On the Backs of Broken Men (Turns)

This page contains every turn made so far for On the Backs of Broken Men.
==Turn 1: January to June 1930==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48120836&viewfull=1#post48120836
-World Tensions are very low.
-The depression continues to shake up nations, as the global shudders after a worldwide market crash.
-Extremist parties in Europe and Asia clamor to put themselves in power. Both left and right wing parties prepare to duke it out in the polls, or worse, in the streets.
-A growing nationalist movement takes place in Germany, led by the charismatic and hypernationalist Adolf Hitler.
-Leon Trotsky and Adolf Hitler regularly butt heads via public speaking, as one declares the other a “Puppet of international cabals”.
Player Events:
Sobotnik - Republic of China
Government Type: Semi-Republic
Leading Party: Kuomintang (Paternal Autocrat)
Military: Massive | Poorly Trained | Great War Equipment
Economy: Weak (Recovering)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-The Republic of China begins to break the chains of foreign dominance, by first making a deal with the United Kingdom. This includes the indefinite leasing of Hong Kong, while simultaneously lessening the horrendously restrictive tariffs on the larger country, protecting domestic producers and farmers instead of lining the pockets of foreign businessmen.
-As relations begin to warm up between the UK and China, the Chinese military begins purchasing large amounts of British military equipment, mostly WW1 and Pre-WW1 surplus firearms and artillery pieces.
-The Chinese put their foot down with Japan. Nanjing makes its demands to end Japanese influence in Manchuria and the northern military divisions. Startled by the sudden diplomatic lashing out, the Japanese quietly move back a step or two.
-The Council of Chinese Unity is formed, and long, arduous talks take place between the Chinese government, the cliques, the Uighurs and most importantly, the Communists. The Council aims to make deals on their demands and eventually unify the country. However, the Communists stall the talks, and force the Shanxi to walk out.
-The talks are not entirely unsuccessful however, and a deal is struck between the Cliques and Communists, creating the National Unitary Army, or a national army made up of Republican and Clique/Communist troops (of course, with compensation to the latter two).
-With the help of British military influence, and the growing size of the Chinese army, the Chinese military puts forth requirements for Non-Commissioned Officers to progress up the chain of command. These requirements include basic tactical competence, logistics training and a battery of exams that test their cognitive abilities and willingness to execute orders.
-Cheap crops are bought up from local farmers en-masse, mainly to stabilize local prices and create large stores in case of famine.
-The Kuomintang Government opens up the floodgates to positions, by removing the requirement to be a KMT loyalist to take part in government reforms and works. This creates a huge influx of well prepared interns and eager nationalists, while grumbling KMT asskissers are booted from office for incompetence.
-Representation for Clique and Communist leaders is also opened up, though many of these “outsider governments” are hesitant to send representatives, and the Communists refuse to take part outright.
-A variety of new, cheaper and more reliable bicycles are produced by government-owned factories. With the growing middle and working class, people need to move from place to place faster. Lacking nationwide railways, and not having a large amount of automobile consumers, bikes are the next best thing. Nicknamed the Nanjing Type 30 Special, this comfortable bike flies off the shelves once available on the market.
-With the government stabilizing, the economy reopened, and the military reforming, a new player prepares to amble out onto the world stage.
Malos - Republic of France
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Leading Party: Parti Radical (Centrist)
Military: Large | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Average (Stable)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-Seeing the growing strength of the NSDAP in neighboring Germany, the French send a warning to the Weimar government that is expected to be repeated to the NSDAP, stating simply “Violation of Versailles will end in punishment”. The words startle the Weimar government, but the NSDAP, led by the charismatic Adolf Hitler, use the letter as ammo.
-Seeing that the United States is ailing the most under the global depression, the French lend a helping hand by encouraging the purchasing of American exports in France. This brings the age-old friends slightly closer together, and cables between Washington and Paris are warmed.
-Jobless rates are stable, as is the nation’s GDP. Of course, the growth is stunted due to the lack of direct economic activity internationally, but the French have managed to skirt the worst of it for the time being.
-In order to continue their posturing towards the right-wing movements in Europe, the French begin small wargames in Alsace-Lorraine. These games include tank movements and flashy artillery drills.
-Seeing the ineffectiveness of their small, light armored tanks, the French look into faster and stronger armored vehicles. Blueprints revealed to contractors show a squat, sloped-armor-bearing tank dubbed the “FT-30” by the famous Renault manufacturers.
Griffster26 - Kingdom of Hungary
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Alkotmányos Párt (Social Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnant)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-With extremist attitudes on the rise, and fearing for his own life, Horthy officially dissolves the parliament and instead institutes a representative government with elected positions. Horthy’s word is always final, but the regent has been making steps to remove himself from political life.
-The republic officially declares “armed neutrality”. Taking a page from the Swiss, the Hungarians begin to build up their army in a completely defensive style. However, with neutrality declared, the Hungarians send cables to Paris and London to build ties with the “little entente”.
-In order to sooth tensions with the tiny neighbor democracy, the Hungarians invite the Czechoslovak military to a joint training operation. However, the Czechoslovaks refuse, and instead resort to simply exporting military equipment such as machine guns and rifles.
-Desperate to build up their stocks, the Hungarians purchase a series of sub-machine guns from the Weimar Republic. Though not officially allowed to make such a deal due to the pointlessly restrictive Treaty of Versailles, some German arms manufacturers wriggle through loopholes and send the guns to the Hungarians behind closed doors.
-Taking note from the effectiveness of the MP28, and the sheer stopping power of a full-length cartridge, the Hungarian RP-30 is born. A strange Frankenstein-style combination of the Vz-24 and G98, this short rifle is much more mobile without sacrificing the power and accessibility of a regular sized rifle.
Emperor Scorpious II - Kingdom of Spain
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Union Patriotica (Centralist Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: Low (Stagnating)
-As the global depression begins to sweep through western Europe, the desperate Spanish open up ties with an unlikely companion: Ireland. Tempting the Irish government with precious mineral deposits in the Spanish Moroccan territories, free trade deals are signed, and the two nations are brought together.
-Miguel Primo de Rivera, a prominent general and second in command, is removed from office due to “repeated failures and general incompetence”. Rivera is given a soldier’s goodbye, and retires to a small villa somewhere far from Madrid.
-After Rivera is removed, the fiercely nationalist and anti-republican José Sanjurjo takes his position, hand picked by the king for his traditionalist values. This infuriates many of the pro-republican movements, and adds fuel to the fires of socialist militants. However, the most they can do is grumble, as a majority of the public just goes about its business.
-With the less than positive response from the more influential parts of the public, a massive propaganda campaign takes place. Posters, radio broadcasts and public military marches take place throughout the country to make approval ratings go up. Unfortunately, the socialists and republicans are dug in, and nobody seems to have an upper hand in public support.
-Large “reserve tanks” are built in Morocco, as oil imports are feared to become scant in the coming years as exporters are forced to jack up prices. Global oil suppliers sweat at the thought of a worldwide fuel recession, and the Spanish are quick to jump on a backup plan.
-Sanjurjo, with some clearance from the king, orders the industrialization of the tiny domestic arms factories, which soon see a huge influx of designs (both foreign and internal). This comes after assessments of the Spanish military find their equipment “lacking and inappropriate for modern engagements”.
-Various government officials are given the boot and a nice chunk of severance pay as the King decides to appoint a series of “technocrats”. These scientists, lawyers, researchers and economists are largely apolitical, but are chosen instead for their merit and the skills they bring to the table. Time will tell if these officials will get along, or if the curse of bureaucracy will put these experts to a stranglehold as well.
-Huge reassessment programs filter through the army, mainly clearing out incompetent commanders and troops. However, after a surface scraping, the army is revealed to have more than just a few vipers in the nest. Huge reworks to training take place, literacy and competence exams for officers and forced retirements are just part of the day-to-day.
-At Madrid, to facilitate these reforms, a large military academy is opened on the grounds of closed factories. Simply dubbed the “Royal Academy of Alfonso XII”, named after the King’s predecessor and father, the academy opens its doors to researchers and officers hoping to expand their knowledge on the art of putting bullets in the other guy before he puts them in you.
Mallow234 - United Kingdom
Government Type: Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Labour (Market Liberal)
Military: Large | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: High (Stable)
-Working with their friends, the Chinese, the United Kingdom signs the “Shanghai Pact”, which leases the tiny city of Hong Kong to the British for a mind-boggling 150 years, while simultaneously reducing or removing tariffs on Chinese imports/exports across the board.
-This deal comes as the Empire of Japan continues to make encroachments throughout the Pacific and east-Asia. Alongside bolstering the economy of China, the United Kingdom sends a formal request to the Emperor to “Cease possibilities of hostility and discontinue provocative posturing.” The request falls on deaf ears.
-With this, small coastal ships of the Royal Navy are sent to the South China Sea alongside military advisers, and the ships regularly shadow Japanese military vessels near Korea. Tensions are high between the two giants, but the massive divide geographically puts the two at ease for the time being.
-The British economy takes a leap into possibilities of a new future, as the government no longer accepts the gold standard for its currency, and begins printing pounds like crazy in order to drive its value down for a short period.
-This sudden jump is not without its advantages, however, as huge bond programs are started up to help spread the cost of government-owned factories for consumer goods. Within a short time, thousands of jobs are created in major population centers like Manchester and London, and people flock from the small villages in hopes of getting a job in the growingly hostile economic atmosphere of the 30s.
-On the military side, the Royal Air Force sees the need for aerial strength, citing the effectiveness of air-to-air engagements in the Great War. A new “fighter focused” doctrine is developed in hopes of putting the RAF ahead of the rest when it comes to dogfights and reconnaissance.
-With the growing need for aerial strength, the Royal Navy begins to toy with the idea of large, oceangoing aircraft carriers. Looking at the effectiveness and capabilities of the HMS Ark Royal, the Royal Navy begins drawing up designs for bigger, better, faster, stronger vessels for oceanic transport. The first ship is expected to be seaborne by the autumn of the coming year, and admirals eagerly await to rub it in the face of would-be competitors.
-With the aerial aspect of their army out of the way, the British begin wargames in the northern Atlantic. These games are focused mainly on dealing with damage, rapid flood response and fire prevention drills rather than sheer force-on-force. Understanding their position in the world as a naval superpower, the British are quick to learn the necessity of creating a stable, well trained branch of naval troops and vessels.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Stagnating)
-In a shocking turn of events, a plan to assassinate the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Joseph Stalin, is revealed. Fearing for his life, Stalin takes a band of loyal bodyguards and manages to flee to the protection of Mao Zedong in China.
-The immediate fallout from this event leads to Mikhail Kalinin beginning a massive propaganda campaign to cover up not only the assassination plot, but the massed executions of political foes that supported Stalin and still remain in the Soviet Union.
-Now the sole leader of the USSR, Kalinin begins implementing segments of the New Economic Policy (NEP) into the nation’s economy. Much of this focuses on domestic production and an eventual weening of the dependence on imports. Due to the nation’s massive amount of arable land and the oil fields in Baku and Siberia, the USSR may indeed be able to support itself through the coming turbulent years.
-The Five Year Plan is also continued, though a carryover of Stalin’s idea making. Much of the focus of the FYP is paralleled with the NEP, as the government assumes almost total control of the private sector.
-After some gerrymandering and threatening, the tiny Altaic state of Tuva, a long-standing friend of the Soviets though an independent country, is brought into the fold. The low population numbers and lack of nationalist fervor makes the integration quicker and more comfortable, though anti-communist groups in Europe squeal about “hostile posturing in a volatile region”.
-Ignoring the ramblings of a man with a pathetic mustache, the Soviets begin the construction of a Black Sea based fleet, stationed in the massive port city of Sevastopol. The ships have yet to hit the water, but a handful of cruisers and destroyers are being built, prepped for whatever slugging out might take place in the next few years.
-Mimicking the British, the Soviets begin bolstering the size of the air force. However, the Soviets take a different route, focusing on bombers rather than fighters, citing the need to create “the ability to level the playing field in a quite literal sense” without the need for artillery barrages or static emplacements.
Waterrmelonn - Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
Leading Party: Jugoslovenska nacionalna stranka (Paternal Autocrat)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-Seeing the need to improve their nation’s military status, the Yugoslavian government purchases a huge number of light tanks from Czechoslovakia. This move helps bolster the country’s independence from a purely infantry-focused doctrine.
-With these imports in place, Yugoslavian military researchers draw up plans for a “Mechanized” doctrine, built around the idea of massed armor pushes with infantry support. The idea catches hold pretty quickly, as the lack of mobility from foot-focused armies could inhibit the military severely.
-“Rapid deployment and response” drills take place in and around the central regions of the country, putting the mechanized doctrine to the test. Waves of infantry and tanks roll across make believe battlefields, and imaginary armies clash against one another with pleasing results on the part of the mechanized brigades.
-With the growing power of nationalist movements on the continent and in their neighbors, the Yugoslavian government takes a major leap forward by delegating more power to local ethnic groups, most notably the Croatians. These non-Serb groups are given more ability and autonomy in the government, and are able to join what were originally Serb-only divisions in the military. This move helps soothe age-old tensions and keep the country from falling apart for the time being.
==Turn 2: July to December 1930==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48236958&viewfull=1#post48236958
-World Tensions are very low.
-Adolf Hitler heads back to Austria after facing humiliating precedents in Germany at the appointment of Kurt von Schleicher as Reichskanzler.
-Global consumer goods prices begin to drop, and many economists are horrified at the thought of price gouging now that exporting industry to China is no longer viable.
-Militaries around Europe begin ramping up their numbers and their equipment as tensions start to heat up somewhat between governments and radical citizens beneath them.
-Japan continues flexing its muscles towards China, though making sure not to show off too much as the British are breathing down their necks.
Player Events:
Malos - Republic of France
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Leading Party: Parti Radical (Centrist)
Military: Large | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Average (Stable)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-Following in the footsteps of their northern colleagues the British, the French government forms the Sino-Franco Concession Treaty, essentially handing off multiple French concessions back to the Republic, while also being given open access to major ports. This comes after industry advisors to the government fear a price drop now that much of the tariffs on Chinese importation and exportation of consumer goods are outright gone.
-The French government meets with representatives of the Weimar Republic in order to put a lid on the NSDAP problem. After hours of talks and convincing, the Germans approve the choice to not allow Adolf Hitler into a position of authority, and instead set Kurt von Schleicher, a decorated Great War veteran, as chancellor of Germany.
-As deals between Paris and Berlin continue, deals with Rome begin. Seeing the rise in popularity for the charismatic Benito Mussolini, the French hope to cool relations and bring the historical allies closer together. Though fascist, Mussolini makes various trade and production deals with Doumergue, leaving both parties fairly pleased with their talks.
-Meanwhile, in the home front, the French government takes steps to loosen itself from the Gold Standard, again following the ideas of the British. Seeing the possibility of fluctuating gold and precious metal prices, the French are petrified at the idea of being as damaged as the US economically, and hope to get rid of the Gold Standard as soon as they can.
-Small scale economic reforms take place, such as increased interest rates and restricting the amount of money banks can loan out. This infuriates the hardcore capitalists of France, but the average Jacque takes little to no notice.
-In order to broaden their industrial horizons, the French government enacts radical and, as a hardcore socialist newspaper put it, “absolutely bizarre”, series of reforms within their African and Asian colonies. Railways, small-scale factories and even a couple fuel refineries begin construction throughout the African continent, fueled mainly by French investors. To ensure the jobless numbers stay low, the government offers dirt-cheap prices for huge plots of African land. Those who can afford it jump at the chance, and thousands of native peoples are shoved elsewhere in place of croissant-eating Europeans.
-In the Guangzhouwan, the small French enclave in China, the French use their open port treaties to funnel French citizens and businessmen to take root in the colony, mimicking the British “colonization” of Hong Kong.
-With industry becoming a necessity, the French government enacts reforms that make much of Europe uneasy: rearming the French military. Though it sounds scary on paper, much of the rearmament programs are simply upgrading, repairing or replacing equipment that the average battalion has and giving them more adequate supplies.
-Alongside rearmament of troops, the French military begins scrapping their outdated FT-17 tanks and replacing them with the new FT-30. The process is long, difficult and expensive, but the French hope they can soon boast an intimidating armored wing.
-On the more peaceful side of things, a French cinema purchases some of the experimental and famous ‘Movitone’ technology from the United States and tweaks with it. Dubbed the ‘Parisian Delight’, these specialized projectors use a combination of on-film and on-disk sound paired with moving images to create the coveted “talkies” seen in the United States and in a few places in Europe. With the PD system in place, French moviegoers flock to theatres to see all sorts of international productions.
Griffster26 - Kingdom of Hungary
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Alkotmányos Párt (Social Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnant)
Unity: Stable (Stagnant)
-Hungary sends a series of delegates to the League of Nations in order to bring up various propositions. The first is the idea of an international “peacekeeping” force that would act as a strongman during conflicts and help cool border tensions or small scale conflicts. However, the lack of unity amongst members and hostile backdoor views of one another grinds the talks to a halt, and the Hungarians give up on that idea.
-Bringing up a second proposal, the Hungarians attempt to make a standardized tariff agreement between member states. This agreement would lessen the economic burden of meeting tariff requirements while simultaneously allowing for cheaper exports/imports. Again, there is a major lack of unity within the League of Nations, though the Chinese step up to the plate to try and get the agreement through.
-Deciding to take the gloves off, the Hungarians begin stomping angrily and citing the claims of Carpathian Ruthenia and Transylvania to the League of Nations. This gets their attention, though most members quickly write it off as nationalist babble.
-Internally, the Communist Party of Hungary is outright banned. To enforce this, the Christian Democratic People’s Party (KDNP) is formed, and acts as a pseudo-wing of the government. People who are registered to the Communist Party or look like they might know someone who thought about joining the Communist Party are quickly arrested and sentenced to long prison terms, while others are given the right to be exiled. Most of these exiled communists flee to the Soviet Union, and quickly begin to make a stink in Moscow about their mistreatment.
-In order to keep the nationalism ball rolling, the Hungarian military begins a series of provocative wargames that are uncomfortably close to the Czechoslovakian border. These games, dubbed “Operation Komondor”, are to resemble the possibility of a conflict between the Czechoslovaks and Hungarians, most notably over the disputed territories in Slovakia.
-During these operations, a series of men are injured after a fuel tank erupts, nearly cleaving one of them in two. During a hasty operation, a Hungarian medic begins using techniques that he learned abroad. Techniques such as large-scale blood transfusions, vein replacement and small-scale cauterization save these men's lives, and the medic is quickly covered in awards, his techniques written down as “must have” in the Hungarian playbook.
Emperor Scorpious II - Kingdom of Spain
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Union Patriotica (Centralist Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: Low (Degrading)
-Large machinery deals are made with the Republic of China, as Madrid seeks a foreign partner to alleviate the costs of manufacturing. However, as much of the tariffs that China was forced to follow were set up and now removed by the British, Spanish companies find it difficult to make worthwhile returns.
-Oil deals are signed up with the US in order to get both countries’ manufacturing sectors back on their feet. However, the Americans are willing only to export refined oil of their own, seeing no need to import Spanish crude.
-American automobile companies, namely Buick, set up small factories in major cities, hoping to get some sort of money out of an extremely trying time. The jobs are made up of Spaniards, and most cars go straight to Spanish customers.
-A rash series of vandalism attacks on the Spanish parliament building results in a horrendous firebombing that kills a secretary and injures dozens more, while scorching the antique structure for hours on end.
-Socialist and Communist partisans of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party are found to be the culprits, as tensions between the nationalists and republicans are finally coming to a head.
-In other news regarding violence, the Spanish military begins looking at what happened during the Great War, mainly at what didn’t work. Soon, Spanish military advisors create the tactic dubbed ‘Guerra Relámpago’, or ‘Lightning War’. This fast, mobile strategy involves rapid movement and shock tactics paired with massed infantry charges, rather than the slower, less concentrated infantry spearhead in the days of trench warfare.
Mallow234 - United Kingdom
Government Type: Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Labour (Market Liberal)
Military: Large | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: High (Stable)
-Seeing the effects and hostilities after the Easter Uprising those decades ago, the British government takes steps to try and make things right with the Irish. However, after talks take place in Dublin, radical elements of Irish nationalists throw rocks and bricks, resulting in the British pulling out and buggering off.
-Parliament votes to begin decreasing the amount of printed currency in order to lessen the risk of inflation, seeing the horrific impact of inflation in Germany. However, some inflation is required to keep domestic prices stable, letting inflation bubble up to 2%.
-To both bolster the jobs market and ensure strength in domestic manufacturing, the British government begins large-scale industry and infrastructure programs. Two large factories are set up in Leeds and York, focusing on military equipment such as trucks and replacement parts for machinery.
-With industry on the rise, the British look back to the Experimental Mechanized Force that was essentially retired the year before. Seeing the growing need for combined arms and armored warfare, small wargames are conducted to test various experimental armor designs and tactics regarding mechanized troops.
-Alongside land based equipment and training, the British military gets contracts from local steel mills and takes in thousands of jobs in the creation of 2 massive carriers of the Ark Royal class, dubbed the Audacious and Irresistible. these massive, hulking ships (once constructed) will be able to project Britain’s air power throughout the world.
-Three heavily armed cruisers are sent to the South China Sea and take up permanent residence in Hong Kong. It is not uncommon to see Japanese frigates and British cruisers shadowing one another when on patrol.
-A spectacular breakthrough is made in the communications department. After weeks of frustrating failures with experiments, the ‘Henry A-2’ radio is presented to the British military for purchase. The Henry is a hulking, awkward looking device with a long, gaudy antennae. However, looks aside, the Henry is able to send short wave radio transmissions over considerable distances, and can be carried by an infantryman in the field. The design is fragile and expensive, but the British military snaps up the chance to have a leg over the enemy, knowing that the kinks can be worked out later.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Stable)
-The Soviet Union opens up a trade deal with China in hopes of drawing more local support for the Communist regime. Knowing that Stalin is probably hiding in a noodle shop somewhere in Yan’an, Kalinin prods Mao to accept Soviet investment in Chinese manufactories, hoping to either draw the escapee out or force him to flee yet again.
-The Yugo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Unilateral Cooperation is signed in Belgrade after a series of talks between the tiny Kingdom and massive Red State. The treaty draws the two together economically, while also ensuring their protection come the possibility of an outside threat attacks either member.
-The Soviets, ever hungry for territory, incorporate the People’s Republic of Mongolia after a shocking series of threats and gerrymandering. The Republic of China and the Empire of Japan are both equally horrified at the development, and the Japanese petition that the Soviets relinquish their “unlawful occupation of Mongolia”. Moscow then points at Sakhalin and the Kurils. Tokyo shuts up.
-On the homefront, massive industrialization projects begin, focusing on strengthening infrastructure in major cities and tying the globe-stretching nation together with railroads. Massive steel mills are constructed in the Kazakh and Uzbek SSRs to both bolster economic development in the areas and act as a center point for Soviet industrialization.
-Oil expeditions take place in Siberia and around the Ural mountains as the Soviets are quick to recognize their dependence on American and Western European imports. Deposits are found within weeks of searching, and fields pop up in record time.
-Large scale rebuffing of propaganda takes place, mainly with massed construction of PR hubs and Red Army recruitment offices. The latter comes as a huge campaign begins taking place in order to renovate the arguably aching Soviet military, with huge propaganda campaigns and overblown military parades taking place almost weekly.
-A second propaganda wing is propped up to promote “Cultural and Ethnic Unity”. Essentially, posters and radio broadcasts go out washing out the colors/religions of the people of the Soviet Union, attempting to create the “Soviet” identity. It catches on with more urbanized populations, but rural conservatives shake their heads.
-A massive military academy, dubbed the People’s Military Academy of Vladimir Lenin (surely a stab at Stalin’s views on the man), is constructed in Leningrad. This academy focuses on training officers and researching new tactics in order to strengthen the Soviet military’s resolve and lessen the chance of horrendous losses like those in the Great War.
-After an accidental spillage of various noxious chemicals, Soviet scientists have discovered that the organochloride dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, (DDT) is extremely effective at killing insects. The insecticide quickly sees mass production and tests on large farms outside of Smolensk and Ryazan.
Milkdairy - Weimar Republic
Government Type: Federal Republic
Leading Party: Deutsche Zentrumspartei (Centralist Conservative)
Military: Small | Experienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Crippled (Improving)
Unity: Low (Stable)
-After long, arduous talks with the two big continental European powers, France and Italy, the Weimar Republic leaves the discussions having brought the three nations somewhat closer together. A Rome-Berlin agreement is signed, with Italian industry heads leasing equipment to the struggling companies in Germany.
-Kurt von Schleicher, a decorated Great War veteran, is thrown into the position of Reichskanzler. A strong propaganda campaign goes out, denouncing the NSDAP and Communist parties alike, and instead painting von Schleicher as a sort of “Prince Charming Hero”, come to rid Germany of her problems. Many Germans are uneasy at the thought of a Great War General taking hold, seeing the horrific losses of life and the eventual destruction of the German Empire. However, many nationalists that were leaning towards Adolf Hitler scramble to lick the boots of von Schleicher in hopes of getting on the good side of the government.
-With what little money the Weimar Republic has, huge amounts of tax revenue are thrown at importing heavy machinery, mainly from Italy and Sweden, in order to bolster the nation’s ailing industrial sector. Large, multinational factories spring up in what used to be jobless cities, allowing some citizens to make an income, and driving the value of the Reichsbanknote up slightly, reducing inflation by a tiny amount.
-The German economy continues to suffer from crippling debt, horrendous inflation and being caught up in the wave of financial crises after the market crash, but there is a glimmer of hope.
-Adolf Hitler, furious with the developments of von Schleicher’s growing popularity, the introduction of foreign companies onto German soil, and his own loss of powerbase, heads back to Austria, feeling defeated and humiliated.
Waterrmelonn - United Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Federal Monarchy
Leading Party: Socijalistička partija Jugoslavije (Leftwing Radical)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: Low (Degrading)
-The Yugo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Unilateral Cooperation is signed in Belgrade after a series of talks between the tiny Kingdom and massive Red State. The treaty draws the two together economically, while also ensuring their protection come the possibility of an outside threat attacks either member.
-Large trade deals open up throughout the Balkans and southern Europe, hoping to attract partnership with the Greeks and Bulgarians. Much of these deals include exporting/importing industrial machinery.
-A major overhaul takes place within the parliament of Yugoslavia. Alexander I has a change of heart, and opens up talks with the more moderate Socialists. In a shocking turn of events, the entirety of the upper houses of parliament are cleaned out of Nationalists and replaced entirely with loyal Socialists.
-Alexander I sets himself up as “Vanguard and Protectorate of the People”, and slowly moves the nation into a nationalized system of industry and more equal tax collection.
-Many people are horrified at the pseudo-revolution that has just taken place, but are unable to do much as they find themselves being given more and more rights and representation day to day.
-After long talks with the Albanians, and a bit more than enough poking and prodding, the United Kingdom of Yugoslavia absorb the tiny state, keeping Zog I in power as a semi-autonomous ruler of the newly integrated region.
-The Italians are absolutely furious, and cut all ties with Yugoslavia. Mussolini goes on a two hour tirade, most notably saying that the Yugoslavian nation is a “collection of fools, communists, wreckers and gullible tyrants”.
-The first of the “Union Reforms” in Yugoslavia focus on non-Serbian industrial investment. Seeing the stagnation of local economies in the Croatian and Slovenian regions of the nation, the Yugoslavian government begins pumping money into infrastructure and industry programs in order to begin mass producing consumer goods rather than importing them from the outside in.
-Gigantic agricultural programs begin, as farms are nationalized and divided amongst communities as “Shared Property”. These large farms receive subsidies from the government depending on their output.
-Alongside monetary investment, the Yugoslav People’s Parliament begins endorsing autonomy and representation amongst minority groups within the nation, both politically and militarily, as minority individuals are eligible to have commissioned positions within the armed forces. Most notably, the Croats and Bosnians are given breathing room, and begin making their own choices. The country is split up into 5 “Internal Social Republics”, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Macedonia, and 2 “National Administrative States”, of Albania and Serbia.
-The 5 ‘ISR’s hold elections, each bringing forth a series of left-leaning delegates who work in the newly renovated Yugoslav People’s Parliament.
-On the not-so-peaceful side of things, the Yugoslav military conducts tests regarding mechanization programs. Industry centers throughout the country are given a military focus in order to produce large numbers of armored vehicles and trucks for the nation.
-Armored vehicles of all sorts are imported from around Europe in small quantities to test their pros and cons as the Yugoslav military attempts to work out the kinks in their own armor programs. Looking at the Soviet T-26 Light Tank (a copy of the British Vickers 6 Ton) military engineers tinker with the design, and create their own version, dubbed the LT-30, with a slightly better set of front armor.
-The LT-30 begins rapid production and is thrown into the field for wargames, where it performs arguably better than the Soviet/British predecessor.
==Turn 3: January to June 1931==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48298207&viewfull=1#post48298207
-World Tensions are low.
-The European Treaty Organization (ETO) is formed with the intent of holding Europe together with the loose red tape of ‘multinational alliances’.
-A skirmish breaks out between Soviet-backed People’s Revolutionary Party members and Nationalist supporters in Altay, eventually erupting into a full-scale conflict, dragging Soviet troops into the fray.
-Nationalist movements are on the rise in smaller countries throughout Europe and South America, as many right-wing groups seize the opportunity of “Red Expansion” to shove themselves into the minds of voters.
Wars:
Uighur Civil War:
-Belligerents:
--Communist Forces
---Soviet Union [Expeditionary Supporters]
---People’s Revolutionary Party of East Turkestan
vs.
--National Forces
---Xinjiang Government
Situation - Largely in favor of Communist Forces
Casualties - Minimal
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Spain
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Malos - Republic of France
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Leading Party: Parti Radical (Centrist)
Military: Large | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stable)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-Gaston Doumergue is reelected with a sweeping victory as support for the French government grows.
-Having brought two of the most powerful nations in Europe together in a loose fold, the French begin making deals with their old friends the British and their wary-but-somewhat-useful companions the Germans.
-The French make large-scale technology deals with the United Kingdom, including the exchange of blueprints of the FT-30 in return for radio communications technologies, which may soon be applied to field models of the FT-30.
-Europe is shocked to hear that the French and Germans have signed the Franco-German Debt Cancellation Treaty, ultimately nullifying the massive payments that Germany owes to France post-1918. The British have yet to create such a treaty, but the German populace is more than relieved.
-France also congratulates the German actions with Adolf Hitler, after essentially forcing the NSDAP out of Germany and back “to which it came”, says Hindenburg. However, the NSDAP is anything but dead, as supporters rally to a returning Hitler in Vienna later on in the year, now a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Association, or "Nationalsozialistischen Deutschen Arbeiterverein".
-Italian-French relations continue to warm up, though as the French build up the ETO, the Italians are put off somewhat. They remember the horrendous losses of Italian forces in the Alpine campaign, and feel that it is in their best interests to stay focused on Italy’s needs, not Europe’s.
-At home, the French government gets off the gold standard, following the footsteps of Britain. This rattles the nation’s economy somewhat, but many economists cite the constantly fluctuating price of gold as a positive for weaning the country off the standard.
-Economic reforms continue throughout the country, as the French government begins printing less money, slowing rapid inflation. Infrastructure programs continue outside of the homeland in hopes of creating economic and industrial development abroad, most notably in Tunisia, Guiana, and Indochina.
-More and more French “Neo-Colonists” continue to arrive in Guangzhouwan province, forcing many of the locals to adapt by either adopting French or moving out of major cities altogether.
-A breakthrough is made in the French military, as the Ribeyrolle 1918 carbine is tampered, tinkered and toyed with, ultimately spawning the Ribeyrolle 1930. This small, select fire carbine is chambered in 8x39mm, and is able to deliver hot lead downrange at a satisfying rate. However, the firearm is very fragile, and jams repeatedly when on fully automatic, so much testing is required before it is considered safe or effective.
Griffster26 - Kingdom of Hungary
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Parliamentary Monarchy
Leading Party: Alkotmányos Párt (Social Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnant)
Unity: Stable (Stagnant)
-In a bizarre turn of events, Hungary sends a band of emissaries to Moscow in demand for the return of regimental banners lost during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. The Russians, absolutely confused, hand over the banners whilst scratching their heads as the Hungarians sprint home in joy.
-The small Semi-Republican nation holds a referendum. Either continue down the path of a unified republic, or keep a semi-constitutional monarchy system. The majority of the public heads to the latter, and in turn choose none other than Otto von Habsburg (now Otto II) to be leading monarch. Miklos Horthy steps down but is given special privileges within the court and a fairly delicious severance package.
-Almost immediately after taking the throne, King Otto II demands the return of Austrian occupied Őrvidék (Burgenland) citing the Hungarian minority within the region. The Austrians are outraged, and Adolf Hitler takes to the streets, rallying the locals to denounce the “Hungarian Oppressors”. The League of Nations, however, sides with Hungary, seeing Hitler as a “propaganda tyrant” and a “force for disruption in Europe”.
-Many Austrian nationals living in the newly acquired Őrvidék flee to Austria proper. Those that remain either have no choice but to stay, or would rather be under Hungarians than the NSDAV.
-Much to the shock and horror of the conservative majority, the Hungarian parliament puts through a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. Churchgoers are appalled by the idea, and many rally in the streets against the “tarnishing of Hungarian religious liberties”. However, their cries and bellows fall on deaf ears for the most part.
-A new Socialist Party is formed by Imre Nagy and István Dobi, though are kept under close watch by the federal government, with any sign of alignment/talks with the Soviet Union meaning immediate arrest or exile.
-War games are conducted along the borders of Austria and Czechoslovakia, to show everyone that Hungary is able to put up a fight. Some people are unnerved when training targets mimic the uniforms/patterns/logos of the ‘Little Entente’, but others just wave it off as generic warmongering.
-The Hungarian government purchases large numbers of the Hebern Rotor Machine from American inventor Edward Hugh Hebern. Hebern, now no longer bankrupt, finds himself sending his single-rotor encryption machines to both the Hungarian government and the US navy. This complicated, fragile and yet astoundingly effective machine makes military and espionage transcripts even harder to decipher.
Emperor Scorpious II - Kingdom of Spain
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Union Patriotica (Centralist Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Stable)
-The Spanish and Argentine governments convene in Madrid, and eventually strike up a deal. The Argentinians will export large amounts of food, mainly grain and pork products, in return for Spanish manufactured cars. Most of these cars go straight to Argentine government employees, but nobody really cares when there’s food on the table in Spain.
-Now that the nations are tied together by the ETO, the Spanish government begins exporting large numbers of large scale industrial machinery to the Weimar Republic in hopes of kickstarting a regional economic boom.
-The Communist, Socialist and Marxist parties of Spain are outright banned. In one sweeping, vicious week of raids and arrests dubbed the “Week of Fire”, thousands of pro-Communist leaders and supporters are arrested and detained for treason.
-The borders between Portugal and Spain are locked down, and supporters/leaders of Communist parties are arrested or even killed if they attempt to flee across the border into the neighboring country.
-The Royal Security Service is created, and carries out most of these raids on Communist insurrection. After attempting to detain a communist newsletter writer, a gunfight broke out, leaving two dozen Communist party members dead in a small tavern.
-Much to the further dismay of the Communists, a large scale propaganda campaign takes place, written and put together by intellectuals. Posters, leaflets, broadcasts and soapbox demonstrations describing the atrocities of Communists and their threat to the Spanish public are commonplace from day to day, and it appears to be working.
-Mandatory programs are put in place for the Spanish populace. Every male over the age of 17 who is not working in a government-owned factory is slated for conscription and is prepared to serve his country for 2 years. These changes have yet to be put into effect, but too many are in sheer shock of the anti-Communist crackdown to react.
-Another program is a mandatory 3-month “Summer Class and Education Program” for youths aged 12-18. These gender-segregated summer camps focus on teachings of Catholicism and Spanish history, as well as intense physical and academic regimens.
-A small fleet of “U-Boats”, copying the Imperial German design, begin construction in ports in northern Spain. Roughly 8-12 ships are being constructed, with expatriated German engineers helping with the putting together bits.
-Tampering with some of the more heavy-duty tractor designs, bulky “Tortuga” armored carriers are built to transport the RSS. These “Tortuga” armored carriers are glorified tractor trailers with substantial armor on the sides. Rifle rounds still pierce the metal, and fuel-wise they are gas guzzlers, but Spanish military advisers see the possibilities of furthering the design for field use.
-War Games take place near the Portuguese-Spanish border. The Portuguese respond by waving their artillery pieces in the face of the Spanish, who then respond by showing they have bigger, better, stronger and more impressive....everything.
-A pseudo-Dive Bomber is designed at a Spanish aircraft factory. This single-engined monoplane is built to withstand high G-Forces whilst dropping munitions at a near 90 degree angle. The designs are immediately put back to the drawing board when a test run ends with the pilot quite literally digging his own grave with the propellers. Nonetheless, the dive bomber design piques the interests of air forces the world over.
Mallow234 - United Kingdom
Government Type: Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Labour (Market Liberal)
Military: Large | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: High (Stable)
-London now hosts the home headquarters of the European Treaty Organization. Members feel that the massive city’s distance from the rest of the European continent gives it not only protection from physical attack, but also acts as a central hub.
-The British make large-scale technology deals with the French, including the exchange of blueprints of the A2 Radio in return for the designs of the FT-30.
-Huge investments in the nation’s industry continue as the British government incentivizes the construction of railways to link the industrial centers of southern England.
-The British Army and Royal navy begin mass adoptions of the A2 Radio system, as thousands of copies are constructed and purchased on a government contract. The “compact” (to an extent) A2-T is designed for being crammed into the tight, box-like compartments of armored vehicles such as tanks.
-Large scale amphibious assault wargames begin off the coast of Scotland in order to simulate the possibilities of a “modernized” beachhead. Learning from their mistakes in the past, the British focus heavily on creating a dedicated marine force, thus expanding the Royal Marine Corp. to well over 20,000 men, with each man being given rigorous training.
-Using the A2 in tandem with artillery training results in spectacular accuracy and mobility when doing artillery bombardments. These “forward observers” are much more effective than runners or spotters, and artillery barrages are smaller yet much more effective. During these exercises, Royal Ordnance unveils their new toy: the QF 25pdr Howitzer. This howitzer is surprisingly effective and reliable, and is being put through the wringer day by day to work out any possible issues.
-The Royal Navy begins up-gunning it’s idle heavy cruisers and battleships. More adept crews, proper fire extinguishing equipment and the adoption of ‘modernized’ guns are on the to-do list for dozens of these hulking examples of British naval power.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Stagnating)
-The Soviet Union begins a large scale international industrial campaign, exporting large numbers of consumer goods (parts, tools, other machine things) to Communist-friendly governments. Most of these exports end up in the hands of the Chinese and Yugoslav buyers, but it is nonetheless considered a success by Soviet advisors.
-To fuel this campaign, the Soviet government funds the construction of hundreds of factories in major cities throughout the USSR, focusing on places like Kiev, Sevastopol, Minsk and Irkutsk in order to urbanize local populations.
-Oil expeditions are sent once again into Siberia to begin the collection of crude. The equipment they use is largely a knockoff of American and British designs, and only miniscule amounts of oil are extracted through the hasty construction of fields.
-Collectivized farms that were once seized by the Soviet government and ultimately left to rot are distributed to the populace. Much to the frustration of Pro-Stalin sentiment, these farms are much more effective in their production as they no longer are required to meet quotas, nor will they slack off once said quota is met.
-Power stations begin popping up outside of industrial cities. These stations, largely fueled by coal, give much needed lighting to the less wealthy districts of town, and also allow factories to have night shifts.
-A gigantic “National Medical Program” drive is created, which focuses on the construction of thousands of hospitals and employing hundreds of thousands of state-trained medical practitioners. This comes after reports of farmhand injuries and workplace accidents become more and more commonplace as the nation continues to industrialize.
-Schools are constructed too. These small, state-operated centers focus mainly on basic education (reading, writing, arithmetic) and only give access to primary-to-early-secondary schooling. However, these schools are constructed in largely rural areas of the nation, and are a godsend to much of the non-urban populace.
-The Soviet Union’s stance on “State Atheism” is brought back to “State Secularism”. Churches, Mosques, Synagogues and other places of worship are brought under the protection of the government, but the Soviets make sure everyone knows that nobody gets special treatment. Angry Americans still call them godless nonetheless.
-The “Lenin Line” begins its construction. This massive array of forts, defensive structures and forward operating posts is to be built not only as the first line of defense in the possibility of a western front, but also to ward off anyone thinking it’d be a good idea to start a land war in Asia.
-Conscription boot camps are given a shock in terms of training. Most instructors are replaced with loyalists, and the time is extended from 8 weeks to 12. These programs are much more intense, and drill into the heads of the recruits the idea of “Unity and Pride” throughout the country.
-Whilst escorting a large contingent of Communist rebels towards Uruqmi, a small brigade of Uighur nationalists open fire on Soviet and Communist troops. The resulting skirmish leads to the Xinjiang government declaring open war upon the “Red Insurrection”, ultimately dragging the Soviet Union into the fight.
-Soviet troops stationed in the Kazakh and Mongol SSRs are quick to react, and smash the ill-prepared nationalists along the border. Many Soviet generals and officers are prepared to just “sit and wait” for the Nationalists to topple as the situation in Xinjiang continues to circle the drain.
-At home, military researchers have toyed with the blueprints of various submachine guns from throughout Europe, focusing mainly on the Finnish Suomi KP/-31. Ultimately ripping off these designs, the PPL-31 is constructed and tested for use in the Soviet military. This small, rapid-fire submachine gun weasels its way into competition with the American-made Thompson M1928 for ‘most recognizable small arm of the 1930s’.
Waterrmelonn - United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Federal Monarchy
Leading Party: Socijalistička partija Jugoslavije (Leftwing Radical)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-King Alexander outright denounces Mussolini, and throws serious blows at Mussolini’s past, citing his involvement in early Italian socialist movements. Mussolini responds with an equally inflammatory speech, using nationalist sentiment throughout the “patchwork Soviet puppet” to essentially flip the bird to Yugoslavia. This ends with Italy outright removing the Yugoslavian embassy from Rome.
-In an attempt to get more people on his side, Alexander invites a multitude of monarchs and royalty to visit Yugoslavia and tour the countryside. The most notable guest is King Gustav V of Sweden, who ultimately is warmed to the idea of a more “equal and socially oriented” government.
-Diplomats from Yugoslavia also attempt to make nice with their neighbor Austria, citing Italy’s aggressive position. However, the shrinking Austrian communist party and ever-growing influence of the NSDAP essentially tells the diplomats to go home without explicitly saying so.
-Yugoslavian trade with its Balkan neighbors continues unopposed, however, as the Bulgarians and Romanians are too busy trying to build an economy than to deal with Mussolini’s rampant whining.
-A national welfare system is put in place. A few shaves off of the government’s tax income and money from exports is set aside to give minor doles of money to the jobless and to provide social programs for those in need. It doesn’t give people wings, but it does give many a nudge in the hindquarters to get up and try to start working.
-Two ‘National Colleges for the Arts and Sciences’ are founded in Zagreb and Leskovac. The formation of two campuses gives more people an opportunity to attend higher education, and may hopefully pave the way for a “science boom” within the next decade.
-In terms of lower education, the government begins the absorption and standardization of all schools. Serbo-Croat is the main dialect to be taught to young school children, but local languages are still encouraged. The government hopes that a widespread common language will make administration easier and blur the lines between nationalist minded individuals.
-A “Meet the King Day” takes place in Belgrade, and thousands of children flock to see King Alexander himself. Even the most stone-faced anti-Monarchist or anti-Socialist can’t help but want to join in the fun, as parades, shows and parties take place for an entire weekend, helping to boost everyone’s mood.
-Alongside “Meet The King Day”, widespread celebrations of the nation take place through radio broadcasts, posters and public meetings in hopes of drawing people together. The campaign for unity falls flat on the ears of many of Yugoslavia’s still existent Fascist supporters, who retreat to the underground more and more as days go by.
-Large factories for military production are erected in the center of the country to not only protect them from the possibility of a coastal invasion, but to also attract people to migrate throughout the country (meaning: Serb families moving to Bosnia for work, vice versa).
-The Albanian military is officially recognized as a semi-autonomous part of the Yugoslavian military. Zog I is given total control of the army’s production, training, recruitment and upgrading, though he is still expected to answer to Alexander’s call if need be. There are many candid photos released of Zog and Alexander taking long strolls through Tirana in hopes of convincing the other to go their way.
-The Yugoslav military starts divvying up the army and national guard into a new separate Air wing (no pun intended), seeing the usefulness of air superiority on a modern battlefield. Airman training schools open up in all of the “Capital Cities” of the various districts throughout the nation.
-Whilst building their air force, the Yugoslavian government takes a few notes after hearing of the Spanish dive bomber experiments, and begin the creation of their own. Much to the dismay of observers, the first field test of an experimental dive bomber ends exactly as the Spanish. An American reporter puts it “Two completely different nations, the same result: Planes can’t fly through dirt”.
-In the home front, the Yugoslav government begins setting the groundwork for “Local Self Defense Forces”. These LSDFs are small, semi-organized militia groups that are made up of non-recruitable peoples (Women, teens, elderly, factory workers) and are made in preparation for the possibility of invasion. City-owned magazines pop up, filled with munitions and rifles of all shapes and sizes.
-Standardization is a must, and seeing how effective something that throws lead really fast is compared to a standard bolt rifle, the Yugoslav military purchases thousands of the newly designed Soviet PPL-31 and Finnish KP/-31. Regardless of their origins, the usefulness of these two firearms is quite appreciated, and the Yugoslav government makes an effort to stock LSDF magazines with these “SMGs”.
==Turn 4: July to December 1931==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48355609&viewfull=1#post48355609
-World Tensions are medium.
-Supporters of Adolf Hitler clash with police in Vienna, killing two and wounding a dozen. This comes as more and more Austrians flock to Hitler’s banner, having conjoined the NSDAV to the other right-wing parties and groups, forming the Fatherland Front.
-The war in Uyghurstan comes to a close as Soviet forces surround nationalist fighters in Urumqi, forcing the nationalists to surrender. A Pro-Soviet Uighur government is put in place in the newly renovated People’s Republic of East Turkestan.
-Soviet forces cross the border into Romania, demanding that the Romanians concede the region of Bessarabia, as it is “Historically Russian in origin”. The Romanians refuse, and outright war begins.
-Hungarian and Bulgarian forces leap at the chance to regain “lost” territories (Transylvania and Dobruja, respectively), and join in the fray against Romania. These 2 kingdoms are standoffish with the Soviets, and refuse to join their battle lines though they face a common foe.
-Romanian forces dig in and force their enemies to bring the fight to them. Vicious trench warfare takes place in between sporadic advancements by the Soviets and Hungarians.
-The situation in Estonia worsens as a Pro-Communist uprising takes place, with thousands of armed ‘People’s Army’ fighters storming government buildings in the eastern half of the country.
Wars:
Bessarabian War:
-Belligerents:
--Anti-Romanian Tripartate
---Soviet Union
---Hungary
---Bulgaria
vs.
--Romania
---Romania
Situation - Somewhat in favor of ART
Casualties - Nominal
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Spain
--Greece
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Malos - Republic of France
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Leading Party: Parti Radical (Centrist)
Military: Large | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-French diplomats continue to meet with advisors from Italy and Germany as the three countries try to strike some sort of post-war deal. However, Italy largely stays out of the talks, not out of spite, but out of fear the Germans may boot them from “Semi-Successful Post-War Power” placement.
-The European Treaty Organization “keeps its doors open” to new members, hoping to draw some of them in. The Greeks, terrified at the developments in the east, quickly run to join the ETO and have the protective backing of France. The Hungarians also attempt to join the ETO, but are outright refused after the invasion takes place in Romania.
-After backroom deals are made, the ports of Lithuania and Latvia are opened up to ETO members, allowing French troopships to dock and unload armed soldiers on Baltic soil. Many nationalists and communists use this to fuel their fires, while the regular population feels a tad bit safer knowing they have extra protection.
-Economic reforms continue, focusing mainly on the colonies. Large infrastructure projects take place in Indochina, allowing for the creation of some of the first heavy industry in the region.
-Domestic heavy industry is also a focus of the government, with massive state factories cropping up throughout the country in order to secure a strong backbone in the case of war.
-The French also remove the restriction on their army, making it more “Combat Ready”, and adding hundreds of new troops that are now accepted into training.
-With this military growth, the industry is put into double time to ensure that the FT-30 tanks are in production and rolling onto the field as soon as possible. Alongside tank production, the French military continues to test the R-30 carbine, and the R-31, the newest model, is seen in the hands of elite foot soldiers.
-Dive bomber designs are copied from Spain, and the French begin constructing early test models of their own. The French also make sure that their models have stronger flaps and a longer pull radius for the stick. This innovative design sees a significant decrease in accidental vertical, nose-first landing attempts by pilots.
Griffster26 - Kingdom of Hungary
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Parliamentary Monarchy
Leading Party: Magyarorszagi Szociáldemokrata Párt (Social Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnant)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-Hungary, citing historic claims and minority status of Hungarians in Transylvania, pressures the Romanian government to hand the territory over. Refusing the Hungarians much like they did the Bulgarians and Soviets, the Hungarians choose to advance instead, heading into the Pannonian plain and striking deep into the heart of the ill-prepared Romanian lines.
-Hungarian losses for the most part are minimal, until the Romanians set up Great-War styled trenches, and the fighting grinds to a bloody, screeching halt.
-King Otto II marries Maria Francesca of Savoy in a beautiful international ceremony held in Geneva, Switzerland. The two newlyweds soon return to Budapest, where a smaller ceremony is held crowning Maria Francesca of Savoy as Queen Maria of Hungary.
-Minority status is given to Austrians and Croatians living in the region of Őrvidék (Burgenland) in order to sooth tensions. Croatian and Austrian schools are kept open, though day by day they are encouraged to teach their students to become at the very least bilingual. Őrvidék is also given some autonomy, and becomes a semi-self governing district within Hungary.
-Miklos Horthy is given the prestigious position of Supreme Warlord of Hungary, or essentially Head of the Armed Forces of the Royal Hungarian Army. Horthy gladly takes the position, and quickly begins whipping the army into shape.
-Multiple heritage sites pop up throughout the country as Otto acts as a patron to dozens of Hungarian sculptors and artists. Beautiful images of Álmos Árpád, long flowing murals of Hungarian leaders and statues of historic battles can be found in almost every major city throughout the nation.
-The Hungarian government formalizes the 1931 ‘Constitution of the Crown and Democratic Status of Hungary’, which officially mimics the British style of Constitutional Monarchy, with a prime minister voted in by the citizens, though a monarch acting as head of state.
-Elections are held in late September, and the Hungarian Social Democratic Party wins the polls, putting Karoly Peyer as Prime Minister. The people rejoice as their voice is heard, and Otto II officially swears in Peyer as Prime Minister of Hungary.
-The Hungarian military introduces two new vehicles to its lineup. The first is a squat medium tank dubbed the 31M Hunyadi. This boxy, slow-to-maneuver tank soaks up rifle and machinegun bullets like a sponge, and its 25mm cannon can rip through enemy armor with ease. Its only drawback is its size, as engineers are largely unable to make it any smaller, lest risk armor deprivation.
-Another vehicle is one that takes to the skies. The H-31 Adler is a stubby, single-engined monoplane that is surprisingly mobile, and absolutely smokes the leftover biplanes of yesteryear. Its main drawback is its fuel capacity, as engineers looked for a streamlined design, thus cutting out the possibility of a larger fuel tank.
-All in all, these new Hungarian designs are the interest of every military engineer throughout Europe, as it seems everyone is racing to get the cooler toys.
Emperor Scorpious II - Kingdom of Spain
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Union Patriotica (Centralist Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Stable)
-The Spanish take a page from the French and decide to push it by asking the Italians for a military alliance, citing their similarities. With their similar language, religion, ideology and hatred of anything with a slight shade of red, the Italians accept after a lot of prodding by the Spanish.
-The government gives huge subsidies to steel factories and encourages the production of more metals for the military. This incentivises the construction of dozens of new factories, which leads to the creation of thousands of jobs. Worker safety is of minimum priority, but it does inadvertently lead to positions getting opened time to time.
-Francisco Franco is given the position as head of the Royal Security Service. With this newfound power, communists are regularly rounded up and disappear overnight. Communist printing groups are regularly raided, their subscribers tracked down and “dealt with”. The Spanish public, however, sees it as a necessary means to an end, and a further cessation of internal tensions.
-A nation-wide telephone service begins construction. Most of the wires lead to more public areas, and most households have yet to own a phone, but public phone booths are regularly stocked with people making calls throughout the country. The ‘Royal Phone service’ is considered a luxurious addition to the glory of the Kingdom of Spain.
-Contraceptives and abortion are officially outlawed in Spain, as parliament cites a wide variety of Catholic reasoning. “Backroom” abortions done by even trained doctors are cracked down upon, and RSS agents kicking down doors and dragging out practitioners is a common sight.
-In lighter news, the Madrid International Airport is founded, with the first groundbreaking ceremonies taking place in late August. Once completed, this large airport is prepared to house hundreds of international flights from around Europe and eventually the world. Madrid Airlines, a state-owned air service, is founded during the construction of the airport.
-Steel production leads the construction of a jaw-dropping 150 U-Boats. The Spanish navy begins ramping up production of these submarines, with 50 of them being “coastal”, while the other 100 prepared to have the capability of striking out in the atlantic. Observers are uneasy about the development, while some write it off as “typical European posturing”.
-Military spending soon takes up 4% of the nation’s GDP, with 2% being spent entirely on the production of the Royal Spanish Navy. Another chunk of that spending is moved to the Royal Air Corps., which is given independence from the Spanish Army, and begins its own organization.
-An “Atlantic Fortress” begins construction in Galicia and southern Spain, with more segments planned in the Basqueland. A series of hulking concrete bunkers with anti-air emplacements, artillery guns, barracks and machinegun emplacements snake in and out of the various mountains of Spain, making some areas nearly impenetrable outside of the preposterous idea of an “airborne invasion”.
-Dive bombers are again tinkered with. These new designs, yet unnamed, are extremely reliable when pulling out of the difficult maneuvers during bombing attacks. The main concern is the amount of munitions that the plane can carry, as its ideal weight is less than military strategists desire. A larger bomb is attached to a plane during an experiment, and when the bomb is released the plane nearly splits in two from the g-force during its pullout. Luckily for Madrid Airlines, these dive bomber pilots do not apply for positions as civilian captains.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Stable)
-After securing the far east, the Soviet government turns west. After weeks of failed talks and threats between the Soviets and the Romanians, the Soviet Union finally throws down the cards and outright invades the small Balkan country.
-The first fighting is rapid, as Romanian defenders are unprepared for the massed human wave tactics of the Soviet fighters. However, as the Soviets grow closer to Iasi, the Romanians throw themselves into deep defensive positions.
-In an attempt to break Romanian resolve, Soviet officers order the massed executions of ‘Anti-Soviet Partisans’, their bodies buried in massed graves. This instead ignites a fury in the Romanians, and the fighting grows worse with time.
-The Soviets attempt to hash out a Non-Aggression Pact with the United Kingdom and France in return for the removal of ETO influence in the Baltics. Seeing the invasion, the ETO gives the finger to the Soviets and continues to bolster its presence in Latvia and Lithuania. In response, the Soviets conduct a large scale wargame dangerously close to the borders of the Baltic states as both a threat and a flex of muscle.
-Artillery and armor, alongside munitions for both, become the top priority of military factories throughout the soviet union. Light tanks and heavy guns are shipped to the frontline in an attempt to break the stalemate in the Romanian theatre, and Soviet factories appear to be on overdrive.
-Meanwhile, at the home front, factories producing consumer goods are given the opportunity to sell their surplus to citizens at a discount. These large scale surplus sales make significant profits in urban centers, and the money is distributed evenly amongst the workers as best as it can.
-Russian is officially made a mandatory language in the Soviet Union, as the government cites the majority of Russian-speaking citizens within the nation. Schools are ordered to move towards Russian as a secondary language. Many nationalists in the -Stan regions and the Mongolian SSR cry out against this ‘Russification’.
-Massive apartment complexes are built by state workers in urban centers. These hulking, multistory concrete buildings are a sight for sore eyes, but provide housing to those in need or workers coming from suburban areas. Traveling artists call the designs “Kalininist”, as they are unique in their “brutalist, communist structure and format”.
-In order to keep everyone happy, large fairs and “Union Parties” are held in major cities throughout the nation. People are soothed by the booze, fireworks, parades, booze, food vendors, booze, partying and booze at these events, with very few going home sober upset.
Waterrmelonn - United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Federal Monarchy
Leading Party: Socijalistička partija Jugoslavije (Leftwing Radical)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-The Yugoslavians decide to broaden their trade horizons and begin having talks with the United States. Small-scale trade operations begin, with American goods and Yugoslavian industrial materials flowing regularly in the two nation’s ports.
-A huge military parade is held in Belgrade, displaying home guard units, national military personnel and well dressed members of LSDFs. This parade is set up in hopes of encouraging pride in the nation’s military alongside unity. Of course, many people would prefer that the nation not need a military at all, but cannot help but love the sight of their boys in uniform.
-The nation slowly moves towards a form of ‘Market Socialism’, or self-management amongst cooperative businesses that are essentially owned by the employees. This leads to the dismantling of some large businesses, and the Yugoslavian government hopes to see growing competition between small businesses, which leads to more jobs and thus stronger economic productivity.
-State hospitals begin construction as the government moves to have taxpayer subsidized healthcare for all. Doctors and medical practitioners in training are given reserved seats at these establishments, for at their graduation they will immediately be given a job. This incentivizes thousands to take up training for medical careers.
-In the less peaceful side of things, small forts begin dotting the borders between Yugoslavia, Austria and Italy, as the Yugoslavian government is uneased by the growing belligerence of Austria and Italy.
-Military drills continue, this time taking place slightly more north, to show would-be invaders that Yugoslavia is more than able to handle itself in a conflict. With this, domestic “Half-Track” production takes place. These wheeled-and-track driven vehicles are mounted with a variety of different armaments to experiment with their reliability. One of the most intriguing designs is a 30mm anti-tank gun slapped onto a modified Anti-Air-gun swivel. This “Tank Destroyer” is a peculiar sight indeed during training exercises.
-Polikarpov PO-2 aircraft are purchased in handfuls from the Soviet government. These small biplanes are set primarily to be short-range bombers, while others are modified to be reconnaissance floatplanes.
-In the more peaceful realm, large scale agricultural equipment is tinkered with. Seeing the near collapse of American agriculture over the past year, “automated tillers” become commonplace. These tractor-like vehicles grind up the ground, refreshing the topsoil and exposing dry chunks of ground to irrigation and water. This helps preserve the topsoil from erosion in the case of a large-scale plant dieout.
[Seed Eater] - Weimar Republic
Government Type: Federal Republic
Leading Party: Deutsche Zentrumspartei (Centralist Conservative)
Military: Small | Experienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Faltering (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-The Germans begin to warm up to the Swiss and Austrians in an attempt to foster stronger diplomatic and economic cooperation. The Swiss, being neutral as ever, take the latter. The Austrians feel that the Germans “just gave Hitler back”, and give minimal attention to the German diplomats.
-Hitler is invited back to Germany as the Weimar government has a change of heart. Hitler refuses, stating that “the time is nigh for my homeland to become enlightened”, and stays in Austria.
-The Weimar government outright ceases printing of Reichsbank Marks for a short period of time, and begin to forcefully drive the value of the mark up. Meanwhile, state owned factories are privatized by German businesses, who immediately begin pushing against one another. During the competition, jobs are opened up in metal and machinery factories.
-The public is encouraged to begin donating and supporting larger “Public Research Projects”, or publically-funded research facilities that cover everything from chemistry to biology to engineering and sociology.
-The small German military sees a renovation, with better uniforms and more reliable equipment. Before observers can scream imperialism, the Germans cite that their numbers are not increasing, but are simply “reaching the standards of the ETO’s equipment and uniform policies”.
-The MP-18, a devastatingly effective submachine gun that saw use at the tail end of the Great War, is tinkered with. German arms manufacturer Bergmann unveils the Machinepistole 31mkI, or MP-31 for short. This small, automatic pistol is able to lay down plenty of fire through its 32-round side mounted magazine. It is not as effective as the American Thompson or the new Soviet SMGs, but is impressive enough to stock the hands of police troops within Germany.
==Turn 5: January to June 1932==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48417673&viewfull=1#post48417673
-World Tensions are medium.
-The war in Romania continues as the Soviets and Hungarians continue to crush Romanian resolve. The people in Romania cry out for peace, but their government refuses to hear them.
-War breaks out between Portugal and Spain as anti-fascists from Portugal shoot up a Spanish military base, killing dozens. After Spanish pushes for reparations get nowhere, the Catholic Tripartite declares war on Portugal.
-Spanish troops sweep into Gibraltar, alongside a surprise Italian naval invasion into Malta, taking the United Kingdom by surprise.
-Britain begins a massed proxy war against Spain, and ties between the nations are cut entirely.
-Italian forces strike from Somalia into Portuguese Mozambique with militarily beautiful results.
-A failed coup attempt in Estonia ends with a clash between armed Pro-Communist rebels and Estonian military personnel, sparking an all-out civil war.
Wars:
Bessarabian War:
-Belligerents:
--Anti-Romanian Tripartate
---Soviet Union
---Hungary
---Bulgaria
vs.
--Romania
---Romania
Situation - Heavily in favor of ART
Casualties - Nominal (ART), Severe (Romania)
Iberian War:
-Belligerents:
--Catholic Tripartite
---Spain
---Italy
---Hungary (In Absentia)
vs.
--Portugal
---Portugal
---United Kingdom (Expeditionary Forces)
Situation - Somewhat in favor of CT
Casualties - Minimal
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Greece
Type: Defensive Pact
Catholic Tripartite (CT):
Headquarters: Madrid, Spain
Head Nation: Spain
-Members:
--Hungary
--Spain
--Italy
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Ruskie - Republic of China
Government Type: Semi-Republic
Leading Party: Kuomintang (Paternal Autocrat)
Military: Massive | Poorly Trained | Great War Equipment
Economy: Unstable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Stagnating)
-What comes as a bizarre turn of events considering the last few years, the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan sign a rickety Non-Aggression Pact. The ‘Nanjing-Tokyo Treaty of Non-Belligerence’ also includes Chinese raw goods, such as food or unrefined metals, in return for monetary benefits from Japan.
-The Chinese government continues to try and draw the cliques back into the fold, or at least keep them at arm’s length. Fearing the rolling tide of the Soviets, the Shanxi clique buckles under pressure and wriggles itself under the protection of the National government. However, some troops move to support Mao’s communists, and the region of Ulanqab is under control of the People’s Army.
-The Shanxi Clique’s army is dissolved and merged into the ranks of the National army, though thousands of officers are disbanded and ordered to enter military academies.
-The Chinese government continues its restructuring, with merit-based appointments finally overcoming dynastic/wealth-oriented positions in rural areas. The outer provinces are now much more connected with the central government, and thus much more efficient.
-The process of ‘xinfang’, or petitioning, is replaced with a more ‘westernized’ system of complaint lodging. Though it becomes a serious hassle once it is introduced to urban centers, as people flood offices and nearly riot over the lack of jobs and industrialization.
-A new military academy is created in the far western city of Chengdu, to attract the rural population to join up. The officer corps. of the former Shanxi army is shipped here and immediately undergo scrutiny in terms of etiquette, tactics, strategy and general knowledge. The attrition rate in these classes is massive, but shows that those who make it through are more than willing to serve.
-These promoted officers are then split into two groups. The cream of the crop are sent to the northern provinces in Manchuria on the Sino-Soviet border, while the rest of the graduates are moved towards the growing National Police Service. The NSP acts much like the growing American FBI, with a central hub focused in Nanjing, but the ability to project itself throughout the country.
-Responding to complaints about the lack of industrialization, and seeing the miserably complicated transfer of troops from Shanxi to other provinces, the Chinese government gets to work on adopting westernized construction and engineering practices, including standardized road sizes, asphalt production, building codes and general public safety concerns. The process will be long, hard, costly and difficult, but will no doubt pay off in the coming years.
Griffster26 - Kingdom of Hungary
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Parliamentary Monarchy
Leading Party: Magyarorszagi Szociáldemokrata Párt (Social Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnant)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-With the two catholic, right-wing, anti-communist Monarchies growing closer together every day, King Otto II of Hungary meets with King Alfonso of Spain, and is awarded the Laureate Cross of St. Ferdinand. After a few hours of drinking, dealing and talks, the Catholic Tripartite is signed, which includes Italy in the deals. This alliance is defensive in nature, but links some of the biggest Catholic nations together in arms.
-The National Public Library is founded in Budapest, with thousands of classical works and modern pieces flying onto the shelves as a national book drive is in place. The library soon becomes a center of learning for students around the country.
-King Otto and Queen Maria go on a ‘whistle stop tour’ throughout the rear lines, meeting soldiers and giving speeches along the way. Though not close enough to the front line to raise morale there, the meet-and-greets nonetheless ease the fears of men who are to be thrown into the meat grinder.
-A large scale recruitment campaign is underway as the Hungarians continue to press deep into Romanian territory.
-Hungarian aircraft and tanks roll out onto the field and break the stalemate, and large numbers of infantry spill into the Pannonian plains.
-The Hungarian government pushes for the support of the Székelys, or Hungarians living within Romania. Thousands of loyalist Hungarians rise up in revolt, and begin harassing and damaging the rear lines of the Romanian defenders, weakening their resolve.
-Hungary may soon achieve its goal of reclaiming Transylvania as the Romanian army must choose whether or not to lose Transylvania from Hungary or its very existence from the Soviet Union.
iAmaNewb - Empire of Japan
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Taisei Yokusankai (Fascist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnant)
Unity: High (Improving)
-What comes as a bizarre turn of events considering the last few years, the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan sign a rickety Non-Aggression Pact. The ‘Nanjing-Tokyo Treaty of Non-Belligerence’ also includes Chinese raw goods, such as food or unrefined metals, in return for monetary benefits from Japan.
-There is a massive renovation of the upper government in Japan as the Imperial Diet finally puts its foot down, fearing the “impending danger” of a military takeover. Officers and troops that refuse to swear allegiance to the Emperor are immediately arrested and imprisoned. Few turn down the orders as they fear both jail time and the humiliation of ‘acting like a child’ in the eyes of the Emperor.
-The Civilian government is strengthened somewhat, as local elections for mayors and representatives are opened up to include more parties, while also cutting down on the parameters in terms of running for office. There is still some shoving from the military, but the Imperial/Military power struggle seems commonplace, as it has been since the restoration.
-Large mining districts open up in the northern provinces of Chōsen (Korea), with precious metals, coal and other materials being extracted in large quantities (though at the expense of the locals, of course).
-Agricultural reforms take place throughout the Japanese mainland. Rice farmers are encouraged to adopt mechanized equipment to slog through their paddies rather than picking the grains painfully by hand. This equipment mimics the American grain harvesters, and the Japanese industrial machine begins pumping them out like mad. Japanese-built agricultural tools are seen in markets throughout Southeast Asia as state-owned companies occasionally export surplus/outdated builds.
-In a bid to keep themselves from becoming overly dependent, the Japanese government proposes a cut to the number of mechanized troops, and instead large stockpiles of oil imported from the United States. These stockpiles are then held in massive storage facilities that are under heavy watch 24/7.
-The Japanese military undergoes a large demobilization project, both to decrease international and internal pressures, but to also lessen the government’s spending on military power. The nation’s GDP begins focusing on internal industrialization and economic growth as opposed to outward expansionism.
Emperor Scorpious II - Kingdom of Spain
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Union Patriotica (Centralist Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Stable)
-With the two catholic, right-wing, anti-communist Monarchies growing closer together every day, King Otto II of Hungary meets with King Alfonso of Spain, and is awarded the Laureate Cross of St. Ferdinand. After a few hours of drinking, dealing and talks, the Catholic Tripartite is signed, which includes Italy in the deals. This alliance is defensive in nature, but links some of the biggest Catholic nations together in arms.
-After a rash series of sporadic shootings at a Spanish military base, it turns out that the anti-fascists are loyalists to the Portuguese government. The Portuguese refuse to hand over the shooters, and deny involvement in the entire affair. The Spanish are infuriated, and declare war.
-To secure both a strategic point and reclaim their lost lands, the Spanish are quick to attack Gibraltar. Artillery strikes, dive bombings (that don’t collide with the ground) and a pseudo-amphibious invasion secure the tiny strip of land within days. The British surrender, and the POWs are quickly sent back to the homeland.
-The British refuse to accept the Spanish claims on Gibraltar, and are further infuriated by the Italian occupation of Malta. A small deal is struck up, however, with Malta being returned to Britain “after hostilities cease”, and the option of British access to Gibraltar’s ports. The British, humiliated by the sudden defeat, enraged by the belligerency of what was once an ally, but fearing another great war, concede. Malta and Gibraltar are occupied by Spanish forces, and considered British territory for the time being.
-Portuguese forces are overwhelmed by the sheer size and strength of the Spanish that spill down from Galicia, and are unable to hold off troops that land on the western beaches. It is absolute chaos in Africa as Italian soldiers make mincemeat of the stationed Portuguese garrisons in Mozambique and Zanzibar.
-Portugal seems doomed considering that its only support comes from volunteer troopers from Britain and paramilitary groups from other nations. Lisbon grows ever closer to capture as the Spanish continue to wrap around Portugal like a python in less than 4 months. Military observers from around the world fear that this is just another part in the “new age of doctrines”.
-A propaganda campaign takes place with the King appearing in multiple posters and radio broadcasts, praising the effectiveness of Spanish forces and denouncing the “illegitimacy” of Portugal. There is a rising movement for “Iberian Unification” amongst the fascists in Spain.
-In slightly more peaceful news, the Spanish and French strike up a deal to create a lend-lease program for Spanish-produced dive bombers. However, once the war with Portugal got kicked up, the French begin backing away from the deal, and only purchase small numbers of aircraft.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-Soviet forces grind the Romanian defenders seemingly into dust through the use of punishing aerial raids and artillery bombardments. The Soviets learned from the mistakes the Russian Empire made in the Great War, and easily turned it against the Romanians when they made the same.
-Captured Romanian troops are sent in large numbers to Siberia for reeducation and reappropriation, as the Soviets see their possible use as forward units in a new ‘Moldovan SSR’.
-Soviet officers are seen moving into former government districts in parts of occupied Bessarabia, encouraging support for the Soviet forces and also disappearing dissidents.
-A “Baltic Fleet” begins construction in the snug ports in Ingria, causing alarm amongst the already insurrection-entangled Estonia, while also frightening Lithuania and Latvia. The French troops stationed there put themselves on high alert.
-Meanwhile, at home, there is a huge, government-funded push for ‘overproduction’ from Soviet factories, thus creating a stable flow of surplus consumer goods. Toasters, ovens, pots and pans, clothing and woodwork, among plenty of other things, are available to local markets for a slightly lower price. Soviet factories are encouraged to make deals with Pro-Communist or at the very least Communist friendly countries and begin selling off the surplus at bare-minimal prices.
-This surplus growth allows for the slight boost in workers wages, though the Soviet government still takes in a fair share of the income from exportation of consumer goods.
-Representatives from the Soviet government begin visiting rural communities to spread the good word. Most of these men are sent to areas in Mongolia and Tuva to quell the anti-Soviet sentiment. It works to some extent, as people are pleased to see an actual person rather than a letter with a red star slapped on it.
-Oil expeditions continue in Siberia, as some of the Romanian POWs are put to good use in constructing rigs and extraction equipment. Some cry out calling it ‘slave labor’, but immediately fall silent when the Soviets point out that it is a wartime practice since the dawn of man. The extraction equipment includes Soviet-styled ‘pump-jacks’, like those seen in American or British oil fields.
-Hunting expeditions and vacation spots, reserved for party members or the rare Soviet elite, take place in the pristine forests of Siberia and the Urals. Bears, wolves, deer and the occasional Siberian Tiger are prime targets for these big game hunters, though the state enforces strict regulations in order to preserve the area’s natural beauty.
-A weapons deal takes place with Germany. Though it comes as a shock to those who stick to the Treaty of Versailles, it turns out the Soviet exports are really leftover Great War equipment that the USSR sells for dirt-cheap prices.
-The Soviets, after long hours of staring at each other from across the table, make a deal with Iran, thus bringing the two nations into a non-aggression treaty. The Iranians fear Soviet expansionism, while the Soviets fear the possibility of an Anti-Soviet Iran. The two make the deal and hastily walk away from the talks whilst looking over their shoulders.
-Turkey, on the other hand, gets a discount on Soviet surplus exports, as the USSR tries to warm relations with the once anti-Russian and now starkly anti-Communist successor to the Ottoman Empire.
Waterrmelonn - United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Federal Monarchy
Leading Party: Socijalistička partija Jugoslavije (Leftwing Radical)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-Whilst traveling through Sarajevo, as if a cruel joke, an armed gunman attacks Alexander’s car. Alexander is struck twice, once in the shoulder and once in his lower abdomen. The gunman is tackled and immediately detained. Alexander survives his injuries, though spends months in the hospital recovering.
-The would-be assassin refuses to reveal himself, and is later found dead in his cell from apparent suicide. Yugoslav internal investigators fear that it may have been a foreign agent working under the identity of a Yugoslav national.
-Citing the growing hostilities within the region, Yugoslavia is quick to begin inviting the Czechoslovak arms company Škoda to begin adjusting the current Yugoslav army’s construction, including parts standardization and a renovation of armor techniques.
-The American engineer J. Walter Christie is invited to Yugoslavia, and begins working with Skoda to test out proper suspension schemes for the various tracked vehicles in the Yugoslav army.
-Yugoslavia attempts to bring Bulgaria into the fold much like Albania, offering autonomy and self rule, while also citing the possibilities of further Soviet or Hungarian expansionism. However, the Bulgarians refuse the deal, seemingly offended by the offer from a ‘Socialist Monarchy’.
-Large scale arms factories begin construction in southern Yugoslavia, focused mainly in southwestern Serbia, near the center of the nation. These factories begin producing large numbers of the Austro-Hungarian Steyr-Mannlicher 1903 in the modernized 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge. These rifles are soon dubbed ‘Yugo-Steyrs’ by observers, and are regularly seen in the hands of new recruits.
-Hydroelectric stations begin construction near rivers and large waterways in southern Yugoslavia. These large-scale projects are devised in hopes of providing cheaper and more efficient power to communities throughout the country, focusing doubly hard on ensuring a minimal environmental impact to reduce the risk of harming farmlands.
-Yugoslavian oil explorers begin poking about in an attempt to find small amounts of crude within their country. So far, they lack the equipment of the bigger nations, but their efforts are not entirely in vain, as they stumble upon copper and iron resources along the way.
-A huge National College of Arts and Poetry, sometimes dubbed the ‘Balkan College of Arts’ by Yugoslav patriots, begins construction in Dubrovnik. This college is made in hopes of attracting local and regional artists, while also promoting national unity and a more ‘peaceful approach to internal stability’.
-However, in a much less peaceful front, the Yugoslav military purchases blueprints from the Swedish Bofors company, tweaks them, and creates monstrous 45mm automatic anti-air cannons, simply dubbed the “Hawk Gun” for its ruthless effectiveness against low flying or sluggish aircraft.
[Seed Eater] - Weimar Republic
Government Type: Federal Republic
Leading Party: Deutsche Zentrumspartei (Centralist Conservative)
Military: Small | Experienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Faltering (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-Little happens in the gigantic-yet-crippled nation. The German military continues its renovation, while some officers and generals chomp at the bit in desire for involvement in Romania or Portugal.
-Germany attempts to bring Austria a little bit closer as Berlin encourages Vienna to warm up to them. Several right-wing parties are given sanctuary in Germany, including the "Deutschnationale Arbeiterpartei", or German National Workers' Party, a pan-nationalist NSDAP-look-alike, the "Unabhängige Konservative Partei", or Independent Conversative Party, which follows the Conservative Revolutionary movement, and the "Gesamtdeutsche Volkspartei", or All-German People's Party, which follows the Völkisch movement, especially those who are members of the Thule Society. NSDAP and VF members are sometimes seen moving towards the support of the DNAP, UKP and GDVP.
-Adolf Hitler still throws up loud and angry speeches, demanding that Germany “cease its Anti-Austrian gerrymandering”. Some listen, some don’t, and Germany must simply bide its time.
-Working closely with manufacturers behind the scenes, the German military quietly acquires more accurate anti-air emplacements from a not-mentioned-and-totally-not-centered-in-sweden-and-not-rhyming-with-nofors company.
==Turn 6: July to December 1932==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48473125&viewfull=1#post48473125
-World Tensions are high.
-The war in Romania draws to a slow and brutal close as Tripartate forces surround Bucharest as the autumn rains turn the plains into mud. Transylvania, Dobruja and Moldova are handed off to the attackers, and King Carol II returns to his palace defeated and humiliated.
-Meanwhile, Portugal’s will to fight is crushed by the combined might of Italian and Spanish naval power and the complete lack of intervention from the British. Antonio Salazar, a known Portuguese nationalist, autocrat and fascist-sympathiser is put into place after ‘unanimous support from the Portuguese people’, says Spanish newspapers.
-The Estonian capital of Tallinn is nearly surrounded by Communist partisans. By next year, the Communists may take total control of the tiny Baltic nation.
Wars:
Chinese Civil War:
-Belligerents:
--Nationalists
---Republic of China
---Ma Clique (In Abstentia)
---Guanxi Clique (IA)
---Yunnan Clique (IA)
vs.
--Communists
---People’s Republic of China
Situation - Heavily in favor of Nationalists
Casualties - Nominal
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Greece
Type: Defensive Pact
Catholic Tripartite (CT):
Headquarters: Madrid, Spain
Head Nation: Spain
-Members:
--Hungary
--Spain
--Italy
--Portugal
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Ruskie - Republic of China
Government Type: Semi-Republic
Leading Party: Kuomintang (Paternal Autocrat)
Military: Massive | Poorly Trained | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-After making a series of diplomatic exchanges with the United States, the Chinese military sees the arrival of hundreds of new firearms and field guns as the government begins exporting huge quantities of rice and pork to the US.
-The national government again begins to prod at the cliques for a more unified foundation for the nation of China to stand on. In this case, the southern Yunnan and Guanxi cliques are given the most nudging as the Chinese government want a more powerful southern base. Military access and trade rights are given, but these two cliques are more wary than the Shanxi, who folded almost immediately.
