Nightfall - Modern Nations Survival Rp Thread

[DigitalRescue 4]

 

The Tang Empire

China

 

"We have liftoff. I repeat, we have liftoff..."

"Leprechaun 1 entering orbit. Dropping primary fuel cells..."

"Leprechaun 1 in space. Dropping secondary fuel cells and beginning the coast to the British Space Station. Cargo on board."

 

Two hours later.

 

"Leprechaun 2 is in orbit. Dropping primary fuel cells, engaging thrusters."

"Leprechaun 2 is reaching target zone. Dropping fuel cells, calculating reverse thrust."

"Leprechaun 2 cargo bay opened, drones activating. Operation Yang is a go. Let's build us a space station, boys."

 

Two of the British rockets given in exchange for Hong Kong had launched, entering the atmosphere. Leprechaun 1 had made its way to the British Space Station, where it would dock, and the crew disembark, delivering gifts in the form of two AX-1 Builder Drones. These drones would make it easier for the British to expand their space station, with the robots being able to work for roughly 72 hours before needing to recharge. Leprechaun 2 meanwhile carried drones that would start the construction of the Chinese Space Station, that would play host to all future space endeavors made by the country. Using specially calculated methods of propulsion, it would stay in time with the earths rotation, always hovering high above Beijing.

 

 

 

The space station is set to be completed soon, and armed to the teeth with Qahar cannons as defense systems, along side multiple missile platforms. Two large spaceship hangers are also prominent, both for docking ships or building them.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The MP-C2 Rail guns are fine tuned and finished, and begin to be mass produced. Along with VI systems, they will be set up on land and on the navy, although it is expected to take [4 pages]. So far, only the Porcupine missile cruiser has been retrofitted with these new cannons. 

 

The space bound fighter-bomber continues in development, able to drop a payload seemingly accurately from orbit as well as launch orbital strike missiles from its underbelly. However, it is still being decided whether these should be manned or VI controlled, or perhaps a mix of both. Once finished [8 pages], the Japanese will also find the blueprints for said fighter bombers sent to them. The fighter is to be called the SangerX-1.

 

[AndrewTech 3333]

THE IMPERIUM BRITANNIA

 

The Imperium Britannia was now roaring with nationalism and pride, and the Kingdom of Northern Iberia was well on it's way to being rebuilt. Resources in Iberia are mined to help in the efforts of repairing the British war machine, and Britannia becomes well-stocked and mighty indeed.

The Empress of Britannia was loved by nearly all of her people, and was considered to be the true heir of her father, King William the Wise.

One again in every corner of the world, a Brit could be found. From London to Madrid, to Ponta Delgata and St. John's, to Vancouver and Hong Kong, the sun, once again, literally never set on the Imperium Britannia. And the citizens of Britain celebrated this like there was no tomorrow.

-----------------------------

The Imperium was organized into a new system:

The Prime Minister of Great Britain would represent the Empress in all affairs, and help her with her duties as her second. They would have equal power, except that the Empress could override any of the decisions made by the Prime Minister. However, the Imperial Parliament could veto any decision made by the Empress with a 2/3rds majority vote Other than this, the British government would continue to operate as it always has.

--Imperium Provinces would be considered to be an area that covered at least 1,000 square miles, or had a population of 500,000 people or above. They would be allowed to send 2 to 15 members (based on size and population) to the Imperial Parliament as a delegation to represent them, and they would have a large degree of autonomy in their own internal affairs and be allowed to create an army that was integrated into the British one, though the Imperial government in Britain would manage international affairs for them and assist in their protection in the case of an invasion.

--Imperium Territories would be considered to cover an area less than 1,000 square miles and have less than 500,000 inhabitants. They would be allowed to have their own legislature; however, a Governor from Britain would be appointed to lord over them, and he would act as their representative.

 

A new Imperial Parliament would be created so that all nations would have representatives in their democratic system. Of course, Britain would always have the largest vote by a long shot, the members of the local British Parliament sitting in this house and outnumbering their provinces by a large majority, and they would always have the final say, but they would still be represented in the democratic system.

