Nukeknockout
Rusty Hinge
I have to say I agree completely, and further analysis of the situation reveals that the Deck was stacked in favor of us, and we still managed to screw it up. I guess you can bet against the house sometimes...
-Nukeknockout
Realpolitik CIV - An Interactive AAR
- Thread starter Lighthearter
- Start date
- Status
I have to say I agree completely, and further analysis of the situation reveals that the Deck was stacked in favor of us, and we still managed to screw it up. I guess you can bet against the house sometimes...
-Nukeknockout
Lighthearter
President of the United States
I'm in chat!
-L
-L
We should make some concessions to the Irish to prevent this situation from becoming any worse than it already is.
(In unrelated news, I just noticed that I have 116 posts in this thread, almost a quarter of my total post count. And I'm not even as active on this thread as most of you are!)
(In unrelated news, I just noticed that I have 116 posts in this thread, almost a quarter of my total post count. And I'm not even as active on this thread as most of you are!)
Lighthearter
President of the United States
The lone candle flickered in the still air. There was no other light in the room, for the window showed nothing but stars and the full moon. A man sat cross-legged, palms together, eyes closed. He wore white pants, wrinkled with age that was not upon his face. There was no shirt paired with the pants, and iron-hard muscles were clearly visible across his upper body.
After a moment, the man stood, his hands moving to his sides. He breathed in, then out, then in again. Suddenly he snapped into a fighting stance. Tae Kwon Do. He twisted, launched a few punches, settled into another stance. Panther. Ju-Jitsu. Karate. Kung Fu. Tiger. Judo. Krav Maga. He spun out from his constant dance, seized his sword from the ground. Kendo.
He stabbed, parried, hacked and jumped back, then cut low and tripped an imaginary enemy by taking his foot off. He back side kicked, stabbed behind, slashed at neck level, and rolled along the floor. He came up, parried an imaginary thrust, slid his sword along his "opponent's" blade, then knee kicked and shoved. He slid the sword back into its sheath, raised his fists and punched. He kicked and punched, dove and rolled, delivered a brutal open-handed strike, uppercut, front-kick.
He leapt into the air, launched five different kicks, then landed on one foot, hands up and ready. The man spun, launching a 360-back side kick. Roundhouse, uppercut, straight punch, elbow strike, elbow behind. He headbutted an imaginary foe, blocked another, then slammed their heads together and backflipped away. He landed solidly, staring ahead as if at an enemy.
"Athers?"
The leader of the Night Eagles jumped at the voice, then stood and faced the doorway. A woman stood there, holding a candle in her hand.
"Cathy, what are you doing awake?" Athers asked, blinking. "I thought I was quiet."
"Your absence woke me." Catherine said, sitting on one of the small chairs Athers had moved to the edge of the room. Athers smiled slightly.
"Too much to ask for you to have just rolled over and gone back to sleep then, is it?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Should have known better then to try and sneak off."
"Indeed." Catherine said. She sighed. "Something's bothering you. More then the usual about Red Feather and Amanara, that is. Are you really that upset about Belfast?"
"Yes." Athers said quietly. "I am. It's not that I thought the Khan would just fall head over heels agreeing to ally with us - but damn it, Cathy, we've spent years training them. Ever since you got better after Ravus-York, we've been going back and forth. Or, rather, I have. You've never left here."
"I feel Ireland needs me." Catherine said, looking out at the New Horizons skyline. "It needs you too - even Temujin recognizes that. The Khan wants you training his men even more now then he did when my uncle ruled here."
"Yeah, that's because I know how the English fight. He hasn't forgotten my uncle is on their War Department staff."
"Athers, that may be true, but they really do need you here. With Arya pushing for Ireland to be annexed-"
"Cathy," Athers snapped. "I don't know if I'd feel right training Irishmen to fight Englishmen. I know Lieutenant Potter and his boys are still hard at it, and I admire their fortitude for that, but I've served Buckingham Palace for too long to be comfortable fighting the man in it."
