The Spirit of Man II - Brave New World

Robert Can't

Éponine
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The Barricade
In the last few years of the 19th Century humanity was brought to the brink of destruction with the invasion of the Martians. They came in cylinders that landed across Europe from where they battled furiously against the Great Powers of the day; The Antipapcy, The German Empire and Austria. Humanity tried furiously to resist but the Martian weapons were too great for humanity and despite a few victories such as those of the HMS Thunderchild and the Wallachian artillery batteries. Differences got in the way of the Nations however, the Belgian Conflict stopped the two greatest powers - The Antipapcy and Germany - from cooperating and tensions were raised in the south with the recent collapse of the New Roman Empire which fell at the hands of Organised Crime Families and its foolish intervention in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the Nationalists which were crushed by the large coalition that emerged after The German Empire pledged its support for the Republicans.

Europe was left in ruins, the Martian fighting machines (oft' called Tripods) laid waste to the larges centers such as London and St Petersburg. Populations were devastated and the red weed, a voracious stain of Martian vegetation that gives the planet its rusty colour, began to spread across the land consuming trees, houses and entire villages. Organised government collapsed and the world fell into chaos.

How then, you may ask, was humanity to be saved? Well, the Martians had prepared well to deal with the challenges of the sentient species of Earth and did so magnificently however they neglected to prepare sufficiently for the event of the pathogens of Earth, the minute bacteria which we have long since become immune to. The Martians that has destroyed the whole of civilization then fell victim to the common cold. The withered and died, leaving their husks littering the cities - dead. The red weed soon followed and humanity was able to pick up the pieces once again, rebuild from the catastrophe, grow from the ashes.

Its time now to build a Brave New World, with just a handful of men...
We'll start, we'll start all over again.



Welcome back to the greatest IOT based on a musical concept album. Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of the War of the Worlds has enjoyed a great revival this year with a new touring cast (that I've yet to see grumble grumble) and over the past few weeks as I've been having my exams I have been in preparing for this glorious event, the revival of that old IOT that won such fame in its day for excellent NPC management and having a combat system that was about as good as something really bad.

So this is the sign up stage. For those of you who haven't I'd advise checking out the old thread, maybe some of the past updates, also presented here is the map of Europe at the fall of London. Spaces in Europe will be reserved at first for those who want to rebuild their old nation. Similarly to the first game you will have to claim 3 territories and then dependent on RP and mutually agreed timelines more territory will be assigned to you. However do not plan for those extra territories to be assigned when making your claims, be sure to ensure that your claims look like they could be a feasible region without extra claims, this is because other player may want to claim land that you want and I may end up not assigning extra territories at all.

A signup post should consist of the following:

Nation Name: Nothing silly please.
Capital: Doesn't require too much explanation.
Flag: Because I'm paying tribute to TK's lovely games by copying his representation of cores.
Government: Please bear in mind that it is the turn of the century.
History: Bear in mind details from the previous game, I don't want to have to rely too much on it so that we don't discourage other players. But really anything goes and the more the better.
Social and Economic Policies: These help us get a picture of the nation, how its run and all that.
Internal Politics: Tell us about the factions that operate in your nation, the conflicts and the dissent. No one is going to be fine and dandy, so tell us who in your nation is happy and who isn't tell us who's rich and who's poor, who wants independence and who want to blow up parliament.
Traits: What defines your nation? Is it innovative and progressive or does it rule with an Iron Fist, is it renown for its cavalry or maybe a great naval heritage, a people of Artists or a people of workers? I will use this later to assign a nation specific bonus. To give you another idea check out the old thread and see what we had as traits there - I promise nothing will be quite as OP as AA and Tyo's powers were.
Claims: Just three at this juncture please.

The Map:
Spoiler :
TK's I&B2 map




Lets look at some rules:

Spoiler :

Claiming Territory

So, the most important question to an IOTer (or at least it was back in the day) how much does it cost to expand into an unclaimed territory? Well, you aren't going to believe this, but nothing - no absolutely nothing! Unlimited free claims every turn! What more could you want?

Well... Some unclaimed land would be nice. Simply put, there is none. Everywhere belongs to someone and if you want it you'll have to take it off them.


The Territories

So if they aren't unclaimed what are they? Well - there are three kinds of territory, Core, Not Core and Colonial. Core territories are the areas that are traditionally associated with your nation, areas they have a fully legitimate claim on. Non Core territories can become core over time with investment, they are however territories that are new to your nation or not at the heart. These territories are much more likely to revolt if your nation is unstable and other nations might also have a legitimate claim on them which could lead to all sorts of trouble later.
Colonial territories on the other hand represent your overseas colonies. They are less likely to revolt that Non cores and in the event of a civil war or similar there is a greater chance that they won't defect to revolutionaries. Whereas in core and non core territories this is much more likely.
Each type of territory will also reap different benefits too. More industry can be developed in your core territories than in non core and colonial is less than both. Colonial territories can be upgraded to noncored territories through events and decisions.

