Rising Powers (Turns)

This page contains all 9 turns of Rising Powers, aswell as the epilogue.
==Turn 1: 1970==
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Nations of the World as of 1970 -and- Their Regions of Influence
overpain - Baltia
Government Type: National Socialism
Current Head of State: "Perkūnas"
Status: The rise of Nazism in the Baltics spread like wildfire over the past few decades, leading to the creation of a fanatically patriotic state, lead by a mysterious leader who has only been seen wearing a mask. His nickname, "Perkūnas" hails from Baltic mythology; it is the name of the Baltic god of thunder. He also lends this name to a new secret police force, used to prevent dissidents from operating throughout the growing nation.
Economy: This nation's workforce is at an all-time high in terms of productivity, triggering a massive surplus for the government, which is also due in part to the (humane) labor camps built for political prisoners and captured enemy troops. These funds are not flowing back to the workforce, however. Instead, military technology and experimental circuitry projects have preoccupied the government's priorities. On a positive note, Baltia is the world's second nation (behind Muscovy) to develop a computer faster than 64Mhz.
Military: The recently organized "Zaibo Rykste" elite military units advance quickly over the border into the agricultural lands of Belorussia. Within the year, Baltic forces surround the city-state of Minsk, leading the latter to call for help from Muscovy. Partisans throughout this rural land fight back against the invaders, but are quickly decimated.
Diplomacy: Several key diplomats are seen leaving the country from major international airports, but the government does not reveal their destinations.
Salricci - Kingdom of Benelux
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Current Head of State: King Willem I
Status: Although still dealing with a nationwide recession, the government has decided to raise standards for labor conditions. Conservatives in the Kingdom go ballistic, but the public is fairly pleased with the new rules. Taxes are slightly raised on the rich to help raise money for civic programs.
Economy: The recession deepens due to the new labor laws, as factory jobs are closing faster than service jobs can be opened. Social programs increase in size dramatically, and some workers are turning to neighbors such as France and Germany to find jobs. Despite all this, telecom companies, insurance and banking institutions, and real estate companies turn explosive profits, encouraging lawmakers to continue along this path. Although the government promises to double imports and exports, the restriction of the English Channel severely cuts down on growth, and unprepared shipping companies are forced to use other means of international shipping. Trade with the US and Montreal decreases. The largest banks are now offering loans to cash-stripped states throughout Europe.
Military: No notable actions are taken by the military of Benelux.
Diplomacy: Free trade agreements are sought with Germany and Finland, both of which are accepted. It is hoped that increased trade to the east will make up for lost profits in the west.
Satansick - Centralist Berber Alliance
Government Type: Military Dictatorship
Current Head of State: General Ishaq Hannibal
Status: General Hannibal leads a crackdown on military corruption, becoming the undisputed head of state of a formalized federal government. Offices of local militias are recognized by the government and are assigned an economic threshold to increase trade efficiency, and the General announces that his top priorities are ensuring self-sufficiency and security in the Alliance.
Economy: Contracts have been secured to construct larger shore facilities for shipping. In anticipation, local industries begin expansion. With increasing stability, urban areas are beginning to form with professional police and medical services.
Military: With some divisions still using bolt-action rifles, and propeller-driven aircraft still the mainstay of the air force, the military is instructed to compile a prioritized "wishlist" for modernization. The top item on the list is, surprisingly, uniforms and helmets, due to the large number of militia units in nonstandard clothing. Behind this request is automatic weaponry, which is easily secured from
Diplomacy: The Alliance remains diplomatically neutral, focussed entirely on its own nation-building.
Damian0358 - Czechoslovak Republic
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: Prime Minister Jan Jaromír
Status: After an election places a greater number of nationalist representatives into Parliament, the Civic Democratic Party secures a coalition with the Social Democratic Party. To prove the authority of the coalition, the government legalizes same-sex marriage, which is opposed by the nationalists and the communists.
Economy: The tax burden is shifted so the working class gets a small break. Several trade unions back away from wage increase demands, and companies post good earnings reports. Subsidies are given based on innovation, spurring foreign companies to open new factories in the Republic. Times are good.
Military: The government debates the need for new weapons designs, including a new shotgun and a strangely anachronistic bolt-action rifle. Funding is given to these projects after Baltia invades its neighboring countryside, illustrating the need for advanced equipment. A recently-designed break-action rocket launcher, the "Mk. 1 RPEC-L" goes into production with a propriatary rocket, "CZC-583." The design is very advanced and is expensive to produce, forcing the government to pledge emergency-usage only.
Diplomacy: A pan-Slavic conference is held in Prague, at which Prime Minister Jaromír gives a well-received speech about the need of Slavic unity in the face of oppression. In the weeks that follow, Czechoslovakia enters an alliance with the Polish Empire and peacefully annexes Lusatia, a territory on the border of Germany. Territory between Poland and Czechoslovakia is divided peacefully as well.
Eli45 - Nazi Dictatorship of Northern France
Government Type: Fascist Dictatorship
Current Head of State: Messire Jean Walter
Status: In a smart act of civil engineering, France revamps the highways linking Brest to Paris, encouraging Atlantic commercial vessels to dock at Brest and have their contents shipped overland both to mainland Europe and to other ports on the North Sea, avoiding the dangerous English Channel.
Economy: Although the economy of France is stymied by government spending, tax revenue collected from the ports is expected to increase dramatically over the next several years, and may balance the budget, provided the country stays relatively peaceful.
Military: A significant portion of the army is sent to the United Kingdom for a joint-training exercise. Simultaneously, British and French warships cooperate to close the English Channel for militarization, including sea mines and submarine nets. Commercial shipping is now allowed only with military escort through secret safe passages. Military research on a new rifle to replace the aging MAS-49 is restarted after preliminary tests of an experimental bullpup rifle fail to impress. The French government purchases H&K G3 Rifles from Germany, along with machinery patterns and
other properties and begins creating a new rifle patterned after it. A contractor picks up the project and the rifle is named FDR.I, or Fusil D'Assaut Repère 1. Research begins on a new transport/ground attack aircraft dubbed "Dassault Flamant II."
Diplomacy: Diplomats are seen coming and going from the United Kingdom and the West Iberian Empire for several months, and the result is a free trade agreement. A similar deal is offered to Germany, but it is rejected due to the militarization of the English Channel.
Ruskie - Most Serene Republic of Iceland
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: President Kristján Eldjárn
Status: This quiet island nation has recently endeavored to distance itself from the obscurity of isolationism. A series of legislative moves signal to the world that Iceland is now a small, yet important player in world affairs.
Economy: Grants are handed out to Universities for research into microprocessors and general-purpose programming languages, prompting foreign electronics manufacturers to open local branches in Reykjavík, searching for talent. Godthåb, Greenland is contacted about a free trade agreement, to which the larger but less populous nation agrees. However, the small Icelandic merchant ships find themselves competing against the large shipping fleet of the United Kingdom. Godthåb happily encourages the competition and rakes in lots of money.
Military: The Icelandic Army, Icelandic Air-Force, and the Icelandic Navy are all organized into a unified defense force. This merger of offices allows for greater communication between the forces, which will in time improve the effectiveness of all three. For now, the Generals and Admirals are having trouble not tripping over each others feet.
Diplomacy: Diplomats sent to the island of Greenland convince most of the people there that they should become citizens of Iceland, aside from the citizens of Godthåb, which are more interested in the larger amount of money and aid promised by the UK. This has triggered a strange crisis, in which a territory of only about 40,000 people are in disagreement of which nation to fall in line with. Roughly 2/3rds support Icelandic annexation, while the rest prefer the UK. A small, but growing minority prefers independence.
Broguts - Alexandrian Macedonia
Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
Current Head of State: King Aleksandar Akhileus
Status: Macedonian schools receive a new curriculum that requires students learn about the life of Alexander the Great, his rise, downfall, and the impact of his conquests on the world.
Economy: Investigations conducted over the previous year find that small investments could have large returns in the fishing, farming, and mining industries. More efficient equipment is purchased from abroad and provided to the largest companies in each field. A byproduct of this modernization is a leap forward in safety, especially in the mining industry. These moves catch the eyes of manufacturers in Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Muscovy looking for cheap sources of iron and copper. Foreign investment in the basic industries has allowed the Kingdom to expand its private sector considerably, opening new commercial jobs for college graduates. Unemployment falls slightly and tax revenue increases.
Military: Impressed with reports of a new type of armored military vehicle recently deployed in Russia, the Kingdom requests permission to import a vehicle for testing. After a short trial session in late April, Macedonia secures an order of 50 vehicles over two years, which is increased to 100 over three years after a petition from the military command deems the vehicle a major warfare advantage. In a royal proclamation, the King demands there be no discrimination in the Military based on sexual orientation, citing Alexander the Great's friend and greatest general, Hephaestion, whom was a constant companion throughout Alexander's life and believed by some historians to be his lover. Research also begins on a type of individual protective gear described as "armor." The press has been told little about the program.
Diplomacy: The warm reception of Russian officials in Macedonia has earned respect for the kingdom. Muscovy sends a bottle of vodka to the king as a show of goodwill.
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IPK - Mardylonyea Union
Government Type: Democratic Communism
Current Head of the State: Slavman Grugmaryn
Status: A general assembly of government underlines standards of living and expansion as the top two priorities of the Union. Agricultural district offices are created which manage crop output, giving greater autonomy to poor districts and allowing them to keep more of the profits from their exports. These local governments focus on infrastructure, which lowers unemployment temporarily and helps keep the public in order. A network of bus stops begin to open for public use, allowing rural children to go to larger, better equipped schools, causing the government's popularity to surge to 58%.
Economy: With greater stability and slowly growing infrastructure, television is becoming popular in the poverty-stricken east for the first time. International companies that wish to assemble products within the nation are granted permits to sell consumer goods in state-run stores. Suddenly, Mardylonyea is a profitable market for makers of mopeds, small electronics, clothing, and furniture, although this sort of business is limited mainly to the west coast of the Black Sea.
Military: Small units from across the country are recalled from their policing duties thanks to increased order. These troops, along with those posted along the western border, attempt to move west into the Balkan peninsula. They are met by a mob-like resistance in some areas, preventing further expansion into Bulgaria, as the troops have not been ordered to attack civilians targets. However, in Moldova, northern Romania, and Turkey, the expansion is welcomed, and troops meet with the citizens like a natural authority. Many expect that the city of Bucharest will be the next major city to join the Union. Bucharest's city leaders are tempted to link the city to the Black Sea, but are also worried about how communism will effect local businesses. In the south, troops race across the peninsula, setting their sights on Cyprus. to reach it, some are pulled from the shores of the Bosphorous.
Diplomacy: The Union remains diplomatically neutral, focused entirely on its own nation-building.
LobsterPastry - Socialista Unito
Government Type: Theocratic Communism
Current Head of State: King Fuhrer Enrico Berlinguer
Status: The King's court welcomes a number of new advisors, many of which are recent graduates from state universities. Late in the year, they collectively propose the adoption of higher wages in exchange for decreased centralization of the economy, which would cause a net shrinkage in government spending, healthcare coverage, and retirement benefits, but should grant more autonomy to the public, which is a positive motivating force. Berlinguer slips references to possible changes in the government into a sweeping speech in Palermo about the greater effort toward a liberated, communist world. The public seems to be excited about rumored pay raises.
Economy: The economy is stagnant and shows no growth, but many are relieved that productivity seems stable.
Military: Weapons trials begin; the Union tests its current battle rifle against the AKM, imported from Russia. The AKM easily wins in the trials, and at its cheap cost the government seizes the opportunity to buy a large number of them. The Russians also begin sending the RPG-7, which they received from Muscovy, a relatively new and impressively cheap antitank/antipersonnel weapon. Soldiers receive training to use the new weapons often before their units receive them, using wooden dummy weapons if needed. Some report witnessing mass executions at some prisons in the south of the country, the reason for which is kept hidden by the government. The generally accepted rumor is that the military was testing a new type of ammunition against human test subjects which was found to offer no practical benefit over regular ammunition. The previous King seems to have been killed during these trials.
Diplomacy: Russia agrees to supply arms to the Union at a discount cost. An attempt is made to meet the Macedonians for diplomatic talks, but the Macedonians fail to agree to a date.
Zambies! - Spartan Republic
Government Type: Democracy
Current Head of State: Spártakos
Status: After Mardylonyea placed its focus on Cyprus and the Balkans, the strategy of opening trade with the Bosphorous resulted in an expansion of influence. Storage space and harbor facilities on the Icelandic shoreline are purchased from private owners and renovated. From there, an offshore platform is manufactured and assembled as a weather research station, with a secondary purpose of testing military hardware in cold, wet conditions for long periods of time. A research team from Athens is given a major grant to work on "carbon fiber," an artificial material that American and British researchers are also working on.
Economy: With business expanding to abroad, Sparta is attracting a lot of attention. Trade between Athens and Istanbul causes unemployment to drop in both cities.
Military: The Spartan Navy is granted its largest contract yet, and begins work on an aircraft carrier stocked with jet fighters, expected to be ready by the beginning of 1971. An aging military base is shut down and converted to a dedicated ballistics research facility. The surrounding land is fenced, but new guard towers are erected and barbed wire is installed, along with other security and safety features intended to keep the public out of harm's way. The research is considered so classified that only a few key government officeholders know exactly what is being researched.
Diplomacy: The Republic invites Macedonia and Czechoslovakia to a security summit, scheduled for 1971.
KriegsMar1ne - United Kingdom
Government Type : National Socialism
Current Head of State: Sir Charles Lancewright
Status: Nazi political views are taught in the elementary schools for the first time, and propaganda efforts are increased. While this has no effect on patriotism across the nation, it decreases dissent and political opposition to the current government among the nation's white youth. Military recruitment is also up, as enthusiasm for national defense increases.
Economy: Natural resources are tapped into without regards to environmental concerns, giving a boost to state-sponsored industries. Unemployment falls to a minimum, and the generated revenue is used to refine infrastructure and improve the quality of life. The money also helps to keep the races and ethnicities seperate, which temporarily alleviates racial tensions. The end result is a gradual improvement of all economic indicators.
Military: The border with Scotland becomes heavily fortified as the government raises the national threat level to 3, in a similar scale to the DEFCON readiness system used by the United States. British and French warships cooperate to close the English Channel for militarization, including sea mines and submarine nets. Commercial shipping is now allowed only with military escort through secret safe passages. A new rifle design is officially announced, a bullpup rifle titled SA80 that is headed to trials in 1972. The British military also begins an experimental program involving radio-controlled devices. The chief focus is the goal of creating a remote-piloted aircraft, but a secondary focus is the creation of a new style of missile which flies at low altitude over long distances. The design resembles a German V-1, but is intended to be more accurate. Unfortunately, early simulated tests of the computer guidance systems show that currently available microchips are not fast enough to accurately guide the missile to its target during the final seconds of flight and are likely to miss by at least a kilometer.
Diplomacy: A German passenger ship bound for Belfast explodes as it approaches the harbor, killing 31 and injuring another 20. A British rescue ship is the first to arrive on the scene and is responsible for the rescue of several dozen people. The UK is immediately blamed for the disaster, but fragments recovered from the wreckage prove that the boat had hit a 1930s sea mine, likely placed by the Germans decades earlier during the last European war, only to surface recently. The German government denies responsibility for the attack, but admits that it cannot prove any other explanation. Months later, a British diplomatic motorcade is attacked by an angry mob in Glasgow. The Scottish government apologizes for the disaster, but both nations become further entrenched against each other. In Ireland, the UK runs a compelling propaganda campaign painting the Scottish out as opportunistic and dishonest. The Irish are lured to British offers of better living conditions, and Scotland gradually looses influence on the island. The UK seeks out trade agreements, and finds success with Finland and the Roman Federation. Greenland is encouraged to join the Kingdom in exchange for economic gains, but resistance to undemocratic government, incited by Iceland, prevents major success.
Diago21 - United States
Government Type - Democratic Republic
Current Head of State: President Richard Nixon
Status: Contracts are handed out to numerous aeronautics companies for a new type of project that is intended to place objects in space. According to the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration, man-made satellites could be used to orbit the Earth to take photographs, transmit television stations, and study the solar system. The theoretical data that will be used to build the rockets has existed for more than a decade, but has not been used due to the economic inefficiency of using such satellites. The eventual goal is to send men to space, and possibly even to the moon. The media isn't quite sure what to think about that. The first launch of a satellite will likely occur in 1971, with a human following in 1973. After a gunman goes on a shooting spree in New York City, stricter gun laws are put in place. The Nixon administration is not impressed by the NRA blustering that follows.
Economy: The annexation of new territory and the need for more aerospace and other equipment has increased industrial output, but not enough to counteract the massive costs of the space program. The United States is accustomed to running deep deficits, so this doesn't bother economists. What does bother them is the worry that the space program will never be profitable.
Military: In a controversial move, the military is lined up on the borders of the western and southern US, and then marches forward slowly into the regions of Ohio and Virginia. Confused citizens of those regions suddenly find themselves accepting pamphlets from soldiers that contain the constitution that they will soon be subject to, while radio messages explain that they will receive representation in the national Congress and will have the right to vote for national leadership. These things seem trivial, and the people are more outraged at having to pay taxes to the American government. The military is halted when word arrives that the Tennessee region has organized a heavily-armed militia and will fire upon American troops. The operation is considered a partial success, with the only casualties being a group of thirteen Ohio students who confronted US soldiers at a university in Kent, as part of a larger protest, four of which were killed by gunfire.
Diplomacy: The US works with Cuba in a deal involving arms trade, economic concessions, and diplomatic promises throughout the summer in an effort to thaw relations. Conservatives accuse Nixon of being soft on communism, but he counters that he is trying to coax Cuba to continue its capitalistic reforms, and "help [Castro] understand that America will support the notion of freedom regardless if those who seek it fly red flags or blue." As the year goes on, more deals occur, and eventually the US lowers its embargo and travel restrictions. Castro agrees that the Nixon administration has been fair to Cuba, and has repaired the damage done by previous presidents. A summit scheduled for mid-1971 is expected to finalize a agreement to allow Cuban emigration to the US. Nixon and Kissinger are lauded by Americans for doing what no other Administration could.
NPC Nations:
Black Sea Republic - Allies with Socialista Unito.
Cuba - Begins to repair relations with the United States, allowing emigration to the US in exchange for an end to the American embargo. Thousands of Cubans apply for American visas.
Finland - Begins naval exercises and begins partial mobilization. Requests a nonaggression pact with Baltia.
Germany - Conducts an investigation, searching for proof that sea mines in the Ireland-Scotland gap were laid by German ships. No conclusive evidence is found. Becomes allies with Poland.
Republic of Montreal - Condemns the shooting of unarmed students by American soldiers. Invests in naval infrastructure.
Muscovy - Mobilizes army in response to Baltic military movement. Begins importing the BMP-1 from Russia.
Polish Empire - Allies with Germany. Begins importing the Leopard 1 tank in small numbers to create powerful armored spearheads. The T-54/55 remains the most used tank in the Polish Army.
Roman Federation - Contacts the Iberian Empire in search of an alliance, but is rebuffed. Begins importing the RPG-7 from Muscovy.
Russia - Business booms as parts of Europe gear up for war. State industries employ a large number of workers, leading to rising costs for consumer goods as private competition begins to falter.
Scotland - Angry mob attacks UK diplomats. Protests swell after German boat explodes en-route to Ireland, as the public blames the UK. The border is heavily militarized, and the economy becomes unstable.
Slavic Empire - Attempts to import the BMP-1, but does not close the deal in time for national elections, causing the government to drop the order. Relations are damaged with the Russians.
West Iberian Empire - Fortifications are constructed in Gibraltar, and more money is spent on the navy in response to the closing of the English Channel.
==Turn 2: 1971==
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Nations of the World as of 1971 -and- Their Regions of Influence
overpain - Baltia
Government Type: National Socialism
Current Head of State: "Perkūnas"
Status: Baltia has doubled-down on its march southward, with expansion continuing to be a top priority. The Perkūnas become an ever-present force in public life, cracking down heavily on any signs of dissent and throwing those who question the leader into labor camps. Although the camps are designed to be humane, the residents of Gotland who arrive in some camps spark organized protests, demanding the government permit their emigration to the Greater Nordic Reich. Despite all the worrying news about war on the southern front, some bright patches shine through. Women are allowed to hold any job that men hold, but are paid less in any case that they cannot be as productive. Physical education becomes mandatory in schools, and students are given uplifting messages to aspire to their greatest potential.
Economy: The prices of consumer goods quickly escalate as the country mobilizes for war against the Black Sea Republic. Plans to renovate large chunks of the country's infrastructure are put on hold as the national budget becomes tighter, which is mostly due to a large number of military research projects which have come to dominate the state's attention. The nation compensates by planning large international events, including diplomatic conferences, trade shows, and even the Olympics in order to boost tourism and investments.
