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Sagittarian99

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    Minecraft(duh), Naval history/tactics, English/European history. This server needs more ships! :D
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  1. Veerkamp-Bobel Industries™ - Building Better Worlds Turn II, 2091 The desert environment proved more hospitable to human life than Montague and his gloomy Board thought. Though the planet’s equator had proven to be quite difficult to accommodate, the more polar regions were not much different from the experiences that could be found in the likes of Afghanistan, perhaps the African Sahel, or the Mexican desert. Montague, having the year to adapt to the distinctly non-European climate, now found the sight of the glorious mesas that straddled the frontier of the settlement a welcome sight each morning. This desert, the Lothar Desert as it had been named by popular survey, had become home. Yet in the Board room, eyes turned skywards – skywards to the distant shape of Aspera. In a message in reply to VBI’s directive, Montague states the following: March 12th, 2090 – Europa Nova The Expeditionary Board and I support the Company’s Directive, delivered to us this March the 7th, and are duly committed to executing the fullest measure of the Directive’s instructions. To this end it is our intention to [REDACTED]. We are in agreement however, that we might bring fuel-producing facilities into production on ASPERA far quicker if we could commission further labor from Earth. At present we are using most of our population as employees to support base production on Europa Nova. It would be most beneficial if a few thousand workers could sign contracts and come here directly. Legal is attaching documents which explain a risk evaluation strategy as far as terms and conditions of employment on ASPERA would be phrased to ensure in our opinion, efficient profitability margins. Tenacitas per Aspera, -Montague ================================= ACTIONS Montague replies to VBI’s instructions in the affirmative, reporting that Europa Nova is fully committed to the supplied Company guidelines, whilst requesting that further workers should be sent to the colony in order to speed up the expansion of VBI holdings in Wolf 359. The following constructions take place: 1 Shipyard – 4m, 8,000C 1 Extractor – 20,000C 2 Civilian Factories – 4m, 8000C -8M, -36,000C Total.
  2. Veerkamp-Bobel Industries™ - Building Better Worlds Turn I, 2090 ...Arrival. The ship shuttered as the reversers brought the VBI-designed colonial vessel to a gradual halt before the Wolf 359 system. "Scanners away - results when you have them." said Montague in his usual austere tone. The younger members of the bridge crew could not help but find his lack of visible excitement tedious as the pristine sensor array performed its work. "Excellent work," he said almost as an afterthought as he turned about and made quick his escape to the coffee machine in the back of the conference room adjoining the bridge. The trust of the VBI shareholders lay entirely in his hands here, at least the tactical and operational elements. Strategically, everything had to pass through the VBI board of affairs. And there was the Council, a ring of executives and experts in the various fields of colonization and research aboard ship which Montague had to answer to per the company's charter. Leader indeed, yet any major decisions would require a sit down session in this very conference room. And unless the sensors revealed a competent catering service somewhere in Wolf 359, only that coffee machine could help ease that kind of experience. A knock on the conference room door, as Montague stoically poured himself a cup of coffee. "It opens!" He cried as he sat down, propping his legs on the table. In came the science officer, his eyes starting from his head. "Well, what is it?" "Ah, well... there are three planets. Two are desert-like, Mr. Montague, and the third possesses a formidable degree of toxicity." Montague's face hardened. The VBI executives were not going to like this. ================================= ACTIONS Upon arrival, the three planets are named in quick succession - Europa Nova and Siccus Prime being the two desert planets, and Aspera being the third toxic planet. Europa Nova is duly made the Capital, and first settlement of the Veerkamp-Bobel expedition. The following constructions take place: 1 Civilian Factory - 2M, 4,000C 3 Civilian Districts - 6M, 12,000C 6 Construction Yards - 12,000C -8M, -28,000C Total. AND NOW- An Advertisement, Brought To You by Veerkamp-Bobel Industries! VBI, the Universe’s Leading Airspace Manufacturer is now accepting orders for the new VB-311-NEO, promising up to 15% fuel savings for medium to long-haul cargo needs without requiring major retraining for existing VB-300 Series pilots!* *Changes to critical control systems to accommodate changes to spacecraft handling characteristics have been classified as non-critical by the European Interstellar Transport Commission. Pilots will only require a short virtual training session in order to gain familiarity with new avionics and associated minor changes to procedure.
  3. Name (colony): Le Grose Venture™: A Veerkamp-Bobel Industries Project Archetype (choose one): Private Government-Backed Venture Mother Nation: Belgium / European Union Sponsoring Space Agency (you may choose one): Private Company - Veerkamp-Bobel Industries itself. Colonial Leadership: Oligarchy Mission classification: Scientific The aloof corporate leadership of Veerkamp-Bobel Industries has observed the development of the Ghandi Device with growing interest. Indeed, it would be a great error in this new era of expansion and galactic ventures, for the part of the intrepid entrepreneur to be forgotten amidst the trials of nations and ideologies! Veerkamp-Bobel overtook the famous aircraft manufacturer Airbus in the growing Space Age as being Europe’s top designer and manufacturer of spacefaring craft. The favorite child of the European Union, VBI benefits greatly from the same international framework which made Airbus an economic force in its day, calling upon the resources and industrial might of the continent. VBI vessels make up a huge share of Earth’s commercial fleets as a result. Its power and influence has grown to the likes only Rockefeller and Carnegie knew, thanks to its influence in the EU and overwhelming presence in the pockets of corrupt elected officials across various democracies. After years of preparation and design, VBI announced its intentions to venture into space alongside other nations and interests. With hundreds of disparate people signing lengthy contracts they almost certainly did not read, and hundreds more high-class academics tasked with designing new products, the VBI’s colony ship Le Grosse Ventre is already abuzz with furious excitement and machiavellian planning as it orbits Earth. The task is straightforward- Veerkamp-Bobel Industries will establish a prosperous network of colonies from which to form the basis of an interstellar manufacturing network, seizing control of the critical shipbuilding industry and ensuring the VBI logo shall be found in every corner of the universe! The enterprise can expect fervent support from the corporation, which has marshalled all of its resources (and influence in the EU and its mother country, Belgium) in order to ensure this should succeed. The only force that might stop VBI now should be the cruelty of space - or the ire of the shareholders. Add. starting equipment: 2- 40,000 G 1 - 10 M 2 - 4000 colonists
  4. The Kingdom of Krolestwo: COLLEGE INTERFERENCE EDITION! – – – 865, 866, and 867, the 14th Age – – – (Turn I) Mieszko Lusatia, the third of his name and the King of Krolestwo, paced in the library he had built with great expense, running his fingers over the bindings that held a great many works philosophical, theological and literary as he passed the rows of bookshelves. The room was his favorite in the castle. He had taken great care to render an entire wall as a great window, flanked by flying buttresses, which he found was well suited for stoically staring out at the city below him whilst contemplating the burdensome responsibilities of absolute rule. That was what he found the library was best suited for - thinking, thinking, thinking… and so much to think about. “Waldek, I am going mad,” Mieszko said, stopping before his beloved window. “Of course you are, you haven’t left this room in four hours” replied Antonin Waldek, Mieszko’s trusted military commander and closest advisor. “I am going mad with anxiety about the future. Of that god-forsaken Empire. I do not think Orev will stand.” “Antramar…” “...ascendant,” Mieszko finished the thought, “ the Imperial title up in the air. A new empire, spanning the midlands, and we’re caught in the center of it.” The young king stepped away from his window. “It will not do, Waldeck. This all, will not do. You know what this country is, dear Waldeck? It’s a mob, sir, a mob of nobles, lord-mayors and guildsmen who all despise each other, who in some feverish episode of foolishness fashioned a crown and tossed it upon my grandfather’s head.” Waldeck disapproved; furrowing his brow. “We’ve been Krolestwonian since ancient times, forgotten ages and the like; since Saint Vatislaw, all those ages thrust together. And not until now, have we had a unified kingdom such as ours.” Waldeck countered. Mieszko nodded; the two sparred on the question of the kingdom’s legitimacy often. Waldeck had faith in the kingdom he served; Mieszko, having been attempting to reform it for years now, had no such confidence. “As always, I appreciate that sentiment of yours, but cultural unity won’t forge an empire!” Mieszko replied. “Power will.” The Meeting of the Thousand and the election of Boleslaw IV Lusatia as the King of Krolestwo, August 11th 872 ---------------------- ACTIONS SUMMARY Turn I, 865 The Kingdom of Krolestwo accepts an offer for both alliance and royal marriage with the Kingdom of Kastovia. Both countries caught in the middle of the Orev-Antramar War, culturally similar and trading on the same river system, the alliance is an obvious move and it is popular among the numerous middlemen of power in Mieszko’s court.. An offer from the Kingdom of Ardes for an alliance is similarly accepted with an exchange of diplomats between them. Treaties for trade are adopted for the following countries: Mitrovic E. Chicatoc E. K. of Kastovia K. of Ardes Parmesan K. of Pachaqui Crimson Order G. P of Rostukhov Frigate Man Sneaky? Passive Tech I: Heavy Infantry The military minds of Krolestwo, primarily the nobility so well accustomed to matters of warfare, recalling the success of the Piechota Drill system, spend many a week sparring with sword and shield in the castle courtyard. Their object - to create an entirely new Drill, for the use of heavy weapons. The base discipline which should enable heavy infantry. Passive Magic I: T3 Transformation, Form Magic Like the base Transformation spell, but the range in which an object’s form may be manipulated is greatly increased. Furthermore, multiple objects of the same size and mass can be so transformed at a time. Turn II, 866 King Mieszko, returning to the capital with his army after the tense incursion