--------------------------

Transported by the British interplanetary shuttles, a zoo has been created in London consisting of alien life! The British government charges high prices for tourists to visit, but priced reasonable enough so that the general public of the world can enjoy these strange creatures.

A modified Leprechaun Rocket is launched from Australia, a team of British astronauts aboard. They head towards the moon accompanied by one of the cargo shuttles from Europa with supplies to construct a base on their granted territory, as per the Interplanetary Treaty. They would attempt to land in Mare Tranquillitatis. ((If successful, I'll post my map of claimed territory later.))

On Europa, the suggested spots have drones dispatched to them in an attempt to better uncover the mystery of "Atlantis". Scientists would also work on finding a way to speed up the data link between Europa and Earth. ((5 turns to successful implementation))

Finally, the drones given to the British are heartily accepted, and are put to work to expand Victoria Station, drawing inspiration from the Chinese to expand their facilities to include a Mothership docks and a hanger bay for future F-48 Churchill fighter jets, as well as installing a rotation system to provide artificial gravity on the station.

 

 

---------------------

The British Empress openly condemns Germany and the Kaiser's actions, including their harsh military system and their management of the UEDI.

They demand that large portions of French land be liberated immediately from their rule, and be left to govern themselves under British guidance as a vassal state and province of the Imperium.

They also demand that Pro-British Normandy be returned to the British Government as a Province immediately, and threaten to withdraw from the UEDI if things don't change soon...

---------------------

Technoligical progress goes as planned, with both the Americans and the Russians helping in the creation of the F-48 Churchill now, attempting to speed it's creation. ((7 more pages))

Progress continues as planned with the decades long research into LIONCUB technology to create a handheld LION weapon for British troops. ((6 more pages))

 

The projects with America and Russia continue to go as planned.

---------------------

Madison

"Well dearie, you would be working for MI6 if you accept our offer," Agent Haley smiles lightly.

"Other than perhaps the American CIA and the Russian KGB, we are THE most prestigious intelligence organization in the world."

"We would want you to be returned to Saeed, find him, wed him, and then MURDER him on his wedding night. If you were good enough in training to be chosen to be his third wife, then you must be skilled enough to perform this action. Do this, and we promise that we'll have an unmarked helicopter waiting for you to bail you out. Maybe we'll even have a future spot for you at the agency if successful...

If you don't... then, we'll be forced to look up your profile, find your parents, and ship you home to your home nation.

So, do we have a deal?"

[Han Solo 35]

The United States of America

 

The United States makes great progress regarding future space endeavors. With Russia and Britain in collaboration, the nations pool in their efforts and the Project RAPTOR takes a huge leap forwards since all three nations have been in Space, and Britain is currently still there. Their expertise would help the Americans and Russians join the other nations and explore the last great frontier. With Leprechaun rocket designs from Britain, and access to their Space Station, America's space program grows at a rapid rate. A mission is already underway and the destinations of Olympus Mons on Mars and the icy moon of Titan are planned, with seats available to collaborating scientists. All America needed now was the aid of the Australian Federation to quite possibly put them in space within the next year or two, and America would be set. A statement is made to the Federation requesting their aid, but if they do not, America starts preparing to test rockets in Alaska and try and get there without aid.

 

 

In the Arctic, the American team creates an outpost with several Icebreaker ships and elite special forces soldiers to guard it. The oil is not touched or infringed upon, however, and a trade agreement between the NBC is made. With an abundance of oil now coming in from the Arctic and the Confederacy, America is set natural-gas wise. Project LION also goes well. Development stage is finished and a model is created. Although it would take years more to actually enter its first phase of combat, the model seems relatively viable and further research is ordered on the matter.

 

 

In order to increase relations with the Californian Dominion, the U.S invites it to join Project LION and Project RAPTOR. The Californians were a mysterious bunch and little was known about what was inside their walls. The one thing that the Americans did know was they California was technologically superior - to them and the rest of the world. With a new government installed, President Kennedy hopes to heal old wounds and fix relations.

 

 

 

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

 

Brussels, formerly Belgium - German Empire:

 

A tanned woman in her thirties sits in a Cafe. A fair-haired man who appears to be middle-aged sits across from her, a laptop open in his hands. He pulls out a USB flash drive and hands it to the woman. They pretend that they are on a date for the rest of time, and go about their business after that.