-However, in Yunnan, the local government allows the entrance of the nationalist’s National Police Service, who immediately begin arresting or disappearing communist sympathisers in government positions. This ‘Purge of the Red’ (as Chinese media calls it) scares the everloving daylights out of Mao, who immediately gears up his troops for some fighting.
-Meanwhile, in Nanjing, American and Australian engineers meet with Chinese advisors to begin the construction of the Nanjing-Dajiaochang Airport. This large scale project begins groundbreaking outside the capital almost immediately, as business entrepreneurs wishing to stake a claim in the newly opened market of China hunger for a quicker way to arrive. The airport’s blueprints dwarf most western airports, as the Chinese hold true to the ancient practice of “Bigger is Better”.
-The San Ji Telecommunications School is founded in Shanghai. Though the territory is under the administration of the United Kingdom, the Chinese are given the rights to set up a place of education for the masses. The SJTS is quickly filled with bright young minds hoping to land themselves a job in the growing telecom market.
-The northern provinces in inner Mongolia and areas of Manchuria are divided up by the government. Huge swathes of otherwise uninhabited land are found to be more than arable, and the Chinese government quickly begins to set up subsidised farming programs and inviting poor farmers to migrate northwards. These areas are quickly filled with criss-crossing fields of buckwheat and other non-water-based grains, and the farmers slowly begin to amass small fortunes.
-To further the production of food, the Chinese government sets up gigantic agricultural machinery factories in Jinan and Zhengzhou. These humongous plants are quickly filled to the brim with workers in need of a job. Taking blueprints from the Japanese and the Americans, the Chinese introduce what is considered the “New Century’s Agriculture” and put it to work in the huge farmlands in northern China.
-Divisions from the former Shanxi clique and central China are moved northward to stack themselves along the border with the Soviet Union. After receiving reports of rapid expansionism in the west, the Chinese are more than wary about the actions of the USSR, and proceed to posture themselves defensively.
-Multiple divisions are centered around the Communist-controlled northern Provinces. Divisions of the National Army (Guanxi, Ma and Yunnan troops alongside Kuomintang) are poised to strike at the border, and regularly stare down Communist partisans when on patrols.
-New officers, most notably re-trained ones from the Shanxi army, are sent to command the soldiers stationed up north. The sight of newly trained officers that are more skilled than their predecessors is a welcome sight, and men feel less worried about the possibility of being thrown into a meatgrinder head first.
-In a shocking display of dominance, the Chinese move troops through the northernmost Communist-controlled provinces. Essentially cutting off major trade and supply roads from the Soviet Union, many Communists fear that the Nationalists may soon invade and wipe them out utterly.
-Small-scale skirmishes break out along the border as wily partisans take pot shots at Nationalist patrols. Hundreds are dead after a serious clash between a wing of Communist militia and Nationalist defenders. The Nanjing government has no choice but to act.
-The initial fighting is brutal for both sides as the Communists launch a devastating guerrilla campaign, something even the most experienced officers were unprepared for. However, the Nationalists make quick work of the few Communist regular divisions, and press on into Communist territory.
-Near the end of the year, as winter sets in, the fighting grinds to a halt near the Communist ‘capital’. The Nationalists demand that Mao surrender, but the dedication of his troops and his supporters is far too rampant to simply shut down with words.
-There are rumors that Stalin had slipped behind Nationalist lines and fled to Siam, though these reports are largely unfounded.
Griffster26 - Empire of Hungary
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Parliamentary Monarchy
Leading Party: Magyarorszagi Szociáldemokrata Párt (Social Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnant)
Unity: Stable (Degrading)
-The Romanians, overwhelmed, exhausted and ultimately without choice, capitulate to the 3 invading forces. Transylvania and other huge swathes of western Romania are brought into the Hungarian fold. The eastern realms of the country are divvied up between the Soviets and the Bulgarians.
-Parades are held in Budapest as the victorious Hungarian army marches under the tricolor, while thousands of troops finally return home to their families. The process of integrating this huge chunk of land has begun, as the fighting has wiped out many of the major industrial centers of western Romania.
-King Otto II, in a rash display of self importance, is declared by the parliament ‘Emperor Otto, King of Hungary and Grand Duke of Transylvania’ amongst dozens of other needlessly important titles. The nation’s name is rewritten from ‘Kingdom’ to ‘Empire’ to signify a change in the power politics of Europe.
-Street fights continue between Romanian partisans and Hungarian natives as neither side are willing to see the annexation of Transylvania as a conclusion to the conflict.
-Meanwhile, domestically, the Hungarian government launches a campaign against the ‘Serb Orthodox domination of Yugoslavia’, continuing to drive a wedge between Orthodox and Catholic Serbs and Croats on the border with the burgeoning Hungary. Many Yugoslav nationals write it off as power mongering, while others feel it is a direct threat from the Hungarian government.
iAmaNewb - Empire of Japan
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Taisei Yokusankai (Fascist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnant)
Unity: High (Improving)
-The Japanese and Americans strike up a deal detailing trade and political interaction. Though the Japanese have begun scaling back their military, they have begun weapons deals with the United States. American firearms, field guns, tanks and other surplus items are shipped to Japan in return for raw monetary benefits.
-Internally, the Japanese see a massed rise in industrial practices. Huge factory centers go up in cities like Kyoto and Kagoshima. This heavy industry is focused mainly on consumer goods and mechanical parts for further production.
-Large housing projects, mainly squat apartment complexes, are seen not too far away from large factories. These apartments are mainly used for housing workers unable to afford larger homes, while also redistributing the “industrial manpower” of the nation.
-American companies struggling to get by in their home country begin investing in Japanese partnerships. Most notably, the newly formed Mitsubish-Ford conglomerate, centered in Tokyo, quickly begins monopolizing automotive parts distribution in both countries.
-A large scale railway system, centered mainly on becoming arterial links between the massive industrial centers of the southwest and the agriculture of the northeast, begins construction. Using money that would have been spent on the military, the Japanese government also expands the Tokyo metro, though an underground system is much more difficult to maintain and build compared to overland routes.
-The Japanese military begins refitting themselves with American-made arms. Springfields, Colt M1911s, Browning machineguns are soon seen in the hands of Japanese soldiers, though all of them bear markings of Imperial chrysanthemums and Japanese text, effectively making them Japanese weapons.
-Most notably, the T1E1 experimental rifle is shipped in small quantities under a contract to the Japanese government. Researcher and manufacturer Kijiro Nambu gets a hold of the design and tweaks it. Dubbing it the Type 1 Automatic Rifle, this heavy, big-cartridge, semi-automatic rifle is amongst the first of its kind. “Designed in Canada, built in America, perfected by Japan” is Kijiro’s selling phrase to the Japanese government.
Emperor Scorpious II - Kingdom of Spain
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Union Patriotica (Centralist Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-After finally cracking the difficult, hard-shelled nut of Lisbon, the Portuguese capitulate, much like the Romanians in the east. This time, however, Portugal is under control of a provisional government, led by the Portuguese nationalist Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, a known fascist sympathiser and man with the ability to project an iron fist. The new ‘Lisbon Pact’ is formed, pulling Portugal into the newly retitled European Catholic Alliance.
-Meanwhile, on paper, Portugal still retains control of her colonies, but only a fool wouldn’t consider the fact that they are under Italian and Spanish colonial administration.
-Spain immediately begins sending huge monetary benefits to Portugal, as well as mobilizing thousands of jobless Spaniards to begin repairing bridges, roads, electric infrastructure and railways within the tiny Iberian nation, as a sign of goodwill between the Spanish and Portuguese countries.
-Leaflets and megaphone campaigns are common in Lisbon as Portuguese and Spanish aid relief workers are bombarded with images of Spanish and Portuguese friendship and prosperity. Many Portuguese citizens resent the presence of the Spanish altogether, but are unable to get angry at the sight of able bodied men and women from both countries working hard to get the nation back on its feet.
-Domestically, a campaign in the education front begins. Basque and Catalan, the two other main language groups in Spain, are now an optional class for secondary school students in the central areas of Spain. However, in the Basqueland and Catalonia, it is expected that students understand and speak the Spanish language as a second dialect in order to pull the nation together culturally and linguistically.
-King Alfonso and Jose Sanjurjo are seen standing at the Rock of Gibraltar in beautifully crafted paintings and posters that are seen on almost every street corner. “Victory and Liberty” is a common phrase spoken amongst supporters of the Royalists in Spain, most notably as a large scale propaganda campaign begins to tie people even closer to their government, with images of Spanish imperial presence and Catholic solidarity an everyday sight in large cities.
-With the Portuguese blockade over, the Spanish U-Boat fleet returns to share their jaw-dropping results. What were once considered novelties of the Great War are now appreciated as one of the most brutal machines of combat in this ‘new age’.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-Moldova is officially ceded into the Soviet Union after the Romanians capitulate. Though under Soviet control, the Moldovan SSR is given significant autonomy, including near total self-governance in terms of economic and social development, though the central government in Moscow keeps a close eye on its operations.
-France is warned to draw its troops back from the Baltics as Kalinin incites vicious remarks of “Western Imperialism” and “Powerplays in Europe from Western aggressors” during a speech in Minsk. The French, staunch defenders of their identity, refuse, and their troops stay put in the Baltics.
-In response to this, the Soviet Union begins a full-scale mobilization. Hundreds of able bodied soldiers that had served their short training-camp conscription are dragged back into play, while thousands more are encouraged to join the Red Army. A propaganda campaign is launched, with radio broadcasts and street corners filled with imagery of hammers an sickles smashing or slicing the heads off of “Imperial Dragons”.
-Soviet troops mass at the borders of the small Baltic states. Lithuanian and Latvian soldiers rush forwards in preparation to defend their homelands, whilst the French expeditionary troops stay close to their sides. The two armies stare at each other intensely, waiting for the other to shoot first.
-The Soviet Black Sea fleet is mobilized as well and skirts through towards the Baltic Sea, effectively blockading the small states. Civilian and shipping vessels are allowed through, whilst French military ships and carriers are regularly tailed by battleships, submarines and cruisers. Some of the civilian ships are clever ruses, filled to the brim with French and British soldiers, who quickly move to a defensive position in the Baltics.
-At home, Soviet engineers rush to design a tank that is more effective and able to go toe-to-toe with the British and French armor. Scrapping the T-26, Soviet designers unveil the experimental “T-32”. This squat, fast moving, well-armored tank is effective in its test runs, but is a pain to produce as the Soviet factories must begin converting themselves to the production of new vehicles. Nonetheless, T-32s are seen being moved in small handfuls towards the Baltic front.
SniperComZero - United States of America
Government Type: Constitutional Republic
Leading Party: Republican Party (Social Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Crippled (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-A deal is set between the United States and the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The US will begin importing large quantities of Chinese grain and pork alongside Japanese bonds and monetary investments in return for the export of Great War equipment. This helps support the ongoing food drives required to feed the masses of unemployed American families.
-The 1932 Summer Olympics go as planned, but many nations and athletes are unable to pay for the trip to Los Angeles, as a result of the worldwide Great Depression. 
-Domestically, the Democrats take the election, and Franklin Delanor Roosevelt is set to be inaugurated as President in the following year. However, Herbert Hoover, the standing president, remains in power until then, and prepares to make some changes before he leaves.
-Going against the grain of most Republican congressmen, Hoover enacts the “Southern Industrialization Act”, or a large scale, state-funded series of factories being set up in southern states, most notably Virginia and Georgia. Alongside this, Texan oil operations are put to the test as large-scale refineries are set up in Louisiana and Florida. This “spreading of responsibility”, as Hoover puts it, is the first step in creating a decentralized economic structure in a country that was rocked heavily by economic downturns in recent years.
-Alongside the industrialization programs, Hoover brings forward the plan for a large-scale national highway system that will link the American east-and-west coasts together. With the idea of truck-driven shipping fresh in the minds of the few surviving American businesses, Hoover feels the need to break ground in Washington D.C months before he is expected to leave office, though construction has already begun.
-Taking a page from the Japanese, the T1E1 rifle is dubbed the ‘M1 Garand’, after its designer, and immediately joins the M1928 Thompson and M2 .50 Browning as staple hardware in the hands of American military men. Alongside this, a small-scale, fast moving tank known as the M2 'Combat Vehicle' is put through the wringer. Taking a few pages from Soviet, British, Yugoslav, French, American, Brazilian and basically everyone's designs to make the thing work.
-The US military begins small scale “war-games” in South Dakota and Iowa. The public’s reaction is fairly negative, though the US government suppresses the fears, citing the need for an “Equal and opposite reaction to the possibility of outside invasion”.
Waterrmelonn - United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Federal Monarchy
Leading Party: Socijalistička partija Jugoslavije (Leftwing Radical)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-Even though the protective groups surrounding Alexander are good at their jobs, a second attempt is made on the King’s life. After visiting an arms factory, a bomb detonates near the king, though he is shielded by an unfortunate pairing of guards. Alexander and his wife escape safely, but dozens of onlookers are wounded or killed.
-Joint Soviet and Yugoslavian investigations take place throughout the country in order to find the would-be assassins. They turn up nothing, but the possibility of internal insurrection has been ruled out, as the attackers are clearly foreign born and supported.
-In response to this, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia sign a small deal, citing the expansionism of the Hungarians. The Czechoslovaks will give monetary and supply support to Yugoslavia in the event of a war, whilst Yugoslavia will do the same in return. If both parties are attacked, they will enact a defensive pact and work together to drive out the attackers. Bulgaria is invited to this alliance, but again, the Bulgarians are infuriated with the idea of a socialist monarchy, and refuse to enter the talks.
-Yugoslavian military production is in absolute overdrive. Firearms, field guns, armor and anti-air production goes through the roof as consumer goods factories are seized, nationalized and converted to produce military equipment.
-Citizens are encouraged to begin stockpiling food, and large “Local Harvest Centers” are hastily erected near city halls or provisional government buildings, where grains and canned goods are stored in large quantities. A small scale propaganda campaign in the form of leaflets is also set throughout the country, detailing what are considered “adept meals” in hopes of cracking down on food waste or overeating.
-A larger scale national propaganda campaign takes place, detailing that “An attack on the King is attack on Yugoslavia”, and repeatedly titling Alexander as “King of the Yugoslavs” as opposed to “King of Yugoslavia”, in order to quell possible contention.
-National and local legislatures are urged to raise taxes and begin the selling of war bonds as the Yugoslav military is set into full mobilization. Local militias and recruitment centers alike are filled with able-bodied men willing to risk their lives for the country.
-The Yugoslav military is put on high alert and immediately moves to the northwestern borders between Yugoslavia and Hungary. Though the Hungarian and Yugoslav armies are fairly equal in size, they are completely different in stature.
-Yugoslavian aircraft are a regular sight above border cities, as they patrol the skies ensuring that intruders on either land or air are kept out with force. This however spooks some residents, who flee inwards towards the larger central or coastal cities in order to escape possible conflict.
-What few regular infantry divisions are left in Yugoslavia are quickly converted into mechanized brigades, with up-gunned half-tracks dragging troops towards the front. Meanwhile, major defensive measures are taken near airfields, including having some bristling with anti-air equipment. The Yugoslav military values its air force like a temple with holy scripture, and they cannot risk losing it.
-With this large scale mobilization going through, Yugoslavian military researchers begin looking at more adept and worthwhile ways of providing support to soldiers on the front line. More mobile, flexible and reliable lines of logistics are tampered with, and dozens of scenarios are played through in boardroom war-games in preparation for possible assault.
==Turn 7: January to June 1933==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48524122&viewfull=1#post48524122
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-The Coup in Estonia ends with the Communists taking power. Shortly after putting themselves in office, the Estonian communists side with the Soviet Union and enter their sphere of influence.
-The Soviets continue their series of expansionist decisions, attacking the Baltics. Furious with the Soviets, the Poles enter on the side of the European Treaty Organization, as do the Dutch and Belgians. What many consider “Another Great War” has quite possibly begun.
-Seizing the moment, the United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia enter northern Greece, and pitched battles begin as British forces enter on behalf of their ETO ally.
Wars:
Chinese Civil War:
-Belligerents:
--Nationalists
---Republic of China
---Ma Clique (In Abstentia)
---Guanxi Clique (IA)
---Yunnan Clique (IA)
vs.
--Communists
---People’s Republic of China
Situation - Heavily in favor of Nationalists
Casualties - Nominal
Baltic War:
-Belligerents:
--The Comintern
---Soviet Union
---Yugoslavia
vs.
--European Treaty Organization (+ British Commonwealth)
---France
---United Kingdom
---Australia
---New Zealand
---Canada
---South Africa
---Germany
---Latvia
---Lithuania
---Greece
---Belgium
---Netherlands
Situation - Undecided
Casualties - Nominal
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Greece
--Belgium
--Netherlands
Type: Defensive Pact
European Catholic Alliance (ECA):
Headquarters: Madrid, Spain
Head Nation: Spain
-Members:
--Hungary
--Spain
--Italy
--Portugal
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Ruskie - Republic of China
Government Type: Semi-Republic
Leading Party: Kuomintang (Paternal Autocrat)
Military: Massive | Poorly Trained | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-Republican troops continue to scramble about in squashing the Maoist insurrection. However, as a huge push is made to dislodge defenders in the south, Maoist battalions and local sympathisers recapture the regions facing Mongolia. Republican losses are stacking up, but the Maoist’s resolve is slowly draining.
-The Republic continues to make economic and diplomatic deals with the various warlord states. Though unable to convince them to return to the fold, the Guanxi Clique sends large numbers of greenhorn troops to the Republic for training.
-These troops visit the newly constructed Engineering and Technical schools, two of which have been erected in the massive cities of Chengdu and Chonqing. Though soldiers, the Republic needs a strong backbone of educated workers willing to improve the infrastructure of the nation.
-Some of these engineers, those that make it into honors-grade classes, are sent for field work to continue the expansion of the Xinjin Airport. The airport receives some of its first touchdowns on the expanded runways, most of which come from the United States, carrying entrepreneurs and businessmen.
-Large factories for standardized weapon production are built in Chengdu and Chonqing, as the Republican government continues to expand these already massive cities. The Republican military begins purchasing blueprints from Czechoslovakia. American and Czechoslovak weapons begin to mix in mysterious ways as the Republican government struggles to get a hold on standardization.
-Major nationwide agriculture reform begins throughout the nation as the northern provinces were met with success. As the Chinese government continues to subsidize farms, some farmers and researchers unknowingly create some of the first chinese-produced sulfonamides from the deconstruction of fungi and various natural antibacterial processes. This huge leap forward in medical technology is extremely useful as troops return with debilitating wounds that can now be treated properly.
Griffster26 - Empire of Hungary
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Parliamentary Monarchy
Leading Party: Magyarorszagi Szociáldemokrata Párt (Social Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Stagnant)
-Citing old documents and rejected post-Great War treaties, the Hungarian Emperor Otto I declares support for the possible independence of Croatia from the United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia. Ignoring the possible bordergore it would cause, the Hungarian government starts a small-scale propaganda program along border cities in Hungary in hopes of encouraging breakaway sentiment.
-A large party is held in the beautiful Gödöllő Palace. The invited guests include Benito Mussolini, Pietro Badoglio and Prince Amedo of Aosta. Otto and Mussolini sit down and hash out ideas of strengthening ties. Though the two nations are part of the Catholic Alliance, their relations are largely untouched, as the nations share neither border or sea. However, the guests leave the party satisfied and in good spirits.
-Otto then visits King George II of Greece, the two nobles meeting on the tiny island of Corfu. It is not long before the two heads of state are in deep discussion of political philosophy and national merit. Otto leaves with near perfect timing.
-At home, the Romanians living in Transylvania are given the same rights as the Croatians and Austrians, and are eligible for citizenship. Many Romanians are still deeply upset to have their lives uprooted, but some accept the offer and attempt to return to everyday living.
-Rebels who combatted the Hungarian army are granted the possibility of amnesty, so long as they lay down their arms and take up jobs in state-owned factories or farms. Large numbers of insurgents flock to the offer, as the promise of bread on the table is more endearing than bloodshed.
-The Hungarian government pushes for more intensive German and Hungarian language classes in schooling to ensure a “stronger national identity”. Hungarian nationalists rejoice at the news, while Romanians, especially those in Transylvania, grumble loudly.
-A large string of forts begins construction, facing the Czechoslovak and Yugoslav borders as tensions begin to rise once again in the Balkans. However, the period of massed militarization and mobilization is brought to an end, as the Hungarian economy needs time to recuperate and move towards a consumer-based model rather than export/military based.
iAmaNewb - Empire of Japan
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Taisei Yokusankai (Fascist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: High (Improving)
-With relations improving with the United States, the Japanese continue to look westward and begin opening up their ports. The United Kingdom, Siam, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand are quick to jump on board with trade deals. The Japanese export fanciful and intricate machinery such as typewriters and tractors, while simultaneously importing raw materials such as coal and metal.
-Mitsubishi-Ford, the conglomerate American-Japanese company, unveils the “Mitsubishi Ondori” (or Rooster, in Japanese), which is released later in America under the name “Ford Falcon”. This bulky, homely, yet extremely reliable and cheap car is a must-have for anyone wanting to drive long distances without repetitive breakdowns. The Ondori/Falcon is exported to Australia as well, where it sees popularity amongst the lower classes.
-The government also begins an American-styled highway program to link Nagoya, Tokyo and Osaka. Commissioning American infrastructure engineers, the first groundbreaking ceremonies begin very early in the year, and exceptional progress is made within only a few months. The Nagoya-Osaka line is expected to finish the first phase of construction before the year is out.
-The Imperial Japanese Navy begins demobilization, much to the dismay of the highly decorated admirals. Thousands of seamen are given honorary discharges, and thousands more are recruited into a nationalized Merchant Marine Corp., featuring decommissioned, unarmed battleships that are quickly hacked apart and turned into shipping vessels.
-Using the funds that would go to support large scale naval vessels such as battleships, the Navy is treated to a large, powerful aircraft carrier, dubbed the IJN Kenshin. The Kenshin begins construction, using leftover parts and scrap materials from decommissioned ships. However, new material is also seen on her flight deck and tower, and many international observers are quite impressed with the vessel’s design.
-There is a small-scale renovation of the Japanese military, mainly with the implementation of the T1E1 Rifle. However, the army is keen on making the process as slow and methodical as possible, as the conversion of cartridges, retraining of troops and production of weapons is an economic hurdle that most nations trip over.
-Whilst working on the Navy’s downsizing, researchers hoping to keep the IJN alive unveil the Type 93 Torpedo. This large and bulky torpedo is surprisingly agile and monstrously effective in tests, and the IJN is unable to turn it away. The small cruisers and fast-attack ships that the IJN still has are quickly outfitted with multiple pairs of these silent dealers of death.
Emperor Scorpious II - Kingdom of Spain
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Union Patriotica (Centralist Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-The Portuguese and Spanish governments come to a historical exchange. Tariffs on Portuguese goods entering Spain are lifted, as well as borders and ports being opened up to the access of Portuguese tradesmen. In return, the Spanish and Italians carve up Portugal's various territories around the world. This gives many anti-imperialists heart attacks.
-The Spanish government nationalizes all universities in Spain, though colleges with religious backings are untouched. Taxpayer money now supports a huge portion of Spanish student’s tuitions. However, the top 5% of Spanish secondary-school graduates are given an interest-free loan from the government to attend college, and are thus relieved of conscription duties. This causes a “college rush”, as hundreds of thousands of students cram themselves into study rooms and libraries for days on end to ensure they get their benefits.
-These benefits are also offered to Portuguese nationals, with the loan being even higher. This causes a huge rift amongst Portugal’s lower classes, and two factions are formed, dubbed by observers as the “Toureiros” (bullfighters), who are Pro-Unionist and the “Nacionalistas”, who wish to see Portugal independent from Spanish influence.
-Large national subsidies are given to the various engineering colleges as the Spanish government looks into the possibility of cheap, fuel-efficient engines and liquid propellant.
-Two huge bases are constructed. One is simply a buildup of Gibraltar’s existing naval base, with large fortifications and anti-aircraft emplacements. Gibraltar’s fortifications are reminiscent of a medieval castle, but with guns.
-The second base is a naval base, focused on the U-Boats, in what is now Spanish Angola. This base takes a while to construct, as there is considerable distance between the homeland and the new territory, as well as the hellacious bureaucracy of transitioning from Portuguese colonial rule to Spanish colonial rule.
-Two small-scale aircraft carriers begin construction, named the “Santa Maria” and the “Trinidad” after Spain’s most famous ships of exploration. These carriers are small compared to the British and American designs, and are dwarfed by the blueprints of the Kenshin, but are more than worth it considering the need for the projection of air power. The two ships are expected to finish construction within a year.
-A third ship begins being built, dubbed the Cortes. This ship is a hulking, monstrous and terrifying design. Bristling with 8 15” guns, a total of 35 other guns, anti-aircraft emplacements and 4 short-range seaplanes, the Cortes may well be the largest ship in the world once it hits the water.
-With help from various university students and hired European researchers, the Spanish military tests its first short-range missile. Able to hit targets more than two kilometers away with relative accuracy, the ‘Halcon I’ begins mass production. The Halcon I can deliver double the punch of the average howitzer with twice the range, and can be deployed from almost any angle given the right calculations. However, the Halcon is expensive, and its fuel is precious, so its implementation is yet to be seen.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-The Soviet Union declares war upon the Baltic states of Latvia and Lithuania, citing their “illegal breakaway from the Socialist commune of the USSR”. Upon entering the borders, huge fights break out between the defenders and attackers, as French and British expeditionary units slam into the Soviet lines.
-Soviet bombers begin wreaking havoc on the Baltic defensive lines, though dozens are knocked out of the sky after surprise attacks from the Polish air force. Polish and German brigades cross into the Ukrainian SSR, piercing through the thin Bessarabian lines.
-The Soviets begin massed mobilizations. All men 17 and up who are not in a factory or a nationalized farm are immediately sent into training camps to begin moving against the west. Factories are thrown into overdrive, with consumer goods now put on the backburner in light of huge production of tanks and artillery.
-A national propaganda campaign is underway to encourage male factory workers to give their jobs to their wives or sisters and join the military. Conscripted troops are given the choice to join the army or the navy, though only the most qualified are given the latter option.
-The USSR continues to produce its ships in the Baltic and Black Sea, though French and British aircraft stationed in East Prussia launch daring raids on the ports that are producing the new ships.
-Pitched battles take place in the Baltic as the British and French attempt to push back the Baltic blockade. Dozens of ships on both sides are lost, and the baltic oceanic front grinds into a stalemate.
-Soviet ships attempt to blockade the Greeks, and are sent from the Black Sea. However, they are intercepted by French and British battleships, and are decimated before they reach their target. Nonetheless, expeditionary troops from the USSR land in Crete, and a huge battle begins for control of the island.
-Canadian and Australian troopers skirt past the Far East fleet and land in the Yakutsk Peninsula, catching the Soviets unawares. The possibility of opening up a far-eastern front terrifies Soviet advisors, and the Mongolian SSR’s troops are quickly mobilized to combat the invaders.
-The Soviet Air-Force unveils the IL-2 Sturmovik, one of the first “Attack Fighters”, capable of dogfighting while also launching rockets and carrying large-caliber guns. Unfortunately, only a few IL-2s are able to see service as production is slowed due to factories transitioning to new designs.
Waterrmelonn - United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Federal Monarchy
Leading Party: Socijalistička partija Jugoslavije (Leftwing Radical)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: High (Improving)
-After a supposed spat between Greek and Yugoslav soldiers stationed on the border between the two countries grows into a firefight, the United Kingdom of Yugoslavia declares war on Greece, joining the Soviets in the cause against the ETO.
-The initial fighting is brief and sporadic, as both sides attempt to flank the other. The Greeks make gains in Albania, whilst the Yugoslavians (mainly Serbian and Macedonian regulars) seize Thessalonica, splitting Greece in half.
-The Yugoslavian navy, in an attempt to blockade western Greek ports, comes under attack from French and British aircraft and naval vessels, and are forced to skirt along the coastline. However, a small engagement takes small British cruisers off guard, and the Yugoslavs see their first naval victory in the war.
-A large series of hastily-made fortifications spring up along the the border with Greece, as well as huge defensive positions are set up in occupied territories. The Yugoslav army, though built for mechanized and mobilized warfare, still see the effectiveness of digging in and slugging it out with the enemy.
-A huge series of mobilization projects begin in the nation, as Local Self Defense Forces are put on high alert. Northern-based LSDFs are organized with regular troops and sit on the borders with Italy, Austria and Hungary, while the southern LSDFs are moved to support troops on the front line or act as occupational police forces.
-Domestically, there is a call for donations and the purchasing of war bonds. A small scale propaganda campaign begins, with the hopes of garnering support for the military efforts in Greece.
-Conscription begins, pulling in healthy 17-or-older men who are not in government positions or factory jobs. However, small benefits are given to those who join on their own accord, and these “National Troops” are organized into their own regiments.
-The National Guard of the King is formed. A crack-squad of Yugoslav troops and Soviet advisors surround the King at all times to ensure his protection. Whilst traveling to Split to meet with criminal investigators over the recent attempts on his life, Alexander quite literally comes under fire as a pair of snipers shoot at his car during his trip. The King is struck in the upper leg, shattering his femur, and is rushed to the hospital, where he begins a slow and painful recovery. The NGK kills one of the snipers, whilst the other escapes. The dead sniper wears a Greek uniform, but wields a Steyr-Mannlicher rifle, confirming the fears that the assassination attempts are a foreign plot.
-In other domestic news, the Yugoslav road systems begin a series of ‘revamped signage’. Road signs now read in Croatian, Serbian, Slovenian, Bosnian and Albanian. This mishmash of languages, though jumbled and messy to most onlookers, is appreciated by the many soldiers and merchants who travel across the country on a daily basis.
-The Yugoslavian army unveils a new “light” machine gun. Taking pages from Czechoslovak and American designs, the Yugo-1933 is a belt-fed MG with a substantial fire-rate of roughly 900 RPM. Though not as powerful as the heavy machineguns mounted on tanks or tripods, the Y-1933 is much more mobile, and can be operated by a team of 2 rather than a whole squad.
==Turn 8: July to December 1933==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48575141&viewfull=1#post48575141
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-The Chinese civil war comes to an end as Nationalist forces surround the last few divisions of Communist fighters and shatter their resolve. Mao dies from a self inflicted gunshot wound only days after the defeat.
-Soviet forces swing down from the north in the Baltics, pushing out the Latvian and Lithuanian defenders, only to go toe-to-toe with British and French troops that have taken railways through Germany and Poland.
-The Ruthenian Front continues to be an absolute mess as disorganized Soviet defenders and overzealous Polish attackers run circles around one another.
-The Yamal Peninsula slowly begins to swarm with Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders, however the coming winter locks them into place. Mobilized divisions from Mongolia regularly harass the frozen invaders.
-In Greece, the Yugoslavian military cuts a clean path south, but are halted by the mountainous terrain and staunchly anti-communist British and French expeditionary units.
Wars:
Baltic War:
-Belligerents:
--The Comintern
---Soviet Union
---Yugoslavia
vs.
--European Treaty Organization (+ British Commonwealth)
---France
---United Kingdom
---Australia
---New Zealand
---Canada
---South Africa
---Germany
---Latvia
---Lithuania
---Greece
---Belgium
---Netherlands
Situation - Undecided
Casualties - Nominal
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Greece
--Belgium
--Netherlands
Type: Defensive Pact
European Catholic Alliance (ECA):
Headquarters: Madrid, Spain
Head Nation: Spain
-Members:
--Hungary
--Spain
--Italy
--Portugal
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Ruskie - Republic of China
Government Type: Semi-Republic
Leading Party: Kuomintang (Paternal Autocrat)
Military: Massive | Poorly Trained | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-The northern divisions of the Republican army and the United National Front finally surround broken and divided brigades of Communist fighters in late September. What little forces remain refuse to surrender, and their compounds and the small villages they are nestled in are essentially razed in order to drive them out.
-Mao Tse Tung’s hiding place is discovered and surrounded. Rather than face execution, Mao turns a handgun on himself. His body is dragged out, much to the celebration of the Anti-Communist fighters, and buried in an unceremonious funeral that entombs the thousands of communist fighters that went to the bitter end. The war is officially over.
-With the news coming from Europe that the Spanish have begun to seize Portuguese colonial assets, forces in the Guangdong region are put on the highest possible alert. Citing the Sino-Portuguese Peaceful Trade Relation Pact, Nationalist forces move in to Macau and relieve the beleaguered Portuguese garrison, essentially seizing the city for themselves. Much to their surprise, they are welcomed by thousands of expatriated Spaniards and Portuguese, mainly socialists and anti-fascists.
-With the Guangdong region on the highest alert, and most of their forces already mobilized under the banner of the Republic, many of the leaders of the Guangxi warlord state fear that they may end up being made irrelevant, and in effect surrender themselves to the Republic. They are given positions in local governments, but are removed from status as military leaders or major government workers, and are given honorary discharges.
-Large infrastructure projects take place along the eastern seaboard of China, focusing on strategic “trunk roads” that link up major industrial cities. Alongside these asphalt roads, the Chinese put their skills to the test of making a seaboard-wide railway system that eventually ends in a hub between Chengdu and Chonqing.
-These infrastructure projects mobilize thousands of jobless Chinese citizens, including Communist prisoners who are given the chance of freedom so long as they hand over some time to the Republic. The roads will take a long time to build as the terrain changes like the seasons in China, but if given the proper care, they will be the envy of the world.
-A new Bureau of National Statistics is founded, centered in Chengdu, collecting information of local populations, budgets, trade deals, business deals and all sorts of generally dull things that keep the cogs of government working smoothly.
-Chinese weapon researchers in Chengdu begin improving the Czechoslovak purchased rifles and SMGs, turning them into “Chinese-Ready” weapons, meaning that they will be produced using local techniques and domestic materials. These two firearm mimics, the BZB-33 rifle and ZFQ-33 sub-machinegun are introduced to recruits in training facilities, and the weapons perform smoothly.
-In Chonqing, artillery designers continue to tinker with “Adaptive Artillery Technology”, or ways to move artillery throughout China with more efficiency, especially through the changing terrain that can go from hills to valleys to swamps to mountains in the snap of your fingers. Divisions are given their own “personal” artillery pieces, that are custom tailored to fit their needs. Some even have horse-drawn guns, which can be pulled up steep inclines that cars would risk toppling from.
-To counteract the possibility of mangled supply routes, the Chinese military unveils a more complex series of supply routes, that essentially divide the nation up into “districts” that are independent of one another, as some areas may require more winter equipment while others need more tools that can cut through mud or sandy terrain. This plan boggles the mind of European military leaders, but fits the Chinese military’s needs like a glove.
iAmaNewb - Empire of Japan
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Taisei Yokusankai (Fascist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: High (Improving)
-The Japanese government pushes for the construction of Tokyo National University. Here, students from around the country will be able to immerse themselves in lessons regarding science, engineering, math, history, language, business and all sorts of other well-desired skills for the modern world. The first groundbreaking ceremonies have begun, and the university is set to be a major addition to the already existing University of Tokyo, though the school is set to be nationalized.
-With the onset of the creation of TNU, the Japanese government officially forms the Ministry of Education that will be centered in Kyoto, though smaller “subcenters” will dot the rural countryside. The Ministry of Education’s primary focus is the creation and execution of more efficient lesson plans while simultaneously bringing all classes of the country up to a more rigorous standard of education/literacy.
-Sweeping tax breaks are given to farmers that produce a certain amount of food every quarter as the government encourages semi-independence from Chinese or American food imports. These tax breaks cause farmers to go into overdrive, and huge quantities of foodstuffs like rice or beef are raised in record timing, though quality suffers in some areas.
-With the success of Mitsubishi-Ford, the Japanese government hatches a plan to allow more multinational companies to set up shop in Japan. Those that do are given a minor property tax break on their facilities, but are encouraged to hire Japanese locals to work in factories or take up jobs as salesmen/desk workers.
-However, with things beginning to flare up in the Kamchatka peninsula, the Japanese military is put on alert. Japanese cruisers and battleships regularly monitor the coastlines and watch carefully as Commonwealth troop carriers unload onto the shores of the USSR. Japan declares itself neutral, but its stance clearly shows that the country is poised like a viper to strike at any would-be invader.
-In order to show their might, the Japanese military conducts wargames in central Chosen (Korea) to put work into “spearhead” tactics, which involve breaking through lines with a hard push and surrounding the resulting fragments.
-The Japanese military pushes for the faster implementation of the T1E1, now dubbed the Type 40 rifle, citing the need to “modernize” the armed forces in order to “compete with possible belligerents”. Luckily for the Japanese economy, much of the work has already been done, and factories now begin to work at a more regular pace in creating the guns.
-The Japanese army also tinkers with new tanks. The experimental “Type Z”, or ‘Kame’ (tortoise) is the first of the Japanese medium tanks. It borrows ideas from European designs, with rather than bulky plate armor, it has sloped surfaces for shells to “glance” off of it. The design proves to be effective in testing, and Mitsubishi-Ford is the first to nab the contract to produce them en-masse.
Emperor Scorpious II - Kingdom of Spain
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Union Patriotica (Centralist Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-Seeing the war breaking out in the east, the Spanish urge that their Italian allies stay as neutral as possible. Having just wrapped up a war in Portugal, the Spanish are unwilling to get themselves involved in another conflict. The Italians, already not wanting to spend extra time or manpower against the communists, and seeing the porousness of their border with Yugoslavia, agree to the idea.
-The Spanish government continues to give grants to those able to either create new rocket designs, produce existing ones or design more workable rocket fuel. The nation’s stockpiles of rocket fuel begin to grow slowly, though there are at least 4-5 different types, including one designed in Madrid that is built to act as a “burning pot of oil” upon impact. They did not think of the part that the fuel still has to burn to launch the rocket, and dozens are killed when a test goes awry.
-Large administrative districts are set up in Spanish-controlled regions of formerly Portuguese Africa. These districts focus on local issues and are built from local elections (granted: only Spanish-friendly parties are allowed to run), and thus answer to a higher Spanish power. These sub-governments are made to further centralize Spain while simultaneously cutting down on spreading the Spanish national authority too thin.
-With the introduction of the colonial administrative districting, the Spanish begin setting up charter schools (mostly run by missionaries or church groups) to begin teaching Spanish to local African students in order to begin unifying the nation and building a better, more euro-oriented powerbase in Africa. Portuguese is given as a substitute secondary language option for students already learning the language or simply unwilling to take Spanish.
-The Spanish Navy continues its production of warships, causing some critics in Britain to call it the “return of the Spanish armada”, though most of these coastal cruisers and gunships are built for short-range operations as opposed to the long-distance-and-strike type ships in the hands of the British or Japanese.
-Military bases begin construction in the colonies to further ensure that the administration goes through properly. With this, African locals are given the opportunity to join the Spanish army under the title of “Colonial Regulars”. These troops are given fairly basic training, and are garrisoned throughout the borderlands of Spain’s African colonies to stamp out possible insurrection while also showing the strength of Spain’s revamped military.
-A design that turns heads around the world is unveiled at a Spanish Military Technology Fair in Barcelona. The Adaro AX-1, a ‘Vertical Takeoff and Landing” (VTOL) aircraft is shown to the public for the first time. A bulbous, chunky body with a long, slender tail, the AX-1 sports a gigantic propeller mechanism that sits on its top, alongside two smaller propellers on the tail. The crowd watches in awe as the beastly machine whirrs to life and hovers an astounding 10 meters off of the ground. Its mobility is next to a crippled tortoise however, and the pilot makes a near miss of guillotining dozens of onlookers. Nonetheless, the AX-1 is the world’s first ‘Helicopter’ (as British reporters put it), and is a huge leap forward in aircraft technology.
Waterrmelonn - United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Federal Monarchy
Leading Party: Socijalistička partija Jugoslavije (Leftwing Radical)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Great War Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: High (Improving)
-Yugoslavian mechanized divisions officially see combat for the first time in Albania, linking up with the recently mobilized “Albanian Legion”. Pitched battles are fought that eventually see the Greeks driven south by late August.
-The Albanian Legion, a series of mobilized militia groups, immediately halts at the border with Greece, refusing to enter the opposing nation “on the behalf of an outside power”. Much to their frustration, the Yugoslav military allows them to stay home.
-The Yugo-33 is adopted and immediately put into service to troops heading south, where it continues to lay waste to unprepared Greek militiamen or British expeditionaries.
-Divisions of the Yugoslav military are halted as they attempt to push south, as the tail end of the Pindus mountains block their advance. The Yugoslav military immediately begins pushing for the mobilization of mountain infantry who are thrown into combat to dislodge Greek defenders in the northwest.
-Romania and Yugoslavia come to a small deal that will see both nations reducing tariffs and exporting consumer goods to one another. However, many Romanian exporters are still reeling from the tripartite invasion, and others are nervous to ship goods to a country locked in mortal combat.
-The National Defense Sector immediately begins creating large-scale underground shelters for the protection of civilians in the case of an air raid. A surprise attack from British aircraft in Split show their effectiveness, as areas of the city are heavily damaged while those that would have been trapped are kept safe by the bunkers.
-The National Broadcast Institute now takes total control of the country’s airwaves. Emergency announcements and broadcasts are common as the British and French air forces continue to rain hell on Yugoslav coastal areas, most of the craft launched from northern Africa or airfields in Greece.
-The Yugoslav Military National Research Bureau tests the experimental ‘Mungos’ (Mongoose) Rocket Projection System. This crew-manned rocket launcher uses a series of complex electric instruments and a long rocket filled with aircraft-grade fuel to propel the system hundreds of meters reliably down range. Upon impact, the Mongoose explodes with a “shaped explosion”, forcing shrapnel and burning materials in a cone, the explosion eventually enveloping whatever fuel remains and burning the rocket apart. The Mongoose is extremely expensive and takes well-trained, cool-headed individuals, but is nonetheless piquing interests of militaries everywhere.
==Turn 9: January to June 1934==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48634026&viewfull=1#post48634026
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-In the Baltics, the ETO are unable to hold back the oncoming Soviet assault, forcing the governments of Lithuania and Latvia to capitulate as their western protectors roll back into East Prussia and Posen.
-Last year’s elected cabinet, led by the Deutsche Staatspartei, requests the ETO for the full mobilization of Germany. They accept. Late in the year, thousands of raw German recruits are flung into the East.
-Meanwhile in the Balkans, Greek forces are shattered after a surprise guerilla raid near the border with Albania that kills a handful of higher officers. The rest of the small nation’s army stands strong, but request for British aid grows to be extremely important.
-Uyghurstan officially becomes an autonomous SSR in the Soviet Union, its local national guard immediately moved to force the Canadians and ANZAC troops out of the Yamal peninsula.
-The war in the Balkans grows dire as Soviet forces make surprise landings in far southern Greece.
Wars:
Baltic War:
-Belligerents:
--The Comintern
---Soviet Union
---Yugoslavia
vs.
--European Treaty Organization (+ British Commonwealth)
---France
---United Kingdom
---Australia
---New Zealand
---Canada
---South Africa
---Germany
---Latvia
---Lithuania
---Greece
---Belgium
---Netherlands
Situation - Somewhat in favor of Comintern
Casualties - Moderate
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Greece
--Belgium
--Netherlands
Type: Defensive Pact
European Catholic Alliance (ECA):
Headquarters: Madrid, Spain
Head Nation: Spain
-Members:
--Hungary
--Spain
--Italy
--Portugal
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Ruskie - Republic of China
Government Type: Semi-Republic
Leading Party: Kuomintang (Paternal Autocrat)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-With the war finally having come to a close, and the only threat to China’s troops being the occasional “freedom fighter” in the sticks up north, the Republic begins to demobilize its massive army, but not without a few sweeping changes.
-Dozens upon dozens of brigades of greenhorn troops are disbanded, but the soldiers given the opportunity to stay paid if they head to one of the many military colleges or training facilities to become acquainted with modern tactics.
-The existing divisions are expanded to include Artillery and Reconnaissance brigades in their midst. Seeing how useful artillery proved to be in smashing Mao’s defensive lines, many divisions are happy to have big guns of their own. The inclusion of the reconnaissance units also allows for less “grand battle plan” designs, and gives divisions more fluid mobility as they can plot their courses themselves.
-Reconnaissance training facilities are constructed in Xi’an, a mountainous, river-rich region of China that is absolutely perfect for training soldiers in the key elements of stealth but also the importance of moving quickly through changing terrain.
-Bases throughout China are “modernized”, or re-equipped with better supplies, tools, weapons and observers. Radio stations are a requirement in all bases, as well as an anti-air emplacement and various emergency warning systems.
-Chengdu Arms produces the China-Ready versions of Czechoslovak weapons, with the Cz-vz. 27 Pistol and the ZB vz. 26 Machine Gun being retitled the Type 27 and Type 26 (to stay with the Chinese titling system). These firearms, proven to be effective at firing ranges, are immediately set out to join the BZB-33 and ZFQ-33 in the hands of Chinese soldiers.
-Massive, sweeping, large-scale reforms go through that see the full-on rearming of the entire standing army. The Chinese economy takes a heavy blow, but many consider a strong and independent china a worthy tradeoff.
-Artillery and Anti-Air pieces are also produced in large quantities, mainly to supply the various modernization reforms. These factories are given “domestic contracts” and usually every few weeks are ordered to make guns for certain provincial armies, cutting down on the need for ten dozen factories doing different things.
-Seeing the Soviets continue to expand westward, the Republic’s army moves a handful of divisions into the Ma Clique on the border with Mongolia and orders that they dig in deep. Nobody knows what sort of stance the Chinese will be taking with this.
-Meanwhile, in the more peaceful side of things, the Chinese continue the massive industrial and infrastructural projects from the previous year. Railways begin to trickle into the center of the nation, linking more and more important industrial centers together.
-To bring in more interest to the central cities, the Republican government puts forward large grants for students to begin studying at universities in large central cities, and also proposes less property taxes for businesses that move into these “Special Economic Zones”. The latter option sees the immediate construction of a Mitsubishi-Ford factory in southern Chengdu.
-To combat the sluggishness of China’s industry, more adept studies are made on how to procure, process and develop raw materials into industrial goods at a bigger, faster pace. Newer industrial techniques include factories built entirely around a single product (I.E Artillery shells) rather than wasting space at trying to do a dozen things at once.
iAmaNewb - Empire of Japan
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Taisei Yokusankai (Fascist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: High (Improving)
-In order to improve their export capabilities, Japan begins to sell off its excess grains and minerals to countries willing to buy. Magnesite, zinc and iron, precious metals that are a must-have for heavy industry, are sold in large quantities to the United Kingdom and Australia. Some exports head to the Soviet Union, though only as an off-hand buy as the Soviets boast of their “Power of natural resources”.
-Haneda Airport sees continued expansion, with the runway given flared ends to accommodate multiple landing craft at a time. Large hangers are constructed and sold off to various airline companies to house their aircraft. Haneda quickly becomes one of the largest airports in Asia, closely competing with Xinjin.
-Infrastructure projects continue, and the Tokyo subway finally completes its expansion, officially circling the entire city and crossing twice beneath it. Meanwhile, the large-scale highway program grows ever closer to touching both ends together as the Imperial government pushes forward more benefits to construction workers.
-Other infrastructure is upgraded, mainly with backroads being given a thin layer of concrete to at least give them some form of consistency. These new roads also call for a redrawing of the map of Japan’s roadways, and steps are taken to stamp out roads that crisscross over themselves, ones that snake about for no particular reason, or those that start and end without connecting to anything.
-As some rice fields suffer salination or dryness, the government of Japan hatches a brilliant idea. With the help of American agriculturalists, the Japanese government begins the planting of multiple large-scale cotton fields in southern Japan. The environment appears to be hospitable enough that healthy plants will grow, and cotton field administrators hope to expand the crop to the Korean peninsula.
-In the military front, the Japanese army pushes for the adoption of the Type Z tank with its sloped armor and defensive capabilities. Arms designers from Mitsubishi-Ford assist in the project, and adapt the Type 5 75mm Tank Gun to the tank’s main armament. The Type Z begins production, the existing light tanks being scrapped in favor of something that actually looks like it will get something done.
-The idea of liquefying coal in order to produce a ‘synthesized’ form of petroleum fuel is once again introduced to the government of Japan. The process is difficult, complex and extremely volatile, and a couple accidents kill dozens. However, after trying with various gas catalysts, Japanese researchers at the University of Tokyo unveil the first half-liter of ‘synthetic fuel’. Oil refineries around the world twitch.
Emperor Scorpious II - Kingdom of Spain
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Union Patriotica (Centralist Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-The “Iberian Road”, or a large system of multi-laned roads and interconnecting freeways, begins construction between the borders of Portugal and Spain. Most of the workers are mobilized poor from Portugal and Spanish Galicia, and both governments provide them with food, a somewhat-stable income, and the knowledge required for construction/demolition.
-Domestically, the Spanish government orders the production of small arms be put into overdrive. Seeing the need of supporting a larger military and supplying colonial regulars, handing out surplus is not enough, and newer, standardized equipment is a must.
-Heavy industry is a big focus in areas of Spanish Africa in order to diversify the local economies and move away from agriculturally based exports. Metalworks and steel mills are a common sight along the once empty coasts of the former Portuguese colonies.
-An experimental group of soldiers begin working with the previously revealed Helicopters, hoping to put them to good use. Most of their tests prove that helicopters do a great job at quickly picking up wounded troops and getting them out, even under fire, but they are simply too bulky and not able to carry more than a couple people at once without being weighed down.
-The large Spanish navy sees a split in its ranks. Dividing the navy, the Spanish government creates the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets. The Mediterranean fleet is only a third of the size of the regular Atlantic fleet, but is filled with short-range ships and older U-Boats that would clearly rule the sea now that the British have been booted from Gibraltar. The Mediterranean fleet is officially stationed in the Baleares, though many zealous captains prefer to dock in Gibraltar for personal reasons.
-New Spanish rocket technology sees the test of an experimental long-range bomb known as the “Avispa I” (Wasp). The Avispa is launched from a rail using a heavy rocket engine. Once in flight, the Avispa acts ‘independently’ for upwards of 40 to 50 kilometers before releasing its payload (usually air-to-ground bombs). More designs think of making the Avispa II, which would be a rocket-powered long range bomber that could drop bombs as far as India, but most scientists scoff at the idea.
SniperComZero - United States of America
Government Type: Constitutional Republic
Leading Party: Democratic Party (Market Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Faltering (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-A small-scale lend lease program begins with the European Treaty Organization, mainly shipping rifles and munitions to France and Britain in return for cash. Meanwhile, the US turns east (or technically west) and trades oil in exchange for food from China and Japan.
-The food imports from Japan and China are immediately put to use in large ‘soup kitchens’ as the US government attempts to break up the infamous Hoovervilles and support the poor and less-well off. Rice cakes are finally considered actual food in the United States.
-A large Canadian-American railway is proposed that will stretch from southern Alaska and go through Canada, ending in southern Oregon. The Canadians, who are wrapped up in fighting the Soviets, wave the idea onwards knowing that the Americans are anything but Red, and the construction begins immediately.
-When in Alaska, however, the United States begins winter-period wargames, focusing on the performance of American equipment in the cold, most especially the M2 light tank. Many Soviet advisors raise eyebrows at the idea of Americans preparing for deep-snow winter operations, but the coming Alaskan spring and summer instead teaches them about mud and lots of mud and extra mud.
-When experimenting with artillery shell explosives, a group of researchers stumble upon a composition of various chemicals that are stable enough to be detonated remotely, but are more explosively reliable than something like TNT. This composition, creatively titled Composition C-1, is put to the test in the Alaskan wargames.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-The large-scale mobilization project unites a gigantic army of semi-regular troops, and they are immediately thrown westward. The nation’s economy takes a hit as millions of farmhands and factory workers are taken out of their jobs, but the USSR is too deep in it now to consider going back.
-The Latvians and Lithuanians are shattered as Soviet forces overwhelm the BEF and French expeditionary units who then fall back. The few Lithuanian and Latvian armies that survive are immediately worked into the German military as ‘armies in exile’. Meanwhile the existing Latvian and Lithuanian states are organized into their own SSRs, and local communist sympathizers are put into place as administrators. Men are conscripted and forced to fight in the western front.
-Massed tank waves crush the resolve of the Poles in the northwest, who retreat from the Ruthenian front to protect themselves. They are pursued by newly organized Soviet infantry brigades, and the west officially sees the Soviets with the upper hand.
-The construction of fleets continues in the Baltic and Black seas, though the Baltic fleet continues to be threatened by ETO airstrikes and commando raids. However, the Black Sea Fleet sees the rapid construction of hundreds of tiny troop carriers that slip through the Istanbul strait under the cover of darkness and careen onto the island of Crete. Soviet soldiers rush outwards onto the Greek island and make quick work of its defenders. In the west of the island, British troops dig in to keep the island under control, fearing that Cyprus is next.
-Troopers are dropped from the air in attempted ‘paratrooper’ raids. However, the troops lack the proper training, and some fail to open their parachutes on time. Nonetheless, the idea that the Soviets can drop troops behind their lines terrifies the ETO troops, who immediately begin preparing for a long, drawn out fights.
-Uyghurstan is officially annexed by the USSR after some negotiations see the local administrators step down in favor of USSR-friendly politicians. The Uyghurstan SSR Guard is immediately grouped up with the other Altaic peoples and is thrown to the east to combat the Canadian/Anzac invaders. The ‘Altay Army’, composed of Kazakh, Uyghur, Mongol, Tatar, Tajik and Uzbek fighters, clashes with Commonwealth soldiers, forcing them down the frozen peninsula and surrounding them near the sea.
-A large-scale “5 Year Plan” is put into effect in central asia near the urals. Huge factories are thrown together and prepare to produce much-needed military equipment and weapons, while also keeping it far away from the front.
-Taking a page or two from the Yugoslav army, the Soviets reveal their own model of the Mongoose rocket launcher system, simply dubbed the RPG-3, and is immediately produced in huge quantities. Very Russian.
-The Soviets continue to push hard on the west to reclaim lost territories and teach the world that the People’s Revolution is near. The Soviets are in for the long, bloody, hard haul.
Waterrmelonn - United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Federal Monarchy
Leading Party: Socijalistička partija Jugoslavije (Leftwing Radical)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: High (Improving)
-Yugoslav mountain divisions begin trading blows with the Greeks, and much to the former’s advantage. The ETO blockade is not enough to break the will of the Yugoslavs, and the Greeks see that Europe turns its eyes to the USSR rather than the situation in the south.
-Yugoslav mechanized divisions wreak havoc on retreating Greeks on the west coast, and drive a deep wedge in the east. The mobility of the Yugoslav army is almost too much to handle for the Greeks, and the British step up their game by sending Egyptian and Raj regulars into the fight in Greece.
-Airstrikes soften the rear of the Greek positions, and Yugoslav aircraft begin striking the outskirts of Athens. However, after a week of near-constant bombardment, the Royal Air Force has finally reached Greece and begins counter-air operations over Athens, protecting the ancient capital. For now.
-In a surprise, massed air raid, dozens of PO-2 aircraft strike at cruisers and frigates stationed south of Greece near the Adriatic, sinking four and critically damaging at least six. These ships, mostly French, pull back in order to strengthen the blockade in the west, though Soviet air raids from the east force them to pull back even further.
-The experimental Mongoose rockets are put to use against light Greek and medium British armor with devastating results. An entire armored push from the Greeks is obliterated as anti-tank guns and Mongoose rockets tear them to shreds. The Greeks are caught with their pants down in the east, and begin forming a massive defensive line in the south, digging in deep.
-The Bulgarians begin to work alongside Yugoslavia economically. A pseudo ‘lend lease’ program begins, with Bulgarian industry able to take the burden of the requirement for Yugoslav goods in return for economic benefits and post-war dealings.
-Domestically, aircraft factories are put into overdrive in hopes of counteracting the devastating battles in Greece. Some of these factories are targeted by crack squads of British commandos and French Foreign Legionnaires, but they don’t do enough to put a dent in the nation’s productivity.
-King Alexander announces the ‘National Unity and Treaty’ program, which introduces Hungarian as a secondary language in border towns along the Hungarian border. This brings a lot of smaller communities together, as students learn both Serbo-Croat dialects and Hungarian as a secondary language, and can visit each other’s families. It’s the simple little things that help people along.
-More powerful assembly lines, like those in use in China, are put to the test in the armor factories in south-central Yugoslavia. They work with blinding efficiency, with man hours being slashed in favor of more standardized production. However, implementation will be costly for a nation-wide standard, but few can find it as a major negative considering the wartime situation.
==Turn 10: July to December 1934==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48718216&viewfull=1#post48718216
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-The Yamal peninsula is freed as Altaic forces drive the Anzac and Canadian forces off of the Soviet mainland, though the dominion's naval forces prowl the coastline, regularly sinking vessels bound for the eastern Soviet coast.
-Polish resolve wavers as oncoming Soviet attackers shatter division after division in the east. German troops are in short supply as the Weimar government is unable to draw in enough recruits while fearing the notion of conscripts in the east.
-The Greek government collapses in an attempted military coup to oust Alexander Zaimis that fails miserably. Zaimis flees Athens and heads to Alexandria with most of his cabinet, essentially forcing Greece to become a government in exile.
-The United Kingdom has assumed direct control of Greece and her remaining troops, though the situation has become dire as the British must focus on either sending troops to the Balkan or Eastern front, as ANZAC/Canadian troopers are wrapped up in the far east.
Wars:
Baltic War:
-Belligerents:
--The Comintern
---Soviet Union
---Yugoslavia
vs.
--European Treaty Organization (+ British Commonwealth)
---France
---United Kingdom
---Australia
---New Zealand
---Canada
---South Africa
---Germany
---Belgium
---Netherlands
Situation - Somewhat in favor of Comintern
Casualties - Moderate
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Belgium
--Netherlands
Type: Defensive Pact
European Catholic Alliance (ECA):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Ruskie - Republic of China
Government Type: Semi-Republic
Leading Party: Kuomintang (Paternal Autocrat)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-With the Communists essentially ground into the dirt, and Soviet military interests far away from China, the Republic strikes up a deal with the USSR. Consumer goods materials and industrial equipment will be exported to China in return for the Republican government sending out surplus food.
-The heavy industry arrives in Wuhan, where a department of the National Engineering Corp. is founded, creating a large-scale engineering college to assist in the training of both personnel and advisors. The food exported to the USSR is mainly rice and pork products that farmers are happy to receive an extra bonus on their income.
-As tensions within China cool down, the Republican government requests that the Ma clique join the Republic’s national army system. Instead, fearing that their troops may be used in a coup, the Ma government capitulates entirely. The entire cabinet is dissolved, and its members given a grotesquely large severance check, where many immediately skip town and head to Japan or the United States.
-With the Ma clique dissolved, the government of the tiny Yunnan clique have no choice but to give in to pressures from the inside. An agreement is made, and the Yunnan nation state is erased from the map. China is finally united.
-Industrial projects continue in Chengdu and Chonqing, as well as creating economic infrastructure in Shanghai and Qingdao in order to bolster the growing import/export trade of China.
-Automobile manufacturers set up shop in the coastal cities, many of them hiring Chinese workers to make their products. Much to the dismay of Chinese socialists, these companies tend to be British or American in origin, including the ever-expanding Mitsubishi-Ford conglomerate.
-The Republican army continues to re-arm itself with proper equipment. The nation is officially divided into multiple subdivisions that see their own regional military acting as a protective force. These subdivisions receive most of the weapons that best fit their location (I.E mountain troops receiving smaller-sized artillery guns but more tools and larger supply posts). However, this rearmament also calls for the building up of Chinese troops on the border to ensure that Soviet imports are industrial and industrial only.
-In a shocking display of power, Chinese troops enter Tibet in order to ensure that “Outside aggressors do not attempt to intervene in Tibetan affairs”. Some observers, however, fear that the act is a clear sign of the Republic attempting to submit Tibet to hegemony.
-The Republic of China’s military forcefully assumes direct control of Tibet’s forces, which are mainly militia elements which are soon disbanded. Tensions grow between the largely fractured Tibetan government and the hulking giant that is the Republic.
-After hearing After Action Reports and news stories of the conflict in Europe, the Chinese military begins drawing up plans to further expand the tiny Chinese air force. However, instead of focusing entirely on creating more and more planes, the advisors create a doctrine. This doctrine focuses on the intercepting of oncoming enemy aircraft, mainly bombers, and puts heavy emphasis on a defensive role of fighter aircraft.
iAmaNewb - Empire of Japan
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Taisei Yokusankai (Fascist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Strong (Improving)
Unity: High (Improving)
-Japan quickly begins to move up the ladder economically as the nation focuses itself on domestic growth and industrial strength. Mitsubishi-Ford’s sales skyrocket as factories are set up in China and the United States, using domestic workers and giving discounts to them for automotive sales.
-Large synthetic fuel plants are set up, roughly 2 in each state, in order to wean Japan off of the dependence on foreign oil imports. This project will take roughly a year to complete, but economists hope that it will be worth it in time.
-Militarily, another breakthrough is made by the Imperial Japanese Army. The Type-105, a specialized air-to-ground bomb, is developed. The Type-105 is special in that it splits itself apart high above the target, releasing hundreds of explosive submunitions over a targeted area. Bombers can carry 10 to 20 of these (depending on their size), and they would be extremely useful in grinding down enemy defenses such as bunkers, trenches, buildings or towns.
Emperor Scorpious II - Iberian Union
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Partido Iberico (Conservative Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-In Portugal, Antonio de Oliveira Salazar holds a nation-wide referendum on the inclusion of Portugal in an “Iberian Union” with Spain. Salazar’s reasonings are that Spain’s “Protective ideologies, religious conservatism, anti-communist stance and economic tranquility will provide the Portuguese people with much needed assistance in the coming years”. After a few weeks at the ballot boxes, victory is declared for the unionists, with a vote of 87% in favor.
-Portugal’s government is essentially dissolved and replaced with a semi-autonomous local administration under the authority of Salazar, who now directly answers to King Alfonso XIII, who fashions himself Emperor Alfonso I. Many communists are infuriated with the name change, but are quickly whisked away and never heard from again.
-The political party, Union Patriotica, is disbanded and reformed under the name Partido Iberico (Iberian Party), and now includes a large number of Basques, Catalans and Portuguese alongside its Castillan regulars.
-With the union completed, Iberia then turns its eyes to the French, who continue to struggle in propping up their allies in the East. As tensions grow between Maghrebi locals and the French administration, Iberia proposes that it be allowed to occupy Morocco in order to relieve the French. Begrudgingly, Paris allows the occupation to go through, letting them throw everything that they have into the east.
-With a strong Catholic backing, and the Irish Iron Party being formed and taking hold of much of the parliament, Ireland enters the European Catholic Alliance, further strengthening the ties between Rome and the rest of the Christian world.
-With a small number of cruisers, Iberian naval personnell arrive on the western coast of Saudi Arabia alongside a delegation of Iberian diplomats. These diplomats request that the Saudis allow for the creation of infrastructure programs, mainly along coastal cities, in order to “grow relations between the Saudis and Europe”. With the proposition of mainly Bedouin workers and also staring down the barrel of multiple 10” guns, the Saudis accept the proposition.
-A large number of missionaries are sent to non-christianized regions of Africa in order to spread the good word. Like most mission works, the first few steps go off with a stumble, while others make great strides. However, in Iberian Mozambique, a number of missionaries are kidnapped by the Revolucionaria Guardia Republicana de la Gente (People’s Revolutionary Republican Guard, PRRG), a violent communist militia formed by Portuguese, Spanish and Italian communists that have fled to Africa. The PRRG soon executes the missionaries, sending their heads in gift wrapped boxes to Iberian administrators in Mozambique.
-With the attack in mind, the Iberian government begins a large-scale propaganda campaign, comparing “Republicans and Communists alike” to the Moors of Andalusia during the Reconquista, using inflammatory words such as “Catholicism under threat? Not when we are here to stop them!” and “The Red Star is like a Crescent Moon, blotted out by the light of the Son!” and other sorts of colorful language.
-The Santa Maria and the Trinidad, Iberia’s two brand-spanking-new ships, are christened on Christmas Day, finally completed and stocked full with aircraft. The two ships quickly make their way to their required ports, with the Santa Maria going to Lisbon (Atlantic Fleet) and the Trinidad heading to Gibraltar (Mediterranean Fleet). Iberia now slowly begins to make itself out as a naval power to be reckoned with. 16th Century Englishmen begin to roll in their graves.
-Meanwhile, the Iberian military undergoes reforms, focusing on amphibious assaults and invasions using complex, small-scale landing craft, paired with experimental paradrop troops to attack in the rear. The training goes smoothly in some aspects, though a paradrop exercise ends in the deaths of twelve soldiers as camp administration forgot to give them parachutes. The idea of literally dropping soldiers behind the enemy is still a new and bizarre concept for most.
-The helicopter, Iberia’s pride and joy technologically, goes through some major design overhauls. The idea is to focus on creating a mobile transport that can ignore terrain issues and move about relatively freely. These new designs can carry a handful of men, about 4-5, up to thirty miles from the takeoff point reliably. However, these helicopters suffer from fuel consumption issues, and are also anything but maneuverable, and if the helicopter is off course, it may need all day to land and readjust itself before moving again.
-Iberia now rules the western European stage as the great militarized power. Having humiliated the British, smacked the Portuguese and made a name for themselves, it would be foolish to suggest the Iberians are simply stopping there.
SniperComZero - United States of America
Government Type: Constitutional Republic
Leading Party: Democratic Party (Market Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Faltering (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-The United States continues a program of lend-lease to the western powers currently locked in combat against the Soviets. It appears that the American government has taken a strong Anti-Communist stance, and has given various companies subsidies to begin overproduction of consumer goods and industrial materials for export to Europe.
-Meanwhile, economically, the United States continues to try and drag itself out of the hellhole that is the Great Depression. The infamous ‘Dust Bowl’ has begun to die off in the American southwest, and now farmers are ordered by law to rotate crops every few seasons. In Illinois, a large-scale farming conglomerate of multiple companies is formed, known as Rockford-DeKalb Corp., and begins to help bolster agricultural economies in the midwest.
-In the Philippines, the Philippine Independence Party begins to hold rallies in the American-held capital of Manila, demanding that the United States relinquish its “Imperialist and dominating hold on the free Filipino people”. The US has yet to respond to their demands.
-Wargames continue on the American western coastline as the US experiments with naval invasions and paratrooper techniques. Though the US army is tiny compared to its size, America is nonetheless gearing up for some form of conflict in the near future, as the plans mimic that of the Iberians.
-A huge naval upgunning begins, with the construction of dozens of destroyers, a handful of battleships and even two new aircraft carriers. These naval forces begin construction using thousands of unemployed Americans who are given a crash-course in manufacturing and immediately deployed to creating the hulking beasts of war. These ships are to be based in east-coast facilities, and will be completed within the next year if production isn’t halted.
-The M4 Medium Tank is developed, using designs from the speedy M2. The M4 is larger and more robust than the M2, and is built as a “Cavalry” tank, meaning that the vehicle is best used in a supportive role to infantry. The M4 is put to the test in various wargame tests, and performs well enough to be adopted by the US military.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-The western campaign continues as the Soviet army makes huge advances through Poland, overwhelming the defenders with sheer numbers. The large amount of conscripts continue to fill the gaps made by soldiers who have died during the fighting, something the Poles cannot keep up with. The Soviets are growing ever closer to Warsaw, which threatens to collapse the Polish state entirely.
-In the East Prussian front, French and British fighters along with German nationals hold up in Konigsberg in a desperate attempt to fend off Soviet attackers. However, the city is blockaded by the Soviet Baltic Fleet, which continues to force the ETO’s blockade farther and farther back. Soviet troops surround Konigsberg, but most continue to push west in order to seize Danzig.
-The ETO’s air campaigns against Soviet Baltic emplacements begin to wane as Soviet air defenses become too dangerous to attempt to destroy, and the ETO’s blockade is forced ever towards the Jutland peninsula as the Soviets keep moving westward.
-A huge bombing campaign begins, hitting the lines behind the ETO defenders in southwestern Poland. By winter, hundreds of thousands of tons of explosives have demolished town after town and killed thousands of both Polish fighters and civilians alike. As fervent as the Poles are in their willingness to fight, the lack of reinforcement from the west begins to give them doubts.
-Paratroopers are soon used in tandem with bombing raids, which confuses and terrifies Polish defenders as they scramble for cover to escape the bombs, only to be greeted with squads of battle-ready Soviets quite literally landing on their heads in some instances.
-An amphibious campaign begins in the Balkans as Soviet troops skirt past the Hellespont and land on Thessalonika in order to support the Yugoslavian push into British-controlled Greece. The numbers in comparison to the western front are miniscule, but nonetheless are appreciated by the Yugo armies that are wrapped up in the west of Greece.
-In the Yamal peninsula, the ANZAC and Canadian troops retreat to the sea to reorganize and possibly prepare for another assault. The Altay Army celebrates its victory, and the many soldiers are congratulated for their “patriotic endeavors”.
-A deal is struck up with the Republic of China. Leftover consumer goods and factory pieces that have no immediate wartime use are exported to the Republic in return for food. The USSR is fine in terms of food, as advisors believe the country can survive the war’s siege-like results for at least two more years, and instead the USSR moves this surplus food to Yugoslavia in order to keep their Balkan ally afloat.
-Mikhail Kalinin begins a tour of the Soviet Union, meeting and greeting hundreds of thousands of happy onlookers and supporters. He is regularly flanked by local administrators and bodyguards of local nationalities as he continues to preach messages of cultural unity and a “Soviet identity”.
Waterrmelonn - United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Federal Monarchy
Leading Party: Socijalistička partija Jugoslavije (Leftwing Radical)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: High (Improving)
-The Yugoslavian military receives fantastic news as the Greek state collapses and is left to the control of the British. The French expeditionary forces that were in Greece have been pulled back to combat the Soviets in the Eastern Front, while the British see their forces stretched thin. Yugoslav forces grow ever closer to Athens as the Soviets send small numbers of troops to assist them on the mainland.
-Local Self Defense Forces on the Hungarian border are considered “activated”, and are given the orders to attend weekly training sessions in order to prepare them for possible attack. Those that are considered more than effective are pulled from their LSDFs and moved to Greece to support in the Balkan front.
-British forces are absolutely infuriated as ships and vehicles docked in Greek port cities are regularly sabotaged. At first, it was mainly fuel lines being snipped, radio towers having their cords removed or trucks being found with their tires missing, but it quickly escalates into a pair of coastal cruisers having their engine rooms set alight, sinking one and heavily damaging another.
-At home, the Yugoslav government commissions the construction of a massive hydroelectric plant in southern Serbia in order to support local power demands. The construction begins under the guard of half a division, and the site bristles with machine guns and anti-aircraft emplacements. A foolhardy Dutch/British joint operation attempts to bomb the site. No planes return to their airfields.
-Meanwhile, consumer goods and food become the top priority of any factory that is not immediately producing weapons or materials for the front. Cars and luxury items take a backseat to more important things such as clothes, stoves, pots and pans and other home amenities. Food comes in large quantities, shipped from the Soviet Union bearing Chinese markings. A satirist in an Albanian newspaper writes that “Rice is the new staple food of Yugoslavia, even though it doesn’t grow here at all”.
-A play, sanctioned by the government, is put on in large cities around the country. Dubbed “The Great Socialist War”, the play makes a mockery of Capitalist governments, praises the words of Marx and Lenin, and ends with the spectacular smiting of a vicious Capitalist dragon. In Sarajevo, a fully functioning mechanical dragon device is made, and accidentally burns down the theatre as the operators used a flamethrower instead of confetti.
-A new weapon is designed in Yugoslavia, known as the “Viper” (in tandem with the Mongoose rocket system). The Viper is a large-caliber gun that uses a complex system of gas releases to keep the weapon from being knocked off balance, dubbed a “Recoilless Rifle”. The Viper is put to work immediately once mass production is available, and has seen success in cracking tanks, and works wonderfully when paired with the Mongoose.
-The Yugoslav military is the first in the world to designate a perfected anti-tank squad design, using 12 men with one of each anti-tank weapon and the crew required.
==Turn 11: January to June 1935==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48816785&viewfull=1#post48816785
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-The government of Poland collapses as the eastern Polish divisions are shattered by the coming Soviet waves. French, British and German defenders fall back westward as the Soviets seize Warsaw.
-King Alexander I of Yugoslavia is shot dead by a gunman outside of a cafe in southern Belgrade, finally ending the King’s life. Peter II, his young son, ascends to the throne under a minor regency.
-Konigsberg falls as what little German forces are still moving about in the east surrender to the brutal Soviet siege.
-Athens falls to Yugoslav attackers as the British forces withdraw to supporting France and Germany in the war against the Soviet Union. Bulgaria seizes their cores as an agreement made with the Yugoslavian government goes into effect.
-The blockade in the Baltic has been pushed to the Jutland peninsula. Casualties are growing on both sides, though all refuse to give an inch of territory.
-A revolt breaks out in the Kashmir province as Pashtun and Punjabi nationalists clash, driving out the local British administration.
-The United States, Iberia and Italy enter the war against Yugoslavia, dragging them into the sights of Soviet soldiers. Nobody knows the immediate provocation, but there are reports of huge purchases of popcorn coming from Switzerland.
-Italian troops in northern Yugoslavia are obliterated as they charge headfirst through rocky terrain into the guns of both regular and irregular forces that are more than prepared for this sort of engagement.
-With so many nations involved, the Baltic War is redubbed the “Second Great War”.
Wars:
Second Great War:
-Belligerents:
--The Comintern
---Soviet Union
---Yugoslavia
vs.
--European Treaty Organization (+ British Commonwealth)
---France
---United Kingdom
---Australia
---New Zealand
---Canada
---South Africa
---Germany
---Belgium
---Netherlands
---Iberia
---Italy
---United States
Situation - In favor of Comintern
Casualties - High
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Belgium
--Netherlands
Type: Defensive Pact
European Catholic Alliance (ECA):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Ruskie - Republic of China
Government Type: Semi-Republic
Leading Party: Kuomintang (Paternal Autocrat)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-With the help of American military specialists, the last pieces of China’s military structure (mainly armor and artillery designs) are filled in by the purchasing of American blueprints. The designs for equipment like the M2 Light Tank and the 8” Howitzer are put to use in Chinese military factories.
-Republican advisors enter Tibet with a retinue of heavily armed guards and assume direct control of the country under the guise of “assisting” the local administration. On paper, it seems friendly and caring, whilst to everyone it is just another power-play by a new giant on the world stage.
-Infrastructure programs continue, but the Chinese government grows increasingly suspicious of Soviet imports. Factories are regularly shut down and ransacked by Republican investigators looking for possible saboteurs, but find nothing other than blatant human rights violations from factory owners.
-A massive program begins that upsets conservatives across China. The Republican government, working mainly with the ministry of education, have begun working towards the latinization of the Chinese alphabet as China “must now compete with a latinized world, and cannot fall into obscurity of the tongue”. Protests of conservatives are a common sight in large cities.
-With the American designs in hand and being produced by the tonne, the Chinese army moves a large number of troops on the Chinese/Soviet border in Manchuria, many of them creating huge, winding trench systems to lock themselves in place.
-A general purpose buildup of the Chinese military begins, with thousands of troops graduating from military academies across the country and being immediately shoved towards the borders to flex China’s muscles.
-With the massive industrial buildup, the Chinese government continues to look towards western designs, especially how to create better rail and road systems. This advancement in construction engineering helps massively, as 3 or even 4 lane roads begin popping up on the highways that link major cities.
Griffster26 - Empire of Hungary
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Parliamentary Monarchy
Leading Party: Magyarorszagi Szociáldemokrata Párt (Social Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Stagnant)
-With the war continuing to rage around them, and soldiers growing ever closer to reaching the Hungarian border, Otto I and a cadre of officials sign the Treaty of Budapest, declaring Hungary’s neutrality in European affairs.
-King Georgios II of Greece, originally held in Cyprus under close watch of the British, takes up the offer and sneaks across the Bulgarian and Romanian borders into Hungary, where he takes up residence in the royal palace in Budapest.
-A referendum is held once again to declare the nation a republic or a monarchy. The populace, seeing how republicanism has driven Europe into a hellacious war, and that a lack of anti-socialist stances in other countries have led to their downfall, the public votes 84% in favor of keeping the monarchy.
-Slovak and Serbo-Croat are declared official languages in Hungary, adding to the already jumbled road signs and law declarations. Nonetheless, these minority groups are satiated by having the most basic forms of representation in the country’s government.
-Transylvania is officially declared an autonomous state, with a small regionally-elected government and a separate house in Hungarian parliament. However, the Hungarian-majority province of Szekelyfold remains under direct administration of the Hungarian monarchy.
-The “Arpad Line” begins construction. Mimicking the Maginot line of France, a huge array of forts are set up along the border with Yugoslavia, and smaller forts ringing the provinces near Czechoslovakia. Some view this as a Swiss-like move to ensure neutrality, while others see it as preparation for war.
-The Hungarian army sees reorganization and the inclusion of Romanian-only divisions with Romanian-speaking commanders. This is done in order to not only stop tensions between troops, but make movements easier, as giving troops crash-courses in Hungarian was more than a pain.
iAmaNewb - Empire of Japan
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Taisei Yokusankai (Fascist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Strong (Improving)
Unity: High (Improving)
-The industry of Japan continues to grow as European factories focus entirely on the development of weapons and war-materials, whilst Japan begins to fill in the gaps left by European exporters and manufacturers.
-A large-scale public survey is held in order to see the populace’s opinion of the Japanese government. However, the survey is relegated to Japan proper, but sees a large number of responses. Questions like “Who do you think is a threat to our national security” was met with resoundingly similar responses: The Soviet Union.
-Mimicking the Soviet design, the Type 3 Rocket Platform is tested and developed on the island of Hokkaido. The Type-3 is a glorified flatbed truck with a series of large tubes mounted on the back that can launch 40mm rockets a surprising distance with something that could be called accuracy. It’s immediate use is unknown, but military scientists believe that the weapon would be good to terrorize defensive positions, much like the clusterbombs, for something known as “Shock and Awe”.
Emperor Scorpious II - Iberian Union
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Partido Iberico (Conservative Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-The Iberian Union, swearing to “Protect the livelihoods of Catholics from the brutality of Bolshevism”, declares war on Yugoslavia, joined by Italy and surprisingly, the United States. The USSR immediately joins on the behalf of the Yugoslavs.