into the kingdom’s territory, meets with delegates of the highest lords of the land who he has summoned for the purpose of delivering a speech: all whilst dressed in the full regalia of the Monarch in the Cathedral of St. Rostokov: “My Lords, I come having returned fresh from viewing a sight which none of us ever wished to see visited upon our sacred soil. Indeed, a battlefield, the corpses of a great multitude of fighting men strewn about the gentle grasslands. Heaps of mortal flesh stacked high, which so mark this good land with their foreign blood. In this uneasy time, I think back upon the most august mandate Krolestwo placed upon my grandfather’s shoulders - to protect and preserve this blessed realm, with sword and shield in hand. I have assembled you all here to respect this honorable charge. For the defense of this kingdom from foreign influence, and to uphold the oath the House of Lusatia took upon itself eighty-four years ago, I hereby pledge that as your King, I will not abide further violations of our neutrality in the Orev-Antramar War. From this day forth, any foreign man-at-arms that dares to set foot in our land will find the offending limb hacked off! With strength in the knowledge that God has so blessed this people with His ever-enduring favor, and the assurance that we act in good faith to the laws and customs which all honorable men know as intrinsic and unassailable, Krolestwo will remain an independent and sovereign country, and its people shall continue to know peace.” ------------------------------ King Mieszko may talk bold to his nobles, uneasy and much desiring of strong leadership from their monarch, but when it comes to diplomacy in the wake of this affair the response is measured. The Kingdom of Krolestwo dispatches messengers to both Antramar - well over the head of Lord Tarbus and straight to the King southwards - and the Empire which eloquently request that their countries respect the neutrality of Krolestwo in their conflict. Krolestwo informs both parties that King Mieszko is more than happy to entertain requests for military access, negotiated in good faith in a manner befitting to conduct between civilized and sovereign countries. To avoid future incidents, Mieszko offers to host embassies in the capital of Durowitz (much removed from the fighting) at Krolestwonian expense. Turn III, 867 King Mieszko works to further improve the productivity of Krolestwo trade, which has been so essential in his effort to build up a strong supply of coin to fund expansion. Though the attitude in the court is deeply militaristic and paranoid, eyeing the changing tide of war in the Orev-Antramar War, Mieszko does not launch into military development just yet. Instead, he continues to direct Waldeck and his retinue of military noble-leaders to apply their expertise to the development of Heavy Infantry. It is also decided that it would be most useful to the Army to have a unit of swift Light Cavalry, for the express purpose of conducting valuable reconnaissance. Mieszko also finds himself taking more to the field on horseback; the bookish recluse-king image won’t do, at least to the extent he used to indulge it. Otherwise it is a calm and uneventful year. ------------------------------------------------- CONSTRUCTIONS, revised for a third time...
  5. The K I N G D O M o f K R O L E S T W O Hereditary Monarchy Form Magic Point Distribution Loyalty 3 Magic 5 Tech 3 Size 10 Military 10 Seafaring 0 Economy 0 Head of State: King Mieszko III Lusatia The title of “kingdom” is a recent invention. Krolestwo’s existence as a unified and powerful state has been confined to eighty-four years, following the “Treaty of the Thousand” - a diplomatic unification of the myriad duchies and city-states of the land into one coherent entity alike in culture and language. The House of Lusatia, Dukes of the ancient city of Durowitz, were chosen by the near-thousand nobles and power-brokers of Krolestwo to assume the hallowed title of King; this, no king would dare forget. Though Krolestwo is by all means a hereditary monarchy, its leaders empowered by divine sanction and all the prestige and titles associated with power, no monarch would dare forget the debt they owe their noblest subjects. It is such that Krolestwo’s monarchy is built on an informal political doctrine of compromise; it has not been tried, but perhaps the Thousand might reconvene and select a new king if the present ruling house proved too infamous to bear... The kingdom’s citizens can find commonality in their religion; their prized measure of devotion and the focus of the realm’s artistic talent lies in iconography rendered in devotion to given saints and scenes from the holy texts. The poorest peasant household will find themselves with at least some crude icon to hold in their house as a measure of their devotion, whilst the noble residence often devotes an entire room to the collection of these images. Of special popularity is St. Catherine of Krolestwo, one of the only holy saints to hail from this region, who was adopted as the realm’s patron saint long before unification. Classes of society meanwhile, are not firmly defined or established; a point of contention between the nobility and the empowered merchants of the river cities. In the farmland and hilly interior, the nobility have practiced feudalism in full stride; the peasantry are tied to the land they live upon and their freedom of movement is restricted, whilst their masters reserve the right to conscript them into the army at any time. Yet in the cities, well developed and centers of innovation and knowledge, the merchants rule in city councils and ever spend their political capital to protect their artisan class. Indeed the cities are havens for the lower class, who if skilled enough may find apprenticeships, and in either case the simple yet insurmountable pleasure of freedom. This upper-class clash, from nobles seeking to drain the cities of their poor to return to the fields, to the merchants seeking to strengthen their pools of labor, defines politics as well. Key Figures King Mieszko III Lusatia 4 Leadership, 2 Martial, 6 Charisma, 0 Arcane, 0 Agility Miezco is not much like his father, the warrior-king Boreslaw whose forty-year reign was marked by feverish military expansion and the ever present demand for tax revenue. Astutely, Mieszko has observed the value of civic reform and internal peacemaking, and though he has only ruled for four years he has spent his reign embroiled in matters of law, administration, economics and diplomacy and in these areas has reformed vigorously. Mieszko is shrewd, brilliant, charismatic and above all, cunning; reservations on strength and military prowess aside. Antonin Waldeck 6 Leadership, 3 Martial, 2 Charisma, 0 Arcane, 1 Agility The House of Waldeck is one of the most powerful in the kingdom; and it has long contributed a prestigious line of military leaders. Antonin is no exception; he is a close friend to Mieszko and one of his most trusted advisors in matters military, having been given a great deal of autonomy in managing the Krowlestwonian Army. Egotistical and supremely confident in spite of his short stature, Antonin is an excellent leader who prides himself in predicting his opponent’s movements. Bogumil Durkin 1 Leadership, 2 Martial, 4 Charisma, 5 Arcane, 0 Agility Durkin is a new addition to the court; a mage of considerable talent and charisma who convinced the king to put him up in the palace a few weeks into his reign. A master of Form Magic. Durkin ever campaigns to direct the kingdom’s efforts into enhancing it. As a scholar he has also been responsible for the construction of a great library in the capital. Bogumil is also infamous for having wreaked havoc upon the ladies-in-waiting, saved from expulsion from court life by the king’s intervention… Unique Units Przemożny- Shock Cavalry The Przemożny are the pride of the Krolestwonian army - the noblest and bravest, masters of horse and the inheritors of a long-standing tradition of martial glory. They are shock cavalry; armed with sturdy lances and curved swords that give them an edge against massed infantry, armored conservatively as not to encumber the speed and formational discipline of the massed charge. Fast, highly skilled, and deadly, they are the spirit of the army and its ultimate ace card. They are also famous for their distinct armor -per ancient tradition, they wear wings studded with the feathers of a red eagle. The distinct clacking sound caused by their movement during a charge, the harbinger of death... Piechota - Pike Infantry Piechota in the Krolestwonian language is a term which simply refers to standard infantry, the backbone of Krolestwo's army. But these humble infantrymen have been the subject of much reform in recent times; primarily, the dril which has brought much needed discipline and skill. The "Piechota Drill" involves the dexterous use of a short pike, useful for thrusting and sweeping motions whilst being relatively light and easy to wield and carry. As normal infantry they are most adept professional soldiers. Wielislaw Engineers An unusual addition to the army, the Wielislaw Engineers are a small corps of men whose sole purpose is to construct fortifications, build bridges, repair trebuchets and dig trenches, all with great speed. Picked from craftsman and artisan classes, they are given excellent pay and are regarded in spite of their non-combatant nature in high esteem. It is a common saying that a hundred Wielislaw Engineers could build an entire city in a fortnight, if given enough timber. Starting Location:
  6. T H E A U R E L I A N R E P U B L I C, 1896 Nothing Like It, Not in the Service “Coffee, stat!”