 

Both of them spoke fluent and perfect German. They pledged allegiance to the German Kaiser daily, and appeared have a strong sense of nationalism. But the truth was, they didn't have any pride in the German Empire - and they definitely did not pledge allegiance to the Kaiser. Hell, they weren't even German. They were two Americans sent to Germany to figure out if the Germans were responsible for the kidnapping of Russian Politician, Vladimir Putin. They had very intricate backstories and could act really well - undergoing brutal CIA training for years. If they were caught, they'd pretend to be French Rebels and die a grizzly fate - their last words being, "Viva La France." They could never be identified as American, and they had several ways of ending their lives ranging from a cyanide capsule to pulling a simple string.

 

The USB had orders from top American officials, and they begin their work. They would now try and get into high positions of power, as they have a fantastic resume and any official would be impressed at their fake life.

 

[Draeris 3124]

 

The Russian Federation

 

The Russian Federation replied to the Slavic Confederation rather quickly. A military alliance was declared as Russian investors and military start militarizing the Slavic borders as an extension to their own fortifications. The Slavic military is invited to do joint training with the Russian military, potentially joining the guard patrolling as well.

 

 

With that. The EB, USA, RUS and the Slavic Confederation form a safeguarding bloc in case the UEDI turns against them. It gave the government quite the comfort, but they were far from safe.

 

'

 

The recruitment for the military remains constant as the population is motivated to have more children for the future of Russia. The borders are more fortified as the recruitment goal is nearly met.  The industry was able to produce even larger quantities of military equipment for the ever growing army. There was a future for Russia now, Dmitry Medvedev would make sure it was understood by everyone within Russian territories.

 

 

"The future, my people, is here. In several years Russia will have the most sophisticated understanding in organic and synthetic chemicals, expanding our possibilities in the world of medicine and defense! We would have the country defended by the most advanced laser system, be one of the three countries expanding our interstellar interests. Russia is looking straight at the final frontier of technology for our people, the Russian Presidium will fulfill their promise of prosperity and progress!"

 

 

Russia was indeed moving forward. Its fertile land and access to most markets, it was able to develop a steady supply of agricultural goods to its people. If necessary, Russia could become fully self-sufficient. The agricultural industry and the energy sector became very worthy and sustainable. A surplus in most goods was an essential piece of the Russian image of perfection.

[Angel~ 34]

Madison Woods

 

Madison listens to the offer given to her and shifts in her seat looking at the screen and then the Agent with a sigh before nodding slowly "Alright, I'll go do the job" She says softly before she fixes her clothes "If I do the job could I please get some actual fitting clothes...?" She frowns a bit childishly as she tugs at the collar of her large shirt before she nods to the Agent then to the Empress slowly "So...Do I leave now...or...?" She says curiously with a tilt of her head.

[AndrewTech 3333]

Madison

"Obviously not," Haley tisks.

The Empress ends the video call, and the King sits at his desk, rubbing his forehead.

"Come dearie, we'll get you ready. You'll need a lot more than fitting clothes for this mission. Sir Desmond, get this woman some clothes similar to what she was wearing when we found her. "

The Captain and the two soldiers excuse themselves to get what was requested of them, and the agent goes to lead her to another area of the palace.

They enter a room, stocked with weapons and gagets.

"You'll need this," she offers a TINY transmitter that appears to be cleverly disguised as a hair clamp.

"Tap this button, and an unmarked helecopter will converge on your position to pick you up within the next 15 minutes."

Then she finds a pen, and clicks it. A knife blade pops out of it.

"This will be the murder weapon," she smiles grimly. "Or... Capture weapon. We'd perfer that you take Saeed captive with you on the helicopter if at all possible, but we will settle with his death if that is call you can manage."

One of the British soldiers returns with some clothing very similar to what Madison was wearing when she was found. It includes a veil, notably. He offers them to her, as well as her rifle.

"Your story as to why you've been absent for the past 3 days is that your transport was destroyed, and you had to evade the Order of St. George before you reached Muslim Iberia.

