The Greatest Game (Pre-Thread)

[Nuka-sama]

WELCOME TO THE GREATEST GAME! Taking its name from one of the great imperial confrontations of the 19th century, The Greatest Game seeks to have 12 players take their nations to the height of prosperity and power. The Greatest Game is set in 1830 where, instead of the Mongol Empire conquering the Song Dynasty, they focused their strength west into Egypt. The result is a world very different from our own, with Asia and Europe on equal footing, and in some areas, the Asian powers are even superior.

This game will generally adhere to a more simulationist mindset (with an emphasis on realism in the game's internal logic) and will encourage cut throat competition as this era demands. Move forward at your own peril.

This game will be co-modded by myself and Masada, known to some of you as Koi-san. We feel that this game is going to provide an interesting and exciting narrative that even lurkers will be able to enjoy.

Significant thanks to Bair the Normal for the map and Ahigin for the banner and soon to be featured goodies
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Map, still under construction

Full list of backgrounds

How to Play:

Please list 1-3 countries that you are interested in playing, and 2-3 sentences of why you want to play each country you list, and what goals you might try to achieve. Feel free to post them or to send privately over CFC through the conversation system.

After about a week, I will begin assigning countries based on the quality of submissions and how well I feel you would do in the various situations of the country. As I confirm countries, you will receive a more detailed dossier on your country's current situation, what your government's biggest issues are, and your stats.

Start date will likely be in the later half of February.

Good Luck! And let me know if you have any questions!

 

[Nuka-sama]

FAQ

Q. When is this game set?
A. 1830

Q. What does Conservative, Liberal, Parliamentarian, and Absolutist mean?
A. It is this world's current closest comparison to a political compass. A Conservative advocates power being centralized in one place, while Liberals prefer for significant autonomy in the provinces, particularly those in regions with differing cultures from the dominant cultural group. Absolutists prefer rule by a single person, while Parliamentarians prefer that authority is divided among multiple groups/agencies. Social norms are portrayed on the lines of Reactionary/Progressive but are rarely used for political ideology.

Q. What's the power difference between the empires of this world?
A. Generally speaking, each playable country is considered a "Great Power" and has relatively comparable strength, though with different advantages among the powers. That being said, The Dominions, The Song, and France do have several advantages that put them in a stronger spot compared to other powers (though of course have issues aplenty of their own)

Q. What is technology like in this world?
A. Comparable to OTL, in certain technologies. However, agricultural methods and military strategy are both similar to what you might find in OTL 1770s rather than the 1830s.

Will add more as additional questions are asked

 

[Nuka-sama]

Feel free to post!

 

[Ailedhoo]

Subbing.

Question: what is the status of Wales as a region?

Anyhow countries to play as:

1) Britain: along with familiarity (British IOTer here!) I can also extent the backgrounding (to cover Wales), take advantage of the naval focus in order to enshrine a trader empire and to make as much of the coast orange as possible. Will seek to be defender of the faith. Colonising Australia will be a big objective for me. The slave thing could lead to interesting consideration in emancipation, in honour to William Wilberforce. May or may not have William Blake or a Blake like character rise in politics with the implication of his character in play.

2) Sweden: as Paradox reminds us this is a overpowered power. Would like to spread Bork! Bork! Bork! around. May pose as a challenger to British naval dominion and seek to dominate the lumber market. Will ensure Greenland and other cold places are under control. Could take up the role as a diplomatic powerhouse. Long live the Queen!

3) Persia: in contrast to the naval focus of the other two Iran would make a excellent land imperium, though I will go naval to see if I can install the Shah's influence in Australia and Africa. May see to industrialisation as the Shah focuses on expanding our capabilities to ensure our glory shines like the sun. Will enjoy playing with the secular path of Persia, potentially making the country into a new Golden Age in the Middle East.

 

[christos200]

1) Empire of the Great Song

I have played countless times before Chinese countries in NES' and IOTs (look Kashmir of SK for an example) and I have some knowledge of Chinese history. As Great Song, I will try to follow an ideal Confucian policy and limit corruption and use the navy to establish colonies in Pacific and Africa. Regarding the North, I will formulate policy according to circumstances (its internal stability, alliances, etch).

2) Empire of Ever-Burning Houji

I will most likely attempt to build up my armed forces and subjugate the South so as to reunify all of China under my control.

3) The Eternal Jin Dynasty

As mentioned above, I like joining as Chinese countries and a Chinese Dynasty in Americas seems very interesting to me. I will most likely try to keep my Empire together at first, put down Song revolts and build a navy.

 

[Seon]

1. Poland: playing as a semi-liberal empire in a region surrounded by potential enemies, but with an army to match their threats, appear to be a pretty fun scenario.

Not having to worry about all this *colonization* nonsense is probably a plus.

2. France: it has many options that it can take to extend its influence and power in the world, whether by focusing on colonization game in Africa, or through focusing on killing dissent and economic growth at home. It'll likely have to do both.

3. Hispania: At a threat of making too euro-centric of a signup post post, I'll try to join as Hispania. It is a declining realm with backward facing military doctrines, but it has significant navies that can challenge the accursed British. I'll make sure Hispania does not lose what's left of its spotlight--at least not without a serious fight.

 

[Masada]

Question: what is the status of Wales as a region?

It's administered from Westminster and is part of the Dominion of England.

 

[Ailedhoo]

It's administered from Westminster and is part of the Dominion of England.

Welsh spirit will rebel against the English imperialism...

BTW Australia will be among my major focus, regardless of what power I play as. Swedish and Iran might double it for interest...

 

[gay_Aleks]

Sent my message.