Industrial Capacity:
An overused mechanic? Maybe. A good mechanic? Defiantly!
Industrial capacity is the capacity to have industry of your nation. A Core or Non-Core territory natural produces no IC but can support increased Industrial capacity costing 2 IC to build a single factory giving 1IC. Core territories are capped at 10 factories and Non core at 5 but technology and time will raise these limits.
Colonies are different, they can generate 1 IC without any improvement and can build up to a limit of 3 extractive facilities (think mines, logging and the like), these cost 2 IC and generate 1 IC. A colony can also support a single factory. Once a colony is upgraded it no longer can support extractive facilities and they are disbanded.

Investments
IC can be spent in multiple ways, but chief amongst these are the 4 fields of investment Science, Military, Suppressing Revolt and Espionage. Investment in these areas will raise your score in each of these categories, increasing your capacity for doing anything in each of those. Investing in science makes you more likely to make a discovery.

Discoveries grant bonuses depending on what is discovered that can be anything from Martian research to mundane farming equipment. Discoveries diffuse down and can be bought for a price by other nations depending on what the discovery is.

Military investment increases Leadership points. 1 leadership point is required for any military action, for example ordering an attack takes 1 point, ordering an encircling attack would require 2, ordering defenses requires another and so on. Each nation starts with 2 leadership points. These points can also be gained through military experience and battles.

Espionage points are used to determine chances of success. There are no predetermined actions that can be done, any ideas you have PM me and I'll tell you chances of success.

Investment can also be used to mitigate against Revolt Risk. The higher the investment the less likely certain groups are to revolt, however beware - appeasing one faction may just enrage another.

Military Units

Infantry cost 1IC. Cavalry and Artillery cost 2. They all have specific traits.
Similarly Gunboats and Torpedo Rams cost 5IC, the Pre-Dreadnought Battleships cost 15 although that particular kind of ship is subject to inflation.

Infantry
ATT:1
DEF:1

Cavalry
ATT:3
DEF:1

Artillery:
ATT:1
DEF:3

Gunboat:
ATT:1
DEF:2

Torpedo Ram:
ATT:2
DEF:1

Pre-Dreadnought Battleship
ATT:3
DEF:3

Battle is calculated by the sum of the attackers ATT and the sum of the defenders DEF taking into account modifiers such as military plans and terrain. Casualties are determined on similar modifiers.


NPC Rules:

Similarly to the original one can expand one's sphere of influence to an NPC by spending a minimum amount of IC (1 per territory controlled by the NPC) and the highest bidder wins that nation into their sphere. Investments to sphere a nation are cumulative so if you invest one turn and again the next turn your influence score is the two combined.
If you have had a nation in your Sphere for 3 consecutive turns you can spend IC equal to half of its own IC to make that nation a puppet state of your own nation. You have complete control over diplomacy and policy in an NPC and though you can't order their spending directly you can point them in which direction you'd like them to go.
However an NPC can be invaded as a puppet state and then annexed. In this process a random amount of the Puppet's army will join yours in taking over the nation.


All the usual applies such as be pleasant, good mannered, play nicely with Christos, be diplomatic and above all just like the last version the more RP the better (The GM is known to hand out nicely large bonuses on such matters) well actually, I take that last one back... QUALITY is the driving factor in the appeasement of the GM.
 
Traits:

Spoiler :
Scientific Prowess – Under the guidance of King Victor Vlad Driconia science flourished in Wallachia and ever since the fall of the Martians Wallachian scientists were on the case under the guidance of Dr Fritz Frinkanstin to research the Martians, how to kill them, how to fight them and generally just anything else interesting about them. Thus Wallachia gains a 50% science Bonus also due to its predominant position in the world of Martian studies Martian Technologies researched by other nations will diffuse down to Wallachia 1 turn earlier than usual to a minimum of the turn of initial discovery.
The Mad King’s Mad Daughter – Though not as mentally impaired as her father Camelia Vladislava Driconia does have a nasty streak, a very nasty streak and many nations are still wary of Wallachia thus diplomatic reactions have suffered however this came with a slight bonus – no one is willing to cross the Queen, they’ve all heard the stories. Twice investment is needed to puppet an NPC however when attempting hostile annexation Walachia will never have less than 50% of the NPC’s army’s loyalty.