You were never in Madrid. You NEVER saw the King nor his wife. You never saw me.

Now go change, and meet Sir Desmond out at the armored car when you're ready.

And remember: we'd like him alive, but we'll accept him dead."

She offers the tools to her.

[Angel~ 34]

Madison Woods

 

She quietly looks over the equipment before giving a slow nod and grabs the veil and her old clothing before she takes the Tiny Communicator along with her rifle and the knife pen and before repeating the given task "Murder or Capture Saeed during the wedding, Murder is optional but Capturing is recommended" She says before adding on "Right?" She shifts around getting ready to go change.

[_pok_ 1768]

MAJOR MOD POST

Seeing a need for a scale back on technology & research to make the game more interesting, the mod team and I have made a sort of system that makes the way technology will function slightly different, but allows for balance in the system.

It goes as follows:

Round One, Page 55: NCR / Japan / Britain / Australia (+5 pages on all projects, consult me for future projects as they will take longer)

Round Two, Page 57: CSA / Union / China / Germany / India (+4 pages on all projects, consult me for future projects as they will take longer)

Round Three, Page 59: Caliphate / China / Hellenic Republic / Switzerland (+3 pages on all projects, consult me for future projects as they will take longer)

Round Four, Page 61: Russia / Central Asian Union / Slavic Confederation / Italy/ Order of St. George (+2 pages on all projects, consult me for future projects as they will take longer)

If you are not listed, the tech scale-backs do not apply to you, yet. This goes mostly for new players as a means of ‘catching up.’ The order is deliberate, with the most technologically advanced nations first, followed periodically by the next most ‘advanced’ nations. This is not necessarily based on Military power ether.

To explain what they hell you’re looking at, the first tech scale back will take place on page 55 to the listed nations. They will get a +5 page tech penalty to all techs in progress or those started on that page. After that, every technology invented from that page onward will take significantly longer to research/produce.

This does not necessarily apply to construction projects ie. Spaceports, bridges, space-stations, colonies, etc. ASSUMING THEY USE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY (current = already developed).

[AndrewTech 3333]

Madison

 

"No no no! Not during the wedding!" Haley cries, waving quickly in dismissal with both arms.

 

"You kill him on your wedding night, when nobody but you and he are in the room. He'll most likely be less well guarded then, and it would be far easier for you to escape with him out of a window then or kill him.

 

We want you to capture Saeed and get him for us, alive. But. If you can't manage to escape to an open area of ground with him and call a helicopter with the device, you are to KILL Saeed. In this case, you must then escape through a window or something, and evade capture until you can reach a field and be picked up by an unmarked helicopter.

 

Kapeish?"

[Angel~ 34]

Madison Woods

 

Madison blinks giving a slow nod before she goes to walk off to get changed and the likes "Kapeish!" She calls out before stopping in her tracks "So...um...Where do I change?" She asks looking around slowly for a room to change in. Once she was informed where she can change she quickly does that and fixes her clothes and veil before she walks out, Soon she would have been escorted onto a normal looking car with possible the officer and a soldier before she if finally dropped off with a map written in Arabic words and follows it, all the while adjusting the German assault rifle and the tiny communicator. After two hours she finally manages to find the correct road signs that led to Toledo and quickly finds her way into the city before she immediately goes to search for the recruitment center. After finding it Madison would quickly identify herself to the officer at the desk giving the excuse of 'Being ambushed and then getting taken in by a family that found the wreckage, being nursed back to health then sent on her way back to the Caliphate'.

[Publius 4098]

South Africa

The beautiful country of South Africa has seen much change since the early 21st century.

As the riots concerning immigration in 2015 only blew up into a larger, more deadly civil issue, the government began to relent unto the demands of the xenophobic and deadly masses: A policy that has not been changed since. South Africa became reclusive, watching as events unfold almost without interest as interest turned inward, not out.

Over the many years that nations have spent in deadly conflict, the men and women worked hard to secure their homeland: Advances in irrigation, using alternative energy, and work to prevent desertification have left South Africa independent. Xenophobia has also lead the nation to create a complex defense network, with many anti aircraft systems and land fortifications in place of a large standing military. Major stationary defenses can be found in nearly any city, and every mountain and cliff side now sporting dusty, unused bomb shelters. Insecurity along the coast has also lead for the creation of many high velocity, high accuracy guns/artillery to be developed as well, supported by highly advanced sensory technology.