. There was no call more sacred to the culinary server; that hallowed caffeinated liquid was promptly poured into the cup, which had become shamefully empty for at least thirty seconds of precious conversational time. “That’s better,” declared the miffed patron, “I’m just useless without coffee! No matter! Now, Mr. Danton, you were inquiring upon the displacement?” Sitting across from the man with the addiction, the Aurelian diplomat Hughes Danton furrowed his brow as he poured over an immense drawing spread out over the table. “Professor De Grasse… I understand the Soiele-Royal-class battleships, barely… seven years old, displace around 11,000 tons in all? This displaces 35,000 tons! The Empire can construct such vessels of such displacement?” said Danton, eyes starting from his head. “I think those slipways could accommodate 80,000 tons.” Danton sat back and absorbed the professor’s answer for a moment. De Grasse leaned over the table, pointing at the turrets as situated on the immense diagram. “It’s exactly what we need, based on what the President gave me last year. She will carry eight fifteen-inch guns, our own weapons. Meanwhile, on the main belt which is generous to our standards, thirteen inches; of Valdek steel that is, so more like fourteen to us I gather.” Danton, not one to be caught up in the specifics of aeronautical design nomenclature, replied: “That’s within the terms the treaty established. Now, I know you could say much on the subject and do not doubt the breadth and width of your knowledge (if not, he privately reserved, his ego), but put simply, does she meet that incredible speed they offered us? Thirty-six knots, where the old Vengeur could do nineteen?” De Grasse chuckled. “Thirty-six it is. The engines defy comprehension, I’ll admit I barely perceived it to be possible myself. But I watched their greatest dreadnoughts - that’s what they are called, you recall- fly at that speed. Our design will make that figure, as sure as there’s carts for horses!” “I’ll pass this to the President, I am sure he’ll wire us with orders to build them shortly… Nothing like it, De Grasse, not in the service.” Danton picked up his own drink, a gin and tonic, from the giant spread of drawing-paper; revealing on the top-right, the design’s name: The BUCENTAURE-class Dreadnought Stats: x8 15-in “Mk. VII Howitzers”, 13in belt, 6.5 deck, 36 knots (30, cruise) Bucentaure is the product of one critical aspect of the Double Alliance and the treaty that bore it. Custom-designed, this is the first dreadnought Aurelia will have in her fleet; the measurements made out in Aurelian units, the guns of Aurelian manufacture. Yet it’s without a doubt a product of the Empire of Valdek’s own methods and technologies; it will be built here, and the Navy certainly won’t be able to build one of its own unless there is serious dockyard expansion and reform. Already, the panicked Harbormasters of the main Aurelian naval shipyards are feverishly pouring over her draught in preparation for repairing them. After brief negotiations, the Aurelian government orders the first - the Bucentaure herself. In addition, the Republic orders three Valdek-modified Glorie cruisers, which themselves are less radically different from their Aurelian sisters but again, are mostly Imperial designs, fitted with their technology. It’s also clear that the nature of naval warfare is lightyears ahead of the close and personal dust-ups that defined the civil war. Cornielle, naturally, places his personal efforts into whipping his Navy into a frenzy over the anticipated arrival of these new ships. Once they arrive in the fleet, it’s planned the fleet will conduct rigorous exercises to retrain the august officer corps. The Emmerian Deal Aurelia makes contact with a sister republic in the Old World. The Republic of Emmeria and the Aurelian Republic sign their own treaty which stipulates a critical deal; Cornielle’s government will allow Emmeria to build their own Vitramite facilities, five in total, in sovereign Aurelian territory on the condition the production is split between them. The complicated deal occupies 153 pages of material, and takes two and a half hours to send over telegraph! Emmeria also buys five shares from the Republican Bank, totalling to 10,000 each - 50,000. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xSgSEA8jAzq7cPEh-5lIJRdaeU1MSUuXt7OvaDOX_0o/edit?usp=sharing -The loss of an Aurelian trading partner with the submission of Carrieux spurs a series of defensive measures on the border. A total of 275 howitzers, 100 of them being of the powerful Mk. VII 15-in gun, are installed in strategic locations; massed together in groups of four to ten in a given five-mile radius. A great number are camouflaged. -The Republic pays 8,000 to the Westerfield Confederation for four battleships, transferred under the Aurelian naval standard; these warships, in addition to the two activated Aurelian battleships, are on high alert. -Revolutionaire and one of the other Glorie-class cruisers begin to run patrols around the Aurelian border, using their high speed and maneuverability to perform extensive scouting operations for any unwanted foreign warships. BUDGET -8000 gold: purchase of x4 battleships. -45,000 gold: construction of Bucentaure and x3 modified Glorie-class cruisers in Valdek Research: Improved Mk. VII 15-in howitzer Fixed wing aviation Naval tactical theory* *represents the Navy’s vigorous efforts to update their tactics and equipment expectations to reflect the new “dreadnought” standard.
  7. Previous Page Next Page T H E A U R E L I A N R E P U B L I C, 1894 A CHANCE ENCOUNTER The light cruiser Revolutionare burst through the clouds, flying at her cruising speed at twenty-one knots as she darted over the sea below. The cruiser looked awkward today; for it was a Sunday, washing day in the Revolutionary Navy. Strung between the funnels on twine, 189 pairs of working clothes flapped in the breeze. “That one looks pretty large sir, why don’t we pass through her as well?” said the quartermaster at the wheel. The captain examined the cloud in question, lying on the starboard bow, before nodding with approval. “You may make your course thirty degrees to starboard then.” The ship, agile indeed, made her turn. The captain checked the compass, cross-referencing it to the chart pinned to the wall of the bridge with a diligent eye. Marked in red, the cruiser’s course was supposed to take her in a giant loop running far, far west of the Aurelian border – a patrol for catching smugglers, the usual work Revolutionaire was assigned. And based on the last sighting of land, the cruiser shouldn’t be too far off course today, plying her way through mostly empty skies. The Revolutionaire entered the cloud; few sensations were more rewarding in the service. The entire ship picked up a layer of cool condensation, from bow to stern, bridge and laundry alike. Off-shift crew had astutely lined the railings, their dirtied faces turned into the wind as the world became a formless void of white water vapour. The engineer even rigged buckets to collect it, ever cautious about the dangers of an overheating engine. And then, just like that – the Revolutionaire exited the cloud. “What the- Helm, hard’a port! Engines full stop!” cried the captain. In front of them, barely a stone’s throw away, a wall of metal. The shock was immense; they were sailing in sky that should have been totally devoid of ships. Yet right in front of them... something massive, unearthly. Revolutionaire, maneuverable as ever, answered her helm just in time. The cruiser shot past the giant, her hull passing by its massive forward turret as the behemoth, performing its own emergency maneuver, dropped altitude. The quartermaster brought the ship back to port again as the two warships recollected themselves – the behemoth rising to meet the cruiser. And a behemoth it surely was – at least three times her size, with great turrets stacked fore and aft housing guns at least fifteen inches or greater. This was something new, it defied the captain’s wildest imagination... but was it dangerous? “WHAT SHIP?” cried a voice from the bridge of the towering warship. The captain seized up; the accent was totally unfamiliar. He paused, scanning the crew’s faces – they were terrified too, leaning over the rail and gawking at the gigantic warship. “I SAY, WHAT SHIP?” repeated the voice. The captain grabbed the speaking funnel strapped on the underside of the compass box in a knee-jerk reaction, and after summing up the courage to speak... “THIS IS REVOLUTIONAIRE! OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF AURELIA!” “WE ARE HIS MAJESTY’S SHIP THE PRINCE ALBERT!” replied the voice, “OF THE GRAND PRINCIPALITY OF CUMBERLAND!” Consumed by the significance of the moment, the two ships came alongside carefully, the behemoth lowering a ladder down to meet the cruiser’s deck. “Come aboard, captain – I have a pot of... well, it’s called tea...” said one of the Albert’s officers, apparently their own commanding officer. The captain could see the faces of the foreigners as he cautiously placed his foot on the ladder; and felt hotly embarrassed as he remembered his ship still had hundreds of pieces of clothing all over the superstructure, flapping in the wind ... The meeting of Revolutionaire and the Cumberland battlecruiser Prince Albert markS the first point of contact between the People’s Republic of Aurelia and a civilized “Old World” power. From this spontaneous meeting of countries and cultures in the middle of nowhere, a diplomatic revolution is occurring. The second Revolutionare sped into her base, carrying reams of dispatches on the names of unknown countries, charts of mysterious lands and seas, and hastily-made drawings of titanic warships, Aurelia changed forever. A flurry of feverish activity breaks out of the capital in response to the newfound existence of these advanced civilizations: -President Cornielle dispatches messages to every Old World country on the Cumberland naval chart he now keeps in his office The Aurelian Republic formally extends its greetings to these collected powers. -The National Bank advertises treasury bonds, priced at 10k each with a fixed rate of 5% interest compounded annually. Trade partners are able to borrow at 6%. The Bank reserves the right to negotiate on these rates. Meanwhile, private sector buyers have access to 100-1000k individual bonds with 2% interest. Though Cumberland is the first country to be in touch with the Aurelian Republic, Cornielle finds his diplomatic efforts most productive with the EMPIRE OF VALDEK. By the end of the year, Valdek and Aurelia sign... THE DOUBLE ALLIANCE The Double Alliance is based off a document,signed with the following terms in the early winter: I: The Empire of Valdek bestows the Aurelian Republic rights to its aerial shipyards for the construction of ships of war, provided that the Republic pays for the material and financial costs incurred. II: Aerial architects of the Aurelian Republican Navy will be transported to Valdek, for the purpose of designing ships of war utilizing Valdenian methods and technology. III: The Empire of Valdek and the Aurelian Republic will establish connections of trade. IV: The Empire of Valdek will buy three treasury bonds from the Aurelian National Bank equivalent to 30,000 gold at 2.5% interest compounded annually. V: The Empire of Valdek and the Aurelian Republic accord each other limited basing rights for its aerial and naval forces. The Aurelian Republic, to Cornielle’s satisfaction, has found a willing and able ally. Furthermore, trade connections are established, to be enacted the next year, with the following countries: The Carnelian Coast Trade League of Gallian Westerfield Confederacy Republic of Emmeria The Aurelian Republic offers trade relationships to any Old World powers interested in being involved in trade with a fast-growing economy with reliable credit. -The fellow “native” powers of the continent are also offered trade relationships. STATS Previous Page Next Page