"That's the point." Cathy said, looking at him. "You're not fighting Buckingham, you're not fighting England. You're fighting Arya."
"And who pays the price? The English soldiers. Not Arya. Cathy, this just can't be my fight, and I need you to understand that. Please." He looked over at her, seeing a look of understanding and compassion on her face.
"Okay." She said simply. Athers smiled back. How had he ever managed without her? She'd certainly changed a lot since she was rescued, but even so. He'd not been willing to let her die then - and now? I'd kill anyone who touched her. Slowly.
Athers looked out at the window. The sun was rising. He looked back at Catherine, who smiled. "Time for me to get dressed and meet Anna." He said. She smiled even wider.
"Careful, Athers, or I'll start to think you're cheating on me." She warned with a wink. Athers grinned.
"I'll bear that in mind." He said, sliding a shirt on. He donned his coat and cloak, then kissed Cathy and stepped outside. He remembered as the door to the small cottage on the outskirts of Mongolia's former capitol closed that he hadn't mentioned that the Syndicate was bugging him. Oh well. There'll be plenty of time to talk to Cathy about that when I return.
He strode down the streets, passing several groups of Irish citizens. There was nothing remarkable about him - just one simple Irish man walking along the streets of a city? English Redcoats rushed on by, obviously in a hurry to get somewhere. They had taken to only traveling in groups of at least six after the last group was ambushed. A few cavalrymen roamed the streets, directing traffic. Athers just huddled his cloak tighter about himself and rushed on, the cold biting at him.
He came up to the door to a diner. He pushed it open and walked straight in. He spotted Anna seated at a window booth after only a moment, and strode over, setting his cloak and coat on the rack as he came. Anna took a sip from her teacup, then noticed Athers sitting down.
"How are you, Anna?" Athers asked her. "Anything special happen lately?"
"I'm doing fine." She said flatly. "I'd ask you, but I know you're doing great too."
"Anna?" Athers asked, blinking. "What's wrong?" She looked at him angrily, then turned and stared out the window.
"Haven't heard from Alex in five months." She finally said. "And it's just tearing me up. I'd expect if he was done he'd at least say something, so logically he can't be done with me. But if he wasn't, wouldn't I have heard something?"
Athers wondered what to say. He didn't think Alex would have just left her either. "Anna -" He began.
"Everyone please remain seated and do not speak." A cordial voice announced from the entrance. Athers turned. Five men were entering, wearing identical demon masks. Each one held a flintlock pistol, with a sheathed sword. "We're this morning's entertainment!" The speaker called out, eliciting some laughter from his fellows. The leader strode up to the counter and pointed his pistol at the cashier. "Money." He stated. I know that voice from somewhere. Athers thought.
"Sure thing." The cashier said. Athers looked at Anna. He calmly stood up in the middle of the four thugs.
"Hey, buddy! Sit your a-" One of them managed to start before Athers punched him, then sidekicked his friend and karate chopped the back of a third man's neck. The fourth one's jaw was still dropping when Athers tackled him and smashed to the floor. The leader whirled. People screamed and rushed out of the diner, one of them yelling for the constables. Not the Redcoats, the constables.
Anna nonchalantly plucked a knife from the table and stood, shoved herself against a thug, and stabbed him in the ribs. She then pushed his body away, the knife still embedded in it, and artfully fell back into her seat, screaming as though she had been trying to run and accidentally hit the man. Athers smashed the head of his opponent against the floor, then came up and punched another man. He snarled something that would have made most of his unit blush and seized a tray from the buffet counter, bashing the fourth thug over the head with it.
The glass tray shattered and the man collapsed, unconscious. Athers punched the other man again, then tackled him over the counter and down into the kitchen. He rolled off the man, under a table, then came up and shoved the table with him, slamming the still-woozy thug straight into the wall. Athers rolled up again, ready to fight the leader.
Who was laughing. The cashier had run, leaving just Athers, Anna and the thug leader.
"Give up." Athers said.