Military: A mass draft occurs that forces all men ages 18-20 to take part in military training and become members of the army reserve, at huge expense to the country. In early Spring, the island of Gotland, which was under the influence of Baltia, is suddenly attacked by British and French forces. Following intense napalm and conventional bombing attacks, troops land and seize control of the west side of the island. Baltian special forces land in the east and begin evacuating survivors, providing an escape to roughly 10,000 residents. The rest of the island's population, some 35,000 people, and slaughtered by the British and French. Despite public outrage, Baltia does not declare war, as it defines Gotland as neutral territory. In the south, Baltia clashes with the Black Sea Republic in a stretched offensive that wears thin on supply lines for both sides. Throughout most of the Fall, the two armies are only able to muster enough forces to raid and skirmish against the other, with both sides claiming success in "halting" the others offensive. In the air, however, Baltia's German-built F-4s shoot down a large number of the BSR's Mig-19s, opening up bombing lanes against the enemy's forces in the field. By the end of the year, Baltia has the clear initiative.
Diplomacy: Just after the beginning of the new year, a surprise announcement comes that Baltia has signed a non-aggression pact Czechoslovakia. Months later, sensing a major threat from Muscovy, the Baltic government decides to address the issue by convincing Muscovy that the capture of Minsk is in their favor. Baltia declares war on Muscovy's chief enemy, the Black Sea Republic. The maneuver seems to work, as Muscovy demobilizes after ensuring that territory along Baltia's eastern border is properly under their control. Elsewhere, propaganda efforts in Poland are largely countered by widespread rumors that Baltia allowed British and French warplanes to land in Königsberg before the infamous Gotland attack. The Polish government orders troops man the border with Baltia, but does not mobilize for war. Poland then requests a non-aggression pact. Efforts in Finland are also met with skepticism, but nonetheless a national socialist party is officially recognized by the Finnish government late in the year. Finland's proposal for a non-aggression pact with Baltia is still on the table by the end of the year.
Salricci - Kingdom of Benelux
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Current Head of State: King Willem I
Status: Benelux shows an increasingly healthy economy and positive outlook on the world, and remains one of the best places to live in Europe.
Economy: Shipping companies are told to stop going to port in France to avoid the English channel, and to trust the UK and French navies to guide them to safety. Despite this, the government also lowers charges on international commerce with France and Germany, increasing business with both nations, but draining some revenue from the government. Unemployment notches downward as internationalism becomes the newest media buzzword, and new upstart tech companies become common in Amsterdam.
Military: The military organizes a "wishlist" for government review, prioritizing different technologies that they feel would help protect the independence of the kingdom. The top item on the list is a new anti-tank weapon, followed by land-based anti naval missiles.
Diplomacy: Benelux remains silent about the atrocity in Gotland, upsetting its liberal population but pleasing its business interests.
Satansick - Centralist Berber Alliance
Government Type: Military Dictatorship
Current Head of State: General Ishaq Hannibal
Status: Firmly committed to legitimizing his leadership, Hannibal works with important officials to outline a constitution for the alliance. Although no document is fully approved, the government creates an elected legislature body and confirms a number of offices to serve as an executive branch, lead by Hannibal. Legislature elections are scheduled for 1972, earning praise from democracies throughout Europe.
Economy: While bolstered by recent oil acquisitions, growth in the Alliance has been mostly sustained by greater confidence in the national leadership than at any time in the past. Investments continue to pour in from abroad, especially from the West Iberian Empire. The government works on a new agricultural development program, purchasing numbers of inexpensive crop dusting biplanes and tractors, which are then provided for free under contract with community leaders throughout the country. Although the Alliance is forced to take out loans to accomplish this, it is believed that the increased agricultural output will account for the losses and turn a profit within two years.
Military: The Alliance musters the money needed for all the new military equipment asked for by the army. Russia supplies the Alliance with AKM rifles, Makarov pistols, and RPG-2 rocket launchers. New uniforms and helmets are produced domestically, and army moral surges. The best units are placed along the southern border and are ordered to advance into the deserts known as Algeria during the mid Fall. The sight of an organized army leads most tribal militias in the desert to lay down their arms, but some battles take place over more wealthy areas, as mercenaries hired from abroad attempt to defend large oil refineries. Once the campaign falls into a rhythm, it resembles a 1940s European blitzkrieg. The campaign concludes in mid-December after massive territorial gains.
Diplomacy: By the end of the year, diplomats from the Berber alliance are asked to attend a conference in Lisbon to discuss a free trade agreement. After the leader of the Iberians makes a surprise appearance at the conference, General Hannibal makes his own appearance, and the two leaders are seen discussing matters privately. An alliance is announced shortly after the trade agreement, celebrated by citizens of both nations.
thelurker1234 - Democratic Peoples Republic of The Confederacy
Government Type: Fascist "Democracy"
Current Head of State: Thomas Brown
Status: After the US troops were forced to halt on their advance southward, the assembled militia decided to elect a leader to represent a new southern nation. They chose Thomas Brown, leader of the city-state of Knoxville. Brown, an antisemitic nationalist, immediately ordered his troops to seek out the Jewish population within the states of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky. Just what he intends to do remains to be seen.
Economy: The tax code is unified in order to give breaks to manufacturers, and without city-state boarders and customs, business begins to expand.
Military: Troops are sent to the border to protect against the United States, as well as to ready themselves for expansion into neutral territory.
Diplomacy: Brown sends a bottle of Southern Comfort to the leaders of the UK, France, Nordic Reich, and Baltia.
Damian0358 - Czechoslovak Republic
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: Prime Minister Jan Jaromír
Status: Reaching out to Vienna, the Republic appeals to Austrians to join the growing alliance of democracies throughout Europe to protect their way of life. Although the Austrians would rather be part of Germany, they know that Germany is currently preoccupied with the crisis in Denmark. Vienna joins the Republic, bringing with them several smaller territories. While the government continues to slam Fascism and Nazism as "the worst form of oppression, the worst ideology ever conceived..." city governments join together to plan out evacuation and emergency response plans. Test results from Sparta's ballistic testing program have given Czechoslovakia important experience with dealing with unconventional or even terror attacks.
Economy: Trading primarily with democracies is proving difficult for the Republic, but for now the nation continues to make money, especially with the addition of Vienna.
Military: The army runs increased drills with newer equipment, adopting more modern tactics to ensure the best possible defensive capability.
Diplomacy: A new organization, known as the Slavic Alliance, is formed between Czechoslovakians, the Macedonians, and the Mardylonyeans. The republic also becomes allies with the Spartans, and offers alliance to the Slavic Empire, Muscovy, and the Black Sea Republic. The Slavic Empire accepts, but the latter two worry over gaining a common ally, and do not accept. A non-aggression pact is signed with the Baltians.
Eli45 - Nazi Dictatorship of Northern France
Government Type: Fascist Dictatorship
Current Head of State: Messire Jean Walter
Status: The government of France is now the second-most hated government in the world, thanks to its unwarranted attack on the defenseless people of Gotland. However, inside its borders, conditions are surprisingly improving, with economic and civil freedoms very slowly rising.
Economy: Prisoners in work camps are allowed to return to the cities during the daylight hours to work in specialized factories. The work camps themselves are also improved to be more humane. The end result is higher productivity and optimism that quality of life will improve for everyone. Infrastructure is improved around Paris to help accommodate greater amounts of international commerce and tourism.
Military: The French military deploys with the UK to assault the Baltic island of Gotland, leading with Flamant II bombers and other aircraft. After firebombing the undefended island, allied troops storm the beaches and kill any survivors, taking no prisoners. This move is nearly universally condemned. Elsewhere, troops seize control of the city of Bordeaux after reports of unpunished murders of Nazi party members by anarchists. The people are treated with respect and few shots are fired. The Dassault Mirage V becomes France's main interceptor and fighter, after about six years of development and production. A new fighter project named Mirage 2000 is announced which will eventually replace it. The Flamant II project is finished, with specifications now calling for 88 passengers, three 22mm guns, a 105mm howitzer, and a bomb capacity of nine 500 pound warheads. Blueprints for this craft are sent to allies and production begins in time for the Gotland attack. The FDR.I project continues with the addition of rails, a lighter barrel, and a change of round to the 5.56 NATO. Work is started on a new reconnaissance UAV called the Insecte de Foudre de Walter, IFW for short. The craft is planned to reach speeds just under the speed of sound for slightly more than an hour.
Diplomacy: Paris becomes the new capital of France, and diplomats receive new offices in the city. Efforts are made to improve relations with Benelux.
Ruskie - Most Serene Republic of Iceland
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: President Kristján Eldjárn
Status: Iceland's rise as a nation continues with a foreign policy victory in Greenland and an expanding economy.
Economy: Trade is expanded in Greenland, Scotland, Germany, and the city-state of Oslo, but trade with Scotland is canceled after dockworkers seize a large trade ship originally docked for refueling. With Scotland's economy in shambles, Iceland suspends trade to avoid further incident. Trade with Germany and Oslo goes much better, and gives those nations an excuse to avoid the English channel by sailing north around Britain. Banking law is reformed to provide greater privacy to clients, encouraging banks to set up offices in the Republic. A company in Iceland produces the first successful hand-held calculator using university research into microchips.
Military: A new branch of the military is created- the Icelandic Militia. Residents throughout the Republic are given army-issued weapons and are required to receive training for their use. Radar stations are constructed all over the island to give early warning of an enemy attack after horrifying reports of civilian slaughter in Gotland.
Diplomacy: Iceland issues a proposal to incorporate Greenland into the Republic, which, when combined with international efforts to pressure the people to avoid the Nazis, succeeds in swaying the residents of Godthåb to remain democratic. A referendum to join Iceland is scheduled for 1972. The city of Oslo is receptive to the Icelandic cause, but the city is primarily nationalist-leaning, and is more interested in the ideals of national socialism.
Broguts - Alexandrian Macedonia
Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
Current Head of State: King Aleksandar Akhileus
Status: With everything running smoothly, Macedonia continues to move closer to modern technology and higher living conditions.
Economy: Having spent a great deal of money in the previous year, Macedonia decides to take it easy and allow for revenue to catch up.
Military: Guerrilla warfare tactics are researched, leading to a new cavalry division created using special forces. These cavalry scouts are much faster than infantry, but much harder to track than aircraft and APCs. Research into "armor" turns out to be a simple flak jacket which quickly goes into production.
Diplomacy: Macedonia becomes a member of the Slavic Alliance at the same time it allies with the Socialista Unito, greatly expanding its diplomatic influence. The kingdom also accepts a deal with the Spartans to exchange some ethnically Greek land in the south for a naval base in Sparta.
Flag unavailable
IPK - Mardylonyea Union
Government Type: Democratic Communism
Current Head of the State: Slavman Grugmaryn
Status: Bucharest joins the Union after hearing about the fate of Minsk, and after witnessing the improvement of infrastructure on the Black Sea. Some areas along the southern border are placed under increased pressure to recognize the new government, forcing them to join the nation. Still, things are remarkably peaceful.
Economy: With growing connections to the rest of the world, economically prosperous cities are given less funding by the government to free more money up, which is then reinvested in poorer areas. Infrastructure is improved throughout.
Military: A new training doctrine teaches soldiers to settle disputes and prevent unnecessary violence. Troops now fashion themselves peacekeepers, and voluntary participation in the armed forces increases.
Diplomacy: The Union joins Macedonia and Czechoslovakia in the Slavic Alliance.
KnightVista - Greater Nordic Reich
Government Type: National Socialist
Current Head of State: Aran Eckstrom
Status: A new nation, the Nordic Reich was formed by Nazi party members who had previously been rejected for their political beliefs. Rallying behind their new national leader, Eckstrom, the Reich believes in an inclusive Scandinavian ideal, and hope to one day control the entirety of Sweden, Norway, and Finland.
Economy: The Nordic peoples have been doing business in the same manner for centuries. Oil, wood, and produce are the chief exports, and will continue to be until a true government can be formed.
Military: No actions are taken by the Reich's military this year.
Diplomacy: The Reich remains neutral this year.
LobsterPastry - Socialista Unito
Government Type: Theocratic Communism
Current Head of State: King Fuhrer Enrico Berlinguer
Status: Speeches, propaganda, and international politics continue in southern Italy, but overall, not much happens this year. Still, citizens have an sense that something big is about to happen.
Economy: A large highway project begins in the north of the country, and runs down the west coast of Italy to ports in the south, before looping around up the east coast. This project is made known to every citizen, with propaganda photo shoots abound and much ceremony every time the highway reaches a major city. Construction is expected to continue for two more years.
Military: Possibly inspired by Macedonian research, the military begins work on developing guerrilla tactics specifically designed for Mediterranean warfare.
Diplomacy: An alliance is formed with the Macedonians. The Union strikes a deal with the Roman Federation to allow small amounts of tourists to see the other side of Italy.
Zambies! - Spartan Republic
Government Type: Democracy
Current Head of State: Spártakos
Status: Mental health care laws are restructured to help citizens deal with family members suffering from many conditions, including PTSD.
Economy: Sparta expands its subsidy program for expanding business in the Bosphorous and the Nile, increasing influence abroad.
Military: With threats increasing abroad, Sparta sends a thousand elite soldiers along with a small detachment of fighter aircraft to Bratislava, in Czechoslovakia. Five helicopters are seen arriving at the naval research station near Iceland. War games are held on Crete to simulate defense against an amphibious invasion. A new bomber project is rumored to be in the works in Muscovy, so the Spartans schedule a meeting. Five of the upcoming Tu-22M bombers are ordered for the following year.
Diplomacy: Sparta allies with Czechoslovakia. The Republic also annexes part of southern Macedonia in exchange for allowing the Macedonians to construct a naval base in southern Greece.
KriegsMar1ne - United Kingdom
Government Type : National Socialism
Current Head of State: Sir Charles Lancewright
Status: Now the most hated government in the world, the UK has seized multiple territories in the last year, and is one of two nations responsible for the slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians on the island of Gotland. Inside the country, however, news of the attack is largely covered up, or often referred to as an exercise. With the public blissfully unaware of their country's recent attacks, they have time for more important things- such as demanding even greater separation between the races. A new addition to the justice system is a series of labor camps, built to hold a steady trickle of dissidents that always seem to be an annoyance.
Economy: Large infrastructure is the main concern of the government this year, making additions to airports, roadways, and rail lines to keep the economy growing. After a particularly thick smog settled over a small town south of Manchester and killed a young girl, public concerns about pollution begin to rise. The government responds by putting money into hydroelectric dams and solar turbine power plants, which boosts public support for the government.
Military: New processors imported from Baltia are used to create a successful digital tageting system, although the new device is slightly too large to be used in an aircraft-deployed missile. Instead, a new weapon, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, is seen launching out of Britain much akin to the German V-1 rocket. During the early months of the year, the British launch six of these new "V-8" Rockets, out of which half end in catastrophic failure. Despite the risk, high command is granted permission to use the new weapon against Gotland in the first few hours of "Operation Scorched Island". The missile carries a 12.5 ton explosive into an arc over the North Sea, but breaks up in mid-flight, nearly dropping the bomb on the Greater Nordic Reich. A second test is scheduled much later in the year, firing the rocket toward a target in the Arctic circle, which it hits. British troops land on Gotland with French assistance and slaughter the survivors of the initial onslaught, and the island is occupied by allied forced. For the sake of simplicity, Gotland is considered a British possession. At the same time, the UK invades the Danish islands of Zealand and Amager, seizing control of Copenhagen in the process. Although the islanders are treated fairly by the military, mass fear strikes the Danish peninsula that a larger-scale invasion is on the way, and that another slaughter may be coming. They plan on joining Germany. Research on an experimental UAV is halted, and instead new projects, such as a larger, stronger, and faster tank, a ground attack support aircraft, and a new type of tank armor. Late in the year, a British cruiser strikes a sea mine outside of Portsmouth Harbor in Hampshire, England.
Diplomacy: A ship of the Scottish Guard manages to detect and recover a sea mine from the same area as the one that destroyed a German passenger ship. Once recovered, the bomb is disarmed, disassembled, and found to be recently-machined, constructed with numerous inaccuracies, and packed with the wrong type of explosives for its time. The Scottish government sends these findings to Germany, which affirms that the mine was not constructed in Germany. A speech calling for peace, held by Robert IX, ceremonial King of England, is forced to cancel due to widespread rioting in Scotland. The UK attempts to ally with the West Iberian Empire, but the Iberians refuse to talk about an alliance while there are still mines in the English Channel.
Diago21 - United States
Government Type - Democratic Republic
Current Head of State: President Richard Nixon
Status: The president of the United States is under fire for pushing a new military plan that doesn't make sense to most of the nation, and congress is criticized for supporting a it. America attempts to launch its first satellite from a special launch complex in Virginia, but the rocket explodes on the pad. The event is televised in classrooms across the country, and a poll taken at the end of the year shows that students do not believe the government when it says that a man could reach the Moon in their lifetime. A second launch at the end of the year goes better, reaching space before releasing a small satellite into orbit. America I, as it is called, becomes the world's first artificial satellite, and is used to study the radiation and temperatures experienced in outer space.
Economy: Optimism increases over the space program as it is revealed that the second rocket was assembled at a low enough cost to make satellites profitable for television transmission. New companies spring up to produce satellite equipment.
Military: Nixon begins the new year by announcing a new military defense program that is intended to protect the US against any surprise attack. This program involves arranging troops into defensive formations around all major populated areas, but also requires civilian housing be used for military purposes. This is immediately challenged by a New Yorker who's house is needed for the program, who sues Nixon on the basis of the 3rd Amendment. The lower courts all defer the case to higher courts, in effect fast-tracking the bill to the Supreme Court, which rejects Nixon's plan under Judicial Review, ruling it unconstitutional. A second version of the plan is presented that requests the owners' permission for the use of their houses. The bill passes in congress, but the military has difficulty getting permission to quarter troops in civilian homes during peacetime.
Diplomacy: The Nazi nations of Europe are warned: do not enter the Americas.
NPC Nations:
Black Sea Republic - Goes to war against Baltia. Despite a very small front line, suffers major losses due to the loss of air superiority.
Cuba - Continues to thaw relations with the US, opening up more trade.
Finland - Horrified by the attack on Gotland, Finland nearly declares war on the UK and France, but decides against it.
Germany - Closes off diplomatic channels with the UK after proof is found that sea mines in the Irish/Scottish gap were not German, and likely British instead. Prepares to annex the Danish peninsula.
Republic of Montreal - Business as usual.
Muscovy - Fortifies border with Baltia, sets plans to have a diplomatic summit in 1972 to work out problems.
Polish Empire - Condemns the attack on Gotland and the seizure of Copenhagen.
Roman Federation - Improves relations with Socialista Unito.
Russia - Supplies arms and gets all the dosh.
Scotland - With an economy near collapse, Scotland may or may not be responsible for the planting of a sea mine outside a British port. Troops on the border are visibly steaming with rage.
Slavic Empire - Becomes allies with Czechoslovakia.
West Iberian Empire - Becomes allies with Centralist Berber Alliance.
==Turn 3: 1972==
Post link: http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1235905&p=39283132&viewfull=1#post39283132
Nations of the World as of 1972 -and- Their Regions of Influence
overpain - Baltia
Government Type: National Socialism
Current Head of State: "Perkūnas"
Status: Gotland survivors are given better working conditions in the labor camps, and are told that in 7-15 years, they will be given full Baltian citizenship. Propaganda is spread to defame the Black Sea Republic, and later, Sparta. The public is furious over chemical weapons attack, and volunteers flock to recruitment stations.
Economy: Olympic games are held in Vilnius, and all of Lithuania is open for tourists to explore, generating a positive reputation for Baltia's brand of Nazi government. Oil is pumped from the ocean, and the first personal computers are exported priced at several thousand dollars a piece. Military research is reduced, reassuring investors and driving growth.
Military: The year begins with a change in strategy. "Perkuno Inirsis," an ambush-style double encirclement maneuver, is used to trap the Black Sea Republic's final armor-lead offensive into southern Belarus inside large minefields surrounded by easily-maintained vantage points. Once anti-tank crews arrive from the rear, the BSR troops are cut off from gasoline supplies, run out of fuel, and quickly surrender, leaving many armored vehicles undamaged, in Baltian hands. Sparta enters the war with an air campaign against Baltian command and control, using radar-sensitive equipment to destroy listening stations and radio emission detection to destroy communications centers, and are highly-successful despite heavy losses in aircraft. The Baltians, undeterred, switch to shortwave radio, but are forced to communicate in an ad-hoc system rather than the infrastructure they are used to using. With unit response times temporarily doubled, Sparta exploits the weakness by deploying their recently-delivered Tu-22M bombers, equipped with short-range missiles filled with VX nerve gas. The Baltian troops are not equipped to receive a chemical weapons attack, but are often protected by the hidden-nature of their deployment. Unfortunately, with radar and communications systems heavily damaged, Baltian air support is often distracted by Spartan and BSR interceptors, and the bombing campaign results in horrific losses. By the end of the week, communications are fully restored, and gas-masks, medical supplies, and hazard suits are provided, but only after more than sixty thousand Baltian soldiers (roughly 10% of the nation's armed forces) are killed. The UK and France both declare war on Sparta and the Black Sea Republic, and send troops to reinforce the badly-battered front lines. A planned offensive against the BSR and a response to Sparta's attack is delayed until new technology becomes available in 1973.
Diplomacy: After Sparta's devastating "Operation Snowdrift" attack, a conference in Vilnius is held, with diplomats from many nations attending. Finland and Poland reissue their offer of a nonaggression pact, which Baltia accepts. Finland decries the use of chemical weapons in warfare and offers to send medical supplies to the Baltian front line. Muscovy questions Baltia's cooperation with the Western Powers after the Gotland attack, and refuses to sign a nonaggression pact, nor will they stop supplying bombers to the Spartans. However, they offer to help finish off the Black Sea Republic using their own air support, which Baltia immediately accepts. A free trade agreement with Muscovy is also signed.