-Small-scale operations are launched to drive back the communist PRRG insurrection in Africa, namely Mozambique. Minimal casualties take place on both sides, but multiple PRRG strongholds are seized and razed the instant the Iberian troops get a hold of them. The PRRG goes on the defensive, and those who watched the recently ended Chinese civil war know what’s coming next.
-The Iberian U-Boats are put to use in the Mediterranean and Black Seas in order to strike Yugoslav trade ships. The doctrine is largely unrestricted, and multiple Turkish and Irish trade ships are sunk before they reach Yugoslavia, while also a handful of Soviet transport vessels are sent to the deep.
-American and Italian troops are given the option to dock in Iberian ports and use them as launching posts. Most Italians choose to run headfirst into Yugoslavia, where most of them are made into hamburger meat, but the Americans take up the offer right away.
-Spanish paratroopers attempt to make landings in Yugoslavia, supported by helicopter supply ships. However, a large number of aircraft are shot down by joint Soviet/Yugoslav air assaults, and most paratroopers land on the coast of Albania, managing to dig in deep. The support of the helicopters is greatly appreciated, as they are less noticeable than huge supply planes, and they can deploy supplies in the area of operations rather than randomly with a parachute.
-Iberian troops are mobilized and prepare themselves for an assault into Yugoslavia, knowing that time is running short in the European theatre.
-Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, the Iberians continue to grow local industry by developing huge highways and freightways for the collection of Saudi oil for Iberian refineries. The Saudi government lets this happen without issue, as they regularly see a pile of Iberian cash on their doorstep in the mornings.
-A large number of Polish exiles reach Iberia in hopes of emigrating to the United States. Most of these are government officials seeking refuge far, far away from the reaches of European affairs, and most of them have decided to stay in Madrid until the Iberian or American governments scoop them up and put them in nicer places.
-Large cash grants are given to impoverished Moroccan towns, mainly to assist in the development of of housing and infrastructure. Some Iberian families, those either adventurous or just wanting out of the regular European life, move to these growing towns in Morocco.
-Moroccan officials set in place by the French are removed from their positions and given a nice cash severance pay, and are immediately replaced with Iberian-appointed leaders. Were this to happen in Europe, there would be outrage, but as it’s mostly a bunch of Maghrebis, nobody cares.
-A highway system begins to link the deserts of the West Sahara to the main portion of Morocco and up to the Atlas mountains. The work is hard and most of the laborers are Maghrebi locals who can handle the ferocious heat and blistering sun as they lay down needlessly hot asphalt.
SniperComZero - United States of America
Government Type: Constitutional Republic
Leading Party: Democratic Party (Market Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Faltering (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-The United States, furious with the constant expansionism of the Soviet Union, declares war on the USSR and its ally Yugoslavia. American warships leave ports and immediately begin escorting the huge number of trade ships that prepare to land in European ports.
-To lessen America’s dinnerplate, the Philippines are given autonomy directed by American-appointed local officials. The tensions begin to cool in the Philippines as American troops stationed there are swung into Australia to assist with ANZAC operations.
-A gigantic recruitment campaign begins in the United States as congress urges FDR to not pass an executive order calling for a draft. They don’t really need to, as thousands of able-bodied men flock to recruitment centers from all walks of life to help Europe “Stave off the new menace of the world”.
-American troops attempt to land in Yugoslavia through the Adriatic, but are repelled by large-scale Yugoslav defensive positions. Instead, they join the Iberians on the Albanian coastline and prepare for operations there.
-A huge contingent of the American Atlantic fleet sails through the mediterranean and attempts to attack Sevastopol. A gigantic battle takes place between American and Soviet forces, with the Americans attempting to make a naval landing in Sevastopol while also repelling relentless Soviet naval and aerial attacks. The landing crafts are unable to make landfall, and the Americans are ultimately repelled, hoping to minimize their casualties. The Black Sea is locked by Soviet naval forces, and the Americans immediately redirect themselves into Greece in an attempt to force the Yugoslavs to go on the defensive.
-At home, Mitsubishi-Ford engineer Steve Coogan creates the Mark 12 Torpedo. This small torpedo is to be attached to the wings of aircraft and launched up to 10-15 meters above the waterline to attack ships from the air. More effective than bombing, and multiple planes launched at once, the Mk12 is moved to the European theatre ASAP to assist in the naval war against the Soviets.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-With Warsaw and Konigsberg under Soviet control, the Soviets prepare to continue pushing westward. The Germans are unable to keep up with the constant Soviet advance, and French forces move to prepare a defensive line in central Germany, essentially leaving the Germans to fend for themselves.
-A huge fortification project begins in the far east, with mines and long stretches of fortified coasts prepare the east for the attacks of the ANZAC and Canadian soldiers in order to relieve the Altay Army from being the sole way to stop the oncoming Allied advance.
-With the Yugoslavs seizing Greece, the Soviet forces in Crete and Achaea move to fight against the American forces in Greece with devastating results.
-In Europe, the German high command is desperate for support, and waves of German militiamen are thrown into the maw of grizzled Soviet attackers and turned into paste. The Allied resolve wavers somewhat, but the French and British know too much from the Great War, and consider these losses inevitable.
-The Baltic and Black sea fleets see huge growth, though the Black sea fleet is regularly under attack from ETO forces. However, in the Baltic, the Soviets force the ETO blockade ever westward, surrounding them in the Jutland peninsula, essentially cutting off the Baltic sea and giving the Soviets free reign to attack out of areas like Danzig or into eastern Prussia.
-A huge push goes through Poland into Germany, hoping to seize strategic holdings in German silesia and make a spearpoint that can be driven towards Berlin. These troops are mainly raw recruits, which now make up a bulk of the Soviet army, but are not outmatched by their German competition, and are led by fearless commanders who will stop at nothing to see their job done.
-Soviet fighters rule the skies in eastern Europe as the Soviet high-command prepares for massive waves of fighter aircraft to begin assisting in escorting the large waves of bombers that ruthlessly grind German and British positions in Germany into the dirt. Berlin itself is struck multiple times by firebomb raids, scouring parts of the city and poking holes in the Reichstag.
-Propaganda is a must, and more and more able bodied men are motivated to fight after hearing of the Iberian and American attempts to dislodge the USSR from having a place on the world stage. The Soviet army grows and grows, as does its wartime industry. The entire country, in a sense, is mobilized.
-Huge railroad projects begin to link the country’s multiple industrial centers and prepare to make rail-lines that reach the European front, lessening the time for troop movements and the archaic marches of tanks and aircraft towards worthwhile positions.
-A diabolical weapon is devised in Soviet labs. A combination of gasoline and napathene/palmetic acids, simply dubbed “Napalm”, is developed. This sticky substance can be loaded into bombs and dropped onto positions, where it burns intensely and cannot easily be put out. Napalm bombs are first used against German encampments outside of Soviet-occupied Danzig with ruthless efficiency.
==Turn 12: July to December 1935==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48879232&viewfull=1#post48879232
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-The Soviets learn the hard way that with every action is an equal and opposite reaction. With their forces spread out across eastern Europe and flung so far westward, the combined might of British, French, Dutch and Belgian forces finally clash against the beleaguered Soviets in northern Germany. Danzig and Konigsberg are taken back in horrendous assaults that end with thousands dead on both sides and much of the city’s inner limits scoured by airstrikes or artillery.
-Memel is seized by coalition forces in late Autumn as Soviet divisions in northern Germany begin to break, their supply lines growing ever thinner as the world closes in around them economically. A huge, organized revolt breaks out in Poland, supported by ETO saboteurs, which wreaks havoc on Soviet rear command.
-In the southeast, British forces finally subdue the neutral Shah of Iran, allowing British and Raj forces to enter the Caucasus regions of Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Italian, American and Iberian troops pour in on the Yugoslav coastline as the tiny Yugo navy is cornered in the Adriatic.
-The Soviets demand access from Bulgaria. The Bulgarians refuse. Soviet troops enter Bulgaria anyways, and are immediately met with resistance. The Bulgarians open a front against the Yugoslav army, only continuing to add to the absolute cluster that is the Balkan Front.
-A Yugo-Friendly Greece is created as the Yugoslav government forms the newly independent People’s Hellenic Republic, or Hellas for short, with a capital centered in Athens. Cartographers vomit the world over.
-The revolt in India grows more severe as Pashtun and Punjabi ethnic groups organize their militias and begin infighting (Pashtun - Straight, Punjabi - Diagonal). The British decide to let them tire themselves out.
-The economy of the entire world teeters dangerously on the brink of sliding back into recession as supply and trade routes from-and-to Europe are regularly contested by Soviet raiders and ETO defenders. The ETO wants Poland back. There’s no stopping them here.
Wars:
Second Great War:
-Belligerents:
--The Comintern
---Soviet Union
---Yugoslavia
---Hellas
vs.
--European Treaty Organization (+ British Commonwealth)
---France
---United Kingdom
---Australia
---New Zealand
---Canada
---South Africa
---Germany
---Belgium
---Netherlands
---Iberia
---Italy
---United States
---Iran
---Bulgaria
Situation - Slightly in favor of Comintern
Casualties - High
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Belgium
--Netherlands
Type: Defensive Pact
European Catholic Alliance (ECA):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Ruskie - Republic of China
Government Type: Semi-Republic
Leading Party: Kuomintang (Social Conservative)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-In order to continue growing their industry, the Republic gives a series of aircraft blueprints to the Soviet Union in return for surplus industrial equipment, though the return flow begins to draw down as war continues in Europe.
-The constant programs of industrialization continue as infrastructure becomes a byword for dayjob for a huge majority of the working class of the Republic of China. Alongside expanding the road system into rural communities, proper water systems (water mains, water towers, etc.) and electrical systems (power stations, wiring, etc.) are built in tandem to create a more standardized form of infrastructure throughout the country.
-Government structures are also on the list, with city halls being renovated and put towards a government standard of offices and organization, alongside clinics and hospitals on the outskirts of large cities. Medical students that hunger for a job flock to these massive centers in order to help those in need.
-Raw material collection, such as metals, oil and timber, are set up for the next few year’s massive nationwide projects. Large swathes of untapped land in Yunnan and Manchuria are mapped out for (heavily regulated) mining and lumber production.
-The latinization projects continue, and take hold in large cities. It will take at the very least a decade for it to become commonplace amongst the higher class, but the heavily conservative groups eventually give up and buckle under to the “Age of Progress”.
-Huge, nationwide law reform takes place. Local elections take place in small cities, electing officers and representatives to the small local and provincial governments. Some wonder if it will lead to a bottom-up reformation, with China entering a proper Republican era.
-The Kuomintang’s ideology takes a shift to the left, making it much more moderate, as the hand of the government focuses on the improvement of the economy as opposed to people’s lives.
-The industrialization projects finally reach the rural communities in Xinjiang and near the Tibetan mountain ranges. These are mostly small factories or sweatshops where the poor are able to put themselves to work without having to sit there and wait for the harvest.
-Small arms and large-scale re-equipping continues as the Republican army enters the latter-half of its revamping. Uniform reforms go through, and proper winter/mountain/jungle and summer equipment are available to each unit’s quartermasters. Bureaucratically it’s a mess, but for the average soldier sitting on the Manchurian steppe, it’s a godsend.
-In Wuhan, a massive armor factory is set up to produce tanks. A large handful of M2 Tanks, nicknamed the Type 35A1 by Chinese producers, head out to a small armor testing range that mimics that of the Alaskan training facilities in the US. The 35A1 performs well, and Chinese military leaders are more than satisfied with its ability to move quickly and overcome entrenched positions.
-The Chinese military enacts a more specialized form of anti-Partisan doctrines, focusing on collecting information and striking at key leaders/positions rather than the usual “grind them into sausages” doctrine of the years before.
-The quality of life in China improves significantly as the nation’s economy grows rapidly. People have jobs, money comes in regularly, and the Republican government reaps huge benefits from taxation reform.
Griffster26 - Empire of Hungary
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Parliamentary Monarchy
Leading Party: Magyarorszagi Szociáldemokrata Párt (Social Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Improving)
Unity: Stable (Stagnating)
-Furious with the very existence of the Yugoslav government, and its “bastardized view of rulership”, the Hungarian parliament votes unanimously to no longer recognize Yugoslavia. Ties between the two nations are officially severed.
-The Hungarian government openly accepts support from Iberia, Italy and the United States in the possibility of needing to “combat Bolshevism”. Armor patterns and patents arrive in Budapest from the US for the M2 tank. It appears that the M2 really is a sign of America’s “capitalist imperialism”, quoting a Hungarian communist who is never heard from again.
-The nation goes into lockdown in a sense, as huge weapon and food stockpiles are set up in city halls. Rationing begins amongst the populace, and gas stations are seized by the government for military/federal use. People are scared, but the government reassures them that nothing is going wrong.
-Civilians are given a hand-me-down rifle, usually Great War surplus, 30 rounds of ammo and a small handbook on how to operate/clean the weapon. The weapons are to be kept in safe spaces, but also available for family members in the case of “armed insurrection” or “invasion from anti-Hungarian forces”.
-Hungary undergoes the process of creating “Fortress Carpathia”, or a massive series of defensive positions in the Carpathian mountains. Anti-aircraft guns, artillery emplacements, bunkers and miles-upon-miles of barbed wire criss-cross the mountain passageways, making the causeways impenetrable unless invaders were to send everything they had into a specific area. Even then, Hungarian military advisors know it would turn into a slaughterhouse in no time flat.
-Conscription begins as the Hungarian military appears to be mobilizing. Able-bodied men of all nationalities are tossed into training camps, though the Romanians are given their own facilities as before.
Emperor Scorpious II - Iberian Union
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Partido Iberico (Conservative Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-The gloves come off as the Iberians prepare themselves for another major push. Large numbers of Iberian regulars take trains through France and out to the eastern front in Germany, assisting in the massive counterattack. Meanwhile, in the Yugo front, things get a lot messier.
-The Iberians announce full-scale unrestricted submarine warfare in the Adriatic, essentially alerting all shipping vessels to steer clear of the Adriatic or face annihilation. Most listen, some don’t, and are turned inside out by the hordes of Iberian submarines that lurk beneath the surface of the water. Some of these submarines are spotted by Yugoslav aircraft and are heavily damaged, a couple sunk, by responding air-raids.
-Iberian officers enter Italian divisions to “assist” them. Most of this assistance comes in the form of not telling troops to bayonet rush entrenched machine gun positions, which has some serious effect as the Italians are able to pull their pants up and advance south into Yugoslavia, with assistance from the Iberian air force.
-The Iberian air-force goes full-out burn-the-earth. Bombers, both strategic and dive, careen over the Alps and Adriatic, launched from airbase or carrier, and scour city after city with repetitive air raids. These bombings are indiscriminate, causing terror and significant economic damage to some communities.
-Belgrade itself is struck multiple times by carpet bombing raids, though a handful of Iberian planes are knocked out of the sky. Belgrade could breathe a sigh of relief, if it weren’t for the Iberian rockets that wildly fell from the sky, launched from Albania. The city’s outskirts are pockmarked with bombs, but the will of the people is not broken.
-Iberian, American and Italian forces work in tandem to push Yugoslav and Soviet forces out of the Mediterranean, seizing islands such as Rhodes and Crete. The small Soviet forces are repelled, and move back to the Black Sea in preparation for another possible ETO attack.
-In Albania, the Iberians face fierce resistance from Albanian-nationals under control of Yugo commanders. Though the Iberians push forward, the repetitive guerilla attacks and napalm strikes on their advances make it ever more difficult, and Iberian commanders beg for mobile anti-aircraft capabilities.
-At home, the Iberian military unveils “Deus Vult!” (God Wills It!) as a salute, with a flat palm put against one’s chest and then arm extended straight forward in the direction of a commanding officer. The salute is soon adopted by the public, and government officials are regularly greeted with a hearty “Deus Vult!” from crowds of people.
-Polish expatriates, now arriving in Iberia by the hundreds, are given the opportunity to reorganize. Able bodied men not of original government position are set up in “Division Blue”, made up of Lithuanian, Estonian, Latvian and Polish nationals who have escaped the Soviets in the east. Division Blue joins the huge counterattack and sees combat in Memel with considerable losses (though, after the fighting is done, who hasn’t?).
-Polish ex-government officials are organized into a small cabinet within the Iberian parliament, dubbed the “Exiled Parliament” by newspaper writers. Most of what goes on here is deals with the Iberian government in the hopes of the recreation of an independent Poland.
-A propaganda campaign goes out from Iberia and reaches France and Italy. It displays a gnarled, skeleton-like Kalinin tearing apart churches or holding a knife to the throat of The Virgin Mary. This ignites rage amongst the catholic populace of these countries, and anti-Communist riots break out.
-Iberia begins to aid Germany in material needs, sending munitions, food and metal to support the ailing German industry. The help is appreciated, and Germany is able to float on a large supply of French, British and Iberian economic support.
-With help of the Italians, a small pseudo-government is formed in Madrid, containing Danilo Aleksandar Petrović-Njegoš of Montenegro, who had been living abroad before being forcefully brought to Iberia. The Kingdom of Montenegro is declared, though its capital lies just out of reach. Nonetheless, it appears that Iberia is preparing to set up a series of friendly governments throughout Europe.
-Iberian researchers from various universities are given huge government grants to begin researching nuclear theory and the possibility of harnessing the Atom. Though much of it is just theories, experts wonder if there will be practical application to this in the future.
iAmaNewb - Empire of Japan
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Taisei Yokusankai (Fascist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Strong (Improving)
Unity: High (Improving)
-The Japanese Merchant-Marine, composed of trade vessels flanked by heavy warships, moves out of their home ports and into those of Britain, France and the Netherlands. Trade to/from Japan is crucial to keep the Japanese economy alive and thriving, and the Japanese cannot risk losing valuable assets in Europe, and take it upon themselves to bring goods from and back to the mainland.
-A naval exercise is conducted in the Sea of Japan and off the coast of Chosen. Most of this is fast maneuvering, paired with Carrier Air Group tactics with aircraft to ensure Japanese projection of naval power in short bursts, rather than the huge grand battle plans of their European competitors.
-Naval vessels in Japan slowly return to being upgunned and upgraded. Most consider this as a response to growing issues in Europe, and Japan’s neutral stance soothes possible fears of Japanese expansionism.
-An early rocket engine prototype is created, mimicking that of the Iberian and Yugoslav anti-tank/long distance rockets. With a large air intake and an “internal propellor”, this hulking engine can produce huge amounts of lift and energy. However, it is extremely expensive, heavy and delicate, and researchers do not believe it has immediate applications just yet.
SniperComZero - United States of America
Government Type: Constitutional Republic
Leading Party: Democratic Party (Market Conservative)
Military: Substantial | Experienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Faltering (Stagnating)
Unity: Medium (Improving)
-Picking themselves back up from their last defeat, the Americans join the horde of the ETO in Eastern Europe to continue the gigantic push against the Soviets. American tanks go toe-to-toe with Soviet designs, with the Soviets gaining the upper hand with sloped armor, only to take an anti-tank gun to the face.
-Iberian, American and Italian forces work in tandem to push Yugoslav and Soviet forces out of the Mediterranean, seizing islands such as Rhodes and Crete. The small Soviet forces are repelled, and move back to the Black Sea in preparation for another possible ETO attack.
-American troops begin to push into Greece with due force, slamming up against Yugoslav defenders and making mincemeat of militia divisions sent against them. Their only major obstacle is the fact that a large portion of their forces have been peeled off into Europe, though with the Mediterranean largely secured, its no sweat off their back.
-American troops enter a bizarre form of asymmetrical warfare against the Yugoslav defenders in eastern Greece. Convoy and supply route raids are common, usually resulting in extremely frustrated commanders and hungry troopers.
-Napalm strikes regularly do damage to American positions, but as the Americans slowly begin a strange counter-counter insurgency in Hellas/Yugoslavia, the napalm proves to be more effective as a terror weapon rather than an outright bombing tool. Nonetheless, as American soldiers go up against the Yugoslav mechanized divisions, the napalm is not something to be ignored.
-A recruitment campaign continues in the US as congress urges the President not to sign conscription in through via executive order. Plays, movies and radio broadcasts describing Communist atrocities are seen/heard just about everywhere, and the US military sees no shortage of men trying to get into the fight.
-Patents of the M2 Tank, various weapons and aircraft are sent to the UK, France and Germany in order to create a more “unified” front in the east. Though the French and British are more than satisfied with their own toys, the Germans happily take up the offer and put forward the first German-built M2, with a little Iron Cross on it for good measure. Armor patterns and patents arrive in Budapest from the US for the M2 tank as the Hungarians take on the M2 for their military.
-The American Army Air Force begins tests for an “Escort” fighter. This maneuverable aircraft is built for long distance operations and carries only a few guns on it as opposed to most interceptors, but is instead built for helping bombers reach their targets unmolested. It is tested with great effect, and the P-35 Bulldog is immediately put into production. In comparison to other fighters, it is a tad sluggish and under armed, but serves its purpose, and will be crucial in air raids to come.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Degrading)
Unity: Medium (Stagnating)
-The Soviets see their troops in Northern Germany nearly totally overrun by a gigantic ETO counterattack that was in the making some years ago. The Soviets fall back, regularly destroying bridges and burning cities on their escape to create a devastated landscape in hopes of breaking morale. Some Soviet troops still remain in “liberated” Danzig and Konigsberg, regularly conducting raids and attacks on garrisoned ETO soldiers, but are not a big enough presence to make a major difference.
-A revolt breaks out in Poland, raising all hell behind Soviet lines. New recruits headed to the front are thrown face-first into a brutal Anti-Guerilla campaign against the Polish partisans, which usually ends in villages being razed to the ground and thousands of soldiers and civilians alike killed in the fighting. The Soviet command instead just diverts troop movements around it.
-In the relatively undefended far southeast, British and Iranian troops enter the Azeri SSR, seizing crucial oil fields and opening yet another front for the Soviets to try and stamp out. Soviet forces stationed here enter sporadic gunfights in the mountains, which only leads to both sides digging in deeper and deeper.
-Supplies for the Soviets begin to dip below the carrying capacity as Soviet industry struggles to keep up with replacing the losses in the west. Food is also becoming an issue as many of the farmhands are now fighting, and the USSR is slowly becoming more and more dependent on Chinese food imports.
-All is not lost for the Soviets however, as the southern front in German-occupied Poland continues as planned, with the Soviets preparing large defenses, keeping their hold on Krakow and other major southern cities intact. The western push is essentially stalled, and many troops are instead held up at the Kalinin Line in preparation for a much more drawn out war.
-Ship production in the Baltic and Black seas continue, though most of the Soviet naval focus begins on creating a “Far-East Fleet” that can dislodge the prowling ANZAC and Canadian navies in the Pacific ocean.
-The Soviet Union demands that the Bulgarians allow them through. Though they were wartime allies for a short time against Romania, the Bulgarians refuse them access. The Soviets respond by sending a huge number of troops southward. The Bulgarians put up a spectacular defense, but are slowly being pushed back, though they leave fields of Soviet dead in their wake. The Soviets begin to learn the dangers of overextension and massed conscript armies.
-The Baltic sea war continues, as coastal raids begin to shower Danzig and Konigsberg with naval artillery. The Soviet Baltic Fleet regularly sees responses by ETO aircraft, with a handful of destroyers being heavily damaged by anti-naval actions from the ETO.
-The Soviet Marine Corp. is formed, and is immediately put to training in small simulated naval facilities in the Caspian. The Marines are built for short term operations along enemy coastlines, which raises the eyebrows of many of the ETO nations, though island countries such as Britain understand the design.
-Propaganda campaigns continue. All radio stations are seized by the Soviet government, as are any television broadcasts, and all children are required to “report” on their parents “political allegiance” to the Soviet government.
-The Soviets declare a non-aggressive stance towards Japan, ensuring that their naval buildup in the east is to protect their own assets as opposed to begin a naval war with the Japanese. Survivors of the Russo-Japanese war breathe a sigh of relief.
-The University of Moscow begins a large-scale program to research the possibility of “harnessing” the Atom and what it could be used for. Its application is somewhat unknown, but that is what research is about.
-In military terms, the Soviets are strong and able to hold out for some time, but the morale of their soldiers wavers as the tables turn in northern Germany.
Waterrmelonn - United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia
Government Type: Federal Monarchy
Leading Party: Socijalistička partija Jugoslavije (Leftwing Radical)
Military: Substantial | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: High (Stagnating)
-With Alexander I killed, and Peter II far too young to ascend to the throne, the Yugoslav commander Mihajlo Apostolski takes power as “Regent in Command” of Yugoslavia. Prince Paul, though a staunch anti-communist, begrudgingly heads to the frontlines to help boost the morale of the troops as the royal family and Yugoslavia itself is in disarray. A massive funeral procession is held in Belgrade, with advisors from the Soviet Union and the Kingdom of Sweden in attendance. As if a cruel joke, immediately after Alexander’s body is entombed in a beautiful marble mausoleum, Iberian bombers begin to strike Belgrade with no remorse.
-Local Self Defense Forces (LSDFs) are officially mobilized and begin integration into the Yugoslav regular divisions. They see combat in northern Yugoslavia mainly, against the Italians and Iberians that enter Slovenia. They are heavily damaged in the fighting, but their sheer ferocity is what keeps the north of Yugoslavia from being totally overrun, and they are brutally effective at engaging in asymmetrical activities.
-The Albanian legions are put into full force against the Iberians and pitched battles are fought. Though the Iberians press forward, they are regularly slowed down by Albanian fighters and insurgents that refuse to give an inch of land to the Iberians.
-Conscription is put out in full effect, and all men of servable age are drawn up into regiments to fight in the Balkan front. This causes serious upset in the Yugoslav industry as young children and women are the only ones able to pick up the slack.
-Yugoslav aircraft armed with the Soviet napalm begin to strike against Iberian and American positions, doing serious damage to defensive areas, and making the war a general living hell, though it doesn’t outright stop them.
-The Yugoslav mechanized brigades head south in order to combat the Iberians and Americans in Albania/Greece. Pitched battles are fought, and the gap between Albania and Greece is held by Yugoslav mechanized brigades, and force the oncoming attackers to be funneled through the rocky terrain of the Balkans.
-The Yugoslav navy goes all-out in the Adriatic in an attempt to combat the Iberian and Italian navies. The Italian navy goes toe-to-toe with the Yugoslavs, and are regularly smacked upside the head by the patriotic vigor of the Yugoslav navy. Much to their dismay, however, Iberian U-Boats are a constant threat, and small scale naval operations replace large scale surface warfare.
-Yugoslav interceptors regularly engage Iberian helicopters that stray too far north. As much as the Iberians love their new aircraft, they have no defense against Yugoslav counterattacks, and are forced to operate at night or under the cover of Iberian/Italian interceptors.
-Propaganda leaflets are dropped into Italian cities at night, leaving little gifts for civilians in the early morning. Most of these papers describe how the Italian cause is moot, and that the civilian population should instead rise up to combat the “brutality of your fascist dictators”. Mussolini responds by using a leaflet to wipe his mouth at a state dinner, a photo which is repeated time and time again in Italian newspapers.
-Naval vessels are the top priority of the Yugoslav military manufacturers, though coastal cities are threatened by consistent Iberian bombardment. Nonetheless, Yugoslav ingenuity wins the day, and a handful of frigates enter the Adriatic to support their comrades in arms.
-The Royal Guard, humiliated by the death of Alexander I, are ordered to partake in suicidal raids on Iberian and American positions. Much to the shock of Iberian and American defenders, they take these orders to heart, and there are reports of “suicide bombers” charging munitions dumps or tanks, exploding and causing serious damage.
-A propaganda campaign continues, showing the horrific possibility of a Yugoslavian division, with images of knives being dug straight into the heart of the country. Meanwhile, Apostolski acts as the regent, and assists in the continued education of young Peter II, who is set to ascend to the throne upon his 16th birthday.
-The construction of power plants goes into overdrive, though some of them are struck by the indiscriminate bombings. Those that aren’t however, achieve construction in record timing. They are flimsy to some extent, and could easily be broken by simple saboteurs, but are nonetheless effective in their job of producing energy for Yugoslav factories.
-A pseudo-state, dubbed the People’s Hellenic Republic, is created in Yugoslav-occupied Greece. With Giorgios in Hungary as an exiled monarch, the Yugoslavs go ahead in the creation of their own socialist puppet, while keeping Greek Macedonia for themselves. The Greeks, under the control of a cadre of socialists, begin their own conscription program, and help in the fight against the Americans and Iberians.
-“Pocket Destroyers”, or small scale torpedo-and-gun-armed ships, are brought to the drawing board in Yugoslav military academies. These small ships could easily be put to use in the Adriatic, and the first 3 ships of the ‘Paul’ class immediately begin construction in hidden naval factories, expected to be put out by the summer of the next year.
==Turn 13: January to June 1936==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=48974206&viewfull=1#post48974206
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-Yugoslav support for Hellas grinds to a halt as Bulgarian and Iberian troops cross through Macedonia and hold the territory. Meanwhile, American troops make a foothold in Athens, and the Greek government risks yet another collapse.
-Soviet and ETO forces continue to battle in Poland. To the southwest, the “Southern Corridor” remains in Soviet hands, who continue to push westward. In Bulgaria, the Soviets halt their advance to focus on crucial fronts in western Europe and Central Asia.
-The world economy continues to become rocky, affecting trade everywhere. The United States, just on the up-and-out of the depression, begins to slip back once again.
-“War Exhaustion” is rampant amongst the populace in all countries involved in the Second Great War, and peace demonstrations take place in Moscow and London. Dissenters are arrested in both countries.
-As a result of the war, the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin had to be cancelled.
-The ”Belgrade Massacre” takes place as thousands are killed in indiscriminate bombings by the Iberians.
-Large numbers of Maghrebis arrive in the Bedouin-majority area of Italian Libya, upsetting the local populace as many of these people are homeless, their migration mysterious.
-A Japanese merchant marine accidentally strikes what is believed to be a British mine, detonating the ship’s cargo and killing hundreds on board. The Japanese government is furious, and demands full compensation in the form of seizure of British assets in China. Not willing to open up yet another front, and fearing the total collapse of industry in Asia, the British begrudgingly accept their offer. The international centers of Shanghai and Hong Kong are now under the authority of the Japanese, where life continues as usual, but under a Red Sun rather than a Union Jack.
Wars:
Second Great War:
-Belligerents:
--The Comintern
---Soviet Union
---Yugoslavia
---Hellas
vs.
--European Treaty Organization (+ British Commonwealth)
---France
---United Kingdom
---Australia
---New Zealand
---Canada
---South Africa
---Germany
---Belgium
---Netherlands
---Iberia
---Italy
---United States
---Iran
---Bulgaria
Situation - Slightly in favor of Comintern
Casualties - High
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
Type: Defensive Pact
European Catholic Alliance (ECA):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
Ruskie - Republic of China
Government Type: Semi-Republic
Leading Party: Kuomintang (Social Conservative)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-China continues its industrial expansion by finishing up the roads started years ago. Factories and industrial centers in cities are regularly humming with life, and the average Chinese citizen is hard pressed to not find a job somewhere in the urban centers of the nation.
-Government buildings are a common sight in large cities as well. Hospitals, clinics, banks and courts regularly fly Kuomintang banners and have images of happy, patriotic workers shaking hands with Uncle Sam or handing bushels of wheat to a smiling, headscarf-wearing Russian woman.
-The latinization project continues, and over a hundred Chinese universities now have Latin-Chinese classes available for students, with military academies having it as a required course for officers.
-Chonqing begins to convert itself over to home industry rather than the production of industrial equipment. This industry transfer will help aid in the creation of domestic businesses and allow the construction of Chinese owned-and-run companies, as the state begins to sell soviet-mimicked equipment to the average joe in China.
-The Central Government undergoes further reformation. Huge numbers of redundant office are cleared out in a “Bloodless Purge”, and more local elections take place. The provincial governments are given the opportunity to elect officials, though the communist parties are regularly denied opportunity to run.
-Economic regulation is a must, and the Chinese government looks to the choices (and mistakes) made by American and British industrial regulation boards. The Chinese government keeps a large public sector for raw materials and non-processed goods, but keeps a keen eye on the growth of a strong Chinese private sector.
-The Chinese unveil their first interceptor, based on Soviet and American designs. The “Year 17 Fighter”, (dubbed for the 17th year of the organized Kuomintang party), begins production in order to bolster the Chinese air force.
Emperor Scorpious II - Iberian Union
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Partido Iberico (Conservative Monarchist)
Military: Large | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Stable (Stagnating)
Unity: Stable (Improving)
-The Iberian atlantic fleet heads westward, scooting through the Panama canal into the Pacific. Commerce raiding is the name of the game, as Iberian ships regularly lay waste to Soviet merchant marine craft, but usually run away at the sight of Soviet naval vessels, though there is sporadic fighting between Soviet fast attack cruisers and Iberian U-Boats.
-The Yugoslav front continues, with Iberian troops meeting up with Bulgarians in Macedonia. Though the fighting is slowed down as Iberia still has troops fighting in Poland, Iberian military advisors feel more than satisfied with the combined forces’ results on Yugoslav military personnel.
-A horrific incident takes place late one night in Belgrade. Iberian bombers, linking up with Italians and aided by Iberian rockets, wreak havoc on Belgrade. Instead of focusing on industrial centers, the Iberians and Italians randomly hit parts of the city with devastating effect. Thousands are killed in the raid, and hundreds of buildings are outright destroyed. Fires burn through into the morning, where sunrise is met with torrential rain of Iberian rockets and dive bombers. The last fires are put out by evening the day after, and the casualty count hovers at 8,000+ civilians. It is dubbed the “Belgrade Massacre” by communist propagandists, and even members of the ETO look on in horror. The Iberians, meanwhile, are satisfied with the results.
-The Iberian homefront undergoes total wartime preparation. Blackout drills are common, and it is not rare for airline pilots to feel that they are accidentally over the atlantic when half of the countryside is totally dark.
-Wartime industry goes into maximum production mode, with the government subsidizing arms manufacturers heavily. Farms are encouraged to go into overdrive, and a large percentage of Iberian food goes straight to the army.
-Iberians continue to settle in Morocco as the land regularly goes up for cheap. The locals allow the Iberians in, and the city of Fes slowly becomes “overtaken” with Iberians.
-Raw materials, most importantly rubber and metals, goes under “Total Economic Exploitation” policies. The Iberian government seizes huge swathes of land in their African colonies, and government-run businesses flood into the area to begin tearing up jungles for resources to continue production of wartime materials.
-Blueprints for a “Nuclear Reactor” are thought up at the university in Madrid. A “Nuclear Reactor”, or center for the processing of raw nuclear materials, is a must have for the application of uranium or other radioactive substances in power production.
-Iberia takes the world stage as the militarist might, overshadowing Japan and the Soviets in terms of tenacity, mobility and most especially, brutality.
iAmaNewb - Empire of Japan
Government Type: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
Leading Party: Taisei Yokusankai (Fascist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Strong (Stagnating)
Unity: High (Improving)
-A Japanese merchant marine accidentally strikes what is believed to be a British mine, detonating the ship’s cargo and killing hundreds on board. The Japanese government is furious, and demands full compensation in the form of seizure of British assets in China. Not willing to open up yet another front, and fearing the total collapse of industry in Asia, the British begrudgingly accept their offer.
-Japanese administration of the former British port cities is fairly similar, though businesses are regularly searched unannounced in order to ensure “safety from economic espionage and sabotage”.
-Like their neighbors, the Japanese research and begin producing their own interceptors. Dubbed the X6M “Year 1” interceptor, the “One” (called by the media) is immediately put to the test in terms of mass production. The One can sit atop the Japanese carriers with relative ease, and is the first in what may become a long line of Carrier-Air Group dedicated aircraft made especially for airway interdiction and fights at sea.
Native Hunter - United Soviet Socialist Republics
Government Type: Proletarian Dictatorship
Leading Party: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossii (Stalinist)
Military: Massive | Inexperienced | Interwar Equipment
Economy: Unstable (Degrading)
Unity: Medium (Degrading)
-The Soviets continue their construction of fleets, focusing mainly on the creation of smaller, more agile destroyers that are able to harass the larger, more powerful battleships of the British and French navies. With this, a large contingent of the Soviet People’s Marine is deployed in rapid attack forces in the Baltic, striking cities such as Konigsberg and Gdansk. The fighting in Konigsberg is brutal and bloody, as the skeleton of a city is attacked yet again with naval artillery and airstrikes as Marines flood into the city streets.
-The Great People’s Army of the Soviet People is formed. Taking boys aged 14 and up and women 17 and up, the GPA is made up of a huge number of conscripts and reserves. Factory workers, farmers, teachers, janitors and the homeless are given rifles, basic training courses that roughly a week, and are sent westward to join the rest of the Soviet army. Their fighting is brutal, their tactics crude and ill-thought out, but the results are good enough for the commissars. The GPA continues to push through southern Poland, and frees Memel from the hands of the ETO.
-The momentum of the northern counterattack is halted at the ETO’s gigantic defensive lines, and the French/British/German defenders refuse to give an inch of land. In a single day, well over a thousand Soviet conscripts die on what is known as the “Muddied Front” as the spring rains turn the plains of the Polish countryside into a muddy morass. Reporters from all sides hear the echoes of Passchendaele in their minds.
-Paratroopers are used to support the GPA in their attack, but little can be done for the paratroopers once they reach into enemy lines. Instead, these paratroopers are focused on mounting defenses in Gdansk and Konigsberg, the fighting usually reduced to asymmetrical and brutal urban combat.
-In the Caucasus, a division of the GPA is sent to force the British back down into Iran. They see some major successes, with the British only able to hold on to a small portion of the mountainous region. Westward, the Altay Army moves into Khorasan, blasting through the few defensive Iranian positions, but soon find themselves without a proper plan of action, and their supplies begin to run low.
-Bombing is an everyday thing for the Soviets, but unlike the Iberians, the Soviets focus mainly on attacking supply lines and defensive positions. Urban centers are on the low list for Soviet bombing attacks, as they fear it could be used as propaganda against them, and paint the soviets as some sort of violent aggressor.
-The Polish rebellion is stopped with the arrival of the GPA. However, the GPA is given the authority to “express the People’s intentions” with the Poles. Many of these soldiers, infuriated with the Polish stance in previous years, execute thousands of prisoners. Villages are burned to the ground, and inhabitants are massacred in multiple attacks from enraged Soviet soldiers. Some of these soldiers are punished and executed themselves, while other disgruntled officers outright encourage the violence.
-The “Kalinin Line” is expanded. This large series of forts and defensive positions, like a Maginot Line on steroids, is planned to stretch from Riga to Sevastopol, and have a wide array of fortifications, anti-air guns, artillery emplacements and even airfields. Though construction is slowed due to the lack of supplies and the government’s focus on warfare, it is expected to be a brutal reminder to anyone who manages to get that far that the Soviets are here to stay.
-Blueprints for a “Nuclear Reactor” are thought up at the university in Moscow. A “Nuclear Reactor”, or center for the processing of raw nuclear materials, is a must have for the application of uranium or other radioactive substances in power production.
-The Soviets are slowly approaching a dangerous point in their ability to make war. The people are looking more and more to peace, and the chokehold of blockades slowly begins to take its toll on the populace. Food shortages break out in Central Asian villages and parts of Ukraine, and the factories are running into 1:1 production/requirement ratios.
==Turn 14: July to December 1936==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49046863&viewfull=1#post49046863
-World Tensions are very high.
-The war has finally come to a close, following the signage of the Treaty of Cetinje and Treaty of Warsaw.
-The Treaty of Cetinje officially ended the existence of the Federal Kingdoms of Yugoslavia. Some of its territories are divided amongst ETO/ECA belligerents, as 4 new states are formed from its remnants through ethnic division; the Kingdoms of Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro, as well as the Slovene Republic. The royal family of Yugoslavia, the Karađorđević dynasty, is dispersed or, in the case of Serbia following the ascension of King Milan II Jakovljević de Obrenović, exiled.
-The Treaty of Warsaw has the Polish Republic be restored, its eastern borders annexed by the Soviet Union, while the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are officially recognized as part of the USSR. The Free Republic of Danzig, a state run by both the Polish and German governments, is also established, amongst various other terms.
-In Poland, federal elections sanctioned by both the ETO and the Soviet Union take place. The Polish National Democracy party takes hold with a 56% majority. What the ETO and Soviet Union did not expect nor plan ahead, was an absolute seizure of power. The Polish fascists take over parliament and boot all democratic/socialist elements from their positions.
-With a nationalist Poland on the rise and a Soviet Union more or less on their border, Czechoslovakia takes the steps required to enter the fold of the European Treaty Organization. With pressure from Brussels and France, the tiny Luxembourg too joins the ETO, though all of a handful of people are excited to see the division-or-more sized Luxembourger army join the ranks of the ETO’s other members.
-The Irish Iron Party seizes power in the Irish parliament, and forces out other parties. The flag is rebranded, and the nation is retitled the United Irish Republic. In the Irish parliament, rants and raves over the return of Belfast are a daily occurance.
-The world economy is given a chance to finally breathe, though nations will struggle to rebuild over the next few years.
-Tensions grow between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan as Chinese troops are refused entrance into Japanese occupied Shanghai, Hong Kong and Weihaiwei. Observers fear that a conflict may break out between these Asian giants.
-A revolt breaks out in southern Africa, as locals attempt to overthrow their British overlords. British and South African troops attempt to suppress the rebellion, but are unable to find a leader or organizer, and believe that it is a flat out ethnic uprising.
-The People’s Pashtun Army (PPA) [represented with verticle lines on the map] is formed. This secular, socialist, Pashtun nationalist militant group rises up against their British oppressors, doing regular combat with the Hindu nationalists. The British are caught completely unaware, and a brutal guerilla campaign begins in northern India.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
European Catholic Alliance (ECA):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
-Speaking to the European Treaty Organization, the Republic of China purchases blueprints to various wartime equipment from the Republic of France and the Republic of Germany. These purchases include designs of German mortars and machine guns and French vehicles and rifles.
-Outside of the ETO, the Republic looks to purchasing the SM. 79 medium bomber from Italy, as the Republic’s military officials are disappointed with China’s lack of heavy air power. The Czechoslovaks sell anti-tank weapon designs to the Chinese as well, and the Chinese quickly add them to the production list.
-Chengdu and Chonqing armament factories begin creating large numbers of the Year 17 and SM. 79 aircraft respectively. This comes as the Chinese begin preparing for a more fluid military style, and more adept “combined arms” focus like that of their European counterparts.
-Domestically, China continues to grow with its massive infrastructure programs. Now, however, these programs move into the rural countryside. Small farming/fishing villages are slowly being linked to major cities as large highways and railroads begin to slither through the centers of town.
-Republican government buildings pop up in these small villages, though most of them tend to be squatter “regional administration” centers, and not the massive, imposing city halls of large cities like Harbin or Beijing.
-Chinese divisions on the Sino-Soviet border are demobilized for the most part. Troops return home, and others are refitted to be moved elsewhere. However, the armor and artillery divisions on the Soviet-Manchu border are moved south, and now the Korean border bristles with Chinese and Japanese guns warily staring at one another.
-Chinese troops move towards the outskirts of Hong Kong, Weihaiwei and Shanghai, and demand entrance to the cities under the banner of “relieving” the local administration. The Japanese refuse, and the Chinese then set up camps on the borders of these cities. Regularly, Japanese and Chinese officers meet early in the morning to discuss possible exchanges of territory, and usually both parties return to their respective encampments infuriated.
-The Chinese take up the European way of going about their reasearch, and begin what is known as the “Xia Plan”. Those that read between the lines know what the Chinese are up to.
-The relations between the Empire of Japan and the Republic of China are soured severely, and many foreigners in the Japanese-administered cities believe that this may lead to war, while others hope the non-aggression pact stays in place.
-Hoping to grow relations between the two countries, the Republic of France and Republic of China sign a deal. The French will export blueprints of their armored tanks/transport vehicles and the outdated R-31 Rifle in return for large monetary benefits. This money is immediately put into the rebuilding programs throughout Europe.
-A mutual aid pact is signed with Germany, Poland and the Free Republic of Danzig. French troops are demobilized for the most part, but those that volunteer are able to assist in the rebuilding of the aforementioned nations. The process is slow, and will take years to make things better again, but is appreciated by everyone.
-Most of France’s troops are withdrawn from the east, with a small handful of troops staying in Warsaw to keep the peace. Some Soviet troops are also left behind, though the latter are expelled by the Fascist government. The French are requested to keep their troops in Warsaw however.
-Gaston Doumergue, the “Iron Giant of France” is reelected as the Prime Minister. Though very advanced in his age, and unable to move as quick as his colleagues, Doumergue has seen France through another war, and the French public sees him as the best possible leader in such trying times.
-The French continue their major economic reforms, such as infrastructure projects in Aquitaine and along the border with Belgium and Luxembourg, in hopes of making economic transfer easier and faster. Public works programs and farm subsidies are a commonplace thing throughout France, and much of the government’s money is spent on repairing Germany and Poland, much to the chagrin of French nationalists.
-The French work hard to dismantle colonial monopolies and mercantilism, instead pushing for a stronger series of independent colonies that do not rely on the support of French capitalists. In Guangzhouwan, the French continue to support their far Asian colony, hoping to make it more powerful than the now Japanese occupied Hong Kong.
-The French, learning from the mistakes made in the last war, begin producing the R-36 semi-automatic carbine. Chambered in the same round as the R-31, the R-36 is instead magazine fed as opposed to stripper-clip dependent. This makes it easier for troops to cycle out when they are empty, and allows them to leave more lead downrange.
-The French purchase blueprints of the German MG-34, and begin producing their own knockoffs known as the MG-36. These are chambered in the 8x51mm Lebel rifle cartridge, making these MGs significantly more destructive downrange, while also forcing producers to lower the RPM to 750 from 950. Nonetheless, the ETO begins seeing a standardized set of weapons amongst its members.
-Following in the footsteps of Europe’s various powers, the French begin their own small-scale, secretive program, known as the “Montpelier Project”. Again, only a few smart people know its intentions.
-With the German war machine more or less allowed to be turned on, the Germans quickly jump at the opportunity to make quick cash. Thousands of mortars and machine guns are sent to the Republic of China in return for large lump sums of money. Most of this money is used to repair damaged German towns, especially Konigsberg.
-The French also receive a large number of MGs, the newest design as well. In return for this, the Germans work with the French on the Mutual Aid Pact, where the French will dedicate some of their yearly budget to assisting in the repairing of Germany and Poland.
-Though relations are still somewhat tense, the Germans and Poles come to agreement and begin moving demobilized, unarmed troops into the Free Republic of Danzig in order to rebuild the fractured city.
-The Germans request that the US send some aid as well, though very little arrives. Most of it comes in the form of free food and the occasional volunteer regiment coming to help fix things up here and there, but the Germans are largely disappointed with the lack of assistance.
-Finally let off the leash of the punitive Treaty of Versailles, the German government begins funding weapons manufacturers such as Krupp, Mauser and Messerschmitt to begin producing large quantities of weapons/vehicles for military or export purposes.
-A propaganda campaign is launched to ensure German unity and keep the possibility of “internal fracturing” at a minimum. Much of this propaganda focuses on building strong families and having a powerful community as opposed to a nationalist/political stance.
-The German economy is slapped upside the head once more as the German government introduces the Deutschemark to replace the Reichsmark. This bill has more value than the Reichsmark, but the German government is careful to begin printing it, hoping to wait out Reichsmark deflation before introducing it in full.
-The German army is demobilized, but troops are immediately sent to the various damaged regions to begin rebuilding. Most of these troops stay on German soil, though a few are sent to western Poland to assist here and there.
-Manufacturers at Mauser unveil the “Carbine” version of a great war weapon. The K98k is a shorter barreled version of the Gewehr 98, a firearm used by the German Empire during the 1st Great War. The K98k is smaller, and is thus easier to transport and is less heavy. Another breakthrough is the MG-34. This machine gun can spit upwards of 950 rounds per minute, and uses a full-length rifle cartridge. Terrifying as it is deadly, the MG-34 is made in gigantic quantities, for both export and military usage.
-Germany, though rocked time and time again through the past half-century, is finally standing on its own two feet.
-Having forced through the Treaty of Cetinje, the divisive peace deal that shatters the former UKY, the former Yugoslav territories of Vojvodian Bačka and Slovenian Prekmurje are seceded to the Empire, officially given makeovers as proper Hungarian territories under the names of Bácska and Muravidék. Many nationalists smile as they see the treaty as revenge for the Treaty of Trianon, signed just 16 years earlier. Some also enjoy the ascension of King Juraj I Feštetić in Croatia, as they consider the dynasty more Hungarian than Croatian.
-After reclaiming their territories in the Balkans, the Hungarians then request that the southern Slovak provinces be returned to their “rightful home”. Appealing to the League of Nations, the Czechoslovaks immediately pull their presence in the ETO, and more or less force the Hungarians to back down.
-Much of the Arpad Line is dismantled, mainly due to the lack of immediate threat. However, emplacements facing the Soviets and Czechoslovaks stay more or less in place, ensuring that nothing devious tries to make its way through the mountains.
-In an attempt to appease various powers, the Hungarians purchase machineguns from the Czechoslovaks as well as compact submachine guns from the Finns. These two firearms are rebranded with Hungarian titles and are set to replace the current Hungarian stock by the end of the coming year.
-With the war finally over, the Iberians are present at the peace talks with the USSR and Yugoslavia. The Iberians happily go forward with the peace deals, and remove their troops from Central Europe with haste. However, a large number of divisions move slowly through the newly independent Croatia and Slovenia, giving children candy and helping repair the occasional crushed home.
-These actions come as Iberia moves towards creating a far more friendly Balkans, and hopes to ensure strong relations between the ECA and the small Balkan states.
-Meanwhile, the Iberian and Polish governments sign the Arms Treaty of Krakow/Toledo. Iberian arms manufactures are to be the main suppliers to the newly minted Polish republic. Many are unsurprised at the deal, as the two staunchly Catholic nations had been growing close since the seizure of power by Alfonso years before.
-The Iberians once again return to Saudi Arabia. This time, the Iberians demand the exclusivity of their red-sea ports to Iberian merchant marine. Also, the Saudis are to capitulate and allow the construction of Iberian military bases in and around said ports. The Saudi family, furious with the act as they may be, have little option but to back down and let the Iberians in. The occasional upset Bedouin may try to charge the construction crews, but they are usually put down with impunity.
-Many of the troops returning home are given a massive parade in Madrid as the Iberians celebrate an “Ideological victory”. The King and the parliament are seen regularly shaking hands and taking publicity photos. A couple communists hold a picket protest. They are never seen again.
-Thousands of troops return to their families and loved ones, and are given a note when they arrive at home The Iberian government gives soldiers who have shown “outstanding performance and patriotic gratitude” a small patch of land in the Moroccan colonies to their name. These soldiers are given a tax-free 5 years on these territories, hoping to encourage emigration to the African holdings.
-The Iberian ruling party, Partido Iberico, takes a shift to the right. With the sheer lack of other parties, the restrictive press practices, the seizure of power and the staunch militarization, Partido Iberico is more ideologically right, thus causing it to fall in the “fascist” bracket by many observers.
-The Iberian government continues to fund its nuclear research program. This time, the workers produce fairly complex-yet-reliable designs for large scale nuclear reactors. These reactors will allow for the production of “purified” nuclear materials that can be easier researched and handled.
-The world returns to normal in Iberia. Blackouts are no longer scheduled, schools re-open, some factories return to civilian goods production, and life seems to slowly ease back into easiness and bliss for the Iberian populace.
-The Empire of Japan begins to cozy up to faraway Italy, hoping to grow ties between the European and Asian fascist states. The Italians are happy to see these steps taken, and many diplomatic handshakes take place.
-Japan sends a large sum of money to Poland alongside shipments of food and free tractors. This benefits the Polish reconstruction, and helps strengthen the bond between Warsaw and Tokyo.
-Elections formally take place in Japan, with a large turnout. However, due to the fact that the nation’s wealth and quality of life continues to skyrocket, the ruling party remains in power, with the presence of the Emperor officially unquestioned.
-Ports are opened up in Japan for exportation of goods. Most of these ports are state owned, but some are put up for sale for various Japanese companies. Mitsubishi-Ford happily takes up stock in Hokkaido, making it easier for a two-way export trip to Alaska.
-Infrastructure projects in Chosen go full bore. Railways that link Pyongyang to Busan begin construction, as well as the production of flat, asphalt roads that mimic the Chinese design. The Japanese hope to turn Chosen into an industrial hub for Japan, alleviating some of the stress of forcing so many factories onto the mainland island.
-Ports are also opened up in Chosen, Shanghai and Hong-Kong. However, these ports are mainly for IJN repairs-and-construction. These ports are also under close watch now that the Chinese have made what is believed to be a fairly foolish move.
-Chinese troops move towards the outskirts of Hong Kong, Weihaiwei and Shanghai, and demand entrance to the cities under the banner of “relieving” the local administration. The Japanese refuse, and the Chinese then set up camps on the borders of these cities. Regularly, Japanese and Chinese officers meet early in the morning to discuss possible exchanges of territory, and usually both parties return to their respective encampments infuriated.
-The Japanese military, for the most part, stands down. However, the IJN patrols the South China Sea regularly, and the divisions in Chosen are ready to crack skulls if the chance should arise.
-At home, the Japanese air force unveils a newly modified design for their previous rocket engines. These large engines, built with a propellor inside, spin at such a fantastic rate that they allow breathtaking speeds at high altitude and rapid maneuverability. The biggest issue is its fuel consumption, and the fact that Japan always runs on reserves is a major concern.
-The Japanese/Chinese tensions are growing, and the whole world wonders if it may come to a catastrophic snap.
-With victory declared, the Soviet Union begins demobilizing its troops in bulk. Millions of conscripts are given a small severance package, and most return home to their factory jobs, helping to support the nation’s economy.
-In Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev, huge military parades are held, celebrating the “Strength and Beauty of our Glorious Nation”. The populace is relieved, happy to see their brothers, fathers and sons finally home from the front.
-Leading the parade in Moscow is the newly declared Commander in Chief of the Red Army and Head of Military Affairs for the Soviet Union, Georgy Zhukov. Zhukov rides upon a horse wearing a rifleman’s uniform and no cap. A powerful message, showing that he is as human as the men around him. Somewhere, somehow, the propaganda artist for Stalin cringes.
-Some Red Army divisions stay in the western states. They work either on repairing buildings and infrastructure, or act as military police. The latter is more or less their only purpose in the newly acquired Baltic SSRs.
-The national reconstruction program begins. It focuses largely on public service amenities, such as roads, power lines and hospitals. As much as many of the Baltic peoples and newly acquired Poles wish to protest the occupation, they cannot get too upset when the state is footing the bill for reconstruction.
-Mikhail Kalinin and Georgy Zhukov both begin touring the countryside, asking people what they feel should be done to help alleviate their pains. Whilst touring, the two leaders are regularly seen handing out bundles of food, flags, portraits and even a couple autographs here and there. Propaganda wise, it is a beautiful moment.
-The Soviet Union revokes the laws restricting the creation of small businesses. These businesses are still heavily restricted otherwise, and the taxes raised significantly on the business owner's income. Nonetheless, family shops and pubs crop up throughout the major cities within the country.
-Public land that used to belong to farm collectives is now opened to the public for purchase. Hundreds of acres are purchased within hours of the decision being announced. Religious and political centers are banned from purchasing them, though businesses are able to buy at a reasonable price and added tax.
-Mining operations begin in the Urals and Siberia, as oil expeditions and mining probes come back with fairly satisfying results. The operations will take a year or more to get going in full swing, but is nonetheless a good start.
-The Soviet government continues to fund its nuclear research program. This time, the workers produce fairly complex-yet-reliable designs for large scale nuclear reactors. These reactors will allow for the production of “purified” nuclear materials that can be easier researched and handled.
==Turn 15: January to June 1937==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49117095&viewfull=1#post49117095
-World Tensions are high.
-The economies of the world continue to stabilize as nations attempt to pick themselves up and get back to work.
-Tensions cool diplomatically, even as the Japanese withdraw from the Chinese coastline. Most armies are demobilized, and ties are slowly built up again.
-Alliances throughout the world continue to grow, as the ETO adds the United States, and the ECA accepts both Poland and Ireland.
-Japanese companies begin to pop up in Europe and the United States to fill in the gaps where domestic companies aren’t. Automobiles, appliances, foodstuffs and metalworks bearing Japanese names are increasingly common in nations like Germany and Belgium.
-A revolt breaks out in Poland. A coup attempt against the Fascist government takes place by Polish democrats, though it fails. Meanwhile, in the southeast, Silesian and Polish hypernationalists attempt to push forward a “Pan-Slavic Union” that is “Blind to ideology and sees only Slavic superiority”, and rise up against the Polish national government.
-The Polish Civil War has begun in a vicious 3-Way fight between the Polish Government, Polish Democrats and Pan-Slavic Hypernationalists.
-All eyes turn to Poland as a new powder keg ready for a flashpoint sits smack dab in the middle of the tiny eastern country.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Treaty Organization (ETO):
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--United States of America
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
European Catholic Alliance (ECA):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
-The Republic of China purchases huge numbers of military vehicles, materials and weapons from European countries, this time across the board. Finnish, German, Swedish and Norwegian weapon/armor blueprints are purchased and ready to be produced at a moment’s notice.
-After tense weeks of debate in both the Chinese and Japanese parliaments, and constant exchanging of diplomats, a deal is struck in Nanjing. The cities of Shanghai, Weihaiwei and Hong Kong are returned to the Republic of China, and all expatriate Japanese troops sent immediately to Korea. The Japanese and Chinese both lay down their arms, but the relations between the two nations are more or less permanently soured.
-Internally, the Republic of China surprises nobody by continuing their large economic/infrastructure programs. Now, with the major industrial cities on and around the coast, the government begins looking to the interior, mainly to Yunnan and Shanxi. These rural areas are given the same treatment.
-The Republic of China celebrates opening its 100th national hospital in the city of Qamdo. The hospital is really a glorified clinic with only a handful of medical personnel on call, but the tiny Tibetan city is nonetheless happy to see the arrival of much appreciated help.
-Militarily, the Republic continues to bolster the ranks of its massive air force. Hundreds of Year 17 fighters and SM.79 bombers are built and shipped to airfields throughout the nation, allowing China to more or less project itself inland to all of its neighbors. And then some. The SM.79 sees itself adapted to a “Naval Strike” aircraft, with its bombs being replaced with experimental air-launched torpedoes or depth charges. These planes now give the Chinese the ability to crack smaller ships in two.
-Large facilities are born at newly created military testing grounds in Yibin. Here, aircraft, armor, artillery and infantry are put to the test in experimental trials. Thousands of acres are warped and shaped to mimic everything from rocky mountains to swampy lowlands, giving the Chinese a whole battery of tests to work with instead of just hoping their equipment works in the field.
-At the city of Changsha, a new government conglomerate is founded. Here, newly purchased blueprints that are given the greenlight for production are made in token quantities for either government or rapid-response use. However, observers see that Changsha could follow in the footsteps of Chengdu/Chonqing, and be a major power-playing city for China’s military industry.
-In Wuhan, blueprints of French armor are produced in huge quantities. These “Sino-Carbon Copies” as the world begins to call lend-lease/blueprint Chinese products, are given fairly simple titles. “French Model ‘37” for the S35, and the “French Carrier Model ‘37” for the transport vehicle.
-The not-so-easily-hidden “Qin” project continues, as large numbers of architects and physicists regularly meet in closed off, guarded government buildings usually surrounded by gun toting secret policemen.
-China, relatively unharmed by the events of this recent war, continues to develop and grow as the world’s economy hinges on the industrial might of China.
-The United States and France come to a deal to begin the “Union Plan”, or a hundreds of million dollar deal to begin repairing damaged infrastructure throughout Europe. The plan is costly for all nations involved, but will alleviate the most damaged areas in Germany and Poland.
-However, the French refuse to assist the Polish, and instead demand that the new Fascist government “release democratic hostages” and enforce a “domestically sound political policy”. The Polish refuse. In response, the French discontinue all economic help to the Polish, and all troops assisting in rebuilding are pulled back.
-In an attempt to bolster the size and strength of the European Treaty Organization, the French request that the Finnish join. However, sticking to stubborn conservative ways, the Finns stay to themselves and refuse to join the ETO, disappointing French ambassadors.
-The staunch conservative economic plans continue throughout France, helping to grow the nation’s private sector while keeping a wide open public sector for government investment. Mercantalism is more or less broken up in the African colonies as French company’s interests move elsewhere, either into Europe or Guangzhouwan, which continues to grow massively as the only European port in China.
-A huge portion of French Africa is formed into a semi-autonomous conglomerate known as the French African Union (FAU). Several substates are governed by local ethnicities and given further autonomy. Critics cite the various tensions between ethnic groups, describing it as a “powderkeg being dipped in lamp oil”.
-The territories of Syria and Lebanon are released as a semi-independent United Arab Republic (UAR). The government is more or less French in design, and has 8 year elections as opposed to the French 4. French troops and bases still remain in the territories to keep French influence strong.
-The United Arab Republic is founded more or less on the ideas of Arab nationalism and exceptionalism. These ideologies combined with a French withdrawal warm Arab/French relations significantly, though it sparks dissent amongst Maghrebi and Berber populations in French Algeria.
-As French troops arrive from eastern Europe and return home to France, they are more or less demobilized and sent home. The nation returns to peacetime operations, and the nation’s economy is able to steady itself as it focuses on domestic growth and consumer goods.
-The French military begins to produce and adopt the R36 rifle en-masse, exporting huge numbers of the older models to their newly “independent” African/Arabian dependencies.
-Mimicking other European powers, the French begin to draw up more powerful and worthwhile designs for Nuclear Reactors, focusing mainly on the possibility of containing and harnessing energy for various uses, be they nefarious or helpful.
-The Germans, ever willing to finally be broken free from the restrictive dealings of the Treaty of Versailles, begin rearming in huge quantities. The Rhineland is considered to be in a state of “Remilitarization”, as German weapons manufacturers and troops move in with large numbers, startling Germany’s allies and neighbors. Factories for Mauser, Krupp and Messerschmitt pop up like weeds in a garden, all of said factories being given government benefits for employing young German workers.
-Railways begin construction as well to link cities like Cologne to Munich and to Berlin. Though railways exist, they became largely outdated and fell into disuse after the Great War, and were then used primarily for military transportation during the most recent conflict. This time, the Germans look to turning these railways into dual rail/road lines, mimicking the Chinese and their rapid industrialization techniques.
-To help alleviate stress in the common German household, the government pumps huge amounts of Union Plan money into conscripting hundreds of thousands of unemployed workers and former soldiers, putting them to use in creating the railways. Historians studying how the Americans built their railroads are uneasy about the development, but then know they don’t have any of the so-called “redskins” to worry about.
-The German Army begins to ‘modernize’, focusing on more mobile ways to fight and easier ways to transport troops. Mobile carriers, compact rifles, lighter equipment and separation of branches are just some of the things sitting on the desks of researchers at military academies throughout Germany.
-Soldiers begin to move towards the border with Danzig as the Polish Fascists cry out and demand the cessation of the free Republic. The dual-government of Danzig is fractured as the German Left and Polish Right play tug of war over the tiny city state’s interest.
-The German army unveils their new toy, a tiny, compact and fast-moving tank known as the ‘Panzer I’. The Panzer I is adept at mobility and boasts an impressive gun. Though inferior to the medium tanks of the Soviets and French, the Panzer I chassis is quickly tinkered and experimented with, producing dozens of bizarre designs, from mobile Anti-Air platforms to more or less giant flamethrowers with tank treads.
-Knowing the money spent by Brussels has thrown the nation into debt yet again, and that the economic situation in western Europe teeters dangerously, the Iberians see this as the perfect opportunity to gain some much desired land. At a crazily high sum in the millions of francs, the Iberian government purchases the entire Congo territory. The various Belgian communities within the territory are authorized to stay, and European businesses are free to come and go as they please, though they are now subject to Iberian tax laws as opposed to the more loose Belgian ones.
-With the war over and the nation demobilized, the Iberians invite two of their closest friends to the bargaining table. The Irish and the Polish. Both states, ideologically and religiously similar to Iberia, join the European Catholic Alliance.
-With the alignment in place, the Iberians send three of their (somewhat outdated) submarines to ports in Dublin as a sign of gratitude and friendship. The puny Irish navy nearly triples its effectiveness with the arrivals of these submersible dealers of death, and British security officials are often seen biting their nails.
-In Saudi Arabia, Iberian officials more or less seize major assets of the Saudi Arabia as Iberian military governors are considered “Assistant Officials” in Riyadh, overpowering many decisions made by the Saudi family.
-The Salazar government is expanded in Iberian Portugal. More autonomy and authority is given to Salazar, and immediately major changes take place. Three divisions of Portuguese-only soldiers are raised in Lisbon, and march through Madrid with Castilian and Catalan troops on a military parade. Salazar is more than satisfied with his position, and the “Ethnic Diversity and Unity” of Iberia is more or less unquestioned with Salazar acting like a father for Portugal.
-With the assistance of the Catalan sub-government, the city-state of Andorra is officially annexed by Iberia. Though not a major territorial gain, Justi Guitart i Vilardebo, the Crown Prince of Andorra, retains his position, though he swears an oath to the Emperor of Iberia.
-Officers are sent in droves to Ireland in order to coordinate military exercises and share technological advancements. However, when officers are sent to Warsaw, three of them are killed in the attempted coup against the Polish parliament.
-Iberian troops stationed in Poland take up arms against the Republicans and Pan-Slavs, dealing serious damage to the former and very little to the latter. Arms exports from Iberia to Poland go straight to the hands of Polish soldiers as they give it their all to crush any resistance to the new national government.
-At home, said arms exports continue to grow. The government subsidizes various arms companies to continue their exports to Poland, and now Ireland. Gun factories work overtime, and thousands of rifles and machine guns more or less fly out the doors.
-Researchers at Iberian universities unveil more “advanced” nuclear theories, such as the purification of waste products or the ability to harness the atom for an unimaginable amount of energy. Most of these are theories, but the realm of serial science fictions aren’t too far away in these labs.
-After tense weeks of debate in both the Chinese and Japanese parliaments, and constant exchanging of diplomats, a deal is struck in Nanjing. The cities of Shanghai, Weihaiwei and Hong Kong are returned to the Republic of China, and all expatriate Japanese troops sent immediately to Korea. The Japanese and Chinese both lay down their arms, but the relations between the two nations are more or less permanently soured.
-Though not entirely unhinged by the cessation of the Chinese ports, the Japanese military is set on high alert in the case of possible overextension by the Chinese.
-To help boost the nation’s military prowess, the Japanese purchase large numbers of excess weapons from Germany, namely the automatic weapons such as machine guns or anti-aircraft guns. Much of the older Japanese designs such as the Arisaka and Type 99 HMG are slowly being phased out for European ingenuity.
-Japan continues to warm its relations with Italy, as Fiat and Mitsubishi-Ford expand factories in one-another’s countries. Mussolini himself makes a diplomatic visit to Tokyo and spends three days with the Emperor touring the Japanese countryside. Ideologically similar, the two leaders become the best of friends.
-Japanese companies begin to pop up in Europe and the United States to fill in the gaps where domestic companies aren’t. Automobiles, appliances, foodstuffs and metalworks bearing Japanese names are increasingly common in nations like Germany and Belgium.
-The Japanese test their first “Jet Propelled Aircraft” design. Using a single engine on the top, the aircraft roars to life and takes command of the air, darting left and right with ease. However, the pilot turns too hard and the wings are unable to handle the stress, snapping away, and it turns from a plane into a missile for about three whole seconds before careening headfirst into the earth.
-With the massive, extremely expensive “Union Plan” in place, the United States of America joins the European Treaty Organization as a fulltime member. Sections of the population are unnerved at America’s sudden decision to end its neutrality, but Washington refuses to let “freedom and prosperity be out of reach for the European people”.
-A massive portion of the US government’s budget is solely dedicated to the funding of the Union Plan. Taxes are raised slightly, and citizens are encouraged to purchase “Union Bonds” that help fund the project.
-The United States demobilizes a huge portion of its forces, returning most of its boys home and getting them back to work at factories or farms. Some troops stay behind and assist in the rebuilding as “Union Volunteers”.
-At home, the US government initiates the Governmental Military Policy Initiative (GMPI). The GMPI is a taxpayer funded series of subsidies that give benefits and pensions to active duty and former US military personnel across all branches. Those that are dishonorably discharged are unable to apply for these grants, but nobody complains as soldiers who gave it their all in Europe can come home to a small check in the mail, and for those that didn’t their families know that the government cares.
-American companies are encouraged to show up in Germany. Mitsubishi-Ford, though a Japanese/American conglomerate, is the first to arrive. Automobile factories are America’s biggest export to Europe at this point, with many jobless Europeans flocking to get their hands dirty on building cars for their fellow countrymen.
-Universities in the United States catch wind of European projects, and the US government races to fund the possibilities of civilian led nuclear research. Many of the theories are mimicked from the European academies, but are nonetheless extremely important in progressing American nuclear knowledge.
-The Soviet government condemns the rise of the Fascists in Poland, and refuses to continue business until the regime is “dethroned and the Polish people freed”. The calls fall on deaf ears, and many Poles now living in the USSR are more than smug about the outcome of the elections.
-The remaining troops stationed in the west are moved towards the Soviet-Polish border, hoping to deter any would be rebellions, insurgencies or invasions coming from the neighbor country.
-“Heroes Day”, a holiday publicly celebrating the end of the 2nd Great War and honoring the fighters of the Soviet Union is officially put into place. Government workers are either given the day off or at the very least reduced hours. Parades are to be held and public donations organized around the events. Balts and Poles living in the USSR, however, are infuriated at the demonstrations, and will outright refuse to attend.
-Publically funded universities begin to grow like weeds throughout the Soviet Union. Most of these universities are specialized in single fields, usually biology, physics, mathematics or engineering. Two new universities begin construction in Riga alone, and the doors are opened to anyone willing to learn.
-Other universities are opened that focus on the arts and public expression to some extent. Students attending these schools are encouraged to further progress a more ‘Soviet’ style of art, dubbed “Russo-Modernism” by some onlookers. Though restrictive in nature, some tours are held at the newly minted People’s Arts Academy in southern Tallinn, where onlookers from around the world are greeted with artistic interpretations of everyday life.
-A nationwide infrastructure program begins, connecting highways, railways, roads and canals from the newly acquired Western SSRs to the Central and Eastern SSRs. Though not as gigantic as say the Chinese programs, it is nonetheless a major initiative that the Soviets are taking and worthwhile for the most part. Unemployed Soviet citizens are conscripted into work crews, where they get 3 square meals a day, a decent wage, and something to get their minds off of the post-war blues.
-The economy reverts to a consumer focus, with weapons factories being returned to their original purposes. Coal, steel, lumber and other raw material processing plants are humming back to life as the Soviet economy slowly pulls itself up by the bootstraps and tries to get moving again.
-Geological expeditions into the Urals and Siberia, largely a success, continue. Oil wells and coal mines are peppered along the frozen wastes in the far north, and these places are regularly probed by more geologists looking to acquire and harness the power of gasses let off beneath the earth’s crust, such as methane.
-The Soviet fleets, ever present, continue to build themselves up. Taking pages from what they’ve learned in the previous conflict, the Soviets focus on creating smaller, more agile ships rather than hulking giants. The Pacific fleet now more or less exists as an actual fighting force, but is in no way ready to handle an outside threat.
-The Baltic fleet continues its patrols as it did during the 2nd Great War, though in a passive state and with much fewer ships. This is meant mainly to keep the Soviets present in the west, and show that just because the war is over, the Soviets haven’t ceased existing.
-Researchers at Soviet universities unveil more “advanced” nuclear theories, such as the purification of waste products or the ability to harness the atom for an unimaginable amount of energy. Most of these are still just theories, but military and civilian minds nationwide chomp at the bit to see them put to use.
==Turn 16: July to December 1937==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49164409&viewfull=1#post49164409
-World Tensions are high.
-The European Treaty Organization is retitled and reformed as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Alongside this major change, the European Catholic Alliance is retitled and reformed as the United Liberal Entente. People question the new names of both.
-The Polish civil war continues as the Democrats are funded heavily with both arms and weapons by outside forces. A large contingent of ethnic Germans in western Poland rise up, but join the ranks of the Democrats, feeling that there will be a “better and more diplomatic deal” for them once the conflict is over.
-Pan-Slavic nationalists make gains in the south as the Fascist government focuses on defending Warsaw and other key cities. The Polish is reported to have deported Jews through to Danzig for “insubordination and recklessness against Poland”.
-As the British scramble about to find a way to deal with the Polish Civil War themselves, while also juggling the Jungle War and Indian Uprising, they find that the Pashtun People’s Army is more than just some underground force. Lead by a strong coalition of tribal and settled armies, the PPA seizes major cities along the Indus valley, and controls parts of Baluchistan.
-PPA troops enter Afghanistan and Iran, demanding that they too relinquish their “imperial and autocratic” hold off of the Pashtun people. In Iran, they dig in and fight a brutal guerrilla campaign, whilst in Afghanistan they are more or less stuck in the mountains.
-Furious with the autocratic government and unwilling to back down anymore, a group of students known as the Mexican People’s Liberation Union (Unión Liberación de la Gente Mexicana) [ULGM] break into the Mexican parliament and kill dozens in the name of “revolution” before being put down themselves. This breaks out into a full scale conflict between Mexican Communists and the Mexican Government.
-The Winter Coup takes place in Austria. On the morning of December 21st, a group of soldiers sympathising with the Fatherland Front (VF), now led by Adolf Hitler, quietly enter the Austrian parliament and declare the nation in a state of coup d’etat. The soldiers quietly lead non-VF sympathising members of parliament out the door and onto the streets, where they are let free as a sign of goodwill. The VF seizes power officially on Christmas Day, 1937, and declares Austria “forever free of communist and democratic tyranny”.
-Peace wise, the world again teeters on the brink of conflict between the great powers. It is not uncommon to hear whispers and concerns when at pubs or eateries of some giant nation just lurking around the corner.
-In the US, comedic called “The Red and the Spaniard” is a satirical, slapstick film showing a stereotypical Soviet and Spanish (Iberian) citizen going around snatching up things from people dressed as other countries. Every time one takes something from another, they accuse their opponent of “imperialism”, and then turn about to do the same. It is a huge hit.
-The world’s economy takes a massive shift east, as Japan and China slowly become economic powerhouses. Some believe this may lead to tensions as the Japanese and Chinese have had some serious border friction in the past couple years, but observers hope for the best.
-In other news, Newfoundland is given to Canada and is accepted into the republic as a province.
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Paris, France
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--United States of America
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Japan
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
-The Republic of China finally begins to look outwards rather than inwards. Advisors are sent to Bangkok in order to warm relations between Thailand and China. The two nations, historically rivals, are more than happy to cooperate.
-The Thai government is somewhat suspicious of the Chinese and their intentions, but allow the creation of the ‘Thai Development Corp.’. The TDC works on infrastructure programs, mimicking the major infrastructure programs at home, though to a much smaller scale for obvious reasons.
-In the realm of industry, the Chinese continue their massive industrialization and infrastructure building program. The first roads into Tibet begin construction, and are planned to be hilariously complex as they weave and curl through the mountains onto the plateau. In Yunnan, a huge number of hospitals have epidemiology centers attached to them as Chinese schools continue to do research on viral and bacterial diseases.
-The Internal Development Corp. is created as a child organization of the Ministry of Finance. The IDC acts independently of the ministry, and focuses on production and industrial capacity as opposed to taxation, subsidies and budget balancing.
-A massive celebration of the Republic is held, marking the 25th Anniversary. The festival is planned to last three days, but instead explodes into a week long celebration. Some business take a hit as workers spill out the doors and onto the streets with fireworks, drinking, food and general happiness. The government has no other option but to celebrate as well, and Chiang Kai-Shek himself is seen partaking in the festivals dressed as a common man, and not in his usual military attache.
-The military factories in Chengdu and Chongqing begin the production of the Bofors and Flak cannons. These guns are powerful European anti-air weapons, and when combined with the massed force tactics of the Chinese will blanket the sky with shells as enemy aircraft attempt to pass through to Chinese territory.
-Wuhan continues the production of the French ‘37 and French Carrier ‘37, pushing the vehicles out the door until the armed forces are “satisfied” by the number of toys that they have to play with. The carriers are given specialized hitches to tow the large artillery and anti-air guns, rather than depending on horse crews.
-A series of soldiers are hand picked and brought to the Yibin testing grounds. These troops are put through rigorous training, exhaustive competitions and general mayhem in order to see how much the average soldier can put themselves through. However, inadvertently, these soldiers begin to outshine regular soldiers and show a powerful comradery. These troops are dubbed “Dragon Soldiers”, and are held off to the side as military high command is unsure what to do with them.
-The Yibin testing grounds begin “exhaustive” examinations of small arms and vehicles, pushing them to their absolute limit to see how much stress they can be put through. Most of the weapons are of European origin, and the Chinese are trying to see which model will be the best to mimic.
-Changsha is handed over to the control of Yibin as tests continue. Changsha will produce various models of small arms and vehicles are sent back to Yibin to continue investigation, and eventually set the factories up to produce the “best of the best weapons for our armies”.
-Chinese nuclear researchers convene in a far-out town in the middle of Yunnan and begin construction of a large, oddly shaped building. The word “reactor” slips out from the various meetings, and it is not uncommon to see the building knocked down and rebuilt in various areas.
-In a small vote, the European Treaty Organization (ETO) is renamed the Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as to include the member states of Canada and the United States. France assumes direct control of NATO as the leading nation, and reorganizes command and structure within the organization.
-NATO, with the guiding hand of France, unveils a new “phonetic alphabet” (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, etc.) for use within the various militaries of NATO to organize military maneuvers and make it easier for language barriers to be broken.
-The French continue their “new plan” for the nation’s economy. As it continues to stabilize, the French create special economic centers in coastal cities like Caen and Marseilles, drawing up designs for huge ports to allow shipping vessels to arrive from both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, strengthening France’s import/export capabilities.
-Mercantilism is slowly reaching its end in the African colonies as the French introduce the Athenian system of “Mixed Member Proportional Representation” amongst the democratically aligned African Union, which slowly acts as its own independent entity beneath the French government.