  8. T H E A U R E L I A N R E P U B L I C “LONG LIVE THE PEOPLE!” and ireland is nice too i guess https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdtLuyWuPDs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Aurelian Republic is defined by the Revolution which spawned it seven years ago. Propelled by the insurmountable will of the people, the old and odious rule of the absolutist monarchy was overthrown; yet it required five years of bloody civil war for the nation to realize it. The Battle of the Tuileries, March 2nd 1892, put an end to that conflict, and in the preceding months the country has began to realize a new prosperity under the rule of the Assembly and its President, Francois Cornielle. It is a prosperity measured in freedom; in the previous decade, the citizenry had no rights to speak of. Subject to any manner of abuse or hardship from their local lords, the wealth of the country siphoned almost in its entirety. Yet now, though that same wealth is drastically reduced thanks to years of turmoil, the common man has endured a new birth of freedom; freedom from oppression, from the seizure of his property, impressment into the military, freedom of expression and religion...The Revolution has been radical in a number of key respects. The founding document of the Assembly, the "Declaration of the People", calls for a nation predicated upon serving the people; the death of tyranny in favor of representative government, enshrining inalienable rights to speech, religion and property. The ensuing feverish purging of Aurelian society, amidst the chaos of civil war, was bloody indeed; for such dreams were radical for a society built upon the oppression of the impoverished multitude. No matter; the tumor had been excised, what was a little blood spilt for that great design? Yet the rise of Admiral Jules Francios Cornielle after his victory proved to be the decisive remedy required. Unassociated with the machinations of the capital's radical political clubs, and furthermore a household name through every corner of the country, he easily secured "election" with the support of the Assembly only weeks after his fleet had annihilated the Royalist opposition. Cornielle's rule is much welcome; though the circumstances of his rise to power are dubious, and his reign is increasingly anti-Democratic, his sweeping moderate reforms and fervent displays of patriotic Republicanism is comforting to a country sick of violence and death, even the radicals drink toasts to the name of Cornielle and his Republic. Nevertheless, storm clouds loom; or more specifically, one big one. Shock has swept through a country wanting of stability when Aurelian cruisers reported a gigantic, floating city had emerged seemingly from nowhere, not far from the border. The awesome power their great city-ship communicates has lit a frenzied panic in the Corniellian administration. It would appear, the decisive hour did not transpire in the distant, windswept Tuileries Gate for Francois Cornielle... it looms at some unknown point in the future, massive and terrifying, yet painfully unclear. It will require a steady hand to survive it; this next revolution. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTABLE PEOPLE: President Francois Cornielle: The aforementioned head of state whose powers are extraordinary. Catapulted to power by his popularity, disassociation to politics and success in the civil war, Cornielle gave up his command of the Grand Fleet to lead the country; and has done so under a moderate and pragmatist banner in his two years in office thus far. The approach of the new foreign crisis however, threatens to undo his short reign. Gaspard D’Easting: The High-Admiral of the Republican Navy, the successor to Cornielle. A veteran of many great battles and well liked by the men he led, D’Easting is both a firebrand leader and a shrewd administrator. Michel Sucrouf: The most powerful man in the Capital next to Cornielle, and head of the “lame duck Parliament” and its giant pro-Cornielle coalition. Though his parliament may lack real power, Sucrouf controls the capital and is dominant - and necessary - in the ideological-political sphere, keeping the vibrant radical political movement in line. SIZE - 5 Aurelia is a decently large country, boasting a post-war population of 45 million people. Its people are mostly to be found on the mainland, amidst the lush, grassy fields of the Agros plains under the lee of the Aurelian mountains. Yet all remember a time when the country was larger; before the flight of the nobility, and the massacre of an entire generation of young soldiers - their hearts touched by fire... ARMY/NAVY - 2 During the Civil War, the Army was huge; it mobilized hundreds of thousands of soldiers in “Revolutionary Guard” units and bled the Assembly’s coffers dry. The army proved to be a haven of corruption, a wicked den of radical politics and organized crime during the war; the geopolitical situation demanding aerial supremacy. In the postwar years, the army was dramatically cut in size to a mere 30,000 men to pay off Aurelia’s war loans; as a result, it is a small and middling force. Plus, who is there left to fight? AVIATION - 6 The Republican Navy won the war; its experience of five years of aerial campaigns molded it into an elite and professional force. Yet in the peace, it was necessary to mothball a vast portion of the lauded Grand Fleet, its battle-hardened expeditionary force, to rebuild the country. Though the nucleus of a great navy can be found in its naval administration and officer corps, it is not backed up by the airships to show it. INDUSTRY - 5 Aurelia is a modern country - that is, by the standards of its continent. One of the first countries to industrialize, it has had ample time to develop a virulent civilian industrial complex (especially in the islands, where Vitra is plentiful) ECONOMY - 5 Aurelian industry is matched by a mature economy, mainly relying on inter-city relations in an otherwise isolated country. The passage of the Constitution in 1889, in building a comprehensive legal system which protects specific and defensible property rights and trade laws, has allowed a virulent local-capitalist system to take root as well - impossible in the era of absolute monarchs who plundered the country of capital and credit at the expense of economic development. It is hampered from greatness by a lack of trade and development. EDUCATION - 6 A byproduct of the Revolution, one of the Assembly’s first real acts was to orchestrate a complex public schooling system. Fueled by the “Awakening”, the philosophical movement which empowered the rise of the people, every major population center has a large public school paid for by local taxes. Expensive indeed; but it is highly popular for catapulting the literacy of the young generation to heights unimaginable in the previous decade’s ignorance. DEV - 1 Aurelia may occupy a good chunk of land on the map, yet most of its people are clustered on the mainland’s coastal plains; themselves easily traversable. The high mountains on its border, and more importantly the jagged islands off the coastline, have killed real infrastructure development. Most importantly, the civil war was host to a myriad of scorched earth strategies; nobles trashing their lands before fleeing to the distant mountains to damage the “rebellion”. Now, only a few paved roads between cities can be found; all otherwise is dirt and in the spring, mud. Furthermore, communication is only really reliable between cities and government/military installations. Starting tech: “WW1 Era” Bolt action rifles, high-caliber artillery, civilian automotive transport, basic radio/telegraph, pre-dreadnoughts, etc. National Idea: The Grand Fleet The civil war was marked by intense and frequent aerial naval engagements; as a result, the Grand Fleet and the Aurelian Navy as a whole is highly experienced, and its officer corps is surely the finest in the known world. Aurelia is a haven of aerial innovation and fighting experience. [specifics? Bonus to research in aerial tech and doctrine, and inspecific boost to officer “quality”] National Units: Revolutionary Guard; Infantry Brigade “You can never defeat us! We lose 30,000 men a day.” -Ill-fated 2nd President of the Republic, 1891, to a Royalist peace delegation. [specifics? initial gold cost of recruiting standard infantry brigade significantly decreased] Fletche-class Light Cruiser Though high displacement, the Fletche-class cruisers are long-range and extremely fast, built for endurance as the gold standard of her class (at least in “New World” terms); a core element of Aurelian naval doctrine which paid off handsomely in the civil war. The need for a more cost-efficient navy propelled their development, replacing much of the Grand Fleet. [specifics? more expensive light cruiser with higher base speed, armament, inspecific boost to “endurance”]
  9. T H E H I G H L A N D C O N F E D E R A C Y THE YEAR OF OUR LORD - 7 0 1 - To the River Forth: Invasion of Dalriada FOR CENTURIES, Pictland has been content to confine its affairs to the familiar territories of its cultural homeland. However, the Highland Confederacy’s centralization has enabled it to grow from merely a defensive, conservative group of clans to a proper state with territorial ambitions that exceed merely swapping land between the region’s seven ruling clans. King Giric mac Dungail has only ruled for four years. Yet, he has already earned for himself the title “An Ionsaighthigh”- that being, “The Aggressor” for good reason. The fellow Celts of DALRIADA on the west coast of Caledonia have been the subject of raids from the Confederacy’s warmongering border clans per his approval, well aware that Dalriada is poorly suited to resist Pictish incursions. All the while, the Brittons of the River Forth have nervously sent envoys to Scone in hopes of preserving a peace. But any astute observer of Pictish affairs would know the effort is folly- for Giric has long talked of expasion to a new border. The River Forth’s value as a border for Pictland against the south, the origin of many an infamous, yet vanquished foe for centuries, has not been lost to the Confederacy. It would serve as a natural defense, its limited bridges being chokepoints for invading armies. All the while, it is also a conduit for trade bound for the North Sea and is the location of a number of villages. Thus the maxim that has resounded in the court of Giric the Aggressor has been thus: “To the River Forth”! The HIGHLANDER ARMY, numbering 5500 men, begins an invasion of Dalriada. The goal is straightforward- force the Dalriadans to join the Confederacy. Giric despite his epitath, wants to avoid all-out conflict; hoping to use superior force to subdue them into vassalage with the fresh memory of the clan raids perhaps assisting in the decision. Giric does not dare to issue the Highlander Call and raise the ARMY OF THE PICTS; which would risk the clans using their armies to pillage the region, or try to exterminate the culturally similar ruling nobility who Giric needs to rule the area. Expenditures Giric can thank the tireless efforts of his penny-pinching father, the long-lived and stoic Dungail, for a well stocked treasury. A sum of 37,000 coins are to be spent on a major series of construction in the valleys of Pictland, reflecting an increase in population. x2 Villages → -20,000 x2 Farmland → -5000 Representing the coming era of expansion, Giric also expands the Highlander Army. x4 Light Infantry (Pictish Warriors) → -8000 x1 Medium Infantry → -4000 T O T A L: -37,000