Salricci - Kingdom of Benelux (SKIPPED)
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Current Head of State: King Willem I
Satansick - Centralist Berber Alliance
Government Type: Military Dictatorship
Current Head of State: General Ishaq Hannibal
Status: The Alliance introduces a unified code of civil law, which is used to establish a circuit court system throughout its new territories. Tribal leaders throughout northern Africa are warned that the National Socialists in Europe are dangerous and expansionist powers, and that the Alliance is necessary to protect and improve the African way of life.
Economy: Iberian engineers claim that the uranium in the hills of Algeria can be used for medicine and power generation, and assist the Alliance in creating a large scale mining operation. The supply of mined uranium is placed in storage, with some exported to Iberia for study. Other minerals mined are exported internationally to balance the cost of the operation. Rail lines are built connecting major cities along the coast line, allowing for freight to be shipped from the west into Tunisia, which helps spur market growth as the Straight of Gibraltar becomes overloaded with slow-moving cargo ships waiting to clear the quarantine, customs, and blockade.
Military: The Alliance imports several jet fighter aircraft for trial use. The countries that supply the aircraft are dismayed to learn that the jets have been disassembled and reassembled. By the end of the year, reverse-engineered jets are spotted flying over the Sahara.
Diplomacy: The Alliance and Iberia work together to create a naval quarantine, which refuses to allow military vessels to enter or leave the Mediterranean. The UK is permitted to install a naval blockade in the Atlantic just outside of the quarantine to prevent merchant shipping headed to or from the BSR or Sparta from crossing through the Straight. Finally, the quarantine is also used to collect a toll from ships headed through the straight, which generates revenue for both states.
thelurker1234 - Democratic Peoples Republic of The Confederacy (SKIPPED)
Government Type: Fascist "Democracy"
Current Head of State: Thomas Brown
Damian0358 - Czechoslovak Republic
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: Prime Minister Jan Jaromír
Status: Czechoslovakian schools begin teaching other Slavic languages, and other nations are encouraged to do the same to encourage pan-Slavism. A jazz festival in Prague leads to a musical craze, and thousands of young people take up the saxophone.
Economy: Czechoslovakia commits itself to picking up the slack trade that has affected the entire Mediterranean. Some taxes are waived to allow trucking and rail transport to handle the extra load, resulting in a solid gain for the second half of the year.
Military: The military digs in along the border, not wanting any surprises this year. Although not involved in the war to the east, Czechoslovakia keeps an eye on France and Baltia just in case undue retaliation comes toward Prague. A detachment is sent to the Slavic Empire to help them annex a small section of the coastline on the Adriatic Sea. In exchange, the Slavic Empire agrees to expand its alliance with Czechoslovakia into membership in the Slavic Alliance.
Diplomacy: Poland, still anxious about the intelligence it received during the Gotland attack, joins the Slavic Alliance, and is followed shortly by Russia. Several small territories on the eastern border are annexed after Budapest agrees to join the Republic.
Eli45 - Nazi Dictatorship of Northern France
Government Type: Fascist Dictatorship
Current Head of State: Messire Jean Walter
Status: With a government focused mostly on selling its ideology to the public, patriotism is on the rise in France. The people feel proud to support Baltia in the face of an unjust attack by Sparta, and schoolchildren mock kids on the playground who question whether their government is "good" or not. The government uses a bit of spare money to invest in the sciences just for the good of humanity- researching the various "holes" in the periodic table and seeking to find the elements that are missing.
Economy: An equal rights decree is passed, ensuring that white women will have the same rights as white men. Both are now allowed to own private business, generating quite a bit of buzz for the market. Productivity notches up.
Military: A good chunk of the ground forces are sent to reinforce the battered Baltians on the front with the Black Sea Republic. They are equipped with the FDR.I rifle, which has not yet seen combat but is expected to perform well. The Mirage V is utilized to intercept Spartan Tu-22Ms and their escorts, largely averting what could have been a costly attack. Later, French jets damage the Spartan aircraft carrier and force it to relocate east. About 8,000 French citizens, mostly soldiers, are killed during the brief Spartan attack. Due to this performance and its capability to save lives, the government removes funding from the IFW budget and reinvests it into the Mirage 2000, which is now expected to be ready before the end of the 1970s.
Diplomacy: War is declared on the BSR, followed by Sparta after the latter attacks Baltia. France claims that Sparta has begun an unnecessary and costly conflict, and pleads with Czechoslovakia to stay neutral to prevent any more pointless killings. France also seeks a nonaggression pact with Benelux, but no answer is received before the end of the year.
Ruskie - Most Serene Republic of Iceland
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: President Kristján Eldjárn
Status: The referendum to annex Greenland easily passes, and the new territory is welcomed into the Republic. At home, a new organization, called the Internal Counter-Espionage Group, is founded to protect state and industrial secrets.
Economy: Trade is increased with the new world, especially Nova Scotia, and preferred trade status with Germany helps Iceland expand its trade network even further. Research into computer technology is helping engineers in Reykjavík design the world's best automated production lines, including some that involve robotic arrays to help produce and package products. Iceland now has a disproportionately large industrial capacity.
Military: Following the Spartan attack on Baltia, the Icelandic government seizes all Spartan state-owned property along the shoreline, and sends the IC-EG to take control of the Spartan weather research station. The Spartans currently occupying the structure are arrested for espionage and will eventually see military trial.
Diplomacy: Germany and Montreal are both contacted and asked to help aid the cause of Democracy worldwide. Iceland proposes preferred trade status among those three nations to help create a strong shipping lane over the UK, to which they agree.
Broguts - Alexandrian Macedonia(SKIPPED)
Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
Current Head of State: King Aleksandar Akhileus
Flag unavailable
IPK - Mardylonyea Union
Government Type: Democratic Communism
Current Head of the State: Slavman Grugmaryn
Status: The government announces new political reforms, promising to allow free elections in 1973. The people are thrilled, especially in the poorer parts of the country, as they feel that representative government will secure their recent gains with even more economic improvement.
Economy: Private enterprise is allowed to some extent, but corporations are limited on the amount of employees they can hire, to prevent large sections of the public from becoming dependent on a small group's private interests. Industry expands throughout, especially the ever-expanding weapons market, and the government subsidizes expansion into the less prosperous regions to aid with unemployment.
Military: Further plans for expansion are cancelled, and the soldiers dig into their current positions. It is said to be an exercise to ensure that all units would be prepared to defend the country after expanding further into new territory.
Diplomacy: Geographic plans are drawn to divide the Balkans among the Slavic Alliance, which now includes the Slavic Empire. Although this is intended to facilitate an annexation of the territory, the people within the gap feel exploited by their powerful neighbors' posturing, and many wish for an independent state. Nevertheless, some territory is annexed.
KnightVista - Greater Nordic Reich (SKIPPED)
Government Type: National Socialist
Current Head of State: Aran Eckstrom
LobsterPastry - Socialista Unito
Government Type: Theocratic Communism
Current Head of State: King Fuhrer Luigi Mariotti
Status: Luigi Mariotti defeats Enrico Berlinguer in one-on-one combat by impaling the latter with a spear. He is crowned leader of the Union. He proclaims that the previous leader had misinterpreted the ideal of communism, and that the country was not yet a worker's utopia as it was previously implied.
Economy: International banks are questioning the Union's ability to pay for its big infrastructure and centralized economy while productivity continues to fall year after year. Most of the citizens within the nation are unaware that their country is close to defaulting. The highway project continues throughout the year, with cities celebrating their connection to the roadway at each off-ramp.
Military: The military is further expanded with greater numbers of troops, but there is not enough equipment to support the number of men now employed by the armed forces.
Diplomacy: The government blames the Roman Federation for its financial troubles, denouncing them for creating a stranglehold on the south's economy. The Romans respond by cancelling the tourism agreement agreed upon the previous year, and attempts to expel any of the south's tourists. Strangely, many of them are missing.
Zambies! - Spartan Republic
Government Type: Democracy
Current Head of State: Spártakos
Status: Sparta is in full war-readiness, with production at a minimum and daily life highly disrupted. The news of chemical attacks excites and worries the citizens, because while they are happy to know that they have an advantage over the world, they are disturbed to think of what will happen when the enemy gains such weapons.
Economy: The government takes direct control of all supplies in Athens to keep production up and to help with cleanup and reconstruction after missile attacks. Elsewhere, factories run at low-capacity due to most of their workers being called to service. The nation uses its national reserves to prevent debt from being instantly accumulated, and the country is expected to be self-sustaining for 5 years.
Military: Sparta declares war on Baltia, and is declared war on by France and the UK. Operation "Radio Star" begins, using specially-equipped radar and radio emission-detecting equipment to attack communications, command and control in Baltia, followed by Operation "Snowdrift," which sees the first usage of VX gas in warfare. Airfields and concentrations of soldiers are attacked along the Baltian/BSR front, killing more than 60,000 Baltian troops. The success is largely due to the difficulty the Baltians experience communicating after Radio Star, and the lack of gas masks, hazard suits, and medical supplies for chemical attack along the front. Since the attack is only possible with support from Sparta's sole aircraft carrier, the attack on France comes two weeks after the first attacks on Baltia, and by that time France is well-prepared, shooting down several bombers en-route and preventing a shut-down of communications, preventing most of the gas attack. 8,000 soldiers are eventually killed by VX in France. Sparta's military, fully-entrenched in the Balkans, see no counter attack from either nation because of the closure of the Straight of Gibraltar. The UK makes up the bulk of the response, utilizing conventional-explosive ICBMs against Athens to kill over 20,000 people, and the attacks don't seem to be slowing as the new year begins.
Diplomacy: The government expected the war to be much faster and more intense, and are now unsure of how to handle a long-term conflict. Diplomats are rumored to be working with the United Kingdom to find a route to peace.
KriegsMar1ne - United Kingdom
Government Type : National Socialism
Current Head of State: Sir Charles Lancewright
Status: The UK continues to manage a powerful and growing empire, and has not yet encountered a serious obstacle to its progress, with the exception of an ill-timed quarantine of the Mediterranean that is preventing British and French troops from invading the Spartan Republic. To the north, Scotland, the UK's old enemy, is in financial and civil chaos, with no government in session and no control over the military. If the UK intends to annex Scotland, the appropriate time is at hand.
Economy: Infrastructure, medicine, and green technologies occupy the government's time, and are invested into. This is payed for using the new trade lines with Copenhagen. Business grows slowly but steadily, with investors fearful of what might happen in the coming months, due to the war and the chaos across the border to the north.
Military: War is declared on Sparta over their chemical weapons attack on Baltia. A blockade is placed outside the straight of Gibraltar, which sinks several Spartan trade ships en route to safe harbors in the Mediterranean. New ballistics testing begins, seeking bunker-penetrating warheads, with prototype "thermobaric" bombs showing great promise. Conventional-warhead ICBMS are launched at Athens and Odessa, with a high degree of accuracy in both cases, thanks to data retrieved from the Gotland attack and the Arctic tests. A large array of new technology is experimented with, including an artificial material called "Kevlar" which can be used for lightweight personal protection, and advanced radar and sonar systems. A new fighter aircraft design begins in the early drafting stages.
Diplomacy: Iceland is warned not to pursue annexation of Oslo or the rest of Norway, and while the government is silent, tradesmen comply. UK trade vessels become dominant in Oslo, spreading British influence there. The UK attempts to buy Gibraltar from the Iberians, but the offer is declined. Efforts to find a deal go nowhere, as the Iberians are collecting a lot of money from the Straight and are not willing to give it up for anything.
Diago21 - United States
Government Type - Democratic Republic
Current Head of State: President Richard Nixon
Status: After a slew of increasingly insane executive orders, Nixon and Agnew are crushed in the 1972 presidential election by Hubert Humphrey and George McGovern.
Economy: Increased military spending cuts into the NASA budget, but a satellite is launched late in the year that is intended to be recovered after 4 months. NASA claims that a manned mission will come in 1973, followed by a Moon mission in 1975. Few believe them.
Military: The military bulldozes most of the trees in Central Park to make room for New York City's new army base. Thousands protest their efforts are some are arrested trying to prevent the park from being destroyed. Troops expand territory further west and dig in along the southern border. Washing DC is made into a virtual fortress, and citizens are given special ID tags that must be present to enter and leave the city. Following the arrival of Baltic assistance, the United States invades the confederacy. Since there is no War Powers Act on the books, Nixon is free to lead his troops as Commander in Chief. The Carolina coastline is invaded amphibiously, and the ill-prepared southerners fall back to Tennessee. A second prong of the attack clears the southerners from Kentucky.
Diplomacy: Efforts to ally with Montreal and Cuba are shot down as Nixon appears highly unstable. An alliance with Baltia is picked up instead, but it is unclear whether the US will join the war in the east at this time.
NPC Nations:
Black Sea Republic - Suffers extraordinary losses at the hands of Baltia, and is now in a hasty retreat to its own borders. Barely enough power is left to defend the country.
Cuba - Business as usual.
Finland - Nazism is rising in popularity, and support for Baltia is gaining ground.
Germany - Germany annexes the Danish peninsula and agrees to trade with Iceland to help democracy survive in northern Europe.
Republic of Montreal - Influences the area of Maine and increases trade with Iceland. Quietly celebrates as Nixon is defeated in the presidential election.
Muscovy - Agrees to send air support to the Baltians in their fight against the BSR, but not against Sparta.
Polish Empire - Joins the Slavic Alliance and agrees to a nonaggression pact with Baltia.
Roman Federation - Closes off tourism with the Socialista Unito.
Russia - Increasingly dependent on arms trade, Russia joins the Slavic Alliance to ensure a strong demand.
Scotland - With unemployment skyrocketing into the 30% range and the government totally bankrupt due to several years of extremely poor trade and high military readiness, Scotland descends into anarchy (Defeated).
Slavic Empire - Annexes small territory near Roman ROI, joins the Slavic Alliance.
West Iberian Empire - Uses military troops to peacefully expand along the southern coast of Spain, and begins to plan economy around Gibraltar taxes.
==Turn 4: 1973==
thumb|right|270px|Turn musicPost link: http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1235905&p=39373267&viewfull=1#post39373267
Nations of the World as of 1973 -and- Their Regions of Influence
overpain - Baltia
Government Type: National Socialism
Current Head of State: "Perkūnas"
Status: Learning a harsh lesson in preparation, Baltia quickly distributes gas masks to the military and civilians alike, and trains them on how to use them. Throughout the year, drills are held to ensure that casualties would be minimal in the event of another attack, but no such attack occurs. The people breathe a sigh of relief as it appears that Baltia is winning its wars. Gun laws are relaxed, and the public begins to arm itself in the spirit of a powerful, united nation. However, this image is temporarily disrupted when students from Tallinn University take control of the campus in protest of the containment of Gotland survivors in labor camps. They eventually are peacefully dispersed with some arrested.
Economy: Business and civil engineering are boosted by Baltia's success in the war to the south. Lithuania is transformed into an arts and entertainment capital of Europe, and is largely a showcase of everything positive to come from Baltia. Polluting factories and other unpleasant industries are moved to Estonia and Belarus, while Latvia largely becomes a military state, where most of the nation's army will live and work while not on deployment.
Military: With reinforcements and chemical survival equipment delivered, the Baltians resume their offensive against the Black Sea Republic. The BSR has had more than a month of preparation time, and are able to conduct a fighting retreat toward Kiev, keeping their strongest forces on the far flanks of the line in preparation to encircle the Baltians if they attempt to take the city. When the attack comes, the BSR discovers at the last moment that reinforcements from France and the UK have greatly improved the Western Alliance's air coverage, and the counterattack is canceled. A rapid redeployment to the Kiev Oblast is interrupted by well-coordinated breaches in the line by the Zaibo Rykste, allowing the city to be largely overrun by troops airlifted in by helicopter. Attempts to relocate air-command deeper into the country are thrown into disarray by deep-reaching Muscovite bombers. The BSR's request for a ceasefire is ignored, and Baltia drives deep into the country, ensuring that any peace negotiation would happen on Baltia's terms. After said agreement is signed, Baltia is allowed military access to the remaining unoccupied territory. An amphibious attack is attempted against Sparta during the night during mid-November, but attempts to create a beachhead are repulsed. Instead, ICBM missiles designed by the UK are seen in production in Baltia. Casualties throughout the year are low, with combined losses totaling about 9% of available troops after regaining 6% from the previous year, giving a net strength of 87%.
Diplomacy: When Baltia finally opens negotiation with the Black Sea Republic, the latter is so badly overwhelmed that the option of unconditional surrender is palatable. However, in a surprising turn of events, the city of Odessa announces autonomy from the BSR, claiming to be heavily armed and organized enough to direct a competent defense. A treaty is finalized in mid-September, which will cede all territory outside of the city-state of Odessa to Baltia, while the former intends to be annexed by Mardylonye instead, all to take effect January 1st, 1974. Baltia accepts France's proposal of a ban on biological weapons. A non-proliferation peace conference is scheduled for the following year, intended to outlaw all forms of WMD. A positive reaction from neighboring nations is strong, and Poland moves to completely demobilize. Baltia becomes allies with Finland after the latter signs a nonaggression pact with Muscovy.
Satansick - Centralist Berber Alliance
Government Type: Military Dictatorship
Current Head of State: General Ishaq Hannibal
Status: The government announces an initiative to develop a law of succession, allowing a man who is properly qualified for office to take leadership of the country in the event of General Hannibal suffering an untimely death. A national bank is formed to legitimize currency exchanges and trade agreements, and solidify long-term finances. The public begins to protest the ongoing struggle for more territory, upset that the growing pool of national resources aren't being used to improve quality of life as much as was promised.
Economy: Despite unrest, the Alliance is expanding its economy in almost every direction. Investors previously interested in the Balkans are now becoming more interested in African ventures. The city of Triploi experiences an explosion of the arts and tourism as northern Africa begins to become a popular tourism site.
Military: The army enters Tunisia in a slow advance, using forward scouts to warn the city states of their approach. Tunisia welcomes them with open arms, allowing them to progress all the way to Tripoli in western Libya. Here, however, the scouts are warned that the rest of Libya is simmering with resentment of other, more prosperous nations in North Africa, and are advised not to progress further. During operations over Tunisia, two Alliance jet-fighter prototypes crash in during practice maneuvers. Both pilots survive, and the data collected from the flight black-boxes are sent back to further refine the remaining prototypes. The first military-grade jets are expected by 1975.
Diplomacy: A research agreement is signed with the West Iberian empire, allowing both to research uranium for power applications, as well as possible industrial and military uses for radiation.
thelurker1234 - Democratic Peoples Republic of The Confederacy
Government Type: Fascist "Democracy"
Current Head of State: Thomas Brown
Status: After a year of chaos, the Confederate government has relocated further south and has regained control of the facets of government. The Jews, still held in internment camps, are informed that they will be allowed to leave the country, and a ten-day ceasefire is achieved along a large stretch of the Virginia border to facilitate the mass exodus. The Confederate military seethes with rage when many of them turn up in the South again, as soldiers in the American army.
Economy: Century Telephone Enterprises, a communications company contracted by the Confederate military, stumbles onto a scientific breakthrough while searching for a way to encode secret messages. A line of text, saved as computer code, is broken into packets and sent from the encoder to a corresponding decoder elsewhere in the building. Realizing the potential on their hands, the company begins work simultaneously on a civilian version that can be used to move information across continents. They patent their invention as the "Inter-Net."
Military: The Confederates regroup along a relatively stable front line stretching from central Kentucky to the coast of South Carolina. At the unit level, however, the war is far from a "front," instead small groups of Confederate infantry penetrate the enemy line, cause havoc, and then seemingly disappear. These guerrilla tactics infuriate the Americans, and it results in greater usage of air-power. US helicopters clash with Confederate mortar teams. An influx of arms imported from abroad help the fledgling nation hold onto its territory, and little changes throughout the year.
Diplomacy: Diplomats are sent to Europe to ensure that the Confederacy will be present at major diplomatic summits, further legitimizing their cause.
Eli45 - Nazi Dictatorship of Northern France
Government Type: Fascist Dictatorship
Current Head of State: Messire Jean Walter
Status: The government of France remains mysterious as ever as its military expands its weapons manufacturing programs considerably. Spartan chemical attacks have only brought the people of France together.
Economy: Industry is heavily linked with Benelux, lifting the latter out of its recession, and France's military industrial complex jolts to life, although experts cannot tell why there is sudden need for more weaponry. Gas masks are produced in great numbers, and civilians and military units are provided with the life-saving tool.
Military: In a joint operation with the UK, the damaged Spartan aircraft carrier is spotted off the shore of southern France and is sunk using anti-shipping missiles launched from bombers escorted by intercepts, the latter of which utilizing a mid-air refueling over the coastline. French citizens celebrate the moral-lifting attack. Research on the Mirage 2000 speeds up, with the first units expected to become available in 1977. The AMX 30 is retrofitted for crew survival during chemical or biological attack.
Diplomacy: France destroys all assets of its previously-secret biological weapons program, and requests that other nations do the same. The bio weapons ban is a major success, and the following countries have signed the its terms: Northern France, Sparta, United Kingdom, Baltia, and West Slavia, with Benelux currently debating signing it.