-Guangzhouwan is divided from the Hanoi administration in Indochina, and made into its own city-state administrative center. Elections take place, and a majority of the tiny Guangzhouwan Colonial Parliament is made up of French-speaking Chinese locals.
-Militarily, the heaviest industry for the production of arms and vehicles is kept alive, regularly churning out surplus for storage or export, the latter usually heading to NATO members or others willing to cough up the cash “in the name of democracy”.
-Nuclear reactors and their designs are a hot topic at universities throughout France. Blueprints are put to the back table as an official design, the ‘Charlemagne I’ is put to use in an unknown location in Algeria.
-With ethnic Germans rising up alongside the NATO-aligned democratic rebels, the German government votes unanimously to not only recognize the rebels as legitimate, but to also send money and arms to the democrats in the fight against the Fascists and the Pan-Slavic nationalists.
-In Silesia, the German government subsidises huge amounts of local industry in hopes of creating a strong, Rhineland-like center of industrial power in the east. Fortifications crop up along the border, and the German army keeps a close eye on the Pan-Slavic nationalists that are close to German soil.
-The German government unleashes a vicious propaganda campaign against the Polish Fascists. Steering clear of possible racial tensions, much of the propaganda displays a brutish tyrant in military garb lynching three small children, labeled “Demokratie”, “Juden” and “Polen”. This campaign drums up support against fascism, while also strengthening the bond between the Germans in Poland and vice versa.
-A huge domestic infrastructure campaign goes underway. The German government begins funding the creation of the ‘Autobahn’, or massive highway system that links major cities in the east to the west, and makes it easier for heavy materials to be sent by car, while also allowing regular citizens to travel across the country in only a few days. The project is small in comparison to the gigantic Chinese infrastructure projects, but the Germans being the industrialists that they are begin the groundwork throughout the company, and expect to link the roads within two years, tops.
-There is a strengthening of the German presence in Bavaria, facing outwards towards Austria and Italy. The Germans regularly declare that it is peacetime maneuvering and nothing to be alarmed about, but it proves hard to convince the common Austrian, Italian or Swiss of that fact.
-The German surface fleet sees a bolstering of power, mainly facing towards the east in the Baltic. Small cruisers and destroyers begin production, as well as a couple key battleships that will put the German Baltic fleet on some sort of solid ground.
-Seeing its effectiveness in French and Soviet tanks, researchers at Krupp steel unveil “sloped” armor. When tested, shells tend to glance off of the armor rather than get stuck, or worse, penetrate. Sloped armor does not hold up well to the shaped shells of armor piercing rounds, but is able to take a beating from even large-scale anti-tank weapons seen in the hands of Germany’s possible enemies.
-Japan is officially made a member of the United Liberal Entente. With this, the Iberians begin to put their oil wells into overdrive to begin exporting the precious black gold to the ports of the Japanese.
-A sub-parliament is created for the United Liberal Entente, where all member nations send delegates to make decisions based on the alliance’s best interests. An ‘economic wing’ is formed by the Iberians, and focuses on the creation of large trade causeways in Africa for the benefit of Italy, Iberia and Ireland (the “Triple I” plan).
-In Sub-Saharan Africa, the Iberians begin a massive construction program focused on the collection and exportation of consumer goods such as sugar and spices through nationalized plantations run by Iberians. Though considered “playthings” by Iberian parliament members, the fact that Iberian goods will soon be sitting on the shelves of markets worldwide quickly shuts them up.
-Huge ports begin construction in the Congo, Mozambique and Angola. Much of the labor is paid natives, though it is overseen and instructed by Iberians. These ports are nationalized as well, but will focus primarily on the collection of Sub-Saharan goods and their transport to Moroccan ports up north.
-Morocco itself sees a huge industrialization process for its ports. Again, the work is done by natives, and overseen by Iberians, but is nonetheless a sight to behold for Iberian engineering students. The smell of smoke, the sight flying sparks and the constant sound of pounding machinery smothers the senses of onlookers who will no doubt see thousands of tons of goods come in and out of those ports in the coming years.
-Mining operations throughout Iberia’s colonies are nationalized, though there were few businesses to begin with. The various Belgian venture companies are booted from the Congo and their assets seized. The Belgians decry this as a form of “economic bullying”, and the Iberians cite it as “just business”.
-The Iberian military and Royal Security Service unveil a new wing of the army, known as the Protección Escuadrón. The PE is sometimes referred to as “the” Security Service, and is made up of crack squads of veterans and military personnel. The PE is built to be “protective of Iberia’s government, people and interests, at home and abroad”.
-The Iberian Government unveils the “Incapability Act”. Citizens of Iberia that are genetically disabled (mentally or physically), homosexual or just “generally unable to progress the nation’s interests” are brought to government health centers and sterilized by government officials. Those that refuse to comply with the process are imprisoned and sentenced to the process anyways, as are those who refuse to declare “Incapable Persons”. The act is more or less supported by a huge majority of the Iberian population.
-The ULE invokes a new article, which creates unilateral aid to a threatened member state. The ULE goes, more or less, to war with the Pan-Slavic rebels in Poland. Troops are hauled by helicopter or plane through the Danzig corridor and dropped in and around Warsaw, and head east in order to quell possible entrance of Soviets in to assist the Pan-Slavic rebels. Some aircraft are shot down by Democratic forces, but the Iberians refuse to return fire, as they are focusing on “ideologically threatening forces” in Poland.
-The theory of “isotope separation”, or the division of unstable atoms from a stable substance for observation, is put to the test at a testing facility not exactly put on the map. Iberian scientists declare it a success, though their methods and results are kept secret from the public.
-The Japanese government begins purchasing large amounts of Soviet excess equipment that is being put on the market at dirt-cheap prices. Their reasoning is unknown, but it is not believed to be for anything nefarious.
-With help from their newfound allies, the Iberians, the Japanese begin purchasing the blueprints for nuclear reactors. All other news regarding the trade of nuclear materials is covered up under the title “Ni-Go Project”.
-With the Japanese being the 6th nation undergoing nuclear research, many observers believe the world will enter an “Atomic Age” within the next decade.
-The United States continues the gigantic Union Plan, now beginning to focus on repairing the infrastructure of the former Yugoslav republics. However, the money and equipment that was destined for Poland is returned to the United States, and further support for Poland is altogether dropped.
-Half of the money destined for Poland is instead sent to support American industry subsidies, and the other half is simply sent to add on to the American budget for the coming year.
-Those who benefitted from the GMPI are given incentives to attend colleges or create their own businesses. Many of the GMPI recipients are already working in factories or oddjobs throughout the nation, but some still take up the government’s call and head out to get degrees.
-The US government begins to offer scholarships for attendance of school for STEM degrees, and the cream of the crop are offered jobs at US government institutions to assist in the creation of a more “scientifically minded” generation of the future.
-American submarines are sent out to patrol the eastern coast and out into the Atlantic as tensions begin to grow between NATO and the ULE in Poland. Though both sides are not outright at war, it is quite obvious to see who’s pulling strings for different people behind the scenes, and the US is not willing to take any chances at this point.
-Troops are pulled out of the Philippines in small numbers for the creation of the ‘Philippine National Army’. This small, Filipino-majority “army” is given a special exemption from future conflicts, and will only take part in American conflicts if they see fit.
-American nuclear researchers begin unveiling blueprints for the creation of a “nuclear reactor”, or center for the accumulation and isolation of radioactive materials. A couple designs manage to wriggle onto the desks of higher ups and are decided upon.
-The Soviet Union declares a state of non-aggression with Germany, and “hopes for the warming of relations” between the two nations. This makes some NATO officials question the motives of the Soviet Union, especially regarding the crisis in Poland.
-Schools continue construction throughout the Soviet Union, with a school focusing on space studies being opened in Novosibirsk, utilizing the sheer darkness of nighttime for beautiful stargazing experiences. High quality photos of Mars are taken and put on display at the Moscow museum of science and industry.
-The port city of Sevastopol is made a Special Economic Zone, and is officially the first (and only) city of the Soviet Union to be accessed by foreign companies, more or less creating a “capitalist stronghold” in the black sea city. Most companies, nonetheless, are eager, and a few metalworks open up near Soviet military ports, regularly eating up scrap and turning it into useful consumer goods.
-Weightlifting, boxing and wrestling are encouraged for able-bodied men throughout the country. The Soviets wish to create an “intellectually and physically strong” population, and it shows when gigantic men from Siberia arrive in Moscow, asking to box. Their opponents, usually men from Novgorod and Muscovy, are absolutely outmatched.
-The Soviet government also encourages the growth of families, and prepares to hand out monetary benefits to families with more than 3 children in the form of tax cuts and scholarships if their children show competence down the line. Some feel that this may cause a “spike in degeneracy”, but many of the large families in urban centers are more than happy to take the help that they can from the government.
-Soviet government offices begin construction in the west in order to assist the administration of the recently reorganized western SSRs. These are put up in tandem with large military outposts and militarized roads in order to project Moscow’s power over the western SSRs.
-With a shift away from the brutal totalitarian ideals of Stalin, and an acceptance of nationalities and ideas of free will, the Soviet government moves to a more liberal mindset, and is considered “Leninist” by many observers.
-The theory of “isotope separation”, or the division of unstable atoms from a stable substance for observation, is put to the test at a testing facility not exactly put on the map. Soviet scientists declare it a success, though their methods and results are kept secret from the public.
==Turn 17: January to June 1938==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49251745&viewfull=1#post49251745
-World Tensions are high.
-The Treaty of Delhi is signed, ultimately ending the insurgency of the Pashtuns. Two independent nations, the People’s National Pashtun Republic and the Democratic Republic of Balochistan are released from the hold of Britain, and territories are seized from Afghanistan and Iran.
-A major change takes place in the Polish crisis. Not only do the Pan-Slavic rebels continue to receive arms and support from unknown outside sources, the Republic of Germany moves in to annex both Danzig and the territory of Posen from Poland.
-The Pan-Slavic rebels manage to set up a vicious defense in the south, sparking fears amongst the Czechoslovakian government that there may be a spillover of rebels, which forces the country into mobilization, keeping a close watch at their borders.
-Germany, furious with the rise of a “violent pseudo-fascist” in Austria, declares war on its southern neighbor. However, the Austrians and the ULE have been in talks for alliance, and the war itself will sever ties between the ULE and NATO for good.
-The rebellion in Mexico reaches an interesting heat, as American and Iberian troops head to Mexico to quell communist uprisings and sympathisers both.
-Vicious ethnic reprisals take place in Hungary and Iberia as hardcore rightwing movements seize power. Ethnic tensions begin to grow in British Egypt as the Arabic population demand that the British “Leave Egypt to Egyptians”.
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Paris, France
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--United States of America
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Japan (Observer)
Type: Defensive Pact
Nanjing Association (NA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
-The Republic of China continues to develop the economy of Thailand. The friendship between the two nations grows to such a point that the two nations propose an alliance. The Nanjing Association is formed, drawing the two nations closely together.
-The Republic continues to purchase blueprints of armored vehicles, this time from the Czechoslovaks. Three small models of ‘tankettes’ are produced in token amounts to begin testing at the Yibin training facilities for exhaustive tests.
-Major infrastructure projects continue, but most of it begins to focus on linking major Chinese and Thai ports, connecting Hainan to Bangkok with ease and fluidity. Railways begin to grow out of Hainan island and onto the mainland, with huge bridge projects crisscrossing from the port cities to Chengdu and Chongqing or other major industrial centers.
-Some progress runs into issues as ties are broken, or power lines are found snipped. Nothing serious, but overseers tear their hair out weekly to hear about some new issue that befuddles the expansion of Chinese industrial might.
-Chengdu and Chongqing military factories begin cranking out Bofors and Flak cannons in huge quantities to be distributed amongst the armies of the Republic. Hundreds of guns are produced a week, to the point of many wondering if there is a large-scale military buildup.
-Wuhan military facilities begins regularly switching out its production values and designs in order to “smooth out” the armed forces (I.E more winter gear for those in inner Mongolia, more climbing gear for those in Tibet, etc.).
-Yibin’s facility undergoes major transitions and changes. 6 month periods of small arms testing begins, alongside hardcore reconnaissance training from Xi’an’s recon academy. The Dragon Soldiers are regularly seen wandering out into the forest for week or even month long, grueling map-making or recon training sessions.
-Nuclear researchers in China continue to put forward more “advanced” theories, mainly taking pages from European researchers. These theories include identifying isotopes and the collecting of nuclear materials.
-The honorable Gaston Doumergue, on tour in central Africa, has fallen in battle against eleven lions that he fought off with his bare hands whilst rescuing children from a burning orphanage. Gaston succumbed to his wounds after using the skull of a lioness to decapitate a rogue male. He will be given a state funeral as the entire nation is in mourning.
-The French republic continues to format how NATO is constructed and run. The first step they take with these adjustments is to completely scrap the treaty of Versailles, citing it as “unfair” and a “cause for violence or disruption between nations”. With this, the monetary and military restrictions are officially lifted, though the latter was more or less broken at this point.
-France unveils ‘14 Articles’ of NATO, which dictates how the alliance will respond to attacks or support one another in a time of conflict. These articles also flesh out standardization of equipment, though everyone appears to want to keep their own toys.
-The French economy continues to reform itself into a stable system, with government subsidies to farms seeing limitations, and tariffs on foreign goods lowered to encourage the arrival of outside companies, alongside breaking up the final mercantilist holdouts in Africa.
-As of 1938, it is officially illegal for political parties to receive funding that would not automatically be disclosed to the public, as well as a harsh limitations set on the maximum amount of money put towards parties. This is to “prevent the possibility of a poland-like scenario in the Republic of France”.
-The French military begins digging about and exploring how to modify the R36 to improve it. An experimental model known as the Fusil D'assaut 38 (FD38). The rifle is “select fire” on paper, with the choice of full-or-semi automatic. The rifle, when tested, is extremely bulky as it fires the same rifle cartridge. With a 15 round magazine, fully-automatic fire makes soldiers point the barrel at the clouds by the time they’re done. More tweaking needs to be done.
-Looking at the cuirasses of the Napoleonic era, and the bizarre attempts at making body armor during the 1st Great War, the French military pokes about at small steel plates to put on a soldier’s chest to absorb impacts. The first designs work against handguns, but a few unfortunate sheep are lost when rifle rounds are tested on “viable subjects”.
-Nuclear researchers in France continue to put forward more “advanced” theories, mainly taking pages from neighboring/friendly researchers. These theories include identifying isotopes and the collecting of nuclear materials.
-With support to the democrats in the east going relatively well, and Germany seeing itself as a “force for democracy”, the German parliament votes unanimously to attack their southern neighbor, Austria, in order to “remove fascism” from Europe. There has yet to be an official statement from Rome or Madrid.
-The initial fighting is hard and difficult, as the German troops attempt to cross through the alpine regions of southern Bavaria, and are faced with a brutal guerrilla campaign of both militia and army regulars. Outmanned and outgunned, the fervorous Austrians prepare to stretch this war out for as long as possible.
-The few towns that come under German occupation are immediately met with NATO-appropriate occupation rules. Looters and other criminals are brought to swift and merciless justice, be they civilian or soldier. Austrian PoWs are sent to Germany for “de-fascification”.
-The German air force begins ramping up production, mimicking the bomber-focus of the Chinese. These bombers are immediately put to use in the Alps, making their bombs brutally effective, much like dropping a hand grenade in a fish-tank when Austrians are caught in the open at mountain peaks.
-The Free City of Danzig and the region of Posen are officially annexed by the Germans as they move troops into the territory. Shocked and horrified at the development, many Polish residents flee east towards Poland proper, willing to deal with a fascist government rather than be under the boot of Germany once again.
-Huge military construction begins in Posen, creating the ‘Barbarossa Line’. A series of large forts with long-range artillery guns and criss-crossing “tank traps” are proposed and begin construction. The Barbarossa Line is built to force attackers in the east into a bottleneck with little to no escape route.
-However, the Germans immediately grant all non-government entities in Posen and Danzig German citizenship, hoping to let them feel “at home” and equal with their fellow man. The German propaganda machine also helps with this, spewing poster after poster detailing a ‘happy and free Poland’ once the war is over.
-The cessation of Posen also brings up a new form of German foreign policy, as the Germans ultimately promise that, post-war, the Polish nation will have special access to the ports in Posen and Konigsberg.
-Imports of Soviet Oil, what little there is, begins to be stockpiled and rationed. Civilians not in transport jobs receive “gas tickets” that limit their daily purchase of gasoline for vehicles or home use. Though this upsets many, few are angry enough to ignore the tickets and simply just roll with the government’s ideas.
-The Autobahn system is met with serious government funding as the Germans can now link Konigsberg to Danzig to Berlin to Cologne with a single, massive highway system. Austrian PoWs that are willing to work are sent alongside German nationals, though overseers keep a close eye on them. However, most of these Austrians are given pay, and say nothing of the war and have little need to run away, as they are given a steady job and don’t have bullets passing by their heads.
-Though not perfect for the current hilly and mountainous terrain in Austria, the German military academies unveil the “Maultier” halftrack. This front-truck, rear-tracked vehicle can hold up to 10 soldiers safely, alongside having a mounted machinegun on the front end. Soldiers have access to firing ports, and the thick armor will prevent most small-arms from entering it. The new age of “combined arms” has begun, as tests with Maultiers alongside specialized Panzer Is show brilliant results.
-As elections are held in Hungary, the two powerful right wing parties form a coalition and take hold, the Party of National Unity (Nemzeti Egység Pártja) and Party of National Will (Party of National Will). This development knocks much of the democratic aspect of Hungary out of the government.
-The nation is officially retitled as the Union of Hungary, with Otto more or less stripped of his title and set to be ‘phased out’ in due time. Otto will keep his position for a short period of time, but by the end of the year he is expected to be removed from political positions entirely.
-With the seizure of power in place, the Hungarian government openly declares its support for the Polish fascists in Warsaw. Romanian soldiers hitch rides on Iberian helicopter flights or are given other ways to arrive in Poland, to combat both the democrats and the pan-slavic rebels.
-The newly organized United Hungarian Congress officially bans all leftist/democratic parties, and viciously harasses known leftist politicians.
-The Hungarian government returns large portions of Romanian territories in order to “sow the seeds of brotherhood in the Balkans”. With pressure from Budapest, the Bulgarians cede some of Northern Dobruja to the Romanians, this re-opening the black sea. The Romanians, though hesitant to deal with the Hungarians, are more than happy to receive territory.
-The Romani are scapegoated for the “success of the communists in Europe” and the “failure of the Austro-Hungarian state in the great war”. Thousands of Romani are stripped of their citizenship and brought to internment camps. Romani children under 6 are seized from their parents and given to Hungarian families far away from their homes, while families are forcefully separated. Romani who do not surrender their arms and come peacefully are shot in the streets, their bodies buried in unmarked graves.
-Romani businesses are outright banned and their property seized by the Hungarian government, or more insultingly, given to competition. Romani who aren’t immediately imprisoned/killed try to flee, and are given the opportunity to “poison other nations who will hopefully follow our ways”.
-Hungarians are given the properties of the Romani for free, and they are exempt of taxes for an entire year if they move into Romani homes. Hungarians are encouraged to identify and inform authorities of Romani who are hiding or attempting to “subvert the nation’s unity”.
-The Iberian military opens itself up to foreign volunteers to join the Protección Escuadrón. Foreign volunteers are usually divided and organized into small divisions that are made up of their other countrymen (I.E an Italian PE division, Irish PE division, Canadian PE division, etc.).
-A battalion of battle-hardened 2nd Great War veterans in the Protección Escuadrón, dubbed the “Los Escorpiones” arrive in Mexico to assist in the suppression of the Communist rebels. Most of their operations remain in Mexico City, but their presence is nonetheless daunting compared to the largely disorganized Mexicans.
-A form of Iberian volunteers, not conscripts, known as the Falcon Legion are sent to Poland to help crush the Pan-Slavic rebellion. However, their getting there is difficult as the Iberian government accepts the acquisition of Posen and Danzig by Germany. The Germans are willing to let Iberian troops pass through to fight the Pan-Slavs.
-In Africa, a series of sporadic attacks from rebels in the Jungle War forces Iberia’s hand. Intense meetings take place in London, and the British begrudgingly allow the Iberians to begin a counter-attack against the rebels, entering British African territories.
-A pseudo-coup takes place in Iberia. A non-violent shuffling of the cabinet comes as a surprise as the far right and conservative parties form a giant coalition, known as Partido de Nacionalista Falange (National Phalanx Party). With the Falange party in power, all other parties are officially banned, including the (largely defunct) Partido Iberico. The Iberian media manages to spin this in a positive light, calling it the “best possible option for the strength of the Iberian people”.
-Much of the Falange party’s propaganda describes the “transcendence of class”, showing a poor worker standing alongside Alfonso I, the bright lights of the future shining down on them. It declares “Visigoths and Romans alike, Unite!”.
-New propaganda also shows hairy, greasy Andalusians shoveling paper money into the furnace, or preying upon proper Iberian women. Andalusians are regularly harassed by state police, as the Falange party declares that the Andalusians are the reason behind the “lack of unity in Iberia since the dawn of the Mohammedan invasions”. Those of Andalusian or Arabic descent are banned from hundreds of businesses throughout Iberia, and are forced to accept higher taxes and must educate their children themselves.
-Youth groups that were once tied to worshipping Alfonso are now officially tied to the Falange party. Children that excel in physical programs or tests are regularly given awards, and those old enough are more or less secured a “prestigious government position” (though most of it is desk work).
-Women who bear 6 or more children in their household are given the “National Motherhood Award”, alongside a very benefitting tax cut. Women are encouraged to give birth to “the next bright generation of pure Iberians”. Andalusians are not eligible for the award, and if an Andalusian family has more than 4 children, they are given the tax burdens that the Iberian families are exempt from.
-At a university in Madrid, various nuclear researchers discover that there is the ability to totally separate an isotope and break it down into smaller portions of highly radioactive atomic substances. Its immediate purpose and use is unknown, but the small chunks of (largely unstable) materials have the potential of expelling huge amounts of energy.
-The Japanese begin cranking out workers to start on a massive nationwide highway project, much like the Autobahn. Most of the highway will have arteries that plug into major port cities to further strengthen Japanese prosperity.
-Japan’s ports are continuing to expand, allowing the hulking American and British shipping vessels to finally crawl into Hamamatsu and Kobe, strengthening Japan’s export industry. The Japanese have the advantage over the Chinese of largely “being in the way” of exports to the Americas, and ship captains will gladly save the extra liter of fuel to stop at Japan rather than China.
-With the lack of military expansionism, and the focus on domestic development rather than international fistfights, the Japanese ruling party begins to lean to a liberal stance, and is considered to be autocratic rather than fascist in nature.
-Nuclear researchers in Japan begin tinkering with the recently purchased Iberian blueprints and begin laying the groundworks for a reactor somewhere far from a major city. The Japanese, of course, try to add their own touches to it as much as they can, and this new reactor/research center becomes HQ for further Japanese nuclear research.
-The United States continues the massive Union Plan for Europe. The money that was being used for American production, seized from Poland, now ends up more or less in Poland as the Germans annex Posen and Danzig. American interests in Danzig are clear, now that an ally owns the city and the Soviets are considered a constant threat to NATO assets in Europe.
-The United States unleashes its military fury south with the 1st Mexican Expeditionary Brigade. The MEB is a group of 2nd Great War veterans ready to “halt Communism in our southern ally”. The Mexican government happily accepts the support, and MEB officers are regularly seen having to meet with Iberians over coffee to discuss the day’s operations.
-The MEB sees major gains in the north, though most of the rebels flee south to try and establish a base near Baja California.
-American submarines continue to patrol the Pacific. However, when Iberian troopships head down to assist in Mexico, both vessels halt each other and scramble about wildly before recognizing each other’s intentions, and both are embarrassingly sent on their way.
-The American government continues to fund its nuclear research program. This time, the workers produce fairly complex-yet-reliable designs for large scale nuclear reactors. These reactors will allow for the production of “purified” nuclear materials that can be easier researched and handled.
-The Soviets begin a strange new deal with the Germans. In return for recognizing the acquisition of Danzig, the Germans are treated to the arrival of a Soviet oil pipeline that goes straight into Eastern Prussia. Though hardcore Soviet communists and German nationalists go into a hissy fit, economists on both sides agree that this is the best first step to warming up ties between NATO and the Comintern.
-The industry of the Soviet Union enters a new ‘5 Year Plan’. This plan focuses on the massive production of heavy industrial products, such as steel, automobiles and heavy machinery/vehicles. Thousands of cars are cranked out of Soviet factories and end up in the hands of workers and civilians alike.
-The SSRs begin a “greater unification”. The governments of the SSRs are consolidated to the largest cities within them, and a total of 6 larger states are formed. The 6 are the Caucasian, Central Asian, Ruthenian, Baltic, Russian, and Mongolian. This is mayhem for the central government for a few weeks, but once all is said and done, it not only helps industrial and economic movements, but the movements of troops as well.
-The centralization of the USSR also breaks down nationalist tensions, as Latvian/Lithuanian/Estonian peoples must work with one another to progress their SSR as a whole, rather than focus on themselves and sow the seeds of possible independence movements.
-Soviet universities continue to expand. The larger science universities are funded to expand wings into astronomy and aeronautics, as the Soviet people “look to the stars”. Rocketry, jet engines and other foreign designs are poked at in theoretical designs, as well as beautiful photos of Mars are published in Soviet newspapers throughout the country.
-Drydocks sprout out of the Baltic and Pacific, keeping close to Soviet military bases. However, most of these drydocks bear commercial equipment, such as loading cranes and depth prepped for housing cargo ships. Though the old regime would have hated this idea, the liberalizing shift is more than welcoming to open up the Soviets (somewhat) to trade with the rest of the world.
-Ships begin production in the far east as the Soviets continue to expand their pacific fleet. Knowing that the Baltic and Black seas are a bottleneck that is difficult to gun through, the Soviets are willing to focus on the east, as it is crucial to ensure that the "Shores of the Soviet Union are never set foot upon by the Imperialists".
-Wargames begin in the northwest of the country, as the Soviets test out redesigned tanks and newly produced equipment. Most of these exercises involve newer, less “human wave” tactics, focusing heavily on combined arms warfare with a fluid addition of the creeping barrage.
-The Soviets, ever paranoid of their western borders, openly declare the presence of Soviet warships in the Baltic. The declaration is the opposite of threatening, and is instead a simple warning to ensure that nobody makes a crucial mistake that leads to terrible, terrible consequences.
-Most of these ships shadow ULE/NATO troop movements, but keep their distance. At one point, a Soviet submarine nearly collides with an Iberian sub, and both captains surface their vessels to shout obscenities that neither side can understand.
-Submarines, those vicious weapons of the 2nd Great War, begin production in major naval facilities in the USSR. The Soviets don’t want to risk having a totally surface dependent fleet, and know the usefulness of submarines in pocket regions like the Baltic or Black seas.
-Soviet researchers begin toying with the idea of a “contained” Isotope. The idea is to identify, secure and begin the division of highly radioactive materials without major leftover waste. The idea works at the hidden reactor/research site, and it is discovered that isolated nuclear materials have intense energy reserves, though they are dangerously unstable at times.
==Turn 18: July to December 1938==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49308146&viewfull=1#post49308146
-World Tensions are very high.
-The United Kingdom continues to buckle to nationalist movements, as the republics of Egypt and Palestine are declared independent. The King of Transjordan takes control of the Palestinian territories in return for opening his nation as a constitutional monarchy, becoming Jordan.
-Much to the chagrin of hyper-nationalists in the various Arab states, Jordan and Egypt are immediately brought under the protection of NATO, and the Suez canal remains in British hands, and will do so for the time being.
-Hindu rebels grow ever closer to forcing their demands on the British as they are pushed to the southwest coastline of India. The British put up a desperate defense, and their only time to breath comes from the fact that the various Indian militias begin squabbling with one another over territory.
-African rebels in British territory are met with the wrath of the highly trained, vicious and not-too-merciful Iberian African Expeditionary Corp. Villages are razed, prisoners are executed, hostages are taken. The British, however, appreciate the effort, and the rebellion is slowly pressed beneath the boot of Empire once again.
-The Chinese economy slowly begins to engulf the world’s consumer goods exports. Pots, pans and other general home stuffs regularly bear the label “Made in China”. In nations like Canada and France, Chinese businesses that are run out of cities like Shanghai or Harbin open up shop, hiring locals and tying the world economy into a large web centered on China.
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Paris, France
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--United States of America
--Slovenia
--Alsace
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
--Egypt (Dependent)
--Jordan (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Japan (Observer)
Type: Defensive Pact
Nanjing Association (NA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
Type: Defensive Pact
Comintern (C):
Headquarters: Moscow, Soviet Union
Head Nation: Soviet Union
-Members:
--Soviet Union
--Balochistan
--Pashtunistan
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
-The Chinese and Soviets, though ideologically different and their goals even more so, decide to strike up a mutual deal. The Soviets begin construction of the Sino-Soviet Oil Line, or a large oil pipeline leading from oil fields in Siberia to Inner Mongolia in China.
-In return for the oil, the Chinese purchase huge numbers of naval blueprints from the Soviets, as well as outright purchasing a few outdated/ill-repaired cruisers. This will help the Chinese in the projection of their power overseas (no pun intended), and give the Chinese the opportunity to defend themselves along their relatively thin shoreline.
-Massive industrial projects begin to link the Chinese and Thai economies ever closer. Small villages in Yunnan begin to bear signs with the Thai language as Thai businessmen and government officials regularly meet in southern China to prepare further linkage between the economies of the two Asian nations.
-The National Police Service begins to investigate the sabotage, as the saboteurs actions begin to become more bold, setting equipment ablaze at night or destroying equipment via sabotaging coal supplies. So far, no one has been arrested, but the NPS has ruled out internal issues/communist sabotage, and looks to foreign sources instead.
-The Chinese military center at Yibin begins to standardize training for all troops in the Republican armies. Troops are now held to a more vigorous standard, and will regularly be sent back for reassessment every couple of years to ensure they are in peak physical condition.
-At Yibin, raw recruits that perform exceedingly well in certain tasks will be assigned to various parts of the army. For example, a recruit has come out top of his class on the climbing wall, including breaking a record whilst carrying a weight pack on a climbing exercise. This soldier will be sent to a mountain division upon his graduation.
-The specialization of the Chinese military is unique as the sheer amount of different terrain that China must move its armies across in order to defend its home soil.
-Nuclear researchers in China continue to keep pace with their European competitors, looking at ways to “separate” isotopes for study, cleaving away “waste products” and identifying sources of intense energy from radioactive compounds.
-The French recognize the state of Balochistan, though only somewhat. Minor monetary assistance is given to Balochistan in order to expand the newly founded nation's ports, which were razed as the British troops were forced to flee the area months before.
-The Opiate industry in Indochina is officially privatized by a government-subsidized company known as Flandriam Incorporated. FLA is independent and autonomous of the government, though regularly receives monetary benefits from Paris and Saigon.
-FLA begins to quickly envelope the smaller opiate companies and trade organizations in Indochina and even sets up shop in parts of Dutch Indonesia. FLA is regularly compared to the United Fruit Company by French socialists, though FLA lacks gunboats and cavalry.
-Slovenia, made uneasy by the expansion of the ULE into the Balkans, chooses to cozy up to France and is inducted as an official member of NATO. Many NATO military advisors continue Slovenia to be a “convenient buffer”, though the French vehemently stand by Slovenia and its independence.
-The French economy continues to expand, mostly in part to the growth of Guangzhouwan and its proximity to China, which pumps France’s coffers with a stable flow of consumer goods from the ever-growing economic titan.
-Alsace-Lorraine is declared an independent nation with its capital centered in Strasbourg. This comes as the ethnic divisions in the region force through a referendum. The tiny rump state is heavily influenced by both France and Germany, and is entirely dependent on their imports/exports. Alsace is more or less on life support as most of the government is made up by foreign supported Frenchmen or Germans, who regularly bicker in the Alsace parliament.
-The French military continues to fiddle with its select fire rifle. Most of the research focuses on cutting its size and weight down, though the progress is slow. Military advisors begin to go back on the design, and request that the R36 remain the rifle of the French army.
-Body armor is a hot topic for pilots, as a bulky, ill-fitting and largely uncomfortable “jacket” is made to protect them from oncoming shrapnel that may enter the cockpit if the outside of the plane is punctured. This jacket is effective in tests, but fighter pilots find the design a “mockery of the sleek and speedy attitude of a fighter/interceptor” and refuse to wear it.
-A token force of the French Marine is sent to India to defend the last holdouts of British troops from the oncoming flood of Hindu rebels. They prove to be effective, and dig in deep on the southwest of the subcontinent, regularly forcing the Hindu rebels back, delivering shocking casualties as the rebels are stuck in the mindset of overwhelming numbers.
-Nuclear researchers in France continue to experiment with nuclear energy, looking at ways to “separate” isotopes for study, cleaving away “waste products” and identifying sources of intense energy from radioactive compounds.
-The German push into Austria is met with major success as the Germans finally break through the Alps and begin regular bombing runs on enemy territory. With their mountain defenses more or less gone, the Austrian army is forced to fight conventionally, where they are regularly overwhelmed by the German invaders.
-However, the German government grants amnesty and a chance at German citizenship for those who surrender peacefully. Most of those who surrender are Austrian conscripts not willing to fight or officers hoping to escape the bizarre military bureaucracy of the ‘Hitlerite’ Austrian government.
-The Anti-Insurgent campaign is still a slugfest however, as German supply lines are thin and forced to snake through the Alps, making them naked and easy targets for guerrillas to sabotage.
-The Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine are expanded with the results of the fighting in Austria. With Germany unleashed from the brutal Versailles treaty, she can now begin to grow her navy and air force with little resistance, as surface ships and bombers are cranked out of factories on a regular basis.
-The German government tries desperately to influence the Swedes, Germany’s strong economic partner, into joining NATO. However, the Swedish refuse, and instead attempt to make themselves a mediator in future NATO/ULE/Comintern disagreements.
-Like the French, Germany recognizes Balochistan, and sends small subsidies to the Balochi government in order to strengthen the nation’s export ability. The Germans take a strong stance against the Pashtuns, and declare Pashtunistan a “false state under the fist of the Soviet Union”.
-Germany also recognizes the newly created Alsace, and immediately lay tracks towards Strasbourg to link Germany and Alsace yet again. Survivors of the first Great War feel some sort of relief at the larger German influence over Alsace.
-Public transportation, such as trolley lines and bus routes, are expanded and heavily subsidised by the German government. This comes as Germany continues to ration oil, and requests that families have a “1 Car Per Household” policy in order to cut down on excessive fuel consumption.
-With the acquisition of Posen and Danzig in place, the economy of Silesia is officially linked with eastern Germany. Most of this is heavy industry, such as metal production and machinery building, which gives the Germans the upper hand of having a “centralized industry” in Europe.
-Polish becomes a secondary language in Germany, and schools east of the Elbe are required to have a Polish language class. This soothes tensions between ethnic Germans and Poles, and opens up the opportunity for Polish members of the German parliament.
-Krupp steel does it again, and unveils the “Panzerkampfwagen Model II”, or simply, Panzer II. Slightly bulkier than the Panzer I, the II is not as speedy, but is able to take more hits and can deliver its own with its autoloading cannon. The Panzer I is made for specialized purposes now that the Panzer II slowly replaces it as the main tank of the German army.
-European pacifists begin to grow more and more nervous, feeling that Germany is “unchecked” and “a growing danger to European interests”. Most of this comes as the rest of Europe, excluding the Iberians, is busy doing non-military things, and most Germans brush it off.
-The Hungarians, now completely reformed, remove Otto II from power. The government is reorganized with the National Unity Party taking official hold and Gyula Gombos made president of Hungary. The flag is changed in order to “do away with the old, outdated ways”. Otto II is reported to be seen boarding a boat in Bulgaria to head to the United States, where he is expected to live the rest of his days in peaceful exile.
-The Hungarian government increases taxes slightly to begin subsidizing housing projects for the poor. Large industrial projects begin as well, most of them focusing on railways or road building, and most of those hired are homeless/jobless Hungarians who are more than happy to take up the job.
-Departments for Jewish and Veterans affairs opened at various government centers in Hungary. The former focuses on the expansion and protection of Jews in Hungary, seeing them as a “crucial aspect of Hungarian national unity”. The latter gives monetary and medical benefits to veterans, including those who served in the Austro-Hungarian military those decades ago, as the 20th anniversary of the treaty arrives in somber remembrance in Hungary.
-Burgenland is given a small referendum, as the majority Germans are given the choice to return to Germany or stay in Hungary. Seeing how much the German government has “changed for the worst”, these Germans vote in a large number to stay under Hungarian control. The Government declares Burgenland as semi-autonomous, but keeps a close eye to ensure that separatist views do not return.
-The remaining, non-arrested Roma are given the opportunity to flee. In fact, they are encouraged, as Government-approved militias drive Roma out of their homes and over the border into Soviet Ukraine.
-Hungary organizes its military into National sections. The Hungarian National Army and Air Force are given various insignias and specializations as the Hungarians mimic the Iberians in terms of having an organized military, rather than just a conglomerate of troops that could fit different specializations.
-The Hungarian military continues to give support to the Polish government, regularly using aircraft to strike Pan-Slavic positions in the south. Iberian troops are welcomed to stay in Hungary, and Iberian planes almost outnumber Hungarian aircraft in their airfields.
-In order to continue supporting same-minded governments, members of the Austrian government are welcomed into Hungary and can be given refuge in Budapest, as well as protection. Only a handful enter Hungary, most of them being secretaries or otherwise non-influential members of the Austrian government.
-The troops in Mexico are all but removed from Mexico City in order to fight against the democrats and pan-slavs in Poland. Iberian fighting against the democrats is largely defensive, as the Pan-Slavs are considered the bigger danger towards Iberian interests in Poland.
-Airstrikes combined with shock attacks from the Falcon Legion devastates the Pan-Slavs in southwest Poland, forcing them eastwards and dislodging them from the key city of Krakow.
-With the green light given, the Iberians begin a vicious, devastating campaign against the rebels in central Africa in the British territories. Villages are raided and burned by Iberian soldiers, and hostages are regularly taken and executed as the rebels are unable to keep up with Iberian demands. The lack of mercy is to show that the Iberians mean business when it comes to cracking down on rebellion and insurrection.
-Drydocks begin construction throughout Portugal as the Iberians prepare to expand their naval capabilities into the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The drydocks allow for faster construction and repair of Iberian surface vessels as well as U-Boats. Iberian submariners undergo training to ensure that they don’t careen into the concrete siding of the newly constructed drydocks.
-Croatia is invited to join the United Liberal Entente. Unbeknownst to the Iberians, the Italians manage to tug the Serbs and Greeks into the alliance as well, more or less under the nose of Madrid. Nonetheless, the new friends are welcome, and the ULE sees a strong array of allies in the Balkans.
-Iberian oil projects continue in Saudi Arabia, though the practices are more violent and disrespectful of the locals. The Saudi government is unable to react, however, as they are more or less staring down the barrel of one of the largest militaries in the world.
-The Polish begin to train their own secret police with the help of the Iberians, who hope to dedicate their military to more important tasks such as securing the eastern border in Poland, and leave the policing to the locals.
-Iberian and Iranian diplomats meet in Athens to discuss further grow ties between the nations. The Shah, friendly towards nationalist ideologies and happy to see the suppression of Saudi Influence, begins to warm Iran’s relations with the ULE.
-The project known as Liberdade Comida, or Food Freedom, begins in Morocco. Huge desalination and irrigation projects take place, with massive railway lines bringing in gigantic, bulky equipment that tears the earth apart. The project will take decades, but researchers and engineers expect that Morocco will “mimic the American states of Illinois and Iowa” by the time the agricultural expansion is completed.
-Iberian engineers prepare one of the “greatest industrial projects of all time”, simply known as the Gibraltar Link. This massive, hulking string of steel and iron will link northern Morocco and the southernmost point of Gibraltar. This suspension bridge will dwarf any standing bridge, and will be tall enough to allow most trade and military ships to pass underneath it. Construction has already begun on both sides, but the bridge itself will not lay groundwork for at least a year to come.
-The Iberian Government reorganizes the Royal Security Service, undergoing the name “State Security Service”. The SSS will expand its authority over regular folks and colonial citizens as well as opposed to focusing entirely on state employees/the Royal family. Many call the SSS the “Inquisition”, and quickly learn to respect it as such.
-Researchers at the University of Madrid begin to toy with the idea of “splitting the atom”. The theory of atomic fission would be perfect in creating a large scale expulsion of energy, though its immediate properties and uses are yet unknown.
-Seeing the growing expansionism of the Chinese military, the Japanese begin construction of the “Dragon Line”. The Dragon Line is an extensive military fortification along the Korean/Manchu border. Deep trenches, tank traps and artillery emplacements show that the Japanese mean business if things get hot between the two Asian powers.
-After the blueprints are put to use, the Japanese begin looking to theories that are more “complex” and propose the idea of harnessing the untapped energy in nuclear materials that are found throughout the world.
-The United States continues its large scale “Union Plan”, assisting what little needs to be done in the Balkans and Germany. The Germans have picked up the slack and have worked hard on repairing what was broken, whilst the small Balkan nations receive assistance from Italy.
-The United States prepare, like other NATO members, to recognize Balochistan. However, the United State’s parameters for recognition are broken as Balochistan is brought into the all-too-friendly fold of the Soviet Union.
-The United States begin probing exercises for oil in Alaska and off the coast, attempting to alleviate the pressure on oil states like Texas. Some of the probing is met with success, and many believe this is the beginning of an “oil race” between the United States and the Soviet Union.
-American troops begin to wrap up the fighting in Mexico, as many of the communist cells in the north begin to lose hope and organization, eventually seeing their allies forced south into Yucatan. However, the Mexican government is far too dependent on foreign assistance and awaits the Americans to finish the job as the Iberians return to Europe.
-American aircraft stationed in Europe begin slamming bombs onto Austrian positions as the United States enters the war on the side of their NATO ally. The Austrian government decries this as a breach of “the sanctity of war”, but their screaming is drowned out by the sounds of bombs.
-Researchers at universities like MIT and Yale begin toying with “advanced theories” involving nuclear materials, mainly how to harness the high-energy capacity of minerals such as uranium.
-The Chinese and Soviets, though ideologically different and their goals even more so, decide to strike up a mutual deal. The Soviets begin construction of the Sino-Soviet Oil Line, or a large oil pipeline leading from oil fields in Siberia to Inner Mongolia in China.
-In return for the oil, the Chinese purchase huge numbers of naval blueprints from the Soviets, as well as outright purchasing a few outdated/ill-repaired cruisers as well as a half-built Aircraft carrier.
-The nations of Balochistan and Pashtunistan are given entrance into the Comintern as Moscow welcomes her new left-leaning Allies. The Soviet Union now has a much stronger presence outside of its immediate borders, facing outwards into the Indian Ocean, staring down the British troops that hold desperately against the Hindu nationalists.
-The Soviet Union, in an attempt to soothe the tensions between NATO and the Comintern, the USSR offers a large number of nuclear theories that were considered “secret” in the USSR to Germany, who happily takes up the offer.
-Infrastructure building campaigns take place in the massive Central Asian SSR in order to link the slowly growing factorial districts with the rest of the nation. Most of this comes in the form long, twisting railways that crisscross over the steppe, touching towards major cities that can finally spew out their products without issue.
-With these, large forts are created to ensure the Soviet military has a strong presence throughout the central portion of their nation, as to quell any concerns of uprising. To pair with this, government municipalities (something the USSR lacked severely in this region) are built to collect complaints and centralize the region further.
-The National Observatory is opened in the Urals, clutched in a small valley that would let the gigantic telescope get a full view of the beautiful night sky. Though construction is slow due to its location, astronomers from as far as the United States itch to get the chance to look to the stars yet again.
-The Soviet Union begins a huge construction of military hardware on all three fronts. The navies continue construction, with the Pacific fleet being given the most attention. Huge numbers of tanks begin being built as well, most of them a mix of either light or heavy tanks that mix well with the Soviet “raw force exertion” technique. Aircraft are put to runways and immediately tested in order to keep the Soviets at the same pace of their would-be-enemies.
-In Saaremaa, the Soviets begin construction of large-scale Marine training bases. Amphibious landing training, emergency ship bailing and other aquatic/near-aquatic techniques are drilled into recruits heads as the Soviets seem to prepare for exerting their force outside of their borders.
-Researchers at the University of Moscow begin to toy with the idea of “splitting the atom”. The theory of atomic fission would be perfect in creating a large scale expulsion of energy, though its immediate properties and uses are yet unknown.
==Turn 19: January to June 1939==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49350931&viewfull=1#post49350931
-World Tensions are very high.
-The sun has finally set on the British Empire. The United Kingdom officially exits from all outward territories. Africa is divided amongst the French and Iberians, whilst India collapses into multiple democratic states. In South America, the islands of the Malvinas and South Georgia have been given to Argentina, whilst British Guyana is given to the hungry Venezuelans. A referendum takes place in Belfast, and hands Northern Ireland back to the small republic.
-The government of the United Kingdom is in absolute disarray, and the nation is thrown into deep mourning and depression, the allure of a British Empire destroyed in less than a decade. All, in the eyes of the average Brit, has been lost.
-The war in Europe ends with a resounding German victory. The fascist Austrian government attempts to flee, but the leader Adolf Hitler is dragged out into the streets by a mob of Austrian Jews and socialists. When German troops enter Vienna, Hitler’s body, alongside those of his cabinet, are found displayed as gruesome fruit from oak trees. The NSDAP and the VF are officially dead.
-With the civil war in Mexico over, emergency elections are finally held. The Mexican National Unity Party, organized after the uprising of the socialists and communists, takes power. Though democratic conduct is still possible, the centrist-and-left parties fear for the country’s future.
-A coup takes place in Chile with the Chilean National Phalanx party seizing power. Bloodless, the Iberian-friendly Chilean government seizes the government with a rapid show of force.
-In Argentina, emergency elections are held, and the far-right Argentinian Greater People’s Power Party forces the centrists out and institutes a nationalist pseudo-dictatorship with limited national powers.
-The Soviet Union, furious with the growing friendship between Iran and the ULE, officially forces a referendum to Tehran, “Neutrality or War”. The Iranians refuse. As the Soviets invade, with help of the Balochis and Pashtuns, the rump state of Afghanistan joins in solidarity against the USSR, hoping desperately to secure their independence from Soviet influence.
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Paris, France
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Great Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--United States of America
--Slovenia
--Alsace
--Romania
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
--Egypt (Dependent)
--Jordan (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Japan
Type: Defensive Pact
Nanjing Association (NA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
Type: Defensive Pact
Comintern (C):
Headquarters: Moscow, Soviet Union
Head Nation: Soviet Union
-Members:
--Soviet Union
--Balochistan
--Pashtunistan
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
-With the newly independent Burma accepted quickly into the Nanjing Association, the Chinese government creates the Burmese Development Corp. in order to improve infrastructure, industry and general development in the fledgling country.
-The nations of Assam and Malaya are poked at, as the former is a direct path to India, and the latter has the “jewel of the east”, Singapore. The Assamese and Malayan governments are hesitant, however, and further favors are required.
-The Thai Development Corp. begins laying the groundworks of rail systems to link Burma and Thailand, most importantly creating a web of rail-lines and highways stretching out of Bangkok.
-As the Chinese infrastructure campaign continues, a train’s engine erupts in flames one chilly March morning in Qinghai. A body is discovered, bearing a false identification inscribed with Japanese lettering. The Chinese immediately find that a huge web of saboteurs, connected to the Japanese Government, have been wreaking havoc on China’s infrastructure programs. The Japanese declare it a lie.
-The Chinese navy continues to expand, this time with a massive budget growth. Coastal areas like Shangdong, Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang begin housing gigantic naval compounds in order to further build or repair ships for the Chinese navy.
-The large aircraft carrier, the Red Dragon, docks at the Guangdong Naval District, and its arrival marks the groundwork of the first newly organized National Naval Technology Institute. The Chinese navy expands rapidly, though its number of operating ships stays somewhat small in comparison to the number of operating personnel.
-The idea of “containing” an isotope, or holding it in place for observation and experimentation, arrives in Chinese nuclear research facilities. This theory is “old” in the eyes of their European counterparts, though the Chinese appreciate any step forward that they can get.
-The French attempt to strengthen relations with the independent Balochistan, however, with the nation’s refusal to exit the Comintern and further assistance in the Soviet-Iranian war, the French withdraw all support to the Balochis.
-French troops arrive just in time to see the end of the war between Germany and Austria, and begin helping repair the now German infrastructure as the Greater German Republic is formed.
-In Bucharest, the French and Romanians work on including one of the last Balkan holdouts to join NATO. With the growing influence of the ULE, and the revamping of Soviet expansionism, the Romanians happily accept the offer.
-With the acquisition of the British territories in Africa, the French begin to break down the various foreign companies acting as a drain on local economies. However, many militia groups form, hoping to join the French Foreign Legion for “blood and glory”, or at the very least, some cash to help these people move to the richer territories in the newly organized African Union.
-Pharmaceutical companies and their foundations are given special grants from the French government to begin producing medicines such as morphine and codeine, most of the opiate ingredients coming from Flandrium. The French government increases the maximum limit for doctors to prescribe opiates, though it quickly opens up conveniently “sick” people to begin selling the medications on the streets.
-With the growth of the ULE and the Iberian nuclear industry, the French military is outright mobilized. The French Foreign Legion scoops up thousands of fresh recruits from the newly acquired African territories, and move troops to the Alps and Pyrenees in preparation.
-The French military attempts to mass produce the R38 SLR in hopes of modernizing their army, though only specialized units receive the weapon. Its production is slow as factories must prioritize the creation of backup parts to ensure consistency in the field.
-French researchers begin toying with the idea of “splitting” the atom, or the theory of fission. Separating the atom would expel a tremendous amount of energy, and the French hope to find a way to harness it. Safely.
-The forces of Germany finally surround Vienna, putting it to a brief and relatively bloodless siege. After taking the city, the Germans find that many of the officials of the Austrofascist government have been found hanged, shot or otherwise killed by furious citizens.
-Finding the last remaining members of the Austrian government, a peace treaty and new constitution is signed. The nations of Germany and Austria are defunct, and officially the Republic of Greater Germany is formed. Supporters of pan-German nationalism rejoice in the streets of Berlin, Vienna and Munich.
-With the Glasgow Peace taking place, the Germans attempt to purchase Tanzania and Togo, hoping to reclaim their “rightful African claims seized during the Great War”. However, German diplomats slip up on their choice of words, and the British are still paranoid of a hyper-expansionist Germany, and refuse. However, the Maldives are granted as a German colony in India. Tens celebrate.
-The German Youth Party is formed, focusing on the protection of German ideals and the furthering of Democratic traditions. Love for a united Europe comes as well, with Youth classes having sessions involving the idea of a Europe united via economic ties.
-A propaganda campaign begins, glorifying the German armed forces and more or less revamping the revanchist/militarist attitude of the last German generation. This comes as a series of laws are passed more or less conscripting German youths/post-grads for “required military experience”, or a four week stay at a German military camp. These conscripts have a slim return rate to the army, but the military is pleased to see that some experience has been drilled into the minds of German adults.
-The German government officially nationalizes the various arms industries. Companies like Mauser are forced into massive, government-owned conglomerates. This infuriates many hardlining capitalists in Germany, who protest the “communization” of the German government.
-The armies of Germany begin mobilizing in the east, arriving in force in areas like Prussia, Posen and Silesia. Their intentions are unclear, but many expect it to be a counter-action against the Pan-Slav rebels possibly coming over the border.
-German naval forces see a huge growth, with more cruisers and destroyers rather than coastal/pocket battleships. The air force sees increased funding, and the Navy/Air Force prepare to work together on the creation of Carrier Air Groups, inspired by the Japanese.
-A tandem-rotor prototype, taken from Iberian helicopter designs, is tested in Posen. The two rotors held out to the side launch the aircraft into the air, but immediately show that it is unstable and difficult to control, and it is grounded from here on out until further developments can be made.
-German arms manufacturers, now under the government, produce the Sturmgewehr 39, a self-loading rifle in the style of the French R38. It can deal death at a fast rate, and its detachable magazine makes it extremely viable in the hands of even the most inexperienced rifleman. However, its complexity and fragility make it a weapon for specialized troops who know how to handle their arms.
-With pressure from the huge acquisition of British territories, the Iberians turn to the South Africans and request more open mining rights in Namibia. After some discussion, the South African government allows them in, though keeps a close eye on their collecting and processing of ores.
-With the Glasgow Peace having been signed, and huge swathes of land in Africa now under Iberian administration, the Iberian government must rush to get the areas prepared for integration. Railway lines and other industrial programs begin to link older colonies to the new ones.
-Iberia begins massed quotas for colonies. Farms and mines must produce a certain amount of goods each month in order to keep up with the nation’s demands, as Iberia slowly closes inward economically. Most of the colonies can keep up with the demand, however, as persuasion from Security Service personnel keep them in line.
-Morocco takes the brunt of these quota reforms, with huge strip mines cleaving out chunks of the Atlas Mountains. There are reports of huge swathes of skinny Arabs working under the watchful eyes of armed Iberian guards, but the Iberian government writes this off as “just another protection against rebellion/sabotage”.
-Rationing takes place throughout Iberia, though not to the extent that it had during the second Great War. Most of the rations focus on material goods, such as metals or concrete. The Iberian economy slowly shifts into a pre-war status as the world’s tensions slowly grow to the breaking point.
-Members of the Catholic group Opus Dei are recruited to positions in Madrid to work as economic advisors, further centralizing the Iberian economy. Many are curious to see how they will affect the nation’s economic growth, but aren’t willing to question them either.
-The hulking battleships that began construction years ago are officially finished. Larger than any current ship on the ocean, the two ‘Augustus Class’ battleships are christened and head out on a congratulatory tour of the mediterranean, clearly showing off Iberia’s might. The ships are simply the Galicia and Asturias, named after the states that held their ground against the ever-expansive Umayyads and their successors, the Taifa states.
-Military attaches are sent to Iberian colonies to ensure that the various ethnic minorities in the area are kept in line. This comes as new tensions rise in Iberian colonies as various conflicting ethnic groups are squeezed into more or less the same neighborhood.
-The United Liberal Entente begins a series of standardization practices. Iberian rifles and small arms are exported to Italy and Iberia’s balkan allies. This is the first step in creating a NATO-style series of standardizations, while simultaneously keeping their arms different enough as not to be too similar to the NATO weaponry.
-As the Iberian navy continues to expand, new anti-air defenses are considered for Iberia’s small cruisers. These heavy guns are preferred to the smaller-caliber autocannons. Cruisers are willing to sacrifice raw firepower in return for defense against airborne enemies, as the world’s air power slowly overtakes that of naval vessels.
-Iberian scientists begin accumulating large amounts of “waste”, or radioactive materials found in the earth. Their motivations are unclear.
-Seeing the growing tensions in eastern Europe and the constant power plays made by NATO and the ULE, Montenegro declares itself a state bound to “armed neutrality”. Its size and location makes it an easy target, but few are willing to go the distance to pick on a nation like Montenegro.
-A large series of movie theatres open up throughout Montenegro, though the massive (and somewhat garish) Royal Theatre is opened in Cetinje, the capital city. A ribbon cutting ceremony, lead by Danilo I, officially opens the theatre to the public.
-Inspired by the rumor that Danilo I had sued Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for libel for the false depiction of him in the first version of the film "The Merry Widow", the Montenegrin government got the idea of kickstarting the film industry in the country.
-Soon enough, 'Gorawood', as it was called by foreigners, is established and funded by the Montenegrin government. Locations for cheap shoots for films are established and equipment is made available for rent, hotels and restaurants are set up for movie stars and directors alike, and more.
-The European film industry is encouraged to visit Montenegro and begin making movies there, and many from France and Britain take up the offer.
-A spectacular breakthrough is made in a Montenegrin photo editing office. Using various chemical combinations and experimenting with existing reels, a cheaper, more compact and far more reliable form of color film is developed. Still expensive and somewhat flimsy compared to the existing black-and-white, this “Montenegro Movie Magic” (dubbed by American director Ernest Schoedsack) or MMM/Triple M is gobbled up in huge quantities by filmmakers the world over.
-As the world prepares to throw itself onto its own bayonet, the tiny nation of Montenegro stands at the sideline, ready to record it all.
-The United States recognizes the menagerie of Indian states that have recently declared independence, though requesting that they stay democratic and do not lean too far left or right. Some nations clearly did not receive the memo, as military juntas take command of Ceylon and Gujarat, whilst Madhya elects a far-left, radical socialist party.
-The Union Plan continues, but more or less begins to die off as Europe has built itself to a point far beyond its pre-war strength. American troops return home from Europe, happy to be with their families, and happy to know that they won’t have to play as the Arsenal of Democracy any longer.
-Oil probing exercises continue throughout the western United States. Oil rigs pop up in Alaska, as well as in Canada as American companies breach through into the shale deposits, causing the job market in Canada to erupt into an oil frenzy.
-Naval forces of the United States begin to be bolstered. A dozen destroyers, three battleships and an aircraft-carrier, the USS Andrew Jackson, are prepared to hit the seas within the next couple years.
-War games begin with the newly organized Mexican government. With the communists defeated, the nationalist Mexican government is happy to have been assisted by the Americans, and helps work alongside the Americans in the Chihuahuan desert wargames.
-The United States begins a gigantic military buildup. Tanks are built in huge numbers in factories, as are planes and artillery pieces. This is a boon for America’s unemployed, who take any chance they get to make shells and guns for America’s military. However, many are scared to see what this brings in the future.
-Nuclear researchers in the United States continue to keep pace with their European competitors, looking at ways to “separate” isotopes for study, cleaving away “waste products” and identifying sources of intense energy from radioactive compounds.
-Furious with the Shah’s treatment of socialists in Iran and their cozying to the Iberians, the Soviets issue an ultimatum: stay neutral, or be invaded. The Iranians refuse. The Soviets declare war on Iran at midnight of the new year, with Soviet troops passing over the caucasus mountains into Iranian territory.
-The Soviets also issue an ultimatum to the Afghan kingdom, demanding that more territory is released to their Comintern allies. The Afghans take up arms alongside the Iranians, and declare war on the Soviet Union. The two nations prepare to stare down the largest country in the world.
-The initial fighting is a chicken shoot for the Soviets, with many of the Iranian troops ill-prepared for the oncoming Soviet waves. However, it quickly bogs down as the Soviets underestimate the sheer amount of mountains, and the Iranians move to prolonged tactics of attrition and siege.
-Air dropped soldiers passing over the Caspian manage to seize the coastal regions, making it easier for Soviet troopers from the mobilized Caucasian and Central Asian SSRs to arrive in Iran. The movement is slow going, as winter snows block many of the mountain passes, and the terrain is hellish to move across.
-A “three front attack” is attempted by the Soviets, but is bogged down by the mountainous terrain and constant harassing attacks. The eastern prong is forced southward as they divert their attention to Afghanistan, hoping to seize Kabul before the mud makes the mountains a sluggish mess.
-In the west, a massive series of fortifications begin construction, stretching across the entire western border of the USSR. Broken up into multiple segments, like the ancient Chinese Great Wall, this line will force attackers into chokepoints once its construction is finished.
-Along the Baltic coastline, huge coastal defense systems begin construction as well. Huge guns, anti-air cannons and areas to station troops surround Soviet military ports, ensuring that the areas have some of the best defense possible.
-Propaganda campaigns try to recruit as many men to the armed forces, and as many women into the workplace, as possible. The campaign is effective, but many fear the results of a prolonged war, and wonder if the other military powers of the world are simply waiting to strike.
-The Central Asian SSR continues its industrialization, as Soviet factories begin to crank out everything from pots and pans to tanks and planes. The railways linking the CASSR to the west continue construction, with thousands of miles crisscrossing with each other, creating a complex web of transportation.
-The Ural Observatory continues construction, its massive 120” diameter telescope taking its first, high quality photos of the moon, mars and stars far beyond.
-Soviet scientists begin accumulating large amounts of “waste”, or radioactive materials found in the earth. Their motivations are unclear.
==Turn 20: July to December 1939==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49440967&viewfull=1#post49440967
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-With the Soviet Union once again expanding, the combined forces of the ULE and NATO declare war to “contain” the USSR. An ultimatum is sent to Moscow, but the Soviets refuse all possible negotiations with “fascists and oppressors in the west”. The Third Great War has begun.
-A series of sporadic wars begin in the newly separated India. Madhya, a Left Wing Radical democracy fights to “cleanse” the authoritarian regime of Gujarat. Meanwhile, Tamil seeks to “unite the separated peoples” from Ceylon. Some observers from Britain expected this.
-A conflict along the borders between Andhra and Madhya flares into a full scale war. Andhran nationalists wish to expand their territory north, securing various holy sites and temples in the area, as well as expanding their influence over the subcontinent as a whole.
-The nationalist party in Argentina is tipped farther to the right, and the Argentinian Falangist party takes hold. Negotiations take place between Chile and Argentina, and the two nations come together in a “dual-administration”, simply retitled the Empire of Patagonia.
-The Brazilian government is finally threatened enough to open elections to the public. With the economy managing to pick itself up, and the people given a choice, the Brazilian Communist Party sees a sweeping victory. However, the fears of conservatives are unfounded, as the BCP vows to keep the nation a democracy, and instead institutes sweeping reforms involving taxation and nationalized industry.
-A pact between the Polish Government and the Pan-Slavic rebels sees the creation of the Republic of Podlachia. Podlachia and Poland are considered “rump buffers” of Europe, and the Democratic rebels refuse to give up the fight. However, with the outbreak of the war, Soviet troops cross into Podlachia and immediately annex the buffer, ignoring the breaking of treaties.
-The economy of the United Kingdom collapses rapidly, causing a huge vacuum to sweep across the newly mobilized Europe. This comes from the lack of a proper “decolonization” of Africa and India, and the removal of British industry from those areas. Unable to support themselves properly, the United Kingdom falls into a depression equal to that of the United States.
-Britain’s last overseas territories are handed out to the highest bidders. Bermuda to the United States, the Suez Canal to Egypt and the island of Cyprus to Greece. Britain, officially, has retreated from the world.
(Note: All NATO advances in Europe are represented as German occupation, ULE as Iberian)
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Paris, France
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Great Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--United States of America
--Slovenia
--Alsace
--Romania
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
--Egypt (Dependent)
--Jordan (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Japan
--Iran (Protectorate)
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Nanjing Association (NA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
Type: Defensive Pact
Comintern (C):
Headquarters: Moscow, Soviet Union
Head Nation: Soviet Union
-Members:
--Soviet Union
--Balochistan
--Pashtunistan
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
-Though war grips Europe and Central Asia, the Republic of China continues to expand its influence diplomatically and economically. Multiple development corporations are conglomerated and stationed in Beijing and Nanjing to create a series of “sustainable” economies in the divided India, simply titled the Development Corporation of the Subcontinent.
-The other various development corporations continue their work in Thailand and Burma. Assam and Malaya, finally swayed into China’s favor, join the Nanjing Association and work on improving their economies and industry.
-Chinese advisors in Singapore help with the construction of a huge series of docks and ports for the repairing of ships from around the world. This will not only benefit Malaya’s economy, but will further push the power of trade eastward.
-Military equipment is sold in droves to members of the Nanjing Association, as well as creating small “Associated Divisions”. These divisions are made up of volunteers from NA armies that are sent to the Yibin training grounds. The “Nanjing Association Defense Force” (NADF) is formed as a result. The NADF, though under the wing of the Chinese, is made up of Assamese, Burmese, Malayan and Thai troops.
-A rush of supplies and cash is sent to the United Kingdom in return for blueprints of weapons, industrial equipment and ships. The British accept the deal, though they can do little more than watch their precious inventions become “whores to the Chinese” says a member of parliament.
-Internally, the Chinese industrial programs continue to expand, now without issue as Japanese saboteurs are discovered and arrested. Three Japanese spies are sentenced to death, which causes a huge ripple of hatred and tensions along the Sino-Japanese border.
-The Chinese begin enlarging their already massive naval facilities in Shangdong, Fujian, Guangdong and Zhejiang, preparing to expand China’s navy. In smaller facilities, the newly retitled Guangdong carrier finishes construction and repair, and is now fully operational.
-A series of smaller cruisers, known as the Harbin Class, scoot out of Chinese ports. These vessels are extremely similar to the Soviet designs, but are shorter ranged and focus on a larger cargo hold for extended excursions along the Chinese coastline.
-A large number of troops are moved from the Chinese northern command and moved to Manchuria along the Sino-Soviet border. Though the Chinese are not mobilized, and their troops pose more of a danger to brothels in the area than the neighboring Soviet armies, this is still a cause for tensions between the two giants.
-Researchers at the University of Nanjing begin to toy with the idea of “splitting the atom”. The theory of atomic fission would be perfect in creating a large scale expulsion of energy, though its immediate properties and uses are yet unknown.
-The Chinese military prepare for the implementation of “Improved security procedures”. These procedures revolve mainly around troop movements and ensuring no “snares, internal or external” hang up the speed of their advances.
-With the ULE declaring war on the Soviet Union, and feeling that NATO assets in the middle east are threatened, France leads the charge to the east. An official declaration of war is set between all NATO members and the USSR. However, the Arab states in NATO do not agree to the declaration of war.
-An embargo takes place between France and all Comintern members or comintern-friendly states.
-French troops in Indochina and Guangzhouwan are shipped to the island of Hokkaido, Japan, and begin aerial bombardments of Soviet Manchuria, hitting cities like Vladivostok with impunity. French supply ships are regularly harassed or sunk by Soviet submarines prowling the coast of Japan, and the massive Japanese aircraft carrier is struck amidships by a torpedo, crippling her, and forcing Japanese/French aircraft to strike from the mainland.
-Troops keeping watch on the ULE in the Alps and Pyrenees move eastward, linking up with Iberian and Italian soldiers. These troops quickly hitch a ride on German trains, and arrive in Posen, preparing to duke it out with the Soviets.
-The troops already stationed in Austria are brought to the mediterranean and skirt the black sea to arrive in Romania, hoping to stem the flow of Soviet soldiers careening over the Dniester river, the Romanians ill-prepared for the assault.
-Much of the initial fighting between French and Soviet soldiers is sluggish and relatively indecisive, as the Germans act as the spearpoint into the east. After action reports show the select fire rifles are effective in combat against the regular bolt rifles of the Soviet infantry, but intelligence officers fear that once the troops collide at the “Kalinin Line” that isn’t too far from the German/Soviet border may prove infantry to be ineffective.
-The French nation undergoes general mobilization. Able-bodied men are conscripted and brought into training, while the government begins pumping huge amounts of cash into industry and farms. Factories and farmlands are rewarded for having large outputs of goods, and are encouraged to overclock their workloads.
-War bonds are the word of the day in France, as the French government institutes the system in hopes of supporting the national industry and war effort.
-A huge propaganda campaign takes place, demonizing communism and most especially the expansionism of the USSR. The campaign is a success before it even goes out the door, as the French public is more than willing to answer the call. In fact, the motto of the campaign, and thus the motto of the French military becomes “Finir le Travail!” (Finish the Job!).
-The effectiveness of the Soviet ‘napalm’ is seen to have a devastating effect on buildings and entrenched infantry. French scientists manage to get their hands on a dud bomb, and immediately begin to fiddle with its internals. After discovering the compounds required, an accident takes place, and half a block of a Strasbourg suburb is burnt to the ground.
-French scientists begin accumulating large amounts of “waste”, or radioactive materials found in the earth. Their motivations are unclear.
-With the chance being finally given for the Germans to show themselves as a military powerhouse once again, ‘Operation Ragnarok’ is commenced. Mobilization begins throughout Germany, mimicking the French standards. Conscripted troops are sent to training, even though some of them have already served their terms, the German military wants their men in tip-top shape.
-A massed invasion of the Soviet Union takes place, with an armored schwerpunkt cracking its way through Soviet defenses in Memel and other areas of southern Lithuania. The combat is difficult, but the sheer amount of German armor concentrated in such small areas proves to be devastating when set against infantry-based defenses. When engaging Soviet armor, however, it’s a coin-toss.
-Paratrooper operations are go, and support the front-line engagements. However, the sheer size of the Soviet defenses force many paradrop campaigns to attach themselves to advancing ground troops and surround pockets of Soviet resistance. In Belarus, nearly a division’s worth of paratroopers make an emergency jump, and are surrounded by Soviets, putting up a stalwart defense in the meantime.
-Soviet soldiers that are captured by the Germans are immediately sent to construction crews in Germany, or are at the front making fortifications. Prisoners are given a small paycheck for their efforts, and can be further rewarded with release and a German citizenship. The ‘Work Will Set You Free’ policy works somewhat, but most Soviet prisoners attempt escape.
-German STG-39 rifles are sent to Montenegro in return for the filming of a German propaganda movie. The movie is short, sweet, and straight to the point. A happy German family is seen walking through the streets of a liberated Lithuania, and ends with the flag of the old Russian flag waving and crossed with the Greater German ensign.
-Massive tank production begins, with tanks of all sizes being cranked out of factories in ridiculous numbers. The Panzerkorp is the most important aspect of the German ground effort, and the combination of specialized Panzer Is and medium tanks prove effective at battering down Soviet defensive lines.
-German troops pass through Poland, and regularly do combat with their formerly supported Democratic rebels that get in their way. Horrified at the betrayal, the Polish democrats are broken and are forced underground. The Germans inadvertently end the Polish civil war, keeping the Fascists in power.
-Coastal defenses begin construction, facing the Baltic sea, as the small German fleet hopes to barricade the Soviets along the Latvian/Estonian coastline. These defenses are the typical build, with large concrete fortifications armed with dismounted naval guns ready to blast enemy vessels out of the water.
-As the classic Russian winter begins to grip the territories occupied by the Germans, the soldiers dig in and prepare for the defense. German operational doctrine is very similar to that of the first Great War against France: Enter quickly, take territory, dig in. Many hope it doesn’t end with the same results.
-Joseph Goebbels, an inflammatory German nationalist running a newspaper out of Cologne, is hired to write a speech for Otto Wels. The German president’s speech touches on important points, such as the liberation of minorities from the fists of the Russians, as well as the “expansion of Germanic ideologies and Teutonic values”.
-The first German heavy tanks are produced, known as the Panzer IV ‘Eber’ (Hog). These tanks are hulking giants compared to the Panzer I-III series. Its sloped armor gives it its ‘pig like’ shape, thus the nickname. However, the Eber is not able to reach the frontline as quickly as the military wants it to, due to its new design and its sheer weight. The Eber guzzles fuel, and entirely new supply lines are dedicated to putting them into the field.
-The Germans attempt to mimic the Japanese jet designs. These engines, smaller and more efficient than the Japanese designs, still prove to be extremely difficult to maintain and deploy. An experimental jet fighter design’s wings are ripped off of the mainframe when the pilot attempts an emergency turn. The pilot survived, but was quickly reprimanded for the events.
-With pressures coming from Madrid, the nations of Saudi Arabia and Iran become protectorates of the United Liberal Entente, and are officially inducted into the war against the Comintern. Saudi Arabia, though under the boot of the Iberians, welcome the chance to expand their influence in central Asia, and assist Iberians in making a beachhead in Balochistan, where the fighting is sluggish, brutal, and sees many Saudi soldiers thrown into the meatgrinder. The Iberian troops, however, enter the territory unharmed.
-Iberia and her ULE allies begin a full-scale invasion of the Soviet Union through Poland. Seeing the small buffer state of Podlachia being annexed gives Polish troops a kick in the pants to get them moving.
-The initial fighting between the Iberians and Soviet border troops are glorified skirmishes, as both sides are unsure where to focus their forces. However, as the Iberians push over into the former territories of Podlachia, the fighting quickly turns into a brawl. Iberian infantry, vicious and filled with religious fervor, go head to head with diehard, unflinching Soviet patriots.
-The Iberian atlantic navy heads to the Sjaelland-Malmo strait, sealing off the Baltic from westward-facing Soviet naval forces. Some Soviet submarines run the gap, but many times sporadic fights take place between Iberian cruisers and Soviet pocket battleships.
-The Iberian, Italian and Greek navies head to the Aegean seas, hoping to close the Dardanelles from the Soviet black sea fleet. The fighting shows the Iberians that relying on Greek and Italian sailors is a bad idea, as swathes of Greek and Italian destroyers fail to find the submarines watching their every move, only to spot the torpedo striking them amidships.
-Nonetheless, the Aegean blockade proves to be effective, more or less turning the Black Sea into a Soviet lake. Iberian military advisors see the Soviet’s position in the Black Sea as a positive and a negative; they are trapped in their home ports and cannot move far, but they can also corner and obliterate whatever will fall in their maw near Crimea.
-Iberian rocket battalions head into the Baltic Front alongside NATO troops and begin bombarding the large Soviet fortifications with the aid of bombing raids. It proves to be effective, but the sheer number of defensive lines makes it intensive work.
-Munitions and officers are sent in large numbers to Iran in hopes of assisting the Iranians against the Soviets. Due to the uprising of the tribal groups, paid off by Soviet spies, the Iranians begin working on adapting themselves to guerilla tactics. Asymmetric warfare becomes the word of the day in Iran.
-Aided by Saudi soldiers, Iberia begins a coastal invasion of Balochistan. Most of the fighting is absorbed by Saudi troops, which has horrific results. However, the coastal defenders are weakened by the hordes of Saudi infantry, and their positions are obliterated by Iberian naval and rocket strikes, making it easier for the Iberians to march ashore uncontested.
-Iberia undergoes major redistricting in its home territories and colonies. Under the control of military adjutants, the local civil administration is dissolved or outright removed. Military resource control begins, putting the entire country in a more “industrial” format of daily living, with everything ending up on a checklist of can/can’t have.
-The Barcelona Laws are put into effect. These harsh, restrictive laws refuse Arabs a huge variety of rights. Marriages, breeding, property, worship and political rights are heavily controlled our outright restricted. Arabs who break even the most minor laws are regularly given life sentences. A crowd of dissenters gathers in Cartagena, only to be massacred by military police.
-Iberian submarines still in port are given an experimental mechanical piece known as a “snorkel”. The more scientific term, “air independent propulsion”, allows Iberian submarines to operate their diesel-electric engines without wearing out the batteries, and helps the engines operate much more quietly. These “Tiburon” (shark) class submarines are expected to be sea-ready by the next spring.
-Iberian researchers prepare the first designs for a secret weapon capable of “destroying entire cities in a single blow”. Its purpose and properties are unknown, and it is not uncommon to see military police surrounding the research facilities 24/7.
-German STG-39 rifles are sent to Montenegro in return for the filming of a German propaganda movie. A mostly Montenegrin crew runs the production of the film, though its stars are German or Lithuanian.
-The Montenegrin government hosts the Podgorica Conference, or a massed meeting between non-aligned nations. Most of the visitors come from India and South/Central America, and discuss colonialism, imperialism and foreign policies. Montenegrin observers (and film/recording crews) capture a heated debate between Patagonian and Brazilian representatives regarding regional cooperation that nearly ends in a fistfight.
-A large number of Slavicists from Central Europe arrive in Cetinje and set up shop in one of the large hotels. These men begin discussing the creation of a new language, or ‘Common Slavonic’. Using Latin, Cyrillic, Glagolitic and Greek for its writing systems, the researchers begin writing up ways to unite the various Slavic language to create a common tongue. Though not officially sponsored by the Montenegrin government, it is not uncommon to see education ministers sitting in on meetings.
-Gorawood institutes a new rule regarding propaganda or advertisement-based films. Any film that is sponsored by a government or politically-affiliated group must label the film as such in the credits. Iberian and Soviet filmmakers grumble about the rule, feeling that it is “unnecessary”. Liberals in Montenegro, on the other hand, celebrate quietly.
-In a move to imitate the American film industry, or Hollywood as it is called, a new town is set up alongside the Montenegrin coastline, specifically on the coast of Trašte Bay, and is given the name Tenija. One of the neighborhoods, Pelikolanica, is designated to essentially be the Montenegrin version of the American neighborhood of Hollywood. Entire streets and buildings are dedicated to film locations for Gorawood producers, the workers of Gorawood had a place to stay in and so forth. Eventually, colloquially, the Montenegrin film industry would get the name Pelikona.
-Colleges for the arts, especially visual/audio design, sprout like weeds throughout Montenegro. The government funds the production of these colleges, and their tuitions are set at a flat rate, encouraging the creative minds of Europe that haven’t been swept up in the war to take part in the studies and the “Furthering of Humanity”, according to Danilo.
-The Montenegrin army, seeing the insanity taking place throughout the world, continues to model itself as a rapid-response and mobilization-based military. Troops regularly undergo excruciating drills that keep them in top shape and their eyes peeled for any hungry visitors from elsewhere in Europe.
-Factories for televisions in Montenegro, the few that there are, hire hundreds of specially trained workers and begin massed productions of TVs. New equipment and production techniques allow for hundreds of televisions to be built a day, rather than the sluggish dozens. Most of this equipment comes from college students designs regarding the transfer of power to the tubes behind the screen
-In a garage somewhere in Cetinje, a Montenegrin couple fascinated wi.th television and film stumble upon the idea of using different frequencies and colored tubes to produce a “colored” image. When combined with Triple M film, the first color television is produced, given the simplistic “Cetinje” title. Large, bulky, expensive and fragile, it may take years for this sort of television to be commonly available on the market, but further research and fiddling may prove otherwise.
-Mobilization takes place in the United States as the world once again descends into bloodshed. Unemployed or poor citizens are given benefits for joining the military, and the sweeping hatred of communism sees recruitment centers overwhelmed. For the first time ever, the US army has too many people trying to join at one time.
-The United States, joining the fight with her NATO allies, officially ends the Union Plan. Al troops still stationed in Europe are officially put on defensive duties and act as rear-line assistance for NATO/ULE troops heading in/out of eastern Germany. American triage centers and field hospitals fill the gaps where local armies need the help.
-The “American-British Commonwealth Bond Act” is created. This act officially creates a free-trade agreement with the United Kingdom and her dominions, reducing tariffs and fees, as well as allowing American investors to prop up the British economy. Political satirists call this “America’s Revenge”.
-Naval forces of America are officially split in two, a majority of America’s navy being sent to the Pacific to close off the Sea of Japan and South China Sea from the Soviets. The fighting is something to give admirals butterflies, as pitched, intense battles are held in the winter around the Kuril islands.