Unmatched Navy – Iceland has always had one of the largest and strongest of Europe’s Navies going even against that of Germany during the Danish altercation. During this time Iceland has developed to have superior training and weaponry for its Ships and Marines. Icelandic Ships gain 1 ATT and 2 DEF each. Amphibious Invasions cost half leadership and lose all negative modifiers.
Small Manpower – Iceland is small, Denmark is small, and Norway is small in population. Iceland has had to specialise its forces heavily, so its lack of manpower can be waved. However it is still a consistent problem to find new recruits and so Iceland suffers greatly of its Manpower shortage. All Land Units cost 3 times their normal value.

Economic Boom - Owing to the de facto abolition of the Caste System, the Indian economy has boomed, and many people are making a living starting small businesses and selling goods. IC limits are also increased by 3 at the start of the game – this bonus will be scaled with the growth of the IC cap.
Loss of the old values – With the ending of the caste system as well as the resulting economic growth there has also been a loss of the cultural tradition, traditionalists have been further alienated by progressives and as the traditions of old have faded away it has become harder to keep the people in check. Investment to reduce Revolt Risk has half the normal effect.

Pervasive Policing – The Secret police of the ECHN silences all opposition it meets. Few even dare to mention its name for fear of being taken in for questioning. Its ruthless efficiency in curtailing dissent is legendary. Investment to reduce Revolt Risk is three times more effective.
Decentralised Militia – The leadership in the ECHN’s militia was created to be able to fight cohesively but not having to have centralised command in order to organise everything. This strategy has proved very effective on the defence but many doubt how well the military could mount an offensive operation. All offensive actions cost three times the leadership points that they usually would.

Expert defenders – The Kingdom of Jerusalem has often had to defend itself in close call situations and thus has built up a large experience of fending off attacks from all directions. All of the Kingdom of Jerusalem’s units gain a 100% modifier for defensive combat.
Arab woes – The large population of Arabs in the Kingdom has led to countless uprisings and rebellions against the Kingdom’s authority although these have so far been put down the Arab population is always ready to rise and hard to appease. Investment to reduce Revolt Risk has half the normal effect.

Power to the Workers! – The CSA as it is today was born out of the factories the heart and soul of the working class. And those workers have before fought desperately to defend their factories and would do the same again in an instant should the need arise. All factories count as a unit of strength 0.5 for the purposes of defending a province.
The old guard – Many people in the CSA aren’t happy with the way that its run, many of them are really unhappy... Especially the owners of the plantations and the reactionaries who have opposed every liberal step the government has taken. Colonial revolt risk will be doubly affected by any increase, colonies will be significantly harder to integrate, and Investment to reduce Revolt Risk has half the normal effect in reactionary areas.

A New World – The UEN is famed for its tolerance and equal rights given to every man, this cases immigrants to flock from around the world to its doors, this has both a positive and negative effect. Ideological Rebels are half as susceptible to Revolt Risk investment however all other rebel types will be three times as affected by investment. Scientific discoveries have a 50% of diffusing one turn earlier than normal.

Never Give Up, Never Surrender! – Generals of the Kingdom of the Two Scillies are well renowned for never giving up even in the face of the worst odds. This unrelenting attitude allows them to work well in both wars of attrition and in last chance missions to bring down the enemy. The Kingdom of the Two Scillies receives a bonus directly proportional to the difference between its leadership and its enemies.
Remnants of the Old Ways – Before the coming of the Martians the Italian peninsula had been mostly occupies by warring families such as the Corleones and the Giovannis the transition back to a monarchy has been looked upon without favour by many of these sects and corruption still runs rampant throughout the nation. The Kingdom of the Two Scillies gests a penalty of 10% (Rounding down) from its total IC each turn.

Infantry Generals – Bosnia has a long history of working with its Infantry in all situations from lightning raids during the Austrian Invasion of 1898 to the unorthodox tactics used against Mars. In an army comprised predominantly of Infantry Bosnia gets a 75% modifier to combat.
Delusions of Grandeur – Bosnia’s leader President Nedim seems to think himself as important as leaders from around the world such as the Kaiser of Germany and the Antipope. This has lead the nation into sticky situations before and many other governments are less likely to have dealings with the nation. Sphereing costs double the amount usual.

Military Government – The Military nature of the power in Turkey has allowed it to consolidate its army strength and it operates one of the most cohesive forces in the world. All military strength is doubled.
We’ll have the elections soon, promise... – The Government of Turkey is, as its name suggests only provisional, and though the Military leaders are trying their best to keep the power in their hands the majority of people want free and fair elections. Until elections are resumed Investment to reduce Revolt Risk will have no effect.