*Signed states shall dismantle any current biological weapons and shall stop any further research of biological weapons.
*Signed states shall stop construction of biological weapons at once.
*Signed states shall destroy biological weapons in a way that does not harm the environment.
Ruskie - Most Serene Republic of Iceland
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: President Kristján Eldjárn
Status: The Republic has its hands full with a diplomatic mess in Scotland, but is one of the most economically successful nations in Europe.
Economy: Iceland markets its own personal computer to compete with those sold by the Baltians. The Icelandic units are more advanced, but slightly more expensive, making them the preferred choice for business executives.
Military: Iceland offers to buy small naval vessels and jet-fighters from whatever nation will sell them. Montreal ends up selling two used destroyers, and Muscovy negotiates a contract to sell Su-15 and Su-17 aircraft in moderate numbers each year.
Diplomacy: Iceland struggles to deal with an influx of Scottish troops and refugees that abandoned their nation when the English entered their country. Hotels are appropriated for temporary use, and many citizens are fast-tracked through immigration to move to Montreal or Germany.
Flag unavailable
IPK - Mardylonyea Union
Government Type: Democratic Communism
Current Head of the State: Slavman Grugmaryn
Status: National elections are held, and Slavman Grugmaryn is overwhelmingly reelected, thanks to his popularity among the middle and lower classes. However, the west is highly distraught that the quality of life throughout the more wealthy areas of the country is falling, and no changes in government policy are foreseen. Psychologists file an official complaint after the suicide rate doubles over two years.
Economy: In an effort to compete with Russia and Muscovy, a new factory is built in the east to produce a large number of small arms weaponry, as well as a well-guarded ballistics test site for experimental weaponry.
Military: Troops move into the neutral zone to establish a direct connection with the West Slavians. For the first time ever, Mardylonyean troops meet and greet with their allies in the west.
Diplomacy: After the fall of the Black Sea Republic to Baltia, Odessa breaks off from its former nation and asks to join the Union instead. They will be annexed on January 1st, 1974.
Damian0358 - Republic of West Slavia
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: Prime Minister Jan Jaromír
Status: Parliament makes note of the nation's greatly expanded presence in Europe, and votes to change the name and flag of the nation to properly reflect its new demographic. Inspired by the Baltian Olympics, the West Slavic government proposes holding its own Olympic Games in 1974.
Economy: Taxes on exports are reduced to encourage greater amounts of trade with the neutral territories of central Europe.
Military: Nothing of note happens in the West Slavian military.
Diplomacy: West Slavia agrees to a biological weapons ban proposed by France. Hungary is peacefully annexed and incorporated, adding to the large, melting pot population of the nation. The Roman Federation is offered a deal to trade the Slovenian Littoral for supplies, weapons, and financial resources to help them annex the faltering Socialista Unito, which they accept. A special diplomatic cable pleads with the Nazi nations of Europe to cease their war with the Spartans, before casualties escalate even higher. These communiques eventually end up used as coasters by disinterested government officials in France, the United Kingdom, and Baltia.
Zambies! - Spartan Republic (SKIPPED)
Government Type: Democracy
Current Head of State: Spártakos
KriegsMar1ne - United Kingdom
Government Type : National Socialism
Current Head of State: Sir Charles Lancewright
Status: In Scotland, British peacekeepers enter the country in APCs carrying the red cross, using loudspeakers to assure the public that the UK is not attempting to invade the country militarily. This message is echoed by leaflets dropped by aircraft. Although the Scottish workers initially swarm the vehicles in search of free food and medicine, the peacekeepers keep their cool and manage to coax the public into cooperation. Oddly, when the UK attempts to make contact with Scottish troops to help maintain public order, many units are completely missing. In the following weeks, an organization calling itself "the Free Sons of Scotland," or FSS, appears out of the ashes of the Scottish military and begins to attack, capture, torture, and kill British officers, and distribute propaganda against Nazism. The public rejects them as a terrorist organization, and support for the UK slowly rises. Other Scottish military units flee to Iceland to avoid being mistaken for FSS. The remnants Scottish Parliament also relocate to Iceland, but do not attempt to establish a government in exile.
Economy: In order to alleviate some of the financial burden of military research, British weaponry is offered for export to neutral nations throughout the world. The Roman Federation adopts the L85 for general use, and signs a ten-year contract to import a quarter-million of them.
Military: In a joint operation with the French, the damaged Spartan aircraft carrier is spotted in the Mediterranean and sunk using anti-shipping missiles launched from bombers escorted by interceptors, the latter of which utilizing a mid-air refueling over the southern coast of France. The victory is hailed as justice dealt, but the war is far from over. Gas masks are distributed to troops, and a new variant of the V-8 rocket begins testing with higher planned accuracy. Further ICBM attacks on Sparta are performed.
Diplomacy: The UK agrees to a ban on biological weapons proposed by France, and observers report stockpiles of low-strength bacterial agents being destroyed, preventing the cultures from becoming weapons-grade. A ceasefire from Sparta is rejected, although the government assures the public that peace is not impossible. The UK begins to reach out to the volatile Scottish territories, taking baby steps toward annexation. Elsewhere, the UK places an emphasis on the brotherhood between the people of Britain and the Nordic peoples of Scandinavia.
Diago21 - United States
Government Type - Democratic Republic
Current Head of State: President Richard Nixon
Status: The United States shocks the world by successfully launching a man into orbit. After almost a day in space, astronaut John W. Young returns to Earth and splashes down off the northern coast of Cuba. He and his capsule are recovered by US naval ships. The event somewhat overshadows the disturbing fact that the nation's offensive into the Confederacy to the south has been stopped dead in its tracks.
Economy: Nothing notable happens with the US economy.
Military: The offensive against the Confederacy grinds to a halt, as the Confederates step up their defense considerably. Top naval commanders recommend against another amphibious thrust due to increased merchant shipping to the South, over worries that US naval ships might clash with European ships by accident.
Diplomacy: The Baltians pull support from the war in the Americas, as they are currently fully engaged elsewhere. This ends the US-Baltian alliance. Later in the year, Cuban agents are arrested in the US after breaking into NASA's largest propulsion research center. The spies commit suicide before they can be questioned by ingesting cyanide hidden on their persons. Cuba denies all involvement, and even offers to help identify the men. All three are identified within weeks as expatriates who left Cuba for separate countries years earlier, but no other links could be found between them.
NPC Nations:
Black Sea Republic - The republic suffers a cataclysmic loss at the battle of Kiev, and after weeks of begging for a ceasefire, is able to end the conflict by surrendering to Baltia (Defeated).
Cuba - Denies involvement in US rocketry espionage.
Finland - Allies with Baltia, signs nonaggression pact with Muscovy.
Germany - Accepts limited numbers of refugees from Scotland.
Alexandrian Macedonia - Business as usual. (Broguts Ejected)
Republic of Montreal - Sells a pair of destroyers to Iceland and begins accepting refugees from Scotland.
Muscovy - Signs nonaggression pact with Finland. Aids in Baltian war against Black Sea Republic. Supplies fighter and attack aircraft to Iceland.
Greater Nordic Reich - Aran Eckstrom, while drunk in a Stockholm tavern, gets into a bar fight and is stabbed to death. His government begins to fall apart and revert to a softer form of nationalism.
Polish Empire - Business as usual.
Roman Federation - Accepts arms, supplies, and money from West Slavia in exchange for trading a small territory to the Slavic Empire. Begins dropping pamphlets on Socialista Unito.
Russia - Business as usual.
Socialista Unito - While King Fuhrer Mariotti is on a visit to Sicily, a labor strike in Campania spreads to other districts like wildfire. International banks freeze the nation's assets and lower Italy descends into chaos.
Slavic Empire - Greater cooperation with West Slavia leads to calls for a pan-Slavic government. 30% of the public approves of the idea.
West Iberian Empire - Continues to quarantine the Straight of Gibraltar. Aids the Berber Alliance in its research projects.
==Turn 5: 1974==
thumb|right|270px|Turn musicPost link: http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1235905&p=39473481&viewfull=1#post39473481
Nations of the World as of 1974 -and- Their Regions of Influence
overpain - Baltia
Government Type: National Socialism
Current Head of State: "Perkūnas"
Status: A cemetery in Latvia becomes the primary resting place for soldiers killed in the war. A memorial is constructed in Vilnius as well. Despite the violence throughout the Black Sea region, Baltia pushes forward with its annexation of the former BSR by opening up "Capitalist Schools," teaching the people about the labor/currency/goods exchange, the idea of market competition (including the labor market,) and the functionalist viewpoint toward social stratification. Baltia's government announces that WMDs will not be fielded in Baltia's arsenal, and destroys all current production. Gotland survivors are finally promised full citizenship in 1975.
Economy: Investment is made into rebuilding infrastructure in the Ukraine region, and aiding in the development of factories in Belarus. Unemployment throughout these territories remains staggeringly high, although Baltia's low level of welfare spending prevents the budget from being depleted. A famine occurs during the winter and spring months that eventually results in the deaths of several thousand Belorussians, however this crisis is resolved when the fall harvest comes in. Leaders of the city of Minsk are arrested after renewing calls for a Muscovite intervention.
Military: As the new year begins, the military begins to settle into new positions throughout the BSR. Less than a week after the peace treaty comes into effect, the Mardylonyea Union invades the easternmost edge of the former BSR, in apparent disregard of Baltian authority. The Baltians order them to turn back from a distance, and the advancing army halts. A Baltian helicopter overflies the stopped forces, attempting to assess the number of forces that have entered the territory, and a panicked Mardylonyean mortar team fires without permission, downing the helicopter. The two armies engage, both having received clearance to do so, and both nations declare war within the next hour. Shortly thereafter, the Macedonians declare war on the Baltians on behalf of the new Spartan government, and the Western Powers declare war as well. Throughout the year, the Baltians and Mardylonyeans keep their fighting localized to the strip of land where it began, each seeking to deplete the others morale. Losses on the on the Baltian side are initially catastrophic, due to the comparatively terrible deployment and lack of available armor. However, conventional ICBM attacks on civilian targets inside the Union bring up the death toll against Mardylonyea. A second attack on Baltia comes in Summer, when the combined fleets of Macedonia and Sparta attack Baltia's Black Sea Fleet (comprised of only a few ships that the BSR failed to scuttle in time for the surrender.) The two day battle results in the eventual defeat of the Baltian naval presence, but several Spartan ships are struck by anti-shipping missiles launched from aircraft. The Slavic allies scramble to land troops along a landing zone within the mouth of the Dnieper River, which is protected by the defenses of the Odessa city state. The landing zone is held despite largely unacceptable losses at the hands of Western air power. The option to launch a land campaign is not taken during the fall due to excessive equipment loss, and the troops dig in instead while the equipment is shipped overland. Baltian losses total more than 120,000, or roughly 17% of remaining available forces, lowering Baltian military strength to 76% after a 6% recovery from the previous year.
Diplomacy: A diplomatic visit by the Finns is cut short by war, and a proposal to unify the countries into one Eastern-European superpower is tabled due to outside pressure. Russia threatens to intervene in the war if Finland attempts to unify with Baltia or enter the conflict itself.
Satansick - Centralist Berber Alliance
Government Type: Military Dictatorship
Current Head of State: General Ishaq Hannibal
Status: A large scale education program is invested into, including a set of national student standards that is hoped to bring African high schools into line with European high schools, allowing African students to attend prestigious universities abroad until such institutions could be built locally.
Economy: A Tunisian phone company attempts to license the Confederate "Inter-Net" patent for private use. The deal falls through when the Confederates learn that the deal is a scam in much the same way as the earlier jet trials that the Alliance used to reverse-engineer technology.
Military: In an effort to gain more experience with modern warfare, the Alliance holds military exercises with the West Iberian Empire. The pair open the trials to any neutral nation wishing to partake in the mutual benefits. Although some nations are still bitter over stolen jet designs, the Roman Federation and Cuba both send advisers who help to bring their nations' units into the joint war games. The four nations' soldiers form a friendly attitude with each other, and the African troops receive special training in helicopter usage and defense, and antitank rocket usage.
Diplomacy: Trade missions are sent to Montreal in hopes of joining the lucrative northern trade routes.
thelurker1234 - Democratic Peoples Republic of The Confederacy (SKIPPED)
Government Type: Fascist "Democracy"
Current Head of State: Thomas Brown
Eli45 - Nazi Dictatorship of Northern France
Government Type: Fascist Dictatorship
Current Head of State: Messire Jean Walter
Status: France's war-dependent economy rolls forward, increasing national security and international prestige.
Economy: France renews its contracts with Benelux, much to the joy of the industrial workers of the latter nation. The education budget is expanded, and students take note of the successes of National Socialism.
Military: Shrouded in secrecy, the nature of the partial withdrawal of French troops from Baltia baffles and frustrates the citizens of both France and Baltia. However, a general tightening of airspace security prevents any of France's enemies from attempting an air campaign. Other than sporadic bomb plants within less-important towns, France sees very little action domestically. However, later in the year, French planes and weapons are seen in combat- flown and operated by Confederate soldiers. By the end of the year, intelligence leaks and obvious shipping activities reveal that France is sending troops to the Confederacy to aid in their war against the US.
Diplomacy: A peace treaty is proposed to Spartan diplomats after intense ICBM attacks, which demands a complete and unconditional surrender, war reparations, enforced neutrality, client-state status, demilitarization, permanent non-aggression pacts, and territorial concessions. Frightened by the prospect of chemical weapons (now available to the Western powers) to be used in ICBMs was enough to convince them that the treaty should be signed. The treaty is taken to Athens where the final signature, that of national leader Spártakos, could be received, but the Spartan military initiates a coup to prevent it from being signed. Spártakos is arrested, and his half-brother Ptolemy, Military Governor of Egypt, is declared the leader of Sparta in a coup. The new government issues its own peace treaty, agreeing to war reparations and demilitarization alone, but this is rejected immediately. In response, Ptolemy calls on King Alexander of Macedonia to enter the war against Baltia, which he agrees to, as the Mardylonyean Union had just done the same. France declares war on both new aggressors as a formality. Despite escalating violence in the east, France recalls some of its troops to be redeployed in the Americas.
Ruskie - Most Serene Republic of Iceland
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: President Kristján Eldjárn
Status: Taxes are slashed dramatically, and many services provided by the government are placed in the hands of the free market. Unemployed Scotish workers protest, but their refugee status prevents them from achieving much of anything. Many move on to other, far away lands with a need for labor, such as Cuba. The public largely approves of the move, as the budget that is left over can be used to bolster the military. Late in the year, residents in Greenland lose power for a week in a failure of an experimental high-efficiency turbine.
Economy: A Canadian aerospace company is contracted by the Icelandic government to build a research facility in the Greenland territory near Iceland's only major military facility. The purpose of the project is to develop an all-Icelandic produced fighter jet to accompany the Muscovite imports.
Military: To accompany efforts to develop a domestic fighter jet, Iceland renovates its only major army base in southern Greenland.
Diplomacy: A scatter-shot approach of trade missions is attempted, with representatives sent to Muscovy, Russia, Poland, Benelux, and the Roman Federation.
Flag unavailable
IPK - Mardylonyea Union
Government Type: Democratic Communism
Current Head of the State: Slavman Grugmaryn
Status: War completely eclipses all activities taken by the Union's government during 1974, and the country enters full mobilization.
Economy: Efforts to revamp tank production facilities are interrupted by Baltian attacks, and money runs dry fairly quickly. Later in the year, most weaponry supplied to the Union's armed forces are coming from outside the country, and it is unclear how long they can pay for this expense.
Military: The army enters the former BSR in an attempt to establish a direct connection with Muscovy-influenced territory, in the process invading Baltia. Baltian forces attempt to stop their entry but are forced to engage after the loss of a helicopter flying over Union lines. The situation spirals into a large war, forcing Mardylonyea to commit all warmaking capacity toward the conflict. Initially capitalizing on the Baltians' incomplete deployment and weak air-coverage, the Union inflicts terrible losses on their foe, but soon find themselves being hit by the same ICBM attacks used against Sparta. Odessa and Istanbul are the worst hit, causing the death of thousands of civilians. Patriotic furvor boils over, and the army expands at a pace so rapid that the national arsenal is depleted of rifles. The new arms factory in the east is targeted by the Baltians, and an airstrike from a wing of Flamant-IIs causes a devistating explosion. In the weeks following, the government struggles to contain an outbreak of a respiratory infection illness that kills several hundred civilians. The area surrounding the facility is quarantined indefinately. The Union claims that the illness was caused by a bio-weapons attack, while the Western Powers insist the attack simply revealed a hidden bio-weapons production center. By year's end, the Union has lost over 80,000 troops, roughly 12% of the nation's military strength, leaving them with 88% remaining.
Diplomacy: Apparently in disregard of the Baltia/BSR peace treaty, Mardylonyea invades the former Black Sea Republic. They are joined by Macedonia and Sparta in its fight against the Baltians.
Damian0358 - Republic of West Slavia
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: Prime Minister Jan Jaromír
Status: Between the Slavic Olympics held in Prague and the government's quiet behavior, many question whether West Slavia is concerned about the terrible destruction occurring in the east.
Economy: Despite not being involved in the growing war militarily, the Slavs provide major support to their allies by trading massive quantities of supplies. German-produced ammunitions are in high-demand in the southeast and West Slavia makes a large profit on overland trade.
Military: A new rifle with a revolving cylinder is displayed. The cylinder is actually a disposable cartridge constructed from synthetic materials, containing six rounds of ammunition. Packs of specialty ammo, such as incendiary, and explosive armor piercing rounds, are displayed prior to construction.
Diplomacy: The Prime Minister issues a paper offering condolences to the people of Sparta over their government's surrender, which then becomes highly inappropriate as the Spartan military takes control of their country. Fingers are pointed at West Slavia's lack of support for the war, but most nations recognize the Slavs' adherence to their nonaggression pact as a proactive response. West Slavia is praised by the Slavic Empire for their stalwart commitment to peace. Further negotiations with the rest of the Slavic Alliance results in a change in territorial claims to solidify control over the Balkans.
KriegsMar1ne - United Kingdom (SKIPPED)
Government Type : National Socialism
Current Head of State: Sir Charles Lancewright
Diago21 - United States
Government Type - Democratic Republic
Current Head of State: President Richard Nixon
Status: Approval rating for congress falls to 18%, and President Humphrey is under heavy fire for his handling of the war. NASA suffers from public unpopularity as well, and is forced to adapt smaller launch vehicles for satellite use and seek out more private contracts. Despite these setbacks, the remaining launches of large rockets go on as scheduled, and five men orbit the Earth by year's end.
Economy: Investment falls as uncertainty rises.
Military: Falling back to the original border with the Confederacy, the US military has lost nearly a fifth of its strength due to a failure to adjust to changing Confederate tactics. In response, the government has authorized a change of grand strategy to take up a defensive stance, which has established the several hundred mile-long "Roosevelt Line," which includes trenches, antitank mines, pillboxes, and even anchored concrete walls, similar to the Berlin Wall. Constructing these defensive fortifications takes the entire year, during which American morale falls considerably. One anonymous US captain writes to the Washing Post: "My brother died last month, fighting for land where they could dig him a hole to hide in. They dug him in alright." As a fighting force, the US has been reduced to 75% of its original strength.
Diplomacy: Nothing notable happens in US foreign affairs.
NPC Nations:
Cuba - Begins trading with Iceland, and takes in Scottish refugees.
Finland - Tables an offer to unite with Baltia due to external influence. Begins retooling its armed forces in preparation for any sudden attack.
Germany - Begins supplying ammunition to the Slavic alliance, and doubles production of the Leopard 1 tank. A new tank design is rumored to be in the works.
Alexandrian Macedonia - Recognizes the need for an intervention in the war to the south. Declares war on Baltia, co-creates joint command with new Spartan government.
Republic of Montreal - A new government takes power (Reserved by Adlertag1940).
Muscovy - Largely overwhelmed with the conflicts exploding all around it, Muscovy simply buckles down and begins producing tanks, rifles and aircraft. Research begins on ICBMs.
Nordic Reich - Drops the word "Greater" from its name and begins to present itself more humbly to the world. Becomes a minor trade partner with Muscovy.
Polish Empire - Purchases new stocks of Leopard 1 Tanks from Germany, BMP IFVs from Russia, and Mig-23 fighters from Muscovy.
Roman Federation - Joins war games in West Iberia with the latter and Berber alliance.
Socialista Unito - Enters an apocalyptic meltdown. With no money, food, or escape, the lower Italian peninsula is narrowly saved by the Romans, but Sicily and Corsica dissolve into anarchy, during which warlords pursue genocide against supporters of rival strongmen (Defeated).
Slavic Empire - Praises the neutrality of West Slavia. Popularity of annexation rises to 50%.
Sparta - The government attempts to surrender to the Western Powers unconditionally, but this results in a military coup. Ptolemy, governor of the Egyptian territory, is proclaimed leader of the Republic. He immediately calls for Macedonian aid in fighting the Nazi threat.
West Iberian Empire - Continues to quarantine the Mediterranean, but sends cables to the UK and France, promising to lift the quarantine if the mines in the English channel are removed.