-Anti-Convoy raids are met with success, though the Soviets keep themselves on the defensive, forcing the Americans to chase Soviet convoys throughout the pacific.
-The other portion of America’s navy is sent to the Mediterranean to assist the ULE, as well as provide material assistance for the American troops heading through the Suez Canal on their way to assisting Iran. American troops in Iran fight alongside Iberian and Iranian defenders against the swarms of Soviet, Baloch, Pashtun and Tribal troops.
-Nuclear researchers in America continue to keep pace with their European competitors, looking at ways to “separate” isotopes for study, cleaving away “waste products” and identifying sources of intense energy from radioactive compounds.
-American scientists begin researching and building various experimental Jet Engines. Seeing the mistakes made by Japanese and German researchers, the Americans take steps to make the engines slowly. Only small scale tests take place, finally revealing the ‘Buffalo I’ design as the most effective. With the engine built, researchers hit a wall: how to make a plane strong enough to withstand the speeds and G-forces exerted upon it.
-The Soviet Union, after forcing through a shaky peace deal between the Polish and Pan-Slavic rebels, ignore the treaty and officially annex the short-lived Podlachia as NATO and ULE troops flood over the Polish border to attack the USSR and her allies.
-As the Soviets put their troops on high alert, they are immediately met with resistance in the west as NATO/ULE troops enter Soviet territory. They put up a hasty and devastating defense, but are forced to retreat to the menagerie of fortifications that dot the western SSRs.
-The initial fighting sees the Soviets winning only the occasional victory, while simultaneously inflicting serious damages against the invaders. Fighting in the baltic is brutal and forces many Soviets to take shelter in the various fortified defensive lines.
-Fighting in Podlachia against the ULE is pitched, with the crusader-like fury of the Iberians head-to-head with the patriotic fervor of Soviet defenders. The west is desperate for reinforcements, and troops from the Caucus are pulled up to assist in Podlachia/the Baltics.
-Soviet defenders near the balkans push over the Dniester and force a foothold in Romania, hoping to detach any possible NATO influence from weaseling its way through the black sea into Bessarabia.
-Far out in the pacific, Soviet convoys do a dance of death with American, Japanese, French and Iberian destroyers, submarines, aircraft and battleships. Soviet submarines regularly duel with surface vessels of the ULE, but are regularly put on the run. Defensive naval fighting is made the only available doctrine as Soviet forces find themselves spread thin and separated on multiple occasions.
-In the Iranian Front, Comintern forces begin a process of peaceful occupation. Food and gifts are given to locals, as well as occupational administration trying to interfere with daily rituals as little as possible. This proves to be extremely effective in the territories that are near the tribal confederacies.
-After significant funding and discussion with local tribal authorities, a large number of nomadic peoples, Persian, Baloch and Pashtun alike, rise up against the Shah in support of the Soviet Union. Though not communist, or even socialist in nature, a weaker centralized government in the region is more than enough to satisfy tribal government leaders.
-Captured territories in Iran and Afghanistan are immediately put under fortification as the Soviets prepare for a prolonged war against Iran and her ULE supporters. American and Iberian troops force Soviets out of territories near the Caucasus and Caspian Sea, which pressures the Soviets into making a more centralized front in the region, slowing their advancement significantly.
-Bombing raids into the Baltics and Siberia damage industrial centers. Though not entirely destroyed, and not crippled in any way, advisors fear that prolonged combat may sever supply lines and cause fronts to collapse.
-Naval facilities continue to crank out ships, though most of them are pocket battleships and coastal destroyers that are easily replaced and repaired. Repeated air raids in the Baltic cause the Riga ports to go into lockdown, slowing the Baltic resistance of the USSR.
-Massive fortification projects begin in the major cities of the USSR, hoping to turn the cities into impenetrable fortresses. Cities like Leningrad, Kiev and Moscow start to bristle with anti-aircraft and artillery emplacements. Most of the concrete and steel required for the fortifications is diverted to the fighting however, as the Soviets go on the defensive in the western front.
-The Soviet Union undergoes massed mobilization. With conscription sweeping up thousands of young men, the Patriotic Women Act is officially put through. Women are given the option to join the Soviet military, though they are not on the lists for conscription. It is shocking to many old guard military members to see how many women take part in joining the Soviet military.
-Seeing how horrendous Iberian rocket attacks are on Soviet fortifications, the Soviets begin designing their own long-range rocket engines. Military scientists and astronomers regularly fight over their preferred purposes for rockets, but military administration takes control, and the Soviets begin to build their first mimics of Iberian rockets.
-Soviet researchers prepare the first designs for a secret weapon capable of “destroying entire cities in a single blow”. Its purpose and properties are unknown, and it is not uncommon to see military police surrounding the research facilities 24/7.
==Turn 21: January to June 1940==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49492410&viewfull=1#post49492410
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-Throughout the world, elections take place in the increasingly few democratic nations. Canada elects a centralist party, many of its critics calling it “conservative in name only”. In South Africa, the liberals take hold. In Australia and New Zealand, the conservatives see a victory in the reelection
-However, in Britain, the British Union of National Pride, a far-right nationalist party spawned from the collapse of the British economy, is elected by a slim number. In second place comes the Scottish labor party, who are increasingly feeling threatened by the nationalists. A referendum may soon be held to separate Scotland from the union completely before “Britain is torn asunder entirely”. The King has yet to speak on the matter.
-In South America, the Empire of Patagonia seeks to spread its “proper and heroic” ideology through blood and iron. Invading its small neighbor, Paraguay, the Patagonians invoke the wrath of Bolivia. However, the two nations do not expect the Patagonian military to be so quick to organize itself and fight on two fronts, and the war quickly turns into a bloodbath as the Patagonians march closer to victory.
-The wars in India see the Madhyan republic able to squash resistance in Gujarat and turn the fight around against Andhra as well. Tamil continues to seize territory from Ceylon, who refuses to admit defeat, and begins a horrific war of ethnic cleansing and guerilla attacks.
-In Europe, NATO and ULE troops break through the first large line of Soviet defenses, and prepare to slug it out at the Kalinin Line. German advances into the Baltics see success, as the territory of Lithuania is outright occupied by the Germans/French/British.
-In Iran, the Comintern continues its advance on the exhausted Iranian military. Much of the resistance against the communists is lead by Iberian and American troops, who are forced to dig in and hold out against the seemingly unending tide of Altaic, Baloch and Pashtun soldiers.
-The world economy falters significantly as markets begin to nosedive throughout Europe. The pain is felt as far as China, whose export-based economy begins to see profits stagnating as their customers are unable to keep up with fluctuating prices.
-Tensions rise significantly in Asia as Japanese troops cross over the Korean-Manchu border to attack the Soviets. A small contingent of troops encounters Chinese security soldiers, and a firefight breaks out killing dozens on each side. The Emperor of Japan and Prime Minister of China have yet to come to a deal, though the Japanese want outright retribution.
-In Iberian-controlled Morocco there are reports of a bright white flash that “turned the night to day”. Photographs and video recordings of the first-ever nuclear weapons test are delivered to Moscow in hopes of stopping the war and shocking the Soviets into submission.
-Almost a week later, Madrid receives images of a Siberian forest turned into ashes, and aerial photographs of a huge mushroom cloud peeking out from behind mountains. “Et Sic Factum Est” (and so it is) is written on the pictures, a stab at Iberia’s fascination with Latin nationalism.
(Note: All NATO advances in Europe are represented as German occupation, ULE as Iberian)
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Paris, France
Head Nation: France
-Members:
--France
--United Kingdom
--Great Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--United States of America
--Slovenia
--Alsace
--Romania
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
--Egypt (Dependent)
--Jordan (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Japan
--Iran (Protectorate)
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Nanjing Association (NA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
Type: Defensive Pact
Comintern (C):
Headquarters: Moscow, Soviet Union
Head Nation: Soviet Union
-Members:
--Soviet Union
--Balochistan
--Pashtunistan
Type: Defensive Pact
Player Events:
-The Republic of China begins to conglomerate the Thai, Burmese and Malayan development corporations into the larger, more organized South East Asian Development Corporation. The SEADC continues its projects in the various NA members, though its administration includes all ethnicities from NA states to create an “economic bond” amongst the countries involved.
-SEADC officials head to Rajastan and Haryana in hopes of developing the same economic bond between China and the newly divided India. Warfare in the area slows the process of constructing roads and railway systems, as the transportation of the materials required must snake its way through multiple countries at a time.
-The purchased blueprints from the United Kingdom are put to use in China’s unstoppable industrial programs. Large industrial cities like Nanjing and Shanghai see newer, more efficient steel and metalworks thanks to British engineering. In Harbin, entire districts of the city are given nicknames like “Iron Town” or “Kitchen Land” due to the massive clusters of factories.
-In China, economic advisors begin to feel the downturn of the global market. To help ease the pain, a small campaign begins to lower prices domestically on Chinese goods. Various consumer goods and even factorial materials are cycled back into the Chinese economy, beginning the process of “Internal Consumption” amongst the Chinese populace. In the future, these steps will slow the growth of the Chinese economy, but will also act as a buffer against a possible worldwide recession.
-Ministers of Education meet in Nanjing to discuss bringing Chinese education “up to date”. A plan is set up, with three school systems to be soon implemented. A public primary and secondary school system to prepare children to work in the world, and semi-public tertiary institutions where students can choose to sharpen their skills in almost every field, from agriculture to nuclear research to physical therapy and beyond.
-With the Chinese alphabet and language officially latinized, all students enrolling in the primary schools are required to learn the latinized alphabet. Conservative parents are outraged, and some attempt to shield their children from “inappropriate western ideals”, while others are pleased to see their children “on-par with the rest of the world”.
-Tensions rise rapidly in Asia as an incident takes place on the Manchu-Korean border. A detachment of Japanese troops cross over the border hoping to launch a surprise assault on the Soviet Union. However, as the Japanese soldiers advance through darkness, they come upon a Chinese encampment. Believing it to be a Soviet defensive position, the Japanese open fire. The Chinese return fire, and both sides quickly come to understand who they’re fighting. Eleven Chinese soldiers are killed, seven wounded. Twenty Japanese soldiers are killed, with only one wounded.
-The issue on the Korea-Manchu border quickly reaches Tokyo, and the Japanese military administration is clearly out for blood. Troops mobilize on the Korean border, and the Japanese demand both reparations and “indefinite, uncontested military access through Manchukuo”. The Japanese make a point of using their own name for Manchuria, as well as “refusing to see other options”.
-Chinese ship construction slows as the navy begins to “digest” the various cruiser and destroyer designs purchased from the United Kingdom. Bizarre, half-British half-Soviet cruisers are designed and begin construction. British armor and Soviet quick-firing guns make the “Shanghai Class” cruisers a force to be reckoned with, and all current under-construction cruisers are immediately refitted to meet these classifications.
-Weapons testing continues in Yibin, as designs for semi-automatic and select-fire rifles end up in the hands of Chinese researchers. No clear-cut rifle is chosen as of yet, and many military advisors feel satisfied with the proliferation of bolt rifles amongst stock-standard infantry and the Garand-style T1E2 for special troops.
-A massive, hulking, extremely complex machine is unveiled at a science expo in Shanghai. Known as the ‘Tianlong I’, this “computing machine” is able to go through complex mathematical equations in minutes, beating even some of the best Chinese mathematicians at Nanjing University.
-Chinese scientists begin accumulating large amounts of “waste”, or radioactive materials found in the earth. Their motivations are unclear.
-With the winter of 1939-1940 being far more vicious than initially expected, the French military begins mass-production of winter-time equipment. Huge amounts of wool and fowl down is used to stuff thick, denim coats that shield French soldiers from the cold. Gloves and thick wool socks are a must. The equipment does not just stop at clothing however, as the French produce thousands of pounds of blankets, tarps, tents and other goods required to give their soldiers a “warm and comfortable stay” in the NATO trenches in the European theatre.
-Designs are purchased from the Germans, and the French begin producing their own models of the Panzer II, known as the “Charlemagne I”. These French models are modified to have even more extremes in their sloped armor, as well as replacing the quick-firing 20mm cannon with a more powerful-yet-slower 5cm gun. The armor requires more adept steel-making, and the tanks come out at a slower pace than the German “printing press”. Nonetheless, French armor is shipped to the front against the Soviet Union in droves.
-The French military rewrites its doctrine, and prepares for rapid spearhead attacks against the Soviets. As winter turns to muddy spring, the French forces leap from their trenches. Aided by rockets, air-strikes and tanks, the French and their German allies force the Soviets back from their lines and seize the entirety of Lithuania. French soldiers attempt to raid a Soviet naval base, but find that the communists have scuttled the base and escaped into the Baltic before their vessels could be overrun.
-French troops from Africa, most of them Foreign Legion, join the Iberians in a naval assault of Balochistan. The French form a beachhead quickly and with minimal losses, and prepare to advance north to cut off the Balochi troops headed towards Iran. The Baloch resistance once the French have landed is brutal, however, as they quickly dissolve their regulars into a vicious guerilla force.
-Firebombs and napalm-styled weaponry is produced in large amounts as the designs are finalized. They are put to use throughout eastern Europe as the French are quick to export their designs to the Germans and British. However, Iberian terror bombing raids are regularly mistaken for French assaults, and it stains the French reputation in the area.
-With that in mind, the French military introduces a doctrine of “Humanitarian occupation”. Areas under French military administration undergo policies of reconstruction and crime fighting. Any surplus food is immediately doled out to locals. Captured Soviet PoWs are sent to French camps far behind the line, or sent as far back to France itself. These soldiers are treated with both respect and suspicion, and are put to work in factories. Prisoners that show respect and a “lack of communism” are sent to reeducation centers, where if they pass various tests, can return to society and are given paying jobs at French factories.
-Seeing the importance of breaking into the Black Sea, the French attempt to sway Turkey into joining NATO. With a growing influence of European nations in the middle-east, the Turks feel more threatened by the French, Italians and Iberians more than the Soviets, and turn down the offer. Conservatives in France attempt to label the Turks as enemies, but the government shuts down the rhetoric before it gets out of control.
-The French government officially no longer recognizes the sovereignty of the independent Alsace-Lorraine. As the war rages on in the east, the French military mobilizes all Frenchmen in the rump state, and gives benefits to the men’s families to move into France proper. The Germans move in, officially re-annexing their “lost province”, and begin setting up huge industrial centers. Reactionaries and communists alike in France cry themselves to sleep.
-In France, the 1940 elections take place. Much to the pain of the administration, Parti Radical splits down the middle. The socialists feel that Gaston’s policies have “tainted the name of the party”, and many of them exit to form their own association. The remaining members, most of them conservative, form a new party simply titled Parti Patriote. To the dismay of the socialists, Parti Patriote sees even higher numbers than the previous Radical elections in ‘36.
-With the victory of Parti Patriote, the French nation sees a new campaign of both conservative economic ideals and anti-communist propaganda. Flandin regularly addresses the public with inflammatory, anti-soviet speeches that focus on the “Blatant ethnic destruction” and “Vicious political assassinations” that take place in the Soviet Union. Some demand he source his claims, and those that do are quickly escorted out of the press conferences and tossed onto the curb.
-A new design for long-range bombers rolls out onto the runway. The Dassault Modelle A-40, a quad-engine bomber with a huge cargo capacity, is the first of its kind to see any sort of use. The machine is a hulking giant compared to the twin or even single engine planes seen in other air forces, and must be escorted to be properly used. Nonetheless, one A-40 can do the work of two or three dual-engine bombers, and negates the use for dive bombers.
-French researchers prepare the first designs for a secret weapon capable of “destroying entire cities in a single blow”. Its purpose and properties are unknown, and it is not uncommon to see military police surrounding the research facilities 24/7.
-German aircraft researchers at Messerschmidt continue work on the experimental jet engines, taking the best of both worlds from the Japanese and American designs. They find an airframe capable of carrying two large jet engines, while simultaneously having a massive tubular cargo space in the rear.
-The Me-J40, the first functioning jet aircraft of its kind, takes off a runway alongside the Dassault A-40 at an airfield in Prussia. Instead of a bomber, the J40 is a troop carrier, and the first Kometentrüppen take their jumps into Soviet territory at a stunningly high altitude and intense speed. The biggest issue that comes to light is that the aircraft is moving far too fast to drop soldiers in even groupings, which leads to Kometentrüppen being flung about Soviet territory, separated and behind enemy lines.
-The Germans and Iberians conduct intensive bombardment campaigns against Soviet defenses in the Baltics and the Belarusian SSRs. German artillery and aircraft grind down on the entrenched Soviet defenders, while the Iberians launch barrage after barrage of long range rockets onto Soviet supply lines and rear munitions dumps.
-In Lithuania, a strategic bombardment of key Soviet artillery positions from German-targeted rocket strikes allows a swift and merciless hook of German armor to sweep through and decimate a primarily infantry-held trenchwork, freeing up nearly a thousand German foot soldiers to punch through and head north.
-German radio engineers produce some of the first long-range capable radios for tanks. Commanders in models such as the Panzer II and III are given the ability to communicate with nearby friendly tanks as well as receive more accurate and up-to-date orders from home base. This allows for adept coordination between German Panzer battalions, and throws the Germans once again ahead of the game in military technology.
-Some of the Panzer III ‘Eber’ tanks are lent to the Iberians and French, and are quickly spray-painted with their respective roundels. This comes as NATO and ULE members grow closer together on the battlefield, as well as the Germans hoping to see if the Panzer III is adept enough to be used in the hands of other nations. This may further the cause for NATO standardization if/when the war in Europe comes to an end.
-The German military begins formalising the designations for various tanks in their arsenal. The multi-faceted Panzer Is are officially put under “Support” roles, be they engineering, rear-line defense or acting as a cavalry tank. The larger, bulkier Panzer IIIs are for larger and more dangerous roles that involve frontal assaults with combined air/artillery/infantry support. These designations reduce the need for huge checklists amongst Panzerkorp commanders, and also organizes the supply lines significantly.
-With help from the French, the German Luftwaffe begins deploying the NATO-styled Napalm at the front line. Certain adventurous types design a new artillery shell using the firebombs, nicknamed ‘HELB’ (High Explosive, Long Burn) by the British expeditionary forces. The HELB shells spread terror and fire throughout trenches, but is used sparingly when attacking cities in the Baltic/Belarus, as wooden houses tend to disappear after a short cannonade.
-German aircraft engineers, working alongside the Iberians, begin designing a large twin-rotor helicopter. Unlike previous designs with two rotors off to the side, these models have them on both ends of the aircraft’s mainframe. Using interruptor gears like those of WWI biplanes, the large rotors are able to rotate and give the aircraft much-needed lift and maneuverability without causing the blades to crash into each other. Many German advisors point out the aircraft’s sluggishness, as well as its large size making it a prime target for ground fire. The light mainframe combined with the oblong, obvious shape poses an issue that forces the helicopter back to the drawing board.
-At the front, the Germans end up being the main collectors of PoWs. The Germans have a very simple strategy to holding onto the PoWs. Cooperative soldiers that speak their names and relinquish their arms without fight are given to the French prisoner trains, giving the soldiers a fresh chance at life when the war ends. Uncooperative soldiers are given to Iberian officers, where they are never heard from again.
-The rump state of Alsace is officially handed over to the control of the Greater German Republic. As France mobilizes its able-bodied men out of the area and relinquishes control to the Germans, nationalists in the seemingly constantly-growing nation cheer and celebrate as they are reunited with their “lost countrymen”. Huge industrial centers are reignited, and the various mines are quickly filled with prisoners of war from the eastern front.
-To further grow relations between Germany and smaller European states around her, the German military officially signs a treaty with Montenegro, allowing the tiny nation to produce the fast-firing StG-39 at home under its own name and with Montenegrin markings. Like the Gewehr 98 of so many years ago, Germany exports its military arms once again to the Balkans.
-In return for the creation licenses of the StG-39, the Montenegrin government helps in the production of some of the first Anti-Nuclear propaganda films. These films are brutal, depressing and shocking, using collected data and leaked images of the Soviet/Iberian nuclear tests.
-The film created by the Montenegrins is titled “Eine Einzelne Blume” (A Single Flower), and depicts the crushing story of a family forced out of their home by a nuclear weapon and their young daughter’s nightmares of the bomb itself. Though live action, the nightmare sequences are full-color animations done in a variety of styles by multiple students. The initial reaction to the film in Berlin is sheer terror. Joseph Goebbels, the new head of public relations for Germany, describes the film as “a somber message that all red-blooded Germans should take to heart”.
-At home, the German republic goes into full domestic mobilization. Industries are subsidized with taxpayer money, taxes themselves are raised, and a rationing begins. Propaganda in Germany encourages the purchasing of war bonds and the donation of any foodstuffs to the war effort. Women, children and men unfit for duty are encouraged to grow their own food in gardens to reduce the impact on the nation’s farms, fearing a nationwide famine like that of 1916 and 1920.
-With the Panzer I once again dragged to the drawing board to be made the “Frankenstein of Armor”, engineers at Krupp manufacturing design a squat, open-topped Panzer with a 75mm cannon set on a rotating turret ring. This tank, though bizarre and ultimately defenseless if caught in the line of fire, is the first “self propelled artillery” (SPArty) to be successfully tested. Its biggest issue is the lack of defenses against any real foe, be it infantry or aircraft, but it is given the same treatment as wheeled/towed artillery in that it hides behind the lines and flings death at long range. Its largest benefit is the ability to fire, move, and fire again. Adept crews are able to reload on the move too, making it a boon to German infantry.
-With pressure from the Soviet Union bearing down on seemingly all sides, Iberian soldiers begin fortifying Tehran with impunity. Buildings are commandeered, bulldozed and the rubble used to construct massive defensive lines. City squares bristle with anti-aircraft guns and artillery pieces, the streets are regularly filled with Iberian foot soldiers or armored cars. The Shah is evacuated from Iran and whisked away to Madrid with his family as Iberia puts the country under direct control, with all Iranian soldiers now answering to Iberian generals.
-Iberian weaponry and vehicles, from rockets to helicopters, arrive in droves bearing Iranian roundels and markings. As Iran’s population is mobilized to prepare for the “Great Patriotic War” against the Soviet Union, Iberian commanders and officers begin to train the Iranian army to use Iberian machinery. Some observers decry this as another form of Iberian imperialism, while others brush it off as wartime standardization.
-In the west, Iranian and Iberian troops make a hard push to the Caucasus mountains, where they run up against Soviet soldiers pulling back into the homeland. Though it is spring and warm throughout most of Iran and the middle east, the snow has yet to clear from the Caucasus, and the fighting is brutal and difficult. However, Iberian troops make a breakthrough at last, forcing themselves onto Soviet soil.
-On the east of the Iranian Plateau, the Iberian and Iranian soldiers put up a valiant defense against repeated raids from Baloch, Pashtun and Tribal attacks. Soviet aircraft pound their positions, nighttime attacks from Baloch artillery and morning assaults from mounted Tribal soldiers test their resolve, but the ULE soldiers keep their heads straight. Every inch that the Iberians give, the Comintern forces suffer significantly.
-Fighting in Iran is strangely polarized, as fighting in the Caucasus sees a huge spearhead of Iberian/American/Iranian soldiers forcing their way north to try and seize territory in the mountainous, cold and rocky territories, while in the east, the fighting resembles that of the Western Front of the first Great War, with deep trench fortifications and static, prolonged fighting.
-The Germans and Iberians conduct intensive bombardment campaigns against Soviet defenses in the Baltics and the Belarusian SSRs. German artillery and aircraft grind down on the entrenched Soviet defenders, while the Iberians launch barrage after barrage of long range rockets onto Soviet supply lines and rear munitions dumps. Iberian rocket engineers take notes, hoping to see if they can improve on the designs in any way they can.
-The United Liberal Entente officially opens a “War Center” in Budapest, Hungary, in hopes of conducting a more organized war effort against the communists. This large center is held in the former royal palace of Hungary, and is regularly filled with Iberian, Japanese, Italian and Balkan advisors and commanders. One one bizarre day, a Japanese diplomat and his wife are riding through Budapest in their car, where they are suddenly gunned down by what is presumed to be a Romanian guerilla. The ULE begins sniffing around Hungarian transylvania in hopes of rooting out a possible Romanian uprising.
-Land operations in Poland continue, with the Iberians taking somewhat of a backseat as Balkan, Polish and Italian soldiers force onwards through the muddied terrain of Belarus. Their goal is to seize the strategic city of Minsk, which would ultimately cut off the ‘Astrakhan Front’, giving the ULE/NATO soldiers breathing room to prepare for a larger assault. Iberian shock troopers are regularly seen spilling out of helicopters in support of Polish or Italian infantry raids, giving both a morale bonus and a well needed helping hand.
-Iberia continues to strengthen relations with former Spanish territories. In this case, Iberian diplomats meet in Buenos Aires with Patagonian government members to discuss a “valued political, ideological and national friendship”. The Patagonians are pleased with the visit, and sign the “Iberian-Patagonian Treaty of Respect and Cooperation”. The Iberians are keen on ensuring that the treaty be based entirely on Falangism and the racial similarities of white Iberians and Patagonians, instead of pledging friendship towards the whole of the ULE. The Iberians also send officers to observe and report on the war against Paraguay and Bolivia, regularly giving advice to the fledgling empire.
-After “convincing” the Saudi regime, Iberia creates a strong foothold in the middle east by outright annexing the province of Sharqiya and the eastern coastline of Saudi Arabia. The Iberians make a point of declaring the province under Iberian administration, refusing to declare it a colonial acquisition, while also repeatedly making sure that everyone knows that it will be returned “upon the war’s end”. The Saudis believe the Iberians are lying through their teeth, but are dwarfed by the far superior European nation and keep to themselves.
-Huge amounts of foodstuffs, such as wheat, sugar, meats and vegetables are sent in droves to support the Iranian effort. Most of this food is labelled “From Iberian Hands to Iranian Families” in Spanish, Farsi and most importantly, Latin. The food is quickly distributed amongst the populace in Iran, as well as Iranian soldiers at the front. Keeping an irreligious and purely political affiliation with the aid helps the Iberian and Iranian governments grow closer, as well as driving a wedge between the Iranians and other western nations.
-Embassies are quietly opened up in the indian nations of Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil. The nationalist, anti-communist nations are considered “ideologically similar” to Iberia, and many diplomats overlook the racial and religious differences, hoping to sow the seeds of “proper western, Latin and national priorities” throughout the Indian subcontinent. Again, Iberian officers observe the fighting in Ceylon, hoping to learn about the intricacies of jungle and guerrilla warfare. Tamil fighters expect the Iberians to be shocked by the massacre of a Ceylonese village, but the officers are unfazed and simply scribble in their notebooks, both impressing and startling the Tamil military.
-The entire nation of Iberia undergoes mobilization. Any able-bodied man between the ages of 17-40 are sent to training facilities to fight in Europe or Iran. Those that volunteer are able to choose their profession, and a surprisingly large number of young men hope to join the Iberian navy, serving in the submarine corp. The large number of conscripts are given certain “classes”, and are organized to include a variety of ages, professions, backgrounds and ethnicities. Andalusians are barred from conscription, of course, and are regularly harassed for their detriment to Iberian society.
-The former colonial territory of Morocco is officially brought into the fold as an Iberian state. Much to the dismay of the local populace and Andalusians that fled the Iberian mainland, with the territory under proper military administration, the brutal and restrictive Barcelona Laws are enforced with impunity throughout Morocco and the Sahara. Many Arabs flee to French Algeria in hope of escaping the Iberian authorities. Those that are captured at the border are shot on sight, sending a clear example to Maghrebis and Andalusians alike that the Iberians are here to stay.
-Rocket scientists in Lisbon successfully test and produce the first models of the Retribución Arma-2 (R-2) rocket. This large, tubular rocket bears 4 fish-like fins that help keep its path stable as the huge engine propels it twice as far as previous Iberian rocket models. The first R-2s are deployed against Soviet defenses in the Caucasus, and prove to be viciously effective when filled with the NATO-styled napalm.
-In Morocco, the Iberians unveil their true and absolute power. Hundreds of Iberian officials, including Emperor Alfonso himself, watch with awe as Iberia tests her first nuclear weapon. The test takes place immediately after sundown, making the flash all the more brilliant and imposing. Many stand and cheer, while Alfonso stays in his seat and stares at the destruction that the weapon could wreak upon the world. The genie has been let out of the bottle, and can never be returned.
-In a saddening turn of events, King Danilo I passes in his sleep a week after the nation greets the new decade. At the age of 69, King Danilo’s death marks the ascension of Michael Petrović-Njegoš, now crowned as King Michael I. Taking after his predecessor, Michael ensures that his rule will be soft, and much of the nation’s decisions will be left to the people.
-A state funeral is held for Danilo I, with hundreds of thousands of people arriving to the procession from all over the Balkans. He is entombed at the royal cemetery, and the nation enters a short period of mourning for their lost monarch.
-With war slowly creeping its way throughout the world, a followup to the Podgorica conference is held in Mexico City. As Montenegrin delegates arrive, they worry that many nations in South America are too far gone in being swayed to various alliances, as the Patagonian delegates brag about their excursions, causing a ripple effect through the smaller nations who look to find larger, tougher friends. Nonetheless, as it is Montenegro’s turn to discuss international neutrality, heads turn and listen to a speech no doubt crafted at one of the many actors schools in Montenegro. The conference ends with Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, Cuba and Norway discussing with Montenegro the creation of a “non-aligned movement”.
-This “non-aligned movement” would be an international call to peace, while also rejecting the creation of long-stretching, constricting alliances like that of NATO or the ULE. Nations with extremist parties in power laugh at the idea, but historically neutral/non-expansive countries appreciate the idea, and prepare for the Second Podgorica Conference that may officially create the Non-Aligned Movement worldwide.
-As the Slavicist conferences continue to meet in Montenegro, government observers report that the group has officially included the dialect of Belarusian and Ukrainian, first fearing that the languages are at risk of ‘Russification’, as well as creating a more unifying tongue that would include millions more speakers.
-Germany once again turns to Montenegro for assistance in the realm of films. Giving the small Balkan state the ability to produce the coveted StG-39, the Germans desire the creation of one of the first Anti-Nuclear propaganda films after words of Soviet and Iberian nuclear tests reach Berlin. The Montenegrin government recruits some animators from the independent community (or how they are called colloquially, the "Nezave") at universities to create the film. “Eine Einzelne Blume” (A Single Flower) is the name of the film, and uses the works of animation to paint a heartbreaking picture of the possibilities of nuclear war.
-A Single Flower depicts the crushing story of a family forced out of their home by a nuclear weapon and their young daughter’s nightmares of the bomb itself. Though live action, the nightmare sequences are full-color animations done in a variety of styles by multiple students. The initial reaction to the film in Berlin is sheer terror. Joseph Goebbels, the new head of public relations for Germany, describes the film as “a somber message that all red-blooded Germans should take to heart”.
-With the success of A Single Flower, independent animation crews begin to crawl out from the shadows and present themselves to filmmakers, hoping to use their talents for a variety of movies. Some comedy directors pick up animators to create films that lighten the mood of moviegoers, which is heartily appreciated in Europe as the whole world seems to be falling apart at the seams.
-The full-color film originally dubbed "Montenegrin Movie Magic" is officially retitled Farbstvo, making the name simpler and more straight to the point that it is made for color productions. The MMM/Triple M name has stuck in the United States, but Farbstvo slowly creeps into the dialect of directors in France and Germany who wish to distance themselves from the Americans.
-The Montenegrin Government continues to encourage the production of the arts, with students who graduate with honors from state-owned art colleges being given recommendations to go to various studios throughout Gorawood or even as far as studios in London or Paris, along with an all-expense paid apartment at wherever they may be working. Montenegrin film studios quickly fill up with new work, which is a boon to directors and producers who were originally short on hands.
-As color film is more commonly used in Europe and abroad, cameras adapting to the technology become more available and thus cheaper, allowing more and more films to be made. As a result, a new film genre, centered mainly in Gorawood, came to being, sweeping through Europe. The genre is titled "Knightlies" by American moviegoers, while in Montenegro, they are known as "Srednjaci" (the closest English translation being either Middies or Medievies), "Riterci"/"Vitežci" (a local variation on the American name) or "Kavaljeri" (the closest English translation being Equestrics or Chivalrics), depending on where the stories are set. Knightlies are films depicting the stories of European warriors, be they real or legendary. The 1940 film "Kosovski boj", or more commonly known by its American title, “The Battle of Kosovo”, describes the pinnacle battle between Serbia and the Ottoman Turks that dictated Balkan history for centuries to come. It is met with nearly worldwide success for its actors, score, script and production quality. The film is banned in Turkey nearly the instant it is distributed.
-Knightlies slowly begin to overtake the dramas and action films produced in the United States, as European citizens find it easier to connect with the stories of knights, squires and nobles rather than the cowboys of the American west. The movie studios in Hollywood are furious, whilst those in Gorawood reap the benefits, while simultaneously opening their doors wider and wider as the British and French flood the film studios to produce “the best depiction of their kings as possible”. The 'Wooden Wars', the 'Film Wars' or the 'Second Hundred Years War’, as jokingly described by Montenegrin newspapers, had begun. As a result of the 'war', one newspaper illustrator made a short comic strip series called "Holly i Pelikona", starring personifications of Hollywood and Gorawood as the main characters.
-The Montenegrin government forms an exclusive club known as the Royal Film Society. This club focuses on including writers, cameramen, foley artists, animators, and other less-appreciated members of film production crews. The society regularly meets and discusses the future of films, as well as closing the day with at least 30 new movie ideas that were pitched during meetups.
-The Montenegrin government also institutes nationwide conscription for all able-bodied men. All male citizens 16 and older are required to have, at minimum, 4 weeks of standard military training, as well as bi-yearly checkups ensuring that they are in peak physical shape and mental awareness. However, it is opt-out for citizens to stay in the military, as training goes into the 6 week duration. Those that stay in the military are given various benefits and tax breaks, as well as being given the opportunity to volunteer for the re-instituted Local Defense Forces, like those of the past Yugoslavia.
-The first national arms factory is opened Nikšić, called Onogošt Works. Here, the StG-39 is produced in large numbers under the name Juriša 1940, or J-40 for short. The J-40 is quickly distributed amongst the Local Self Defense Forces various armories, as well as being put in reserve for the possibility of national mobilization.
-Another breakthrough takes place at one of the Montenegrin arts colleges. A small, much more compact camera is created, able to “sit” atop one's shoulder without too much discomfort. Other cameras are far too bulky or simply too heavy to be handled in such a way, but this camera, the “Leptir” (Butterfly), is able to be hauled by a single person, creating a new and more variable way to capture images for movies.
-In a non-film related breakthrough, electronic engineers in Cetinje stumble upon the creation of smaller, more compact vacuum tubes. These tubes are leagues smaller than the previous ones, and a person can fit five of them in the palm of their hand. This is a boon to electronics companies worldwide, who rush in droves to purchase prototypes of the design.
-As the war rages in Europe, the United States bides their time and uses their somewhat isolated position to their advantage. The Soviet Pacific Fleet is still considered a threat, and the United States skirts along the eastern coastline of Japan in hopes of drawing the Soviets out into a brawl. There is some success, as a handful of Soviet submarines are sunk before they can return the favor, but not much else happens as both navies seem to chase each other in circles.
-With the aid of the Canadians and Australians, a second invasion of Siberia takes place. This time, launched straight from the Aleutians, various winter-prepared troops storm the beaches far north of Kamchatka to do combat with: nothing. The lack of Soviet defenders is considered a boon, and the NATO soldiers quickly use this to their advantage, creating a strong beachhead, and begin constructing an airfield to land both supply aircraft and bombers that can strike deeper into the heart of the Soviet Union.
-Soldiers in Iran are moved northward alongside their Iberian allies to drive a hole into the Caucasus mountains. Whilst on their way, they are regularly harassed by red-allied Iranian guerrillas, but the favor is occasionally returned with impunity. As the Americans push into the mountainous Caucasus SSR, they soon discover that the training that took place in Alaska some time before begins to pay off. Americans lead the charge towards the city of Baku, though the going is tough and slow, as the snow in the mountains refuses to give way even as the early days of summer roll in. Nonetheless, the American push in the Caucasus is appreciated by the war department and Iberian soldiers alike.
-Americans in Europe, the small number that is there, continue to try and keep supply lines straight and safe as the Soviets step up their air raids. American medics are saviors to many NATO/ULE wounded, and a couple Americans are given honors by the Italian and Polish governments for “defending Christendom and the goodwill of nations”. However, Soviet POWs in the hands of Americans are tossed about to various nearby allies as the United States has no contingency plan on dealing with captured soldiers. Depending on the commander, PoWs are given to the French or Iberians, the latter more than happy to take prisoners away from the front.
-The United States attempts to prop up the seemingly collapsing United Kingdom by promoting investment into British industry and supporting the British economy by buying their goods. The “Never Let A Good Friend Down” campaign begins, with radio and poster advertisements depicting a Bald Eagle and Lion staring at a rising, new dawn. Americans do what they can, though the move is boycotted in cities like Boston as Irish-Americans feel that the British ‘must reap what they have sown’.
-The Democrats win the 1940 elections with a tidal wave victory as FDR takes office yet again as president of the United States. A propaganda campaign, headed by Roosevelt himself, focuses on the “weeding out of Soviet sympathisers” and the “destruction of the Red Menace”. The American populace is whipped up into a frenzy by the propaganda, and socialists in the United States once again slip into the shadows to protect themselves from brash attacks.
-Weapons and arms manufacturers are given huge benefits by the American government as the United States begins full-scale mobilization. Everything from handguns to bombers are produced within the United States, safe from air raids or sabotage from afar. Light supplies are shipped to the Iberians and British as the United States once again acts as the ‘Arsenal of Democracy’, much like they were during the first Great War.
-Taking designs from the Germans, the United States beings constructing their first designs for jet aircraft. Failed test after failed test finally reveals a workable, effective jet aircraft design created by Curtiss Wright. The P-40-A Firebird is a single-engined jet fighter armed with quad .50 caliber machine guns and an autocannon at the front of the plane. Able to outrun just about any plane, the P-40-A begins production as soon as the blueprints are accepted by the US government. It will take months, if not a couple of years, before the plane replaces the various fighter planes of the US air force, but is considered a huge leap forward for the American military.
-American researchers begin toying with the idea of “splitting” the atom, or the theory of fission. Separating the atom would expel a tremendous amount of energy, and the United States hopes to find a way to harness it. Safely.
-Soviet Defenders in the far west begin to draw back to their deeper defenses towards the east. Repetitive bombing and rocket raids from the Germans and Iberians make defending the Balkans a dangerous and grueling task that sees Soviet soldiers forced out of Lithuania entirely. However, the Soviets do not fall into the trap of a counterattack at the peak of winter, and instead force the NATO/ULE invaders to go on the offensive come spring, bogging some of them down in the thick, muddy morass that is the Russian springtime.
-In the far, far east, the American and Canadian marine corps make a landing north of Kamchatka, catching Soviet eastern observers entirely off guard. Though their initial landings see minimal combat, and most of the territory seized is flat plains land or tundra, there are reports of a makeshift airfield under construction, and more troops landing on the beaches preparing to move into central Siberia.
-Soviet troops cornered in Lithuania make a daring final stand in Vilnius. Forcing the NATO soldiers to enter the city, the dwindling numbers of Soviet defenders wreak havoc on the occupiers through guerilla attacks and sabotage, leading to the destruction of many parts of the city. A counterinsurgency campaign lead by Iberians sees even more of the city outright razed, including some of the Orthodox churches and synagogues that had stood in the city for nearly two centuries.
-Soldiers retreating eastward do the only thing that seems viable. The brutal practice of scorched earth begins, as farms, defensive positions, villages and forests are razed, burned and filled to the brim with mines and other booby traps to refuse the western attackers passage. The Baltic and Belarusian populace is horrified by the tragedy, but posters made by Soviet propaganda artists declare the process necessary and “the only option”.
-The Soviet Union pulls out its attacking troops in northern Iran, leaving much of the fighting up to the revolting tribal groups and the Baloch/Pashtun armies. Much to the boon of the Soviet Union, many Baloch citizens under Iranian control rise up to assist their independent brethren, and march forward under a red banner. Many Central Asian troops from the Soviet Union request that they stay behind and “finish the job”. Zhukov, personally leading the entirety of the Soviet Union’s military, grants them this right.
-As Soviet soldiers begin to leave Iran, they leave behind red books, communist propaganda, and the air of the possibility of return. Socialists originally repressed by the Shah simply follow the Soviets out, creating the “Iranian Legion” of the Soviet army. Numbering in the low thousands, these newly recruited soldiers are sent back home to act as a guerilla force, making life painful for the Iranian government.
-In the Caucasus, Iberian and American troops break through the thinning lines of defense and arrive in the mountains themselves. Soviet defenders move quickly and with impunity to defend the key city of Baku from Iberian hands, ensuring that the oil-rich territory doesn’t come under the control of the Fascists. Defensive lines are set up, as well as making the city bristle with anti-air guns and artillery emplacements.
-The fortifications originally intended for Moscow are shipped to Leningrad and Riga, in hopes of making a “final stand for the heart of the Soviet Union”. The various naval facilities in the Baltic, constantly under threat of aerial or rocket bombardment, regularly send their vessels in and out of port at random times to avoid the oncoming explosives. Riga itself slowly begins to resemble a medieval fortress rather than a city, as huge concrete structures of varying shapes block the city’s natural entrances and create chokepoints along the many roads that lead towards the city center.
-The defensive line around Leningrad expands as well, but is far more complex than the hulking mass around Riga. With the cultural, strategic and monetary importance of Leningrad taken into account, the Soviet engineers work day and night making winding paths of concrete bunkers, artillery/anti-air emplacements, trenches and hidden groundworks that twist and turn at random, non-patterned intervals. The city itself sees areas razed and recollected to create fortifications within the city streets. Civilians are evacuated from the city, given a small monetary and foodstuffs benefit, and shipped to one of the larger cities at the heart of the country, such as Moscow or Volgograd.
-Rash bombing raids go out in absolute force against the invaders, with fighters being given makeshift bomb releases to launch daring attacks against supply lines and defensive positions. Heavy bombers escorted by “fighter-bombers” arrive at nighttime in occupied Lithuania to bring flaming death, trying desperately to strike the Iberian rocket positions, as well as grind German armored divisions into dust. Though the raids may not initially take out their targets, the fear of nighttime destruction stresses the attackers significantly, spreading paranoia of airstrikes throughout the NATO/ULE lines.
-Naval forces of the Soviet Union continue construction, though they are prioritized in the far east to prevent further beach invasions from the Americans/Canadians/ANZAC, as well as to duke it out with the ever present Imperial Japanese Navy. Raids from Soviet coastal defense ships along the Korean shoreline infuriate the Japanese, who retaliate with a horrific firebombing of Vladivostok. Much to the dismay of the Japanese, the firebombing simply hardens the Soviet resolve, who want a successful Round 2 against Japan after 1905.
-Soviet aircraft factories are switched into overdrive, creating the smaller fighters made during the last war, as well as producing the I-16 ‘Ishak’, the small monoplane made in the old interwar era. The Soviets also begin to prioritize the escorting of bombers in hopes of minimizing losses when going on bombing raids. The small, nimble Ishaks act as hounds on a fox hunt when escorting the cumbersome TB-3 heavy bombers.
-The Soviet Union experiments with small-party raiding tactics, hoping to probe and find holes in the attacker’s lines. These small parties are at a smaller risk of detection, and their losses minimized. Dubbed “Red Raiders” by the ULE/NATO forces, these small parties wreak havoc on forward observation posts, and occasionally reach as far back as supply lines, making things ever more difficult for the invader.
-Oil and natural gas deposits from the Soviet Union are torn open and exploited as quickly and efficiently as possible, though the latter falls to the back of many refinery operator’s minds. A large amount of oil is exported to Chinese farming companies in return for rice, wheat or pork, in hopes of reducing the stress put on Soviet farms. The remaining oil is sent to stockpiles, and the entirety of the Soviet Union undergoes emergency oil rationing to ensure that the military can operate as quickly and cleanly as possible.
-Industry and weapons production is slowly moved farther and farther towards the center of the Soviet Union, isolating it from the prying hands of aircraft or artillery. The winding rail lines that linked the Central Asian SSR to the west and east are expanded towards the center, and huge amounts of heavy industrial equipment is shipped hastily along these lines to be set up in the various factories that crop up in the icy tundra.
-Prisoners of war are some of the first to begin working in these factories, as their initial setups are dangerous and untrustworthy. This is considered revenge for the various Soviet prisoners whisked away by the Iberians, and many ULE soldiers pay the price of being worked in horrid conditions for their association with the fascists.
-A wounded soldier by the name of Mikhail Kalashnikov is seen scribbling on a chalkboard at a field hospital outside of Minsk. Medics quickly report his scribblings to Soviet high command. His drawings are that of a heavily redesigned StG-39, using a different, “intermediate” caliber, as well as a much more simple gas-operated bolt system. As soon as the news reaches Moscow, Kalashnikov is picked up and sent to the famous Tula arms manufactory to put his prototype rifle to the test. It works wonders, able to throw lead reliably and accurately without running into jams or other operating issues. The rifle will take some time to be perfected, and the Soviets cannot afford to change their production on weapons now, but the ‘Avtomat Kalashnikova 40’ (AK-40) is a phrase muttered by any Soviet soldier heading towards the front, wishing to replace their SVT-40 with something better.
-After receiving messages and photos from the Iberian government describing their nuclear test and their bombs abilities, Soviet nuclear researchers prepare their response. Out in the cold wilderness of Bjarmia, a huge crowd of Soviet reporters and observers gather in the seemingly endless snow to watch “an expression of Soviet power”. Mikhail Kalinin and Georgy Zhukov both sit in the front row, wearing the bulky black goggles that are meant to shield their eyes. Once the clock strikes noon, the cloudy day is lit with the blinding flash of the first Soviet nuclear weapon. Kalinin’s expression is reported to be that of shock, whilst Zhukov stands and cheers as the mushroom cloud slowly ripples its way up to the heavens. The Soviets, too, have rubbed the lamp.
==Turn 22: July to December 1940==
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-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-War is a byword for the everyday as the Third Great War continues to rage in Eastern Europe and Iran. Many wonder if they should call it the 3rd War or just continue calling it the second, as the 3 year peace was meagre at best. The term Intrawar becomes increasingly popular to describe the entire period.
-Just like in 1936, the Summer Olympics for this year, planned to be held in Helsinki, are cancelled.
-In Britain, the votes go through that allow Scotland to sever itself from the United Kingdom. Dubbed the “Summertime Rebellion” by the English and “Independence Day” by the Scots, the two newly reformed nations of England and Scotland are radically different in economic, social and political scopes.
-The war in South America continues as Patagonia smashes the tiny Paraguay, and turns to roll over Bolivia with impunity. Unfortunately for the Patagonians, Paraguayan nationalists and remaining soldiers have fled over the border into Brazil, are re-armed, and take up the fight in Bolivia, forcing the Patagonians to fight a brutal and unrelenting counter-insurgency.
-In India, Tamil outright conquers the nation of Ceylon. There are words of massed attempts of ethnic cleansing, with thousands of bodies washing up on the western shores, many of them emaciated or badly beaten.
-In Croatia, a far-right nationalist parties is elected, while in Serbia, its ruling party, which has become more radical, is re-elected. Both parties are, to a certain degree, modeling themselves after the Partito Nazionale Fascista of Italy.
-Gujarat’s military dictatorship is deposed by the invading Madhya, who then unite the socialist-leaning Gujarati expats in the fight against Andhra, which proves to grind to a halt as both nations are rocked by economic setbacks caused by the sluggish world economy.
-The economy begins to stumble as import/export dependent nations feel the pain of commerce raiding, bombing runs and a workforce dedicated to fighting rather than producing. The nations hit the hardest are the small Indian substates and those in South/Central America. However, the domino effect is beginning to hit larger nations, such as those in NATO and the ULE.
-The French, in Algeria, test their first nuclear weapon. Now, a ‘Nuclear Tripartate’ has been born, as one of each major wartime alliance now has access to the most powerful weapon in history. However, the French explicitly state that the bomb will not be used in hostility.
-The first nuclear weapon used in hostility is dropped by the Soviet Union on December 30th, 1940. The weapon is used on her own territory, striking the city of Grodno. Thousands of people are killed, including many ULE troops and civilians alike. Thousands more are wounded and brought to field hospitals, their skin burnt, some blinded, others nothing more than a leathery crisp writhing on a stretcher.
(Note: All NATO advances in Europe are represented as German occupation, ULE as Iberian)
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Berlin, Great Germany
Head Nation: Great Germany
-Members:
--France
--England
--Great Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--United States of America
--Slovenia
--Alsace
--Romania
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
--Egypt (Dependent)
--Jordan (Dependent)
--Scotland (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Japan
--Iran (Protectorate)
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Nanjing Association (NA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
Type: Defensive Pact
Comintern (C):
Headquarters: Moscow, Soviet Union
Head Nation: Soviet Union
-Members:
--Soviet Union
--Balochistan
--Pashtunistan
Type: Defensive Pact
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
Type: International Association
Player Events:
-Ignoring the strife in eastern Europe and central Asia, the Republic of China continues to spread its influence throughout the subcontinent of India, introducing stronger development companies in Rajastan and Haryana. A large “Indian Superhighway” is considered and is set to the drawing table, hoping to link the Nanjing Association with its far western friends. Orissa and Uttar, the two states separating Rajastan/Haryana from Assam are brought into talks with the various development corporations, and allow the beginnings of the highway to be put through their lands.
-The Chinese embassy in Tokyo begins stall tactics to delay hostilities between China and Japan. Much to China’s luck, the Japanese accept the offer and postpone deals. Nonetheless, the Japanese take a hardline stance against China, boycotting the purchase of Chinese goods and refusing to sell to China. Japanese troops are massed in Korea, and observers fear a surprise assault if the Japanese are not contained quickly.
-As the Soviets begin to produce their own German-esque assault rifles, the Republic purchases the blueprints to the Soviet AK-40 after a short telegram deal between Nanjing and Moscow. Much to the chagrin of China’s European trade partners, the Chinese quickly see the usefulness of a select fire, compact, mobile rifle such as the AK-40.
-Throughout the country, the massive industrial projects that started nearly 9 years ago come to their first closing points. Thousands of hospitals, schools, government centers, roadways and factories dot the landscape from Harbin to Lhasa. A gigantic highway linking major cities throughout China finally ends its last loop into Nanjing, completing a multi-thousand kilometer course that criss-crosses throughout the nation.
-The Chinese, ever restless, continue their industrial expansion, with a massive campaign to standardize factories and hospitals throughout the nations. With the groundwork in place, a nationwide standard for healthcare/industry is a key instrument for leaping forward, as the Chinese continue to trump the various great powers in terms of economics, unity and military strength.
-With the Japanese unwilling to back down, the Chinese mobilize their divisions throughout the north and south-west. Thousands of reserves are called, and graduates from the various military colleges are immediately deployed on the Sino-Japanese fronts, especially facing Korea. Both sides prepare for a brawl that could last years on end, but foreign observers place their bets on the more organized, numerous and technologically advanced Chinese. This does not deter the fighting spirit of the Japanese, however, and instead ignites a rash series of Japanese nationalist rallies in Tokyo and Sapporo.
-Air assets are on high alert, and the Chinese regularly push their aircraft as far into Japanese airspace as legally possible. The more modernized Chinese models are able to scoot out of range of the Japanese who turn to respond, but are sometimes escorted out by surprise visits by Japanese CAGs.
-Luckily for the Chinese, some Japanese troops are peeled off the border and sent south in order to break up the communist insurgencies cropping up in northern Korea, clearly backed by the Soviet Union. Chinese advisors get hot in the collar, fearing that the insurgency-if successful-, will spawn another Communist uprising in the Republic.
-Naval production continues as the Chinese race to get their navy up to snuff, especially in comparison to the Japanese and Soviets. Though the navy may have more ships in sheer number, many of the reserve ships are nothing more than glorified river monitors, and the purchase of British/Soviet/American designs are a boon to the Chinese naval spirit.
-The Chonqing/Wuhan conglomerates begin mass producing military equipment to meet up with the demand of the mobilized troops. It is not uncommon for the roadways to be commandeered by trucks towing cannons, guns, tanks or other military equipment as the railways soon become bloated with huge numbers of Chinese military goods.
-The Soviet AK-40 undergoes tests at the Yibin weapons range, and proves to outperform most of the single-fire/bolt rifles imported from Europe. Immediately, starting with the next financial year, the Chinese military plans on producing their own “Type 40” rifles in order to finalize a national standard. The sheer variety of weapons in the hands of the Chinese makes them formidable to an extent, but hampers ease of production, and especially interferes with interchangeability in the field. The Type 40 will put a stop to this with due haste.
-Researchers continue to tamper with their large computing machine, the Tianlong I. With some minor adjustments, using small vacuum tubes purchased from Montenegro, the Tianlong II quickly replaces the original. However, the machine still fills a room and sounds like an aircraft taking off when calculating long strings of mathematical equations. Nonetheless, the Chinese know that this isn’t some technological fad, and will dominate the world from military to entertainment sometime soon in the future.
-Chinese researchers prepare the first designs for a secret weapon capable of “destroying entire cities in a single blow”. Its purpose and properties are unknown, and it is not uncommon to see military police surrounding the research facilities 24/7.
-The German army, with assistance from their NATO allies, pushes farther east along the Baltic sea, seizing city after city. Many of the Soviet defenders put up a vicious defense, but are slowly beginning to crack under the pressure of so many men attacking at once. NATO forces, especially the Germans, grow ever closer to seizing the prized old-Russian capital of Leningrad.
-Seeing no other choice, German high command unleashes “Unternehmen Arnulph”, or a series of nighttime bombings on two major Soviet cities, Leningrad and Riga. What makes Arnulph different from other air campaigns is the usage of experimental biological weapons. These bombs are nothing more than shrapnel bombs, but instead of high-grade explosive, are packed to the brim with sewage, detritus and other disgusting sludge.
-The bombing raids in Riga and Leningrad prove to be disgustingly effective, as the bombs are dropped on rear lines and hospitals, spreading infection and causing hundreds of soldiers at a time to go septic from their wounds. Thousands of innocent civilians come down with a cacophony of diseases that begin to spread to the countryside as freshwater lakes are soon contaminated.
-After the vicious disease-ridden bombing runs of the German aircraft, the cities are then “purified” by napalm-rocket barrages by the Iberians. The once beautiful historic districts of Riga are scoured with burn marks and bloated corpses. As Soviet defenders are finally forced to retreat, many Germans recall the stench as something “closer to Hell than one could think”.
-Germany takes command of NATO forces in Europe, as a majority of the fighters in the east are already under the command of German officers. To cut down on confusion, Berlin soon becomes headquarters for NATO, and Germany is finally given the chance to unleash itself onto the Soviet Union.
-Using the experimental tandem rotor helicopters, artillery that was once towed by horse or truck is “airlifted” onto hills or craggy, rocky territory. This is a boon to German artillery crews unable to use the Self-Propelled Artillery pieces, as they can unleash shell after shell from once unreachable areas. However, it is not uncommon for one or more of the helicopters to be intercepted by daring rear-line attacks by Soviet fighter pilots.
-French and American forces are officially ordered to remain in Lithuania to begin “administering to the occupational authority”. German officials meet with Lithuanian collaborators, and in Vilnius, the 2nd Republic of Lithuania is declared, and the Lithuanian Social Democracy party is put in office. The more left-wing party is closer aligned to the Germans as opposed to the staunch conservatism of France or Britain, but is nonetheless much more free in comparison to the hulking Soviet Union that the nation has recently freed itself from. The Germans make a point of re-taking the city of Memel, however, which makes more nationalist-minded Lithuanians furious.
-NATO troops begin to fortify Lithuania as much as they can, as able-bodied Lithuanian men are quickly armed and shoved to the front in the creation of the “Lithuanian Legion”, under the command of the German Army. The Legion mainly acts as rear line logistics defense and prisoner train guards, but are nonetheless a boon to the Germans as they are able to free up more and more men to put them towards the front.
-German leaflets are dropped alongside packages of Russian-translated copies of “A Single Flower”. The leaflets and films are used in hopes of convincing the Soviets that the usage of nuclear weapons is a step too far, and that war is a “manly, honorable” deal. The Soviets clearly don’t get the message.
-After a nuclear weapon is used against the ULE in Grodno, the Germans come to rushing blows with the Soviet forces head to head. The Soviets, believing a counter-attack is what is required, attempt to force NATO and ULE soldiers back to the first series of defensive lines, or better yet, over the border. Unfortunately for both sides, as the NATO flood continues eastward, both armies suffer immense casualties, eventually seeing the Soviets giving up territory in the Baltics in order to regroup.
-The Germans up their game with their speedy Self-Propelled Artillery, using brash, rapid nighttime attacks with the HELB shells to scorch forward defensive positions and lay waste to communications centers unlucky enough to have been spotted by reconnaissance. These fast moving vehicles disappear into the night before anti-tank or counter batteries can respond.
-At home, the German government encourages the creation of a “Pen Pal” program, or having schools send letters to soldiers at the front in hopes of creating a national bond between children and the soldiers of their country. Morale wise, it is a well-needed boost for the average soldier to see handwritten letters from children of all ages. When soldiers send their letters back, most of them are black-and-white rainbows of military censures and restricted information.
-With the war going on, and growing ever intense, the German economy begins to feel the hunger pangs of worldwide recession. As her former trade partners in South America begin to bailout their banks, and Indian substates are unable to afford German industrial goods, many German factories are forced to form conglomerates or risk going under.
-Using a scaled-down design of the J40, German aircraft engineers at Messerschmidt are put to work in the creation of the Schnelllebigen Höhenbombenflugzeuge Modell 1940, or better known as the SHM-40 “Kuguar”. The Kuguar is a twin-engine aircraft much like the J40, but is much smaller in scale, and carries a small cargo bay of bombs. Though unable to deliver the payload of its larger brethren, the Kuguar is able to hold its own against oncoming fighters, and does not require escorts. It is the first “multirole” aircraft of its kind.
-Toying with the bizarre frankenstein designs of the Panzer I, Krupp steel unveils the PzKpfwKmz-I, under the nickname “Hurrikan”. The Hurrikan is a slow moving mobile anti-air platform, with the ability to carry a stunning eight rapid-firing machine guns, or two of the large Flak anti-air cannons. Some German satirists in the lines don’t call it the Hurrikan, but instead the “Blähung” for its sluggishness and noisy attitude.
-Fighting in Europe reaches an interesting breaking point as Soviet soldiers are forced to retreat from their main lines of defense in the west. As the Soviets begin a campaign of scorched earth and prolonged engagements, the Iberians must begin a strange doctrine of counterinsurgency in tandem with the usual combined-arms warfare as the Soviets refuse to make anything easy.
-The Iberian military, with assistance from NATO and Iranian troops, finally smashes through the Caucasus mountains as the Soviets are forced to retreat. The Iberians grow ever closer to grabbing the key, oil-rich city of Baku in the Caucasian SSR, but the Soviet resistance is far too intense. Soviet bombers constantly rattle positions in the mountains, and drive many of the invading forces into steep ravines or craggy valleys in order to avoid being blown to pieces. So the Iberians begin Operation Caesar.
-Operation Caesar is a ferocious air campaign against the cities of Minsk and Baku in the USSR and the city of Khuzdar in Balochistan. The air raids, combined with long range rocket strikes, cause serious damage to the economic and industrial infrastructure in the Soviet Union. Baku burns brilliantly at night as oil refineries are ignited and the fuel goes up in flames.
-Khuzdar, the capital city of Balochistan, is not treated as “kindly” as the other major cities. Air raids scour the city for days on end, rockets come down like rain when aircraft aren’t filling the sky. The Iberians prioritize the use of napalm, and the operation calls for “acceptable civilian casualties” in order to send a message to those willing to resist the ULE. Thousands are killed, thousands more forced from their homes, and the economy of the tiny nation collapses seemingly overnight as its only major source of unity and infrastructure is razed from the sky.
-In the Baltic, the Iberians conduct a bizarre new form of naval warfare. Using the newly designed Arma-2 rockets, Iberian destroyers are given a leg up on the Soviet defenders, now having the ability to strike from considerable range. Many Soviet coastal and pocket destroyers are sunk as the fast moving rockets strike their hulls before captains can respond. Rockets, for now, are still beaten by torpedoes as courageous (or crazy) Soviet submariners take a couple Iberian Rocket Ships in response.
-Receiving orders from Iberia, the various ULE nations under the command of Madrid begin separating from a sole combined push east and attempt to lock the Soviets down on multiple fronts, especially along crucial sea routes in the Aegean and Okhotsk seas. Most notably, the Saudis discontinue exporting their oil to anyone but the Iberians, which draws ire from those unable to support themselves off of American oil alone.
-Iberia begins to slowly tug on the leash of Patagonia, encouraging that the massive South American state begin exporting its goods to Iberian ports. Most of these goods, free of tariffs, are precious metals and minerals from Chile and southern Argentina, which are used in the production of a variety of goods in Iberian factories in Morocco. The Patagonians gladly accept the offer, and the two Falangist nations grow ever closer together.
-Warming relations in India is next on the list, as the Iberians create a free trade deal with Kerala and Tamil. The latter nation, finished with their war and pleased with the tactical assistance given by the Iberians, takes up the offer to open their ports to Iberian military and transport ships. Though some are unsure what this development will lead to, it is further proof that European meddling in India has yet to come to an end.
-After intensive air raids, the Iberians push eastward with a combined spearhead of ULE infantry from all respective nations involved in the European conflict. During their fight east, however, a lonely Soviet bomber enters the airspace under control of the ULE. Brushed off as a bomber lagging behind and separated, the Iberian ground forces expect the air force to take care of it. Instead, a bright flash over the Iberian-occupied city of Grodno ignites the morning of December 30th with the heat of the sun, obliterating the city and frying thousands of ULE soldiers into a crisp.
-The city itself is demolished, and few caught in the nuclear crossfire live to tell the tale. Soviet leaflets dropped the following morning urge the end of the war, and request that the combined forces cease their invasion and come to tables for peace.
-After a nuclear weapon is used against Iberian forces in Grodno, the ULE is soon faced with the possibility of being overrun. Ignoring the casualties, Iberian commanders throw everything they’ve got into the massive Soviet counterattack, managing to throw them back at the expense of countless lives on both sides.
-At home, the Iberian Government attempts to alleviate panic by introducing a “Healthy Family” tax break. Up to 10% of each year’s taxes can be deducted from families for each newborn child. Though the government explicitly states the maximum deduction can be 45%, there is a host of new benefits for larger families in Iberia, especially those that bear a large multitude of children. Those of Andalusian descent are punished for having children, however, and newborns are regularly seized to be “Racially Re-Educated” in state orphanages.
-The public at large in Iberia, even though the controls on media are choking to the point of lunacy, are nonetheless alerted to the nuclear bombing of Iberian troops in Grodno. This immediately results in a bank rush and a short period of panic throughout most of the populace. However, with assistance from Goebbels in Germany, the Iberian government twists the nuclear bombing into a boon for propaganda. “Any socialist is a detriment to life itself. Out a socialist, be a hero for Iberia!” is plastered on posters throughout the country, encouraging the arrest or capture of any remaining socialists, who are quickly whisked away.
-Iberian rocket scientists, ever itching to make something new, begin using cluster-bombs from the Japanese in an attempt to create a “Rocket Delivered Multi-Munition System” (RDMMS). These smaller rockets would be carried by rocket artillery platforms or, possibly, mounted beneath the wings of aircraft. Set to a certain distance before being launched, these rockets would detach their cone and spread dozens of grenade-sized explosives that either detonate on impact or land on the ground, waiting to be stepped upon by unwary soldiers. This comes as a strange counter to the idea of “bigger is better”, as some scientists pledge allegiance to the school of miniaturization.
-Electronics scientists in Iberia conduct experiments with a sound-based detection system for naval vessels. In this case, a short pole dipped into the water emits a “ping”. This ping bounces off of solid objects near the ship, and the report is collected by a hulking electronic rig on the bottom of the keel, which is recorded by systems inside the ship itself, giving a rough estimate of depth and the possibility of nearby submarines. This “sonar” system is extremely expensive and fragile, and must be further experimented upon if better results are to be expected.
-A second large conference, called the Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, is held at a large hotel in Ulcinj in Montenegro, as various countries from the previous meetings came together to discuss the creation of the Non-Aligned Movement. As the meeting goes on, some of the nations that attended previously are not warmed up to the idea, and back out on the NAM entirely. However, the Non-Aligned Movement officially gets off the ground in the autumn of 1940, and includes the nations of Nicaragua, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland and of course, Montenegro.
-Most interestingly during the conference, the representative from Brazil is joined by non other than Josef Stalin himself. Stalin, the short-time leader of the Soviet Union, looks nothing compared to his former self. His hair is wiry and graying, his signature moustache joined by a puffy beard. Wrinkles and signs of aging wrack his face, but his composure has changed little. The Brazilians, communists in their own right, bring Stalin to make a point to the Patagonian assembly, who quickly leave the conferences insulted. Behind closed doors, the Montenegrins are happy to see the two polar-opposites leave the talks.
-The Montenegrin government continues to monitor the creation of “Common Slavonic”. The researchers and scholars make significant breakthroughs with pronunciation and accenting of certain phrases, and the first few pages of a Common Slavonic dictionary are written in the wee hours of the morning at a coffee house in Cetinje. Scholars from around the world, even those unable to speak any Slavic language themselves, are intrigued by the developments, and it is a hot topic at many college linguistics classes the world over.
-Students entering the arts are still encouraged to further their crafts and become members of the ever growing Gorawood community. Many of the students compete with one another in hopes of joining the Royal Film Society. Much to the chagrin of those that make it into the society, those that don’t are still brought into jobs for filmwork.
-Movies in Montenegro are now given the opportunity to become “Certified Pieces” by the Royal Film Society. Certification entails that a film is to be considered a national work of art and thus archived in a deep, climate controlled vault. These films, including the famous Battle of Kosovo, are used as examples for moviemakers the world over. It is an honor to be certified, and directors and producers from around the world flood to Montenegro in hopes of being certified themselves.
-One of the biggest films released in this period, Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator", is released with help of Gorawood, as Hollywood was unsupportive of the film's political nature. The major worldwide success of the film has lead to United Artists entering a good relationship with Gorawood, becoming one of the first big American studios to work in the Montenegrin film industry.
-In the west, Montenegro begins to expand itself upon its coastlines. The first series of expansions are to attract sailors heading to/from the Suez canal before they meet the free-trade ports of southern Europe. Explicitly, the Government does not allow for the creation of gambling centers, but instead a variety of resorts and movie theatres throughout the coastline of Montenegro. Many of these resorts end up “theming” themselves, and a couple successful resorts attempt to mimic the homeland of visiting sailors, which spices things up for those at sea for a long, long time.
-Another large expansion of Montenegro begins, on both the coast and far inland, this time militarily. Token fortifications undergo construction in the crooks of mountains and at shallow waters in the north and southern coasts. These fortifications are not exactly defensive, but instead force would-be attackers into dangerous choke holds, especially in the mountains.
-The Montenegrin military begins standardizing the caches of the various national militias, as well as expanding the total number of arms and other wartime supplies. In larger cities, ration centers under the command of local militia leaders are set up in order to protect the populace from possible famines in the event of invasion.
-Taking pages from the United States, Montenegrin industrial engineers begin testing with specialized forms of asphalt, like that seen on American highways. Much of Montenegro’s roads are in desperate need of repair or upgrade, and the first people put to work on them are soldiers from the Montenegrin Army Corp of Engineers. These roads are given first military priority, and then civilian once their construction is over. Though the former is considered the “owners” of the road, the latter are usually the only ones seen on them.
-A Montenegrin Merchant-Marine of sorts is created, using hired hands from various nations to control lightly armed vessels that will protected Montenegrin cargo ships from would-be attackers. These ships, mostly Pre-First-Great-War vessels or chop-job junkers carrying machine guns, are not to be laughed at in the event of combat, as many of their crewmembers are either veterans or expats from various European nations.
-After hearing of the performance of large-caliber guns against even some of the heaviest armored tanks, the Montenegrin military experiments with the creation of armored “Tank Destroyers” as opposed to a dedicated armored corp. As the nation’s military is entirely defensive, fighting tanks are a waste of resources, and instead the army focuses on the creation of a squat, crab-like tank destroyer called the Model 1940 protivtenkovsko oklopno vozilo [Anti-Tank Armored Vehicle], or the PTOV-40 [ATAV-40], otherwise known as the Bulldog (Buldog). The Bulldog lives up to its name, as its gigantic 85mm cannon can pierce thick armor, and its sloped, thick front can withstand heavy punishment. It's only detraction is that its speed leaves much to be desired, and its rear is almost paper-thin. Nonetheless, the Bulldog is a much desired tool for the Montenegrin armed forces.
-In the west, the situation grows dire for the Soviet Union. A rash series of German bombing campaigns leave hundreds dead every day, and thousands more infected with a menagerie of horrid diseases as Riga and Leningrad are slowly smothered with disease-riddled bombs from the Germans.
-The Germans are not the only ones carrying out intensive bombing raids either. The Iberians begin bombing cities like Minsk and Baku with impunity, slaughtering countless innocents as they attempt to grind the Soviet industrial capacity into the dirt. With Minsk, the city is horrifically scarred, and the Iberians grow ever closer to capturing the key western city.
-All options are off the table, and the Soviets undergo a secret operation simply titled “The December Plan”. On the crisp, cold morning of December 30th, 1940, a lone Soviet bomber carrying a low-yield nuclear weapon drops its payload on the city of Grodno at 9:15 AM. Thousands are killed, citizens and soldiers alike, as the Soviets insist on making a point that this is a war that will not end without both sides left bleeding.
-Immediately after the weapon is dropped, the Soviets prepare a massive counterattack. Proper soldiers, conscripts and militiamen all join in a huge wave that sees the largest combined armed force the world has ever seen. It is thrown straight west in a gigantic cascading line, hoping to engulf the ULE and NATO invaders in a net and crush their advance. The fighting is brutal, casualty-ridden for both sides, and ultimately sees the enemy continuing to advance. However, the enemy’s advance is slowed significantly, and the resolve of the smaller states like Poland and Italy are tested as division after division of their forces are shattered in the wake of the Soviet counterattack.
-A bombing campaign is used in order to force the attacking troops in the Caucasus into a panic. It is largely effective, and protects the crucial city of Baku from being outright captured. Though it is unable to entirely stem their tide, the Iberian and Iranian troops in the Caucasus are confused and unsure how to advance through the tricky terrain of the mountains.
-The Soviet army unveils the massed production of the simplistic-yet-effective Katyusha rocket system. Seen in limited use during the Second Great War, the Katyusha is extremely useful in the Caucasus front, regularly sending cascades of rockets into the mountains. In the west, the Katyusha is good at breaking up enemy advances and covering counterattacks, especially in Belarus as the ULE attempts to force a spearhead towards Minsk.
-The Soviet air force turns east as American and Japanese troops make gains in Siberia and the Yakut peninsula. These air raids are tasked with breaking up the construction of any possible fortifications, as well as driving the Americans/Canadians back into the sea. Though not entirely able to break up their advances, the Americans quickly find out the ferocity of a Siberian winter, and the program of building an airfield is postponed indefinitely, forcing the Americans to regroup south with the Japanese.
-In northern Korea, with assistance of Red Army troops heading out of Vladivostok, a communist insurgency breaks out in Korea in hopes of relinquishing the chokehold of the Japanese imperial influence over the once free peninsula. The Soviets do not claim responsibility for the uprising, but few listen.
-Anti-air begins being deployed in major cities in the center of the Soviet Union in order to defend them from the continued air raids. Cities like Minsk and Leningrad feel that the Anti-Air emplacements are coming too late, even though the latter was bristling with it just months before.The anti-air emplacements in the Central Asian and Siberian cities that produce much of the Soviet’s military goods constantly scan the skies, on the highest possible alert to ensure nothing gets too close.
-The remaining bombers in the west begin a vicious campaign against the Hungarians, hoping to grind them into submission as the Soviets are forced to withdraw from their northern gains in Romania. The Hungarians, largely disorganized and focusing on defending the homefront, cling to the Carpathians in order to defend themselves from the Soviet bombers. Many of them are regretting the decision of dismantling the Arpad Line.
-In Romania, as the Soviets attempt to force a peace, they soon find themselves being forced to cut losses and pull eastward and secure their gains in the east of the nation. The Romanian fighting spirit is dwindling quickly by the day, and much of the fighting in the Balkans is conducted between other NATO members as opposed to Romania itself, who was smashed three times in less than a century at this point. The Romanians refuse to admit defeat however, and vow revenge for the loss of Bessarabia.
-The Soviets begin a campaign of fortifications in Siberia and Soviet Manchuria in hopes of driving any eastern invaders into chokeholds out in the steppe or frozen tundra. These construction projects are sluggish, however, as many of the army’s assets are spent in the west for defensive purposes against the ULE and NATO in Europe.
-As the Soviets begin to produce their own German-esque assault rifles, the Republic purchases the blueprints to the Soviet AK-40 after a short telegram deal between Nanjing and Moscow. Much to the chagrin of China’s European trade partners, the Chinese quickly see the usefulness of a select fire, compact, mobile rifle such as the AK-40.
-Mikhail Kalinin’s health continues to falter, his breaths slow and wheezing. At a state meeting in the Kremlin, Kalinin officially resigns his position as head of the Soviet Union, and names Georgy Zhukov, hero of the Second Great War, as his successor. Some criticize Zhukov’s more conservative mindset and “staunch militarist mind”, but few could find a better person to lead the Soviet Union at this time.
-One of Zhukov’s first orders is to begin the massed construction of underground fortifications in the event of a retaliatory nuclear strike. More or less giant bomb shelters, the fortification construction above ground for cities like Leningrad, Moscow and Smolensk is cancelled and immediately put to use underground.
-The Soviets unleash a vicious propaganda campaign against the western invaders, depicting them as brutal tyrants and maniacal killers. Many posters use full color photos of Iberian retaliatory actions to civilians and publications of the treatment of prisoners when in the hands of the ULE. Images of dead children and the rotted husks of once great cities cover lamp posts in order to stir the public into a rage. They succeed.
-However, much of the public is extremely unsettled by Operation Augustus, Arnulph and most especially, the use of a Soviet nuclear weapon on one of her own cities. The Soviet public, though enraged by the actions of the invaders, furious with the treachery of the “imperialist devils”, are nonetheless made uneasy by the events of nuclear bombardment. The Soviet government manages to quell the fear, ensuring that the weapon was used as “the ultimate push for peace”.
-Infrastructure and industrial capacity in the Soviet Union begins to take a hit, as repetitive bombing raids continue to ruin railways and important factories in major cities. As the Soviet military scrambles to nail down the ever widening fronts, factories are unable to keep up with demand, and older, less adept models of equipment must be sent to the front in order to keep some semblance of order amongst the troops. The complete and utter cessation of trade between the Soviets and the rest of the world sans Finland and China begins to hurt badly.
-Upset with the constant harassment from the Germans and Americans, engineers at the fledgeling company Mikoyan (better known as MiG) roll out the first Soviet jet fighter. Modelled loosely on the J40 and P-40, the MiG “Sokol I” is put to the test in prolonged dogfights over the Caucasus. Its swept wing design gives it turning a dime-small turning radius and the ability to pull out of a dive at blinding speeds, seemingly ignoring G-Forces. The only issue with the Sokol is its expensive means of production, and the fact that the Soviets are unwilling to sacrifice able pilots to retrain them on the new machines.
-A breakthrough is made in the realm of chemical protection. At Uralkali, researchers unveil the first “Hazardous Waste Protection Suit”. Using rubbery materials in a full-body suit, and a diver-like helmet with a built in gas mask, a man is able to don the gear and be more or less protected from gas, chemicals and even low levels of radiation. The first soldiers to wear them in field tests are laughed at by colleagues, and nicknamed “Gingerbread Men” for the deep tan coloration and bizarre shape the soldiers take. They stop laughing once they find out the Gingerbread Men have guns.
==Turn 23: January to June 1941==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49690501&viewfull=1#post49690501
-World Tensions are very high.
-The Treaty of Riga is signed within the wreckage of the once beautiful city. NATO, ULE and Comintern officials meet to see the end of the Third Great War. The Soviet Union is officially forced out of Europe, as the National State of Poland expands into territories lost nearly a decade ago, the Baltic states are officially independent, Azerbaijan is seized by Iran, an independent state known as Somkhiti is formed in Armenia/Georgia, and the once proud state of Balochistan is absorbed into the ever-growing Iranian empire, among other things.
-Economies around the world are rattled dangerously. Even with peace, the small nations in South/Central America and India struggle to keep themselves afloat, unable to meet the demands of debtors and investors in Europe/Asia. Major nations keep themselves steady, but risk financial collapse if the wrong choices are made at the wrong time.
-A series of major political shifts take place throughout the Balkans. As the democratic Montenegro elects a pacifist, centrist party focused on maintaining order and peace, her neighbors choose differently. In Croatia and Serbia, their respective ruling parties, supported by Italian military personnel, instate their rule with an iron fist. In Greece, a bloodless coup sees the evacuation of the King, and the instatement of the Greek nationalist party, the Freethinkers' Party. Though undergoing political change, these three fascist nations continue to pledge their allegiance to the ULE, considering them to be the “best possible option for them”.
-War breaks out in the Middle East as border troops skirmish along the Iran-Iraq border. Iran, furious with the attacks, declares war on the no-longer-supported Iraq, and is joined by a handful of ULE members. Few expect this war to last for long, as the Iraqis are not only outnumbered but outright surrounded by ULE members or supporters.
-A revolt breaks out in Pashtunistan with the contractions of the Soviet Union. A group known as the United Afghan Coalition declares war upon the Pashtun government, hoping to create a communist-free and independent state in Central Asia.
-The Soviet Union undergoes the death throes of revolution once again as Georgy Zhukov seizes absolute power in the country and begins to dismantle everything that made the nation communist. In this move, the Comintern is officially disbanded, and the Soviet Union begins its transition into a new and frightening era, heralded by a new form of leadership.
-Though war is officially out of the papers, not a single person believes that the world is ready for peace. Pessimists believe that this is simply the next part of a short period that will lead to the fourth, fifth, sixth or even one hundredth Great War that will finally engulf the war and tear it apart at the seams.