The Yellow Revolution! – Egypt maintains its revolution as the true way for all Arab countries, the soldiers, generals and whole population will fight harder and stronger against those who oppose the freedom of the Arab world. Egypt gets double all military strength when on the offensive into Arab countries occupied by non Arab governments. They also gain a 50% defence bonus when defending their own cores.
All men are free – The liberalism of the revolution has meant that the rebels are willing to accept all new ideologies without questioning meaning that ideological pluralism is greatly on the rise. Investment to reduce Revolt Risk has a third of the normal effect.

How was Breakfast this Morning? – There’s a saying doing the rounds in the PRC that you can’t even eat your breakfast without the AFCR noting down exactly what you had and storing it on record. The amount of truth in the saying is astounding. The AFCR is the greatest intelligence gathering operation in the world, it is brutally efficient and to its operatives no information is unreachable. Espionage investment is three times as effective as normal.
The Revolution – The PRC is founded on ideals of expanding the revolution; they are part of its core ideology, indoctrinated into its people and shoved down the throats of any foreign dignitaries. The people are likely to get a bit uppity if the government isn’t doing that and for that matter, so might the AFCR.

The Díaz Regime – Through a combination of government control and social liberties President Díaz has managed to maintain an almost uncontested grip over Mexico’s politics. There is little support of this opposition parties. Investment to reduce Revolt Risk is twice as effective. Also the negative effects of revolt risk are less likely to be felt.
Economically Hard Times – Unlike many other countries Mexico has not yet felt the post Martian economic boom; it still suffers from high unemployment, infrastructure in disrepair and a weak service sector. New factories costs 3 rather than 2 IC.

Protection for our Brothers – Omani expansion has mostly been welcomed by the locals of the areas it has expanded into; with the protection that they offer being seen as better than having to face the effects of the wider world. Investment to reduce Revolt Risk is twice as effective in Non-core and colonial territories.
Reactionary Anger – Many more traditionalist factions are uncooperative when faced with the ideas of westernisation. This has led to a general resentment of the more progressive factions and especially the scientist class. There is a 75% chance that a Technology will diffuse to the Omani Empire 1 turn later than usual.

Cultural-Industrial Paradigm – The Antipapal states have undergone great changes since the invasion. Gone are the days when the traditionalistic views on society and infrastructure dominated the States reducing the nation’s ability to keep up industrially. Also cultural development has allowed the empire to reassert itself as one of the more powerful nations in the diplomatic sphere. Sphereing costs half the normal amount.
Overreliance on the Navy - The Anti Papacy’s army is not what they used to be. Though the Navy’s power is undisputed the effectiveness of the armies is often seen as something less admirable. Offensive Military operations other than naval actions and amphibious landings cost three times the leadership points they would usually take.

Children of the Industrial Empire – “Germany is Industry” are the words carved out of stone above the Martian Victory Monument in Berlin, and the words speak greatly of the nation’s history. Industry above all was the key to Germany surviving as well as it did and as it picks up the pieces it finds itself at the centre of a crumbling cross continental empire held together only by that bond of Industrial might that has seen it through so much. 3 new factories can be constructed for the price of 2.
Internal Turmoil – The internal politics of Germany are in conflict as the hole between the rich and poor grows. The poor call for revolution; the rich demands a status quo. Elsewhere in the Empire nationalist factions are taking hold such as the League for Dutch Independence and the Spanish Pan- Nationalist movement. Investment to reduce Revolt Risk is a third as effective as normal.

NPC Traits:
Nationalistic – Double Sphereing cost unless of the same cultural heritage.
Solutionist – 1 free infantry each turn for every 3 factories
Trade League – 50% IC bonus
Authoritarian – Investment to reduce Revolt Risk is twice as effective as normal
Civil War – Can call in aid from nations with similar ideologies, cannot be sphered, invasion constitutes joining the civil war on opposing side
Specialist Officers – Double leadership
Guard – Infantry gain 1 ATT Cavalry gain 2 ATT
Resistors - Infantry get a 75% defensive bonus
Daimyo – Cannot be sphere, Invading one constitutes war with all
 
I can die now. Well not now, once both this and I&B4 finish. And may them last forever.
 
PROVENCE SARDINIA-PIEDMONT TUSCANY


YES YES YES

MORE LATER
 
I will join this as the Republic of Egypt.

Claims will be Upper Egypt (capital), Lower Egypt and Sinai. I will be the colour yellow.

More infor coming later.
 
For now... Claims: Bavaria, Niedersachsen and Rheinland
Colour: White.
 