==Turn 6: 1975==
thumb|right|270px|Turn musicPost link: http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1235905&p=39535576&viewfull=1#post39535576
Nations of the World as of 1975 -and- Their Regions of Influence
overpain - Baltia
Government Type: National Socialism
Current Head of State: "Perkūnas"
Population: 60M
Military Strength: 820K (1M)
Economic Efficiency: 65%
Stability: 80%
Status: Utilizing temporary peacetime, the nation focuses on civil and diplomatic matters. The Ukrainians are recognized as citizens as well as survivors of the Gotland attack, and efforts are made to provide housing to the latter. A national database is launched, providing surprisingly unbiased and free information to citizens throughout the nation. Ironically, the Ukrainians and Belorussians refuse to use the service, instead opting to rely on often-misleading hearsay.
Economy: Unemployed citizens throughout the south are warned to find a job within a week or be placed into work programs. Although many try, very few are able to find work in time for the deadline, resulting in protests throughout the Ukraine. Large mobs of young men and women are forcibly dispersed from city squares, and many end up imprisoned in labor camps. The rest enter work programs and begin manufacturing basic goods and building civilian and defense infrastructure. Unemployment falls quickly.
Military: Finally resupplied and fully manned along the front, Baltia is set to receive the joint offensive of Sparta and Macedonia when a ceasefire is announced. On the surface, the troops seem dejected at not having the chance to defeat their foes, but secretly, many of them are thankful for a break from the near constant warfare. Throughout the year, recognition is paid to the honorable and losses are recouped, returning the forces to 82% strength. The southern borders are fortified for long-term defense. Elsewhere, ICBM production continues, filling all sixteen currently-available silos. New "personal survival equipment" is researched, hoping to save soldiers from death under gas or biological attack, and a new type of vibration-sensitive tracking equipment which can be used to track hostile army movement on a unit-by-unit level.
Diplomacy: Facing the prospect of a major escalation in the war against Mardylonyea, both sides agree to diplomatic talks to end the war. This triggers a cease-fire with Macedonia and Sparta. Despite suffering heavy losses, the Baltians are clearly in a better strategic position, and they successfully negotiate not only a return to original borders, but a nullification of the city state Odessa's annexation to Mardylonyea. The armies of Sparta and Macedonia, outraged by the decision, relocate to the far-east, into uncontrolled territory on Baltia's border, in case hostilities break out again. The Baltian government attempts to renew talks with Finland for annexation, but Baltian diplomats are expelled from Russia as a warning. Finland again refuses to commit, although opinion polling shows popular support for annexation. Baltia also praises West Slavia for staying neutral, possibly expediting the peace process. The year ends with a proclamation recognizing the Confederacy as a legitimate political entity.
Satansick - Centralist Berber Alliance
Government Type: Military Dictatorship
Current Head of State: General Ishaq Hannibal
Population: 90M
Military Strength: 1.2M
Economic Efficiency: 40%
Stability: 100%
Status: The government changes the name of the country from "Alliance" to "Republic."
Economy: A 5% value-added tax is introduced with the primary goal of indexing nationwide consumption and creating a statistical base for economic controls. The policy is difficult to enforce in tribal areas, so the government exempts them, especially since they are self-sustaining and would offer little in terms of information gained. After news breaks of the failed importation of "Inter-net" technology, a host of telecommunications companies step up and try to win the government's attention. A Tunisian manufacturer of magnetic data tape earns a contract to develop a stop-gap solution, in which a data-tape is played as audio after being modulated through an encryption device, sent through telephone or radio networks, and eventually decoded and written to another data-tape elsewhere. The Romans show interest in this new technology, called "Datacast." The Republic continues to try to recreate the internet while this goes on.
Military: The military's white-paper for 1975 includes the nation's first jet-equipped aircraft carrier. An offer is immediately received from Sparta in which the latter would provide advisers in exchange for a second carrier, since the Spartans' shore facilities in Greece have suffered damages. The nations agree on the arrangement, and two sister carriers are constructed over the course of the year using Spartan blueprints. In late Autumn, the Berber carrier is launched. In early Winter, the second carrier is delivered to the Spartan navy, which purchases it under a three year payment plan.
Diplomacy: An offer is made to the Roman Federation to join in an alliance with the Republic and the West Iberian Empire. The Federation agrees after British paratroopers seize control of Malta and later land on Sicily.
Eli45 - Nazi Dictatorship of Northern France
Government Type: Fascist Dictatorship
Current Head of State: Messire Jean Walter
Population: 25M
Military Strength: 298K (300K)
Economic Efficiency: 80%
Stability: 100%
Status: The French begin work on a new rocket, to be used as both an ICBM and a space-launch vehicle. The rocket is named Programme de Fusée, and the capsule project is named Homme Transportant Programme de Fusée, PDM.I and HTPDF.I for short, respectively.
Economy: Grants are provided for low-income students and infrastructure is improved along the coast. Neither do much to improve the economy, but the public seems to approve.
Military: A detachment of French troops assist Confederates on an attack on the Roosevelt Line and are summarily crushed in the first major US victory in two years. Allied armor becomes bogged down in discreet traps and disabled by landmines, leading to disproportionate usage of infantry and IFVs, which are all too vulnerable to enemy artillery strikes. In addition, Flamant II and Mirage V aircraft are shot down at a high-rate. Within a week, the offensive is called off to conserve strength. Elsewhere, the majority of the French navy is re-stationed in Bordeaux. A new counter-terrorism unit, GIGN, is founded with the intent to aid police departments in the event of a bomb threat.
Diplomacy: A Frenchman armed with a unique pistol made from plastic pieces is arrested while attempting to infiltrate a broadcasting station where Spartan leader Ptolemy is scheduled to give a speech. The man fails to commit suicide as planned, and is held for questioning. Within days, however, the Western Powers sign a ceasefire with Sparta and Macedonia, largely making the assassination attempt irrelevant, and the would-be shooter is executed during the summer.
Ruskie - Most Serene Republic of Iceland
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: President Kristján Eldjárn
Population: 400K
Military Strength: 10K
Economic Efficiency: 125%
Stability: 100%
Status: Parliament votes to fast-track Scottish citizenship, bringing relief to hundreds of families.
Economy: A computer manufacturer announces the creation of a "personal data storage solution," a small paper envelope with a thin disk of magnetic film inside. This novel creation, colloquially known as a "floppy disk" allows for operators of personal computers to trade data with each other, and allows for the distribution of software. The University of Iceland begins releasing beta-builds of a standardized operating system, which the government purchases and publishes as the Icelandic State Disk Operating System.
Military: Muscovite jet purchases continue to fill the ranks of the Icelandic Air Force.
Diplomacy: Efforts are made to increase ties with the Polish Empire, Germany, and Muscovy. Iceland's constant reassurance that it's everybody's friend makes everyone a bit uncomfortable. Republic ships dock in Narvik, Norway, and discuss economic opportunities with the local trade unions. The city agrees to trade primarily with Iceland and Germany. Iceland attempts to do the same in the Bask region of northern Spain, but Iberian nationalists in the area angrily expel the Nordic foreigners.
Flag unavailable
IPK - Mardylonyea Union
Government Type: Social Democracy
Current Head of the State: Slavman Grugmaryn
Population: 60M
Military Strength: 600K (650K)
Economic Efficiency: 70%
Stability: 90%
Status: The public is entirely confused over its government's decision to commit wholly to a war one year and then sign a disadvantageous peace treaty the next. Protests erupt all over.
Economy: Efforts are taken to reduce income inequality, with little notable results.
Military: Short on ammunition and rifles, the Mardylonyeans fear a counteroffensive in the east, while simultaneously hoping for a Spartan/Macedonian offensive in the west. Before any more blood can be spilled, the two alliances come to talks and agree not to risk any more catastrophes.
Diplomacy: A peace treaty is signed with Baltia, handing over control of Odessa in exchange for peace.
Damian0358 - Republic of West Slavia
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: Prime Minister Jan Jaromír
Population: 60M
Military Strength: 600K
Economic Efficiency: 105%
Stability: 90%
Status: Prime Minister Jaromír gives a speech about the war in the east, pleading for Europeans to stand united against the mass violence of world politics. He is later praised for the actions he took in response to the Mardylonyean invasion of Baltia, and for the message he gave in the speech. It is fair to say that Jaromír is the most respected European leader.
Economy: Economic ties with the Romans and the Germans are improved. Nothing else worth reporting occurs.
Military: A new carbine rifle is developed from the currently-used assault rifle. It is produced in small numbers and appears in bases across the country before the end of the year.
Diplomacy: In a closed-door conference with the Poles and the Slavic Empire, the nations discuss terms for uniting the governments of the Slavic Alliance. The Polish monarchy refuses to back a union with West Slavia, but the Slavic Empire's Consul declares he will step down if the public supports annexation. An cessation of hostilities in the east boosts support for Pan-Slavism, and the Slavic Empire votes 57%-42% in favor of annexation. The union is set to occur in 1976, at which point West Slavia will become the Slavic Federation. Germany is asked for an alliance, but this is turned down out of concern over the war to the east. A similar proposal was planned for the Romans, but the latter's joining of the Berber-Iberian alliance cancels the offer.
KriegsMar1ne - United Kingdom
Government Type : National Socialism
Current Head of State: Sir Charles Lancewright
Population: 76M
Military Strength: 890K (900K)
Economic Efficiency: 85%
Stability: 80%
Status: The military works with schools to produce youth programs, and attempts to obliterate liberal thinking. At this point however, the upcoming generation is already filled to the brim with hateful thoughts and feelings towards a wide assortment of enemies of the state.
Economy: Careful rebuilding of the Scottish economy takes place, with a heavy focus on environmental preservation. Unemployment falls as security rises. Taxes are dropped temporarily in Canada and the Italian islands.
Military: New divisions of "Air Cavalry" are formed, using high-speed helicopters armed with antitank missiles and high-speed machine guns. In Scotland, the FSS is hit by the main force of the army, and is scattered into the rural north, where they are pursued by mountain troops and motorized infantry. Although UK losses are miniscule, it is unknown how close the FSS is to defeat. The UK intervenes in the former Socialista Unito by dropping paratroopers onto the island of Malta. After six days of chaos, during which the strongmen warring over the island turned their forces unsuccessfully against the British, the UK gains control of the island. They then deploy to Sicily, much to the chagrin of the Roman Federation, which feels that Britain is abusing its ceasefire with the Spartans to capture land in the Mediterranean. The UK also sends troops to the entrance of the Hudson Bay in the region of Canada, and seizes control. The British Navy refuses to allow any ships to enter the bay aside from commercial shipping.
Diplomacy: The UK, on behalf of the Western Powers, signs a ceasefire with Sparta and Macedonia to aid in the peace agreement between Baltia and Mardylonyea. Diplomats make efforts to improve relations with the Nordic Reich and the rest of Scandinavia.
Diago21 - United States
Government Type - Democratic Republic
Current Head of State: President Hubert Humphrey
Population: 70M
Military Strength: 750K (1M)
Economic Efficiency: 90%
Stability: 70%
Status: NASA funding is increased greatly after the administration holds a top-secret meeting with the leaders of Congress. President Humphrey announces that NASA will be attempting a manned lunar landing in 1976, the USA's bicentennial year. A large rocket begins construction- the Saturn IB, which is intended to carry a Gemini capsule to circle the moon in the following year, followed by a landing attempt utilizing a small craft called Gemini-Spider. Public opinion is divided on this endeavor, and is still very critical of the Humphrey administration for its handling of the war, but the Columbia Raid bolsters morale.
Economy: The stock market tumbles as numerous US businesses relocate to Montreal and Iceland to escape perceived insecurity. The US responds by tightening air-security both by flying more sorties and by increasing airport security measures.
Military: After repelling several attacks on the Roosevelt line, the US begins a heavy bombing campaign of the Confederate lines, concentrating all firepower on the Kentucky territory's border. The Confederates hurriedly move troops to the surrounding area, waiting for the US offensive to commence. However, none comes. Instead, a hard hook comes from an aircraft carrier positioned offshore, and the decreased number of southern jets in the area allows the US to crater several airfields in the region of South Carolina. This is followed by a nighttime raid on the city of Columbia, site of the laboratory responsible for creating the "Inter-net," involving helicopter-insertion and air-dropped Sheridan tanks. The operation lasts for ten hours, during which dozens of documents and computer components are stolen from the lab and smuggled out on helicopters.
Diplomacy: Relations are improved with Montreal as the US makes efforts to encourage dual-citizenship.
NPC Nations:
Confederacy - Launches unsuccessful attempt at breaching Roosevelt Line with international support. [Pop: 22M] [Mil: 30K] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 85%]
Cuba - Lodges official protest against US' profiling of Cuban citizens in airports. [Pop: 30M] [Mil: 25K] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 100%]
Finland - Avoids uniting with Baltia out of fear of the Russians. [Pop: 5M] [Mil: 40K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 95%]
Germany - Turns down an alliance offer and remains neutral. [Pop: 45M] [Mil: 500K] [Eff: 110%] [Stb: 100%]
Alexandrian Macedonia - Accepts ceasefire with Western Powers. [Pop: 17M] [Mil: 100K] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 90%]
Republic of Montreal - Business as usual. [Pop: 12M] [Mil: 90K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Muscovy - Tests first successful ICBM. [Pop. 60M] [Mil: 700K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Nordic Reich - Begins to warm up more to Muscovite and British trade. [Pop: 5M] [Mil: 50K] [Eff: 75%] [Stb: 80%]
Polish Empire - Discusses annexation to West Slavia, but eventually turns it down. [Pop: 15M] [Mil: 170K] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 100%]
Roman Federation - [Pop: 50M] [Mil: 60K] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 60%]
Slavic Empire - Votes to become part of West Slavia in 1976. [Pop: 10M] [Mil: 65K] [Eff: 75%] [Stb: 75%]
Sparta - Accepts ceasefire with Western Powers. Gains aircraft carrier. [Pop: 38M] [Mil: 600K (680K)] [Eff: 40%] [Stb: 35%]
West Iberian Empire - [Pop: 20M] [Mil: 220K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
==Turn 7: 1976==
thumb|right|270px|Turn musicPost link: http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1235905&p=39626526&viewfull=1#post39626526
Nations of the World as of 1976 -and- Their Regions of Influence
overpain - Baltia
Government Type: National Socialism
Current Head of State: "Perkūnas"
Population: 60M
Military Strength: 880K (1M)
Economic Efficiency: 70%
Stability: 80%
Status: Efforts are made to increase support for the Baltian government in the southern territories, but these efforts are undermined by the declaration of war against the United States. Instead, secret police are used to crack down on dissent, and the entirety of the former Black Sea Republic descends into utter misery. The border is locked down to prevent those people from fleeing to Mardylonyea. Efforts to establish colonies in the middle east are spoiled by Macedonian and Spartan harassment.
Economy: The wartime economy shifts into high gear with emphasis on weapons production and oil refining. The latter, being in high demand, nets Baltia a large trade surplus with its allies, allowing for large purchases of consumer goods to make up for shortfalls, improving productivity considerably in the Belarus region. A factory-sharing agreement with Finland, similar in concept to the earlier deal between France and Benelux, is signed, and the two countries begin to trade military supplies for evaluation. Russia seems not to notice this, which leads to a more daring diplomatic stance.
Military: The military begins recovering swiftly thanks to the acceptance of women into the armed forces, as well as young men and women into the reserves. By Spring, Baltia is ready to provide 100K troops to assist in Project Zimmerman, but the US' early detection of allied movements prevents the full delivery of reinforcements, and only 80K make landfall. The rest are either killed at sea or are returned to safe ports in France, where they later take part in the defense of Bordeaux against an Iberian offensive. The Baltian navy suffers greatly at the hands of the US navy, to the point that Baltian troops must be ferried with British support to reach the Americas. In Europe, Baltia launches thermite-equipped ICBMs against Athens and Skopje, which cause raging fires and huge losses of life, including that of King Aleksandar Akhileus. Images of charred bodies are broadcast all over the world by news reporters. Muscovy demands that no further thermite attacks occur, or else they will enter the war to stop it. Sparta responds to the attack by placing Odessa under naval siege.
Diplomacy: A formal treaty with the Mardylonyea Union is signed, allowing both nations to breathe easier knowing that hostilities will not break out again. Baltia and Finland enter a mutual defense pact several months after the former declares war on the US. Finland promises to become involved if Baltia's homeland security becomes threatened. Sparta and Macedonia refuse peace talks.
Satansick - Centralist Berber Alliance
Government Type: Military Dictatorship
Current Head of State: General Ishaq Hannibal
Population: 89.5M (90M)
Military Strength: 1.15M (1.2M)
Economic Efficiency: 45%
Stability: 80%
Status: Angered over British intrusion into the Mediterranean, the Berber Republic requests the Roman Federation's help in expelling British influence from the sea. The Romans agree wholeheartedly, noting that nothing good can come of it. After declaring war, General Hannibal gives a speech, calling on the alliance to stand up for its sovereignty, and refuse to allow its peoples to be bullied by the Nazis. He reminds the public of the attack on Gotland, the mining of Scottish and Irish waters, the blitzkrieg on the Black Sea Republic, and now the massive offensive against the United States, a nation whose affairs have nothing to do with the Western Powers. The speech is well received by the Mediterranean nationalists, and the call to arms is met with enthusiasm. The world inches closer to World War.
Economy: Investments in infrastructure occur, with the main goal being a highway to connect the coast of Morocco to Tripoli. Women are encouraged to move into industrial jobs so that the men can be free to fight in the war.
Military: War begins against the British and French during mid-Spring, shortly after the massive naval battle near Bermuda. Berber and Roman jets confront French and British fighters over the Mediterranean, preventing them from resupplying the islands of Malta and Sicily, and utilize the islands of Corsica and Sardinia as anti-aircraft platforms. Malta holds up under intense naval pressure thanks to its fortifications and WP-supplied antiaircraft weaponry. Sicily, however, is invaded from the east by an amphibious Roman army. Messages intercepted from the island suggest that the British force there can't hold on much longer. Outside the mouth of the Straight of Gibraltar, the British blockade on Spartan shipping (weakened due to the need for greater British naval presence in the battle against the US) is scattered by combined Berber and Iberian air/sea power, and regroups with the remaining French naval forces near Bordeaux. Sparta and Macedonia defect to the Nationalist Alliance, and by the end of the year, the Nationalist Alliance's combined navy is larger than that of the Western Powers. The Iberian Empire launches a ground offensive against France, but does not have enough momentum to reach their target, Bordeaux. A second front is opened against France by the Roman Federation, which is backed by allied troops from the Berber Republic. Near the end of the year, Iberian air power destroys the French shore facilities at Bordeaux, and the Alliance sets its sights on Britain. Over the course of the year, sporadic ICBM attacks are received from the UK and France, but by this point most of their available ICBMs had already been launched for Operation Rolling Thunder against the US, and casualties are limited and spread across the three main nations of the alliance.
Diplomacy: The alliance of the Berber Republic, Iberian Empire, and Roman Federation (known colloquially as the Nationalist Alliance) declares war on the UK and France.
thelurker1234 - Democratic Peoples Republic of The Confederacy
Government Type: Fascist "Democracy"
Current Head of State: Thomas Brown
Population: 22M
Military Strength: 180K (300K)
Economic Efficiency: 70%
Stability: 70%
Status: The public is concerned about the escalation of the war and the number of foreign troops now making up the front line. Confidence falls in the Confederate government, especially after the dismissal of some high-ranking generals thought to be responsible for the previous year's failures.
Economy: A new currency is shown for the first time, to be circulated after the war's end. It may be necessary regardless, as Confederate currency is nearly worthless, and no foreign banks will lend or deal with it. The prices of consumer goods are astronomical, and the government is forced to introduce rationing to keep the markets open.
Military: After several failed attempts to break through the Roosevelt Line during the previous year, the Confederate government reshuffles its military staff and requests greater assistance from the Western Powers. The result is Project Zimmerman, which places the UK at the lead of a main offensive against the United States. European reinforcements are sent to assist the Confederates in preparation for a joint declaration of war, but American satellites detect the massive deployment and the US navy is deployed to cut them off; this results in a series of stalemated naval battles and the loss of large ships on both sides. The allies do their best to coax the US into a ground offensive, but they don't take the bait, instead they remain steadfastly committed to defending the line. Artillery is fired in great numbers from both sides, although the South has an advantage in long-range capability thanks to allied support. Project Zimmerman progresses to its next operation, and the allies launch ICBMs against US naval bases and space-launch facilities in order to clear a path for greater reinforcements and heavy-equipment delivery. Some of the ICBMs are intercepted by specially-modified upper-stage rockets, but there are far too many missiles in the air for the US to prevent the destruction of many naval facilities. Despite the difficulty in deployment, the Confederate line swells to 340K troops by the end of the year. Strategic bombers are sent to attack US agricultural targets with firebombs, but a severe underestimation of US radar capabilities leads to a high interception rate. Ultimately the Western Powers are forced to rely on decoy attacks from allied fighter bombers along the line to prevent a turkey shoot, and eventually see minor success in Fall as cornfields in the far west of the US are lit ablaze. Montreal, which receives much of its food crops from the US, declares war on the Western Powers as a result. With the enemy navy hampered by damaged shore facilities, the Western Powers unleash a united submarine offensive to break down the remaining US naval forces, and are successful at destroying the remaining large targets. The US responds with air support and destroys several allied submarines using depth charges. Late in the year, the next operation begins with the intent to place the US and Montreal under naval siege, and all foreign nations are warned that any vessel attempting to cross the blockade will be warned twice before being sunk. In mid-December, a passenger ship full of Icelandic nationals attempts to leave the Gulf of St. Lawrence to return to Iceland, and is sunk after being warned not to cross the blockade.