  10. Nation applying for: The Highland Confederacy BREIF History of your nation: Caledonia, as the Imperials refer to the region, is comprised of a number of differing tribes and kingdoms. Yet in Pictland, seven of these kingdoms have been members of a Highland Confederacy - which year by year, has come to look more like a kingdom. The Confederacy began as a purely defensive alliance of clans, pooling their armies together with powerful results to repel Roman legions. The Confederacy however, has become increasingly centralized. The King of Pictland now rules over it from an established capital at Scone, the traditional coronation place and location of the Confederate Moot. Though he enjoys titles, privileged in taxation and wartime leadership, the legacy of the Pictish kingdoms has maintained their autonomy. Kingship is based solely upon one's ability to wage war on his neighbors. The Confederacy has defended itself successfully from foreign threats when needed- yet it remains constantly primed for civil war and strife upon the drop of a pin. The ruling Alban dynasty has only held onto power for forty-two years. Clans fight with one another freely; the region is rarely at peace. Culturally, the region adopted Christianity in large part thanks to the efforts of St. Columbia. The outer fringes of Pictland are dotted with Christian Monasteries which furiously produce beautiful manuscripts- the most valuable luxury item in the whole of the Isles. Leader(s): Giric mac Dungail, An Ionsaighthigh Discord: You got it!
  11. T H E K I N G D O M O F F R A N C E LATE 1684 The Venetian Plot Louis is surprised that his nobles took the word of a Breton newspaper so seriously. “I be damned,” he said, “if Catholic gossip governs the affairs of France.” However, the sheer pressure from the nobility renders the affair not at all worth the investment. Louis caves, unwilling to risk his system of control over the kingdom which is so dependent upon the nobility’s preservation of their perceived rights. He is much surprised that they summed the courage to present their complaints as an ultimatum before his royal personage. Ugly memories of the Fronde resurface in the coming weeks, whilst Louis puts a positive spin on this disturbing ultimatum as it being patriotic pride for the sake of protecting French prestige; a commendable effort no doubt. The official position of Louis XIV is thus: that the troops and monies sent had been a response to Venetian overtures for military aid, in exchange for long-term payments of gold and their “diplomatic support”. The intentions of Venice in using their troops were unknown and had no part of the deal. The notion that these troops were meant for some Ottoman excursion is dismissed as absurd; why would Venice seek to find foreign aid to attack a country they had just orchestrated a treaty with? Louis now considers the ownership of Catholic press by any French official or noble as being an indicator of disloyalty. Les Grande Fonderies Louvois and Louis had high expectations for their grand domestic flint musket foundries, spread around the country arming regional regiments in a neat, easily controlled system of logistics. However, they were also painfully aware of the costs and risks of such an operation. Thus, it is not without much surprise that immediate production output is minimal, and costs titanic. Louis perceives the establishment of domestic weapon production as being extremely critical to French military expansion. He thus charges Louvois to submit to him, proposals for modifying their system to be implemented more effectively – and more quickly. Yet Louvois is already working on a solution. Instead of establishing multiple foundries and gun smitheries across France, Louvois chooses the three largest and most successful foundries as sites for expansion and consolidation. Working with the premier members of the Gunsmithing guilds, Louvois proposes a model of production based upon what he coins as being a linge d’assemblage. Instead of each gunsmith taking his time to produce a single musket by his own hand, each will specialize in producing a single part of a complete musket, before passing it to the next part of the “line”. This model of production should be much faster and requires less skill. The three foundries – Paris, Lyons and Reims – are expanded with designs that emphasize this mode of production. Segmented buildings house the means of producing these parts; the largest structure in the Parisian Grande Fonderie is comprised almost entirely of forges for smithing multiple gun barrels at a time. Echoing Colbert, Louvois offers tax breaks and fine quarters to gunsmiths both foreign and domestic who choose, on French coin, to resettle in these three cities and work at the foundries. Colbert used this method to swipe professional craftsmen from bordering countries to found French luxury industries with great success. Louvois intends on using this well-proven model to make sure these new, gigantic foundries are well staffed. Recognizing both the general importance of logistics to any successful military, and also the need for improvement as demonstrated by the regional production method’s shortcomings, Louvois pairs the Les Grande Fonderies with an improved system of logistics: the Bureau de la Logistique Militaire. The re-named Bureau of Military Logistics shifts its distribution model to a centralized one that is not tied to the regional origins of regiments. Supplies as a whole, including the newly produced muskets, are meticulously recorded by professional bureaucrats and are marked for distribution to warehouse complexes in strategic border and mustering locations. The weight of distribution is dependent upon strategic concern for the proficiency of troops in these border areas. Most interesting is the expansion of each Quartermaster’s responsibilities. He now runs an entire office of bureaucrats whose job is to report on the local army’s supply and make sure supplies reach them with military efficiency. No supplies will be wasted, or missed. Concerning Naval Reform The intense summer sun rendered the lower decks of the cramped, ancient ships of the line virtually uninhabitable. The gun decks were slightly better, for the gun ports were wide open- the naval artillery of varying quality and size rolled out with their gun crews standing by. Sweat threatened to douse the slow-matches in their tubs- if not the sheer humidity, which was indicated by the constant creaks and groans from their overworked, rotting knees and trusses underneath the sailors’ feet. A cry from the quarterdeck- Vive le’roi!. The officers grabbed the slow-matches and, all together, lit their fuses. Louis looked on with a mild, perhaps slightly forced smile from the shaded stern of his royal barge as the fourteen ships of the line stretched out in front of him let loose their saluting broadsides. The largest was a three-decker, like six others before the barge, which sported ninety-four cannons and some impressive stern livery. Further down, smaller three-deckers had perhaps eighty to seventy guns, and then two-deckers with fifty or so cannons. They looked quite brilliant, all gleaming in the sun with fresh paint, beautiful gold trim, the royal standard billowing from every topmast and pole aboard- but Louis could have sworn the fourth ship down seemed to almost sag in the middle. What was obvious though was the lack of coordination in the saluting broadside. A thundering majestic roar? No- perhaps more like fireworks, the individual packs of gunpowder exploding randomly and without much control. Differing degrees of booms, some deeper and others shorter, others crackling and others dull, popped in the royal ear. French pride however, depended on just how wide his smile was. “Excellent, just excellent- my deepest compliments to Admiral Cecile for the performance of his fleet,” said Louis to the entourage of officers surrounding him with a grin from ear to ear. Then, suddenly, another rolling boom- a line ahead of the ships of the line, comprised of frigates, let out their own broadside. Louis of course, did not let his companions think for a moment that he hadn’t realized they were performing their own salute as well. His attention was occupied however, to the leading frigate – a very stately looking vessel of twenty guns – which put her helm hard over and was now luffing up through the wind. Turning towards the barge, approaching from the opposing side… The frigate, with naval quality, completed her tack as the ships behind her let loose their courses and followed her through the wind. Now bow-on, the beautiful crow emblem upon her bow gazing onwards, she happily surged forward with the fleeting speed of a gazelle, shaving the wind close-hauled yet not daring to give an inch of leeway. A touch of the wheel here and there kept her sailing straight, angled away from Louis and his gilded barge as though she would pass on the opposite side- just until she defiantly gave way and let the wind spin her around with shocking agility- bracing quickly on a speedy beam reach and crossing the bow of the barge closely. Now she delivered her thundering salute – the guns all firing instantly to Louis’s satisfaction very close by. And the second ship had only just now, finished her tack. Thoroughly beaming, Louis turned to his companions. “Who was that captain?” He said, examining the gilded stern of the frigate as she rejoined the line ahead of the lineships, her less impressive counterparts lagging behind in the complex maneuver. “Captain Jacque Corneille, Your Majesty; son of Admiral Corneille in Toulon.” “He must certainly be the most remarkable seaman I’ve seen,” said Louis, before taking a sip from his wine- almost ignoring the second frigate which still struggled to complete the saluting turn. ----------- Louis XIV visits the fleet in Le Havre, the primary base in which the French fleet operates. Though the lavish fleet review is a prestigious event, Louis is much displeased with the quality of the fleet. The ships are almost all outdated, suffering severe issues. The sailing master of the seventy-four gun Fondant sheepishly reports he is under orders not to bring the ancient ship under anything more than topsails or courses; her knees cannot sustain an acceleration of more than five knots and are being reinforced for a third time in ten years. Though his mind is occupied with military reform, he cannot help but think of his decrepit fleet. Louvois is much overwhelmed directing the Grande Fonderies but nevertheless finds himself nodding wearily at plans slid across his desk to approve construction of a competitive seventy-gun ship. The requirements are straightforward and should match her English and Spanish counterparts of the same armament: two decks with comfortable sea room, twenty-four pounders upon her gun deck with eighteens on her upper gun deck. However, where the design should differ from her counterparts is a conscious sacrificial offering of quarterdeck rail and the bulwarks in exchange for less windage: more speed and better sailing qualities at the expense of protection. It’s hoped the new seventy-gun ships will be good, reasonably priced means of replacing the weak, old middle-powered ships of the line. These ships will form the backbone of a new navy. If these first designs go along well, Louvois looks forward to directing a more ambitious standardization program. All the while, large model ships under canvas covers are ferried into Versailles- design proposals for a new super-flagship. The stern gallery of one such model which Louis proudly displays in his study says Soleil Royal. Designers disregard cost and begin work dreaming up a wild 110-gun design; a prestige project under Louis’s gaze. It’s thought this new flagship will awe and strike fear in enemies- whenever Louis feels he can afford it, of course. Other Actions The French government spends some more! A moderate amount of money is used to buy and