Not much of interest has happened in South Africa since its final tie with the outside world - relations with the old commonwealth - dissolved, after the extremely nationalistic, and largely xenophobic government of the nation was approached with the offer to join The Imperium Britainia. Resources are continually stockpiled, with non-perishable items like gold, and other raw materials reaching an absurd tonnage. Food is even plentiful enough to be converted into bio-fuels, and has become the main fuel source for most pedestrian and transport vehicles across the country.

A recent election has rocked the country though, with Elon Musk, a now old celebrity inventor and entrepreneur, emerging as the country's president, with hopes of reopening South Africa to the world.

He is quick to make an unexpected address to the world:

"With a world so drowned in conflict, I wish to extend a hand to any and all, offering the uncommon alternative: A chance for mutual prosperity. We are now ready to trade freely with any nation willing, and you can rest assured that come hell or high water, you have a business partner with anything you may find yourself lacking."

The impoverished, landlocked countries of Lesthoso and Swaziland are offered the opportunity to join South Africa as provinces, and thus share in some of the countries wealth, industry, and infrastructure in return, with pressure put on Lesthoso especially, as people become paranoid about this country in the heart of their nation.

A detailed review of the countries military is underway, the number of active servicemen, including defense engineers, numbers only in the early 300 000's:

Active Servicemen:

Regular armed forces: 140 000

Engineering corps: 67 000

Naval security corps: 50 000

Homeland security (Military Police of Sorts): 50 000

Total: 307 000 active servicemen

Inactive Servicemen:

Reserves: 147 000

Information on the country's serviceable vehicles is to be released soon.

(Summary: A resource rich South Africa is looking to open a dialogue and trade with any and all!)

[Zanderaw 162]

Islamic Caliphate Events

Australia: Algiers

 

On the outskirts of Algiers, there is a small encampment, separate from the bases and supply depots of the larger military bases in the area. It seems unguarded, and so two of the Australian agents approach unhindered, and introduce themselves to the inhabitants. Any accent in their Arabic is paid no heed, as the men here are used to dealing with foreign recruits.

 

They soon reveal themselves to be a local regiment, camping independently of the main force of the army nearby before they return to their families for peacetime leave. Remarkably welcoming, they share their food with the Australians, and talk well into the night, grateful for the company. Stories are told of the war in Al-Andalus, of the many battles that this regiment has fought: the heroic first capture of Madrid, the bitter struggle against the tenacious Order of St. George, and the final clash with Reclaimer-backed Italians.

 

Naturally, the Australians use the opportunity to steer the discussion towards general Saeed, and are met with mixed opinions. Nervous chuckles run through the group for a moment before one of them calls him a "butcher." There follows intense discussion over whether or not his disregard for the lives of his men and his enemies is justified. One of the officers finally mentions something useful.

"I don't think anyone in the whole country likes what the general does. We've all seen it. Half the towns we took in Andalus were half gone by the time we got there. But like it or not it's what won the war. I think the Caliph knows that: I'd personally be surprised if he set foot on that peninsula again, but has he been punished? No, just moved to his next victim. He's harsh, but he's experienced, and he knows what he's doing. You don't just throw that away. I give the Corsicans two days before they surrender."

 

Apparently this news was as much a surprise to the Muslims as it was to the Australians, for the officer is immediately hounded with questions, but he says nothing more. Probably not information he was actually at liberty to give. The agents have all the information they need, but by now it's well past three in the morning, and so they camp with the regiment.

 

In the morning however, as they leave the camp, something goes amiss. A man is on the edge of the camp, conversing with two officers of the regiment. His uniform stands in stark contrast to the black of the regular soldiers: his combat armor is sleeker, and features desert shades. As the two Australians walk through the camp, the man clearly sees them, and immediately begins to inaudibly question the officers with him, glancing back every couple moments. It may be advisable to leave quickly.

 

Madison: Toledo

"Name?"

