casualties.” - General Henrik Bern

Due to the lack of imperial army in the region, only one major battle was fought in this operation. The result of that battle (as well as the skirmishes leading up to it) was an overwhelming victory for Poland. With God’s blessing, more success will follow this year and for the duration of the war.

SIEGE of PRAGUE

From the moment the three hundred thousands strong Polish army set foot upon Holy Roman Empire, the imperial army has been on the retreat. Every instance when the two army clash with each other on the field, the imperial army could not stand up against the numerically superior Polish army. After weeks of pursuing the fleeing enemy, the chase came to an end at the City of Prague, where the Imperials finally managed to regroup and make its stand.

From the moment the first cannon shot fired, it was understood by both sides that the fighting wouldn’t determine whether or not Prague will fall, but rather when it will fall. News has arrived of the other battles being fought in the land, sealing off any chances of reinforcement. The defenders should be applauded for their blind loyalty to their King, as nearly all of them fought to the very last breath they took.

That being said, however, it still wasn’t enough, and in a short matter of days, the imperial forces were overwhelmed, and the Polish army led by general Henryk Bern, entered the city. When we asked a soldier who later returned from the front, we were given this description of the atmosphere then:

“The citizens there were not hostile, nor were they joyful at being liberated from their tyrant. They were cautious of us. They have no idea what we impact we will have on their lives, we can’t blame them for being afraid of us.”

Although the exact fate of the city is unknown as of yet, it is believed that the citizens there will be freed from the Holy Roman Empire’s oppression for good.


MUSCOVY Theatre

It was a risky gamble to open a second front, but so far the gamble has paid off. In a series of battles in southern Muscovy, the Polish army has captured much territory and threatens to overtake Moscow itself. The general in command of the operation, Jozef Dembinski gave an explanation for the success.

“Muscovy probably knew from the moment it stepped foot in Sweden that their actions won’t go by us unnoticed. In response, they have set up a steadfast defense along the border. Unfortunately, they failed to realize the inefficiency of such a method. Like the great walls built in the past in the Far East, they simply cannot man such a long line of defense. Some times, offense is the best defense. They have demonstrated that in the Swedish war brilliantly, and which we’re repeating as well.”

INITIAL ENGAGEMENT

The success enjoyed by the armies’ western counterpart would not be found here. Although the morale was just as high, the equipment was the same; this time they would encounter greater resistance in their campaign. The actual engagement did not take place until well into the year, after the start of winter. When it did, however, over three hundred thousands Polish soldiers (divided into three groups) marched across the border, determined to bring down the Muscovite tyranny.

Despite initial successes, however, all three groups encountered stiff resistance, and could not capture their individual targets, at least not without suffering large casualties. Sensing that this will happen beforehand, the Polish generals halted the advance for several days. They were in no hurry, for they knew that the right moment to attack would arrive soon enough.

BREAKTHROUGH

After the muscovite attention was drawn to the initial assault, a second assault was launched against the Muscovite defense, this time in a whole different place. Instead of an attack that was evenly spread, the Polish army punctured a whole in the line at its southern most point and penetrated deep into Muscovy territory.

The effect was as expected. Those of the Muscovite armies who weren’t quick enough to retreat were quickly encircled and destroyed. Thousands of prisoners were taken during the campaign, with many more lives lost. To give them credit, they managed to withdraw fast enough to avoid a total collapse.

AFTERMATH

With Lipetsk and Kursk secured, the Polish general then changed his original plans. Without Tula secured as well, an attack on Moscow was unlikely to succeed. Seeing that, General Dembinski opted to liberate more of the lands under Alexius’s iron fist rule, and to set the stage for a future assault on Moscow. The battles at Voronezh and Tambov were brief, since most of the defense retreated to defend the capital. This marked the end of the initial thrust into Muscovy, and at this point both nations halted the fighting. The Muscovite continued to regroup after their defeat, and the Polish army consolidated their gains.

 

[Finmaster]

Finmaster its more that you still have french speaking peoples.

Perhaps I oughta start developing a Swiss language that combines French, German and Italian..

 

[Thlayli]

As one of France's chief allies Finmaster, I think you should support the Council for National Defense, (Panda) as it has the support of it's allies that wish to continue the struggle.

*mutters about Kal'thzar being a traitor*

The Council is in favor of the HRE, unless I am mistaken. The Provisional Government is, I suppose, at war with the HRE, since it is a FK puppet.

 

[Kal'thzar]

Don't forget the romanch

@ thlayli
I am no more willing to be a puppet of the FK than have my policies dictated by you.

 

[Stormbringer]

@ thlayli
I am no more willing to be a puppet of the FK than have my policies dictated by you.

Good Job Kal, Way to go!

 

[Thlayli]

It's very clear that Stormbringer, and not me, is dictating your policies. Especially considering your cheering section over here.

 

[Stormbringer]

someone needs to learn the meaning of sarcasm

 

[Insane_Panda]

Indeed, also, your decision to be a social democrat puts you in the MINORITY. Most french peoples did not advocate a social democratic system. Also, the Swiss allied with the Empire, and The new Council for the National Defense is much more like its old ally than this democratic socialist republic which is controlled by the FK.

However, The Council advocates the formation of a Republic dictatorship with a legislative assembly which holds a veto should support of it be unanimous.

 

[Insane_Panda]

Finmaster, let me make it clear so that Storm and Kal can't skew things to their favor.

THE FRENCH CIVIL WAR:

Le Conseil pour la Defense Nationale

The Council for the National Defense is a coalition of former Garde Members, aswell as nationalist Republicans, which refused to accept the provisional government's attempt to surrender itself to the Federated Kingdoms and refuse to accept the new social democratic government of the provisional government. The Council is lead by Marshall MacMahon, war hero of the Italian campaign and one of the last generals to continue the fight against the Federate invasion. The Council seeks the reunification of a complete France as it was under the Empire, without it being ripped apart as would be suggested by others. The Council also recognizes that the Empire is dead, and instead seeks to establish a republic based on the principles of french unity, freedom, and strength.

The Provisional Government of the Republic of France

The Provisional Government of the Republic of France was founded when FK delegates met with the Provisional government (which served as a regency after the FK had assasinated the leaders of the Empire, most notably killing the Imperial family) to hammer out terms of surrender, which the provisional government believed it needed to accept due to the state which France was in. The provisional government (oddly, as most members were officials of the empire) adopted a social democratic system under the guidance of the Federated Kingdoms. (socialism is only popular with the radicals of france, trust me, I asked das all of this looong ago.)

The Republic of France is supported by the FK and her allies, while the CND is supported by China, Persia, and etc. etc.. The CND also has support from the majority of the French armed forces.

 

[Insane_Panda]

Storm, there is no 3rd side. The provisional government in Dijon was kalthzar, whom agreed to form the republic. So the former prov. gov. is now the republic.

 

[Kal'thzar]

if you look back Panda, its a three way.

EDIT: No we parted again.

 

[Insane_Panda]

Ah, and are you allies of the FK provisional government?