Remember guys COLOURS

Nedim, I presumed a light Blue
AA, you got your old colour

Last game History
Bosnia: Bosnia was invaded by Austria (Mech) and Annexed, this was in around 1899
Egypt: major colonial Center of the Birmingham Trade League after the collapse of the British Empire
Joan's Area: Split between Austria (Mech) and Germany (Tyo)

Edit: Start date is 1905
 
In, Wallachia
 
The Provisional Government of Turkey


Capital: Ankara
Government: Provisional Government. Effectively a military dictatorship until people sort out things.
History: During the start of the Martian Invasion the Ottoman Empire was spared the brunt of the assault. For the first several months conflict was contained to small engagements on the borders in Sinai and Bulgaria. It wasn't until January of 1899 did the Ottomans truly feel the effects of the war. The Sultan at the time heard the news about the fighting in Russia and England and when he compared it to the Ottoman's own fighting, he thought that the other European powers's armies were weak, and that the Ottomans were not only surviving, but winning. Supplied with this false information, the Sultan took out his army for Bulgaria, assuming he would defeat on the Martians on the battlefield despite the numerous objections of high ranking military advisers. This ended as many expected, with the total defeat of the Sultan's forces. The Sultan himself barely escaped, and fled from death back to Istanbul. Two weeks later Istanbul itself was under attack.

The Sultan could not escape death this time, as he and most of the city's inhabitants fell to the Martian Invaders. The throne was left to his 4-year-old son in Ankara, and from that point on the Ottoman's participation in the Invasion resembled most of the world's. When the invincible forces of the Martian Invaders fell not to a gun, but a germ, the people of the Ottoman Empire along with the rest of the world breathed a sigh of relief. They had survived.

However, this was not the end of the troubles in the Ottoman Empire. A now five-year-old sultan ruled over a destroyed land while many of his subjects believing the actions of his father resulted in this. For now the true power was held in the Ottoman military, and its head the radical Süleyman Teke. Süleyman had long held views against the government of the Ottoman Empire. It wasn't until 1902 that these views actually resulted in anything. Süleyman was a very charismatic and influential man in the Ottoman military and because of this he and his supporters issued a public denouncement of the young Sultan, whom the people already hated. Two months later Süleyman marched on Ankara and overthrew the Sultan and declared the Provisional Government of Turkey.

This however is where the radical Süleyman's actions in the modern Turkish state ends, as he was assassinated not a month later by a nationalist supporting the monarchy. With their leadership lost, the military suspended the elections promised on the foundation of the Provisional Government in an effort to figure out what they will do. Since then many prominent Turkish people have formed various organizations, each with their own demands to the government. Many people fear if the military does not decide on something soon, a war will break out over this.

Social and Economic Policies: The military government has issued a declaration supporting the industrialization of Turkey, and with a capitalist economy. As for social, it has favoured nationalistic types of laws.

Internal Politics:

  • Turkish People for Democracy: Easily the largest group in Turkey, but not a very united one. Can be divided into three main groups, with the only unifying factor being their want for democracy.
    • Young Turks: Favour a secular, yet nationalist form of government. Also favours the industrialization of the Turkish state.
    • Reformists: Favour the reformation of the Turkish government to resemble a European style of government.
    • Nationalists: Favour a strong, united Turkish government following Islamic law.

  • Monarchists: The smallest group in Turkey, but not by much, the monarchist favour the re-establishment of the sultanate putting the couped Sultan back in power.

  • Communist Party of Turkey: True to their name, the Communist Party is a communist organization mainly supported by farmers in rural areas of Turkey. They do not have much more support than the monarchists.
 
Nation Name: Indian Empire
Capital: Delhi

Government: Absolute Monarchy
History: Although the British managed to hold much of India with an iron fist during the late 18th century, by the mid 1800s, British control of India began to stagnate under a series of corrupt of neopotistic East India Company rulers, who began to extort the natives into filling higher and higher quotas in order to supply Britain with supplies as unrest. The breaking point came in 1857, when the Company sepoys rebelled against the British East India Company after rumours of cartridges using animal lard surfaced. In northern India, sepoys marched into Delhi and proclaimed the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar Emperor of India. The British tried to react, but the rulers of the Princely States soon declared their allegience to Bahadur Shah and and independent India, quickly overwhelming the few loyal allies of the British. The loss of India soon proved to be the death knell of Britain, as barely a decade after India's "independence", the strain on the British economy caused by the losing of so many resources caused the rebellions of 1870.