Diplomacy: The Confederate government focuses all efforts on securing foreign support for its fight against the United States.
Eli45 - Nazi Dictatorship of Northern France
Government Type: Fascist Dictatorship
Current Head of State: Messire Jean Walter
Population: 25M
Military Strength: 210K (300K)
Economic Efficiency: 80%
Stability: 65%
Status: France is shocked by a disastrous turn (pun not intended) at sea, and an invasion by three hostile powers hits France unprepared. Rumors reach the cities that nearly one in every three French soldiers has died, and that the nation has run out of ICBMs to launch at its enemies. Despite the police's best efforts to prevent it, the public begins to protest in earnest, demanding that the government seek out peace before things get any worse. The government turns to the UK for help, as a strong counteroffensive is needed to restore order and security.
Economy: Companies begin to flee France entirely, pulling their money out with them. The French government freezes the assets of several banks and locks down emigration to hold things together. The assembly lines churn on, but whispers fill the air- "strike, strike, strike!"
Military: France takes part in Project Zimmerman, sending much of its navy to escort 60K troops and a hundred AMX tanks to the Confederacy. These forces are intercepted by the American navy after being detected by spy satellite, and the resulting engagement cripples the French navy. 10K French troops are killed at sea, while the remaining 50K are escorted the final few hundred miles by British ships. At the same time, a blitz is launched in an attempt to take control of Marseilles before it can fall into Roman hands, but shortly after the operation begins, the Nationalist Alliance declares war on the United Kingdom, warranting a full response from the Western Powers. Roman troops seize the city and hold it against the French push, and a front line appears along the borders of the two nations' regions of influence. Around 50K troops are killed by the advancing Romans, and another 20K die fighting to defend Bordeaux from an Iberian offensive into the south of the country. Both offensives utilize Berber reinforcements, giving them almost unlimited reserves. Losses on all sides are traumatic, but the lines are stable and leadership is confident that, with proper support from allies abroad, France will hold against the three-nation onslaught. However, an ominous sign comes when the Nationalists' navies break through the British blockade of the Mediterranean and swing around the peninsula, eventually raiding and destroying shore facilities at Bordeaux, destroying an incomplete aircraft carrier and several submarines.
Diplomacy: After declaring war on the United States, an offer is made to annex Benelux. The latter turns it down, preferring to keep is democracy, but offers a defense pact instead. Benelux sends help when the Nationalist Alliance invades French territory.
Ruskie - Most Serene Republic of Iceland
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: President Kristján Eldjárn
Population: 400K
Military Strength: 10K
Economic Efficiency: 125%
Stability: 100%
Status: Throughout the year, things are smooth sailing in Iceland, but the nation is shocked when two weeks before Christmas, a transport ship full of Icelanders is sunk while trying to pass through the Western Powers' blockade of the US/Montreal.
Economy: Engineers set to work on creating internet technology. Unlike most nations currently attempting to do so, Iceland actually has enough of a computer industry to support the endeavor, and within the year, scientists successfully send a line of text from Iceland to Greenland: "Góðan dag." Programmers at the University of Iceland set to work developing a lightweight programming language for the creation of "internet applications." Most of the world has no idea what the Icelanders are going on about. The Republic begins trading overland to the Nordic Reich, and sends trade ships to Finland to foster relations.
Military: Unable to continue operating in secrecy due to the need for a live test, the Icelandic Air Force launches its first ICBM prototype from the coast of Greenland. It's volatile kerosene-based fuel system is kept in check using advanced electronic monitoring systems, allowing the relatively small rocket to carry a heavy payload. This first test launches the rocket out over the Atlantic Ocean, and self-destructs as it enters its final two minutes of flight. The test is a complete success aside from minor glitches in throttle control, and production begins in an unknown location. Thanks to the rocket's small size, it is possible to launch from a mobile platform. The island of Nova Scotia begins constructing a naval base.
Diplomacy: Finland and the Nordic Reich are given special diplomatic attention to remind them that they're Nordic peoples before Nazis.
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IPK - Mardylonyea Union
Government Type: Social Democracy
Current Head of the State: Slavman Grugmaryn
Population: 60M
Military Strength: 600K (650K)
Economic Efficiency: 70%
Stability: 85%
Status: Anger from the pointless invasion of Baltia leads to demands for Slavman Grugmaryn to resign, both form inside the government and from the public.
Economy: Business as usual.
Military: Demobilization continues as planned.
Diplomacy: A final peace agreement is signed with Baltia, formally ending the conflict that began the previous year. The Union offers to annex Sparta to help rebuild the nation, but the Spartans are still pissed that the Mardylonyeans backed out of the war. The Spartans are so insulted that they leave the Slavic Alliance.
Damian0358 - Slavic Federation
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Current Head of State: Prime Minister Jan Jaromír
Population: 70M
Military Strength: 670K
Economic Efficiency: 95%
Stability: 85%
Status: The Slavic Federation continues to cling to peace in the face of huge political challenges- the Slavic Alliance loses two key members as Sparta and Macedonia defect to the Nationalist Alliance, and the Federation's opposition parties, especially the Communists, scream for intervention in the west as the United States and Montreal, two democracies, are placed under naval blockade and suffer major damage to their agricultural resources. However, the citizens of the Federation are quite happy with the idea of a peaceful, multicultural fortress in the center of Europe, and the arts largely reflect that. A series of newspaper comics become very popular, known as "Koule z Země," or "Orbs of the Earth," lampooning international politics. At home, the new citizens from recently acquired territories are sent a form asking for input as to what efforts the country should put its strength into. The most common reply is "legalize marijuana."
Economy: Food and other non-military supplies are sent to markets with high demand- Iberia and Muscovy pay top dollar. Investments are made into the fishing industry.
Military: A recoil-less machine gun becomes the military's next tech pursuit.
Diplomacy: In an effort to keep the alliance with Mardylonyea alive, newly-produced weapons are sent at almost no-cost.
KriegsMar1ne - United Kingdom
Government Type : National Socialism
Current Head of State: Sir Charles Lancewright
Population: 76M
Military Strength: 870K (900K)
Economic Efficiency: 85%
Stability: 80%
Status: Life in Britain and its territories is fairly peaceful, with the exception of the Italian islands.
Economy: Schools, hospitals, roads, and rails are built during the early months of the year before the Nationalist Alliance attacks. Trade with the Nordic Reich is increased, improving relations steadily.
Military: The UK leads an offensive against the United States called Project Zimmerman, in which troops are to be ferried to the Confederacy, war will be declared by the Western Powers, and the US navy will be eliminated to allow for a blockade of the North American Coastline. However, the allied naval vessels escorting the troops to the Confederacy are discovered by US spy satellites, and the US preemptively declares war, throwing a wrench into the machinery. The British navy eventually gains the upper-hand, and responds by attacking the cornered US ships with submarines after ICBMs destroy most of the American shore facilities. Strategic bombers are launched to firebomb American food crops, but this fails in dramatic fashion due to an underestimation of US radar capabilities. Those that do enter US airspace only do so thanks to the sacrifice of diversionary fighter bombers along the line, and the damage done to US corn crops incites anger in the population of Montreal, which is reliant on US crops. Montreal declares war, but sees its naval vessels summarily decimated by the British. The UK places the US and Montreal under a naval blockade, but trouble brews elsewhere. The Nationalist Alliance of the Berber Republic, Iberian Empire, and Roman Federation, declare war on the UK in response to the previous year's seizure of the islands of Malta and Sicily. Although the forces of the Nationalist Alliance and the Western Powers are fairly close in number, the Western Powers are in no position to defend at the outbreak of the war. The British blockade of Spartan shipping is broken when the combined fleets and air forces of the Alliance forces them to scatter and regroup with the remaining French vessels. The UK, which has just used up most of its ICBM arsenal, is limited in means to respond, and is quickly cut off from its Mediterranean islands. While Malta holds strong thanks to its high concentration of troops and supplies, the Romans establish a beachhead and begin to move in troops. By the end of the year, 30K British troops have lost their lives worldwide. In a side note, the UK seizes control of the Panama Canal Zone.
Diplomacy: The US declares war preemptively on the Western Powers, and is later followed by Montreal and the entirety of the Nationalist Alliance. The sheer impossibility of this escalation has made diplomacy a sensitive subject, as the UK had plans to negotiate for peaceful Mediterranean access. In the north, diplomats are sent to the Nordic Reich to improve relations, in hopes that they will assist the UK against the Nationalists. While relations are good, the Nordic Reich remains neutral in the war, and simply sends non-military supplies to the UK and France. Pamphlets are dropped on northern Canada, explaining to the locals that the area is under control of the United Kingdom. The government also issues a document to the world claiming ownership of the area. Montreal is the only nation to dispute the claim.
Diago21 - United States
Government Type - Democratic Republic
Current Head of State: President Hubert Humphrey
Population: 79.5M (80M)
Military Strength: 625K (1M)
Economic Efficiency: 65%
Stability: 60%
Status: The whole country buckles down, knowing that more than a third of available troops have been killed due to the war with the Confederacy, and no peace is in sight. Presidential elections are held, despite the chaos of the war. Very little campaigning takes place in person, instead the two parties rely on leaflets and newspaper editorials to get their message across. In the end, Humphrey is defeated by Republican challenger Ronald Reagan by a very narrow margin.
Economy: The economy nosedives as investors pull their money out of the banks. Although consumer prices are still low, the blockade is bound to take its toll in the coming months unless something extricates the US from its dilemma.
Military: Spy satellites pick up on a massive WP troop deployment to the Confederacy. Knowing that war is imminent, the US navy cuts them off, leading to a massive naval battle that destroys the French fleet and the Baltian escort ships, and deals a large amount of damage to the British navy. The British navy forces the US back, however, and the US fails to stop reinforcements from reaching the confederates. Shortly thereafter, ICBMs destroy American shore facilities, and the damaged fleet is unable to seek repairs and fuel before being confronted by a force of submarines. The US responds by using air support to sink several of the subs, but the sad fact is that the US navy is no more. The Western Powers then attempt to firebomb US crops, but the American radar system easily picks up on the high-flying bombers and the air force unleashes some long-awaited retribution. Only after a decoy fighter bomber attack on the Roosevelt line draws American interceptors away do any of the bombers hit their targets. Montreal declares war on the Western Powers due to its interest in American food crops.
Diplomacy: The US declares war on the Western Powers to preempt an invasion. Montreal joins the war effort.
NPC Nations:
Benelux - Turns down annexation to France, but joins war effort against Nationalist Alliance [Pop: 25M] [Mil: 140K (150K)] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Cuba - Business as usual. [Pop: 30M] [Mil: 25K] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 100%]
Finland - Signs mutual defense pact with Baltia and promises to declare war if Baltia's homeland security becomes threatened. [Pop: 5M] [Mil: 40K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 95%]
Germany - Protests the war against the United States. Renews efforts to strengthen ties with Poland. [Pop: 45M] [Mil: 500K] [Eff: 110%] [Stb: 100%]
Alexandrian Macedonia - King Aleksandar Akhileus dies while directing evacuation efforts in Skopje. Places Odessa under naval siege. [Pop: 17M] [Mil: 100K] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 90%]
Republic of Montreal - Declares war on the Western Powers, loses naval fleet in battle with UK. Sends support to US front line. [Pop: 12M] [Mil: 80K (90K)] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Muscovy - Threatens action against Baltia over thermite-equipped ICBMs. Announces possession of VX-equipped ICBMs for such an occasion. [Pop. 60M] [Mil: 700K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Nordic Reich - Sends non-military supplies to UK and France. [Pop: 5M] [Mil: 50K] [Eff: 75%] [Stb: 80%]
Polish Empire - Begins running military drills. Formally protests just about everything. [Pop: 15M] [Mil: 170K] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 100%]
Roman Federation - Declares war on the Western Powers, invades southeastern France with Berber assistance and the island of Sicily. [Pop: 50M] [Mil: 60K] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 60%]
Russia - Disapproves of Finnish involvement with Baltia, but does nothing, since the war between Baltia and Mardylonyea is over. [Pop: 40M] [Mil: 1M] [Eff: 50%] [Stb: 50%]
Sparta - Leaves the Slavic Alliance and joins what is now commonly known as the Nationalist Alliance. Places Odessa under naval siege. [Pop: 38M (40M)] [Mil: 525K (680K)] [Eff: 60%] [Stb: 45%]
West Iberian Empire - Declares war on the Western Powers, invades France and assists in allied naval efforts. [Pop: 20M] [Mil: 220K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
==Turn 8: 1977==
thumb|right|270px|Turn musicPost link: http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1235905&p=39745126&viewfull=1#post39745126
The World at War in 1977 -and- Nations' Regions of Influence
Introduction to World War:
It began with an invasion of Eastern Europe and an attack on a defenseless island. A channel was closed, followed by a straight. A response was launched, carrying weapons of mass destruction. A blockade was created, and an expansionist power on another continent created and then attempted to destroy its own worst enemy. Alliances were formed, aid was sent, and countries were destroyed. Millions were killed, but it was only the beginning. The world had become saturated with weapons, and danger was everywhere. By 1977, Europe and North America had descended into a World War, the winners of which would dominate the 21st century.
-American Front-
//////// The ultimate standoff began with a simple march southward. When the US first encountered the confederacy, it expected a quick fight to establish American dominance. Instead, the war has become another battlefield in the global struggle for control. On the Confederate side, independence is sought at all costs, as too many men have sacrificed their lives to attain it. They, together with the Western Powers reinforcements, now stare down the most elaborate network of modern land defenses in the world, waiting for their chance to strike. However, if that chance passes without a fight, the diplomatic unity of the Confederates with the Western Powers may soon falter.
Baltia: One hundred thousand Baltian soldiers stand along the front line, perhaps composing a greater threat to the US than the Confederates could possibly muster themselves. Despite their readiness and their training, they are secretly very worried about the morale of their comrades. The French troops seem anxious to return home, and the Confederates are demoralized. The British are the only good company along the line. [Pop: 60M] [Mil: 810K (1M)] [Eff: 70%] [Stb: 80%]
Confederacy: Conditions are beginning to degrade considerably in the south. The nation's supply of certain basic household items, such as matches and makeup, has run dry from the continuous demands of full mobilization. The British supply ships are not enough to supplement the failing economy, and fear of a coming famine is driving many to hoard food. Most alarmingly, there are many soldiers who are refusing to occupy the front line, as they will not put up with foreign generals giving orders. While only fifteen thousand are lost to combat, more than 25 thousand have deserted. High command sends a petition to the leadership of the Baltian and British forces, reading: "By all measures, it is clear that a decision is necessary. These young men are under your command in good faith, but we will not waste the young blood of our patriots on a static line under the guise of a defense while it is clear that the Americans are not attacking. We must decide now whether we will attempt to break that wall ahead of us, or seek a resolution to hostilities immediately. Our only chance of victory comes with the former." The message is initially withheld, but is sent after the British open a new front in Canada and send more troops to that line than are currently supporting the Confederates. [Pop: 22M] [Mil: 140K (300K)] [Eff: 70%] [Stb: 55%]
France: The twenty thousand French soldiers stationed in the Confederacy wish they could be at home, defending the French countryside. In fact, they wish they could be anywhere except within a stone's throw of the Roosevelt Line. [Pop: 25M] [Mil: 175K (300K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 65%]
Montreal: Before the Canadian front came into being, the Air Force of Montreal was extremely productive as a firewall, holding British naval forces up through the use of anti-shipping missiles and preventing them from entering the Hudson Bay. However, as colder weather set in, flights over the bay became nearly impossible, and Montreal was forced to watch a large number of British vessels sail into inner Canada. [Pop: 12M] [Mil: 60K (90K)] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
United Kingdom: The UK's Forty thousand soldiers stationed in the Confederacy spend the whole year waiting for orders in bunkers throughout the border zone. American and Confederate artillery exchanges have made life extremely difficult for those at the front. In the sea, British supply ships are attacked in a hit-and-run barrage by US submarines, thought to have been completely defeated during the previous year. Intelligence suggests that it is possible that some US submarine bases were not located before Project Zimmerman began, but efforts to locate the "ghost" subs and bases are fruitless. [Pop: 75.5M (76M)] [Mil: 800K (900K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 85%]
United States: President Reagan begins to overhaul the American defense effort by issuing an executive order that ends female exclusion from the armed services. Thousands of young, active women volunteer in the nation's time of need, most of whom end up in supporting roles, allowing more trained riflemen to hit the front immediately. America declines its opportunity to attack this year, and instead begins launching numerous powerful IRBM rockets, which, due to their small size and relative portability, are easier to conceal from above. These IRBMs deal heavy damage to Confederate ports and oil refineries, severely limiting the south's ability to service and assist its allies' navies. Late in the year, the Americans launch an IRBM which detonates over Atlanta, somehow causing a complete shutdown of the city's power supply which lasts for several days and causes millions in damages. This new weapon is revealed to be an EMP device, previously used only by the Berber Republic. Meanwhile, a pack of US submarines suddenly appear in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, attacking British supply ships quickly before dispersing. Very little is known about where the ships came from or where they are based. [Pop: 79M (80M)] [Mil: 620K (1M)] [Eff: 60%] [Stb: 55%]
-Balkan Front-
//////// More accurately described as the apocalyptic meltdown of Southeastern Europe, this campaign can be seen as the catalyst for the entire war, dating back to Sparta's chemical weapons attack on Baltian forces in the months following the Gotland attack. The Western Powers have long waited for their chance to finally enforce the treaty of surrender that was prepared some years earlier, prevented only by an unlawful change in government in Athens. The Spartans, initially shielded by the Nationalists' blockade, endured great hardship to maintain independence, eventually forging an alliance with the Macedonians. Persistant missile attacks coming from multiple enemies only strengthened their desire to retaliate, but after the debacle of the Eleven Months' War between Mardylonyea and Baltia, the Balkan nations swore to find better allies. However, the death of the Macedonian king, and the sudden treachery of the Mardylonyeans has lead to a sudden change of fortune- and the Baltians seem ready to capitalize.
Baltia: Despite being engaged in several fronts of a global war, Baltia's homeland is surprisingly quiet, allowing the troops there to reconstruct their navy piece by piece after losing so much to the Americans during the early days of Project Zimmerman. For the first months of the year, it seems as though the whole conflict was far from Europe's most war-torn lands, but this was only a cover for a massive counterintelligence opperation. On the first of May, around one hundred Baltian soldiers disguised as Mardylonyeans enter Macedonia under the pretense of weapons retrieval left over from the Slavic Alliance. Shortly thereafter, tens of thousands appear on the border between Mardylonyean border, appearing to Macedonian observers as a simple re-arming of the border after tha cancellation of allied activities. However, a reconnaisance jet quickly descovers the truth: behind the "Mardylonyean army" stands a force of about 100 thousand Baltian troops, just hours from unleashing their invasion of Macedonia. The earlier infiltrators proceed to create havoc, assasinating govornors, mayors, judges, and sabotaging military bases throughout the eastern half of the country. The Baltians break through the border easily and quickly surround the overwhelmed Macedonian army at Skopje. Three weeks later, the Macedonian government agrees to unconditional surrender. As a result of this action, Russia declares war on Baltia. [Pop: 60M] [Mil: 790K (1M)] [Eff: 70%] [Stb: 80%]
Macedonia: The kingdom has reached its end, having witnessed the merciless firebombing of its capital and the death of its king; the Baltians overrun the country with minimal resistance thanks to the betrayal of Macedonia's former ally. Seeing no choice but to surrender, the Macedonian government lays down its arms, allowing the young men of the Kingdom to return to normal life, even as the world burns around them. A large factor in this decision is the humane treatment of other territories captured by the Baltians in previous years. However, the Spartans and the Romans refuse to let the spirit of Macedonia die, and rush to gain control of the western fringe of the country before it can be handed over. Surprisingly, their efforts allow for the remains of King Alexander to be smuggled out of the country by Macedonian nationalists, who eventually ask for asylum in the Slavic Federation. Despite their efforts, the Macedonian flag is lowered over Skopje and the remaining ministers disband, setting the whole nation adrift (Defeated). [Pop: 15M (17M)] [Mil: 0 (100K)] [Eff: 20%] [Stb: 0%]
Mardylonyea: Much like a rook serves to pin a king against the wall in chess, Mardylonyea stands to keep Sparta in check during Baltia's invasion of Macedonia. The government, now headed by the hardline leader S. G. T. Nemredovks, responds to accusations of betraying its neighbors by reporting a complex excuse, attempting to rid itself of responsibility by claiming ignorance of Baltia's plans. Literally no one is fooled, anywhere. Russia and the entire Nationalist Alliance declare war on Mardylonyea, although combat is limited at first. The Spartan navy and the remainders of the Macedonian navy are the first units ordered to attack Mardylonyean units, as they attempted to fight their way out of the Black Sea. The Spartan aircraft carrier is captured by Union helicopter teams, but is then sunk by a Macedonian submarine under orders from its comrades. As the battle nears Istanbul, the remaining ships begin to bombard the city, launching it into a panic. Elsewhere, the Spartan airforce minces the Union's air defenses, and eventually uses chemical weapons on military targets throughout the Turkish peninsula. [Pop: 60M] [Mil: 600K (650K)] [Eff: 70%] [Stb: 85%]
Roman Federation: After watching its ally be crushed by the surprise Baltian attack, the Romans declare war on Mardylonyea and send troops to the conflict zone. Using Spartan air cover, the Romans land in and gain control of Albania and Montenegro. There, they plan to establish a base of operations to begin their long-term campaign of liberating Macedonia. [Pop: 50M] [Mil: 450K (600K)] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 60%]
Sparta: Unable to assist the faltering Macedonians, the Spartans are left to swear vengeance on the traitors to the east. Its navy, along with support from the orphaned Macedonian forces, fights its way out of the Black Sea, suffering heavy losses, but also inflicting great damage on the Mardylonyean navy and the city of Istanbul. The Spartan Air Force launches a gas attack campaign against military targets in Turkey, and thanks to more modern fighter designs, easily succeeds at this goal, inflicting roughly fifty thousand deaths within the final months of the year. [Mil: 450K (680K)] [Eff: 60%] [Stb: 45%]
-Canadian Front-
//////// The day the Parliament of Montreal met to declare war on the UK, September 19th, 1976, the people of Canada awoke to a morning of crisp weather and clear skies, and a seemingly ordinary business morning. It took some time for the news to set in that the little nation on the St. Lawrence River was challenging an alliance of the most powerful nations on Earth. Few were able to grasp the gravity of the situation, taking it more as a formality; so what if some American corn got lit up? However, it became clear later that afternoon, as the PM explained the peril the country was facing as its main source of food was threatened, and how devastating a US loss would be to the economy of Montreal. The UK also saw the declaration as a formality, as it quickly neutralized the small nation's naval forces. The UK has since offered to supplement Montreal's food supply in exchange for peace, but the people will not be satisfied until all nations in the American front come to terms. They may be biting off more than they can chew.