"Why should I?" The thug chuckled . . . crazily. "I've got you right where I want you!" Athers' eyes widened as he recognized the voice. The man pulled off the mask.
"So, what'll your order be today, Athers ol' buddy?" The Joker asked with a sickening smile. "A good stew? We're now certified by the Syndicate to serve food! Just happened this morning!"
And here we . . . go! I'll write more tomorrow, and maybe tonight.
-L
After a moment, the man stood, his hands moving to his sides. He breathed in, then out, then in again. Suddenly he snapped into a fighting stance. Tae Kwon Do. He twisted, launched a few punches, settled into another stance. Panther. Ju-Jitsu. Karate. Kung Fu. Tiger. Judo. Krav Maga. He spun out from his constant dance, seized his sword from the ground. Kendo.
He stabbed, parried, hacked and jumped back, then cut low and tripped an imaginary enemy by taking his foot off. He back side kicked, stabbed behind, slashed at neck level, and rolled along the floor. He came up, parried an imaginary thrust, slid his sword along his "opponent's" blade, then knee kicked and shoved. He slid the sword back into its sheath, raised his fists and punched. He kicked and punched, dove and rolled, delivered a brutal open-handed strike, uppercut, front-kick.
He leapt into the air, launched five different kicks, then landed on one foot, hands up and ready. The man spun, launching a 360-back side kick. Roundhouse, uppercut, straight punch, elbow strike, elbow behind. He headbutted an imaginary foe, blocked another, then slammed their heads together and backflipped away. He landed solidly, staring ahead as if at an enemy.
"Athers?"
The leader of the Night Eagles jumped at the voice, then stood and faced the doorway. A woman stood there, holding a candle in her hand.
"Cathy, what are you doing awake?" Athers asked, blinking. "I thought I was quiet."
"Your absence woke me." Catherine said, sitting on one of the small chairs Athers had moved to the edge of the room. Athers smiled slightly.
"Too much to ask for you to have just rolled over and gone back to sleep then, is it?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Should have known better then to try and sneak off."
"Indeed." Catherine said. She sighed. "Something's bothering you. More then the usual about Red Feather and Amanara, that is. Are you really that upset about Belfast?"
"Yes." Athers said quietly. "I am. It's not that I thought the Khan would just fall head over heels agreeing to ally with us - but damn it, Cathy, we've spent years training them. Ever since you got better after Ravus-York, we've been going back and forth. Or, rather, I have. You've never left here."
"I feel Ireland needs me." Catherine said, looking out at the New Horizons skyline. "It needs you too - even Temujin recognizes that. The Khan wants you training his men even more now then he did when my uncle ruled here."
"Yeah, that's because I know how the English fight. He hasn't forgotten my uncle is on their War Department staff."
"Athers, that may be true, but they really do need you here. With Arya pushing for Ireland to be annexed-"
"Cathy," Athers snapped. "I don't know if I'd feel right training Irishmen to fight Englishmen. I know Lieutenant Potter and his boys are still hard at it, and I admire their fortitude for that, but I've served Buckingham Palace for too long to be comfortable fighting the man in it."
"That's the point." Cathy said, looking at him. "You're not fighting Buckingham, you're not fighting England. You're fighting Arya."
"And who pays the price? The English soldiers. Not Arya. Cathy, this just can't be my fight, and I need you to understand that. Please." He looked over at her, seeing a look of understanding and compassion on her face.
"Okay." She said simply. Athers smiled back. How had he ever managed without her? She'd certainly changed a lot since she was rescued, but even so. He'd not been willing to let her die then - and now? I'd kill anyone who touched her. Slowly.
Athers looked out at the window. The sun was rising. He looked back at Catherine, who smiled. "Time for me to get dressed and meet Anna." He said. She smiled even wider.
"Careful, Athers, or I'll start to think you're cheating on me." She warned with a wink. Athers grinned.