stockpile grain and other foodstuffs during the Fall harvest, kept in government storehouses in case of famine (or war). Hunting laws, whose punishments remain medieval and rather barbaric, are negotiated down to less extreme consequences. It’s perhaps the most absurd example of the French nobility’s flagrance; so obsessed with their hunting privileges that limbs are removed for simply having things that could be thought of as hunting equipment on their lands. Louis portrays the laws as inhuman, and forwards the new ones as equally just, but reasonable. Fortifications on the border with Spain receive funds for improvement- primarily in the form of new artillery and earthworks for greater numbers of defending infantry. Louis approves the Artillery Redistribution Plan, which formally establishes that he reserves the right to take old naval artillery from naval warehouses or laid-up ships for use as field artillery if deemed necessary in wartime. This is not extended to cannons designated as important for the naval war effort by the Navy leadership, or from ships in active service. All Things Summarized: -Louis responds to the overblown Venetian scandal: The intentions of Venice in using their troops were unknown and had no part of the deal. Louvois and Louis stubbornly persist in the domestic musket production program. -The Les Grande Fonderies are established; three of the largest and most successful installations are expanded upon, consolidating manpower and resources from the others. -A new model of production, the ligne d'assemblage is introduced. Gunsmiths will not work on one musket at a time, but per the guild's order of senority distribute tasks in constructing individual parts of muskets at a time. Each member specializes in a stanardized part, which are assembled by the most senior gunsmiths. The architecture of the expanded foundries reflects this. -The Bureau de la Logistique Militarie enforces a centralized model of distribution to rectify the issues of regional production. It is a titanic bureaucratic engine, complemented with increased staffs for army quartermasters to improve efficiency and speed. -Much coveted Naval reform begins: a standard 70-gun ship of the line design is ordered. -Louis dreams of building a prestigious super-flagship of 110 guns. -The government stockpiles grain and foodstuffs after the harvest. -Hunting laws are made more reasonable in their severity. -Fortifications near the Spanish border receive funds for improvements, with focus on the quantity of troops they can hold. -An emergency plan to take non-essential naval artillery from naval warehouses for field use is prepared.
  12. T H E K I N G D O M O F F R A N C E EARLY 1684 LE ROI - LOUIS XIV - “Versailles is much better in the summer,” François Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois thought to himself as he gazed out at the snow-covered garden façade outside the Hall of Mirrors. The stunning green interlock patterns of the precisely trimmed grass, the pride of the Master Gardener, were replaced with a flat layer of stark white snow. The lake, lying just beyond, was frozen over- its deep calming blue paled by ice that also had contrived to become snowbound. The King could do little about the garden or the lake, but as God was his witness, he could very well have something done about the statues of Hercules, Venus, Mercury, Mars and all the other Romans; which commanded the wintry scene upon their pedestals in the façade. The idle Gardener hurriedly brushed each marble figure clear of snow, lest their diving majesty be tarnished, under the watchful eye of the King after each snowfall. It was a shame they could not call upon their associate Aquilon to put an end to the incessant winter storms that battered Versailles this cold January. Francois had always found Versailles captivating in his brief visits there thus far; a hunting lodge in the middle of nowhere, suddenly the object in which the fruits of the late Jean-Baptiste Colbert’s labor had been invested. Opulence to the extreme, conveying the king’s awesome power in equal magnitude- yet under the flagrance, a more Machiavellian, calculating purpose betrayed by heap of expenditures that floated through Francois’ books directed towards the nobility who congregated in this nowhere like moths to a candle. The proud, arrogant fools happily ensnared themselves in the world’s most expensive rat trap, removed from any power spare their proximity to the august royal personage in the middle of the woods. Some occupied positions in regiments that did little but parade down the Hotel les invalides he had helped the King to build in the year ’71, others had titles whose only power was being at Versailles year-round. For all Francois knew, the Master Gardener could be the ******* Count of Toulouse. The thought amused him, and he betrayed a mild chuckle. Suddenly, the piercing cry of the doorman- “Le Roi!”. Francois quickly made a graceful about-face and bowed. Thus entered Louis XIV, King of France, dressed in all the natural finery of an absolute monarch with deep pockets. The giant oaken doors of the Hall of Mirrors swung shut, and Francois found himself alone with the most powerful man in France. “Louvois, it is good to see you here, not delayed by the tempests of winter,” said the king. “Indeed, my survey of the warehouse at Reims is complete,” Francois replied. Louis smiled, before sitting himself down in a brilliant piece of silver furniture. Francios, who would never dare to put the king out place, quickly repeated the measure himself. The two were silent for a moment, as Louis gazed at the ornate ceiling, contemplating the scene above. “That painting, the wondrous commission of Charles Le Brun- you know what it is called?” Louis said, gesturing to the ceiling work with his cane. Francois shook his head. “The king rules by himself. That is my government; there is no Catholic clergymen, as Henry IV saw to, to leech off Royal revenues. The nobility, thanks to your predecessor Colbert, can no longer skim our taxes and choke royal finance. I’ve devoted these spoils to our economy, to Versailles, and of course as your father knows, to expanding the size of the army. We’ve innovated a standing army, something that is in service constantly and ready to fight at my command. I share my power with no one; I protect the people from the machinations of a greedy nobility. All possible through my peerage, through my direct control of the realm. The state is me, and I am the state.” The king’s voice boomed through the Hall of Mirrors as he spoke. “After Jean-Baptiste Colbert, my First Minister of State, died in September, I appointed you- the Minister of War- to his position. You continue to hold that role; I know the significance of that is not lost upon you.” Francois furrowed his brow. “You have considered my reforms then?” Francois said. “I have, and you have my backing Louvois. I have approved the transfer of funds, and I think we should start immediately.” Louis replied, smiling slightly. “Your Majesty, I swear it shall be my life’s mission to serve at your command- for the glory of France. I am heartily glad you have given me your approval to proceed.” “Your proposals were never far from my mind, dear Louvois. It is not my trust in you or the value of your reforms that have stayed my hand these past years, but the machinations of our enemies. From all sides, we are surrounded by foes, powerful and nearly invincible. But this reality, that so frustrated our court previously, may yet change, and soon. We must seize the moment; and restore the honor of France whilst the opportunity presents itself…” The Armee du Roi François-Michel le Tellier, The Marquis de Louvois has served as the King’s Minister of War since 1663- and recently, his role was expanded to include the office of the legendary Jean-Baptiste Colbert in September 1683. Now as the forty-first year of the reign of Louis XIV begins, Louvois enacts a broad series of reforms to the French Army with the king’s support. Louis, encouraged by the Crown’s expanded treasury thanks to Colbert and his reforms in the 1670s, innovated something unique: the standing army. Instead of drawing up soldiers from the manpower pool0 only whenever war would take place, a process that took time and often produced green troops, Louis devoted much of his profits to maintaining 110,000 men in active service. This system is highly desirable for France, with hostile borders in many places. These men however, are not well equipped nor entirely well trained. To fulfill the requirements set by the standing army, the army circulated old and unreliable muskets through the new regiments whilst retaining the far cheaper pike formations in higher numbers than Louis would have liked. Louvois, hoping to rectify the supply issue, first begins by falling back on Colbert’s model of economic growth: Colbertism. Colbert used the patronage and funds of the crown to support the migration of foreign skilled workers in craftsmanship, ranging from the fabric trade in the Netherlands to even coveted Venetian mirror-making in the form of the Manufacture royal de glaces de miroirs (the latter enabled the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles and is still in existence in modern times), all the while enforcing strong regulations on qualities upon the guilds. These were almost entirely devoted to luxury goods. But now Louvois turns this model of state-sponsored production to encourage military production. The production of the newest and most powerful form of musket is to be established in a number of dense population centers in France – Paris, Le Havre, Chartres, Bordeaux, Toulon and other places, with royal backing financially. The goal is straightforward- France shall produce her own muskets and replace the old models in her regiments. A cannon foundry is also to be established near Reims. The king is very much aware of the expenses of such an operation, and even considers melting down some of that opulent silver furniture for the enterprise. Louis himself takes more interest to the quality of his troops. Taking notes from their Protestant brethren in the beleaguered Netherlands, Louis and Louvois work on developing their own system of drill with both musket and pike formations. The advantage with the drill is that it is easier to train; new recruits and old veterans alike repeat a series of motions to load, otherwise prepare and then fire their weapons, whilst pikemen practice different formations. It’s hoped a new French drill will instill a deeper sense of discipline in the troops; who have little to do in peacetime in the standing army other than parade the Hotel les Invalides and, well… drill! Louis also takes to the new French cloth manufacturing centers with request to produce new, lavish uniforms for the soldiers. New uniforms may not only increase the martial beauty of the French in the field, but also help improve morale and professionalism. The Treaty of Châteaubriant Whilst Louvois feverishly takes to his reforms, Louis dispatches Jean-Jacques de Mesmes, Conte d’Avaux, to Brittany for a diplomatic mission. Overtures for a treaty of non-aggression between the Kingdom of France and the Duchy of Brittany are received with much interest by Louis- who visits the border town of Chateaubriant with his retinue to deliberate upon the notion of such a treaty. The terms of a treaty are finally worked out after a week of negotiations, which Louis presents to Versailles with much satisfaction: 1) The hostile border tariffs are relaxed considerably to allow trade between the two disparate nations. 