The long-bearded official looks down at Madison as she explains her story, and nods as he consults records on a small tablet. Confirming that she is who she says she is, he explains that her husband-to-be is no longer on the peninsula.

"Transferred just yesterday, but we'll get you on a flight to him as soon as possible. There's a bit of an operation in progress and this is pretty low-priority, so I suggest you take civilian transport. You'll go to Cagliari by way of Palma." He hands her a military voucher to board a flight later that day. "Best of luck," he says, with a slight hint of pity in his voice.

[AndrewTech 3333]

Short Space Post

 

The Imperium Britannia's landing on Earth's Moon is a success, and in the following weeks, a base is established.

 

 

Britain plants the Imperial Union Jack on the Moon, and announces to the world that it is the third official nation to ever set foot there! ((Pok Approved))

 

 

They quickly move to stake their claim as designated in the Interplanetary Treaty in Mare Tranquilatus,. ((Will post supposedly claimed territory on map tomorrow))

[Heff 2460]

The Kingdom of Italia

 

The King walked along the streets of Napoli, the morning mist was about the air and a few policeman bowed to him while on patrol. He appeared to be alone, but a King was never alone. Snipers were moving atop the rooftops, making sure their ruler was in no kind of trouble. Soon the King finished his morning stroll, returning to his residence in the city. The world was changing, his father had failed to keep with it. 

Internal Actions:

Thick concrete walls (4 pages) are to be erected between the Italian and Islamic border on the Peninsula and in Sicilia. As the Muslims did, the Italians kept the borders heavily guarded and strictly watched over.

 

The nation's engineers present a draft for a new tank to the King. The Centurion they called it. Heavily armored and coated with (anti-radar) stealth technology the tank will be able to move quickly across land and also become ambiguous across water. However, a deal is sent forth to all EUDI Nations and Reclaimer Corp. requesting help in the project as well as railgun blueprints.

 

A large part of the standing army is put into reserves, giving time for improvement and rest. Meanwhile planning goes into make the army's equipment uniform instead of rag tag different types of armor. The Praetorian Guard's army is to be mass produced and given to a large part of the army (for Mod) 

 

A discussion is opened with the EUDI nations for the possibility joint space program.

[Zanderaw 162]

The Islamic Caliphate

 

 

 

The palace of the Caliph in Cairo is massive, far larger than the one in Baghdad had ever been. It sits on the banks of the Nile, but its front entrance is a significant distance away from the water, great enough that anyone approaching it on the streets would be awestruck. The largest dome is visible from nearly any elevated position in the city, looming above any of the nearby buildings, and the entrance is comprised of multiple arches and gates, each more ornate and impressive than the last. The outer walls are guarded by STU members: guard duty is a form of leave for them and they are rotated through every few months. The main entrance is bustling during the daytime, as the palace contains the supreme court of the Caliphate, as well as military headquarters and every other major ministry.

 

But beyond the public areas, the building is truly fantastic:

 

 

The personal quarters of the ruler of the Islamic State are vast, opulently furnished and filled with fine treasures. They house not just the Caliph, but his four wives and their children, as well as no less than three thousand concubines and their children. It is a testament to the sheer size of the house that so many are able to live here in comfort, although many of the concubines are merely slaves and are kept to a large harem which comprises the entire south wing of the palace.

 

In addition to a large library, impressive indoor baths,  and a fabulous dining hall, there are no less than seven separate courtyards and gardens, each varying in design and theme:

 

 

 

Many of the open spaces feature intricate waterworks, while the largest of the gardens is a lush terraced orchard overlooking the Nile. It is here that the Caliph now sits with his first wife Fatima, plucking dates from a small bowl as they converse with the sun still climbing in the sky. Here of course, within the walls of the palace, women need not wear veils.

 

"The river is beautiful. To think that it's the longest in the world..."

"It almost went dry you know. Allah has been merciful." Ahmed gestures in front of him with a smile.

"It was you, habibi. The whole world knows it. If your father had not passed when he had, we would have been ruined."

Ahmed frowns as he feels a twinge of guilt at the mention of his father. "We would not be here today were it not for the Caliph Ibrahim. I will not speak ill of him."