 

[Sniiperman456]

I will take America. I always have liked America and that is where i live irl. I like big countries like that.

 

[SouthernKing]

1. Song. It appeals to me immensely because it is a relatively tolerant cultural powerhouse naval-centric Asian state. If I got Song I'd probably focus on solidifying the realm's defence and hegemony, peacefully growing the economy, and perhaps expanding our overseas possessions if we were capable of doing so. Lastly and probably most importantly I want to be able to faff around with alternative place names and this is easily the best one to do that with.

2. Persia. Because Persian poetry is great. Also because it would be nice to play as a Persianate-Muslim state that has actually found a way to solve the near-constant dynastic/succession stupidity, so I could instead focus on developing a more open and multicultural society while also looking to expand both to the west and abroad through the Indian Ocean.

3. Egypt. Their position as both a Mediterranean and Indian Ocean power interests me. If I got them I would probably look to eschew European affairs for the most part in favour of expanding our hand in Asian trade and hoping to use the increased wealth from that to help ease our internal tensions and to blossom culturally.

 

[Seon]

There is no america.

 

[Ahigin]

1. Egypt, a place where East meets West, and then both proceed to have a long night of stormy love-making. I love everything about this country. Its bundle of problems, its open opportunities, its "Antony and Cleopatra" aesthetics with a touch of Neapolitan joy for life. Make me Egypt, and I'll make up a restaurant menu featuring a mix of South Italian, Jewish, Ethiopian, and Arabic cuisine. Maybe I'll cook some of it and send it to your PO box.
2. Houju, another place where East meets West, and then both have a long prayer in a wooden church hidden in taiga wilderness. Not as much fun than Egypt, but still fun and unusual. I definitely see a bunch of development opportunities for this country. Needless to say, Egypt is still much more preferable to it. But hey, it's the best of non-egypts you have here.
3. Roman Empire, a place where East meets West and then both falsely claim to be Roman. Second best non-egypt. I think it's like Austria-Hungary before WWI, and it makes it a challenging, interesting country. But all of this imperial grandeur that comes with naming your country after the Roman Empire of old is much less attractive to me than watching languid Eastern nights from a balcony in Alexandrian palace, a glass of amaretto in my hand (did I mention that I love Egypt?).

 

[Shadowbound]

1) The Dominions. I am an experienced player who makes his career in economics. I'm good at balancing diverse internal interests. I'm very good at pissing people off when playing as Britain and I derive great enjoyment from doing so. I hate the Welsh and will make them suffer.

2) Hispania. Same as above, a bit of a fixer upper though. Everything that would make me a good British player would make me a good Hispanic player. Careful use of incentives and force will allow me to centralize power in a single government. I don't hate Catalans as much as the Welsh, but if we've any Catalan nationalists around I spend some time ruining them. This would also let me play around with India.

3) Poland can into space. I will squat in the center of Europe like some great hunting cat, waiting for weakness in one of my neighbors and then crushing them in a short, victorious war. Also sweden delenda est. And, I dunno, screwing over the Germans. Do we have any Germans around the forums?

There is no america.

Make America Again.

 

[Omega124]

1. Poland: WE WILL MAKE LIBERTY STRONG AGAIN

WE WILL MAKE LIBERTY PROUD AGAIN

Spoiler :

OK, serious mode, I want to be Poland because nuka made every other European nation part of the ancien reigme, and was going to make Poland part of it too if I didn't throw a big fuss over it. I want to preserve Poland's unique elective/constitutional monarchy and its principles of egalitarianism (as long as you are a male noble, which in Poland is actually not that hard to be a noble since Poland's definition of nobility is very... loose) which were definitely the exception of the time period otl and certainly even more in nuka's reactionary fest of a universe. Therefore, my goals is to be a liberal empire (in both the OTL sense of the word, and in the in universe sense of the word), making Poland the greatest power in Europe while also making Europe itself more free.

Also credit to Ahigin for making the base image that I turned into an image macro. The fact I already had that image shows you that Nuka and I were collaborating hard on Poland

2. Jin

I'll be honest, the main interest I have with Jin is that I just want to write about the mexican/chinese food fusion. I love Mexican, I love Chinese, and I have a lot of stupid ideas to mix the two food genres together to make something beautiful. In terms of actually playing the nation, I guess my goal is to kick the Europeans out and create a new tributary system out of the remains of their former colonies. I wouldn't have any interest of going back to China, excepting maybe wanting to prove I have the bigger mandate of heaven by turning the pacific into my lake.

3. Japan

As a massive weeb, Japan is always my fall back when I have no other better ideas. I love Japanese history and culture, and while I admit I know more of the Sengoku period than the Edo period, it is pretty cool to see an awakened shogunate that is once again trying to expand outside of the islands and modernize. As Japan, I would cut my losses in re to China, and try to press my sheer naval advantage to try to scoop up a Pacific Empire, with a noted focus on Australia in particular.

EDIT:

but if we've any Catalan nationalists around I spend some time ruining them. This would also let me play around with India.

Can't think of anyone

 

[Ahigin]

I'll be honest, the main interest I have with Jin is that I just want to write about the mexican/chinese food fusion. I love Mexican, I love Chinese, and I have a lot of stupid ideas to mix the two food genres together to make something beautiful.

Beijing Beef in a taco shell? I'm definitely trying that dope next weekend.

 

[J.K. Stockholme]

1. Sweden. Goals submitted via PM.

 

[Decamper]

1. Japan
2. Song
3. Persia

PM sent.

 

[gay_Aleks]

1. Persia
2. Hispania
3. Sweden

you know it bby

 

[inthesomeday]

I put mine in way before y'all but
1. Iran
2. Egypt
3. Jin