2) Neither power shall incur upon the other’s territory with their or their allies troops in accordance with a non-aggression pact. Such an act cannot mend the religious divide between the two countries; but at least both can relax knowing neither shall be invaded by the other. The border between France and Brittany is not insignificant, marked by no natural barriers and thus the maintenance of defenses there is difficult. Perhaps most significant is the trade agreement; allowing the two realms to exchange goods and make a profit doing so. France’s economy is gigantic, and Brittany’s natural resources are coveted by French merchants- allowing the barrier to be permeated by trade will present new revenues and connections to either state. Other diplomatic actions achieved include: -Sneaky Secret Subterfuge… -France buys a wealth of muskets from Brandenburg-Prussia to assist the equipment reforms. Other Actions Louis XIV calls for a census of the French population and its productivity domestically from the landed nobility. It serves two functions: obviously to provide information, but second and less obvious- to even further increase the accountability of the nobility to French land and produce taxes as France has done for forty years. Louis instructs Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Seignelay (the son of the late Colbert made the Naval Secretary after his death) to forward designs for a twenty-four gun “true frigate”. French designers in the 1670s innovated a new technique for design in which they thought they had discovered a mathematical means of predicting ship performance. Though this proved to not be wholly correct in the 1710s, for now it has helped spur a period of French naval innovation- especially in frigate design. The design will, like all true frigates, confine its armament to the long spar deck situated a full deck above the waterline for seakeeping purposes, with a large open waist to reduce windage. Per French naval tradition, no armament spare swivels are to be placed upon the quarterdeck for the sake of preserving sailing qualities. These ships should be fast seaworthy vessels that easily fetch Biscay and the Channel in Fall weather. Louis also finances an Acadamie for the sciences in Paris, further adding to the wealth of public works he has established there. Louis has always enjoyed bestowing his patronage to the academics and the arts; perhaps encouraged by the flurry of activity in Versailles following the new reforms, he also installs a large golden globe in the Hall of Mirrors. Perhaps the nobles and elites of France will take to educating their children there; such acts are encouraged at Versailles where privileges for admission are offered in exchange for finance. All Things Summarized: Louis XIV and Louvois apply their collective intellect and martial abilities to spearhead a number of military reforms. -Domestic production of the newest model of muskets per Colbertist economic doctrine is established in large quantities at great cost. A cannon foundry is also established in Reims. -This domestic production will go to the replacement of old equipment in the French army; already, a sum of muskets are bought from Brandenburg-Prussia. -New uniforms are also distributed to all regiments in hopes of instilling professionalism and pride in the army. -A new French Drill for training with the musket is to be taught. Recognizing the pike-heavy nature of the army, this drill does incorporate the use of that weapon. -The Treaty of Châteaubriant is signed with the Duke of Brittany. It includes a non-aggression pact and a relaxing of tariffs and other predatory economic measures to encourage trade. -Sneaky Secret Subterfuge -A census is called to record French population statistics, which includes productivity. It serves both to provide information… and make the nobles more accountable to their contributions to the crown. -A stout 24-gun true frigate is commissioned. Hopefully French naval ingenuity will indeed produce a legendary rendition. -Louis funds a new academy for the sciences in Paris, leaning on the patronage of nobles who might take to educate their children there.
  13. Wee bit late. Nation: F R A N C E Leader (With brief description of circumstances/personality): Louis XIV -Louis is one of France's most brilliant monarchs to yet reign. Entering the 41st year of his rule of France, Louis has pioneered a system of Absolutism in which power is centralized in his personage, at the expense of the nobility, and has completed much-needed reforms that may transform France into one of the most powerful states of Europe. -As an individual, Louis XIV is a sharp mind and a highly capable statesman and military leader. He is well known for his high degree of skill in playing the guitar, and furthermore in his younger years loved dance and theater. Heir (If any:) Louis, the Grand Dauphin Discord: none, France is at peace both internally and externally.
  14. T H E F O U R T H E M P I R E O F T H E F R E N C H EARLY 2935: The 1,146th Year of the Revolution "L i b e r t é, é g a l i t é, f r a t e r n i t é" - The Oberon Racehorse The first 50 ships of the Glorie-class cruisers are completed! All across the Empire, from Mars to Uranus, Frenchmen watch one widely-distributed video of one such vessel, L’Unite, and its dramatic launch at Mars which had been attended by Nouterre’s Governor and his staff. The gleaming, freshly-painted warship with is fine lines worthy of the ancient seafaring craft of old fired a brilliant salute from its impressive armament; a missile launched from her highly modern launcher system acting as a firework whose payload displayed the Triclor in brilliant zenon explosions above her. The frivolous, though entirely necessary pleasantries concluded, L’Unite and the forty-nine other new cruisers are quickly dispatched to perform the numerous duties of light cruisers required for the maintenance of the Empire and her trade. This is especially the case for long-distance trade, which these ships are designed for. More direct routes are opened as a result of their availability. The Navy orders the ships built at Oberon, in the Belt, to reinforce the pirate-hunting squadrons immediately whilst others converge there from close-by shipyards. Belle Poule acts as flagship of one such squadron, this group spread out among the Belt scanning every moving molecule they pass. By a quirk of her engines she appears to be a little faster than her designed speed at the expense of efficiency, and her skipper abuses it to the fullest extent. Appearing frequently around various sectors often traversed by traders, she becomes known to local traffic as the “Oberon Racehorse”- zipping past them with customary zeal, intent upon finding her quarry. Saturn Or Bust: Convoy 566-O Intent upon securing the Empire’s influence in the Outer Rim, Napoleon dispatches an Imperial Proclamation at a conference at Luna, laying claim to the following moons of the great ringed planet of Saturn: -Epimetheus -Atlas -Daphnis -Pandora -Pan Corporate contracts are issued for three of the moons: Epimetheus, Daphnis and Pan in similar fashion as before. Once again, settlers can expect the company of the French Navy with all the benefits of such protection, in addition to substantial supplies and construction subsidies. Atlas and Pandora however, are given to the Navy’s administration to render into naval bases. The dreadnoughts Jean Bart and Ille de Paris in the company of the battlecruiser Vengeur du Peuple, four heavy cruisers, six light cruisers (including two Gloires) and twelve destroyers escort a massive convoy for the purpose. All of the warships are at most ten years old and their skippers set their crews to numerous spacewalks sprucing up their hulls to a naval shine- the occasion demands it. This convoy, 566-O is truly gigantic with nearly 100 ships in total. The ancient Le Tribun du Peuple reports the following account as the fleet departs Oberon: “I could count one hundred, perhaps one hundred and ten ships in all; at least a quarter made of up warships all gleaming in the brilliant French red chequer. They most handsomely arrayed themselves into a sort of cruising formation; shaped like an egg, the ships firing their thrusters constantly to align themselves as the comms lit up with orders from the flagship scolding those unfortunate lubbers who were not within a .005 of a degree of their assigned heading to “look alive there”. After some anxious activity on the part of the destroyers, the whole of the fleet was still; motionless as though I was observing a painting. Then the lead ship, which I could discern to be the Ille de Paris of Admiral Treville let fly a round from one of her secondary guns p er the old tradition: a signal to the fleet to begin their burns. Thus the convoy within a half-second, disappeared from all view.” The new colony on Jupiter’s Carpo moon is selected to receive a significant package of construction materials and funding from the convoy for the purpose of constructing an ambitious Naval project: a four-tiered shipyard. The greatest French shipyards in that region can be found on Uranus, and otherwise on Mars and Oberon: now Napoleon orders to render Jupiter able to construct, refit and repair ships of any displacement and disposition. A plan to add another capital ship slipway to Oberon is also approved - this one however, done via contract. The Burden of Empire: The 2935 Census France manages a widespread and highly diverse spread of colonies which all require significant support from each other; Uranus is barely self-sufficient whilst the Belt is a foodstuffs desert. Trade solves the problem for civilians, whilst the Navy has devoted perhaps a third of its administration to logistics. The timing of shipments of supplies, the organization, manufacture and stockpiling of such goods and their protection governs the success of such colonial ambitions. Napoleon orders a new kind of Census to be collected for the year: it will not only record population statistics, but collect information on the rate in which colonies consume goods. The goal is simple: provide the Imperial government with a wealth of detailed information on the colonial supply situation. In his palace at Fontainebleau, Napoleon builds himself a “situation room” to study this information. He expands the Imperial Logistics Bureau threefold and places the management of convoy schedules under central government control. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACTIONS SUMMARIZED: -The completed 50 cruisers begin service, including new trade routes. These cruisers begin to operate in the hunt for pirates in the Belt as well. -France claims and begins the settlement of Jupiter’s ,Epimetheus, Atlas, Daphnis, Pandora and Pan. -Great shipyards are to be built on Carpo, Jupiter, whilst another slipway is added to Oberon, the Belt. -Concerns over logistics for the diverse empire produce reform: A highly detailed survey is ordered and Napoleon expands the Logistics Bureau, awarding it greater authority.