"I'll bear that in mind." He said, sliding a shirt on. He donned his coat and cloak, then kissed Cathy and stepped outside. He remembered as the door to the small cottage on the outskirts of Mongolia's former capitol closed that he hadn't mentioned that the Syndicate was bugging him. Oh well. There'll be plenty of time to talk to Cathy about that when I return.
He strode down the streets, passing several groups of Irish citizens. There was nothing remarkable about him - just one simple Irish man walking along the streets of a city? English Redcoats rushed on by, obviously in a hurry to get somewhere. They had taken to only traveling in groups of at least six after the last group was ambushed. A few cavalrymen roamed the streets, directing traffic. Athers just huddled his cloak tighter about himself and rushed on, the cold biting at him.
He came up to the door to a diner. He pushed it open and walked straight in. He spotted Anna seated at a window booth after only a moment, and strode over, setting his cloak and coat on the rack as he came. Anna took a sip from her teacup, then noticed Athers sitting down.
"How are you, Anna?" Athers asked her. "Anything special happen lately?"
"I'm doing fine." She said flatly. "I'd ask you, but I know you're doing great too."
"Anna?" Athers asked, blinking. "What's wrong?" She looked at him angrily, then turned and stared out the window.
"Haven't heard from Alex in five months." She finally said. "And it's just tearing me up. I'd expect if he was done he'd at least say something, so logically he can't be done with me. But if he wasn't, wouldn't I have heard something?"
Athers wondered what to say. He didn't think Alex would have just left her either. "Anna -" He began.
"Everyone please remain seated and do not speak." A cordial voice announced from the entrance. Athers turned. Five men were entering, wearing identical demon masks. Each one held a flintlock pistol, with a sheathed sword. "We're this morning's entertainment!" The speaker called out, eliciting some laughter from his fellows. The leader strode up to the counter and pointed his pistol at the cashier. "Money." He stated. I know that voice from somewhere. Athers thought.
"Sure thing." The cashier said. Athers looked at Anna. He calmly stood up in the middle of the four thugs.
"Hey, buddy! Sit your a-" One of them managed to start before Athers punched him, then sidekicked his friend and karate chopped the back of a third man's neck. The fourth one's jaw was still dropping when Athers tackled him and smashed to the floor. The leader whirled. People screamed and rushed out of the diner, one of them yelling for the constables. Not the Redcoats, the constables.
Anna nonchalantly plucked a knife from the table and stood, shoved herself against a thug, and stabbed him in the ribs. She then pushed his body away, the knife still embedded in it, and artfully fell back into her seat, screaming as though she had been trying to run and accidentally hit the man. Athers smashed the head of his opponent against the floor, then came up and punched another man. He snarled something that would have made most of his unit blush and seized a tray from the buffet counter, bashing the fourth thug over the head with it.
The glass tray shattered and the man collapsed, unconscious. Athers punched the other man again, then tackled him over the counter and down into the kitchen. He rolled off the man, under a table, then came up and shoved the table with him, slamming the still-woozy thug straight into the wall. Athers rolled up again, ready to fight the leader.
Who was laughing. The cashier had run, leaving just Athers, Anna and the thug leader.
"Give up." Athers said.
"Why should I?" The thug chuckled . . . crazily. "I've got you right where I want you!" Athers' eyes widened as he recognized the voice. The man pulled off the mask.
"So, what'll your order be today, Athers ol' buddy?" The Joker asked with a sickening smile. "A good stew? We're now certified by the Syndicate to serve food! Just happened this morning!"
And here we . . . go! I'll write more tomorrow, and maybe tonight.
-L
Celticfury
King
OOC:
!
Well now! Its everyone's favorite mad man, the Joker! I did NOT see that coming. And now, it looks like the Syndicate might be a little bit sinister after all. Just what we need right now.
Hey, great character development, LH. Nice to see that Athers' loyalties are a bit more complex. Should make his involvement in this more interesting.
!Well now! Its everyone's favorite mad man, the Joker! I did NOT see that coming. And now, it looks like the Syndicate might be a little bit sinister after all. Just what we need right now.