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Berlin, Great Germany
Head Nation: Great Germany
-Members:
--France
--England
--Great Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Alsace
--Romania
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
--Egypt (Dependent)
--Jordan (Dependent)
--Scotland (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Japan
--Iran
--Patagonia
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Nanjing Association (NA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
Type: International Association
Player Events:
-With the war over in Europe, and the many nations of NATO and the ULE reeling from the shock of prolonged combat, the hulking giant of China remains unfazed by the world’s collapsing economy. Though weakened, the Chinese economy continues to overpower its far weaker neighbors.
-Using the South East Asian Development Corporation, the Republic strengthens its ties with nations throughout India, butting out European influence and insuring a peaceful, economic transition to be brought under the yoke of China. Socialists consider the SEADC the “Modern tributary system to the Emperor of China”. The phrase backfires as it encourages Chinese entrepreneurship.
-As the war in Andhra against Madhya continues to drag on, both sides resort to vicious reprisals and guerilla tactics. This is not what the Chinese desire, and instead Nanjing bites the bullet and finally exerts its influence deeper into Asia. Weapons and trained officers alike are airdropped into Andhra at the request of the conservative, anti-socialist country. The Madhyans are furious, and request aid from the Soviet Union, but are ultimately ignored. The fight quickly goes into the hands of Andhra as they are able to utilize the aid given to them by China.
-At home, China begins a new industrial campaign. As infrastructure, mines and industrial capacity are expanded significantly, the Chinese begin carving their way into the Earth itself. Huge pit mines, cleaving into the sides of mountains, tunnels twisting for nearly miles on end, and thousands of tons of precious metals and other useful raw materials are hauled out of the ground and sent to processing centers. Coal is as plentiful as raindrops in a monsoon as the Chinese exploit the territories of Inner Mongolia to the fullest extent.
-Huge processing plants in major cities rumble to life as huge amounts of all sorts of resources come flooding through the doors. China begins to refine its own oil, process its own metals, and form its own steel. Gas and oil fields supply the gigantic Chinese military machine, whilst coal pushes the Chinese industrial capacity into a totally new age.
-A “New Industrial Revolution” has taken place in China, overstepping the boundaries placed in the 19th century. The sheer number of factories and employed peoples in China puts industrial nations like Germany and England to shame.
-The Ministry of Education performs immense reforms throughout the nation, imposing new laws requiring the attendance of some form of primary/secondary education. All primary schools are officially required to teach the latinized Chinese alphabet, including private schools. This is a major step forward for China, and many hope to see a new generation of Chinese citizens on-par with the elitist populations of Europe, who can no longer turn up their noses at “uncivilized chinamen”, as everything they do, China does better.
-Militarily, China begins to step up their game now that militaries are slowly beginning demobilization throughout Europe. Using their warm relationship with their giant (and recently defeated) neighbor, the Soviet Union, the Republic of China purchases the blueprints and two working models of the Sokol I fighter aircraft. With some minor tweaks, new blueprints are created for the “Feilong Rapid Assault Aircraft System” (simply Feilong).
-At Yibin, the Feilong is tested in performance against existing Chinese aircraft, and outperforms all of them with flying colors. The Chinese air force commanders are stubborn, and hope to see their propellor planes kept at the very least as reserves, sad to see the sleek designs be replaced with the garish jet aircraft.
-The Type-40 rifle undergoes intensive testing at Yibin, as the Chinese try as much as they can to stamp out any of its issues. Multiple designations for the Type-40 are created, with shorter barrels, “folding” stocks, a rifle firing pistol cartridges and other sorts of different designs in hopes of specializing the Type-40. Most results are what they were expected: fantastic.
-Changsha continues to expand its weapons facilities, creating larger specialized factories for the production of weaponry, from small arms to artillery pieces. These larger facilities seem to work at a nonstop pace, usually being engulfed with raw materials taken from the north and west, keeping these factories working with a surplus.
-More dockyards begin expansion in the four major naval cities. These expansions are mainly large drydocks in order to settle carriers or cruisers, useful for rapid reconstruction or rearmament if the need arises.
-A simplistic design from an entrepreneurial farmer makes its way into the hands of engineers at the Yibin testing grounds. Using a large, track-bearing tractor with a hatched back, the Type 1 Tractor is born. Larger than the average truck, the Type 1 is able to haul heavy equipment, carry huge amounts of goods, or even transport weapons/troops. The Type 1 is also able to ignore the issues of mud, snow, salt, water and sand, putting other trucks in the dust. The huge amounts of refined oil and natural gas allows the Type 1 to skitter about China like swarms of ants.
-In Inner Mongolia, the Chinese unveil their true and absolute power. Hundreds of Chinese officials, including Chiang Kai Shek himself, watch with awe as China tests her first nuclear weapon. The test takes place immediately after sundown, making the flash all the more brilliant and imposing. Many stand and cheer, while Chiang stays in his seat and stares at the destruction that the weapon could wreak upon the world, finally showing everyone that the Chinese are a superpower, and that they’re here to stay.
-The treaty is signed with the Soviet Union, and the world officially falls into the uneasy sleep of post-war doctrines and diplomacy. Germany begins to demobilize her armies, and sends a majority of the new recruits home, leaving some veterans and volunteer groups to stay in the recently freed Lithuania and Latvia to begin reconstruction.
-With massive influence in the east, the Germans continue to exert themselves over the Baltic sea, now hooking the Latvian and Lithuanian republics into a “Baltic Confederation”, or a trade group focused on the Baltic sea. There is a catch for it, however, as any ships destined to or coming from the Soviet union are tolled heavily at the various ports that face into the cold Baltic sea.
-As much as they try to hide the incidents, the word of using biological weapons gets out, and is plastered over newspapers the world over. Luckily for the Germans (and unluckily for those caught in the blast), the nuclear scorched-earth overshadows it in many regards. Nonetheless, Brazil and Colombia officially cease all trade with Germany until the nation “responds and apologizes for her treaty-breaking actions”.
-Also in response to the bombings, the United States officially leaves NATO as it begins to draw back on its military forces. Seeing that the world is more or less made “safe”, and unwilling to participate alongside the Germans, NATO sees a key ally in the far west leaving on its own volition.
-Various extra bolt rifles and etcetera surplus supplies are sold to Montenegro in return for the rights to produce the color television models domestically for two years. German electronics manufacturers like Neumann are excited to get their hands on the various television sets, and the German government encourages the competition between the producers.
-An election takes place in Germany, now that the war is over. Wels expects an easy victory, but instead, the "Deutschnationale Arbeiterpartei" (German National Workers' Party), lead by the farther left-leaning Joseph Goebbels is victorious, though by a small margin. Some consider this a shock, as Goebbels's policies butt heads with those of the more conservative Germans, and many of his critics accuse him of “communist sympathy”. Nonetheless, the DNAP takes power, and begins instituting sweeping reforms economically and legally throughout the country.
-National standards for work hours and policies on working environments are put in place, and are enforced heavily. These standards include 8 hour work days and a 5 day work week, with factories allowing for a half-day on Saturdays. A long, 3 month total period of non-Federal holidays are allowed, giving workers far more freedom. This infuriates some of the larger companies, who had more control over their employees, but many of them don’t wish to risk federal indictments and begrudgingly accept the legislation.
-The Value-Added-Tax (VAT) is raised significantly on luxury items, including televisions, radio sets, record players and non-consumables of the like. This is to encourage domestic production and slowly wean Germany off of dependence on foreign imports.
-The German military begins to streamline itself by slowly cutting down on redundant units and divisions. Smaller divisions are reorganized into larger sets, and the German military cuts itself into the Reichswehr, Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe, as opposed to have dozens of units that weaseled their way in between. Naval infantry and paratroopers are dragged into their respective parental transports, which further incites the friendly rivalry between branches.
-SHM-40 pilots on their way back to Germany’s central airfields are greeted with an interesting message from German high command on their arrival. All SHM-40 pilots are to begin large, nationwide training exercises to not only teach new pilots how it's done, but to also to encourage newcomers to the Luftwaffe.
-The SHM-40 is now officially considered the backbone of the Luftwaffe as the Germans continue to streamline their armed forces. The many prop planes of the German Luftwaffe begin their phasing out, though it will take ages before Jets become the “big thing” of the German air troops.
-Captured AK-40 models are brought back to the arms manufacturer Mauser and taken apart, studied, and dissected as the German military tries to keep itself ahead of the game with standard infantry weapons. Breakthroughs are made, but models ready for the production line have yet to be decided upon.
-After seeing the devastation wrought by the nuclear weapon dropped on Grodno, and knowing that Germany is swiftly falling behind in the world’s leading powers when it comes to nuclear capabilities. German nuclear researchers look to the tech shared with them, and undergo the process of coming up with “advanced” nuclear theories.
-Hearing how effective Iberian “sonar” was at detecting enemy submarines, the Germans, of course, must have it themselves. German researchers at Neumann experiment with their first “advanced hydrophone” in the Kiel canal, and pick up a detailed map of the canal’s bottom, simply by using sound and it’s returns. The Germans cannot wait to put it on their own ships.
-Peace is achieved with the Soviet Union and her former allies, as the Iberians and Iranians make major gains in Central Asia. The ULE declares victory, and Iberia begins to demobilize its forces present in Eastern Europe, though some remain in Poland to begin reconstruction of various cities and villages scoured by combat over the past few years.
-Iberian troops in Iran stay mobilized, and move to the caucasus and Indus valley in order to preserve peace and exert ULE influence over these newly acquired areas. In Baku, the Iberians take control of the city and begin military administration, expecting the transfer to the Iranians to take some time.
-The Saudis, seeing that the Third Great War is over, request that their territories in the east be returned to their legal owners. The Iberians, however, cite the instability of Central Asia, and instead continue to occupy eastern Arabia. Unable to deny their overlords their prize, the Saudis buckle and let them keep the oil-rich east for themselves.
-With the war continuing in South America, and the Patagonians making major advances against Bolivia, the Iberians finally put their foot down in the continent. Bringing delegates from Brazil and Patagonia to Lisbon, the two sides officially declare a non-aggression pact, in which both Brazil and Patagonia will not attempt to “violently subvert one-another’s legal international rights”. This infuriates the Brazilians, while simultaneously giving the Patagonians serious breathing room. With the treaty signed, the Patagonians are met with an invitation to the United Liberal Entente. It takes the Foreign Minister all of 3 seconds before signing the agreement, bringing the nation into the fold and extending the ULE’s influence officially into the far-western hemisphere.
-After intense negotiations in Tehran and Madrid, the Shah of Iran officially institutes the “Declaration of Hormuz”, or an Anti-Arab doctrine that goes out of its way to suppress the small Arabic minorities in areas such as Khuzestan. In return for instituting the doctrine based loosely on the Barcelona Laws, the Iranians are officially welcomed into the fold of the United Liberal Entente.
-An intense gunfight breaks out between rogue Iraqi soldiers and Iranian border guards after news of the Declaration of Hormuz reaches Baghdad. Though only a handful of Iranians and Iraqis both are wounded, and only two Iranian soldiers are killed, it is an international incident that sparks intensely hostile relations between Iraq and Iran. Now lacking the goliath-like support of the United Kingdom, Iraq is unable to keep up its image, and instead forces Iran to the battlefield as Tehran officially declares the nation in a state of war against Iraq. This declaration draws Iberia into the fight, as well as Italy and Greece. Other ULE members have yet to answer the call, considering this to be a “limited” conflict.
-Land deals are once again given to returning soldiers in Morocco and the Central African territories. Some more entrepreneurial Iberian soldiers head to the occupied territories in eastern Arabia hoping to strike it rich with the oil that seems to bubble out of the ground like nobody’s business. Much of these land grants are accepted happily, and Iberia sees a large number of families moving to Morocco and Sahara, some setting up “resort” communities along the beautiful, bright-white beaches in the west of Africa. Some Iberians choose to stay behind in Poland, refusing the land grant and instead settling in the “Home of an Ally”. Ibero-Polish communities begin to spring up in cities like Krakow and Plock.
-Iberia begins to subsidize its industries, especially those involving the processing of precious materials and raw resources. This comes as deals between Iberia and Patagonia become commonplace with the latter nation brought into Iberia’s United Liberal Entente. These subsidies also encourage what little competition there is left in the non-nationalized businesses throughout Iberia.
-The first Turbojet design is considered at a rocket testing facility in northern Morocco. A large engine able to “inhale” outside oxygen, catalysing the fuel and allowing for immense energy to be released, propelling the experimental MGM-1 “Matador” rocket to extreme ranges at unbelievable speeds. The engines are somewhat costly, however, and many wonder if it is worth it to slap it onto something meant to explode.
-Using designs of simple farmer’s tractors, Iberian engineers create the Model-A Transporter Erector. This hilariously named device is almost crudely simplistic. It has two large, tube-like pads sitting on a squat, wheeled chassis, and can hold two of the MGM-1 rockets in its slots. Though laughable in shape, it stuns observers when it is able to deploy two of the large, high-speed, low-drag explosives at blinding speed: and then be able to pack up and move away. With the Iberians and Germans neck-and-neck in terms of artillery technology, the new ground-based arms race has begun.
-Various extra bolt rifles and etcetera surplus supplies are sold to Montenegro in return for the rights to produce the color television models domestically for two years. These weapons are distributed amongst the various militia groups. It soon becomes apparent that all volunteer guards are so well armed that the magazines are known to stock two rifles to every man. Few can find a problem with it, however, and subscribe to “the more the merrier”.
-The Soviet AK-40 and Federov Avtomat arrive in small crates at Montenegrin ports as the Soviets begin to sell off excess materials. In return, lands are leased to Soviet production companies in Gorawood alongside selling the Bulldog TD to the Soviets. Within the deal, Gorawood is assigned the task of making various tourism-based movies for the Russians, in hopes of keep the relations warm between Montenegro and the USSR. This led to the production of two types of tourist films - films from the Montenegrin tourism industry focused on attracting the people of the Soviet Union to the Montenegrin coastline, and films to attract foreigners to come to the Soviet Union as tourists.
-After small negotiations, the various members of the Karađorđević family are officially invited to live in Montenegro, and are given a small estate tucked away from the rest of the larger cities. Nicknamed Karahutor, the estate houses not only the entire royal family but a small army of servants and retainers that will see to the whim of the Karađorđevićs. King Michael is regularly seen touring the countryside with his 1st cousin once removed, young Peter, son of the late Alexander I.
-The Montenegrin Linguists' Association is formed, a government-sponsored association that is publically monitored, with a focus on including the Common Slavonic movement. However, the Association also encourages the study and preservation of “Extinct/Endangered” languages, such as Cornish, Dalmatian, Coptic, Sabir, Kurdish, Sanskrit, Assyrian, Greek of all forms and Latin of all forms (including various forms of Vulgar Latin) plus dozens of other languages. Major steps are made, as linguists from around the world find a place to share their studies in the very heart of Montenegro.
-Gymnasiums, parks, college grounds and even some churches open their doors to government officials as polling places crop up around the country. Finally, the Montenegrin people are given the vote for premier. A variety of far left and far right parties attempt to vie for power, especially considering the various changes in Montenegro’s increasingly belligerent neighbors. However, their attempts manage to divide the public’s view, and the centralist Narodna Sloga (People’s Concord) takes power with more than 58% of the vote, smashing the 9 other parties into the dirt. However, a strong minority comes from the Demokratski front (Democratic Front), led by former PM Milovan Đilas, and the Montenegrin Parliament begins its first series of what will become many debates over domestic and foreign policy.
-Montenegro officially forms an official, government subsidized television and radio broadcasting network, aptly titled Montenegro Broadcasting (Radiodifuzija Crna Gora, or RCG for short). This comes as the nation begins to clean up its oversaturation of television stations that are usually privately run and only reach a handful of viewers, and instead consolidate them into roughly 14 stations. No jobs are lost, luckily, as the move instead creates a deficit of workers, enabling recent graduates from the various Montenegrin art schools to get a job.
-The government continues to encourage the arts, and with the victory of the centrists, dozens of smaller “academies” are created to give children an after-school or weekend relief from everyday life, letting them express themselves through both visual and audible art. A new generation of artists is gently nurtured as both liberals and conservatives feel that they can express their feelings without being judged or threatened. A new movement pops up, based on the idea of helping the people "catch up to all the art it had missed/passed by", such as during the times of occupation or practical isolation, called Neo-umetnost. Locally, the movement is known as the "Kotorski pokret" and those who join in are called "Cattaristi".
-The Trašte Film Festival (known locally as the Traštni festival), an international film festival, is held in Tenije. Many European film makers arrive in the coastal city for a chance to showcase their films. The decision to make a film festival came after the city absorbed some of Ljesevici, leading to sights like Fort Trašte becoming part of the city and subsequently being protected. The city's nickname, Filmska Palanka, is displaced by the new nickname Trašte, leading to the old one only referring to Pelikolanica.
-In the tiny mountainside village of Ubli, the Montenegrin government buys up a plot of land to begin the construction of the Aerodrom Drum (Drum Airport), or a small, comfortable airport with criss-crossing, winding access to major cities throughout Montenegro. Focusing on ease of access and fluidity of travel, the airport sacrifices what many would consider “luxury” items (cocktail bars, lounges, etc.), but few can complain. The airport’s location makes it a central point for those traveling across the mediterranean or heading from east to west, leading to the village renaming itself after the airport, Drum. As fledgeling airline companies believe that jets are the future of commercial travel, Montenegro hopes to be the first to house intercontinental (and international) customers.
-The Montenegrin government officially places a state patent on the small vacuum tubes and Leptir-model camera. Though some criticize the move as “nationalizing” and thus infuriating to any would-be fascist, the government assures that it is done in the best interests of Montenegrin intellectual property and will cut down on thievery/mimicry overseas.
-The AK-40, Fedorov Avtomat and StG-39 continue production in Montenegro as weapons designers attempt to create the “best of the three”. Firstly, the Juriša 1940 is renamed the Šaržer 1940, or S-40, or its nickname “Shorty”, as an American military analyst calls it during an interview. The AK-40 is renamed Onogošt M41, and the Federov Avtomat as the Automat 1941, as the Montenegrins begin to modernize their army. Other than uniform, the average Montenegrin militiaman is indistinguishable from a NATO/ULE soldier in his armaments.
-A new anti-air gun is designed at a Montenegrin weapons testing facility. Using designs from the Swedish Bofors 40mm Anti-Air cannon, a crew of Montenegrin engineers tamper with it and attempt to miniaturize it. Their miniaturization brings the gun down to a much smaller 20mm cartridge, but also increases the cyclic rate. The Model 1941 višecevni protivavionski top [Multi-Barrel Anti-Air Cannon], or the VCPAT-41 [MBAAC-41], is born, using 4 barrels firing one after the other to fill the sky with lead. However, to the general public, it is given the name "Harmonika" (Accordion) for its speed and bizarre sound when fired from a distance.
-Car companies from around the world, funded by the Montenegrin military and government both, compete for the creation of an “off-road” capable vehicle. A design is decided upon halfway through the competition, as the Model 9 All-Terrain Truck is created. The most shocking aspect of the ATT is its origin: Mitsubishi-Ford. The ATT, a fairly squat truck, boasts thick shock absorbers and specially designed tires that are able to grip muddy or rocky surfaces and haul the truck on extreme angles. Though it sucks fuel like nobody’s business, it is the first of its kind, and is dubbed the “Montenegrin Moto” by Mitsubishi-Ford marketers who attempt to sell the truck to consumers in the west. However, the first 1200 cars are to be produced for the Montenegrin government, warranty and all, and the Montenegrins get a small cut of every truck sold afterwards.
-After the war is over, civilians who are furious with the introduction of Communism into the region begin gathering in Peshawar to form a political entity focused on driving communism out.The idea of an Afghan national identity is formed as the Hizb Majana (Free Party) attempts to wipe away nationalist sentiments that keep “freedom and tranquility divided”.
-The Free Party sees scores of angry, anti-communists joining its ranks. A small scale propaganda campaign begins throughout major cities, with posters demanding that the people stand up and speak out against communism and the influence of the Soviet Union. This slowly begins to get on the nerves of the state police, and it is not uncommon for Free Party members to be whisked away in the middle of the night never to be heard from again.
-After a while, the Free Party grows bolder and begins to stage protests in major cities like Peshawar, which they consider their home and base of operations. Clashes between protesters and police is common, though most of it is the exchanges of fists or stones with one group being run out by another, with minimal injuries on either side.
-However, on a day forever titled “Bloody Friday”, the Free Party stages a protest outside of a major government center on a cool Friday morning in mid April. The officials, frightened by the sudden arrival of so many angry protesters, call out the Pashtun National Revolutionary Guard to suppress the crowd. A shot is fired, nobody knows from where it came from or where it landed, but it sparks a massed rush to storm the building. Eleven protesters are shot down, while two policemen are killed in subsequent fighting.
-With Bloody Friday fresh in the people’s minds, the Free Party and some of its neighboring constituents believe that they have had enough. Forming a small, loosely-unified group and heading into the mountains, the United Afghan Coalition is born. Lead by the charismatic Afghan national, Abdulla El-Sayed, the UAC begins a vicious guerilla campaign against the Pashtun government.
-The initial fighting sees significant victories in the northwest of the country, as Communist influence is minimal. The UAC is able to keep a firm grip on the various criss-crossing mountain territories while also making repetitive raids into the east. Lacking proper aerial reconnaissance, the Pashtun government is forced to give the rebels their gains in the west as they recuperate to begin a counter-campaign in the crossroads between Afghanistan and Pashtunistan.
-However, their successes are short lived as the UAC makes an attempt on assaulting Kabul, the heart of what was once an independent Afghanistan. Though the Pashtun military is a glorified militia force itself, it is able to repel the many attacks on the city’s center, which ends in the deaths of hundreds of rebels, forcing them to rethink their strategies.
-In the far east, the heartland of Pashtunistan, the UAC continues its campaign in the streets. Government officials are shot by passerby, buildings and cars are rigged to blow, and letters containing scandalous photos are slid beneath doors at hotels. However, this instead allows the Pashtun government to wreak a reign of terror on any they deem to be “threatening to the public establishment”, and forces the nation into lockdown.
-Necessity is the mother of invention. Fighters in the UAC prepare various improvised weapons to keep themselves safe while also inflicting damage against the Pashtun government without using precious firearms or their munitions. Improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, are created en masse to wreak havoc on troop movements. Usually made of fertilizer in pressurized containers hidden on the side of the road, these weapons can tear men apart just as much as a grenade or rocket.
-Improvisation doesn’t stop at explosives either, as UAC members attempt to create their own weapons while hiding out in the mountains. Pipe rifles, crossbows, and even a grenade-launching ballista are created in compounds hidden deep within ravines. Some firearms are also created, most of them being crude mockups of existing bolt-action weapons, dubbed “Pamir Pass” copies.
-The United Afghan Coalition will be forced to continue its campaign for some time as the government goes into overdrive militarily, willing to crush any form of resistance from the UAC or its supporters.
-The United States, after sitting at the peace tables, officially withdraws itself from Europe and Iran. Thousands of able-bodied American troops hop on planes and boats, say goodbye to any mistresses or friends they may be leaving behind, and happily begin their journey home across the Atlantic.
-Of course, some soldiers remain in Iran as the United States introduces an international aid project that focuses on the rebuilding of any/all territories affected by the last war. Politically neutral, the International Solidarity Program (ISP) takes in volunteers from around the United States, and even Western Europe, and head into war torn areas to help the populace (quite literally) pick up the pieces.
-The ISP works in tandem as the United States unveils a large-scale plan to continue propping up the economies of those affected by the most recent war, including Iran, Japan, France and most shockingly: The Soviet Union. The few Russian companies that are not entirely under the yoke of nationalization are given minor investments from American business owners in hopes of keeping some semblance of sanity in the Soviet economy.
-In a shocking turn of events, after receiving leaked information involving the German’s use of biological weapons, the United States officially leaves NATO. Keeping with their original isolationist attitude, the United States finds itself “done with war” and wishes to focus on itself and regional issues, instead of acting like some sort of “Policeman for the world” alongside their former European counterparts.
-As American troops continue to return home, the United States institutes a second bill regarding veterans. Small land grants in the southwest and tax benefits are handed out to those who served their time in Europe or Iran. Really, most troops are happy to be home to see their friends and family, and to remember those who don’t get the chance to come home. And never will.
-American factories begin to switch from wartime production back to civilian goods in hopes of stimulating the market in some form. Luckily for the United States, this next market fluctuation is not as debilitating as the last, and enough people are able to keep their jobs, letting money flow somewhat smoothly throughout the country.
-Imports from other countries begin to dwindle as the United States focuses on domestic production. Luxury items from Montenegro and industrial goods from China are increasingly uncommon as most companies cannot afford to buy large quantities of such materials, and are instead looking to find a way to produce their own before demand skyrockets.
-As the United States leaves NATO, they aren’t willing to leave behind the advancements made by their allies. Taking the early designs of a four-engine aircraft, and using upgraded P-40A engines, the United States begins the creation of a massive, hulking, jet powered bomber. The XHB-1 (Experimental Heavy Bomber Model 1) is unveiled at a military contracting competition in Arizona. Reaching speeds that put some of the quickest fighters to shame, the XHB-1 makes up for a lack in capacity with speed, able to keep out of the range of oncoming attackers with ease. So long as the fuel stays at reasonable levels, of course.
-A nuclear scientist from Harvard proposes the idea of using radioactive materials in a peaceful format. Using a large container filled with water, and injecting it with rods of highly-reactive substances and harnessing the steam that is put out. The biggest issue is containing the water, ensuring that it does not leak or spread contaminants into civilian populations. The solution is simple, but kept behind closed doors as the United States enters the beginning of a Nuclear Energy program.
-The Treaty of Riga is signed within the wreckage of the once-great city. With that, the Soviet Union is forced back into Eurasia, and its territories in the Baltic and Poland seized by newly formed governments. Her armies are beaten, her reputation shattered, and the will of the people nearly broken.
-Zhukov, acting as supreme minister for the Soviet Union, takes the opportunity to completely “throw off the chains of the old government”. Using a vicious propaganda campaign, Zhukov turns the people against members of the old Soviet government, blaming them for the loss of the war and the “creation of what would soon be a failed state”. Pamphlets, posters, and public demonstrations flood the streets of major Soviet cities, demanding the breakdown of the various parliaments and government cliques in the Soviet Union.
-Zhukov wins over the Soviet Military by giving them specialized tax breaks and the ability to keep their weapons, so long as they register them to local armories. These soldiers, furious with the loss and the failures of the old government, pledge allegiance to Zhukov. Few loyalists remain in the Soviet army, as many of them were either killed or fled at the first sight of political upheaval in the country.
-Full military control is achieved under Zhukov, who declares himself National Guardsman of the Rights of the Republic, Autocrat of All Slavs, Protector of Christendom, Leader of the Disenfranchised, Great General of the Military and Father of Revolution. His massive title is criticized by many hardline communists for being “Imperator-like”. These critics soon find out that they have little room, and little time, left to speak.
-In early March, the Kremlin is stormed by a horde of well-armed Soviet soldiers. Members of the Supreme Soviet are arrested in huge amounts. Those that surrender peacefully are given pardons or lessened jail sentences, depending on their position. Those that resist are dragged into the street and executed. This process happens hundreds of times throughout the Soviet Union over the course of a week as Zhukov launches his official coup of the USSR, seizing control of the nation militarily.
-Martial law is declared throughout the Soviet Union as more and more communist and old-government buildings are seized. The Central Asian and Belarusian SSRs are given the simplistic offer: Join or Die. They choose to join, unwilling to deal with the massive cascade of Zhukovist soldiers that are sweeping through the USSR like a tidal wave.
-The “May Purge” is launched, seeing hundreds of former Soviet officials executed, and hundreds more either imprisoned or exiled. Zhukov declares that it is a “much needed and required act for the sanctity of the Russian People”, and institutes a law officially outlawing the old government. The Zhukovists, a pseudo-political party, are instituted as the main party of the state for the time being as the Soviet Union undergoes the chaotic transition into a new era.
-The First Confederate Congress takes place on June 4th, 1941. A collection of Zhukovist officials, military leaders, businessmen and Orthodox priests are brought together in order to create a “Confederation” rather than a “Union” of the various states within the Soviet Union. They meet in Moscow, which is still considered the home of anything Russian, though a constitution is yet to be drawn up due to disagreements between members.
-In the meantime, Zhukov formally disbands all laws regarding free trade and external economic cooperation. Soviet factories once owned by the government are sold off in huge quantities to any entrepreneurs willing to take up the offer. Discounts, of course, are given to those ethnically Russian.
-The International Solidarity Project works in tandem as the United States unveils a large-scale plan to continue propping up the economies of those affected by the most recent war, including Iran, Japan, France and most shockingly: The Soviet Union. The few Russian companies that are not entirely under the yoke of nationalization and functioning are given minor investments from American business owners in hopes of keeping some semblance of sanity in the Soviet economy.
-The Soviet AK-40 and Federov Avtomat arrive in small crates at Montenegrin ports as the Soviets begin to sell off excess materials. In return, lands are leased to Soviet production companies in Gorawood alongside selling the Bulldog TD to the Soviets. Within the deal, Gorawood is assigned the task of making various tourism-based movies for the Russians, in hopes of keep the relations warm between Montenegro and the USSR. This led to the production of two types of tourist films - films from the Montenegrin tourism industry focused on attracting the people of the Soviet Union to the Montenegrin coastline, and films to attract foreigners to come to the Soviet Union as tourists.
-Small coastal boats operated by Soviet naval troops begin the grueling, dangerous campaign of de-mining the Baltic and Black sea. If the nation is in any way hoping to regain control and be able to export its goods, incoming vessels should not have to snake their way into the warm water harbours of the Black Sea or the vital bottleneck of the Baltic.
-A military engineer from Tula, fiddling with designs on paper, accidentally designs a new weapons system for aircraft, made to compliment the Soviet jet. Using a large, tubular shape, the “Гадюка” (Viper) Rocket System is able to spew up to a dozen 40mm rockets in one wild blast. This cuts down on the need for dive bombers or bizarre, single-bomb carrying attack aircraft, and instead could lead to Soviet multipurpose attackers, somewhat like those of the Germans.
-A nuclear scientist from Iowa, no less, proposes the idea of using radioactive materials in a peaceful format. Using a large container filled with water, and injecting it with rods of highly-reactive substances and harnessing the steam that is put out. The biggest issue is containing the water, ensuring that it does not leak or spread contaminants into civilian populations. The solution is simple, but kept behind closed doors as the Soviet Union enters the beginning of a Nuclear Energy program.
==Turn 24: July to December 1941==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49734187&viewfull=1#post49734187
-World Tensions are very high.
-Some believe that the world world has begun to transition into a period of uneasy peace. Though some spats continue in the Middle East, observers believe the war may soon be over. In South America, the Patagonian Empire officially annexes Bolivia, and reports of massed executions of government administrators leak into European media. Tensions rise once again in Asia as Japan believes that the Chinese are behind the rise of the Korean Republican Army, and mobilize for a possible conflict with the hulking Republic.
-Economically, the world is still stumbling. Many economies in South America and India default, causing massed migrations to the more rich countries in southern Europe or north America. This sees an influx of unskilled migrant workers into countries already struggling to get their armed forces demobilized into the workforce.
-Another rebellion takes place, this time in Bulgarian-occupied Macedonia. Local Macedonians refuse to live underneath the power of the Bulgarians any longer, and their protests were met with gunfire. Push came to shove, and the war for freedom begins.
-Major transitions take place in the former Soviet Union, as Zhukov now has absolute power in the newly formed Greater Russian Confederation. In Europe, as parliamentary elections are prepared, there is a rise in far left and far right parties as the people begin to look elsewhere for answers.
-An extremely debilitating strain of bacteria begins to spread through communities in Korea. Unknown in origin, it appears to attack the lungs and destroy the pulmonary artery. Dubbed Staphylococcus asiaticus, scientists keep an eye on this, fearing that there could be a Spanish Flu-like outbreak were it to spread outside of these rare cases.
-A new alliance is formed, this time in the middle east. A large cooperative effort, made by the United Arab Republic, Egypt and Jordan, the Arab Economic League is formed.
-The Iberians test a small-scale warhead in the deserts of Morocco. A rocket carrying a nuclear weapon is launched from the north of the territory and lands harmlessly in the Sahara desert, though the explosion it sets off is enormous.
-The Russians, though at peace, detonate a massive nuclear weapon in the far north of their country. Considered to be a prototype to a hypothesized “Hydrogen Bomb”, this weapon is roughly five times more powerful than the one dropped on Grodno, though the hypothesized designs could make it even larger.
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Berlin, Great Germany
Head Nation: Great Germany
-Members:
--France
--England
--Great Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
--Egypt (Dependent)
--Jordan (Dependent)
--Scotland (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Japan
--Iran
--Patagonia
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Nanjing Association (NA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Russia
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
Type: International Association
Arab Economic League (AEL):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
Type: Economic Association
Hispanic Trade Organization (HTO):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Iberia
--Patagonia
--Mexico
--Ecuador
Type: Economic Association
Player Events:
-With a new, non-socialist government in place, the Republic of China continues to warm its relations with its hulking neighbor, the Greater Russian Confederation. With this, the two giant countries come together to consolidate their power over the continent of Asia.
-Xingiang/Sinkiang/Uighurstan, the state known by many names and never one of its own, is released from the grips of the Russians and into the hands of the Chinese, who celebrate by holding a joint military parade with Russian garrisons in the city of Uruqmi, where military advisors from both sides hold an official ceremony that hands the territory back to the Chinese.
-The Greater Russian Confederation is also given an important position in return for giving up territory to the Chinese. After a short deal is made between Moscow and Nanjing, the Russians officially join the Nanjing Association, spreading the economic alliance’s influence into Europe.
-A defensive alliance is signed between the Russians and Chinese in the event of continued expansion into Eurasia from outside powers. With the Russians limping along, and the Chinese economy growing larger seemingly every waking moment, the two superpowers are linked ever so delicately together.
-Deals are signed with the tiny Balkan state of Montenegro. With the help of Gorawood production crews, the Republic of China unveils a “Serial” series of films on Sun Yat-Sen and the success of the Chinese Revolution. These short movies are usually played after the world news at movie theatres, and are regularly met with praise, sometimes more than the various imported films themselves.
-South East Asian Development Corp. advisors continue to make significant gains in India, spreading the tendrils of the Indian Superhighway into the independent substates to the west, especially in Rajastan. Much of the SEADC’s success comes from the faltering economies of the substates, who are desperate for assistance from the outside, which the Chinese are more than willing to provide.
-The nation of Andhra, after having assistance from the Chinese and setting a peace treaty with their former enemy Madhya, are brought into the fold of the Nanjing Association, officially spreading China’s influence deeper into India. The criticisms of the “New Tributary System” rise up yet again, and some scathing remarks about the Yuan Dynasty are made.
-Though the Chinese continue to make successes in South East Asia, tensions flare between them and the Japanese once again. As the rebellion grows in strength in Korea despite outside assistance, the Japanese accuse the Chinese of assisting the rebels due to the rise of the Korean Republican Army. The Chinese outright refuse to accept these claims, and demand that the Japanese back down. Instead, the Japanese respond by mobilizing their entire army and sending it to the Manchu-Korean border, and force the Chinese to accept a deal: Intervene on the behalf of Japan or face war. The Chinese have until January of the following year to respond.
-With this news in mind, the Chinese brush it off and continue to make themselves bigger and better than any “Emperor” from a neighboring, banana-shaped island. The mining projects in China are now able to spread to Uighurstan and receive massive quantities of coal and silver in the small mountain ranges along the Taklamakan desert.
-The campaign for latinization continues in Chinese schools, and huge benefits in the form of scholarships are given to those willing to switch themselves over to the “Western” dialect. Roadsigns and political decrees across the nation are now written in both Mandarin and “Romano-Chinese”, as dubbed by western businessmen and entrepreneurs. With the comparison to the most influential empire in history in mind, the Chinese gladly take the name in stride.
-Economically, the Republic of China wheels about and begins to grow once again. One of the few nations able to keep itself somewhat stable during and after the Third Great War, the Chinese are prepared once again to choke the world with their cheap and reliable consumer goods and industrial materials.
-The wartime-grade requirements for the Wuhan factories are finally met, with the official deployment of the many thousands of vehicles and guns to be used in the Chinese armies. Aircraft regularly buzz through the skies during exercises, bearing the white sun roundel of the Republic.
-Testing grounds in Yibin begin to fiddle with the idea of modifying the Type 40 assault rifle and turning it into a multi-platform weapon. The two designations, Light Machine Gun and Designated Marksman Rifle, see upwards of a dozen different designs regarding the rifle to see what works and what doesn’t. The Type 41-L, a longer barreled, bipod-mounted and drum-magazine carrying light machine gun sees success on the fields. However, at first glance, it appears to be a “Type-40 that has managed to grow up bigger than his brothers”. The Type 41-D, however, carries a small magazine and is fed by a larger, more battle-rifle grade cartridge. This 41-D is perfect for hitting targets at a long range, but is simplistic enough that it can be handled by regular infantry.
-In Chengdu, the Feilong jet fighter begins production in massive quantities. Though not at the rate of the various prop-planes used by the Republic’s air force, the Feilong are expected to “Rule the Skies of Asia” in the event of an armed conflict between China and one of her neighbors.
-Meanwhile, in Chongqing, factories begin to spew out huge quantities of the squat, heavy-lifting Type 1 tractor. These tractors, though goofy looking, can haul more things farther than any other vehicle of its kind. The Chinese army exclusively uses these to transport heavy equipment through difficult terrain, which slowly begins to free the Chinese from the dependency upon railways for the movements of their armies.
-The Reserve Fleet continues modernization, with large weapons platforms continuing to be attached to the fast moving coastal battleships and cruisers. The days of the British domination of the waves are over. The ocean, now, belongs to the Chinese.
-Researchers at the University of Nanjing open a new building entirely dedicated to the Electronic Numerical Generator And Computer (EGAC). A majority Chinese project, though including some Scottish and Canadian scholars, the EGAC helps the Chinese make significant strides in complex computing, now able to calculate massive equations in minutes that would take the average person a period of days to complete.
-An experimental, 4-engined version of the Feilong is produced and tested at Yibin. Simply titled the “Lung” (Yet another dragon name), the Lung can carry huge quantities of heavy bombs over a long distance. The Lung lacks the ability of propeller bombers of range, as it sucks down fuel like a madman. Nonetheless, the ability to rush out, strike hard, and head home in a flash gives the Lung significant abilities over its propeller-based competitors.
-With the German war machine on the downturn, and the massive militaries being drawn back, the Germans notice that they have run into an issue: what to do with all the extra weapons that they aren’t immediately going to put to use. Much of the German arms industry is producing newer weapons, like the StG-39 or AK-40-styled prototypes.
-A large trade deal is put through in South America to all countries other than Patagonia. The Germans would provide large quantities of firearms and other weapons in return for minor precious materials, as well as the creation of a German defensive pact involving all South American countries, again, other than Patagonia.
-Few countries take up the immediate offer, though Brazil is happy to join the Germano-American Defensive pact. Brazil has made itself stern, however, in making sure that it is not brought into the “imperialist enabling” alliances such as the United Liberal Entente or NATO, but appreciates the protection in the event of attempted invasion by the Patagonians.
-German diplomats begin to focus on India, now that the country looks for new allies after the Americans had left. In the two southern nations of Kerala and Tamil, German advisors attempt to forge the creation of a unified “Indian Union”, with the two nations coming together as one, as well as being protected by the Germans. They immediately refuse. The two nations, disagreeing with one another since the British occupation, refuse to cooperate, and even threaten booting the German diplomats out entirely.
-Germany finds itself making better friends in their longtime, film-obsessed allies, Montenegro. The tiny Balkan nation once again accepts a deal with the Germans. Various public spaces and cities are given free access to Montenegrin production crews, and many excited German actors and artists hope to become a part of the growing European film industry.
-Industrialization projects take place in Prussia, focusing on the large metropolis of Konigsberg. With thousands of jobless soldiers returning to the city, the German government begins a make-work program of constructing factories. Some soldiers that prove their skill in production are usually hired as first-day staff, and get to work producing everything from consumer to industrial goods.
-Small companies unable to compete with the larger businesses are, by hook or crook, brought into large government conglomerates. These various “Warengruppen” (goods groups) are managed by government officials assigned to certain products, such as televisions, foodstuffs, clothing and so on. These conglomerates are criticized by the various capitalists within Germany, but are in no way comparable to the failed attempts at, say, farming collectives in the former Soviet Union.
-The nation forms two large broadcasting companies, both focused in Berlin. Nationalrundfunknetz (National Broadcast Network) used for news both domestic and international, and Volksrundfunknetz (People’s Broadcast Network) is to be used for entertainment, sports and other common-man interests. The latter, much larger than the national network, is put to the same rules. Instead of broadcasting licenses, channels must provide the rare but obvious advertisements for conglomerated companies within Germany.
-Germany unveils large benefits for widows and children who have lost loved ones during the war. These benefits come in the form of tax breaks and coupons to purchase various goods from government conglomerates. Appreciated by most, some people still complain, believing that going to war in the first place was detrimental to the good of the German republic.
-A series of small expeditionary units are sent to the Empire of Japan in order to “protect stability in the region”, namely, Korea. Roughly a thousand troops bear the combined banner of the Rising Sun and the Republikanischeadler. These troops arrive and provide basic anti-communist support, though they are unable to quash the rise of the nationalist Republican militia. There are reports of German troops falling ill to Staphylococcus asiaticus, and the survival rate does not look good. The troops are quarantined, and letters of apology sent to their families.
-The German military raises the bar in terms of quality of troops for recruitment and training. Looking for the best of the best, the physical tests are far more straining, and the weapons/mechanical skills are honed to a T.
-A large naval base begins production in the Maldives, the former British colonial possessions in southern Asia. The base focuses on the housing and repair of long range ships rather than the construction of large, heavily-armed diplomacy-providers, but nonetheless ensures the presence of the German High Seas Fleet in Asia.
-German material workers produce experimental forms of bakelite that are considered not only pliable, but also far more resistant to heat. These plastics are extremely delicate, however, as the process is intensive, complex and has little room for error.
-Researchers at the University of Munich begin to work with any information they can regarding isotopes and their traits. Some hypothesize, much like the Russians, Chinese, French and Iberians, that isotopes can become “separated” from others, making them easier to observe and tamper with.
-Iberian air force troops begin to rain hell on the seemingly already shattered Iraqi divisions in the south, pushing them farther and farther north back into their own territory. Repetitive bombing raids on towns on the outskirts of Baghdad lead to massed exoduses out of the country and into the much more stable United Arab Republic.
-Iranian troops, supported by Greek and Italian expeditionary forces, quickly come to surround Baghdad as token Iberian troops move into the northwest of Iraq, cutting most of the Iraqi forces down the middle. Some hypothesize that Baghdad will fall without a fight, as the Iraqi will to fight is all but eliminated, mass mutinies taking place day by day.
-Troops begin to work on the fortification of the Iranian border facing the volatile Pashtunistan. Most of the fortifications are a complex network of concrete bunkers, minefields, observation posts and small military bases. Though not equivalent to the ridiculousness of the Kalinin Line of the former Soviet Union, the defenses are nonetheless a force to be reckoned with if any adventurous rebels attempt to pass through them.
-Kuwait is seized by Iberian forces. Though the city quickly fell to the invaders, the Iberian navy arrives in force in the region, and proceeds to obliterate entire blocks of the city to make a point. The ports and docks themselves, however, are taken by the Iberians for future use, knowing that the small coastal region is rich in oil, and another eastward facing port of the Iberians would be a boon to the production of oil, as well as the exportation of Iranian goods to India.
-SSS camps are constructed in Iberia and Iran, now entirely separate from usual military academies. Most of the men attending these institutions are either veterans or graduates from officer school, who believe that they are SSS material. Many of those who graduate from the academies are “re-ranked”, or given entirely new ranks equivalent to that of private. Before the troops could feel insulted, these “Munifex” ranks are sergeant-grade amongst the regular army.
-A large number of SSS troops are sent to Korea in order to quash the ongoing communist insurgency. However, though the communists are kept out of major cities in the south, a strong nationalist groups grows in power and revolts against both the communists and the Japanese. Working alongside the newly arrived Germans, the Iberians begin to form a defensive line around the remaining territories in the southeast.
-Some of the troops in Korea become ill with Staphylococcus asiaticus, and are immediately put into quarantine. These troops die within weeks after being infected, but are buried with full combat military honors. Some fear that troops may bring the disease home, and are given an “extended vacation” in Korea.
-The Iberians unveil the Hispanic Trade Organization (HTO), or an international association that spreads Iberian influence into Hispanic nations in South America. This trade would focus on raw materials for the production of industrial goods, further strengthening the Iberian economy, as well as the Iberians selling token amounts of oil to their new partners.
-The HTO picks up a total of three members outside of Iberia. Mexico, Ecuador and of course, Patagonia. Patagonia regularly waves its status as a European ally in the face of its neighbors, which only proves to infuriate the Brazilians further.
-Internally, Iberia begins producing a large series of technical colleges. Most of these colleges focus on science, technology, engineering and math degrees. Though the University of Madrid remains as the nation’s most prestigious educational center, the Biology Center of Lisbon and Barcelona Engineering School begin to siphon students out of Madrid and move them into more specialized degrees.
-Credit facilities throughout the nation are officially nationalized, preventing any form of advantages that can be taken from bankers or foreign investors. This nationalization wraps up the final goal of the Falangists, who celebrate the move with a quiet gathering at the parliament building in Madrid.
-Large oil refineries begin construction in Iberian mozambique to cover the production of oil from the occupied territories of Saudi arabia, which is jokingly referred to as “Bourborabia”. The name sticks, and the government owned Bourborabian Oil Company is formed. Most of the upper crust of the BOC’s refinery in Mozambique are ethnic Iberians, while a large number of the floor workers are underpaid locals.
-The Iberian government puts out a contract for any designer to create a “small, 3 passenger, 2 door vehicle that is both reliable and affordable.” The design is chosen after a short period, as Transportation Advisors decide upon the small, round, oddly-shaped “Escarabajo” (Beetle), created by National Pescara. Though bizarrely shaped, the Escarabajo is a beautifully efficient and affordable car, and hundreds roll out of the factory straight into the hands of demanding families.
-Iberia’s economy begins to grow rapidly, surpassing its neighbors and competitors, as its economy is almost entirely independent. No oil imports, a majority of its raw goods taken in from ULE members, and its people more than satisfied with the situation, the Iberians prepare for a “Postwar Economic Miracle”.
-Rocket designers at the Barcelona Engineering School tamper with the idea of a “cycled” combustion body for rockets. A large, tubular rocket with massive engines would be launched, and after a certain period of time, see part of itself “decoupled”, revealing a smaller rocket inside that would ignite its engines, so on and so forth. The design remains on paper, but all involved believe the idea is feasible.
-Weapons designers in Morocco, working with nuclear weapons, unveil a terrifying new way of delivering a nuclear weapon. Simply dubbed a “warhead”, this smaller package can carry a low-yield nuclear weapon and mount it on a rocket engine. Though less accurate than an aircraft delivered bomb, the Iberians are able to send the rocket nearly a thousand kilometers into enemy territory and deliver a punch matched only by one of the four horsemen.
-With the success of the Model 9 ATT, the Montenegrin government formulates an official deal with the company to create the car within Montenegro itself. Some areas of the nation are sold off to the producers in order to create a Balkan market for automobiles. The deal goes through, and at Nikšić, Onogošt Automobiles is officially founded. All models of the Model 9 are retitled the Onogošt San for the Montenegrin and wider Balkan markets.
-Production crews, with the aid of diplomats, arrive in the Indian substate of Maharashtra in hopes of creating joint film deals. Some areas, mostly the ruins of ancient cities, are leased to Montenegrin film crews for production, as well as inviting some of the Maharashtran film productions to come to Montenegro proper to share their expertise. Some wonder if this is the formation of a “Bollywood”, or yet another major contender for Hollywood to outcompete.
-Surplus weapons are purchased in bulk from the United States of America. Most of these weapons are tools from the first Great War, which is nearly 30 years old. Those weapons are put into serious emergency caches, or used for training troops to free up more “worthwhile” weaponry.
-Deals are signed with the tiny Balkan state of Montenegro. With the help of Gorawood production crews, the Republic of China unveils a “Serial” series of films on Sun Yat-Sen and the success of the Chinese Revolution. These short movies are usually played after the world news at movie theatres, and are regularly met with praise, sometimes more than the various imported films themselves.
-Germany finds itself making better friends in their longtime, film-obsessed allies, Montenegro. The tiny Balkan nation once again accepts a deal with the Germans. Various public spaces and cities are given free access to Montenegrin production crews, and many excited German actors and artists hope to become a part of the growing European film industry.
-With production crews in Germany, the Montenegrins still occasionally create propaganda work for their hulking friend up north. Most of these films, more commercials really, praise the various government conglomerates throughout Germany.
-The Russification Protection Administration is created as a subset of the Montenegrin Language Association. The RPA focuses on the conservation of various minority languages still found throughout Russia, including non-Slavic languages such as Nenet, Ugrian, Kazakh, Tuvan and the like. Unrelated to the RPA, the micro-language of Wymysorys, a bizarre, tiny little enclave of a Germanic dialect near the German border in Poland, is also brought in for protection, as it proves too interesting to linguists to be passed up.
-Common Slavonic continues to make immense gains within the MLA, as the first Slavonic dictionaries arrive on the shelves in Montenegro. Some publishers attempt to bring the books to Croatia and Serbia, though the former’s government refuses on the grounds of “Linguistic Purity”.
-Vulgar latin and other “dead” languages are also a major part of the MLA’s work. Some gains are made in Pannonian and African vulgar, but translating them into any form of semi-intelligible dialect proves extremely difficult.
-Encouragement of the arts continues in Montenegro, though many of the arts colleges throughout the country attempt to broaden their horizons away from just film. Painters, poets, writers and playwrights from around Europe, fleeing from fascism or nationalism, find refuge in Montenegro and can exercise their skills as they please.
-Montenegro Broadcasting establishes a regional television station known as Haemus. Showing local shows and select films for broadcasting, Hemus (as it is called in Serbo-Croat nations, or Hem for short) is tuned into region-wide. Some governments fear that they may need to censor the broadcasts, but the MBA assures them that the channel is entirely for entertainment and has little to do with politics or diplomacy.
-Montenegro continues to expand its industry, this time focusing on craftswork. Large factories for luxury goods grow alongside the coastline and inner cities. Most of these factories produce things such as luxury clothes, furniture, radios and other high-priced consumer goods. Though unable to compete with China’s hulking export industry, the Montenegrins are able to make things that people want, rather than need.
-The designs for the Nagant M1895 gas-seal system, alongside the Mexican Mondragón rifle, are purchased by Montenegrin arms manufacturers at Onogošt. These designs are immediately put to use, and a revolving rifle carbine is born, much like those of the experimental designs in the early 1900s. The revolving rifle is known as the Okretač 1941, or O-41 for short. A revolver, a Montenegrin copy of the 1895 is also produced, dubbed the Zapečač 1941, or B-41. And finally, the Montenegrins roll out their version of the Mexican-made rifle, now known as the Autopunjač 1941, or the AP-41.
-Experiments with creating a “frankengun” continue, now that the Mondragón has been added into the mix with the AK-40, StG-39 and Fedorov. The rifle that is born, a strange, squat carbine known as the Juriša 1941, or J-41 for short (with Jay as its nickname), is born. What makes the J-41 stand out from its competitors is a revolutionary design idea: feeding from the rear. Bullpup, or the Serbianized "Bulpap" is the title for the design, as designated by a foreign worker. What this does is allow for a full-length, nearly battle-rifle grade long barrel, while keeping the gun the same size as an assault rifle.
-The Montenegrin army undergoes a period of standardization in both design and tactics. All troops are issued new uniforms, as the regular army takes on new, more modernized uniforms that mimic those of their European counterparts. The militia, on the other hand, is issued uniforms resembling those used during the first Great War, which look not only prestigious but set them apart from their more well-trained comrades.
-Another aspect of this standardization is working on tactics and unit composition. Training exercises using both militia and standing army alongside vehicles and weapons platforms begin in the mountains, and the Montenegrin army prepares to specialize its tactics for “Rapid Response with Prolonged Engagements”. Fast moving, hidden and well prepared placements for a largely infantry-focused army means that Montenegro could go toe-to-toe with any would-be invader. An attacker could occupy the country, of course, but holding onto it would be costly and largely not worth the losses.
-Electronics engineers at the University of Cetinje stumble upon the idea of a “shielded” microphone that is less susceptible to interference. These microphones thus produce a higher quality of sound, with less “crackles and pops” that are seen by their contemporaries. Expensive and fragile, these microphones are used first by government contractors for recording parliament sessions.
-Montenegrin aircraft aficionados toy with the idea of turning a large cargo plane into a “passenger aircraft”. One of them ends up becoming crazy enough to try it, and purchases two large French engines and attaches them to a Douglas DC-3 surplus aircraft. The first passenger jet aircraft takes off from Drum and lands in Cairo after a ten hour flight with eleven passengers on board. His design is sent to the Montenegrin government, who name the design the Dioclea 20.
-Fighters from the United Afghan Coalition begin going underground. Seizing equipment from defectors and nighttime raids in munitions dumps, the UAC prepares itself for a prolonged guerrilla war with the Pashtun government.
-Shipments from supporters, mostly personal weapons being smuggled over the border, end up in the hands of the UAC in order to combat the Pashtun military. Most of these weapons are hunting rifles, shotguns or other non-military gear. Nonetheless, every bit of help is appreciated.
-UAC supporters regularly head out into rural areas and farms, spreading the horror stories of failed farming collectives within the Soviet Union after the rise of the communists. This manages to garner some support for the UAC, and farmers work alongside the fighters to undermine Pashtun influence in Afghanistan.
-UAC “diplomats” head to courts within Central Europe, pleading for assistance in the war against Pashtunistan. The French, seeing that the Russians have lost their influence in Central Asia, give minor support to the UAC, giving them some arms alongside medical supplies, but little else.
-Improvised Explosive Devices are set up in large numbers along roadlines that the Pashtun army regularly uses. These bomb campaigns occasionally lead to innocent lives being lost, but UAC commanders believe that it is a worthwhile loss.
-Small bombs, using either lead pipes of glass bottles stuffed with shrapnel, are produced in huge quantities by UAC militiamen. These “pipe bombs” are small enough to be carried in purses or tote bags, or be smuggled into cities by UAC-loyalist farmers. These bombs are regularly used to carry out attacks on government buildings, or are tossed into the entrances to Pashtun military bases to cause a stir.
-Taking pages from the militia movements in Poland, fighters for the UAC prepare to fight fire with fire. Literally. Molotov Cocktails, or glass bottles filled with gasoline and stuffed with rags, are the common hand grenade of anti-communist guerrillas in the UAC.
-Agreements are made, dissenters are executed, flags are burned. The Soviet Union is officially dead, and the end of 1941 welcomes the birth of the Greater Russian Confederation.
-With a new, non-socialist government in place, the Republic of China continues to warm its relations with its hulking neighbor, the Greater Russian Confederation. With this, the two giant countries come together to consolidate their power over the continent of Asia.
-Xingiang/Sinkiang/Uighurstan, the state known by many names and never one of its own, is released from the grips of the Russians and into the hands of the Chinese, who celebrate by holding a joint military parade with Russian garrisons in the city of Uruqmi, where military advisors from both sides hold an official ceremony that hands the territory back to the Chinese.
-The Greater Russian Confederation is also given an important position in return for giving up territory to the Chinese. After a short deal is made between Moscow and Nanjing, the Russians officially join the Nanjing Association, spreading the economic alliance’s influence into Europe.
-A defensive alliance is signed between the Russians and Chinese in the event of continued expansion into Eurasia from outside powers. With the Russians limping along, and the Chinese economy growing larger seemingly every waking moment, the two superpowers are linked ever so delicately together.
-Russia attempts to form some sort of diplomatic tie with the independent Somkhiti. Furious with past transgressions, the Russian diplomats are forced out of the Caucasian nation and warned never to return. “We are through with empires” they say as the Russians board a train back to Moscow.
-In the meantime, Russia prepares to demobilize its economy from wartime and begin focusing on consumer and other industrial goods. Surplus goods of the Russian army and military industry are sold off to any customer willing to foot the bill, including nefarious rebel leaders that manage to toss enough money at auctions.
-The Russian government prepares to subsidize all industry within the country. Steel, coal, oil, natural gas, agriculture and fishing industries, just about anything that requires large numbers of workers is subsidized by the Russian government. This manages to get the Russian economy somewhat on its feet. Much of the Russian public is relieved to see that their family members are able to get some form of a stable job at a factory that isn’t producing guns or other military equipment.
-Industry in the Urals and Central Asian SSRs undergo the process of being transported to the west. Entire factories are more or less hauled on train cars to the European portion of Russia. The empty spaces that are left behind are replaced with local steel or other heavy mills, though their numbers are smaller. Many Kazakhs and Turkmens follow the industry west, causing a small diaspora of skilled workers to head to Russian Europe.
-To keep the connections to the Nanjing Association strong, the Russians begin construction of long railways through central asia, through Uighurstan and finally ending in Uruqmi. Another series of railroads wind their way from Moscow to Vladivostok and into Harbin. These tendrils of industry act like stitches that bond the two empires together.
-The city of Leningrad, now retitled to its original St. Petersburg, undergoes massive reconstruction. Most of the rubble had been cleared during the interim period of the Zhukov government, but the city must continue its reconstruction in some way. Unemployed workers are given small benefits to begin repairing the city, and soldiers that remain in the army are sent to work alongside their countrymen. This forms a bond between soldier and worker, ensuring that the Zhukovists do not alienate the people of Russia.
-Economically, Russia begins to soothe the pain of recession and massed deflation. Her economy is still very weak and extremely fragile, and is in no way saved, but is definitely stabilized. People are working again, and the government is able to focus on other needs now that money is flowing in some form or another.
-Russia officially invites the various Jewish populations of Europe to a “Protected Homeland” in Belarus. Denouncing the previous pogroms, Zhukov promises that the selected areas would be given semi-autonomous administration, judicial systems and would be exempt from mobilization duties in the event of a future war. Surprisingly, a huge number of Jews from Poland and southeastern Europe head into Belarus, hoping to have a more peaceful and less dangerous life in a new land.
-Some Jews arrive in Belarus and begin creating small farming settlements to support their families, and later on, their communities. These “Euro-Kibbutz” farms lead to the creation of the Jewish Farming Collective in the west, a privatized company run by Jews, for Jews, that acts to protect Jewish farming interests throughout western Russia.
-The Romani, persecuted throughout the Balkans by democratic and fascist nations alike, are given the same opportunities of the Jews. In the eastern regions around Krasnodar, focused in the cities of Novorossiysk and Anapa, these Romani communities sit on the Black Sea. Unlike the Jews, many of the Romani arriving are refugees fleeing from persecution and destruction. Allowed to rest near the Black Sea gives them the opportunity to form fishing communities, which helps them get by day-to-day.
-In Moscow, the second Confederate Congress takes place. The constitution is officially agreed upon. Covering a huge swathe of issues, the constitution officially brings all SSRs into a Confederated Parliamentary system, which gives them not only a minor form of autonomy but also ensures loyalty to the central government in Moscow. A universal healthcare system, paid for by taxpayers is introduced, as is a bill of rights mimicking that of the United States.
-However, the leader of the country is given the title Grand Defender for the time being. The Grand Defender has absolute veto rights, supreme authority of the armed forces and the law. Though all power is invested in Zhukov, he understands that the people have some form of rights in the new country, and states that he will in no way try to interfere with them.
-Russian clearing of the Baltic and Black sea of mines continues, and is aided by the rearming of the Russian coastal fleets in the region. Though the Russians are at peace, they explicitly state that the air force and navy must be kept at “Peacetime Standards”.
-Those that were mobilized in the last war are given the opportunity to re-enlist, as well as being given free opportunities to attend officer school. However, the Russian military allows them to return home, and a gigantic portion of the troops decide to head home and see their families once more.
-Researchers at the University of Sevastopol design ways to contain “rods” of radioactive materials in water and thus harnessing the pressurized steam let off of them. The biggest issue is the creation of a “core”, or a housing unit that could hold such volatile materials. Luckily for the Russians, a design is decided upon and tested with samples of uranium, and works swimmingly.
-A massive flash takes place just outside of the Tunguska crater, and the world itself seems to shake. A covert testing of a massive, high-yield nuclear weapon has taken place. A prototype to a “Hydrogen weapon” is tested to ensure that the Russians stay one step ahead of all others in the production of nuclear weapons. The Iberians may have faster weapons, but the Russians want them to be bigger.
==Turn 25: January to June 1942==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49785177&viewfull=1#post49785177
-World Tensions are very high.
-War begins in eastern Asia as the Empire of Japan formally declares itself in conflict with the Republic of China. Tensions have lasted for more than a year and have finally snapped, the Japanese beginning with a swift bombardment of Chinese positions, ignoring the various Korean rebels. The Chinese respond with a fast moving, well-coordinated assault into Korea, catching the Japanese off guard.
-The war in Asia spreads as multiple members of the Nanjing Association join on the side of China. Much to the chagrin of those wishing to see Japan utterly destroyed, the hulking Greater Russian Confederation is not immediately called into the war, but it is obvious Tokyo is preparing for the possibility.
-In Bulgaria, the civil uprising of the Macedonians ends peacefully as the Russians drag both sides to the peace table, hoping to cease hostilities in the region and stop the possibility of a “Slavic Civil War” from engulfing the Balkans. The newly independent Republic of Peonia is formed, and much to the dismay of the Russians, leaps into the Non-Aligned Movement in hopes of ending the tug-of-war that is foreign policy in the Balkans.
-The short-lived Iran-Iraq War ends as Iberian and Iranian forces storm Baghdad after the Iraqi military surrenders. The nation of Iraq ceases to exist, carved up between Iberia and Iran. However, a major change takes place in Iran, as the Shah declares himself Shahanshah, or the King of Kings. Iran undergoes another name change this century, redeclared as the Pahlavi Empire, joining the ranks of the Achaemenids, Parthians and Sassanids.
-With the events of conquest, war and violence overtaking the news, a force for peace is formed in the District of Colombia in the United States. Known as the United Nations, this new organization acts as a world congress, allowing the governments of the world to discuss their issues, ensure peace, and protect those who are unable to protect themselves. A huge number of nations join, but most notably, the entirety of the ULE and the nation of Germany does not.
-Instead, in Europe, a meeting takes place between Berlin and Madrid. The “Concert of Europe”, an idea born from before the days of Napoleon, is reformed. The Concert of Europe, or CoE, will focus entirely on European affairs, excluding the nations of Turkey and Russia. This organization is built entirely to serve the European continent, protecting any members from outside invasion so long as the threat directly affects their European territories. Some nations join, while others refuse, hoping to avoid being dragged into partitioning of their neighbors.
-Staphylococcus asiaticus continues to ravage northern and central Korea, killing thousands every month. Cases of S. Asiaticus are reported in French Indochina, and governments throughout Asia rush to isolate infected individuals and destroy their belongings to prevent the spread of the disease into larger population areas.
-Nuclear tests once again take place in Siberia and the Sahara as Russia and Iberia step up their weapons programs. The Iberians focus on making smaller, long-ranged weapons able to reach out and touch targets from a distance, whilst the Russians hope to create bombs that would make nuke used on Grodno look like a firecracker.
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Berlin, Great Germany
Head Nation: Great Germany
-Members:
--France
--England
--Great Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--United Arab Republic (Dependent)
--Egypt (Dependent)
--Jordan (Dependent)
--Scotland (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Japan
--Pahlavi Empire
--Patagonia
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Nanjing Association (NA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Russia
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
Type: International Association
Arab Economic League (AEL):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
Type: Economic Association
Hispanic Trade Organization (HTO):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Iberia
--Patagonia
--Mexico
--Ecuador
Type: Economic Association
Player Events:
-After six months, the Japanese once again send a delegation to Nanjing to see the decision on the part of the Chinese government. A one word letter greets the Japanese assembly once they enter the embassy: 沒有; “No”.
-Furious, the Japanese receive the green light from Tokyo, and the ambassadors officially bring forward the declaration of war against the Republic of China. With the green light given, the night sky along the Korean border lights up as straggling Japanese divisions bombard not rebel camps, but the entrenched positions of the Chinese.
-Much to the dismay of the central command in Japan, believing that the war would quickly turn in favor of the Japanese, the Chinese manage to break through the porous lines and descend into Korea with haste. Korean communists and republicans alike give way to the Chinese, knowing that they are not here to conquer, but to destroy the Japanese occupiers.
-Nonetheless, thousands of Korean civilians flee northward, attempting to escape the carnage wrought by Iberian and Japanese troops, as well as avoid the possibility of being infected with the spreading Staphylococcus asiaticus. Most of these refugees make a beeline for Harbin.
-In Lushunkou (Port Arthur), the Japanese garrison is quickly overrun as the Chinese, with the home field advantage, surround the port and land thousands of troops on all sides of the small portside city. The Japanese refuse to surrender, and fight to the bitter end, charging the oncoming Chinese and meeting their ancestors sooner than expected.
-Alarms are raised throughout China’s various naval districts, and hundreds of warships move out of port, this time not for exercise. Much of the Republican navy manages to sweep to the soft underbelly of Taiwan, surrounding the island and disabling a handful of unprepared IJN defenders.
-A secret agreement, formed between Mongolia and Japan, sees the newly independent Mongolian Republic declaring war upon China. Hungry to retake Inner Mongolia and pieces of Manchuria, the nationalist government egged on by the Japanese. This, however, quickly turns sour as the piecemeal Mongol armies are met with the full brunt of the Chinese northwestern forces, who managed to intercept these dealings before the war began. The Mongols are overrun, and Ulaanbaatar is but a season away from being captured.
-Embassies in Thailand, Burma, Malaya and Andhra send their delegates to Nanjing. In a sign of diplomatic brotherhood and respect, the four smaller members of the Nanjing Association declare war upon the Empire of Japan. With this, various Associated Divisions are sent to southeast Asia in order to assist the defenses of the smaller allied states in the off chance of Japanese invasion of mainland asia.
-Factories in China are put into overdrive, this time producing materials that will be sent straight to the front. The ‘Lung’ heavy bomber begins production in the key manufacturing city of Chongqing. These aircraft regularly conduct nighttime raids on the mainland of Japan, delivering punishing blows to the island nation’s infrastructure.
-Firearms and other materials for the Chinese military in Changsha are immediately delivered to troops requiring them on the front line. The Type-40 and its variants arrive in the hands of new recruits, and beats the Japanese Arisaka senseless in any which way. The Japanese continue to fight on the back foot in almost every way.
-Dockyards throughout the country continue to produce the ships required to defend the Chinese shoreline. Most of these ships are troopships or coastal defense cruisers rather than the bristling destroyers, submarines, carriers and battleships of the main naval force. Nonetheless, strengthening the Chinese’ presence in the pacific is required for victory over the Japanese.
-Type 1 tractors roll out in ridiculous numbers, headed towards the front lines. Carried by train or by other tractors, these mobile carriers are a boon to the largely mechanized forces of the Chinese military. The world begins to learn that an army marches on its feet, while victors ride in style.
-With Russia still continuing to rebuild, and a possible boon to the Nanjing Association’s war against the Japanese, the Chinese government offers large monetary benefits in return for the “Katyusha” rocket artillery system. The Chinese, ever experimenting, create their own “Katyusha” system for the Type 1 tractor. This new design, though useful, does end up reducing the number of rockets from 40 to 30. The Chinese solution is simple: Just build lots of the armed tractors.
-Industrialization and mobilization of the Chinese economy continues. Wartime production values are different from when the nation is at peace, which in turn creates a higher demand for metals and other raw materials for the Chinese war machine. Though smooth, many factories are forced to evacuate as adventurous Japanese pilots go on daring bombing raids in order to disrupt Chinese production. Nonetheless, most of those bombers are either shot down or do only moderate damage, and the factories return to work as soon as they can.
-In order to disassociate their language practices with the United Liberal Entente, the Chinese retitle the project the “Romanisation”, quietly denouncing ULE influence.
-Nonetheless, Chinese inventors are inspired by the success of the Iberians in terms of rocketry, and small tests are conducted in the Taklamakan desert. Rockets, smaller in size than the Iberian “Matador”, are nonetheless a major leap forward in Chinese rocket technology. Mainly due to the fact that they now give the Chinese the ability to launch explosives hundreds of kilometers onto targets without exposing delicate aircraft to defenders. Simply titled the “Firework”, the Chinese happily test a batch of flying bombs on a Japanese aircraft carrier outside of Sakhalin, delivering fatal blows to the ship’s superstructure and deck.
-Experiments take place in Yibin. These experiments are secretive, with most of the usual military reporters unable to watch the exercises. However, some are able to see the use of large, “disc-like” structures and men with radios running about what seems to be aimlessly. The Chinese military simply considers it “New Front Warfare”.
-With the war over for more than a year, the German government sends a series of shipments to their small friend, Montenegro. These shipments include large numbers of newer arms, materials, vehicles and munitions required to have a “Standard European army”. A large number of volunteers, most of them veteran officers and vehicle crewmen, arrive in Montenegro to teach the small nation’s army how things are done.
-Though Socialism slowly begins to grow into normalcy throughout Germany, the government refuses to let the last communist nation stay in power. Pashtunistan, an ally of the now dead Soviet Union, continues to undergo a violent upheaval brought about by the United Afghan Coalition.
-In Berlin, members of the UAC able to escape Pashtunistan make deals with the German government. Goebbels himself signs an agreement supporting the “Free-minded individuals of the United Afghan Coalition”, and the German government conducts a series of helpful airlifts into territory occupied by the UAC.
-Most of the goods delivered to the UAC are largely material goods, such as munitions, medical supplies and rations from the demobilized German army. These airdrops, though small in quantity, are greatly appreciated by those who manage to get their hands on the packages. In retaliation, Balochistan officially refuse to purchase any more goods from the Germans, and vow to strike any German aircraft that violate their airspace.
-In order to break up the possibility of yet another European war, a meeting takes place in Berlin, followed by another in Madrid. NATO and ULE powers agree to a decision that officially protects Europe from “Outwards or inwards expansionism”. Members of the ‘Concert of Europe’, as it is called, explicitly state that they will not come to another’s aid if they are the aggressors, or it involves territories outside of Europe (I.E colonies/puppets). Some in the media consider this a step forward in peace, while others prepare for continent-wide partitioning yet again.
-Trade opens up once again between Germany and a number of nations in South America, most notably Brazil. This time, luxury goods, foods and other various goodies from South America are purchased in return for monetary bonds and access to German ports. Patagonia is explicitly excluded from these arrangements, and the Patagonians care not.
-With trade growing between Germany and South America, diplomats attempt to create a series of German airports in various South American capitals. Unfortunately, most of these nations are unable to afford the materials or unwilling to “give into German demands”. The Brazilians, however, politically and ideologically similar to the Germans, appreciate the offer, and groundbreaking ceremonies commence in Rio de Janeiro.
-German soldiers are evacuated from Korea as war breaks out between China and Japan. An alarmingly large number of troops come home infected with Staphylococcus asiaticus. These soldiers are immediately brought to an unmarked location in Bavaria, far away from highly populated centers. German medical researchers attempt to find ways to either break down the bacteria or form a vaccine. Rumor has it that the disease can lay dormant, and that some soldiers have returned to Europe whilst being unknowingly infected.
-Diplomats from Germany swarm into Scandinavia, hoping to make new friends willing to join the Baltic Confederation. Sweden, Denmark and Norway refuse to join, viewing the economic expansion of Germany as a negative to European progress. Finland, however, finally roll over and take the German’s offer of joining the Baltic confederation, officially locking the eastern trade routes under the banners of Germany and her allies.
-With pressure from the Germans, Hungary officially surrenders the German-majority territories in her northwest, seized from Austria nearly a decade ago. The Hungarians are quick to pass it off as a friendly gesture, whilst the German people celebrate the acquisition in the streets with joyous parades.
-Trade grows in southern India as the Germans attempt to form a stronger bond with the more centrist or left wing nations of the subcontinent. Foods and luxury goods trickle into the hands of the Germans, but many of the Indians are hesitant to begin working with Europeans just yet, especially those so similar to the British in terms of diplomatic ideology, so much of the German efforts end with minimal gains.
-After a series of meetings in Berlin, Germany officially forms the Deutsch Nationalen Flugbehörde (German National Air Authority). The DNF is a nationalized, government owned series of air companies focused on international and domestic air travel for civilians, mimicking the ideas of the Montenegrins in terms of growing a domestic air industry. The DNF also owns the rights to all domestically produced aircraft for civilian travel, most notably companies like Heinkel and Focke-Wulf.
-Large air strips for international flights begin groundbreaking, starting in the capital city of Berlin in a huge ceremony. Konigsberg, Vienna, Cologne, Hamburg and Munich all begin constructing their own airports, using demobilized, jobless soldiers as work crews to get the job done. These huge airports will be ready by the winter of 1943, with the head of the DNF jokingly saying “Ready by Christmas”. The few veterans of the first Great War cringe.
-In Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Strasbourg, smaller airports begin construction in tandem with the larger ones. These smaller airports are built for domestic flights, or flights connecting international ones. Though smaller than the ones in Munich or especially that in Berlin, they are extremely important, and many workers flock to get a job helping the nation grow economically.
-A new problem arises in Germany as the population continues to grow: health care. A large number of hospitals in the country still rely on private payments from patients, sometimes racking up massive bills for some, and outright refusing care for others. A radical plan is put in place, and the German government officially forms the Grossdeutschland Gesundheitsvorsorgesystem (Greater German Healthcare System). The GGS, for short, is a taxpayer funded health care system that uses money from the entire nation to help save the lives of the few. Though it will take upwards of a year to become even slightly official, and mountains of paperwork needing to be filled out alongside tons of loopholes needing to be shut, the German people rejoice.
-The German military undergoes a huge series of reforms, splitting the armed forces once again into new, more manageable designations. The Navy is split into two, the Flotille (Merchant Marine, coastal defenses) and the Kriegsmarine (Standard warships). The Air Force becomes the Zuhausekraft (Spotters, short range interceptors) and the Luftwaffe (standard air units). Finally, the Army is split into four designations, the largest being the Nationalgarde (reservists and weekend warriors), the Deutschland Nationalarmee (Regular volunteers, armored and artillery units) and Spezialeinheiten (Special forces such as paratroopers and marines).
-Finally, the German military has the “Wehrmacht Alternative”, or in the event of a full-scale mobilization, the Navy, Army and Air Force can have divisions taken out and moved into the “Wehrmacht”, or a single unified armed force to “destroy the enemies of Germany”.
-Observers of the success of Montenegrin jet planes attempt to create a German version of these high-speed “Air Taxis” (their joking nickname). Using demobilized transport jets from the war, the first experimental German civilian jet aircraft takes flight from an airfield in Prussia, and lands safely in northern Bavaria after a 3-and-a-half-hour flight. Though not as comfortable as the DC-3 mockup in Montenegro, it is nonetheless a step forward for the future of German air travel.
-Researchers at the University of Munich discover ways to “contain” unstable radioactive isotopes. What this means is that German scientists will finally be able to harness the energy of the atom. For either good, or evil, nobody truly knows.
-As war begins to boil over from China into Japanese-occupied Korea, the Iberian military is faced with a tough choice. Having failed to de-escalate the tensions, but still under orders to take out the rebels, the Iberians choose to remain in Korea to crush Korean resistance and burn the earth.
-Towns and villages under the control of either rebellious side are laid waste to. Iberian tanks grind up rice paddies, aircraft routinely use napalm attacks and rocket barrages last day and night. Iberian military researchers take this opportunity to test out new weapons of war, most notably using anything involving fire on anything that’s flammable. See: entire villages and populations.
-Iberian impunity has a stunning morale effect on the Korean rebels, as hundreds of communist rebels surrender and are captured by the Iberians. The Japanese are impressed by the Iberian’s sense of military justice, and are ashamed they hadn’t thought of the ideas earlier.
-As the Chinese military drives south, the Iberians do whatever they can to obliterate Korean villages, towns, cities, farms and populations that they come across, leaving nothing for the Chinese to “liberate”. Prisoners , both militant and civilian, are sent to Goa in preparation for assessment and further imprisonment in Morocco if need be.
-Much of the Iberian military strategy in Korea involves slash and burn, but also “avoidance” tactics. Whenever Chinese troops are detected, the Iberians in Korea immediately pack up and move along. Not wishing to cause an international incident, Iberian officers sometimes approach Chinese soldiers and politely request that they don’t attempt to bombard Iberian soldiers.
-With the Chinese advancing south rapidly, much of the Iberian high command sends the bulk of the Atlantic fleet to southeast Asia in order to protect Iberian assets while simultaneously blocking off all in/out trade from Korea. Some unmarked trade ships attempt to make a run through the blockade for Busan, but are sunk by veteran skippers aboard Iberian submarines.
-Roughly one dozen Iberian soldiers become infected with Staphylococcus asiaticus, and are sent to Goa at the region’s hospital. Eleven of them die within a week of arrival, but three survive to linger on for a month. Samples of the disease are taken and placed in secure bottles to be studied at the College for Human Biology and Purity in Toledo.
-While war continues to be the headlines in the far east, the Iberians wrap up their campaign in the near east. The Iraqi military formally surrenders the city of Baghdad to Iberian and Iranian troops, and the ULE forces officially divide Iraq amongst the two main fighters of the war. Iberia receives the lion’s share of the oil-rich southwest, whilst Iran takes the Shia-dominated east and Kurdish north. The Shah of Iran, in receiving these historically Persian territories, renames Iran to the Pahlavi Empire, reigniting the nationalist fervor that floods the streets of the under reconstruction Tehran.
-In order to break up the possibility of yet another European war, a meeting takes place in Berlin, followed by another in Madrid. NATO and ULE powers agree to a decision that officially protects Europe from “Outwards or inwards expansionism”. Members of the ‘Concert of Europe’, as it is called, explicitly state that they will not come to another’s aid if they are the aggressors, or it involves territories outside of Europe (I.E colonies/puppets). Some in the media consider this a step forward in peace, while others prepare for continent-wide partitioning yet again.
-With the ULE continuing to grow influence in the near east, Iberia decides to soothe tensions with one of the newly independent nations in the region. Somkhiti, the nation carved out of the Soviet caucasus, is “welcomed into the world” as the Iberians open an embassy in Tbilisi, warming relations somewhat between Iberia and the tiny Caucasian state. Though no signs of alliance, or even more open trade, Iberians appreciate making some sort of friend outside of her nationalist allies.