However, the freedom and unity of India did not last for long. In 1898, Martian cylinders landed in near Hyderabad, Delhi, and Calcutta, and much of India was laid waste to within a year. The Kalkis (named after the last Avatar of Vishnu) died some 8 months after their first landing due to the myriad of diseases in India, but by the time of their death, only 120 million out of the 270 million people at the time of the landings survived. Although the Indian Emperor was safely evacuated to Kashmir, where the difficult terrain made widespread use of the Fighting Machines impossible, Indian society was severely disrupted by the coming of the Kalkis, with the caste system, government and religions being turned on their heads due to the widespread death and destruction (Delhi was only recently retaken). Many believe that this is the beginning of the Satya Yuga, which is a time of goodness and justice after the Kali Yuga ends.

Social and Economic Policies: De facto capitalism and meritocracy; the Martians essentially destroyed the existing Caste System, meaning anyone could be successful if they put their mind to it. Indian society has become very competitive as a result.
Internal Politics: Progressives (people who want to rebuild India according to modern principles of science and reason), vs Theocrats (Hindus and Muslims who believe it was their respective Apocalypses, who believe India should be rebuilt according to the principles of Religion)
Traits: Owing to the de facto abolition of the Caste System, the Indian economy has boomed, and many people are trying to make a living starting small businesses and selling goods.
Claims: Delhi, Kashmir, and Himalaya (Indian Red: 204/92/92)
 
Traits: Economic boom: Factories can be built with only 1 IC.

Whoa there...

You don't actually define your bonus. Just say what's special about your nation.
 
Kingdom of Wallachia


Government: Absolute Monarchy; a near-powerless Parliament was recently formed as a concession to the Sons of Europe
Capital: Bran
Languages: Romanian (Official), Bulgarian (Recognized in Bulgaria), Polish, Hungarian (Recognized in Galicia), Russian (Recognized Everywhere)
Religious Views: 62.0% Orthodox, 29.1% Catholic, 7.7% Protestant, 1.2% Jewish
Social Policy: Conservative
Fiscal Policy: Mildly Interventionist
Monetary Policy: Gold Standard
Trade Policy: Mildly Protectionist
Currency: Râși
Foreign Policy: Pragmatism (Humans), Genocidal (Martians)
Leader: Queen Camelia Vladislava Driconia
Persons of Interest:
  • Queen Camelia Vladislava Driconia- The bastard daughter of King Victor Vlad Driconia & a Russian Refugee, she became the heir of the Kingdom of Wallachia after the Martians harvested the King's other children. She inherited her father’s patriotism & love of science- though thankfully not his madness. She makes up for that, however, with a cruelty streak that rivals that of her famed ancestor. When not stirring up nationalist sentiment, fighting wars, or interrogating prisoners, she enjoys playing the Organ in Bran Castle & attending the theater in Sofia.
  • Dr. Dragomir Dolphus- The product of an affair between Dr. Franz Frinkanstin & a German spy, he discovered his aptitude for science at an early age, and today Dr. Dolphus is Wallachia's premier researcher & Martian Expert.
  • Kyrillos Lysias- The Grand Admiral of the Wallachian Navy, Kyrillos was born in Argos in 1861. He came from a family of merchants & businessmen, and when he was seven the family relocated to the City of Tulcea in Wallachia. He grew to love his adopted homeland, and at the age of 19 he joined the Navy. Working his way up the ranks, he became an Admiral in 1896, and became the Grand Admiral of Wallachia after the death of the previous Grand Admiral, Ivan, in a naval skirmish in the Martian controlled Aegean.
  • Igorek Arseni- The Grand Marshall of the Wallachian Army, Igorek was born in Petrovsk, Russia in 1856. He joined the Russian Army at age 23, but after he was convicted of selling Russian weapons to criminal elements in Moscow at the age of 29, he defected to Wallachia. He later led Wallachian troops in the Moscow campaigns against the Martians, after which he was promoted to the rank of Grand Marshall.
National Animal: Lynx
Internal Politics:
  • Wallachian Guard- These are the citizens who remember the fight Wallachia gave the Martians the first time around, and are itching for a rematch. Tend to support the Queen & any actions that undermine the Martians & strengthen the Kingdom of Wallachia.
  • Sons of Europe- Composed of Refugees & descendants of Refugees who fled to Wallachia following her successes in the first Martian Invasion, they don't look on the invasion with Rose-Colored glasses as the Wallachian Guard does. Tend to support democratization & actions that strengthen Europe as a whole.
  • New Russians- Various former Russian nationals & descendants of Russian nationals who decided that fleeing to the Balkans with the Wallachian Army was a much better choice than remaining in Martian-infested Russia. Tend to support special treatment for Russians, and is often the 'third edge' in politics; not large enough to influence decisions on their own, but large enough to virtually guarantee political influence for whomever they side with.
  • Patriotic Communist Romanian Laborer’s Party- Ultra-Nationalist Radicals who believe Wallachia's fight against the Martians marks them as superior to those who fell to the alien invaders; they have a healthy respect for the Germans & the Italians due to the successes of the Second Reich & the Antipapal States, but other than that, their only redeeming quality is that they hate the Martians even more than the Queen & the Wallachian Guard do. Bloody rivalry with the Martian Apologists.
  • Martian Apologists- Crackpots who are convinced that, by playing nice with the Martians, Wallachia can avoid a second invasion entirely. Hate the Queen & the government in general, they are the smallest Faction, who both look down upon & are looked down upon by the other major political players in Wallachia. Bloody rivalry with the Patriotic Communist Romanian Laborer’s Party.
Traits: One of the following:
  • Anti-Martian Tactics
  • Artillery Tradition
  • Scientific Powerhouse
History:
Spoiler :
During the first Martian Invasion, Wallachia held her own quite nicely and even made significant gains; while other nations struggled to hold onto what was theirs, Wallachia pushed north, liberating a swathe of Polish lands & southern Courland; drunk off of his success, the reigning King, Victor Vlad Driconia, looked upon Russia- divided between the forces of the Cowardly Tsar, the Unorganized Peasants, & the Invading Martians- and saw the chance to earn his place in the history books by doing what no one had been able to do in hundreds of years: march into the heart of Russia & hold the city of Moscow. Appointing the defector Igorek Arseni to lead his men, the Wallachian Army crossed the border into Martian-occupied Russia, and initially met with success. The famed Wallachian Artillery cut down tripod after tripod, and after a grueling campaign, the King stood at the gates of Moscow, ready to claim his place among the great leaders of man.