Hey, great character development, LH. Nice to see that Athers' loyalties are a bit more complex. Should make his involvement in this more interesting.
IRISH PLAN
Alright, because of that little fiasco we need to do serious damage control.
First, hearts and minds. Cracking down will only increase resentment. So we do nothing. We take no action. Military action that is.
What we do is this: Turn up the PR.
If the KRF wants to target the British military, we turn the British military into a benevolent institution. We dispatch more troops there, and have them act as a peacekeeping force, and have them train the Irish security forces.
We also dispatch them to help reconstruct Ireland. Have them build homes, schools, libraries, etc. Get them out in public, have them help the Irish people, interact with them.
Also: Enact strict punishments for people who abuse the Irish. Punitive action, guys. If they kill anyone, execute them. Theft? Repay 3-fold. Harassment? Beatings. Unnecessary roughness? More beatings... You get my point. Make sure to make them public too, that way the people know that it's individuals, not the army who's commiting those crimes.
Also: Funnel money and aid into Ireland, and have the English consulature dispense it out.
Basically, we need to change the image of the British army from that of an occupational army to that of a benevolent peacekeeping force. It's easy to kill and/or help kill the guy occupying your country. It's harder to do that to the guy who's giving you food, building schools, and playing with your kids. That's basically what I want to achieve.
And in the meantime, reach out to the KRF, dispatch counter-intelligence forces to discreetly investigate the attacks, and try to bring the Khan back to the negotiating table.
And it wouldn't hurt if we issued a public apology, either.
Alright, because of that little fiasco we need to do serious damage control.
First, hearts and minds. Cracking down will only increase resentment. So we do nothing. We take no action. Military action that is.
What we do is this: Turn up the PR.
If the KRF wants to target the British military, we turn the British military into a benevolent institution. We dispatch more troops there, and have them act as a peacekeeping force, and have them train the Irish security forces.
We also dispatch them to help reconstruct Ireland. Have them build homes, schools, libraries, etc. Get them out in public, have them help the Irish people, interact with them.
Also: Enact strict punishments for people who abuse the Irish. Punitive action, guys. If they kill anyone, execute them. Theft? Repay 3-fold. Harassment? Beatings. Unnecessary roughness? More beatings... You get my point. Make sure to make them public too, that way the people know that it's individuals, not the army who's commiting those crimes.
Also: Funnel money and aid into Ireland, and have the English consulature dispense it out.
Basically, we need to change the image of the British army from that of an occupational army to that of a benevolent peacekeeping force. It's easy to kill and/or help kill the guy occupying your country. It's harder to do that to the guy who's giving you food, building schools, and playing with your kids. That's basically what I want to achieve.
And in the meantime, reach out to the KRF, dispatch counter-intelligence forces to discreetly investigate the attacks, and try to bring the Khan back to the negotiating table.
And it wouldn't hurt if we issued a public apology, either.
Twinkletoes89
Warlord
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2010
- Messages
- 174
No no no!
Hearts and minds will be won when we let them get on with their business instead of our troops 'sticking their noses in' (which is how they will play it).
The longer our army is there, the more they will be resented. No country (especially one so recently liberated) is going to be happy having another country's army on their streets. They do not want to swap one occupying force for another.
We should be respectful and leave domestic duties to those who understand the Irish best, which we do not. We should seek a close co-operation and alliance with the Khan whilst respecting their autonomy and right to exist as a sovereign nation.
Having the support of the popular, beloved rulers along with getting out of their way will win over so many more hearts and minds than your plan which smacks of 'nation building'. Your idea of winning hearts and minds is to try and indoctrinate the locals to see us as their benevolent rulers, not the Irish, and I am sure that the Khan will not stand for it.
We need allies, not another small annexed state which hates us and will take so much time, money and effort to move it from hatred to indifference, let alone respect or love!
Hearts and minds will be won when we let them get on with their business instead of our troops 'sticking their noses in' (which is how they will play it).
The longer our army is there, the more they will be resented. No country (especially one so recently liberated) is going to be happy having another country's army on their streets. They do not want to swap one occupying force for another.