-Wishing to spread Iberia’s influence around the world, a headquarters for the Falangism Worldwide movement is opened in both Madrid and Buenos Aires. These two headquarters do not act as government associates, but instead are used for spreading the ideology throughout South and Central America. Some success is made in Peru, as demonstrations take place in Lima to spread the gospel of Falangism and protect the nation from the “Red menace, in both party and skin”.
-More peacefully, the Iberians begin to ship large quantities of the “Beetle” car to their friends in South America. Most of them are sent to Patagonia, where the upper class and various government officials take their new toys on rides around Buenos Aires. Ecuador and Mexico purchase large numbers of them too, but it is Patagonia that acts as the main buyer.
-In the Iberian Congo, huge swathes of land are divvied up between corporations that bid for territories within the colony. Thousands of square kilometers are bordered up, and natives within purchased regions are forced off their land at gunpoint by SSS África Grupo volunteers. Those that resist are executed, their families imprisoned.
-These territories, now owned by corporations and private investors, are officially encouraged to begin land clearing for a great “National Agriculture Project”. Focusing on grain, potatoes, corn and squashes, huge amounts of rainforest are cut down in order to create a stable food supply for Iberia, as the government hopes to be entirely independent of imports from other nations for food.
-Luxury crops, such as sugar, coffee, tobacco and cotton are also produced in the Congo. If Iberia is to survive independently, they must also have a strong export capacity. Experts in Iberia believe that both the agricultural and luxury farms will be totally operational by the winter of the following year, as the process to bulldoze and cut down so many square kilometers of jungle is backbreaking work.
-A major breakthrough is made in terms of mechanics and massed production. Using the chassis of the Model-A Transporter Erector, Iberian engineers create the “Banshee”. This massive, hulking machine bears three gigantic saws measuring two meters in diameter. Running forward in a straight line, Banshees can cut down (literally) tons of trees within minutes, sliding them onto a bed placed on its back.
-Less peacefully, the Iberians test out a “miniaturized” atomic weapon in the deserts of the Sahara. Smaller in terms of size, weight and payload, the T-1A “Grillo” (Cricket) can be crammed into the Matador missile, and thus gives the Iberians the ability to fling a low-yield nuclear weapon nearly 400 kilometers onto an unsuspecting target, wiping it off the face of the earth if so desired.
-Though her neighbors remain staunchly fascist, and are nearly at each other’s throats half the time, Montenegro manages to soothe the burning hearts of Serbia and Croatia. Stepping softly, the Montenegrins begin introducing folk films and comedies as the three nations begin to cooperate with each other through the magic of television.
-In Russian owned territories where Montenegrin film makers work, new pieces begin production. A Russian/Montenegrin cooperative project titled “Дядя Сэм и Отец Альфонсо” (Uncle Sam and Father Alfonso) is a satirical piece involving an obese, ever hungry Emperor of Iberia and an exhausted, homesick Uncle Sam on a slapstick adventure through wartime Russia. Controversial in spirit, it is met with raucous applause at theaters throughout eastern Europe.
-Areas of Hong Kong are sequestered to Montenegrin/Chinese joint film productions. The Chinese are offered to visit Montenegro, and hundreds of wannabe filmmakers leap at the opportunity to visit Gorawood and share their expertise with the locals, as well as toss about ideas for movies and production techniques.
-In Maharashtra and China, films involving local legends and history continue to be made. In the former, the Mahabharata is made into a four part epic, translated into nearly ten languages, and shot with the best possible machinery the Montenegrins can offer. King Michael, who sits through all eleven hours of the epic, immediately requests that the film be archived for future generations. In the latter, wuxia films are mainly produced. However, there are those who don't enjoy the supernatural and fantasy aspects of the genre, and as such, films were made without these elements, leading to the development of kung fu films.
-A deal between the Russian and Montenegrin governments is struck. As Zhukov continues to rile up a nationalist fervor in his new Russian Confederation, Moscow purchases three dozen copies of the Common Slavonic dictionary as well as copied research papers from the Linguists association. Most of these papers and books will be put to use as the Russians hope to foster Slavonic as a dialect within the hulking empire in the east.
-With the war over for more than a year, the German government sends a series of shipments to their small friend, Montenegro. These shipments include large numbers of newer arms, materials, vehicles and munitions required to have a “Standard European army”. A large number of volunteers, most of them veteran officers and vehicle crewmen, arrive in Montenegro to teach the small nation’s army how things are done.
-Of course, much of the tactics the Germans introduce to the Montenegrins do not fit with the standard military doctrine of the small Balkan nation (leading to the tactics that don't match to be named "Švabtika"). However, veteran tank and artillery crewmen teach the Montenegrins many things involving the operation of their equipment. German “Boar” tanks compete with Montenegrin “Bulldogs” in exercises, seeing the Montenegrins neck-and-neck with the German panzer commanders.
-Industrialization continues throughout Montenegro. Parts of large cities are bought up by companies producing a wide variety of goods, ranging from consumer to luxury. Visitors to Montenegro regularly comment on the “Rainbow of Industry” in cities like Cetinje. The Nikšić Municipality, as well as a few municipalities more in land, become colloquially known as "Inda", as the area is rapidly becoming one of the more industrialized areas of the country.
-With success in Common Slavonic, linguists create Slavenian, an artificial Slavic subdivision based on the mixed languages that are scattered throughout, consisting of Slavonic-Serbian (renamed to Serpian and spoken, rather than written), Balachka, Iazychie, Surzhyk, Trasianka, Russenorsk and Knaanic. This massed mix of languages helps historians connect with the older peoples of south and eastern Europe, letting them trace ancestry and origins alike.
-The Vulgar Latin project continues, with marginal success. Most notably, a series of reproduced bible passages from northern Africa are broken down and used to uncover sentence patterns and colloquialisms in the Vulgar African dialect, as well as revealing more doctrinal differences in early Christian communities of the region.
-With the success of the Dioclea 20 airplane, the Montenegrin government officially backs the creation of Dioclea Aerospace, centered in the city of Danilovgrad. DA, for short, begins purchasing factory space for the massed production of the Dioclea 20 airplane.
-Onogošt Works produces a squat, smaller caliber, SMG form of the J-41 rifle, known as the Mašinica 1942, or the MŠ-42, becoming known as the Mash by German observers. The Mash is perfect for use by tank crews, pilots and officers. Its ability to be paired with the Jay lead to the paired nickname "J-Mash", after an infamous promotional video where the promoter, with his thick accent, pronounced the T in trigger as a J while referring to the Mash. On the factory floor, “Small in stature, but big on hitting” is its running motto.
-The Montenegrin military officially bars all possible party-favored or purchased positions in the nation’s army. Militia groups act separately, but the standard standing army now begins the production of officer schools. A strong, well-educated officer corp is a key tool to ensure that an army is better than a glorified, well-dressed mob.
-Engineers working on the Dioclea 20 focus on the creation of “airborne comfort”. The biggest issue with these planes is finding a way to reduce the droning sound of the jet engines, as well as creating climate control features for passengers. An insulated hull with a series of heated/cooled tubes running through the mainframe of the aircraft significantly improves comfort for the passengers riding in the planes.
-A jeweler, toying with the idea of shaped glass baubles stumbles upon a series of lenses for the creation of a specialized scope. Able to magnify by upwards of 11x, this “Cetinje Glass” (Cetinjsko staklo) is perfect for a wide variety of uses: sniper scopes, tank optics and even zoom lenses for cameras benefit significantly from this new invention.
-The Russians once again begin to spread their influence into Europe, intervening in the now short-lived Macedonian Revolt in southwestern Bulgaria. Bringing both sides to talks in Sevastopol, a treaty is signed that officially releases the Republic of Peonia from the grips of the Bulgarians. In return, the Russians swear to protect Bulgarian assets in the future, and deliver a series of industrial benefits to soothe the anguished Bulgarians.
-Hoping to make something resembling friends in Europe, the Russians turn to the Romanians, Greeks and Poles. Russian ambassadors arrive in the respective capitals and hash out the a series of non-aggression pacts. The Russians promise to their western neighbors that expansionism is a “dead ideology” and an “unfortunate relic of communist ideology”. The Greeks and Romanians accept the offer, but the Poles refuse, and politely send the Russian diplomats on their way home.
-In Moscow, at Saint Basil’s Cathedral, a large number of church leaders gather to discuss church doctrine in the first annual “Meeting of the Patriarchs”. Most of these holy men come from the Russian Orthodox branch, but some arrive from Greece and Romania. High ranking catholics are invited, but most politely refuse. Some wonder if this is the first step in the healing process between eastern and western Christian ideology.
-Influence of the Russians, still strong in the Balkans, regains its place as new embassies are constructed in Belgrade, Zagreb and Athens. Russia, now riding on the ideal of Slavic and Christian unity, begins to foster a warm relationship with her sister nations in the Balkans, soothing tensions in the region somewhat.
-The economic doors to Russia are opened as companies begin to present themselves to the rest of the world. Trade with a variety of nations begins, finally introducing foreign goods to the Russian market. Everything from Montenegrin cameras to American cars arrive in the sprawling Eurasian empire. Capitalists in Russia have a field day, raking in the profits, whilst the people are able to see the goods of the outside world and enjoy them in their own homes.
-A deal between the Russian and Montenegrin governments is struck. As Zhukov continues to rile up a nationalist fervor in his new Russian Confederation, Moscow purchases three dozen copies of the Common Slavonic dictionary as well as copied research papers from the Linguists association. Most of these papers and books will be put to use as the Russians hope to foster Slavonic as a dialect within the hulking empire in the east.
-Colleges in Russia introduce Common Slavonic as an optional class for high-ranking and graduate students. The Russians hope to make the language far more widespread in the coming decades, and may introduce it to secondary school students soon, but must wait for the Montenegrin linguists to make more advances in the realm of unified languages.
-Zhukov, accompanied by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’, go on a tour of the Russian countryside, visiting cities and old churches in hopes of sowing the seeds of peace between people and government. Their tour stops in the central steppes of the nation, where Zhukov hatches an idea that immediately requires a return to Moscow.
-Upon his arrival, members of the Russian parliament and various military/religious leaders gather in the Kremlin and discuss the formation of the new ruling party, as the old military regime would be too rigid for any form of social or economical development. Thus, the Национальный Христианско-демократическая партия России (National Christian-Democratic Party of Russia) is formed. This new party focuses on the adoption of nationalist and Christian ideologies, as well as creating a unified, single party that the Russian people can rely upon.
-With the nation’s politics in order, the Russian military continues to rebuild itself. Much of this comes in the form of stockpiled weaponry and the storage of armored vehicles in “ready shelters” across the country. Stockpiling of nuclear weapons also begins, squirreling away the weapons into secret areas in the off chance they are ever needed once again.
-The Russian air force and navy continues reconstruction. The latter is mostly coastal defense ships as the High Admirals in the Russian military view that a far-reaching, long-ranged navy is detrimental to the Russian fighting style. A huge number of Sokol aircraft begin training exercises that stretch from the west to the east, with some adventurous groups racing from Moscow to Vladivostok as quickly as they can. Disaster strikes as one pilot loses fuel over Kazakhstan; his plane disappearing from all tracking stations.
-The Russian military introduces a new after school program that is mandatory for all primary school students between the ages of 11 and 15. Known as the “Young Admirals”/”Young Colonels” (Navy/Army respectively, children may choose) groups, these programs give children rigorous training exercises and drills regarding weapons proficiency. Each meeting begins and ends with pledges of allegiance to the Russian army and navy, and most importantly, to the protection of the Russian people.
-Ships in the Baltic fleet officially clear out the last mines in the sea, and begin to work on getting rid of the mines in the Black Sea. This is a boon to the Russian economy, finally allowing ships from western Europe to sail through into port cities along the Baltic, sending goods straight into St. Petersburg markets.
-The Lenin Line, now retitled as St. George’s Wall, begins reconstruction. This line, unlike the last, focuses on breaking up the movements of invaders rather than acting like a solid wall of concrete and bunkers. Forcing oncoming armies into chokeholds, pushing them into difficult terrain, or leading them out into the open are the doctrines in place for St. George’s Wall. Much of the forts and bunkers on the wall are a series of alternating anti-air and anti-tank fortifications, rather than glorified pillboxes.
-Yet another massive bomb is detonated in the wastes of Siberia. This one is larger than the last. Much larger. Known as a “Hydrogen Bomb”, the Russians reveal yet another portion of their nuclear strength by dropping a nuclear weapon more than twenty times larger than the “Grillo” atomic warhead of the Iberians.
-In the realm of peace, however, Russian nuclear scientists continue to work with the idea of “nuclear power for the common man”. Using massive, steam-driven turbines that harness the energy of nuclear materials submerged in water, scientists at the University of Moscow construct a mockup model for a nuclear power plant that would produce enough energy to power the entire city of Moscow for decades at a time for a fraction of a fraction of the cost that coal or oil requires.
-In northern Afghanistan, the United Afghan Coalition makes significant gains over the local Pashtun government. Prolonged engagements proved to be far too costly for the Afghans, so instead, they took to drawing the Pashtun army into their mountain hideouts, grinding them into the dust.
-Most of the Pashtun military heads east to set up a defensive perimeter around the main body of the nation, hoping to protect vital cities in the north and south. The UAC and their affiliates lead a series of daring nighttime raids on military positions in order to disrupt their resolve and their ability to continue the fight against the UAC.
-Having seized a multitude of military outposts in northwest Afghanistan, the UAC manages to gather thousands of firearms and hundreds of thousands of rounds of munitions from local supply dumps, quickly refilling the stocks of the UAC’s fighters.
-Captains and generals within the UAC carve out territories for practice facilities, and the Afghans continue to train its militiamen with backbreaking, rigorous exercises and drills. The most infamous trial is the “One Bullet Per Day” firearm exercise, in which fighters are given but one round for their weapon, and must hit the center of a target from thirty meters away. If they cannot, they must wait for the next day to try again. This trial, though grueling and humiliating, teaches the fighters how to conserve munitions and properly sight their weapons.
-Fighters from the Afghan Coalition manage to get their hands on a series of air-lifted supplies from Germany and France. The former supplies them with foodstuffs and some cheap weaponry, whilst the French drop medical goods and communications material. No longer is the UAC fighting with table scraps, but is instead close to being on-par with the Pashtun military.
-With new weapons and supplies in hand, the United Afghan Coalition begins a new recruitment campaign. Heading into territories held by the UAC for a longer time, young men and women are encouraged to take up arms against the Pashtun government for a short period of time. Though their parents hesitate, the fervor of teenagers is more than enough to give the UAC a huge boost in manpower.
-Infrastructure is considered the new enemy of the United Afghan Coalition. As the Pashtun military draws into itself near the center of the nation, fighters begin to slip through checkpoints and wreak havoc on the building blocks of large cities. Water pipes, roads, electrical transformers and telephone wires are regularly cracked, blown up or snipped in the nighttime by the UAC’s “Night Stalker” militiamen.
-The newly formed United Nations, housed in Washington DC, is visited by a delegation of the United Afghan Coalition. After brief talks, the UAC is officially welcomed into the United Nations as a “Government Thus Unrepresented”. Diplomatically, this isolates Pashtunistan, who has yet to send in a delegation to the UN, and more or less declares their government illegitimate.
-At the United Nations, the UAC delegation calls upon Mohammed Zahir Shah, the deposed King of Afghanistan, to return from exile in France and come to Afghanistan as the “Rightful Ruler”. The UAC explicitly states they will institute a constitutional monarchy, but refuse to let Zahir “sit on the sidelines as rightful King of our glorious Afghanistan”.
-Though most of the Pashtun army surrounds the nation’s center and east, it does not stop some Pashtun brigades from probing into rebel-held territory, attempting to dislodge the UAC. Unfortunately for them, the UAC begins to deploy a series of vicious “booby traps” in order to restrict their movements. Infamous and horrid, the “Scorpion Stakes” are the most feared. Hidden beneath a false ground of rocks and clay, an unsuspecting soldier will fall through the unstable flooring and become impaled on sharpened spikes smeared with all sorts of foul materials.
-The most exotic achievement of the United Afghan Coalition, envied by even some militaries, is the creation of “Takedown Bunkers”. Using a series of logs and rocks hauled by asses or men on foot, UAC fighters are able to quickly set up a defensible position in under a couple of hours and then quickly break it down in the same amount of time, letting entire heavy machine gun crews pack up and leave, which serves to no end of confusion to enemies attempting to capture their positions.
-The United States returns to isolationism in terms of exporting its arms and influence throughout the world. The US army and navy are completely demobilized, and brought to the standards seen before the second Great War. Hundreds of thousands of troops are home, safe and sound, and getting to work in America’s many sprawling factories.
-A unanimous vote in the United States’ congress puts forward a bill that officially keeps the United States out of any foreign alliance unless its members are ideologically and militarily similar to the US. Most notably, this keeps the United States out of NATO unless Germany accepts its war crimes and does whatever it can to prevent them from happening in the future, though many doubt the war-hungry Germans would be so willing and able to stop their curbstomping of Europe.
-However, America does not end its influence entirely. Instead, after meeting with diplomats from a variety of other nations, the United States welcomes the creation of the United Nations. The UN, for short, acts as an international world congress focused on promoting peace and cooperation throughout the world, as well as acting as a useful resource for areas of the world requiring assistance in the event of natural disasters, droughts or famines.
-At the first meeting of the United Nations, more than a dozen countries from around the world send delegates to the newly constructed UN building in Washington D.C. Most notably, a delegation from the United Afghan Coalition arrives, and meets with members of the UN as well as the US congress. After a series of meetings, the United Nations (alongside congress) votes to recognize the United Afghan Coalition and the Free Party as the proper government of Pashtunistan, and refuses to recognize any delegation sent by the Pashtun government.
-A series of laws is passed officially barring immigrants from entering the United States unless they pass a series of tests confirming their eligibility of becoming an American citizen. These tests cover a variety of topics, from the English language, basic American laws, mathematics and proof of some form of working skill.
-The United States begins to encourage migrants from northern Africa and the middle East (how few there are already) to return home as the region begins to stabilize. Unfortunately, nationalist and racist groups in the United States take this as a green light to harass migrant and minority communities. A series of race riots in southern Mississippi lead to the deaths of more than eleven blacks and three policemen.
-President Roosevelt holds two (now color) speeches on US television. The first condemns the racist attacks in the south, and clears up the campaign’s definition as an “olive branch for peace” and a “reintroduction of skilled labor to the lands of the middle east”. His second campaign wins the hearts and minds of the men and women in the United States, as Roosevelt unveils the “Glowing Future” plan. Glowing Future, in brief, is a campaign for the United States to build a series of nuclear power plants across the nation to reduce the nation’s dependency on coal and oil, allowing the US to export its natural goods rather than consume them itself.
-With the Glowing Future plan in place, the US government provides a series of high-quality grants to college students pursuing a nuclear physics or engineering degree, and encourages them to visit the various tech colleges around the United States working on creating nuclear energy.
-Researchers at Beloit College design ways to contain “rods” of radioactive materials in water and thus harnessing the pressurized steam let off of them. The biggest issue is the creation of a “core”, or a housing unit that could hold such volatile materials. Luckily for the Americans, a design is decided upon and tested with samples of uranium, and works swimmingly.
-The United States military, seeing the importance of jet aircraft as well as the usefulness of aircraft carriers, begins trolling for companies to design a “Jet-Ready” carrier, or a larger decked ship able to carry jet aircraft reliably and safely. A design is chosen, created by none other than Mitsubishi-Ford, and is dubbed the “Andrew Jackson Class” carrier. The first Andrew Jackson carrier is set to be built in the coming year and a half, most of the production delayed due to the demobilization of the US military.
==Turn 26: July to December 1942==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49879297&viewfull=1#post49879297
-World Tensions are very high.
-In Korea, the Iberian Union finally puts their foot down and declares war upon the Republic of China. Iberian naval assets surround China and Iberian soldiers arrive in Korea to fight the Chinese and force them to go on the defensive. Air and rocket strikes deliver serious damage to port cities whilst the juggernaut of the Chinese military refuses to stop.
-In Japan, an outbreak of Staphylococcus asiaticus takes place in Nagoya, killing hundreds and infecting thousands more. The Japanese government panics and struggles to isolate those infected, though some slip through. There are rumors that Japanese and Korean refugees have smuggled themselves into trade ships, increasing the fear of the disease’s spread.
-China is officially blockaded, and only a small amount of trade is able to leave her ports. Because of this, the world’s economy shudders and many small countries dependent on Chinese imports begin once again to roll into recession. If the war continues for much longer, a new market crash may take place that will see horrendous results.
-Russia declares war on the People’s Republic of Pashtunistan in hopes of totally wiping out the last influences of Soviet communism in Eurasia. Smashing through defensive lines, Russian aircraft scour Pashtun positions, allowing the UAC to sweep through the country and surround the Pashtuns in Kashmir and the Hindu Kush.
-A series of protests, known as the “Age of Freedom” in South America, breaks up the last few military juntas and single-party governments. Peacefully, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru hold elections that see the people’s choices heard in the parliaments of their various nations. Most notably, the Venezuelan Communist Party overthrows the government in a non-violent transitional coup. The party models itself after the Brazilians, who immediately open the government up to hear the words of the people, and institute a peaceful regime in the country.
-The North Atlantic Treaty Organization begins to waver as the various Arab states leave the alliance. With the Concert of Europe acting as the main force of decisionmaking in Europe, many NATO countries feel betrayed that some NATO members would so willingly turn to working with the Iberians.
-France begins to consider the possibilities of decolonization after hearing arguments from the Montenegrins in the United Nations alongside the growth of independence movements in the Maghreb. The Union Africaine, the hulking pseudo-government under the administration of Paris, prepares to cut itself free from France and begin the process of carving itself into smaller independent pieces.
-The lights go on in St. Petersburg as the world’s first fully operational nuclear reactor is activated in Russia. After years of desiring nuclear power as an offensive weapon, the Russian government knows that it must try to use it for peace and prosperity within their hulking nation.
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Berlin, Great Germany
Head Nation: Great Germany
-Members:
--France
--England
--Great Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--South Africa (Dependent)
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--Scotland (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Japan
--Pahlavi Empire
--Patagonia
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Nanjing Association (NA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Russia
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
Type: International Association
Arab Economic League (AEL):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
Type: Economic Association
Hispanic Trade Organization (HTO):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Iberia
--Patagonia
--Mexico
--Ecuador
Type: Economic Association
Player Events:
-The hulking army of the Republic of China continues to slam its way through the slowly disintegrating Japanese lines in central Korea, shattering multiple divisions and forcing the Japanese to send in reserves from the mainland. Some expect the Japanese to be forced out of the peninsula entirely by the summer of next year.
-However, with the Iberian Union formally declaring itself in limited conflict with the Chinese, the Iberian divisions sent to act as a police force in Korea turn their guns on the Chinese, and intense fighting begins in the center of the peninsula as the zealous, crusader-like resolve of the Iberians makes sure that they give not an inch to the Chinese attackers.
-Iberian air and rocket strikes begin to severely damage the infrastructure of southern cities like Hong Kong and Macau. Stationed in Taiwan, the Iberians surround the eastern island with a massive naval blockade and repel a series of attempted Chinese landings. Much of the strikes are indiscriminate, and thousands of civilians are killed in Hong Kong after a rash series of rocket attacks, including Montenegrin, English, American and Canadian tourists in the city.
-Iberian skippers in the pacific duke it out with the Chinese submarine fleet. A fantastic, three-week-long chase along the coastline of the American Aleutian islands takes place between an Iberian and Chinese submarine, the two regularly tailing one another and giving pot shots. It ends with both captains refusing to carry out a final attack on the other ship, and both head home having found a new respect for their enemy. Such is the way of the submariner.
-Much to the chagrin of the Japanese, the armies of the Republic of China seize the city of Ulaanbaatar with minimal fighting, and the parliament of Mongolia is exiled from the nation rather than facing execution. With this pardon, the nationalist military and government administrators of Mongolia flee to Finland, hoping to avoid scrutiny from ULE and NA governments alike. The Republic of Mongolia officially ceases to exist once again.
-A massed Japanese air assault in northern Manchuria sees the dropping of thousands of tons of ordnance outside of Harbin. To the horror of the Japanese commanders, the airfields were in fact cleverly plowed fields of grain with large wooden planes set to look like the real thing. The Chinese have yet to forget the teachings of Sun Tzu, and happily use the art of deception to their advantage.
-The existing airfields in China undergo huge defensive fortification projects, including the construction of “Aircraft Gravediggers”, or criss-crossing fields of anti-aircraft artillery and automatic anti-air guns that stretch out for dozens of kilometers outside of the airbase, giving a protective “dome”. Airfields in the center of the nation are not as defended, but are too far inland to be met with the ferocity of Iberian/Japanese air raids seen in Manchuria or Yunnan.
-At sea, the Chinese slip past the eastern defenses of the Japanese and begin intensive submarine operations in the pacific. These subs, smaller and outdated compared to the hostile Iberian models, still wreak havoc on Japanese shipping via unrestricted submarine warfare. News of an S. asiaticus outbreak on the home island causes panic amongst the general populace in Japan, and when combined with the choking grip of the Chinese submarine fleet, many wonder if the resolve of Japan will hold.
-Ports in China continue to grow, but instead of creating the smaller coastal defense ships, begin the expansion of the main fleet. Damaged cruisers and destroyers, victims of the Iberian submarine skippers, crawl painfully into ports in the southeast and north to begin repairs. Though the fleet grows larger, naval advisors point out the dangers of repetitive losses due to the skill of the Iberian navy.
-Constant deceptive movements of armies, shifting of supply lines and changes in troop deployments leads to serious stress on the Japanese defenders in Korea. Using the Republican rebels in the region for information and scouting, the Chinese play cruel mind games with the Japanese, who occasionally panic and make tremendously damaging mistakes, such as sending an entire division’s worth of men into Seoul, only to find it totally empty. They turn around to head south, and find themselves completely surrounded. Being how they are, the Japanese soldiers refuse to surrender, and fight to the death in what is known as the “Slaughter of Seoul”.
-Internally, the Chinese face a series of pressing issues. To the south, the Iberian strikes test the resolve of the industrial capacity, and intensive blockading leads to panic amongst investors as the economy shudders to a halt with Chinese goods unable to be sent overseas. The other issue is that there are over thirty confirmed cases of S. asiaticus in Manchuria near the Sino-Russian border in a community of Korean refugees.
-In hopes of containing the outbreak as well as researching its causes, the Chinese form the “Jíbìng Yùfáng Kòngzhì Zhōngxīn”, or Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC to the outside community) and is centered in Nanjing. Scientists from the CDC attempt to isolate and begin handling the bacteria in small quantities, much like researchers in Germany and Iberia.
-Experimenting with the designs of the German and Iberian water-based sonar equipment, the Chinese attempt to do the same with the air. Using a massive building, a complex set of tubes and radio wiring and displays provided by Montenegrin television companies, the Chinese test the first “Radar” array in Mongolia. Able to detect large objects from hundreds of kilometers away, this radar is a boon to air defense systems and allows the Chinese to immediately intercept oncoming attackers before they can do too much damage to their targets.
-Having taken more than enough hits from the Iberian rockets, the Chinese continue to experiment with their own designs. The “Year 42” long-range rocket, based loosely on the MGM Matador, is tested. Though lacking the range, the Y-42 is able to deliver thousands of kilograms of explosive quickly and efficiently onto a target without easily being intercepted. It has just enough range to hit targets in Taiwan and Japan were it to be fired from the southern coast or off of the korean peninsula.
-Colombia rolls itself onto the world stage as a key player in South America. The government prepares for a series of nationwide reforms in hopes of curbing both internal militancy and external powerplaying. Colombia declares itself officially neutral from all military associations, and draws itself into the international Non Aligned Movement.
-Firstly, the Colombian government opens its ports to the world, giving European and American markets discounted prices on luxury goods such as sugar, coffee and tobacco. Alongside this, the government holds the “New Colombian Exchange” with the United States, in which goods such as cigars and refined sugars are sold in American markets at shockingly low prices, driving out local competition in major cities such as Miami and New Orleans.
-Diplomats are sent throughout South America as Colombia hopes of growing stronger relations with its neighbors and other countries in the region. Most notably, delegations are sent to Brazil and Patagonia to try and not only ease tensions between the two, but improve Colombia's standing as a whole. In Buenos Aires, a Non-Aggression pact is signed between Patagonia and Colombia, on the ground that Colombian goods in Patagonia are sold at a price set by the Patagonian government.
-Arms deals and military advisory for Colombia comes from an unlikely outside source. Germany. The Republic of Greater Germany attempts to establish itself as the new “arsenal of democracy”, and begins sending veteran officers to assist in the modernization of Colombia’s armed forces. This process will take years, as the Colombians are far behind in terms of military technology and capabilities.
-Internally, Colombia begins nationwide, far-reaching reforms in terms of infrastructure, agriculture, education and politics. The first steps are the complete nationalization of transportation and roads, no longer allowing companies or private ownership of key transport assets in Colombia, freeing up hundreds of kilometers of roads, allowing them to be expanded or improved.
-With this move, the government begins hiring thousands of unemployed workers to begin working on the infrastructure projects throughout the nation. A coastal railway system begins groundbreaking ceremonies in the north as a publically-available series of lines will bring goods to ports quicker, cheaper and easier.
-Along the coast, small resorts owned by government conglomerates in the Colombian Tourism Agency begin construction. These beaches, beautiful, warm and pristine, are the prime target for tourists and vacationers headed for Colombia. With the growth of international travel by jet on the horizon, the Colombians know that the window of opportunity for success is small, and prepare to leap through it at any time.
-The “Ley de Protección de la Infancia” (Child Protection Act) is officially signed in Colombian parliament. Banning all forms of child labor as well as creating subsidized school systems for the general public. Alongside the act, a nationwide minimum wage is put in place in hopes of breaking down the squalid conditions of factory workers in Colombia.
-A minor tax hike is put on the upper crust of Colombia. Though not major, the hike comes as the government initiates its reform campaign for Colombia. Few are able to say “no” to helping the children and growing the nation’s economy as a whole.
-A huge move is made in hopes of defusing the growing hostilities between the Movimiento Falange de Colombia (Falangists) and the Partido Comunista de Colombia (Communists). The government officially bans all paramilitary groups, and heavily restricts the sale of firearms to “any and all politically affiliated groups”. Laws are put in place limiting the number of firearms a household can have, and institutes harsh punishments for those who willingly break the law.
-Though disarmed, the hostilities still remain between the MFC and the PCC. To break this down, the Asamblea Nacional (National Assembly) is formed in Bogota. Formally inviting all parties within Colombia, the parliament and courts are able to hash out disagreements between the MFC and PCC, bringing them to the table and allowing the two parties to slowly transition into regular political lifestyle rather than having them act as rebellions self-guided militarists.
-Huge breakthroughs are made in the Colombian health sector at the University of San Jose de Popayan. The first is the experiment of a “blood bank”, or series of cooled, dry, air-tight rooms holding pints of fresh donated blood to be used during emergency transfusions. Though extremely expensive and difficult to maintain, these “blood banks” may prove to be an important asset for medical personnel throughout Colombia, if not the world.
-Another breakthrough is made in the use of penicillin. Though discovered and identified in 1928, at a Colombian hospital, a child suffering from a septic infection of the lungs is given a small dose of penicillin as treatment. As if it were a miracle, the child slowly begins to recover, and within weeks, is considered in stable condition. Colombian scientists wonder how else this could be applied, and if it could have an effect on the S. asiaticus outbreaks in Asia and northern Africa.
-Trade begins once again between Germany and Iberia. Though their governments couldn’t be further apart on the political spectrum, the Iberians and Germans both know that their respective economies would benefit from proper trade between one another rather than total isolation. Wood from the Iberian deforestation projects in Africa are sold at discounted prices to government conglomerates in Germany, while in return, the Germans sell “Tropisch” televisions and handcrafted tables, chairs and other furniture to Iberian customers. German steel and iron is exported in some quantity to the Iberians as well, though only some in order to match the price of the wood.
-Engineers from Germany head to Iberia to begin the construction of a series of international airports in the major cities of Lisbon, Madrid and Casablanca. Though invited by the Iberians, the German workers and engineers regularly face scrutiny and harassment from Iberian police forces and SSS observers due to their “socialist leanings and communist sympathy”.
-Germany continues to try and grow relations throughout Scandinavia, hoping to pull in more friendly nations for the Baltic Confederation. Denmark and Norway once again turn down the offer, though the Danes seem far more interested in the monetary benefits than previously. However, the Swedes accept the deal, and join the Baltic Confederation. Delegates from the Netherlands and Belgium arrive in Berlin, and discuss possibilities of expanding the Baltic Confederation to include other European nations as well.
-The Concert of Europe takes on Belgium and Luxembourg as the two Low Countries hope to have a say in European affairs rather than sitting on the sidelines. France remains adamantly against the idea of the Concert of Europe, and the administration feels that German influence in Europe grows to be too strong for its own good. Relations between Berlin and Paris begin to break down.
-Major developments take place as the independent states of the United Arab Republic, Jordan and Egypt send delegates to Berlin and officially sever themselves from NATO. The “Middle Eastern Coalition” (MEC) is formed as a result. The MEC considers itself “politically and ideologically similar and aligned with NATO, but independent of European influence”. This causes a rippling effect, as nationalist movements grow rapidly throughout French colonies in Africa, and the pseudo-government of the Union Africaine may prepare for independence and decolonization of Africa entirely.
-Arms deals and military advisory for Colombia comes from an unlikely outside source. Germany. The Republic of Greater Germany attempts to establish itself as the new “arsenal of democracy”, and begins sending veteran officers to assist in the modernization of Colombia’s armed forces. This process will take years, as the Colombians are far behind in terms of military technology and capabilities.
-Internally, Germany prepares for a “five year plan”, or massive national program with a set beginning and end revolving around production quotas and quality of materials. Mimicking the Chinese rapid industrialization, the Germans prepare to form larger conglomerates of companies within Germany. Alongside this, the formation of the Kommission für Deutsche Industrielle Überlegenheit (Commission for German Industrial Superiority) presents the “State Alternative”.
-The “State Alternative” is a government subsidized program involving the production and sales of non-essential and consumer goods by the German government at lower prices. “Made for Germans, by Germans” is the tagline in television and newspaper advertisements as the KDIU prepares to bully out international companies and replace them with the state’s own.
-Germany’s massive public health program continues expansion as the government prepares to increase funds across the board. Taxes are raised slightly on the German upper class to boost the monetary assets of the program. The Munich College of Health and Medicine is formed, and thousands of healthcare professional hopefuls take tests and ready themselves for the grueling academic process of becoming a certified doctor.
-Shock breaks throughout Germany as news outlets receive information of a S. asiaticus outbreak in the Maldives that has proceeded to kill nearly two thousand natives over the course of a few months, including nearly one hundred German citizens. Panic ensues as one of said infected German citizens travelled home before succumbing in a German hospital in Lubeck. The hospital’s officials ensure that he was not a carrier, and was immediately quarantined upon arrival.
-Meanwhile, Germany’s state owned airports grow slowly but surely as the nation’s aerospace infrastructure campaign continues. With this, more comfortable designs are sought after in an attempt to mimic the Montenegrin designs. However, being stubborn Germans, these planes are nowhere near as smooth nor as enjoyable of a ride as the Montenegrin builds, and are instead built on the idea of efficiency and reliability. Nonetheless, the “New Model Aircraft”, as English tourists call them, are a step above the glorified troop transports that the Germans attempted to pass off as civilian airliners.
-A nuclear scientist from Aachen proposes the idea of using radioactive materials in a peaceful format. Using a large container filled with water, and injecting it with rods of highly-reactive substances and harnessing the steam that is put out. The biggest issue is containing the water, ensuring that it does not leak or spread contaminants into civilian populations. The solution is simple, but kept behind closed doors as Germany enters the beginning of a Nuclear Energy program.
-Fed up with trying to bring the Chinese to heel in Korea, and finally stepping in to protect their only ally in the far east, the Iberian Union formally declares war on the Republic of China. Being that this is a limited war, Iberia simply pulls on Italy and the Balkans for materiel and transport support in order to free up Iberian naval assets. Other than that, this will become a prolonged fight between the Chinese and Iberians, with the Japanese stuck as Iberia’s ground forces in the far east.
-The Iberians take a more classical approach to diplomacy and exert their influence via the navy. The Mediterranean fleet is cut in two, and the entirety of Iberia’s atlantic forces head east through the Suez Canal and begin sailing towards China. After a period of weeks, a squabble takes place between Iberian seamen and owners of a cantina in Port Said that ends in a handful of partygoers bruised and an Iberian sailor unconscious. Upon hearing of this, the Egyptian government closes the Suez to all Iberian naval forces, and demands that the Iberians take “the old way around”. Luckily, with such huge territories in Africa, the Iberians risk little in terms of time and supplies by skirting along the coastline. South Africa, more friendly to the Iberian regime than most commonwealth states, invites the Iberian navy to dock in her ports.
-Iberian troops stationed in Korea are put on high alert and ordered to fight the Chinese attackers. In the crowded cities, the Iberians put up a hasty defense, giving not an inch to the oncoming Republican forces. Eventually, they are broken down and forced south, but not without giving the Chinese serious casualties and making them rethink their strategies in the Korean peninsula. Most notably, the Iberians refuse to take prisoners, and the Chinese regularly come across massed piles of soldiers and civilians that attempted to flee the Iberians, sending a chilling message to those who get in the way of Iberian progress.
-Naval forces of the Atlantic fleet go head to head with the Chinese national fleet, and immediately conduct combat on the high seas. Ships on both sides are damaged, but the Iberians tend to get the upper hand with outright kills on Chinese warships. A screening force of submarines acts to restrict all trade in-and-out of China, while also harassing Chinese naval forces by regularly capping cruisers and destroyers whilst being completely unseen.
-The bulk of Iberia’s forces, missile crews and long-range aerial troops, land in Taiwan and more or less occupy the island, turning it into a massive military outpost. The Japanese troops stationed on the island are turned into police forces and act under the command of the Iberians, much to the detriment of Japanese morale. The airfields buzz with the activity of Iberian bombers and fast attack aircraft, as well as stations of MGM-1 matador missiles pointed towards the southern coast of China.
-Iberian air and rocket strikes begin to severely damage the infrastructure of southern cities like Hong Kong and Macau. Much of the strikes are indiscriminate, and thousands of civilians are killed in Hong Kong after a rash series of rocket attacks, including Montenegrin, English, American and Canadian tourists in the city.
-Using their helicopters, the Iberians begin to evacuate the shattered Japanese divisions from the Korean peninsula and bring them to the home islands. The Iberians, unlike the Japanese, recognize the importance of keeping troops at the front fresh and recuperate, and the Iberians regularly overrule Japanese officers during evacuation. Occasionally, the bulky, slow-moving helicopters are attacked by Chinese aircraft, seeing the downing of over a dozen evacuating aircraft.
-As Iberian helicopters drop off troops for recovery in Japan, troops from the 18th Cohete de Largo Alcance División de la Batería (18th Long Range Rocket Battery Division), nicknamed “Las Víboras de Rusia” (Vipers of Russia) for their accuracy and reliability during the Third Great War, set up shop along a series of well-placed coastal positions in Japan, focusing on China. Most of their bombardments are not towards land-based targets, but instead ships attempting to exit yards in northeast China. There are rumors that the “Grillo” nuclear warhead have been deployed to Japan “in the event of serious difficulty”.
-Iberian skippers in the pacific duke it out with the Chinese submarine fleet. A fantastic, three-week-long chase along the coastline of the American Aleutian islands takes place between an Iberian and Chinese submarine, the two regularly tailing one another and giving pot shots. It ends with both captains refusing to carry out a final attack on the other ship, and both head home having found a new respect for their enemy. Such is the way of the submariner.
-At home, Iberia continues to make progress in the massed deforestation and farming processes in the Congo. With extra wood in hand, the Iberians look to making a quick buck with a slightly warm friend in Europe. Wood from the Iberian deforestation projects in Africa are sold at discounted prices to government conglomerates in Germany, while in return, the Germans sell “Tropisch” televisions and handcrafted tables, chairs and other furniture to Iberian customers. German steel and iron is exported in some quantity to the Iberians as well, though only some in order to match the price of the wood.
-An invitation to grow airports and their faculties heads to the Germans, who immediately send out their workers. Engineers head to Iberia to begin the construction of a series of international airports in the major cities of Lisbon, Madrid and Casablanca. Though invited, the German workers and engineers regularly face scrutiny and harassment from Iberian police forces and SSS observers due to their “socialist leanings and communist sympathy”.
-Friendly delegations are sent to the centrist, un-aligned state of Montenegro. Interested in the MLA's work on Vulgar Latin, and seeing the use of linguistics projects not only in the region but around the world, the Iberians fund linguists in Montenegro whilst purchasing hundreds of copies of newly translated African Latin, Pannonian Latin and Dalmatian dictionaries. In return, the Iberians officially sign a ULE-wide agreement of non-aggression and “economic favor” of Iberia. Emperor Alfonso himself is seen on a country car tour of Gorawood with King Michael, the two seeming to enjoy each other’s company.
-Rocket engineers continue to find new ways to send objects needlessly high distances at shockingly high speeds. Using condensed, powdered chemical compounds, Iberian researchers in Barcelona create experimental “solid fuel”. This fuel burns rapidly and expels huge amounts of energy, and can act as a major support to sending rockets long distances. Simply dubbed “boosters”, the Iberians can now send something like the MGM Matador nearly double its range for a surprisingly small amount of fuel.
-More experiments take place with rockets, most importantly using timed “decoupling” in order to make rockets come apart in stages. Using an unarmed Matador, the Iberians manage to send a rocket into the upper reaches of the stratosphere. A huge celebration takes place, and this high-speed, high-altitude rocket is given the nickname “Ángel” for its “heavenly capabilities”.
-Friendly delegations arrive from the fascist, ULE-aligned state of Iberia. Interested in the MLA's work on Vulgar Latin, and seeing the use of linguistics projects not only in the region but around the world, the Iberians fund linguists in Montenegro whilst purchasing hundreds of copies of newly translated African Latin, , Pannonian Latin and Dalmatian dictionaries. In return, the Iberians officially sign a ULE-wide agreement of non-aggression and “economic favor” of Iberia. Emperor Alfonso himself is seen on a country car tour of Gorawood with King Michael, the two seeming to enjoy each other’s company.
-The newly independent state of Peonia begins to make friends with Montenegro as delegates from both countries regularly visit one another’s capitals to exchange agreements and treaties. The Montenegrin Linguists' Association opens its doors to Peonian researchers, as a new program begins.
-In Skopje and Cetinje, a linguistics project is underway, using Greek, Albanian, the Torlakian dialect of Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian and local Slavonic in order to create an independent, separate “Peonian” language. It will take decades for the language to become commonly available, but major progress is already made with the existing information on the aforementioned languages.
-Czechoslovakia quickly becomes Montenegro’s newest trading partner. Though much of the trade had fallen through since the death of the United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia, relations have since then stayed warm between the democratic and self-determined Montenegro and Czechoslovakia. This trade comes in the form of films, electronic equipment and industrial investments in the Czechoslovak economy.
-The Montenegrin industry, in turn, receives investments from capitalists from Prague and Bratislava. The “Unity of the Slavs” becomes a growing ideological standpoint amongst Czechoslovaks, Peonians and Montenegrins as Slavonic slowly trickles into the public’s hands, and the idea of “linguistic diplomacy” becomes the norm outside of Montenegro.
-In the halls of Zagreb and Belgrade, Montenegrin diplomats make a major breakthrough. In what is to be known as the “Danube Peace”, delegates from Serbia and Croatia meet in Cetinje and sign a cooperative pact that sees the two nations opening their borders to one another, reignite trade, and attempt to push all of their past transgressions behind them.
-In the United Nations, the Montenegrin delegation puts forward an inspirational and heart wrenching speech in regards to the treatment of European colonial subjects in Africa and Asia. Though the Iberian and Italian delegations are seen rolling their eyes or twiddling their thumbs, the speech manages to win over the French, who are dealing with independence movements across north and western Africa as well as Indochina. There are rumors that the Union Africaine, the pseudo-administrative government of Africa, will be declared independent of France within the coming years to begin the arduous process of removing European influence from Africa.
-At home, with the help of outside investments, the government continues the rapid industrialization of Montenegro. Most of the industry in this case is heavy. Metalworks and industrial woodwork factories spring up along the edges of the mountains as Iberian tropical wood and German metal begins to pile up in Montenegro. The Balkan states, ULE or otherwise, begin to purchase manufacturing equipment and other goods from Montenegrin factories in large quantities.
-Transportation reform takes place within Montenegro alongside industrialization. Railways and metro centers, more commonly a western European/Anglophone idea, is introduced to Montenegro, and will be a boon to those needing to get to work that live outside of the city or lack a car of their own. Standardization in taxpayer subsidised buses takes place as well, as the "Gradski prevoz Crne Gore" (Public Transport of Montenegro) is formed officially, hoping to make it easier for all Montenegrin peoples to access their beautiful nation.
-When building the various underground metro stations, military advisors take control of the projects to begin construction of “Krizni centri odbrane” (Emergency Defense Centers) within the halls of the metros. These large, sprawling concrete shelters can house hundreds of people at a time safely, with a week’s worth of food and water plus medical supplies and cots. Larger shelters are made near major city centers that can house thousands, though nowhere near as comfortable as those in the metro. This comes as the threat of a destabilized Europe and hungry neighbors always hangs over the heads of those who lack big friends.
-The Montenegrin government begins supporting the creation of major scientific research centers and colleges around the nation. Though the arts are what makes Montenegro special, Michael believes it will be science that will make Montenegro great. The scientific community does not choose a specific sector, but instead encourages all of the realms, from biology to electronics, sociology to psychology and beyond.
-The Linguists' Association begins to expand its horizons by breaking down the Serbo-Croatian dialects of Chakavian, Kajkavian and Torlakian into a list of languages to be standardized. With the expansion of Peonian and Slavonic, some of the linguists begin to take on studying the various ancient Pagan traditions of the old Slavs, and attempt to translate their practices into a modernized dialect, introducing it to the public for the first time in the region for nearly a thousand years.
-Along with this, the Iberian-funded linguists begin work on the "Neo-Roman" Project, where Vulgar Latin languages will be constructed for each member of the ULE and their colonies, which would later develop into Romance languages. Raetian, Venedic, Hibernian, Illyrican, Moesian, Graecian, Iamatae, Persian, Paphlagonean, Nabatene, Indian, Tylian, Surean, Formosan and Cogurean are all new languages that are being constructed. The research done on Pannonian and African will be used to develop Neo-Pannonian and Neo-African, while Hispanian and Neo-Italian will be developed using the methods of linguistic purism. 
-Montenegrin government advisors officially patent the "Cetinje Glass", now officially known as Tričarka glass, and the shielded microphones. Though publically available and able to be produced by any company, a certain amount of cash will still end up in the coffers of the Montenegrin government. Most notably, the Dioclea 20 jet aircraft is patented as well. During the patenting process, aircraft engineers create something simple: better seats. These “velvet like cushions” make it far more enjoyable for those riding on the aircraft, with proper back support and a softness elsewhere, passengers feel right as rain within the “flying carpets of Montenegro”.
-In the parliament of Russia, after meeting with delegations of the United Afghan Coalition, a decision is made. Even though the nation is still recovering from the last war, and its economy is so fragile, the Greater Russian Confederation declares war upon the People’s Republic of Pashtunistan in order to support the United Afghan Coalition and “destroy the last remnants of Soviet influence”.
-Airstrikes hit Pashtun positions in the north around the Hindu Kush and the Khyber Pass, causing significant damage to the ill prepared Pashtun defenders. As the Pashtun government was already on the track to crumbling, Russian military advisors believe that bringing infantry into the area would be “overkill and detrimental to Russian resources”.
-Anti-Aircraft guns of the Pashtun army are locked in the interwar period. Four Maxim guns are totally useless against the Sokol, and only prove to be noisemakers. Working with agents planted in Pashtunistan, the Russian military in tandem with the UAC may knock the communists out of power by early 1943.
-Russia continues to build up its military, bringing itself up to Pre-3rd-Great-War standards. Though most of the high command had been purged or removed from power, Zhukov’s military experience assists in bringing in skilled officers and general’s staff that respect the art of war rather than just the party.
-Mikoyan is given free reign in terms of building up the Russian air force’s jet reserves. The company receives massive funding from the Russian government, and rolls out Sokol aircraft in huge numbers. Most importantly, these aircraft are easily transported to the various air bases within Russia, and can fly the instant they’re out of the factory and given a good pilot. Russian military doctrine slowly becomes focused on fast movement and rapid deployment.
-Peacefully, Russia begins to open the gates of trade to eastern Europe, most especially towards the Poles. Though hating one another, the Russians and Poles manage to work together in opening trade routes to warsaw, and trucks of both nations goods are seen regularly crossing over the borders. In Romania, the Russians make huge gains as Romanian investors bring in Russian government companies to the oil rich southeast.
-Russian diplomats head to northern India in hopes of encouraging more nations to join the ever growing Nanjing Association. Some nations, like Rajastan, consider the idea, but then see the situation in the east and how China is affected. Many countries would rather not tie themselves with a country at war in an economic association. Nonetheless, Russia manages to foster good relations with Northern India, mostly due to Russia assisting in Indian independence not too long ago.
-Work with the Orthodox church and its patriarchs continues as the Russians slowly try to unify the church in a single location and under a single doctrine. Coptic priests from Ethiopia and Somkhiti join the council in Moscow out of curiosity, and manage to make significant gains in tying the church’s doctrines together, though it is not 100% official. Catholics have yet to make their way to Moscow, and the Pope once again refuses the invitation.
-At home, the Russian government’s total nationalization of coal and oil industries comes to completion. Multiple government conglomerates then turn their sights overseas, and begin to export their goods to nations in Europe and North America. Russian oil is sent in enormous quantities to German government buyers now that the oil rich regions of Basra and Kuwait in the once-independent Iraq are now entirely in the hands of the Iberians.
-Common Slavonic, the idea of a unified Slavic language, are brought to major universities within Russia, and a small propaganda campaign encourages that Russian students take some time to sit down and read through the Slavonic dictionaries and books to try and invigorate a “Slavonic Identity” rather than one strictly Russian.
-Mimicking the Germans yet again, the Russians prepare to build a massive series of multi-lane highways throughout western Russia in hopes of connecting major cities together. Railways, as good as they are, are usually filled with goods transports, and it makes it much harder for the civilian population to reach friends and family within Russia as trains run too slowly. Truck-pulled shipping containers would also benefit from the highways, and thus groundbreaking ceremonies begin in Moscow. Zhukov digs the first hole for the Национальное Шоссе (National Highway) that will link Moscow to Vladivostok and every city in between.
-Interest rates within Russia are lowered to encourage investments in the Russian economy as well as reducing the stress on the Russian people. With blockades going on in China, the Russian government will have to work quickly to ensure that the nation’s economy doesn’t fall into a pit.
-A major breakthrough takes place outside the city of St. Petersburg. A massive, hulking building with strangely shaped spires is erected over the course of a few months. Known as Светящиеся Hебо (Glowing Sky), the first nuclear power plant turns on in Russia, flooding the city with light and power that the world has never seen before. Working around the clock, engineers at Glowing Sky give the Russian people something to hope for. Something to look forward to. Something to be proud of.
-Major gains are made by the United Afghan Coalition against the Pashtun government as the rebels move east. With their ranks bolstered significantly, the UAC begins to batter its way across the country, seizing swathes of territory as the Pashtun government pulls as far back as it can, surrounding its last holdouts in the east.
-UAC forces begin to attack Kabul itself. The city falls after a devastating week long engagement between the UAC and the Pashtun government, who surrender the city when the fighting is done. The capture of Kabul is a boon to UAC pride, and the rebels consider themselves victorious over the Pashtun government, though the fighting is far from over.
-As the Pashtun government retreats into the Hindu Kush and northern Kashmir, the UAC continues to make itself go west. In territories they’ve occupied, fighters turn rifles into plows in order to begin working the land and making it more stable and supportable. Victory looms on the horizon for the UAC, and a free, non-communist Pashtunistan may be in the near future.
-During an intense firefight on the outskirts of Kabul whilst the Pashtuns attempt a hasty counterattack, the ground turns to fire out of nowhere. Russian aircraft begin strafing Pashtun positions, devastating what little vehicles and fortifications they have. The Russians, now fighting on the behalf of the UAC, lay waste to the Afghan’s enemies from the skies.
-German planes continue to drop huge loads of weaponry and munitions into the hands of the UAC. The proxy war against Pashtunistan continues as NATO, Nanjing Association and independent nations give their fair share of goods to the Afghans in hopes of destroying the last holdout of communism in the east.
-Other aircraft begin to flock into the airspace of Pashtunistan, but this time it comes from friendly Americans. American aircraft begin dropping goods for the Afghan civilians in UAC occupied areas. Food, water, medicine and educational supplies fall in droves, and the UAC gobbles up the goodies as quickly as they would any sort of military supplies.
-Anti-Infrastructure campaigns turn to pro-infrastructure in occupied territories of the UAC. IED and mines are torn out of the ground and safely detonated far behind the lines as UAC fighters prepare the transition from revolt to peace in their western territories. UAC high command is still nervous, hoping that the rebellion does not peter out before final victory takes place, but Russian assistance soothes that fear.
-Though not exactly a new idea, the UAC works on making their mobile barricades more efficient. Somewhat standardized, each infantry group carries a series of unfilled sandbags and stakes that can quickly make an open space into a small bunker in the matter of hours, which can quickly be dismantled and moved again.
-An idea made in the first Great War that was largely ignored in the last two, the UAC creates large, bottle-like canisters of black powder and various chemicals to create “smoke projectors”. These tubular objects, when planted in the ground and pin pulled, forms a huge wall of irritating smoke that not only confuses but also blinds the enemy’s line of sight of the UAC’s fighters.
-In both the United States Congress and in the United Nations, the President of the United States of America, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, condemns the entirety of the Concert of Europe. In a scathing speech, FDR declares the Concert of Europe to be an “unsustainable alliance between two alliances that is doomed to fail”.
-Many non-CoE states in the United Nations quietly agree, whilst the French rally around the declaration, condemning the Concert of Europe as well, but not to the extent of the Americans. With NATO starting to come apart, and Iberia once again trying to make powerplays outside of Europe, many feel that the Concert of Europe is a strenuous alliance that may soon crumble.
-American aircraft that manage to skirt their way along on an aircraft carrier sneak through the Chinese and Iberian submarine screens, and launch their aircraft onto the Korean peninsula. However, not for combat, these large American cargo planes fly low and slowly, showing off their markings, as they drop huge crates of supplies and goods for the Korean populace.
-In these crates are large amounts of food, filled canteens, basic medical supplies and small informational booklets on how to deal with certain medical emergencies. With these, the Korean refugees fleeing into China or attempting to smuggle themselves into Japan are decently fed and watered. Some Korean civilians, courageous enough to jump onto rafts or fishing boats, crawl upon the American aircraft carrier and are brought home to the United States.
-At the United Nations, the American delegation calls upon the various air-worthy UN members to do the same in Korea. Taking a neutral stance, the French, Scottish and Australian air reserves attempt to send their best goods into the Korean peninsula. An unknown anti-air gun, be it Japanese, Chinese, Iberian or even Korean, knocks down a French cargo plane that plunges into the ground and erupts into a ball of flames. The US attempts to calm the United Nations and encourage the effort, and manage to keep everyone on the same page.
-In Pashtunistan, American aircraft conduct the same operations but in a much safer environment. More civilian goods are sent to Pashtunistan, where they are joined by Russian and German cargo aircraft planning to send their goods to support the civilians in Pashtunistan who are suffering under improper administration and civil war.
-At home, the United States enters its 1942 congressional elections. Interestingly enough, along the east coast states, new parties begin to gain seats in congress. Socialist Party USA wins seats across the board in Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Delaware. Meanwhile, in the south, the American Iron League takes South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. The rest of the country remains staunchly Democratic with some minimal Republican gains.
-These 1942 elections show the thaw in the staunch 2 party system of American politics and gives rise to the minor parties. With the fear of socialism dead in the water, but the growing success of fascists, the stalwarts of the Democrats and Republicans begin to waver.
-A bill is proposed to officially ban segregation in public schools and public institutions. However, due to the reactionary mindset of the Democrats and Iron League, the bill is more or less stillborn. Delegates of the Iron League warn the president that there would be “serious political consequences” were there to be an executive action forced through. The threat is believed to be just a warning that the Iron League would force congress and the senate into total gridlock, which is just as bad as anything else.
-Funding for the Glowing Power Plan continues as areas of the United States are cordoned off for the creation of nuclear power stations, though a design is yet to be officially decided upon. American engineers at Harvard bring forward “The Power Theory”, or a small pamphlet describing how nuclear power works, its importance and its abilities. It is distributed amongst the populace of the United States, usually at schools for children to bring it home to their parents.
-The United States Military begins the arduous process of phasing out their propeller aircraft and replacing them with the various jet turbine designs. Old guard moan and whine about the “lack of beauty and grace” that the jets have, but cannot disagree with their effectiveness.
-Most notably, American firearm engineers unveil the newest of the world’s automatic rifles. Known as the Model 14, or M-14 for short, this rifle is based loosely on the Garand, but feeds from a 20 round box magazine underneath. Unlike the other assault rifles, it uses a larger “intermediate” cartridge, instead of a full-length or carbine-grade. Able to pierce experimental body armor, and ignore cover such as thin metal or some concrete, the M-14 can easily give American soldiers the ability to overwhelm their enemies in combat.
==Turn 27: January to June 1943==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=49970860&viewfull=1#post49970860
-World Tensions are very high.
-With the end of NATO influence in the middle east, much of the area formerly under the rule of the defunct United Kingdom, tensions rise rapidly in the isles between the radicalist New Republican movement, sided with the British Nationalist Party and the loyalist Monarchists. In the interim of December into January, a coup takes place in London, forcing the monarchs of England to flee north.
-Upon heading over the border into Scotland, the Republicans chase the former monarchs over into sovereign Scottish territory, leading to a short, week-long conflict that sees hundreds of soldiers on both sides killed. A peace is quickly scrambled together between the administration of both nations.
-The New Commonwealth of England is formed in London, with the Lord Protector taking hold in London after being elected by a newly created National Council. The Kingdom of England dies in the birth of the New Commonwealth, whilst the monarchs are given their “proper” seats in Scotland.
-Though a republic in name, Scotland allows the monarchs of England to take hold as the heads of state, though superseded by a prime minister. King George VI, feeling the house name Windsor is unfitting, adopts the house name Holyrood, becoming King George I. The last days of the British Empire are found in 1943, as the ties to the crown’s colonies finally collapse.
-Supporting the Republicans, and furious with the growth of German influence throughout Europe, South Africa exits NATO entirely, declaring its allegiance with England and severing ties with the rest of the commonwealth. Scotland maintains its relationship with Australia, New Zealand and Canada, who still begin to draw themselves away from British rule and focus on themselves. Images of royalty are removed from Canadian and Australian money entirely.
-NATO very quickly begins to lose power around the world. With England and South Africa gone, the only northern NATO state is Scotland, who feels threatened by the two hyper-nationalist states at her borders. As Republicans begin to kick out those who oppose them in England, continental NATO members must sit and watch the nation they considered the protector of Europe be lowered into the grave.
-In Africa, the French release the massive substate known as the Union Africaine. Its government focused in Kaduna, the new Frankish government of Africa prepares to tear itself asunder near the end of the year, dividing up the former French and British possessions in northern and central Africa. Many fear that hungry Iberians and Germans may attempt to gobble up the newly independent countries, but the transition to freedom is expected to be smooth and sustainable.
-In East Asia, Indochine is made a small puppet in the same sense. The city of Guangzhouwan falls under this pseudo-state’s administration, as the French flip-flop on keeping the city or returning it to China. Nonetheless, the world’s maps will be very, very different before the year is out.
-However, the two northernmost African colonies are bequeathed independence entirely. Tunisia and Algeria are welcomed onto the world stage, the two republics celebrating a peaceful transition into independence. The Tunisian Social Alliance and Algerian National People’s Republican Party take hold in their respective nations, hoping to guide them to a “warm and new future”.
-With independence intact, the republics of Tunisia and Algeria join both the Arab Economic League and the Middle Eastern Coalition, spreading the influence of the UAR across the Arab world. With strong economies and populaces ecstatic for progress, many investors wonder of the world’s economy will properly include, rather than exploit, northern Africa and the middle east.
-In occupied Libya, Iraq, Arabia and Morocco, there is fear of possible Arab revolt in hopes of demanding independence. What people fear the most is not the initial revolt nor even the spread of nationalism itself, but instead the responses of the Pahlavis, Italians--and of most importantly--the Iberians.
-With the strength of the Middle East continuing to grow, especially in the Arab states, the Republic Turkey requests that the United Arab Republic allow the Turks to join the Arab Economic League. The Turks are welcomed with open arms, and the AEL changes its name to the Euphrates Union, or EU. Many consider the name ironic, considering none of the states directly control territories of the Euphrates.
-The Korean Insurgency more or less comes to an end as a majority of the Korean fighters retreat into the arms of the Chinese, finding their usefulness dwindling by the day as the Chinese end up doing most of the work. This is neither victory nor defeat for them, as their Chinese overlords still control Korea, not Japan.
-Nuclear strikes are launched from Iberian nuclear rocket bases in Taiwan and Japan. Three rockets hit the cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai and occupied Pyongyang. The initial strikes kill hundreds of thousands of people caught in the blast zone, obliterating the industrial capabilities of all three cities. Thousands more are affected by the onset of radiation, and millions in surrounding areas have fled the coastline for the center of the nation.
-With thousands dead in a matter of days, nations in the UN call for sanctions against the Iberian government, and refuse to trade with the massive European nation. In South America and Central Europe, Iberian goods are dragged out of stores and burned in large piles or tossed back into the bay. An Iberian shipping vessel stopped for repairs in Brazil on its way home from Patagonia is seized, its crew sent back under armed escort to Iberia. All goods on the ship are considered property of Brazil.
-Investors around the world panic, and bank runs are a daily occurrence in nations with semi-stable economies. Indian economies, some absolutely dependent on trade from the Chinese, collapse. Trade into South America from the east grinds to a sudden halt. Economies have grown so dependent on consumer goods imports from southern Asia that investors and bankers failed to take into account the possibility of collapse, and are now paying dearly.
-Staphylococcus asiaticus, the fearsome disease starting in Korea, is spotted in Thailand. Hundreds are dead within weeks as entire portions of Bangkok are quarantined. Some attempt to flee into neighboring countries, and there are reports of infections as far west as Rajastan.
-A test takes place in Colombia with two American missionaries fleeing from Korea who contracted S. asiaticus The experiment uses penicillin to try and break down the walls of the bacteria...and is successful. Though suffering from permanent lung damage, and never able to get their old energy back, the two missionaries are considered “cured”. Many wonder if it will be possible to mass produce this penicillin in the future.
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Berlin, Great Germany
Head Nation: Great Germany
-Members:
--France
--Great Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italy
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Japan
--Pahlavi Empire
--Patagonia
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Moscow-Nanjing Association (MNA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Russia
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
Type: International Association
North Seas Trade Federation (NSTF):
Headquarters: Berlin, Great Germany
Head Nation: Great Germany
-Members:
--Great Germany
--Estonia
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
Type: Economic Association
Hispanic Trade Organization (HTO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Patagonia
--Mexico
--Ecuador
Type: Economic Association
Player Events:
-In the north, from hidden airbases in Manchuria, Chinese pilots begin an intense campaign of strategic bombing raids in Japan, scouring cities and demolishing swathes of factories on the nation's mainland. Ironworks and other large production facilities are laid to waste. Japan's economy and wartime capabilities begin to fall apart as the air campaign does its work.
-The Korean peninsula begins to swarm with Chinese troops as the last able-bodied Japanese defenders are ferried out by Iberian helicopters. Small pockets of resistance remain in the far south, but little can be done as the Japanese begin to lose all semblance of organization, and the Iberians are forced to act as high command in the far east for the ULE. With the seizure of the peninsula, the possibility of a free Korea is seen on the horizon.
-Chinese naval forces continue to duke it out in the southeast with Iberia along the island of Taiwan. The Chinese begin to choke out the small island, only allowing some of the Iberian supply ships and reinforcements to slip through the blockade. Though outmatched in terms of training and quality of equipment, the Chinese simply outnumber the Iberians, and can pump out more ships if need be.
-To the south, the Iberians launch a surprise attack on the coastal island of Hainan. The initial invasion sees a victory for the attacking Iberians, and forces the Chinese to rethink their doctrine as they officially begin fighting on their own soil. However, the island is quickly locked down, making it extremely difficult for any Iberian troops to push through into Chinese lines. Nonetheless, it starts to upset the Chinese high command, who are afraid of the results of doctrinal changes.
-In the far east, the Chinese submarine fleets begin the final constriction of the Japanese coastline, obliterating huge numbers of merchant vessels destined for the rest of the world. Japan's economy falters significantly, and Chinese observers point out a growing rift between the Japanese civil and military governments as the nation begins to starve.
-Naval commanders of the Republic begin to change their doctrine, trying to subvert the possibility of intense losses at the hands of Iberian skippers. Wider patrols, random path changes, aggressive convoy protection and other new strategies are implemented throughout the ranks. The war at sea is a dangerous and demanding game for the Chinese, and both sides try desperately to outdo the other.
-Large radar “stations” begin construction around major cities, airfields and military administrative outposts. These radar stations can pick up on oncoming enemy aircraft, which begin to dwindle over time as the Imperial Japanese Air Force loses hope in its abilities, most of their strikes relegated to coastal areas as opposed to the center of the nation.
-Evacuations take place in major cities, focusing on reducing civilian casualties. Factories in cities such as Chengdu and Chongqing remain functioning at full capacity, but the populace busy with desk jobs or market work are given the chance to escape certain death.
-Buildings throughout northeast China are built up as empty shells, acting as tempting targets for the few Japanese aircraft that attempt to destroy them. These shells trick enough Japanese pilots that airstrikes along the Qingdao peninsula and Shanghai cease entirely, the precious bombs being put to waste by the Japanese air force.
-At home, production continues at normal, the factories bustling and pushing out huge quantities of war goods for the Chinese military. Fully mobilized, industry in China stays at a steady pace, equipment for the nation's military heading out the doors and being deployed to the front lines at a regular and worthwhile pace, though the consumer goods industry is put on the backburner until war's end.
-On May 4, 1943, in the early morning dew, a single rocket from Taiwan is seen careening through the sky. People in the city take cover, expecting the oncoming rocket to signal a later rocket barrage. No barrage comes. Instead, the sky turns a bright white, smothering the morning sun. The people find that their cover was worth very little as the city of Guangzhou is flattened by an Iberian nuclear strike. Tens of thousands are killed, thousands more wounded, and the precious naval production facilities are turned to ash in the blink of an eye.
-Less than an hour later, two rockets fired from static batteries in southern Korea and mounted upon a small cruiser hit the cities of Pyongyang and Shanghai. In Pyongyang, much of the damage is done to an already hammered city. However, thousands of Korean civilians who fled to the city in order to escape the carnage are caught in the nuclear attack and killed alongside stationed Chinese troops. The city is devastated, hundreds of square kilometers turned to piles of rubble.
-Shanghai, on the other hand, suffers the most. Considered a jewel of the east, the famous coastal city is set aflame as the rocket bursts higher than intended. Thousands of people are burnt to death in the initial heat blast, and the shockwave acts as an earthquake that collapses block after block of built up city center. Hundreds of foreign tourists trapped in the city are killed, as well as thousands of factory workers busy putting out Chinese goods and war equipment.
-Across the nation, people stop. The radiomen give quiet, somber reports as the casualties begin to rack up, both from initial attacks and the resulting radiation poisoning. Panic immediately ensues, as millions of people rush to markets and banks withdrawing whatever they can. In Harbin, public order breaks down entirely, and a short period of riots ensue as the panic sweeps across the nation, the citizens of China demanding that something be done.
-Quickly, however, the populace turns from panic into a rage. A pseudo-propaganda campaign begins focused on the destruction of Iberia entirely. Goods from ULE nations are dragged into massed piles and burnt, public rallies are held in hopes of showing the Iberians that it is not the Chinese who will surrender, falter or risk defeat, but it will be the entirety of the ULE.
-Nonetheless, China's economic capacity immediately nosedives as the internal situation becomes fragile. Banks, markets and other economic centers within the country feel the brunt of the rush as people try desperately to keep themselves and their families afloat. An unwanted, but not unnatural, response to the wanton destruction wrought by the Iberian rocket strikes in what will forever be known as the “Day of Infamy” in China.
-Not all of China's dealings in the early half of 1943 are war related, of course, and the Nanjing Association is an important boon to keeping the hulking Republic afloat. The various Indochinese states of the NA make an agreement that Chinese goods will be directly ferried through their territories to be exported throughout the globe. In return, these nations receive reduced tariffs in the future and small monetary benefits for the time being.
-From outside of Eurasia, heading to the Russian port of Vladivostok, Colombian traders (escorted by American warships) make their way over the Sino-Russian border and arrive in Nanjing at the nation's gigantic medical academy. These Colombian scientists present the Chinese with their new medical technologies. Designs for refrigerated “blood banks”, and a handful of samples of the penicillin fungus in return for Chinese infrastructural equipment and a well-appreciated cash bonus. This deal is an important event in Chinese foreign relations, as this is one of the few deals made between China and a South American nation.
-The gigantic Eurasian ally of China, the Russians, make a new deal in the recently “reconquered” city of Ulaanbaatar. Russian researchers give the Chinese the designs and idea of containing “heavy water” and other radioactive materials for nuclear power production. Alongside that, the two nations officially open all trade between Russia and China, cementing Moscow and Nanjing tightly together economically, adding another fallback nation in case of severe economic issues in China.
-Finally copying the designs of the Iberians, the Chinese begin testing and implementing their own water-ready, sound-based sonar. Sonar, unlike radar, is far more reliable and harder to escape. Some ships are put out as sub hunters using this equipment, and find the occasional Iberian submarine before it has the chance to attack a convoy. Only one sub is sunk using such equipment, but simply hearing the pings is enough to send a skipper into a panic and rush his boat out of the range of the Chinese destroyers.
-Simply known as the “JIW-A”, Chinese electronic engineers create a large system that has mysterious abilities. Suddenly, Japanese spies and intelligence services see dozens of agents arrested and executed by the Chinese government, supposedly after having their transmissions intercepted and broken down by the Chinese.
-From outside of Eurasia, heading to the Russian port of Vladivostok, Colombian traders (escorted by American warships) make their way over the Sino-Russian border and arrive in Nanjing at the nation's gigantic medical academy. These Colombian scientists present the Chinese with their new medical technologies. Designs for refrigerated “blood banks”, and a handful of samples of the penicillin fungus in return for Chinese infrastructural equipment and a well-appreciated cash bonus. This deal is an important event in Colombian foreign relations, as this is one of the few deals made between Colombia and a nation so far to the east.
-With the formation of medical trade between China and Colombia, the government forms a small, independent group known as the Colombia Asociación Médica Internacional (Colombian International Medical Association). The CAMI, for short, is made to serve those ailing from disease, war and famine around the world. Though stocked mainly with Colombian medical practitioners and scientists, some American and French doctors join their ranks in the coming months.
-The CAMI invites researchers around the globe to prepare a way to halt the rapid spread of Staphylococcus asiaticus. Most researchers come from, again, France and America, but also as far out as Germany and Montenegro. A semi international effort to stop the disease begins, and starts in the city of Bogota. Doctor Salvadore Hernandez Samora writes about the disease, as pamphlets are handed out within the country.
-After the intensive nuclear attacks in China, the Iberians decide to make themselves known in South America as well. However, the Iberians present the Colombians with a bizarre and unexpected agreement: ownership over the Hispanic Trade Organization. Of course, free trade with Iberia is a must within the HTO, but the Iberians allow the Colombians to have total control over who is and isn't allowed in, so long as politics stays out.
-Colombia attempts to warm its relations with its neighbors, most importantly the newly far-left Venezuela and the gigantic Brazil. The relations do warm, especially with Colombia heading the Hispanic Trade Organization. Venezuela is quickly drawn into the fold, and Brazil tosses around the idea of joining the HTO. However, the Brazilians are reminded of Patagonia's inclusion in the trade group, and back away from the idea.
-The Patagonians, seeing that Venezuela has been included and the Brazilians possibly included, become very hostile to the very idea of the Hispanic Trade Organization. Colombian diplomats think quickly, and try to keep talks stable before they break down. The Patagonians threaten exiting the HTO, but many know that their threat is empty at best.
-Nicaragua and Honduras, two small Central American nations, are hemmed into the Hispanic Trade Organization as the world's economy begins to spiral into mayhem. The Colombians know quite well that the next coming years will be very stressful on their economy. If the Hispanic Trade Organization stays strongly tied together, the nations included may be able to ride out the coming storm safely enough.
-At one of the research facilities in Medellin, the first strains of S. asiaticus is isolated during an experiment. Closely guarding the sample to ensure that it cannot spread into the surrounding area, these strains are broken apart and toyed with. Small samples of penicillin do serious damage to the outer walls of the bacteria, and destroy them in multiple controlled experiments. Now, the issue remains, on how to create and distribute large amounts of penicillin.
-The health care system in Colombia is focused on with recent internal and external developments. Colombian parliament votes almost unanimously to once again increase taxes on the richest 20% of the nation, as well as instituting a “sales tax”, or small tariff on consumer goods purchased from stores and markets within Colombia. These increased taxes help fund the Colombian hospitals and medical facilities, which are quickly becoming some of the best in the world.
-Industrial aspects of Colombia, now aided with the help of Chinese engineering and infrastructure ideas, begin to expand. Most notably, the Colombian textile, food and coal industries begin to expand, even with the dangerous outside climate economically. A majority of the textiles exported are designer rugs and jackets, many of them holding unique and eye catching patterns. Colombian food exports remain largely sugar and coffee dominated, though citrus fruits are a must-have for any of the merchant navies, and Colombian lemons are sold at an unbelievably low price at her ports.
-Tourism is a major focal point of Colombia, and the beaches cordoned off for the creation of tourist resorts and rest areas. Spas, or relaxation centers for visitors to Colombia, are a big hit to foreigners spending time in Bogota or Medellin. Some hardliners are furious with the idea, most notably the Falangists, and consider the growing tourist industry “prostitution of the state”.
-A large rally is held in the streets of Bogota as nearly five hundred supporters of the Colombian Falangist Party demand that the Colombians cut their ties with both Venezuela and Brazil. Much to the shock of the Falangists: nobody cares. The rally is met with token police resistance, and most people send hisses and boos to the marchers, and no words of support come. Embarassed, the crowd quickly disperses before they can reach government centers.
-From outside, the Colombians once again gain support from the Germans, this time in two ways. The first is the creation of a massive airport outside of Medellin, focused on international travel and business throughout the globe. Of course, the Germans more or less take the reigns on the construction, and a deal is signed to ensure that the Germans are given the utmost priority on entering the airport once it is constructed.
-The other form of support from the Germans is the continued reforming of Colombia's military from the inside out. Most importantly, a far more Germanic form of officership is introduced, and thousands of officers that were given the position based entirely on their allegiance to the party are quietly dismissed. Instead, all officers must be educated in one of the newly formed Officer Schools, where they are tested regularly.
-A breakthrough, in a sense, is made in Bogota. Though having existed for nearly a century, vaccines via hypodermic needle are experimented with. Colombian and Montenegrin researchers devise the idea of using hens injected with a small, weak dosage of the disease, their infected eggs can be harvested and used for the creation of disease-preventing vaccines. This huge breakthrough may soon allow the Colombians to create enough vaccines to save thousands of lives.
-A new form of treating cancer is devised. Using a series of harsh chemicals, rather than more or less shoving patients into a back ward, doctors are able to closely monitor and assist those suffering from cancer. Most of the treatments are experimental, and some patients still die, a couple are poisoned and killed by it. However, a young child dying from serious cancerous issues of the stomach, is brought from the brink of death by this new “chemotherapy”.
-With the Baltic Confederation beginning to expand its influence, the Germans re-brand it as the “North Seas Trade Federation” (NSTF). The NSTF, still centered in Berlin, hopes to include a multitude of European nations rather than those focused on the Baltic as Germany attempts to steer trade northward to central Europe.
-After making repeat requests to join the Baltic Confederation, the Dutch and Belgians are brought into the NSTF upon its rebranding, considered the “newest members of one of the many forces for peace on the continent of Europe”. With the recent English Civil War, the Scots find themselves in a predicament economically, and are not only brought into the fold of the NSTF, but also NATO.
-In regards to NATO, however, the once pinnacle member, England, leaves the organization, feeling their nationalist and individualist ideals are incompatible with those of the socialist Germans and Scots. This comes as tensions rise rapidly throughout NATO countries as the Concert of Europe contains Iberia, who has recently launched a campaign of nuclear war against the Republic of China.
-The French and Czechoslovak republics, alongside the Kingdom of Romania, feel unwelcomed and surrounded by ideological enemies within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Concert of Europe, and plan on exiting the organization entirely in order to create a more “peaceful and effective agreement between nations”. This upsets many pacifist Germans, who fear that this may bring about a new period of warfare and bloodshed in Europe.
-Regardless of changes in terms of alliances and military agreements, the Germans point their diplomats elsewhere, hoping to strengthen trade throughout the globe. With the world's economy teetering on a dangerous new precedent, many small countries scramble to try and find reliable partners, rather than be left alone to drown in the flood of economic disparity.
-Most of those smaller nations are those in India, who are too busy attempting to build up defenses against one another that they fail to recognize the coming storm of the world's economy. However, Rajastan and Orissa manage to keep themselves stable enough, and agree to export consumer goods in the form of spices and foodstuffs in return for German-produced metals and industrial works. However, this agreement cannot be supported for very long, as the two Indian substates lack the infrastructure to sustain such a deal for more than a year.
-In Patagonia, German diplomats attempt to strengthen ties between the two nations, especially in regards to the Patagonian precious metals industry. However, the Patagonians outright reject the deal, feeling that the Germans are a “socialist cancer on the world” and will lead to “strife around the globe”. This is a drastic change from the semi-warm relations before, and is believed to be a reaction from the Hispanic Trade Organization's change of ownership to Colombia and the inclusion of Venezuela.