There's a beep, signalling that a report has come through on the tablet that the Caliph carries with him at all times. Nodding apologetically to his wife, he looks down and raises an eyebrow.

"The first attack on Corfu was stopped. Not unexpected, but we'll clearly have to try a different approach."

Fatima smiles at him, understanding but not concerned or overly interested, and stands. "I'll leave you to it, in that case."

"Always my pleasure, habebti."

 

As soon as his wife leaves, Ahmed motions for a eunuch to bring him coffee, and leans back, beginning his day of work as he sends orders out to various ministries from his seat.

 

The glorious Islamic Empire has never stood so powerful as it does now. The gateway to the Mediterranean and then on to Asia, it draws on great wealth from the passage of trade through its borders, its monopoly on the international slave trade, and the Jizya tax levied on all who do not follow the one true faith. From selling the byproduct of vast desalination plants, it is quickly beginning to dominate the salt market, and the Caliph invests all of these riches back into  his country, refurbishing schools to teach modern engineering and business alongside Islamic teachings.

 

In Mesopotamia, desalination allows the fertile crescent to once more be irrigated, and indeed crops are grown in formerly desert areas all over the lands of Islam. Roads are improved, damaged cities are repaired, and the Iron Dome, previously limited to Mesopotamia and Arabia, begins to be extended over the entire realm.

 

Emissaries of the Caliph arrive in the Central Asian Union, where they deliver an offer under which the Caliphate will pledge to protect their Sunni brothers from any foreign threat, provided that the CAU does not make alliances with other nations. The proposal from a vast, stable nation such as the Islamic State comes in stark contrast to the similar offer of alliance from the bickering, unstable UEDI.

 

The nations of Eritrea and Somalia, both hubs for the slave trade north into the Caliphate and both predominantly Muslim, are offered acceptance under the wing of the new centralized Islam. A similar proposal is peacefully made to the 60% Christian nation of Ethiopia, though they are not expected to accept; this is more of a standing offer. Should they choose to submit themselves to Caliphate authority, their citizens would be exempted from Jizya.

 

Non-Muslims are finally allowed into the city of Jerusalem once again, the policy there being as Ahmed puts it, "a bit harsh." The public toilet on the ruins of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is removed, and the shahada is scrubbed off of the Wailing Wall.

 

Now that the Caliphate's only significant enemy is the Reclaimer Corporation, all of its attention can be focused on rooting out the thorn in the Islamic State's side. A concerted effort begins to clear the corporation's light ships from the water, and the IAF begins to fly constant patrols over the Mediterranean as long as they continue to attack. Together, these patrols and Caliphate submarines slowly begin to clear away the ships, hunting them by eye out of necessity, as they are built for stealth. In Islamic-held Italy, the large artillery pieces are almost complete and will soon be ready to fire upon Corfu.

 

Meanwhile, a small operation begins on the island of Sardina. Corsica had remained independent since its rebellion from Italy, but now would be the last island in the western Mediterranean to feel the heavy hand of crusading Muslims. General Saeed arrives on the north end of the island and assumes command, and immediately the operation begins. Bombers fly over Porto-Vecchio and the capital of the independent nation Ajaccio, dropping heavy payloads on the towns in an attempt to put fear into the hearts of all the inhabitants. Simultaneously, paratroopers fly across the strait between the two islands, and soon 10,000 men are there, with the entire garrison of Sardinia to reinforce them.

 

The Islamic army demands the immediate surrender of the island, but Saeed's name is left out. Nevertheless, the bluntness of the operation combined with its disregard for civilian life is enough to raise suspicion.

 

The majority of the Islamic Army returns to their usual garrisons, and a widespread training program is put in place. After 40 years of constant war since the inception in the early years of the century, the army of the Caliphate is without a doubt the most experienced army on earth, and knows much about the realities of warfare. But due to its sheer size, many parts of it lack discipline, which would have to be remedied. The highest-performing regiments are intensely scrutinized for strategies that work, and these are applied across the armed forces. In addition Islamic command milks the presence of the Reichweichter for all it's worth, learning everything they can can about German tactics. STU members begin to be implanted with Japanese virtual/augmented reality chips, which are to be controlled from servers in Cairo. Command immediately begins to think of ways to apply this technology to combat.