We should be respectful and leave domestic duties to those who understand the Irish best, which we do not. We should seek a close co-operation and alliance with the Khan whilst respecting their autonomy and right to exist as a sovereign nation.
Having the support of the popular, beloved rulers along with getting out of their way will win over so many more hearts and minds than your plan which smacks of 'nation building'. Your idea of winning hearts and minds is to try and indoctrinate the locals to see us as their benevolent rulers, not the Irish, and I am sure that the Khan will not stand for it.
We need allies, not another small annexed state which hates us and will take so much time, money and effort to move it from hatred to indifference, let alone respect or love!
Lighthearter
President of the United States
In chat!
-L
-L
Lighthearter
President of the United States
I may not be able to continue the narrative for a while . . . I got some bad news today and I'm just going to go drown myself in HOI2 . . . I'll try to get a continuation up tonight though.
Hopefully.
-L
Hopefully.
-L
mechaerik
Tuturuu!
If I'm reading the narrative correctly, the Night Eagles are on the side of the KRF. Please tell me I'm wrong. Please? 
Looks that way to me, which is another reason to regain peaceful relations with them, they've subverted our Commando Elite!!! Of course, I feel the NE are competely justified in standing against us here, we're attempting an anexation that is totally unjustified.
DT
Supportin' t' 'Enemy'
DT
Supportin' t' 'Enemy'
Whosit
Entropic Knight
I'm just waiting for either the narrative or the term to progress... there is much to be done.
mechaerik
Tuturuu!
If they sided with the KRF, that is bad. Very bad. They are extremely capable, and can train others as force multipliers. Either way, it just means a direct assault at the KRF would be... costly. It also means more subtle actions would be more difficult. Which leaves us with hearts and minds.
arya126
Squad Leader
@Whosit: I am waiting for the narrative to be finished. I might try and write something up and send it to LH for now, since i have a good idea of where he is going with this. But otherwise, the term will not be progressed without this narrative, one way or another, seeing as that will determine a few of my policies.
@All: Sorry for the delay between 'sets.
@All: Sorry for the delay between 'sets.
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2008
- Messages
- 14,928
Hmm. I seem to be behind 200 pages (not really, I've read the last three or four)
Nonetheless, since Imperial still exists, I know that I'm tossing my hat in the right ring here.
Meh. The Irish Situation, eh?
Fellow Englishmen, are you not tired of the growing violence in Ireland?
All Hail Brittania
Nonetheless, since Imperial still exists, I know that I'm tossing my hat in the right ring here.
Meh. The Irish Situation, eh?
Fellow Englishmen, are you not tired of the growing violence in Ireland?
All Hail Brittania
ono-neko
Prince
I thought I dropped by while I got a chance and read the last 2 pages, and found out nasties in Ireland. What have you done, Arya?
Lighthearter
President of the United States
Sorry the narrative is taking so long, I'm having a rough time of it recently. I've got a bit written and hope to get it out tonight though.
-L
-L
Lighthearter
President of the United States
Right, RL stuff. I'm going to play the turnset here soon, so I need a plan from Arya or a statement that I can use the previous one. We'll say the first narrative scene is a teaser trailer. I just can't get onto finishing it before Christmas. Sorry
On chat if people want more info.
-L
On chat if people want more info.
-L
I believe you may continue with the Plan. The Ireland Situation has been handled enough that it's damage will be minimal while we advance with the rest of the plan.
Continue with the war in the east untill we get a viable peace treaty from the Arabs. Continue to build up military and Perform all the Foreign directions as they were.
I don't know if Arya ever made it official, but now that The Syndicate has been revealed to be an anarchy group put the HDO fully behind their destruction.
Continue with the war in the east untill we get a viable peace treaty from the Arabs. Continue to build up military and Perform all the Foreign directions as they were.
I don't know if Arya ever made it official, but now that The Syndicate has been revealed to be an anarchy group put the HDO fully behind their destruction.
- Status