  15. T H E F O U R T H E M P I R E O F T H E F R E N C H LATE 2934: The 1,145th Year of the Revolution - N A P O L E O N X X I V - E M P E R O R O F T H E F R E N C H “Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools.” -Napoleon I Napoleon Joseph-Louise Bonaparte, the twenty-fourth Emperor of the French to bear that immortal name, came to power eighteen months ago with the death of his ailing father, Charles XLI at the humble age of 28. Napoleon assumed leadership of what is now an ancient regime – the Fourth Empire of the French, yet another state which rendered itself in the glorious Napoleon I’s image. The French Revolution, the bedrock of French nationhood, lives on- protected in the magnanimous and lofty personage of the Emperor whose Jupiterian figure floats above the worldy disputes of the classes. The Emperor, backed by the omnipotent power of the people, is charged with their defense at the expense of any who dare to infringe upon their natural rights, as inscribed in full by a grand New Declaration of the Rights of Man. Yet even thousands of years after the rule of the Ancien Regime, the memory of tyrants lives (no Emperor dares assume the title “Louis”)- thus the government is backed by a Constitution which awards limited power to check Imperial prerogative to a titanic, democratic Parliament boasting the world’s most liberal, statistically satisfactory methods of election. It is upon this gilded stage which our protagonist, the young Emperor, takes his place. Napoleon is nothing like his zealous, militaristic father- a more subtle figure lies behind the Imperial garments. Napoleon can easily be mistaken for a somewhat reserved personality- not that he at all shies away from the typical display of excessive patriotism and deific hubris the French so adore-, usually found within the company of books or perhaps wandering upon the rooftop of Fontainebleau on clear nights, his preferred company being himself. Yet those who know him well have come to know a deeply intelligent, calculating young man; just as much a patron of the arts of war as his father and numerous predecessors despite a distaste for the sight of blood, if not greater, an individual who upon any given occasion can remove himself from the complicated equation of politics and power with clarity. Above all- he has a plan, a plan known to only a select few close friends in his government, though none can say for certain his ultimate goal. Thus is the maxim that rules the hour: If you want a thing done well, do it yourself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE GLOIRE-CLASS CRUISERS A new design of cruiser has been approved for construction by the Emperor. The Glorie-class cruiser represents the system’s most advanced cruiser design; its emphasis lies in its sustainability and long range, able to act independently of refueling bases and other ships for long distances at combat-effective speeds. As a result they are naturally larger, their displacement greater than present French light cruisers. The government plans for the immediate construction of 300 of these ships in prime shipyards as to take advantage of their design. Emperor Napoleon XXIV goes to great lengths to focus the national attention upon this feat of French engineering. The Gloire itself is a symbolic name; for thousands of years many prestigious French warships (such as the first French ironclad frigate) were named as such. A model is shown to the Parliament, images of the vessel lighting up the press from Earth to the outermost colonies. The aformentioned namesake which has given the name “Gloire” prestige as the representative of French naval innovations. Finding good space art is hard, man. The cruiser design is a well timed event- for it promises to be the ruin of the pirates who have humiliated the French. It is portrayed as a permanent solution to the issue of piracy. French trade has been especially maimed by these efforts, and the Audacieux’s involvement in disrupting French colonial efforts is a particularly savage, stinging affront to the national pride. He avoids specific mentions of the Audacieux in the Parliamentary session- until specifically asked for his opinion of the intrepid pirate’s exploits by a member of Parliament from Uranus. His curt response garners much amusement: “I am not at all surprised that a French cruiser was capable of such devastation.” THE INTERNATIONAL PIRACY TASK FORCE All chest-beating aside, Napoleon begins a major diplomatic initiative, well aware of the issues of piracy and the attention the country has garnered as a result of the audacity of the Audacieux. Napoleon sends diplomats to all the major powers involved with inter-Belt trade, proposing a common measure to destroy piracy in a clean sweep of the Belt with an international task force. The Coalition’s purpose would be specifically to find and eliminate pirates and the bases from which they operate in a hunter-killer operation. The meeting of an international council on Luna is proposed to discuss the issue. Yet coalition or no, Napoleon sends cruisers detached from various stations to reinforce the region’s escorts. A select few of the newer, most combat-effective ships captained by the most experienced and decorated officers are given their own hunter-killer missions. Privately, priority is placed on the Audacieux- after all it should be the French that destroy the French renegade cruiser. COLONIAL EXPANSION CONTINUED The struggling contractors are given a second chance. French warships are dispatched in greater numbers to protect new colonies and their critical supply routes from pirates and additional funds are directed their way. Battlecruisers appear off Jupiter protecting colonization efforts; the lead ship Michel Ney serving as both the flagship of the task force and as an administrative center coordinating the distribution of supplies as they arrive. Ney may very well stay for many years; these new Jupiter outposts could become vital fleet bases for Outer Belt traffic. The Commonwealth is rumored to have “allowed” French expansion here as a sort of dowry for the marriage of a prestigious member of the Bonaparte Dynasty to Victoria II. Regarding Administration in the Colonies, the Emperor installs bureaucrats reporting directly to the Imperial government in every colonial administration. These bureaucrats represent a new organization - the Comité de Surveillance Constitutionnelle. The CSC is empowered to investigate with unlimited scope potential violations of the New Declaration of the Rights of Man- which now defines Slavery as servitude below a minimum wage without access to healthcare facilities. Not that corporations and governments alike were not violating the rights of their workers beforehand... THE “PLEASURE PROJECT” In order to improve the living conditions of the Martian colonies, which are certainly France’s most populous extraterrestrial communities, the Imperial government issues contracts to architects to design within a set budget public spaces and new civic buildings. Naturally, the Emperor’s name finds its way into these constructions. It is the flagship project of what the French press rumors will be a radical expansion of Martian infrastructure. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACTIONS SUMMARY 1) Colonization efforts are given more naval support and funds. 2) A 300-ship program is launched for the new cruisers. 3) Napoleon offers to organize a grand coalition; a joint cooperation between nations to hunt down pirates on Luna as a permanent anti-piracy task force. 4) Napoleon cheekily says of the Audacieux: “I am not at all surprised that a French cruiser was capable of such devastation.” before directing the navy to dispatch the best French cruisers on missions to seek it out and destroy it. 5) Colonies are sent bureaucrats who report directly to the Imperial government on violations of the French New Declaration of the Rights of Man (bill of rights). 6) Planners consider refining the Martian colonies with better infrastructure and civic works with a focus on "pleasure": parks and the like. All with the Imperial name thrust upon it
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