Montreal: By the time the citizens of Montreal learn of the British landings to the north, high command has already created a defensive plan to address the incoming Nazi troopers. The Canadian army falls back into clustered units, rather than a solid line, so that they may manuever very quickly. This also groups together mobile anti-aircraft weaponry, making best use of available resources. The air force confronts the British jets, and find themselves competing against much newer, more dangerous aircraft than what was expected, and they lose many of their outdated fighters. The numbers improve, however, when the best fighterjets are reassigned from interceptor duty to multirole function, and the two forces gain equal footing. Neither side has definitive control of the air. [Pop: 12M] [Mil: 60K (90K)] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
United Kingdom: British troops make their landfall on the Canadian wilderness by using transport ships disguised as supply ships, a gutsy move considering the recent American attacks. Amazingly, all 250 thousand troops sent by the British arrive safely, which is great for propaganda at home. Unlike the soldiers from Montreal, the British march in a relatively uniform line, with resources spread out along the wide line: the most efficient configuration for such a large force. Mechanized units and tanks are the first to arrive at the battle scene, and are countered with air power and man-portable antitank weaponry. Heavy casualties are inflicted on the enemy, but the land the UK gains is not useful or populated. [Pop: 75.5M (76M)] [Mil: 800K (900K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 85%]
-Finnish Front-
//////// By 1977, Russia has witnessed Baltia expand without real restraint to subjugate the neutral lands of eastern Europe, disrupting the peace while fraternizing with an alliance responsible for the destruction of the island of Gotland, slaughtering thousands of innocents. Russia stood by, waiting for a response from Muscovy, but has finally lost patience for the narcissistic Muscovites and has decided to take matters into its own hands. They declare war not just on Baltia, but on the traitorous swine to the south - the Mardylonyeans - but the latter can wait for now. On the other side, the Baltians have spent years juggling politics and warfare, making countless sacrifices to become a world power. To them, defending Finland from eastern aggression is just another task in that difficult road.
Baltia: The thirty thousand troops previously deployed to Finland wisely fall back with the Finnish army to a defensive perimeter around Helsinki to give time for reinforcements to arrive. Using borrowed ferries, the Baltians deploy another fifty thousand along the western coast of Finland and arrive just in time to stop the Russian push toward Helsinki. The clash is minor, given the large number of troops involved, but this is largely due to poor weather preventing jet fighters from playing a significant role. With only scattered intelligence to go on, the two armies can only make minor jabs at each other until they find themselves dug into parallel lines. [Pop: 60M] [Mil: 790K (1M)] [Eff: 70%] [Stb: 80%]
Finland: The Finns do their best to hold the line until Baltian reinforcements can arrive, but are totally overwhelmed by the force of numbers on the Russian side. Eight thousand soldiers are killed before June, but deaths are reduced considerably as the Helsinki defensive line is solidified with Baltian troops. [Pop: 5M] [Mil: 40K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 95%]
Russia: Entering the war guns-blazing, the Russians begin with a massive armored offensive, scattering the meager Finnish defenses and pinning them down in the area of Helsinki. However, the Baltian Air Force projects its power over the coast, protecting the Baltians as they utilize borrowed French transport ships to ferry thousands of troops across the sea. From there, it turns into a winter war of attrition, as the Russians are more than willing to use their superior numbers to grind down their enemies. Helicopters are especially useful in this time, as the Mi-24, imported from Muscovy, easily copes with the cold weather. By comparison, tanks on both sides become unusable in the autumn months due to the cold and the terrain. [Pop: 40M] [Mil: 960K (1M)] [Eff: 50%] [Stb: 50%]
-French Front-
//////// France is under siege in less than two years the French have lost their status as one of Europe's primary offensive forces and are now in a struggle to hold onto their core territories against an overwhelming foe. As three powerful armies now menace the Nazi stronghold, reinforcements pour in from the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Benelux in a desperate play to turn the tides and return France to its original glory. The other side doesn't see it this way- the Berber Republic and its Nationalist allies have long been opposed to the growing influence of the Nazis, and have taken shrewd steps to place their power in check. Now the conflict has finally come to real and unrestrained blows, and by the grace of some merciful spirit, the Nationalists have the momentum. However, all that glitters is not gold...
Benelux: Fighting mainly for economic security, the Beneluxans prove to be essential to the French counteroffensive against the Romans. Morale is relatively high, and efficiency is kept up on the home front. [Pop: 25M] [Mil: 140K (150K)] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Berber Republic: The Berber Republic shocks the world by suddenly firing a large salvo of compact ICBMs from hidden, mobile launchers. The weapons onboard are an even greater surprise, utilizing a sort of electrical interference to damage electronic components upon detonation, which disables a large number of French and British aircraft over France, clearing the way for an invasion of the southern coast. Troops link up with the Iberians on the west and the Romans on the right, and begin a solid push into wine country. The French are seen falling back on all fronts, regrouping elsewhere for their counter-attack. This allows the Nationalists to gain quite a bit of territory, but the Berber troops are hit hard by French artillery and armor, covering the Nazi retreat. [Pop: 89.5M (90M)] [Mil: 1.05M (1.2M)] [Eff: 50%] [Stb: 80%]
France: Determined to counterattack in a big way, the French issue a full mobilization policy and launch a number of available ICBM missiles at the Iberians troops occupying the southwest of the country. The strike is followed by an attack, the Iberians having been "softened up" to a satisfactory point, but the French are surprised by an ICBM counter-attack by the Berber Republic, causing the loss of a great number of aircraft to EMP blasts. With the help of a Berber resupply, the Iberians attack the French at a high cost, but eventually enter the city of Bordeaux. The French army in the area is not prepared to fight a defensive war, and spends the next six weeks conducting a highly-mobile campaign against the Iberians. Unfortunately, the ever-increasing threat of a Berber breakthrough in the east forces an end to the defense. The Berber Air Force enters French airspace and confronts French Mirages, often using diversion to draw off the interceptors into strike zones where EMP blasts can disable them. The Berber pilots would then eject into Nationalist-held territory. The French respond with AA fire and low-altitude ambush tactics to crush the inexperienced Berber pilots and their inferior jets. Despite the eventual success of the French Air Force, the Berber landings along the coast throw the Western Powers nations' plans into disarray, and a false army positioned at the border to fool the Romans is discovered. This forces the French to launch their offensive with Benelux several days early, which thankfully still catches the Romans unprepared. The location of this counteroffensive is the lightly-defended Alps, where the allies punch through and enter the northern territories of their Italian enemy. Meanwhile, newly-arrived British forces help protect the last French naval vessels, now stationed out of Brest, and the British soldiers help establish a solid defensive line from north of Bordeaux to the Alps and north. [Pop: 25M] [Mil: 175K (300K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 65%]
Iberian Empire: The Iberian navy pulls out of its persuit of the French naval forces when reinforcements arrive from the UK. They regroup to the southwest with other allied ships are form a barrier to prevent a British landing in Spain. Troops in the southwest of France take a beating from French missile attacks and an attempted counteroffensive, but the Iberians recover with the help of the Berbers and take the town of Bordeaux. They spend the rest of the year defending their gains against fierce French attacks. [Pop: 20M] [Mil: 180K (220K)] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Roman Federation: The Romans' job is to keep the pressure on against the French and the British, to prevent those nations from directing their strongest forces against the other Nationalists. Everything goes as planned until the French and Beneluxans break through the Romans' least defended positions in the northern Alps, allowing a large army to flank them. Now in grave danger, the Romans are expending many forces in an effort to contain the breakthrough, and may soon need to fall back from their forward positions. [Pop: 50M] [Mil: 450K (600K)] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 60%]
United Kingdom: The British arrive in time to prevent a massive collapse of the French front line, and help establish a large-scale defense of inner France. New British tanks and aircraft join the battle, helping to inflict punishing casualties on any nation bold enough to attempt an attack on the main allied position. However, the UK's more ambitious plans to break through the Nationalists' lines and resupply Sicily ends in failure due to the heavy usage of EMP attacks. Sicily is overrun by the Romans before Summer ends. ICBM launches are used against the Iberians and later the Berber Republic, and those that aren't disabled by EMP counter-missiles strike with thermite and aluminum powder explosives. Muscovy issues a diplomatic Communique warning that any further attacks using thermite will result in a declaration of war on the Western Powers. [Pop: 75.5M (76M)] [Mil: 800K (900K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 85%]
Neutral Nations:
Cuba - Business as usual. [Pop: 30M] [Mil: 25K] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 100%]
Germany - Still on high alert, the Germans watch the situation in France intently. [Pop: 45M] [Mil: 500K] [Eff: 110%] [Stb: 100%]
Iceland - Suddenly becomes very quiet diplomatically, possibly to avoid becoming roped into the conflict. [Pop: 400K] [Mil: 10K] [Eff: 125%] [Stb: 100%]
Muscovy - Threatens the Western Powers with war if thermite-tipped ICBMs are used again. [Pop. 60M] [Mil: 700K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Nordic Reich - Continues to supply the Western Powers for great profit. [Pop: 5M] [Mil: 50K] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 80%]
Polish Empire - Considers reopening talks to join the Slavic Federation. Preorders the upcoming German Leopard 2 tank. [Pop: 15M] [Mil: 170K] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 100%]
Slavic Federation - Criticizes Baltia for creating a divide between western and eastern Slavs. Begins research on EMP weaponry. Holds a funeral for King Alexander and buries him in Prague. Legalizes marijuana, and heavily regulates it. [Pop: 70M] [Mil: 670K] [Eff: 95%] [Stb: 85%]
==Turn 9: 1978==
thumb|right|270px|Turn musicPost link: http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1235905&p=39951523&viewfull=1#post39951523
The World at War in 1978 -and- Nations' Regions of Influence
-American Front-
//////// The war in the west dramatically narrowed in scope during the Fall of 1978, as the Confederates opened negotiations with the United States in an effort to attain peace. The US, badly battered by the conflict as well, but possessing greater national unity, agreed to recognize the sovereignty of the Confederacy and to twenty years of nonaggression in exchange for the annexation of the Kentucky territories under the Treaty of Raleigh. Although trade did not immediately begin to flow across the border, industry on both sides of the Roosevelt Line welcomed the notion of peaceful economic cooperation. However, for the United States, the war was not over; The United Kingdom was rapidly closing in on the heart of Montreal, and had reached the St. Lawrence River- the US's most important trade route to the north.
Baltia: Under the Treaty of Raleigh, local Baltian troops are granted a ceasefire with the US, allowing them to redeploy elsewhere peacefully. Despite Confederate animosity towards foreign generals, the soldiers sent from Baltia are thanked for their service and given a respectful sendoff. [Pop: 60M] [Mil: 810K (1M)] [Eff: 70%] [Stb: 80%]
Confederacy: By the time the Western Powers finally respond to the Confederacy's pleas for action, the army is in a state of near-mutiny, and is unwilling to receive orders from foreign generals any longer. A speech from the recently-elected Confederate President, George Wallace, outlines his government's plans to wind down the war within the year and seek repaired relations with the US and the Nationalist Alliance, despite the fact that the US was entirely responsible for the war. After the announcement of the Treaty of Raleigh, an angry Kentucky veteran attacks Wallace while the latter is visiting a military hospital. Wallace survives being shot five times and is paralyzed from the waist down. [Pop: 18M] [Mil: 125K (250K)] [Eff: 65%] [Stb: 35%]
France: Under the Treaty of Raleigh, local French troops are granted a ceasefire with the US, allowing them to redeploy elsewhere peacefully. This news boosts morale considerably, as the soldiers know they will be deployed somewhere more beneficial to their homeland. [Pop: 25M] [Mil: 175K (300K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 75%]
United Kingdom: Under the Treaty of Raleigh, local British troops are granted a ceasefire with the US, allowing them to redeploy elsewhere peacefully. Despite this, American submarine wolf-packs are detected shadowing the transports, and are chased away by destroyer escorts. [Pop: 75.5M (76M)] [Mil: 790K (900K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 85%]
United States: The US winds down hostilities with the Confederacy with a distinct lack of pomp and circumstance. Still dealing with a blockade off the coast and the occasional high-explosive missile attack, the public turns toward spiritual fulfillment to carry them through desperate times, and photographs of President Reagan praying in the National Cathedral are widely circulated. NASA as an organization reappears as a secretive military program, dedicated to carrying out stealthy construction of IRBM and ICBM weapons. Late in the year, a British carrier off the coast suffers damages from an EMP attack, the first of that type to be launched by the Americans. [Pop: 82.5M (84M)] [Mil: 620K (1M)] [Eff: 70%] [Stb: 70%]
-Canadian Front-
//////// Montreal's forces have been forced to retreat over vast swaths of territory, barely outrunning the pursuing British forces. Outnumbered, outgunned, and lacking support, the public was relieved to hear that the Americans have come to terms. The government of Montreal offered peace with the UK, ceding all land already lost to the UK in exchange for a guarantee that the UK will not attack US food crops or violate the bio weapons agreement. The UK promptly refused, sending the people of Montreal into a panic. Many fled to the US.
Montreal: Unable to mount an open-ground offensive, Montreal falls back to its core territories in preparation for a total defense strategy. [Pop: 12M] [Mil: 40K (90K)] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
United Kingdom: The British continue to engulf the northern half of Montreal, using long-range artillery and air strikes to heard the enemy around like cattle and to prevent a large-scale confrontation. [Pop: 75.5M (76M)] [Mil: 790K (900K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 85%]
-Eastern Front-
//////// Beginning the year with a triumphant push into Sparta's Greek homeland, the Baltians briefly had victory in their sights- just a few more seasons and they could have brought all the troops to Finland, and broken the Russians' will. Disaster struck in mid March, when a rogue missile was detected on radar over the Baltic Sea, headed toward Russia. It struck a suburb of Nizhny Novgorod, exploding into a storm of blazing thermite and causing an uncontrollable fire. Baltia was immediately blamed for the attack, and the diplomats of all Western Powers nations were expelled from Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow. Muscovy declared war less than a week later, decrying the dishonesty of the Westerners and calling for unity among the Slavs against the aggressors. In response, Baltia tightened its organization of the war effort, placing political prisoners in the factories to free up more men for the front. Finland quickly agreed to annexation, and handed direct control of the military to Western Powers authorities.
Baltia: The war in the east has expanded from a battle near Helsinki to a war over thousands of miles of border, and the number of troops involved has doubled overnight. Baltia is overextended and surrounded by enemies, and how it will extradite itself from this situation is unclear. [Pop: 60M] [Mil: 810K (1M)] [Eff: 70%] [Stb: 80%]
Muscovy: With only one enemy on its border, Muscovy is able to utilize the entire army to make a blistering dash through Belarus, using plans originally thought up years prior during the initial Baltian invasion. After years of observation and improvement, the Muscovites have thrown their greatest punch- and now stand at the edge of Minsk, waiting for the people there to revolt so that the Baltians can be thrown out once and for all. The advance wasn't perfect, however, and Muscovite T-72s often faced better-equipped enemies such as the Challenger and AMX-30B, along with the Mig-23s which faced superior Baltian air support. Now that Muscovy is in the fight, it remains to be seen whether this act can be followed by a triumphant finale, or if Muscovy will fall into the same pitfalls as other aggressive powers. [Pop. 60M] [Mil: 670K (700K)] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Russia: Still keen to allow a war of attrition in the north, the Russians are very pleased to receive extra support from Muscovy in the war effort. [Pop: 40M] [Mil: 930K (1M)] [Eff: 60%] [Stb: 60%]
-French Front-
//////// The Western Powers struck back in 1978, trading a strip of territory along the front for gains in the east. Their hope is to crush the Roman Federation's ability to fight an effective campaign, leaving the Nationalist Alliance without one of its key players, and possibly gaining some possessions in the Mediterranean as well. Thanks to advances in air-to-air missile and capabilities beyond the line of sight, the Western Powers gain an advantage in the air against their EMP-wielding foes. France in particular is making gains: inspired by the US' anti-ICBM rockets that breifly appeared years earlier, the French develop their own IRBM-based rocket destroyers. With both sides well-prepared to intercept and deal with missiles, the war becomes very close-range...
Benelux: Largely relegated to reserve status, the kingdom's troops return home to establish a strong defensive line, just in case Germany decides to get involved. The latter invites Benelux to a conference and shares information about their own defensive capabilities to reassure them that there will be no German involvement unless the Germans are attacked outright. [Pop: 25M] [Mil: 140K (150K)] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Berber Republic: Continuing to land more armor and aircraft in captured territory in the south of France, the Berber army has recently suffered bad casualties while fighting against strong French defensive positions. However, nobody can deny the progress that has been made since the beginning of the conflict. When the French begin to retreat to the Rochelle Line, the Berbers eagerly move forward, capturing a large slab of territory in the process. Unfortunately, the French have designed this transfer of territory to be as costly for the African invaders as possible, using air, artillery, and anti-personnel weaponry to inflict the the greatest number of casualties on a single nation during the war- the Berber Republic loses 130,000 men in the span of 12 months. To help alleviate the strain placed on the army, the Nationalist Legion is created, inviting volunteers from neutral nations to join the fight. Ten thousand volunteers join the battle, mostly from Germany. [Pop: 89.5M (90M)] [Mil: 930K (1.2M)] [Eff: 50%] [Stb: 80%]
France: The year begins with a familiar defensive struggle, obviously similar to American efforts years earlier to establish the Roosevelt Line. This time, it's the French creating their own fortifications along the Rochelle Line, which crosses the nation about 1/3 of the distance from its southernmost territorial claim before hooking north to meet the Romans on the east. The Iberians are the only force in position to attack the line before it is finished, so they do just that, utilizing all Nationalist naval power to clear the waters around Nantes before attempting an amphibious landing. Although the Nationalists succeed in taking the city, their intent to move south is disrupted by rear-guard units and British air support. The Iberians become pinned down in the city, and decide to hold it, knowing that the French will have considerable difficulty trying to retake it without destroying it. After taking heavy losses at the front, the French drop back to occupy the new position, allowing the Nationalists to advance under extreme bombing conditions. While the troops in the south are being secured, the Italian campaign continues with a joint-encirclement with the British to close a pocket around forward-based Roman units. This effort doesn't damage the Roman military badly, but changes the strategic layout of the situation considerably as the Romans are pushed back dramatically and the French are solidified in their gains. [Pop: 23M (25M)] [Mil: 150K (300K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 60%]
Iberian Empire: The Iberians begin the year with the intent to wait for Berber units to push forward, but are compelled to move when the French begin to construct a fortified line right under their noses. The Iberians quickly formulate a daring plan to land troops at Nantes, take the city, then double back down the coast and hit La Rochelle to allow a breakthrough, but the latter half of the plan is prevented by a mobile defense conducted by mechanized French infantry and British armored reinforcements. Instead, the Iberians buckle down for a difficult defense, but they feel confident that the French will not destroy their own city. [Pop: 20M] [Mil: 150K (220K)] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Roman Federation: Now in a precarious position thanks to the French flanking their entire line of defense, the Romans are again set back by a large British attack on the northernmost units of the army. The Romans are forced to fall back, and are now facing an unfavorable outlook, as the easternmost Roman territories are vulnerable and the Romans do not have the resources to mount a counteroffensive. [Pop: 50M] [Mil: 400K (600K)] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 60%]
United Kingdom: Due largely to British actions throughout, the French are more secure at the end of 1978 than they were in 1977. This is accomplished thanks to the establishment of a strong line of defense, with a mobile network of units designed to prevent breakthroughs, and a joint offensive against the Roman Federation that leaves the latter in an unstable position. Additionally, the UK requests that the Nordic Reich send troops to help defend France, stressing the importance of the latter's survival to the Reich's success as a nation. The Nordic Reich transfers 20 thousand men to serve as an expeditionary force, who are put to use to enforce order. [Pop: 75.5M (76M)] [Mil: 790K (900K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 85%]
-Slavic Front-
//////// Shortly after the Muscovite entry into the war, the Slavic Federation and the Polish Empire declared war against Baltia, claiming that the subjugation and division caused by Baltic aggression must end. After the initial barrage of missiles was through, the armies of three nations participate in a massive offensive against the Belorussian territory. Before the year was out, Minsk was surrounded by Slavic forces, diving Baltia into three pockets- the Baltic Pocket, which included the homelands of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, the Minsk Pocket, including the forces tasked to defend the city, and the Ukrainian Pocket, which includes the entirety of the former Black Sea Republic. An uprising began in Minsk, supported by the Slavic liberators, with the intent to create an independent Belorussian state. If the Baltians did not restore order, the Belorussians would win control within the year.