 

Beyond this training program, several projects are initiated to upgrade the capabilities of the Islamic military:

 

The first is an active defense system to be mounted on heavy, medium weight, and light vehicles. The original iteration was developed by Israel and forgotten long ago, and they called it the Trophy system, a name that will be kept by the Caliphate.

 

 

Utilizing a radar sensor, it detects incoming projectiles and fires molten metal at them, shredding them harmlessly before they can get close enough to cause harm to the vehicle. It will take some time to update the technology and fit it to the vehicles of today. ((5 pages))

 

The second project is initiated in response to the emergence of heavily armored mechs and other land vehicles. Designed to be issued to the infantry, it will be a portable, easy to deploy guided rocket launcher. Its purpose will be to destroy even the heaviest of ground vehicles from moderate range. ((6 pages))

 

Thirdly, having witnessed the effectiveness of the Reclaimer Corporation's navy of light ships, the Caliphate sets about developing its own similar class of boat. When completed, it will be ocean-worthy, stealthy, fast and will be armed with Qahhar weaponry to slice through enemy hulls. However, for the sake of quality, and because no Reclaimer boats have been recovered to base the deigns off of, the project is estimated to take up to six years. 

 

As of now, the Islamic Navy's engineers are basing the design off what they can only assume is the concept behind the Reclaimers' ships: two struts hold the boat stable, each one with a propellor in the front powered by a 2,000 horsepower engine. The result would be a supercavitation effect that reduces drag to almost nothing and allows for unprecedented speeds.((18 pages with tech bump))

 

In Turkey, the IAF's newest project is unveiled, with release expected in the next seven to eight years:

 

The TAI-Suleiman is the culmination of years of concept design and development, and is Turkish Aerospace Industries' answer to the question of "what is the next step for the IAF?" Meant to securely defend the Islamic Air Force's reputation as the best in the world, the Suleiman is a next-generation high altitude, long range heavy bomber. With an enormous wingspan and a spacious payload bay, the large plane will be designed to use a variety of specially designed laser-guided bombs meant to be dropped from the upper atmosphere. For defensive purposes, it features weaker, modified Qahhar systems designed to destroy missiles from below well before they can do harm.

 

But perhaps the greatest strength of the Suleiman is its use as a VI hub. For 13 years, TAI has been developing more and more advanced VI programs with a focus entirely on aerial combat. At this time, fighter programs consistently beat human pilots in simulation, and now was the time to finally apply the technology.

 

The MKI Wasp drone is designed to function semi independently like any VI, while requiring general orders from a central hub. In this case the hub is the Suleiman bomber, and up to 10 of these can fit in special compartments inside the larger aircraft to be deployed when needed, with more possible if the payload is reduced. Each is armed with several guided missiles which can be used on both ground and air targets. Alone, they are expected to not be of much use against any fully modern jet fighter, as their light weight results in lower armament and structural integrity. However, due to the cleverness of the Turkish VI and the flawless cooperation obtained between drones by interfacing with the bomber, a larger number of them is expected to be able to outsmart and outmatch any equal force easily. The effective distance from the bomber that they can continue to function will be between 100 and 200 miles, too far and the packets exchanged between bomber and drone become too infrequent or get lost altogether. The overall intention of these drones is to intercept aerial attacks on the bomber and destroy ground defenses before the Suleiman comes within their range. ((23 pages with tech bump))

 

Finally, the long road to a Qahhar cannon MKII begins. The end of this road will not be reached for some time.

 

Concept designs begin to be drawn up for a large spaceship of some kind, but as of yet the Caliphate's spacefaring capabilities are not well-documented. Starlite material is requested from Japan.

 

The second NCR spy and the British spy both work their way into positions where they notice a black hole of funds. Something big is being constructed on the Arabian peninsula, and has been in construction for some time. Carbon nanotubes of the highest grade ever developed have been in mass production with no obvious destination, and vast solar panel fields have been laid in the desert for no obvious reason. Nothing is certain except that the project must be extremely major.