That was when things started to go downhill; for as Victor learned the hard way, taking Moscow & holding Moscow are two very different things. The peasants of Russia, whom he had thought would welcome the Wallachian troops as liberators, instead saw them as invaders, as no better than the Martian Menace. Constant guerilla strikes sapped both supplies & morale, and eventually the strain of having to fight off the forces of not only the Martians, but the Russian Peasants & an Irredentist Tsar, forced the Wallachians to retreat. The Martians, seeing their chance to strike a blow against a particularly resilient foe, ambushed the Wallachian Army near the city of Kraków; in what would come to be known as the Martian Retribution, a full third of the retreating Army was wiped out in the battle, with a further tenth missing in action. And though the forces of Igorek Arseni managed to take out their fair share of Martians, the battle effectively took Wallachia out of the War. The army limped back home, broken & defeated, but as the old saying goes, the only thing that travels faster than light is bad news, and the army arrived in Bran to find the city guards locked in furious battle with fanatical rebels. The rebels were members of a new faction, the Martian Apologists, who were convinced that Wallachia’s stubborn resistance was only provoking the Martians, and that if we would simply let the Martians go about their business, they would spare us.

It soon became apparent that Transylvania was the primary stronghold of the Martian Apologists. In a brutal civil war, brother killed brother & father killed son as the two sides engaged in a fierce struggle to determine the future of Wallachia. After the death of Victor & the coronation of Camelia, the rebels sought a quick end to the war by striking at the Capital, Bran; the Second Battle of Bran would prove to be the first decisive victory in the war, as the rebels suffered a crushing defeat, and the war was formally declared won a year later, when the main rebel force was crushed by the Wallachian Army & the Bulgarian Militia during the third battle of Sofia. Battered & bruised, the nation went about rebuilding, and even though Transylvania still plays host to a large rebel population, it is hoped that the army will quickly pacify the traitors & bring glory to Wallachia once more.


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The Icelandic Empire

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Capital: Reykjavik
Government: Absolute Monarchy (Emperor Christian XI)
Social and Economic Policies:
-Emperor Christian XI has a mind towards industrialization and improvement of infrastructure, in particular the construction of railroads across the empire to facilitate travel and resource movement.

-The Empire maintains a small army, operating mostly to protect the overseas possessions of the empire and crush rebellious provinces. The majority of the military budget goes towards the navy, with a focus on protecting and patrolling commonly used Icelandic shipping routes.

-Though the Emperor has absolute power over his subjects and how to rule the government, the ever growing conciousness of the population has forced him to take a more moderate and progressive stance towards politics. Many among the population are calling for a more democratic system.

-The government intervenes commonly in the economy, running its own corporations and factories and subsidizing Icelandic companies. Infrastructure construction and maintenance (roads, railroads, harbors, etc) is completely run by the government.

Internal Politics:

-The Pan-Nordic Faction: A nationalist group with a large following around the empire, they wish to unite the Nordic factions and turn them into a world-spanning empire. Pan-Nordics are generally confined to the upper classes and military.