Baltia: Baltia begins the year with few enemies, seeking to finish its war with the Spartans before turning to the north to fight Russia. They begin by luring Sparta into a costly attack that cripples the already-sick nation, and then press the attack to force a quick and relatively painless surrender. However, things turn suddenly sour as Baltia is invaded by Muscovy in retaliation for a thermite-missile attack on Russia, which is quickly followed by a second invasion from the west. Now attacked on several sides, the Baltians consolidate their efforts into two theaters, the Slavic Front and the Eastern Front, which eventually squeeze in the center like a tube of toothpaste. Troops from the entire area are forced to redeploy, rather than stand their ground, due to overwhelming pressure in the air and the threat of being overrun. The army then ends up as two separate entities, a northern group and a southern group. In the center, Minsk is surrounded by Slavic troops and rises up against the Baltian government. Without quick action, the entirety of the Belorussian territory may be soon united against them. Despite major losses on both fronts, Baltia mobilizes its remaining reserves and reorganizes industry to bring as many people into service as possible, and succeeds at remaining stable for now. [Pop: 60M] [Mil: 810K (1M)] [Eff: 70%] [Stb: 80%]
Mardylonyea: Knowing that it won't take much to break down Spartan resistance, the Union conducts a tight operation in Turkey to draw out the Spartan army into an open field, and then destroys it using a huge barrage of short-range missiles launched from Cyprus. Now unhindered and highly confident, the Mardylonyeans begin to take control of the peninsula, and are treated with respect by the locals there. Elsewhere, the army stands prepared to defend against another former ally, the Slavic Federation, but no attack comes. [Pop: 60M] [Mil: 610K (650K)] [Eff: 70%] [Stb: 90%]
Polish Empire: The Poles have a strong desire to see Baltia crumble, and commit all available armor to the eastern boarder for a massive line break. The new Leopard II tank from Germany leads the offensive, and is faster, better armored, and carries a larger cannon than the French-designed AMX-30B tanks that make up the bulk of the Baltian response. However, after the initial break in the lines, the Poles have difficulty maintaining their momentum as the mainstays of their armored forces, the Muscovite-supplied T-72 and T-62, are exposed to fire. These vehicles are slower and have thinner armor than their Baltian opponents and suffer major losses, especially to British-supplied Challenger tanks. Polish air power is also struggling to overcome powerful Baltian resistance. If not for the severity of the over-extension of Baltian forces, Poland would be losing the war badly. [Pop: 15M] [Mil: 135K (170K)] [Eff: 80%] [Stb: 90%]
Roman Federation: A small addition is made to the forces defending the coastline of Albania, and a small section of Sparta is taken over to help evacuate refugees. [Pop: 50M] [Mil: 450K (600K)] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 60%]
Slavic Federation: Despite a general lack of up-to-date armored vehicles, the Slavs are able to use air power and IFVs to punch a quick hole of their own through the Baltian border, which is greatly aided by the fact that the Slavic leadership was violating its NAP with the Baltians to accomplish this. The public enters the war unhappily, but begrudgingly accepts that if the Muscovites are fighting against Baltia, it is in the Slavic peoples' best interest to join the fight as well. Morale improves as rumors of a new Belorussian state emerge. After linking up with allied troops in the area of Minsk, the Slavs stop their offensive and dig in to defend against a possible counterattack from either Baltia or Mardylonyea. [Pop: 70M] [Mil: 650K] [Eff: 95%] [Stb: 75%]
Sparta: The Spartans have two enemies at their borders, and have suffered continuous bombing attacks for most of the decade. The military is running out of time to convince the public that the war is still winnable after the loss of the Macedonians. The opportunity seems to present itself when the Baltians clumsily attempt to disguise their armored divisions in the same manner they used a year earlier, and the Marylonyeans assemble an army in Turkey, revealing their strategy. The final plan- Operation Marathon, is authorized by Ptolemy with two main goals- use the air force to destroy as much of Baltia's armor as possible while the army goes on the offensive in eastern Macedonia, surrounding them and defeating them, at the same time as a second force of paratroopers and lightly armored vehicles arrive in eastern Turkey, to draw the Mardylonyeans off into a goose chase. The plan immediately begins to collapse as the disguised units are revealed to be a ruse, allowing for a mass number of undetected infantry to collide head on with the Spartan offensive. The Spartans are totally unprepared to defend, lacking even proper maps of defensive positions, and are thrown back across the border in disarray. In Turkey, the Mardylonyeans ignore the diversion and march down the peninsula toward the boarder, attacking the Spartan units with a barrage of short-range missiles launched from Cyprus. The sight of dazed and confused Spartan soldiers reeling from the fight to the north destroys public confidence in the war, and Ptolomy suffers a terrible fate, as an angry mob attacks his motorcade and beats him to death in the street. Greece descends into anarchy while the military leadership argues over who has the authority to surrender to the Baltians, and on December 11th, Egypt declares independence and offers to support the Western Powers with an expeditionary force in exchange for exemption from Sparta's surrender terms (Defeated). [Pop: 36.5M (38M)] [Mil: 260K (680K)] [Eff: 45%] [Stb: 10%]
Neutral Nations:
Cuba - Begins selling products primarily to the Berber Republic after finalizing a very profitable trade agreement. [Pop: 30M] [Mil: 25K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Germany - Maintains neutrality, but supplies Poland with many Leopard 2 tanks at a loss. [Pop: 45M] [Mil: 500K] [Eff: 100%] [Stb: 100%]
Iceland - Releases a new programming language called Java to help developers make the internet more useful. [Pop: 400K] [Mil: 10K] [Eff: 125%] [Stb: 100%]
Nordic Reich - Supplies 20K troops to the UK for use in the defense of France, but does not declare war on the Nationalists. [Pop: 5M] [Mil: 30K (50K)] [Eff: 90%] [Stb: 80%]
==Turn 10: Epilogue==
thumb|right|270px|Turn musicPost link: http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1235905&p=40364094&viewfull=1#post40364094
1979: Iceland is outed as the supplier of ICBM weapons to the Berber Republic. The Western Powers declare war, and a task force from the UK conducts a quick naval mission to bust up the Icelandic sea defenses, aided by air support. Iceland inflects grevious casualties thanks to air defenses, but only during the initial weeks. By the middle of the year the UK disables the defense system using precision strikes and lands paratroopers. For several months, Reykjavík descends into civil war, and is eventually forced to surrender. The UK annexes Iceland, and three months later take control of Greenland under similar circumstances.
In America, the US rushes into Montreal territory to defend alongside the battered northerners. The UK's resources are stretched due to the conflict in Iceland, and not as much progress is made as in the previous year. Confederate assets are frozen by Western Powers banks in retaliation for the ceasefire, forcing the southerners to drop their plans for a new currency and adopt the US dollar instead. Although the US approves the action, the south doesn't have enough resources locked up to cover it public debt, causing both countries' credit ratings to downgrade and devaluing the dollar to roughly 60% of its regular strength. Protests ensue, but the economy shows recovery as free trade allows the construction industry to thrive. New military products from the recently-reformed NASA based on leaked Icelandic technology finally realize the US's plans for a unified missile defense system.
In Europe, the Belarussian situation becomes a crisis as the Baltians break through an unsteady Polish/Slavic line, bringing supplies and manpower to the troops in the city, but the Muscovites also crash through the defenses in the east and engage the Baltians in urban combat. At a joint conference, the Treaty of Slavic Peace is signed by the Slavic Federation, Polish Empire, Mardylonyea, Muscovy, and a delegation from Belarus. The terms require a cessation of hostilities between all signatories, condemnation of Baltia's occupation of Belarus and Ukraine, and the recognition of an independant Belarussian state. This allows Slavic troops currently guarding the border with Mardylonyea to slide north instead, cutting Baltia off from Minsk again.
The situation become unsteady in a hurry, and the Western Powers eventually resort to chemical attacks when it becomes clear that the city can't be retaken. Muscovy returns fire against Baltia, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians across multiple nations. Belarus conducts its first session of "independant lawmaking" and passes a declaration of rights for its people based on Pan-Slavic ideals. Baltia is pissed, and uses its secret police to terrorize anyone who is found to be distributing this information.
Muscovy begins pushing on the Ukranian defensive line, not with the intent to break through, but simply to inflict casualties. The Baltians fight back hard using a mobile defense and deal more damage than the Muscovites anticipated. Muscovy abandons this strategy.
Far to the north, the Russians recieve a surprising amount of air support from Muscovy. The WP defensive lines are targeted by the above-mentioned ICBM attacks. In a critical moment, the defense of Helsinki collapses and the Baltian authorities flee to the Baltian homeland. The army pulls out of Finland, and with the help of Finnish troops, destroys most strategic implements and infrastructure while evacuating thousands of citizens.
In the Balkans, absolute chaos ensues in Greece and Macedonia, with Baltian, Slavic, Roman, Mardylonyean, and Egyptian troops fighting to control the isles. The Heir to the Macedonian throne, Alexander II, begins making television appearances from an unknown location in an effort to comfort the people. He praises the heroism of the Romans and Slavs while blasting the betrayal of the Egyptians and the Mardylonyeans. Interestingly, he speaks about the "Balkan Slavs" without referencing Macedonia or Greece by name. No clear front is established throughout the year, but although strategic targets trade hands multiple times, it is clear that the Baltian occupiers are the generally-accepted authority throughout most of the countries.
On the French front, the Roman situation continues to degrade as the Romans decide to forgo the pincer manuever in favor of a head-on counterattack. French/British armor superiority overwhelms them, and the army is badly defeated in the Battle of the Padan. Riding high on this victory, the French and British decide to retake Nantes, and assualt mainly with helicopter and paratrooper units. Armored groups assault the city from the outside, and the occupyers retreat inward. After weeks of fighting, several thousand Iberian troops surrender and the city is retaken.
However, things to the south only become uglier. Without further shipments of Icelandic tech, the Berber republic quickly runs out of missiles and begin to take serious damage. Unable to replicate the ICBM and EMP technology in a reasonable amount of time, air support becomes a major issue, and the Nationalists are forced to compensate by focussing intently on the border. Casalties rack up for both sides as the Nationalists become desparate to break through, hoping for one "knockout punch" to win the war.
Germany and Benelux sign a nonaggression pact. The Western Powers are relieved to hear that Germany is becoming more neutral, and not the other way around.
////////
1980: Roman forces regroup to the west to strengthen their line, effectively giving up a large swath of territory, half of which falls under British control while the other half is picked up by the Berber Republic. The British then attempt to flank the Berber forces but are surprised by the number of IFVs that respond to the attack, and are swiftly flanked themselves. Unable to redeploy north without making the situation worse, the British watch as a small breakthrough occurs in the Rochelle Line. The French soon close the gap and narrowly defeat the Berber forces at the Battle of Lyon. The breakthough still manages to life the sprits of the Iberians and Berbers to the West, who renew their assault on the Rochelle Line, especially on the Massif Central, where high mountain ridges help commandos avoid detection as they penetrate the line.
The Roman Army regroups at the northern end of the Italian peninsula and counterattacks again against the French specifically, while a second, small Berber attack hits the British to the west. The French, still bloodied from the Battle of Lyon, do not respond out of fear of suffering another breakthrough, and British are forced to pull armored vehicles west to deal with the threat. This results in a major victory for the Romans- the Second Battle of the Padan, and a small defeat for the Berber Republic- the Battle of Valance.
The WP forces do not discover the security leaks in the Massif Central until late in the year, and are unsure of how many Nationalist infiltrators have entered the nation. The Nationalists begin broadcasting propaganda that "nearly a thousand" commandos have breeched the line, while the actual number is closer to 200. Still, these men begin to create mass chaos by sabotaging infrastructure and industry, generating quite a bit of hystaria until they are all killed or captured. 1980 becomes a terrible year for the French as a result.
To make matters worse, the Nationalist and Western fleets finally meet again in full combat just west of the British channel. Despite the lack of EMP technology, the Iberian navy is able to decisively defeat the remaining local British forces. This forces Britain to lift the blockade against the Americans as there are no longer enough ships to maintain that degree of control. Submarines continue to attack American trade ships.
America and Montreal engage the British forces at Lake St. Jean. The Americans debut a devistating new tank during the battle- the M1 Abrams, which becomes a literal terror for British IFV and artillery crews. Challenger tanks encounter the Abrams a week after first contact with the Americans and trade blows equally, but American EMPs help make the difference in a highly contested battle. After equal losses on both sides, the British retreat northward; it is a tactical victory for the Americans. It is followed by a British victory at the Battle of Lake Mistassini, where artillery is used to control enemy armor movement, creating favorable conditions for the Challengers.
In Macedonia, the Romans begin an organized push with the help of Macedonian partisans to gain control of part of the Greek peninsula. Alexander II calls for all available Balkan Peoples to stand up in opposition of Baltian occupation. Now locked in and alone, the Baltian forces rely on superior weaponry to hold the line, but are running out of supplies and manpower. The Mardylonyeans take control of the remainder of the Turkish peninsula and the Egyptians gain control of the Peloponnese Peninsula. The original location of ancient Sparta is now under Egyptian control.
The Muscovites recieve reinforcements from the Russians and brute-force their way into Estonia in the devistating Battle of Narva. Chemical attacks nearly tripple during this period and civilian casualties dramatically escalate. The Western Powers now become aware that Baltia is losing, and will not last much longer unless a major turnaround occurs. The Baltians decide to sacrafice the Ukranian force to draw the Muscovites away by attacking headlong into southern Muscovy. This new front costs Muscovy dearly, and, as intended, Muscovy is forced to draw off air and armor power to compensate.
The Poles and Slaves attack north, suffering disastrous casualties. The offensive is canceled.
////////
1981: Unable to maintain their position any longer, the Baltian troops in Macedonia collapse and surrender to the Roman/Slav/Partisan alliance. This mass surrender deals yet another blow to the confidence of Baltia, which responds by using chemical weapons against the very people they spent the previous years oppressing. Millions die in months. Alexander and various officials begin to organize a Balkan Republic, which will be a constitutional monarchy ala Poland, and starts by offering a ceasefire with Egypt. The latter accepts, attracting the ire of the Western Powers.
To the north, the Baltians have hit real resistance from the Muscovites and begin to suffer massive casualties. The troops are told that the army in the homeland is winning against the invaders and that there would be a final victory soon. This leads to the Battle of Voronezh, a costly but decisive victory for Muscovy. Some prisoners are shown news footage of Muscovite and Russian forces at the edge of Tallinn and marching down the streets of Helsinki, and then given the option to return to their lines. Only the most die-hard Nazis go back to their own side, refusing to believe the footage is real. The Ukranian army is crushed at the Battle of Kharkiv, and efforts begin to contact the people of the former BSR in the interest of forming a new government similar to efforts in Belarus. This proves nearly impossible without military intervention due to the large number of secret police and terror squads patrolling the nation.
As stated above, Tallinn is confronted by Muscovy and Russia, and is placed under seige. Despite alarming losses, the government in Moscow is convinced that it can weather the storm. Polish forces break through the defensive line around Konigsburg and gets thoroughly wrapped up into urban combat. The Slavic Federation shores up defenses around Minsk and Belarus signs agreements with its neighbors to gain internationally-recognized borders. Now confined to the Baltic coastline, the Baltian government begins burning records, killing off those who can provide sensative information, and creating civilian defenses for the remaining territory, all to ensure that every inch of lost territory costs the Slavs dearly.
In the west, the British attempt to halt Roman progress at the Battle of Switzerland, which they are able to accomplish after a dire four weeks of fighting. The French offensive into northern Italy has been completely stalled, causing hopes to rise for Europeans everywhere that peace will soon be at hand. The Berber Republic attacks at the Battle of Saint-Étienne and are defeated, but again draw reinforcements to the east. Finally, the Iberians put into motion the Nationalists' plan by attacking on the western coastline at La Rochelle, the name of the city being hugely important for both sides to control. Six months of apocalyptic fighting ensues, and the Iberians eventually succeed. During the chaos, light Berber forces pierce the line multiple times, causing an organizational panic in French high command.
Around this point, the British seriously wonder if they are the only nation that knows how to run a goddammned war.
While British reserves prepare to close the gap at La Rochelle, the forces in America surround Quebec City. An American armored force attempts to cut off this attack before it can begin, but they are quickly slapped down due to a shortage of manpower. This is followed by a second British victory at Ishpatina Ridge. Despite the successes, the British forces are keenly aware of their own dwindling reinforcements as the situation in Europe becomes more critical.
////////
1982: The British counterattack outside La Rochelle, using every available remaining piece of equipment. This engagement is almost exclusively run by the British and Iberians, and deals equal damage to both sides. The British suffer a phyrric victory, sending the Iberians back to the land between La Rochelle and Bordeaux, but losing almost all remaining reserve troops in the process. The men that remain are subconciously aware that they, along with the French reservists, are the last line of defense.
Tallinn is captured by Muscovite forces, and the government of Baltia has fled to the UK to "control the situation from the heart of the Western Powers Alliance." By March, allied forces surround and break up all remaining pockets of resistance in Latvia. Lithuania remains defiant until October, but is finally forced to accept defeat. No treaty terms are written. Soon after gaining control of the contry, an epidemic of anthrax breaks out throughout the Baltic coast and in the Ukraine, where Muscovite forces are wrestling to keep authority. The anthrax infection is widespread and nearly impossible to contain, and the eastern Slavs are forced to use violence to keep citizens from leaving their homes and spreading the illness. Millions die in their homes, untreated.
The international reaction to this event is explosive. Germany declares war on the Western Alliance, and plunges into the French lines In Switzerland. Rome coordinates its own attack against the British with support from the last remaining Berber troops in southern France. This massive, theatre-wide assault becomes known as the Battle of the Rhône-Alpes, which results in a fast and furious Nationalist victory. The French army now lacks the capability to fight offensively, and the country explodes into striking and riots.
The British forces make one final attempt to end American resistance (as the American/Montreal army stands at roughly a tenth of its strength, while the British still hold about 35% of their own, although almost all of them are in France) at the Battle of Montreal. The bloodshed begins in April and continues throughout the year, first as a complete engagement, and later as a series of high-ordinance skirmishes between sparce units of armor and artillery. In September, the British call off the attack, and the remaining units report to Halifax to recover. With no more units available for fighting, the American front ends in stalemate.
////////
1983: Ronald Reagan is celebrated as a hero in the United States, helping to end the war against the Confederates and then saving Montreal from complete destruction. The British are hanging onto northern Canada by their fingernails, and the US does not have the manpower to fully expell them, but that's okay, thanks to the efforts of the Nationalist Alliance. The Germans break through the French lines again at the Battle of the Marne, and now stand within a very short distance of Paris. All units along the Rochelle line fall back to defend the Capital. Anthrax attacks occur as the remaining stockpiles of IRBMs are expended. The Western Powers are bankrupt and are losing control of the situation. Benelux leaves the alliance after anthrax infections are found within the country.
In a stroke of divine intervention, a German airstrike on a French artillery camp reveals the position of a final IRBM, intended to launch an anthrax attack against Prague. Instead, the deadly bacteria is released in the immediate viscinity of Paris, which quickly causes an epidemic. The government in Paris collapses, and the Western Powers are no more. The British forces abandon the front and head north, taking as many Nazi sympathizers with them as possible.
The following six months is a nonstop bombing campaign against the British, at first using conventional explosives, then escalating to chemical weapons. The message is clear by November: you cannot defeat us all- but if you continue to resist, we will use bioweapons and destroy what's left of you. Britain requests a ceasefire.
The terms of the treaty that ends the war are unimportant. All that matters is that the Nationalist Alliance and its co-beligerants became the triumphant winners of the greatest war seen by mankind. The greatest winner of all? The Slavic Federation. After stringing together allies using nothing but goodwill, commerce, and the defense of the innocent, the Slavs become the most influential and respected nation in Europe (despite contention by the Muscovites.) The center of world politics shifts east, as Prague becomes the most important city in Europe, and by extension, the world.
Congratulations, winners!
Notes: The GM's favorite moment in the whole game was when Iceland used an ICBM tipped with thermite against Russia to convince Muscovy to declare war on the Western Powers.
Category:Turns