-Imperial Faction: The royalists of Iceland. They believe in the monarchy and wish to establish Icelandic dominance over Europe, remain an absolute monarchy, and are generally conservative in their thinking.

-Democratic Faction: A faction popular amongst the middle classes especially and somewhat the lower, members of the democratic faction wish for a far more democratic system of governance, though not necessarily getting rid of the monarchy.

-Socialist Faction: The faction most popular with the lower classes, the socialists are, well, socialists. They wish to disband the monarchy and take control of all Icelandic corporations, factories, etc and establish a state based around the workers.

Traits: The Icelandics have a proud naval tradition, with the fleet being the pride of the nation. The king is fairly progressive, but his power is steadily eroding with so many different factions vying for influence. Due to the low manpower of their territories, Icelandic troops are generally very well trained and equipped, and artillery and long-range bombardment are used whenever possible to keep Icelandic casualties low.

History: Soon, I promise
 
It was a Socialist Republic last time :p
 
The Great Omani Empire
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Government: De Jure Constitutonal monarchy, Monarchy still has a lot of influence however.
Capital: Muscat
Languages: Arabic, Somalian
Religious Views: 96% Islam (30% Ibadi, 53% Suni, 17% Shiite) , 3% Ethiopian Orthodox, 1% Jewish
Currency: Rial
Leader: Sariallim bin Said

History: After the aliens attacked, Oman was decimated. The sultan and most of the royal family were killed in the early attacks thus the parliament became more and more important during and after the alien invasion. With its new power the parliament was able to push for a new constitution making the monarchy constitutionalist rather than absolute.the new parliament began to rapidly westernised. The plan was to combine Western knowledge with Muslim power so as to build a colonial empire which can not be taken from Oman, like the holdings in Africa had been taken by the British prior to the invasion. Hearing of chaos in the neighbouring Yemen it was decided that a quick invasion was the best option. Many Yemeni people welcomed the rulership of the Omani government and any resistance was crushed quickly. Messages were received from Somalian Tribes asking for protection against the Europeans who were sure to come and reclaim their old colonies but the deal was brokered. Muslim Somalians were given greater political freedoms than other Africans, but for unequal to Arabs in this deal.

Internal Politics:

Secularists: Aim to continue the westernisation of the Omani Empire.
Traditionalists: Push for the Monarch to have more power and the armed keeping of Islamic traditions.
Separatists: Minor parties supporting Yemeni and Somalian independence.
 
Nation Name: Kingdom of Jerusalem
Capital: Jerusalem
Flag:

Government:Constitutional Monarchy
History: From the collapse of the martian invasion and the ashes of empires came two men who would later be known as the founders of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. These men were Baldwin Idason, a french soldier who had an affinity for leading troops, and Thomas Herzl, an Austrian Zion who was well know for his ability to deliver rousing speeches. Joined together by strange circumstances these two men found themselves at the head of a new crusade for the Holy Land. Only this time it was comprised of both Christian and Jewish people who wanted to retake the land.

Upon landing in the Holy Land they only found a weak Palestinian government that sprung up after the collapse of the Ottomans. However; they were fighting to protect their homes so the crusaders had an uphill battle before them. After three months of fighting they managed to reach Jerusalem and force the government to capitulate.

Now the two leaders were forced with creating a new government, and tensions began to rise between the Christians and the Jews over who would lead it. Just as passions seemed to be reaching a breaking point Idason and Herzl reached a compromise. A constitutional monarchy would be established where the King and the Parliament would have relatively equal powers. The king of the new state would be Baldwin Idason and in return the Parliament would be controlled mostly by Jewish politicians. The people seemed to be happy enough with the compromise and thus the Kingdom of Jerusalem was formed.
Social and Economic Policies: A moderate country due to conservative Christians holding the crown and liberal Jews dominating the parliament canceling each other out. The economy is a capitalist one.
Internal Politics: Although the Kingdom was formed due to a union between Christian and Jewish forces there is still a large tension between the two factions. The Christians who control the throne are nearly always at odds with the Jewish dominated Parliament. As such the internal politics is mostly about testing how far one faction can stretch the constitution to their favor.

A very noticeable yet weak faction in the Parliament are the Arabs, they want more control over the parliament to represent their larger percentage of the population but are constantly marginalized at every turn by both the Christian and Jewish factions.
Traits: Due to the constant need to defend against Arab rebellions and foreign invasions the Kingdom of Jerusalem has become renown for their ability to fight defensively against stronger forces and win consistently. Although the less said about their offensive capabilities the better.
Claims: Jerusalem/Israel, Lebanon, Antioch
 
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