-Germany's interactions overseas are not entirely negative, however. In South America, the Colombians continue to grow a bond with the Germans. As German officers continue to improve the Colombian's military, a large airport is set to be constructed near Medellin, to be used for international travel and business. Of course, the Germans get the utmost priority in terms of who gets priority on the runway once the airport is constructed.
-As medical research becomes second to war in international headlines, the Germans quickly allow their nation's doctors to join the Colombia Asociación Médica Internacional (Colombian International Medical Association) in Bogota. As German doctors head westward to see the new and improving medical facilities in Colombia, many are excited to see the results of their return, most importantly in regards to the German health care system.
-In the city of Leipzig, a group of German doctors and medical practitioners petition the local government for the creation of a large research center. Instead of the city's government responding, word comes from Berlin that their facility will be a federally funded project. The Leipzig Nationales Zentrum für Medizin und Anatomie (Leipzig National Center for Medicine and Anatomy, or NZMA) begins groundbreaking ceremonies, the first shovel load dug by none other than Goebbels himself. The NZMA is expected to finish construction by the spring of 1945.
-As the NZMA slowly comes to fruition, the German embassy greets its first applicants to the facility from outside of the country. Three Colombian doctors, one having worked on the famous penicillin, arrive in Germany. They are temporarily housed in Munich whilst the facility continues construction, but immediately begin to share ideas and theories with their German counterparts.
-A new architectural style is chosen for the creation of the NZMA. Using slabs of concrete, steep angles and a single color palette (gray, usually), the facility will be a “representative form of German industrial prowess alongside marvelous feats of science”. This new style is known as “Industrial Gothic” in the German media, but is considered “Brutalist” in others. Nonetheless, many art students in Europe believe that this style is the new wave of public architectural techniques.
-With the Five Year Plan now official, infrastructure is the number one priority of the nation's budget. Huge railway and drainage projects are the first to begin, focusing on creating a strong web of transportation throughout the country that will link key cities and their factories together without interrupting traffic on the nation's highway system.
-Alongside the expansion of infrastructure, the federal government of Germany begins funding projects for the creation of entirely new cities built around housing new factories. These Menschenstädte (People's Towns), as they are called in the media, are built to support a handful of factories and the workers, reducing the strain on large economic centers in terms of pollutants, waste materials and clogged roadways.
-What these Menschenstädte cause is a slow deurbanization of Germany, something not seen since the days before Charlemagne. Farmland that has lost its fertility and other areas of land owned by the federal government are cordoned off in preparation for the new towns. Those hungry for jobs begin to leave cities like Berlin, Cologne, Strasbourg and Munich in favor of these small settlements.
-The “State Alternative”, or the idea of a federally owned and produced series of consumer goods, is put to the scrutiny of government economists and public opinion polls. Some changes are made in terms of quality control, though the government simply cannot afford to ensure that every loaf of bread or roll of cloth is up to par with private manufacturers, which in turn keeps the products cheap and available to everyone.
-However, an unintended consequence of this is the slow death of privately owned German companies. Many of the smaller ones have already been absorbed into government conglomerates, and the larger companies that hold onto their pride slowly begin to feel the brunt of both the State Alternative and the weakening of the world economy.
-Militarily, the Germans send a large number of soldiers via paradrop into the newly formed State of Pashtunistan. These soldiers are to act as “peacekeepers” in accordance to deals with the new Pashtun government (formally the United Afghan Coalition). Whilst there, the German officers in the region begin to take notes on how the United Afghan Coalition's fighters went about on their Guerillas campaign, most importantly how they were able to defeat a technologically and militarily superior force in such a limited amount of time. The Germans do not learn as much as they intended to right off the bat, as further research and agreements are required.
-At home, a militia force is formed by radicalist elements supporting the current government. Calling themselves the “Deutsche Nationale Volksarmee” (German National People's Army), these rag-tag groups of soldiers arm themselves with hunting rifles or weapons absconded from the previous wars. A majority of these fighters are farmers and veterans of wars, and pledge an undying allegiance to the German state. Many wonder what use these men have, and wonder why they hadn't simply joined the military, but some believe they may be of some use in the future.
-Manufacturers at Krupp, tasked with finding a more “modernized” rifle for the military, stumble upon morphing the ideas of the AK-40 and the STG-39. Using a roller delayed blowback, rather than the traditional rotating bolt, the STG-43 is one of the first “battle rifles”. Still using a full-length rifle cartridge, the STG-43 has a smaller magazine but packs a deadlier punch at range, and can easily tear through basic defenses such as light metals or even concrete bricks.
-Researchers in Munich design ways to contain “rods” of radioactive materials in water and thus harnessing the pressurized steam let off of them. The biggest issue is the creation of a “core”, or a housing unit that could hold such volatile materials. Luckily for the Germans, a design is decided upon and tested with samples of uranium, and works swimmingly.
-In the far east, Iberian naval assets surround the southern Korean peninsula and put a strong hold around the western Sea of Japan. Though the south China sea and eastern Pacific are still up in the air, the “Hispanic Corridor” remains entirely under the control of the Iberians, completely blocking all in/out.
-Within the Hispanic Corridor, small carriers and flat-topped cruisers sneak along the Korean peninsula at the night time in order to give the escaping Japanese and Iberian helicopter troops a safe way to escape the territory. A couple rash nighttime attacks bring down escaping helicopters, though the numbers of casualties drop significantly. The last few soldiers are ferried out, and the Korean peninsula is now defended by a token number of troops.
-During their retreat, Iberian troops seize any and all civilian goods, including those dropped by the US and other United Nations airdrops. Declaring this a “hostile act to the Iberian campaign”, civilians found housing these goods are immediately arrested and deported to Iberian prisons outside of Korea.
-All incoming aircraft not of the Iberian or Japanese air force are requested to stay out of the airspace of Korea. This includes neutral planes, especially those coming to drop goods for the various civilians within the country. What this does is effectively starve the already hurting Korean population, and threatens to seriously damage the region.
-After negotiations and prodding, the State of Patagonia officially joins the war effort against the Republic of China. In doing so, the Patagonians send a series of armed gunboats carrying huge numbers of ill-equipped but eager troops ready to fight the Chinese. A handful of their ships are struck by defensively-minded Chinese submarines, and the convoys arrive later than expected. Most of the Patagonians land in Japan and Taiwan, and are forced to recuperate before shoving out to fight on the Asian mainland.
-Nonetheless, the Iberians make a surprise assault on the southern island of Hainan, managing to overcome the minimal Chinese defense and source them into Guanxi and Yunnan. The Iberians immediately come under fire from Chinese air and naval assets as the small island nearly becomes surrounded. However, the Iberians dig in, and force the Chinese to rethink their doctrine as the ULE makes its first land gains in the war against China.
-Huge numbers of Iberian submarines are forced to go on the retreat as the Chinese begin to field sub-hunting destroyers armed with Iberian-styled sonar. Though not inherently lethal, the sonar makes it much harder for the Iberians to launch surprise attacks on Chinese convoys or ports. Regardless, the Iberian skippers still have the upper hand over their Chinese targets, and manage to sink Chinese ships threatening the Hispanic Corridor.
-In the north, from hidden airbases in Manchuria, Chinese pilots begin an intense campaign of strategic bombing raids in Japan, scouring cities and demolishing swathes of factories on the nation's mainland. Ironworks and other large production facilities are laid to waste. Japan's economy and wartime capabilities begin to fall apart as the air campaign does its work.
-Japan, beaten senseless by the Chinese in Korea, their cities heavily damaged, their public disillusioned and their government breaking apart at the seams, no longer appears to be a worthwhile ally for the Iberians. Many in the Iberian public question the usefulness and worth of keeping up the effort to defend Japan, and instead see the war in China as a war of “cultural and economic importance” as opposed to supporting the Japanese.
-A choice is made in the Iberian parliament, and Alfonso gives the go ahead for “Tifones Operación” (Operation Typhoon). Hidden on the islands of Jeju and Taiwan, three MGM-1 Matador rockets are launched on the fourth of May, 1943. These rockets strike the sprawling cities of Guanzhou and Shanghai, as well as the occupied Korean pseudo-capital of Pyongyang. These are not ordinary rockets, but are instead armed with the Grillo nuclear warhead, and deal significant damage.
-Tens of thousands are killed, thousands more wounded, and the precious naval production facilities of Guangzhou are turned to ash in the blink of an eye. In Pyongyang, much of the damage is done to an already hammered city. However, thousands of Korean civilians who fled to the city in order to escape the carnage are caught in the nuclear attack and killed alongside stationed Chinese troops. The city is devastated, hundreds of square kilometers turned to piles of rubble.
-Shanghai, on the other hand, suffers the most. Considered a jewel of the east, the famous coastal city is set aflame as the rocket bursts higher than intended. Thousands of people are burnt to death in the initial heat blast, and the shockwave acts as an earthquake that collapses block after block of built up city center. Hundreds of foreign tourists trapped in the city are killed, as well as thousands of factory workers busy putting out Chinese goods and war equipment.
-The nuclear attacks come as a shock throughout the globe. Markets worldwide go into a full-scape panic as the importance of Chinese consumer goods finally comes to light. Immediately, dozens of nations condemn the actions of Iberia, especially those in central Europe and India. France outright bans the purchase of all Iberian goods, and sends the items back over the Pyrenees. A handful of ships bound for Patagonia are seized by Brazil and redirected to Brazilian ports. Their goods are seized, destroyed, the ship and crew sent home.
-Internally, the Iberian public rejoices. The destruction of “insignificant, barbarous cities” is considered a “national victory for the good of the Iberian race”. Though the Iberian government does not directly support the celebrations, they do not make any attempt to stop them. Iberia is more or less vilified in western media, though members of the ULE simply ignore the attacks and try to brush off questions related to it during interviews or parliamentary meetings.
-With help from the Iberians, and plenty of heavy handed influence, the Pahlavi Empire officially closes its border to Pashtunistan as the civil war sees victory on the side of the Untied Afghan Coalition. All traffic in/out of the country is banned, and the Pashtun embassy in Tehran is closed as the Pahlavis refuse to recognize the newly democratic regime.
-As the Union Africaine begins to unravel itself from the hooks of the French, Iberia brings Italy, France and themselves to the discussion table in hopes of dividing up the former French colonies. Furious with Iberian actions in Asia, and strongly politically opposed to Iberian ideologies, the French refuse to come to talks.
-In Paris, after hearing how the Iberians wished to expand throughout Africa, the French government openly denounces Iberia, and requests that the people of France “ignore the newest threats to Europe”. The Concert of Europe is referred to as the Council of Wolves in French media, and the tensions in NATO skyrocket as the French demand the agreements between Germany and Iberia be dismantled.
-Seeing the world turning against them, the Iberians take steps to remove themselves from dependence on their far reaching economic partners. The Hispanic Trade Organization, originally founded to strengthen Iberian ideals throughout South America, is instead given to the Colombians. Of course, free trade with Iberia is a must within the HTO, but the Iberians allow the Colombians to have total control over who is and isn't allowed in, so long as politics stays out.
-In Italy, tensions begin to rise through parliament. Mussolini hasn't been seen at party meetings for weeks, his health believing to be going downhill at an alarming rate. With his absence, the fascist party begins to fracture, as hardcore, Falangist-like elements begin to butt heads with more liberalist party members able to speak their mind with the absence of Mussolini. Mussolini himself sends an appeal to Iberia, requesting that they keep an eye on “the Iberian's strongest ally”.
-Domestically, the Iberian government forms the Autoridad de Supervisión Información (Information Oversight Authority). This new government controlled conglomerate sees the development and publication of media throughout the country, especially newspapers and radio broadcasts as the Iberian government officially controls any and all information.
-Major developments are made once again with rocketry in the harsh deserts of Morocco. Known as a “vernier thruster”, these new rockets are able to adjust their flight with minute changes to the rocket engine's orientation. Paired with “adjustable fins”, or small, triangular pieces of metal on the side of the rocket, the newly designed MGM-2 “Mosquetero” (Musketeer) is able to travel double the distance of the MGM-1, and if sent straight up, can easily be launched into the middle atmosphere. With developments in radio technology, these small adjustments can be made to the rocket in flight, though it is extremely difficult and easy to push the rocket too far off course.
-As the sciences continue to become a popular field of study in Montenegrin society, the issues involving the spread of Staphylococcus asiaticus brings forward the idea of a strong, unifying series of schools revolving around medical practices and research. Luckily for Montenegro, her medical students need not look far, as the Republic of Colombia forms the Colombia Asociación Médica Internacional (Colombian International Medical Association), or CAMI for short. In the CAMI, Montenegrins make up the bulk of non-Colombian members, and begin to work hard in terms of isolating the various strains of the bacteria.
-Colombian and Montenegrin researchers devise the idea of using hens injected with a small, weak dosage of the disease, their infected eggs can be harvested and used for the creation of disease-preventing vaccines. This is an amazing breakthrough, as vaccines for the longest time have been largely token medical devices, and difficult to produce in mass numbers. But now, working with their newfound friends, the two nations considered militarily irrelevant may be on the cusp of saving the world itself.
-Elsewhere, the Montenegrins continue to warm the relations between Croatia and Serbia. The tensions between the two Balkan nations are at an all time low as Montenegrin television producers manage to make a hit game show “Šta je moja struka?” (What's My Line?) in which celebrities from various Gorawood films must try and guess contestant's occupations. Though simplistic in nature, the weekly Friday night showings bring Croatian and Serbian families around the television to laugh with, and sometimes at, one another.
-Montenegro brings itself closer with Czechoslovakia as the two nations sign a stronger trade deal. Škoda, the massive automotive and engineering conglomerate, prepares to open a series of shops within Cetinje, assisted by workers from Onogošt. Though the two companies are technically competitors in their field, it would be beneficial for them to learn from one another. Montenegrin mechanical expertise and Czechoslovak organization are a wonderful combination.
-In Prague, a small film festival is held. Mostly films from Gorawood, but some smaller, independent productions from Denmark and Sweden are also shown at the first Prague Film Festival. All sorts of films are shown, from the Knightly action/adventures of European history, to the slowly growing genre of Science-Fiction. Most notably, the satirical science-fiction film “Ibererna Från Månen” (Iberians from the Moon) from Sweden, rags on the Iberians, making them out to be some bizarre, non-earthly race out to conquer the globe. Unfortunately, the joke isn't too far from the truth.
-In an attempt to bring science from the outside in, a telegram is sent to none other than Nikola Tesla. Though 83 years old and his health slowly deteriorating, the man's mind has not left him in any way. The telegram is simple: "Please visit and speak to the public." Scorned and shunned by those like Edison, Tesla is delighted to be given the opportunity to return to the Balkans and share the idea of “free energy” with the people.
-Alongside Tesla, the various scientific schools in Montenegro begin sending out their tendrils for more scientists and researchers. Notably, Curie, Noether, Planck, Bohr, Oppenheimer, Bose, Fermi, Pauli, Heisenberg, Von Neumann and even the increasingly famous Einstein are invited to Cetinje at one of the large concert halls for the first Cetinje Scientific Conference. Once all of the delegates arrive, they immediately turn on each other, but in a friendly and scientific way. Debates are held for weeks longer than the initial schedule of the conference, and many attendees are more than willing to return to Montenegro. Notably, Tesla, Einstein and Oppenheimer decide to remain in Montenegro for some time.
-In the tiny city of Plužine, the three scientists settle down in a series of cottages, enjoying the calm forests surrounding the Piva river. There, Einstein, Oppenheimer and Tesla meet at a small coffee shop every Sunday, sharing with one another their theories of energy transfer, the power of the atom, and Einstein's bizarre, yet understandable, theory of relativity.
-At home, the "Zdravstveni odsek Crne Gore" (Department of Health of Montenegro) begins to release publications regarding the effects of tobacco on the lungs. With research having been done in Germany and Colombia, these papers reveal the dangers of inhaling the noxious fumes and the various tars within the cigarettes themselves and how they damage the lungs. The public is shocked, and many tobacco companies protest the distribution of the publications, but the damage is done.
-At the University of Cetinje, a public talk is held in regards to the overconsumption of alcohol and cigarettes. A German doctor by the name of Josef Mengele gives a lengthy but exposing presentation on the two drugs effects on the human body, and pleads that the general public of Europe "Protect themselves before they destroy society”. No longer a public image issue, the Montenegrin government takes steps to ban smoking in various public locations, such as primary and secondary schools, hospitals and parks, alongside giving businesses the opportunity to refuse service to those who smoke or drink on their property.
-The Montenegrin Linguists' Association, ever present and ever working on their projects, make significant gains in the realm of “Neo-Roman”. Out of all the constructd languages being worked on, Neo-African makes the largest advancements. Upwards of 70% of the African Vulgar dialect is isolated, broken down and made into a series of small dictionaries, which are then used for the furtherment of Neo-African. Meanwhile, more than 60% of Dalmatian is isolated, broken down and made into its own series of small dictionaries. The New Testament is translated into Dalmatian and is released to the public, receiving large-scale acclaim in Italian Dalmatia. Istriot, Istro-Romanian, Megleno-Romanian and Aromanian are all brought into the Association's projects after large-scale demand.
-In a more light-hearted tone, Serpian finds a new home on television, where it is used to signify either upper class twits in stories before Yugoslavian unification or as a means to signify that a foreigner is talking Serbian. However, as a result of its usage, there is now a serious discussion over developing a Serbian language that brings back the "melodiousness that was lost with Vuk Stefanović Karadžić's reform".
-Common Slavonic makes its way into the headlines as the first public meeting of the “Perunova deca” (Children of Perun). This group, having taken the documents in regards to Slavic polytheism to heart, embrace the religion, abandoning their previous faiths, and openly practicing their religion. Their public meeting is in fact a fundraiser for a local children's charity, and the community begins to slowly warm themselves to the newly founded pagans, who grow rapidly in popularity amongst the younger community looking for a “non traditional” religious affiliation.
-Onogošt Works and Onogošt Automobiles, the two major industrial producers for Montenegro, are officially conglomerated into the aptly titled Onogošt Group. Everything from firearms and tank destroyers to tools, watercraft, buses and all sorts of other heavy industrial machinery are produced by the company. With help from Škoda, the tiny divided companies quickly become an industrial giant within the region, and many private groups from Serbia and Croatia quietly try and get their goodies built in Onogošt factories. In tandem with this, Cettifilm and Lovćen Electronics are founded, the former being a photography and imaging company and the latter being an electronics company.
-Dioclea Aerospace is quickly given huge amounts of government money to continue producing the various luxury aircraft. The Dioclea Year 43, one of the newest planes in the Dioclean fleet, can carry upwards of fifty passengers in the “utmost comfort”. Fluffy, reclining seats filled with goose down, small pipes that take fresh air from the outside in or waste heat from the engines and wide room for one's legs, the DY-43 is the epitome of comfort and smooth transportation.
-Taking inspiration from the Iberians (a rare thing for the largely liberally minded Montenegro), researchers are given grants to begin looking into the possibility of Montenegrin rocket programs. The first designs fall flat, either failing to fly properly or detonating on the launch pad. However, a design wins in the competition, and the long, slender Meteor I heads off on its maiden voyage. In no way is the Meteor able to reach the speeds and distances of the MGM-2, and the Montenegrins know that they lag behind the Iberians significantly, but it matters little, as the people celebrate “the first steps into the realms of the stars”. Nonetheless, Dioclea is quickly tasked with producing a fleet of Meteors and rockets like it to prepare further experiments and endeavors into space.
-The gigantic Eurasian ally of China, the Russians, make a new deal in the recently “reconquered” city of Ulaanbaatar. Russian researchers give the Chinese the designs and idea of containing “heavy water” and other radioactive materials for nuclear power production. Alongside that, the two nations officially open all trade between Russia and China, cementing Moscow and Nanjing tightly together economically, adding another fallback nation in case of severe economic issues in China.
-As war continues to ravage the coastline of China, the large nation more or less surrounded by Iberian naval troopers, the Russians know that there is a strong chance that the Chinese economy could quickly go down the toilet if their exports are not properly distributed around the world. With this in mind, the Russians hastily construct a railway connecting the city of Vladivostok into Manchuria, allowing all import/export deals to the city to be brought into China.
-The decision to make Vladivostok a supportive city to replace the Chinese coastline proves to be token, at best. Imports and exports barely manage to trickle through into the increasingly dependent Republic of China. However, the benefit to this decision is the ability to move diplomats and important external deals into China without risking the sinking of neutral vessels, which in turn delays the possibility of yet another world war.
-With quicker, faster, and arguably easier transport into China through Mongolia and Uighurstan, the Russian government quickly moves to begin supporting the Chinese military by proxy. Food, munitions, supplies and surplus aircraft are shipped in large amounts to the central regions of China, far from the reaches of Japanese and Iberian bombers, and well out of range of the horrifying Grillo nuclear warheads that turn Shanghai, Pyongyang and Guanzhou into bean paste.
-Trade flows slowly but surely through the Russo-Chinese border as the Russians act as the middleman to exporting Chinese goods into Europe. Some underhanded deals are made, and the Romanians, Czechoslovaks and Bulgarians willingly open themselves to let Russian companies sell Chinese goods in their cities. What this does, in effect, is warm relations between the newly retitled Moscow-Nanjing Association and eastern European countries. These nations are not part of any economic league or association, and the Russians hope to snatch them up before the world's economy defaults.
-Korean refugees are promised a safe haven in Russia, and Russian church groups quickly move into occupied areas to bring them back to outer Manchuria or Tuva. Large refugee centers are constructed, maintained by military advisers and charity associations. These centers are kept far out of reach of major cities, and though it is far from the reaches of war, they are heavily guarded. Refugees are not given the chance to leave unless they are thoroughly screened and scrutinized by medical observers, where they are then sent to “waiting centers”.
-Refugees that are known to be infected with S. asiaticus are immediately brought to a quarantine zone, where they are either treated the best they can, or instead the most common option, allowed to die in a more comfortable environment than on the streets of a shattered city. With the introduction of penicillin, however, a small number of these patients recover, and are quietly reintroduced to their families at the refugee camps.
-At home, the Russian government prepares to entire its final possible transition. A large poll is released to the public, seeing what issues the general populace has with the current government, their daily lives, and what they consider to be the best possible government administration. After a few weeks of being publicly available in official voting places, the Russian people have spoken.
-Interestingly enough, the people decide to keep the protectorate of Zhukov, and request that the nation “remain a single-party republic”. The people feel that the title of Protector should have less power, and the lower houses elected by the people, but are nonetheless happy with how the current administration has handled the recent war and the opening of the Russian economy to the world.
-Ports in Vladivostok, Petrograd, Odessa and Sevastopol prepare for massive upgrading. The state pours its coffers into creating huge drydocks and commercial bay areas for trade from the outside, especially in the warm water ports of the far east and southwest. These projects will take upwards of a year to finish, as these docks still remain a vital military asset, and it is not uncommon for military higher-ups to butt heads with industry moguls over who will place their ships where.
-The Russian government unveils a new policy in regards to small businesses and entrepreneurship within the country. Businesses that occupy no more than three residential buildings and make less than a certain amount each year are given a small tax break if they register themselves with the Национальный бизнес России Oрган (Russian National Business Authority). Not only do they receive a break in taxes, but depending on their use, the Russian government will benefit them with small loans in order to grow their business rapidly over a short period of time.
-With nuclear power stations continuing construction across the country, the Russian power grid undergoes serious overhauling. With small cities in the central Steppes and far in the north, as well as coastal fishing communities more or less without sustainable sources for energy, various engineers prepare to draw out gigantic, crisscrossing power lines and transformer stations at chosen intervals that will bring the importance of light and electricity-based heating to the ailing homes of the Greater Russian Confederation.
-Russia opens its doors to tourism once more, now that the country is more or less stabilized. One of the most visited areas in the country are the various Ural skiing resorts constructed by a cadre of Russian industry moguls. In Crimea and Abkhazia, much of the tourism revolves around fishing and hunting, as upper class tourists from western Europe wish to catch or trap a trophy from the “Wilds of Russia”.
-In Pashtunistan, the attacking aircraft return to their home bases, and a series of paradropped Russian officers and special forces land in the new capital of Kabul to meet with military advisers of the Pashtun army. Most of them help with breaking down corruption within the new officer corp, as well as trying to reorganize the logistics of the Pashtun's military administration.
-The vicious, highly-trained and infamous Spetsnaz are reorganized once again. These elite troops of the Russian army, trained in a variety of martial arts, carrying all sorts of weapons, and are given experiences for various vehicles within the Russian military. This reorganization sees more intense, brutal and unforgiving training. After the first season of training, the Spetsnaz schools see an attrition rate of more than 80%. Those that graduate, however, rise to be the most elite soldiers of the Russian military, and are envied by armies around the globe. Aside, of course, from the Iberian SSS, who are impressed by none.
-Wishing to improve the capabilities of their airforce, Russian engineers attempt to design a more worthwhile and effective jet aircraft for use in the possibility of future conflicts. Keeping the swept wing design, but placing the engine at the very front of the plane rather than somewhat beneath it, the “Sokol II” MiG-43 skips off the runway in a test flight, and proves to be a beautifully effective plane, and many hope to see how it will perform in the future.
-In Siberia, the Russians test something else. Dropped from the rear end of a cargo plane, a large, cylindrical object rolls out, supported by a parachute on its descent. Observers are curious as the cylinder slowly drifts above a targeted area of forest. Suddenly, it releases a puff of clear fluid in a huge cloud that comes down gently and slowly. And then, the cylinder ignites, setting the forest aflame in a spectacular display of what is known as an experimental “Thermobaric Weapon”. Not nuclear in design, these “Fuel-Air Bombs” (the public name for them, anyways) are still threatening. These weapons could easily obliterate an infantry or armor formation, without having to flatten an entire city.
-Having seized the last government territories, the People's Republic of Pashtunistan and her soldiers lay down their arms in early January of 1943. Abdulla El-Sayed meets with the Secretary General of the country, who officially surrenders the control of Pashtunistan to the United Afghan Coalition and its fighters.
-With the war over, the People's Republic of Pashtunistan is officially disbanded, the last of the nation's communist leaders stepping down and being given amnesty, escorted out of the country by UN peacekeepers. Where they head is not only not important but ignored, as the country must prepare itself for the difficult transition into the Kingdom of Pashtunistan, the successive state of the communist republic.
-Military advisers from Germany arrive in Pashtunistan to not only assist in the advising of the Pashtun army, but to observe and report on how the UAC worked its soldiers through such a bizarre and difficult campaign, especially in regards to how the soldiers fought and survived in such an unforgiving environment against a much larger foe.
-From Russia, the attacking aircraft return to their home bases, and a series of paradropped Russian officers and special forces land in the new capital of Kabul to meet with military advisers of the Pashtun army. Most of them help with breaking down corruption within the new officer corp, as well as trying to reorganize the logistics of the Pashtun's military administration.
-Celebrating their independence and success in their revolution, the United Afghan Coalition's political side, the United Party, appoints Abdulla El-Sayed as the Prime Minister of Pashtunistan. However, what is most important, is that the former King of Afghanistan, Mohammed Zahir Shah and his family, are given the position as Shah of Pashtunistan, and officially invited to return to the country.
-What Zahir Shah must understand is that his new country is a constitutional monarchy, and that his office will no longer be his choice to organize and appoint. Instead, tri-yearly elections will be held to see all positions, from Prime Minister to Minister of Finance. This idea of “extended democracy” will finally give the people the chance to have their say in how their nation is governed. Zahir Shah chokes down the bitter pill, and accepts the invitation to his new home.
-Pashtunistan must now begin the arduous process of rebuilding, as their entire nation's infrastructure and economic capacity has more or less been obliterated. Help from the United Nations arrives in token amounts, and much of the disbanded soldiers turn into engineers, working hard to bring the nation's infrastructure back up to par with its neighbors. Much of the heavily damaged areas are in the major cities, and foreign engineers are a desperately needed asset to help bring the cities back up to some semblance of usability.
-Those that had broken international military law during the civil war, on both Loyalist and UAC sides, are brought to tribunals held in quickly organized military tribunals. Mimicking the American style, defendants are given a defensive attorney, and are judged by a jury of 12 individuals to try and see the innocence or guilt of the individual. Depending on the crime, the accused are either sentenced to hard labor, a lengthy prison sentence, or just executed the following morning.
-Officers within the newly formed military are disbanded in huge numbers. Most of these officers were given their position as glorified warlords due to their combat prowess or monetary additions to the UAC during its civil war. Now, as a proper nation, these officers are considered outdated and uneeded, and are quietly sent home. Some protest angrily, but a majority bow out of the military with their small cash benefit and recognition. A few officers remain, however, as their knowledge of the area and dedication to honoring the people's will are appreciated by the new military administration.
-The economy of Pashtunistan is largely in shambles due to the absolute annihilation of the country's infrastructure. Tax and budget reforms are in serious order, and the new government scrambles to try and keep themselves from teetering into financial collapse. Luckily for Pashtunistan, private moguls from Russia give some minor monetary benefit to the Pashtun economy, and Russian companies set up shop in the new kingdom, hoping to reap the benefits of precious minerals by hiring Pashtun locals.
-France not only recognizes the new Pashtun government, but happily forms an agreement with them in regards to “economic fraternity”. From this agreement, the French promise to bail out the Pashtuns in the event of financial default, so long as the Pashtun government ensures that it acts as a “protective, defensive force in Central Asia.”.
-The United Afghan Coalition, preparing to disband, gives its soldiers are given a simplistic but important choice: stay as peacekeepers within the country, or make the decision to go home. Many, in fact, return to being farmhands or factory workers. This drastically reduces the size of the Pasthun military. Hilariously outsized by their neighboring Pahlavi Empire and Russia, generals in the Pashtun military feel hot in the collar when looking at their country's troop movements
-Nonetheless, it may indeed be a bright and hopeful future for the people of Pashtunistan. The war is over, the enemies of the country defeated, and the government prepared to reform itself; all important things that lead to a stable and happy nation, as well as setting an example for the countries around them.
-After making deals with the Colombian government, and seeing the situation in Asia continuing to deteriorate, the American navy sends a series of small escorts to the Panama Canal, and begins surrounding and tailing a convoy of Colombian merchant ships carrying a variety of important goods. Making only a few stops, the convoy zigzags through the Pacific at high speed, constantly shifting position to try and avoid any Iberian submarines.
-Once near the eastern sea of Japan, the convoy curves over the Kuril islands and begins to make the dangerous run through Sakhalin towards the Russian city of Vladivostok. Tensions run high when the main bulk of the convoy and its escorts are followed by a contingent of Japanese fighter aircraft. No shots are fired, but their presence is enough to put everyone badly on edge. Nonetheless, the American and Colombian ships reach their destination safely, and the convoy makes a high-speed run back to the safety of the eastern Pacific.
-Supply drops continue in embroiled areas of the world, like Pashtunistan and especially Korea. The former receives less airdropped goods due to stability returning to the region, as well as the government receiving support from various outside friends. In Korea, however, the United States chooses to escort its cargo aircraft with jet fighters, ensuring a safe bubble around them that will discourage attackers.
-Clearly, it does not encourage people enough, and a ground-based anti-aircraft cannon lets loose on an American supply drop. A single aircraft is heavily damaged, but nobody is seriously hurt, shaken up at best. What frustrates the air force is that there is no clue as to who fired upon the aircraft. Chinese, Japanese, Iberian or Korean troopers are suspected, and the Air Force advises that the airlift campaign be avoided for the time being.
-The United States approaches the floor of the United Nations, proposing an international coalition of peace keepers that will focus on the enforcement of stability in otherwise risky areas. These peace-keepers would be mandated by the United Nations and subject to international administration. The French and Scottish already have a small contingent of peace-keepers, but they are not in any way formally organized.
-Now known as “Blue Helmets” (due to their blue-dyed gear), the United Nations is able to deploy upwards of a thousand armed, trained and prepared volunteers to dangerous areas to ensure tranquility and peace. These troopers wear the flag of their home country and that of the United Nations, and will work together to achieve a common goal. Nonetheless, many wonder what will be done after the horrors wrought on Shanghai, Guangzhou and Pyongyang over the past few months.
-Members of the Moscow-Nanjing Association from southeast Asia approach the American delegation of the United Nations. Pleadingly, they ask for a worldwide condemnation of the Iberians and their actions in Asia. “These cruel actions will not go unpunished” says the American liaison to the United Nations, though what that entails is not exactly known.
-The economic situation of the United States begins to rapidly deteriorate as the nation finds itself very dependent on the import and export normality of open trade in east Asia and western Europe. With the ports of China blockaded, many of the fascist governments in Europe no longer trading with the west and the idea of international entrepreneurship dying out, the majority of large American companies become increasingly nervous.
-All is not lost, however, as some imports receive the fallback option from the Russians, as the hulking Eurasian empire begins to spread the goods of both Russia and China across international markets. If the United States plays its cards right, they could ride out the coming storm and avoid a serious market debacle like that of 1929, which the United States has just only crawled out of in its entirety
-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt prepares a speech in front of congress detailing his views on the upcoming elections of next year and the changing climate of the political parties. In regards to the Iron League, FDR makes a scathing comment, saying that the Iron League “wishes to destroy the values of freedom for all that this country was built on”.
-Immediately after this speech, protests are held in major cities of the United States demanding that more people vote for the Iron League. Some consider this a scare tactic, and a tactic because they're scared. Nonetheless, a violent clash between the American Socialist Party and the Iron League takes place in the city of Los Angeles. Eleven people are killed, thirty injured and more than 200 arrested.
-As the political situation changes rapidly in the United States, the establishment of the Republican and Democratic parties begins to fall apart quicker than expected. Reactionary Democrats head to the Iron League, liberalist Republicans head to the Socialists, and so on. Unidentifying members of US politics, feeling disenfranchised by their establishment parties, follow Thomas E. Dewey to join the newly formed American New Republic Party. This centrist, economically and socially minded party takes the most important aspects of all established groups such as social democracy, federal compensation, social justice and free speech.
-American mining projects funded by the US government head out in droves to the American west. This time, not in search for gold and glory, but instead for the volatile substance known as Uranium. Used in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons alike, if the United States can safely harvest and put to use large quantities of Uranium, the planned series of nuclear reactors spread across the United States could have a steady supply of energy to support the American power grid.
-Refugees from Korea, having snuck aboard American warships, are brought to a quarantined refugee camp in the Aleutian islands. Here, the refugees are kept for months on end, to ensure that the bacteria from their homeland does not find itself transferred to the United States mainland. Luckily for everyone, the refugees are considered clean, and escorted to Seattle, given a small monetary compensation, and let loose to fend for themselves in a strange new land.
-In the United States Military, the Model 14 Rifle begins massed production. The American M1903A3 Springfield and M1 Garand, both important rifles to the American identity, are slowly phased out in favor of the far more versatile M-14. Regardless of the transition, the Springfield and Garand are migrated to the American National Guard and Coast Guard, ensuring that these rifles still see service. However, the M1903 itself is retired, the M1903A3 having more or less replaced it over the last two years.
-Experiments take place in Beloit once again, this time with a thick rubber and plasticine suit. Called a “Hazardous Material Observation Suit”, or “Hazmat” for short, these large blubbery outfits are air tight and lead-laden, allowing its wearer to be protected from a variety of dangers. Chemical, biological and radiological threats are greatly reduced by wearing these outfits. Observation of almost any dangerous material can now take place, and the sciences are no longer restricted to theory and supposed ideas, as scientists can get hands-on information.
-The lights go up in New York City as the United States opens its first fully-functioning nuclear reactor. Working around the clock, engineers at the reactor give the American people something to hope for. Something to look forward to. Something to be proud of.
==Turn 28: July to December 1943==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=50060291&viewfull=1#post50060291
-World Tensions are very high.
-The guns fall silent in Asia as the Empire of Japan lays down its arms in surrender to the Republic of China. This move comes as the Emperor and the civil administration completely remove all military power within the government through a bloodless coup, known as the “July Event”.
-Japan’s peace deal includes the cessation of Taiwan, Port Arthur and the Korean Peninsula to China, and the islands of Sakhalin and the Kurils to Russia. Japan’s pacific holdings are still under the control of the Emperor, but all military fortifications are to be dismantled.
-Alongside the return of territory, Japan is forced to cut her military spending by 50% for the next five years, and never join any economic or military association until the year 1953. Battered, beaten, humiliated, yes. Broken? No. Despite the land being scoured, her people starved, her economy in ruins and her government in disarray, the newly formed Japanese government can pick herself up by her own two feet and see a brighter, better future.
-With Japan out of the war, and disconnected from the United Liberal Entente, the Iberians see little reason to continue fighting. Iberia’s goals of containing China and smashing the hulking republic upside the head more or less out of reach, the two nations come to an uneasy peace.
-Iberian troops withdraw themselves from Asia, burning and rapidly dismantling their captured fortifications in order to refuse the Chinese any use of information or the fortifications themselves. Nonetheless, the Iberians consider it a decisive victory, whilst the Chinese consider it a Pyrrhic victory for themselves.
-With the Iberians unleashing nuclear weapons on the Republic of China, the Germans fear that fascist expansion will once again turn towards Europe. Germany, alongside her allies, turn away from the Concert of Europe. The CoE, short lived and ultimately useless, is disbanded entirely.
-Peace in terms of conflict may be over on the continent of Asia, but peace in general is far from on the horizon. The march of Staphylococcus asiaticus is unstoppable in central India, and spreads like wildfire through the unsanitized, largely unstable states, killing thousands almost daily. Volunteer doctors from Montenegro and Colombia rush to try and help suppress the spread, but many fear that there must be a near global effort to stop the sickness.
-As the Union Africaine continues to dissolve itself, multiple free nations spring up in Africa. Mauritania, Mali, Sudan and Djibouti declare themselves independent, and hold their first elections. However, a major change takes place. Due to the fracturing of NATO, and the continued strength of the United Liberal Entente, these new nations take to a completely different alliance instead.
-The Middle Eastern Coalition and Euphrates Union, both military and economic alliances, bring Mauritania, Mali and Sudan into their fold. The MEC, though originally focused on the strong Arabic factions in the middle east, is happy to bring in their Afro-Semitic brethren, and are prepared to stand strong against any possible expansion from hostile, power-hungry neighbors.
-In Italy, with Mussolini regularly failing to attend meetings and assemblies of the Partito Nazionale Fascista, the government has no choice but to put through a vote of no confidence. Headed by King Victor Emmanuel III, the government votes nearly 2:1 to see Mussolini removed from power. Unsurprisingly, this leads to an immediate fracturing of the fascist party and the Italian government.
-In a horrifying turn of events, just a week after seeing Mussolini removed and arrested, as well as a shuffling of the Italian cabinet beginning, a member of the newly formed Phalanx Partito d'Italia, a supporter of the Iberians, opens fire on King Emmanuel’s motor carriage, killing him instantly.
-The newly organized Italian State, led by Roberto Farinacci, housed in Rome and northern Italy, declares itself separate from the “anti-Italian, socialist-lite” Partito Coronista Italiano (the Coronists being the liberalized Fascist party lead by Italo Balbo and supported by the “Accidental King” Umberto II). Thus, the Kingdom of Italy fractures into two pieces that quickly descend into armed conflict, the Falangists and Coronists seeking to overcome one another and be the “True Italy”.
-Seeing this as an opportunity to break free, those who remained true to the classical views of fascism (re-organized as the Aventinists) and wish to see a return to classical, more “Roman-styled” form of government, flee to their homeland: Sicily. Many of these Aventinists, unhappy with the administration of Mussolini and furious with the new branches of the old Italian government, feel now is the perfect time to break free and form the Confederation of Sicily in the nation’s south, uniting Sicilians, southern Italians and others under a single banner.
-The Confederation of Sicily declares war upon the new Italian State, but warns the Kingdom of Italy that they must stay far away from Sicilian territory, lest war be fought between the two Anti-Falangists as well.
-With all hell breaking loose in what was thought to be one of the more stable nations of the United Liberal Entente, all eyes turn to Iberia, many fearing what could come of this new conflict in Europe. There is rumors that aggressive militant groups in the Balkans and Africa are prepared to relinquish themselves from Italian rule, and some question the viability of the ULE as a whole. These next few years will be tumultuous and decisive.
-With war in China over, the world economy continues to reel. Nations in India and south America default and spiral into horrendous amounts of debt, too late to be saved from outside investment. If nations in Europe and the Americas are unable to get back on the wagon, worldwide recession is due in less than a year.
Treaties/Alliances:
Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
Headquarters: Berlin, Great Germany
Head Nation: Great Germany
-Members:
--France
--Great Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Canada (Dependent)
--Australia (Dependent)
--New Zealand (Dependent)
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italian State
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Pahlavi Empire
--Patagonia
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Moscow-Nanjing Association (MNA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Russia
--Romania
--Bulgaria
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
North Seas Trade Federation (NSTF):
Headquarters: Berlin, Great Germany
Head Nation: Great Germany
-Members:
--Great Germany
--Estonia
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
Type: Economic Association
Player Events:
-Delegates from the Empire of Japan make their way to Nanjing, and begin talks with the Republic of China’s leaders. A deal is hashed out, and the war that has shed the blood of millions, is finally over. The Empire of Japan lays down its arms, and frees the various territories claimed by the Republic of China, as well as relinquishing its control of Korea.
-With the new Japanese government pushed out to sea, a far more peaceful alternative to outright conquest or drawing out the war, the Republic of China receives a small delegation from the Iberians stating that they too are out of the war, but for no condition.
-The arduous and not-too-delicate process of rebuilding begins around the country. Major cities, roadways, ports and various government centers that were devastated by combat are immediately ordered to be repaired. Luckily, the Chinese can utilize their seemingly bottomless manpower reserves, and mobilize millions of jobless workers to begin acting as construction crews.
-In the cities of Guangzhou and Shanghai, however, the work is much different. Tractors, bulldozers, cranes and back-breaking manual labor are the only ways to clear out the literal tons of debris, shattered buildings, and rotting corpses. Authorities are forced to step in when families attempt to storm the wiped out city in hopes of finding the bodies of their loved ones. As much as the government regrets doing so, it must be done in order to continue repairs at a constant rate.
-On the outside, China turns to make friends in Europe once again. Germany, though originally hostile to the ideas of an expansive and powerful China, give the blueprints for a variety of their military goods; the STG-43, SHM-40 Jet, Panzer III and Type XXII Submarines, each being handed out with a blueprint and working model, arrive in China. Quickly, they are brought to the testing grounds, and given new names. The Berlin M-43, Guangzhou I, Harbin I and Shanghai I are the respective names for this new equipment. In return, the Germans receive a large monetary benefit, though the Chinese government knows that it can’t easily be spending as much money as before now.
-With their Russian allies, the Chinese purchase the “Gingerbread Men” hazardous material suits in bulk. These suits are quickly put to work in areas such as Guangzhou and Shanghai, as government observers fear the possibility of radioactive contamination that could kill thousands of workers if not handled properly.
-The city of Guangzhouwan, under the control of the French for nearly a century, is officially returned to the Republic of China by the pseudo-republic of Indochine. With this done, the Republic of China not only receives yet another bustling port city, but one of her last territories seized by Europeans or outside invaders.
-Port Arthur, originally held by Russia, and then taken by the Empire of Japan, is returned to China in the diplomatic deal that brings peace between China and Japan. No longer is the city “Port Arthur”, its more western name, but is now Lüshunkou, its original name. Quietly, the nation celebrates yet another victory over the Japanese.
-In Korea, the Chinese attempt to bring order as quickly as they can. The Communists, quickly dropping their numbers and ability to fight back against the Chinese occupation, disperse into rural areas of Korea, fearing reprisals. However, various administrators and rebel leaders approach the Chinese, and the two groups begin to work on creating a new and independent Korea.
-These new administrators undergo Chinese-styled education, as well as being drilled in the ways of Chinese military practices and strategies. As China prepares to release Korea as a single, unified, healthy vassal, things somewhat appear to be on the up-and-up.
-At home, China undergoes redrawing of some of its major provinces. Nei Mongol, or “Inner Mongolia”, is expanded to engulf the entirety of the new Mongolian territories. Renamed Méng Dou, this province is semi-autonomous, but must respect Chinese administration, and are still subjects to Nanjing. Utterly crushed in the last war, and staring down the guns of the Chinese and Russians at the same time, the Mongolians have no choice but to accept the proposition.
-Chinese scientists begin to hastily track down areas where Staphylococcus asiaticus is present, hoping to isolate and treat the populations affected by it using Colombian medicine imported over the last few months. However, many of these scientists are appalled to find that the towns and villages known to have been infected with the disease are graveyards. The Chinese put the current death toll of S. asiaticus at roughly 3 million in Korea alone.
-An experiment takes place with one of the few “computers”, in which a cadre of Chinese scientists attempt to amplify the electronic signals and power flowing through the machine. After weeks of tinkering, these scientists create a “transistor”, or a small pronged object “resembling a tadpole” (according to some onlookers) that can easily conduct strong electrical currents in a desired direction quickly and efficiently, cutting the size of the Chinese computers by nearly a quarter.
-Militarily, the Chinese must continue to strengthen the ability for their soldiers to fight. Notably, the Chinese find that most of their troopers fight on foot, regardless of their transports, as even the most heavily armored truck retreats from the fight. Instead, the “Tiananmen I” is designed. The T-1 is known to the public as an “Infantry Fighting Vehicle”. Armed with a 20mm autocannon and two heavy machine guns, the T-1 has the ability to continue fighting alongside its infantry, as well as defend them in the case of retreat.
-Horrified with the actions of the Iberian Union in China, most notably the detonation of not one but three nuclear weapons in the territory of a sovereign nation, at the United Nations, the Colombian delegation outright denounces the Iberians, declaring that their use of nuclear weapons is a “war crime of the highest degree”.
-As the denunciation goes through, the Patagonians are shocked and furious with the decision made by the Colombians. Because of this, the Patagonians formally exit the Hispanic Trade Organization and sever their ties with Colombia.
-Luckily for the Colombians, and to the chagrin of the Patagonians, the Hispanic Trade Organization is disbanded, and reformed as the American Trade Organization, focused on maintaining a strong economy in north and south America. Upon its new foundation, Canada, Peru, and most importantly, the United States join the ATO.
-The American Trade Organization officially gives Russia, China and Montenegro a “preferred status”, meaning that goods being transferred under the authority of the ATO have their tariffs reduced, and trade ships coming from these nations are given top priority in ATO ports.
-After some prodding and convincing, the Republic of Brazil is finally convinced to join the American Trade Organization. With this development, the ATO’s economic capabilities rapidly become varied, including everything from crude oil to citrus fruits.
-Colombia attempts to warm its relations with the various Hispanic states, sans Patagonia, in hopes of either bringing them into the fold of the ATO, or at the very least soothing any past tensions. Delegates in Cuba and Mexico are brought in with open arms, whilst the Venezuelans greet the delegation coldly.
-Scientists from the CAMI, utilizing the American hazardous material suit design, head out in force to India. With assistance from around the world, these doctors flood into India in huge numbers to begin isolating infected populations and treating patients as quickly as they can. Some countries close their doors to CAMI, while others, like Gujarat and Rajastan, dump money and assets into the hands of CAMI to help fight the disease.
-The situation in India, even with assistance from CAMI and other international aid groups, grows dire. The death toll in India, after but one year of being exposed to S. asiaticus is a staggering four million. Nonetheless, the brave men and women working hard to save the lives of innocents continue the fight. The CAMI is not loyal to any banner but that of humanity itself, and does their best to try and stop the disease in its tracks.
-At home, major infrastructure campaigns continue. Even with the world economy still tumbling down, the Colombians take advantage of deflated prices in cement, steel and iron industries, and quickly mobilize work gangs to continue the construction of a national highway system.
-Alongside roads, Colombia unveils a new plan to “link and organize” the nation’s various water and sewage systems. With new treatment plants being devised in Europe and the United States, Colombia must work quickly to catch up and reduce the strain on the nation’s fragile sewer system.
-In the city of Santa Marta, major groundbreaking ceremonies begin in order to unveil the Universidad Médica de Santa Marta. This publicly funded university will house thousands of students from Colombia and abroad to begin various medical research projects across the board. The University will also hold a massive wing dedicated to treating patients with “experimental techniques”, or in the case of an emergency, can act as a nationalized hospital.
-In one of the first labs built at the university, the Colombian government begins funding the creation of rapidly produced vaccines against S. asiaticus. Using Montenegrin and German doctoral assistance, the Colombians expect to create nearly a thousand viable vaccines per month from this lab alone. Expensive, fragile and in small numbers they may be, but it is a great leap forward in medical technology.
-Militarily, the Colombians continue to expand themselves. With simple monetary purchases, the Colombians buy a handful of Sokol I fighters from the Russians, and conduct small scale military exercises with the Russians in order to control and understand the fighter’s abilities and drawbacks.
-German military advisors continue to work with Colombians, this time breaking out the big guns (literally) to train the Colombian artillery crews on how to use the various self-propelled artillery gun designs. With this in mind, Colombian generals look at after-action reports from Asia, and try to understand what gave the Chinese such ferocious capabilities in terms of rapid infantry and armor movement in difficult terrain.
-Two major breakthroughs take place in research facilities within Colombia. The first is the creation of an oral penicillin. Using gelatin and starch as the capsule (an age-old, workable design), the Colombians are able to use a weakened form of penicillin that can be taken with a drink of water. This makes it easier for children to take the medicine, as well as cutting down on costs for production of solid “tablets” of the drug.
-The other is the first step to stopping the scourge known as consumption, or tuberculosis. Streptomycin, a super-powerful antibacterial medicine, is tested on a group of individuals suffering from tuberculosis. Within weeks, their symptoms began to go away, and in under a month, those treated with the drug are released from the hospital and can return to relatively normal lives.
-Seeing as to how the Iberians are more than willing to wreak absolute destruction on their enemies, the German congress officiates the dissolution of the Concert of Europe. Germany’s allies quickly exit the agreement, and those that remain already exist as independent ULE members.
-With the CoE dissolved, and Germany joining the United Nations, the tensions between the various NATO members unhappy with Germany’s dealings quickly melt away. The French and Germans once again prepare to cooperate with one another, the French happy to see the end of the German-Iberian chess game in Europe.
-In the North Sea Trade Federation, as the Germans leave the CoE, the Danish take this opportunity to link themselves with the rapidly shifting economy of northern Europe. With the Danes brought into the fold, a major decision is made within Berlin in regards to currency.
-The “Euro”, or a standardized coin, is created in order to facilitate trade between the various members of the NSTF. Currently, the Euro is weak, and the member states are still allowed to use their own coins at home, but the Germans hope to see the Euro grow overtime, regardless of how slow that growth may be initially.
-Germany begins to shift her Five Year Plan to focus on exports. Now as the Chinese export economy is slowed, the Germans jump on the opportunity to begin selling huge amounts of industrial and consumer goods overseas. German goods begin to find their way into European markets, but in nowhere near the amount of those sold by the Chinese.
-Nonetheless, the Germans still try to keep their export capacity up at its maximum. In doing so, the Germans begin the massed production of hundreds of major factories in southern Bavaria and Austria. Austria, for the longest time, has been somewhat neglected. Most of the factories have fallen into disarray due to nationalization, and the state has seen a massed exodus of Austrians into central Germany in hopes of new jobs.
-With these new factories, however, the population of Austria begins to grow again, as thousands flock to get a job at one of the many conglomerate-owned factories that spring up in Austria. These new factories hum to life within days of being opened, and the German government is pleased to see some semblance of normalcy returning to the German economy.
-The German government begins funding the construction of hundreds of kilometers of underground “metro” systems, like those in Montenegro or the United States. Most of these metro systems are set to be linked to the above ground public transport systems, allowing for a smoother transition between nationalized industrial rail systems and public transportation.
-The hyper-nationalist, strong willed, and somewhat frightening Volksarmee are reorganized into a crack squad of the German military to be used in the event of full scale war. The Volksarmee is re-titled the Volkssturm, and are sent to various reserve camps across the nation. Volksarmee, the old title of the Volkssturm, is given to the National Guard, as the Germans continue to reorganize their military into a single, solid structure.
-With the new STG-43 designed and tested, the German military calls for its massed production and standardization for new troops. This is a long and delicate process, as thousands of rifles must be returned to armorers, soldiers retrained, and ammo stocks changed out in order to prepare for these new rifles.
-Older weapons are exported in bulk to neighboring countries and nations around the world, especially the fledgling states in North Africa. With the STG-43 on its way to being the standard weapon of the German republic, this sparks the end for the Intrawar bolt and semi-automatic rifles, and the dawn of the Battle/Assault Rifle.
-Germany turns to make friends in Asia once again. Germany, though originally hostile to the ideas of an expansive and powerful China, give the blueprints for a variety of their military goods. The STG-43, SHM-40 Jet, Panzer III and Type XXII Submarines, each being handed out with a blueprint and working model, arrive in China. This comes as the Germans try to make a stronger friend outside of Europe that could spite the expansionism of the fascists.
-Tanks, the strong backbone of German military might, are toyed with once again in the Posen military research fields. The Panzer X-V, an experimental new tank, undergoes the introduction of two new breakthrough inventions in the realm of military technology. The first is a non-depressing gun system, which allows the turret to stay largely on the same track as the tank moves, giving the gunner the ability to fire on the same area with relative ease, granted the driver mustn’t go too fast.
-Another breakthrough is a bizarre new shell design that punches a hole straight through the various targets set out on the field. Known as a “Sabot”, this shell, after a certain distance out of the gun, distends its outer shell and deploys a sharp, tungsten-tipped munition that flies at such a high speed that even some of the thickest armor is punctured.
-Now that the war is over in Asia, and the Iberians seeing little reason to continue, the armed forces of the Iberian Union are withdrawn to the mainland. Upon their exit, troops are heavily screened and scrutinized to ensure that none of them are infected. Those that are infected, they are immediately sent to Goa, and their families notified.
-However, troops that are clean and ready, are officially set to stand down and return home. Luckily for Iberia, they had not fully mobilized, and much of the troops returning from Asia are those from the standing army, who are more than happy to see their families and loved ones, as well as share stories of victory in the many cantinas within Iberia.
-The Iberian navy, still in force, is retracted to patrol the Indian Oceans and Cape Horn to ensure that no overzealous Chinese ships attempt to enact reprisals, as well as show the world that just because Iberia is standing down, there is no way that the Iberians are out of energy to fight.
-A submarine of the Iberian navy heads too close to the shore of the many craggy rocks of Cape Horn and runs aground. However, a rapid response by the Patagonian coast guard sees to the rescue of the wounded ship, and only two Iberian crewmen perish in the event. Both nations celebrate this event to the fullest possible extent.
-In Morocco, the Iberian military begins to patrol the Atlas Mountains to crack down on the possibility of a Berber or Maghrebi insurgency in the area. After weeks of seemingly pointless searching, a squad of Iberians encounters what seems to be a weapons production stronghold snug between two mountain peaks. The Iberians raid the encampment, but find nobody there, which only increases the tensions in the area significantly.
-In the fields of diplomacy, Iberia lays down its sword in the neck of the Russians, and decide that friendship is the best possible option. A diplomatic exchange takes place between the two countries, and the first Iberian consulate is opened in the city of St. Petersburg, the Iberians planning to create a full scale embassy in the city sometime in the future.
-A shocking turn of events takes place in Europe as the Germans, horrified with the actions taken by the Iberians during their war with China, officially dissolve the Concert of Europe and focus on improving their relations with their straining NATO allies. Much to the chagrin of the Germans, the only CoE members remaining already exist within the United Liberal Entente.
-Iberian gunboats and diplomats both arrive on the coast of Algeria as Iberia attempts to “persuade” the North African nation into opening her borders for Iberian and ULE tradesmen, as well as bending a knee to the influence of the ULE as a whole. Shockingly, the Algerians refuse, and delegations from the various members of the Middle Eastern Coalition stand behind them.
-Patagonia, however, is more than willing to cooperate with the United Liberal Entente, especially with Iberia. The two nations grow ever closer together, and on the wind there are whispers of “increased cooperation” and “unity” between Patagonia and Iberia. With Patagonia slowly being isolated in her home continent, some feel that this “unity” may come sooner than expected.
-Italy, considered to be Iberia’s right-hand-man in Europe and strongest European ally, flat out implodes. A gigantic civil war erupts as Mussolini is voted out of office by all but the far-right factions within the Partito Nazionale Fascista. The Coronists, led by Italo Balbo and King Umberto, the latter's father having been assassinated, sparking the civil war, run the Kingdom of Italy. The Aventinists, or classical fascists, break away into the Confederation of Sicily. Finally, the Italian Falangists, the far-right wing of the Fascist party, holds out in the State of Italy, pleading for Iberian assistance before their efforts go to waste.
-Iberia deals with another ULE member turned upside down, the Iberian government officially bans all trade of oil to Japan, and ceases all major infrastructural and industrial trade. Alongside this, SSS troopers storm the Japanese embassy in Madrid, seize all materials and arrest the personnel. In order to avoid another international incident, the Japanese diplomats are sent to France, and ordered never to return to Iberia.
-The few Japanese businesses and factories in Iberia are seized by the Iberian government, and their employees deported to France. Assets considered “unusable” by the Iberians are burned in massed pyres as Iberia declares a “cultural crusade against the traitorous Japanese”.
-At home, Iberia continues to subsidize the massive farming projects in central Africa. These huge projects erupt with popularity amongst many entrepreneurial and spirited members of the Iberian populace, who wriggle their way into the various government-friendly businesses that are turning central Africa into one of the world’s richest farmlands.
-Much of the food taken from Africa heads straight to Iberian markets, where the prices are low and the quality is high. However, the Iberians feel that having such a massive surplus isn’t exactly worthwhile, especially when there is a profit to make. Members of the United Liberal Entente are given access to these exported stocks for a decreased price. States like Greece and Serbia buy massive amounts of grain products, as their home agricultural sectors begin to falter in the face of financial issues.
-Iberia forms the Programa de Conscripción Médica (Medical Conscription Program) in the wake of the rapid spread of S. asiaticus throughout the Indian subcontinent. This program will call in all unmarried women of Iberia to be pulled into the medical field. As both men and women are valued in the eyes of the Iberian state, women must too do their part to aid in the event of full-scale mobilization, and will act as rear-echelon medical practitioners.
-Oddly enough, much of the documents and training used to prepare these women for the most basic medical practices come from Colombian and Montenegrin medical journals, though their stamps and authors are ‘‘conveniently renamed’’ with Portuguese or Catalan roots.
-Electrical engineers at the University of Toledo unveil a completely new invention in the realm of long range communication. This “transponder” allows communication between two radios at immense range with very little delay or latency. Most notably, the Iberians wish to put this transponder on a piece of equipment to be launched into the atmosphere, or a space “satellite”.
-Another breakthrough in rocket technology comes to Iberia once again. Instead of a rocket itself, the Iberians create a secret formula known as “escape velocity”. After some leaks to world newspapers, it is believed that this formula would allow a rocket to escape the drag of earth’s gravity, and set the vehicle into an “orbit” around the globe.
-Friendship comes from far away as the American Trade Organization officially gives Montenegro a “preferred status”, meaning that goods being transferred under the authority of the ATO have their tariffs reduced, and trade ships coming from these nations are given top priority in ATO ports.
-Montenegro now looks elsewhere in Europe for military assistance, and finds that the French have a design far too precious to pass up. The Surcouf submarine, a bizarre crossbreed of a cruiser and a submersible craft, with a tiny hangar for a biplane to boot, is just what the Montenegrins desire.
-The design for the Surcouf submarine is purchased by the Montenegrin government, and fiddled with to create the Vojnović Class Submarine. Unlike the Surcouf, the Vojnović carries six smaller guns rather than two large cannons, allowing for rapid, aggressive fire on a single position.
-Cooperation continues between Serbia and Croatia with the help of Montenegro. This comes mainly as the realm of sportsmanship and competition grows out of Montenegro and begins to spread to her Balkan neighbors. A massive boxing competition, known as the “Balkan Royale” to western observers, is set to be held in Belgrade in the coming winter, hosted mainly by Montenegrin telecasters set to broadcast the fights throughout the Balkans.
-Montenegro continues to make friends with Czechoslovakia, mainly in the wings of trading industrial equipment and techniques. With the help of foreign advisors, Montenegrin industry manages to expand rapidly, as the Czechoslovaks are more than experienced in the realm of being a small nation with big industry.
-Maharashtra, Montenegro’s ally in the far east, continues to export huge numbers of films and actors to Gorawood, now that “Bollywood” spreads like wildfire throughout India, including many of Maharashtra’s neighbors. A public service announcement describing the how-to when it comes to detecting S. asiaticus and protecting their loved ones from it, thanks to the help from Montenegrin film crews and doctors.
-A deal is made between Montenegro and Tunisia in which large amounts of land are to be leased to Montenegrin film creators. In return, Tunisian artists and filmmakers are given the opportunity to visit Montenegrin academies and film studios throughout the country in what is the first major cultural exchange between Montenegro and the Arab World.
-At home, the Montenegrin government continues to fund the various universities and cultural centers around Montenegro, as well as funding some “Artistic Expeditions” to France and southern Germany as the independent film wing of Montenegro grows rapidly with the introduction of foreign stories, ideas and crewmen.
-At the Linguists' Association, a new project goes underway. Cyrillic is applied to a variety of Latin and non-Latin languages around the world. English, Arabic, Greek, Hungarian, Italian and dozens more are slowly but surely transliterated into Cyrillic by the many members of the Linguists' Association in Montenegro. Another project is brought up at the Association, completely opposite from the previous one, which is to create a series of latinized forms of Cyrillic Slavic languages. This project is far easier, and will be completed in under a year if the right minds are put to the test.
-The major project of Common Slavonic is believed to be at nearly 60%, with the New Testament having been more or less translated into the “common tongue of the Slavs”. With this news, many wonder of the Montenegrin government will make Common Slavonic one of the required languages at school, or at the very least, use it to unite the nation. The Neo-Roman project continues, although sluggishly as scholars debate over which is “most important” or “most worthwhile”, with Iamatae, Formosan and Cogurean being promptly dumped after Japan left the ULE. Notably, the first African Vulgar dictionary hits the shelves of Montenegrin bookstores, with over 60% of the language now considered “publicly available”. Nonetheless, the projects will take years to finish.
-Outside of the realms of high-class language learning, Montenegro begins to expand its alcoholic beverages industry, most notably at the Trebjesa Brewery in Nikšić. Though dwarfed by its German or English counterparts, Trebjesa sees a small subsidization from the Montenegrin government in hopes to push the company’s income (and production) along.
-A new government-conglomerately owned winery and distillery known as Zeta is founded in southern Montenegro. At Zeta, wines and brandies are the specialty, especially the locally popular rakia. Zeta’s first bottles of rakia are expected to hit the market in the next few months, and many connoisseurs of alcoholic beverages are excited for its release.
-In the meantime, Montenegro makes a quiet offer to Nikola Tesla, requesting that the state retain ownership over his patents in the event of his death. Though a macabre offer in essence, Tesla accepts, knowing that otherwise his achievements will fall into the hands of those who wish to turn his goods into weapons of war, tools for profit, or left to rot in the history books.
-A major breakthrough takes place in the electronics field of Montenegro, as the tiny Balkan state attempts to race against the hulking Iberian Union on their way to space. A small electrical machine, nicknamed a “satellite” is designed to be launched into the low atmosphere to collect data. Unlike the Iberians, however, the Montenegrins lack the ability to launch these satellites into low earth orbit, or communicate/control them during their flight.
-However, the Montenegrins break through in a totally different way. Small, remotely controlled cameras can be attached to these satellites, and can take pictures at long range without being spotted. Many wonder if these cameras could use the new lenses and act telescopically, as Montenegrin science-fiction writers drum up the idea of “spy satellites”.
-With the civil war over for nearly a year, the Kingdom of Pashtunistan undergoes a major change. A unanimous vote in the lower house goes through, and the nation’s name is changed to the Shahdom of Afghanistan, in order to “unite the people of the nation under a single banner”. With this, the capital is moved to the city of Peshawar, setting it in the center of the nation, acting like an anchor for the people of Afghanistan.
-Russian soldiers stationed in Afghanistan are given the opportunity to remain within the nation and create a small base in the northeast of the country. This new base will allow Moscow-Nanjing troops to enter/exit Afghanistan with ease, as well as give assistance in the coming years of rebuilding.
-Petitioning to Russia and China for aid begins as Afghanistan struggles to rebuild the many damaged towns and villages throughout the nation, as well as building a stronger infrastructure system that would link the largely decentralized nation together.
-Afghanistan begins to open up to her neighbors, by first reaching out the hand of diplomacy to Rajastan. As Rajastan is rocked with the spread of S. asiaticus and economic instability, the small former Indian state is more than willing to accept some sort of friendship from somewhere other than a hungry foreign empire.
-The nation’s first proper general elections take place midway through November. Various military personnel are seen guarding polling stations, police centers and public spaces to maintain order and ensure constant vigilance. These elections see a massive turnout as more and more people are willing to partake in the nation’s political system. The "Hizb Alttaqaddum Al'Afghani" (Afghan Progress Party) takes power, swinging the nation’s politics dead in the middle, allowing the government to focus on the here and now rather than the there and then.
-With the HAA taking control in the country, a stronger lower house petitions for the creation of a more efficient and inclusive national bureaucracy. Using the languages of Pashto alongside Dari, Panjabi, Arabic and Hazara, the Shahdom of Afghanistan can now address all grievances of her population, as well as including all people in the government, mimicking the ways of the United States and Canada.
-Foreign companies are encouraged to grow the various railways from eastern Afghanistan into the center of the country, as well as creating a rail system to head through the mountains of the west. The first and only company to hop aboard are entrepreneurs and engineers from Canadian Pacific, as a benefit from the Canadian government to ensure a knife of democracy in the neck of autocracy surrounding Afghanistan.
-The military of Afghanistan begins a process of purchasing large amounts of surplus weaponry from the United States. Most of this comes in the form of old rifles and munitions, with the occasional artillery piece or heavy weapon. Though minimal in scope, it is the first step to creating a standardized and self-supporting Afghan military.
-Afghan engineers in the Khyber Pass, known to be expert gunsmiths and ever inventive, create a “national form” of the American Model 14 battle rifle. The Namudhaj 1, or N-1 for short, is Afghanistan’s take on the M-14. Chambered in a full-length rifle cartridge as opposed to the semi-intermediate cartridge of the M-14, the N-1 kicks like a mule and is forced to carry a much smaller magazine than the M-14, but is nonetheless a huge leap forward over bolt rifles and home-made shotguns.
-Another breakthrough takes place in the realm of agriculture. Using the many armored vehicles left over by the Soviets during the Third Great War, farmers use the hulking engines to drag massive plows through the many ailing fields of Afghanistan. Subsidized by the government, these farmers are encouraged to begin “rotating” their crops, creating a strong agricultural backing for the country, as well as reducing the dependency on imported food.
-The Greater Russian Confederation declares itself the “ultimate protector” of the Shahdom of Afghanistan, ensuring the peace and stability of the region. Russian soldiers stationed in Afghanistan are given the opportunity to remain within the nation and create a small base in the northeast of the country. This new base will allow Moscow-Nanjing troops to enter/exit Afghanistan with ease, as well as give assistance in the coming years of rebuilding.
-After constant persuasion and prodding, not to mention the impending doom of recession worldwide, Russia manages to bring the nations of Romania and Bulgaria into the fold of the Moscow-Nanjing Association. However, attempts at including Somkhiti and Czechoslovakia fall flat, as the two countries are wary of the expansion of such an agreement into Europe.
-As Russia continues to ride the wave of global recession smoothly, the Russian government feels that it is time to reclaim the “lost” territories in the northwest, namely Finnish Ladoga. However, No matter how hard the Russians push, and how much money they have, the Finns refuse the offer, considering Ladoga to be “rightful Finnish territory since the days of the Rurikids”.
-Instead, the Finns come forward with a different offer. Much like that between Greece and Turkey in the early 1920s, but with far less violence, the Finns and Russians agree to an exchange of their peoples. Karelians, Ugrians and Finns cross over the border into their home country, whilst Russians living in Finland return to Russia. Families are uprooted, yes, but their respective governments declare themselves triumphant in “ensuring European peace”.
-Meetings in Moscow continue between the various patriarchs and religious authorities in the various basilicas and churches of the city. A major breakthrough takes place, however, between the Patriarch of Romania and the Patriarch of Moscow. Despite the bumpy past of their respective countries, both patriarchs are willing to bury the hatchet and work with one another for the betterment of the Christian people. This massive development ensures that the Orthodox church can slowly grow closer together and be considered united again after nearly a half millennium of division.
-In the central steppes, Russia begins a new campaign to link the largely decentralized and poorly administered region of the nation to the western centers of governance. Railways, highways, power lines and a nuclear power plant in the city of Astana are the first steps in creating a stronger industrial and infrastructural backing for Central Asia. Down the line, the Russians hope to expand their education, healthcare and monetary systems within the area as quickly as possible.
-The "Национальный Центральный Банк России" (National Central Bank of Russia) is formed in Moscow. This bank act as a federally owned and operated monetary center that makes it easier for the government to dispense loans and fund projects within the country.
-Elsewhere, the Central Bank opens up a series of stock exchanges throughout major cities in Russia, namely Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev and Vladivostok. An extremely western idea that spits in the face of the old Socialist ideology, these stock exchanges give Russia the ability to hold its head above water as the waves of recession come crashing down around the world, and reduces the strain on the nation’s own budget, as well as strengthening banks to some extent.
-The Duma, the upper house of the Russian government, sees increased powers over the Grand Protector. Though the head of state will remain an unelected and instead appointed position by the Duma, the Duma itself are now officially brought into power via universal suffrage. The first elections are expected to take place early in the next year as Russia finally achieves what Lenin and Trotsky desired: the representation of all people within the Russian empire, but this time with a touch and dab of capitalism.
-Nationalist propaganda goes through the roof throughout much of Russia as the government feels the coming storm of recession will spark a new series of wars and intensive conflicts around the globe. This propaganda calls upon the men and women of Russia to joined the armed forces as Russia continues to build up its army and navy. The former, already massive, sees a large influx of greenhorn troops. The latter expands to near Second Great War levels, as more powerful and faster ship designs are the norm for the Russian navy.
-St. George’s line continues to expand once again, this time working on Sun Tzu’s idea of the “nature of warfare”. Rather than being a simple giant wall to keep out invaders, the line is a complex, winding series of forts, minefields, forward operating bases and wide open stretches in order to funnel enemies into difficult terrain or massed killing fields.
-Russian nuclear engineers working alongside advisors from the navy begin creating the designs for a “nuclear submarine”. Instead of using a diesel engine, this submarine design would use a small-scale nuclear reactor to power massive turbines. The design works in small tests, and by next year, the Russians hope to put a prototype vessel in the water.
-A breakthrough takes place in the central steppes. Looking at after-action reports in China and comparing those from the Third Great War, the Russians create a small-scale ballistic missile mimicking those of the Iberians. Nicknamed the Барсук-1 (Badger-1), this ballistic missile can nearly meet the range of the MGM-1 Matador, though its payload is smaller and made of conventional explosives rather than a nuclear warhead.
-The Hispanic Trade Organization is disbanded, and reformed as the American Trade Organization, focused on maintaining a strong economy in north and south America. Upon its new foundation, Canada, Peru, and most importantly, the United States join the ATO as the world economy teeters dangerously on the brink of outright collapse.
-American researchers donned in the bulky hazmat suits are deployed to Korea as the United States continues a peaceful airdrop campaign of medical and food supplies into the now Chinese-held peninsula. These researchers are sent to damaged areas in order to investigate the spread and origin of Staphylococcus asiaticus.
-At the United Nations, the United States calls for the unification of India, to play on the idea of Mahatma Ghandi, a known Indian radicalist from the past decade now residing in Gujarat. Only a few of the delegates of the smaller Indian states disagree with the proposal, feeling that some sort of unified India may improve the economic situation of the region.
-Some delegates, mainly from Rajastan and Assam, consider the importance of increased power of the Afghan Shahdom over India, and the possibility of Afghan administration of the region. The idea is canned as Hindu nationalists erupt into vicious debates within the United Nations.
-A new nuclear reactor is constructed outside of the District of Colombia, giving a limitless supply of electricity to the center of American government and administration. A second reactor is planned outside of Boston, strengthening the Eastern Seaboard’s electrical grid and reducing America’s dependency on oil and coal for energy.
-President Roosevelt passes through an emergency executive order that officially bars any political party from holding rallies during the election cycle. Considered trampling on the first amendment, congress and the senate practically revolt against the president, demanding that he either repeal the order or be impeached.
-The idea that the executive order would weaken the power of groups such as the Iron League backfires significantly. Instead, the Iron League uses the action as an opportunity to grow its popularity amongst reactionary groups within the US, and some delegates in the senate pledge their allegiance to the Iron League in defiance of the Democrats.
-A massive riot takes place in Chicago between Iron League supporters, Socialist Party members and the police as the first two groups hold rallies against one another, and the police step in at the worst possible time. Thirteen people are killed, nearly three dozen wounded, and an entire block of the city is burnt down as an unknown protester throws a molotov cocktail through the window of an apartment building.
-As tensions begin to grow within the country, the United States undergoes a series of wargames throughout the midwest, expressing the prowess of America’s army and the unity that it brings to the people. Instead, some papers write the idea off as a threat towards “Non-Democrats, or plebians in the eyes of the US government”. Out in the Atlantic, the American navy conducts anti-submarine exercises in order to protect the nation’s coastline in the event of a war overseas.
-The US navy unveils its newest tool for naval combat. Known as the Gearing-Class, named after Commander Henry Chalfant Gearing. Larger, faster, and with better arms than previous iterations of destroyers in the US navy, the USS Gearing partakes in the exercises off the coast of Florida, and performs exceedingly well.
-Scientists experimenting with stronger, better ways to produce clothing stumble upon the idea of creating synthetic fibers. These “aramid” fibers are extremely similar to nylon and other synthetic fibers, but are shockingly durable and can sustain immense amounts of pressure and heat. A small chestplate is built for a dummy, and one of the scientists shoots said dummy with a .38 caliber revolver. To the surprise of both scientists, the bullet is caught by the chestplate, and the dummy is unharmed.
==Turn 29: January to June 1944==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=50149911&viewfull=1#post50149911
-World Tensions are very high.
-With the situation continuing to deteriorate in Italy, the Iberian Union decides to take it upon themselves to intervene on the behalf of the Italian State. Taking up arms against the Sicilians and Kingdom of Italy, the Iberians put the full force of their army, navy and air force in order to secure the peninsula for the ailing Italian State.
-Much to the dismay of the Iberians, a series of widespread revolts spring up in the Italian State’s Balkan and Aegean territories. Multiple different nationalist groups rise up in order to kick out the Italians and form their own states. Albania, Dalmatia and the Aegean Islands are quickly coming overwhelmed with armed rebels as the Italian State must reorganize its soldiers and move them to the mainland.
-Seeing that NATO is a far more European organization, if anything, and that the bonds of NATO were born out of response to Soviet aggression in Europe, the Germans take it upon themselves to rebrand NATO as the European Cooperative, or EC for short. This strengthens the bonds between the European NATO members significantly, but alienates the former British Commonwealth states of Australia, Canada and New Zealand, who feel left out of the organization, and make the choice to leave NATO/EC altogether.
-In Colombia, the decision is made to make the CAMI more worldwide. Known as the International Health Organization, or IHO, Colombia and Montenegro give out the call to push for a global effort to combat the spread of disease and the eradication of things such as polio, measles and smallpox.
-The former French colonies of Jamaica and Guyane are released as independent nations as the French continue to withdraw from their colonies around the world. In Indochina, the makeshift state of Indochine ceases to exist, and the nations of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are born in its absence. These republics choose their parties, and prepare to join the dozens of other countries on the world stage.
-Born from the fires of war and post-colonialism, the Republic of Korea officially celebrates independence from the Republic of China, and joins its giant neighbor in welcoming the year of 1944, and the independent peninsular nation is glad to greet the 20th century as a free and self-governing republic.
-The economy of the world continues to stabilize regardless of the conflict in southern Europe. Due to Italy’s economic isolation and favor giving, the only nations affected are those within the United Liberal Entente, excluding Iberia and Patagonia. With better economies, the world may see a more peaceful future, so long as the conflict in southern Europe does not explode.
-Staphylococcus asiaticus continues to ravage north-central India, as the bacteria breeds rapidly in such high-density population, high-moisture content regions. Thousands are killed as the disease wreaks havoc on the nations like Haryan and Nepal, and the economic situation of the subcontinent continues to teeter on the brink of outright collapse. Many wonder if such a collapse will introduce a new age of European colonialism of India.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italian State
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Serbia
--Greece
--Pahlavi Empire
--Patagonia
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Moscow-Nanjing Association (MNA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Russia
--Romania
--Bulgaria
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
North Seas Trade Federation (NSTF):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Estonia
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: Economic Association
Player Events:
-Help for Afghanistan comes from the governments of Germany, Russia and Afghanistan as the new state continues to pick up the pieces of a devastating civil war. Much of the aid comes in the form of medical supplies, minor electronics equipment and large mechanical devices in order to expand the nation’s agricultural and medical fields, something that the Afghan state desperately needs to improve.
-Russian entrepreneurs head south, hoping to create a strong series of precious mineral mining companies in Afghanistan. With the help of unemployed locals, these tycoons begin probing for a variety of goods, from natural gas to diamonds. These entrepreneurs are followed by government backing as the Russians subsidize Afghan industries in hopes of strengthening their relations with their southern friend.
-To the southeast, the Kingdom of Afghanistan is forced to close its borders to their neighbor Rajastan as the spread of S. asiaticus is considered too great. Afghan soldiers regularly patrol the border, ensuring that no individuals, be they clean or carriers, get across the border into Afghanistan. Rajastan, though somewhat hurt by the action, take the move as a net positive for the region as a whole.
-A token number of Russian troops present in Afghanistan are sent southward to the Afghan-Raja border to ensure that the closing of the border goes over smoothly, and that no drastic actions are taken by civilians or soldiers in the event of an attempted border crossing.
-At home, the Afghan military is mobilized to begin massive public works programs in the realms of radical reconstruction. The roadway system especially is met with thousands of uniformed soldiers carrying shovels and pickaxes rather than rifles and bombs. Within the year, the Afghan national road system will be fully functional thanks to the help from the outside and the patient administration of the Afghan government.
-With help from the Colombian and Montenegrin doctors visiting Afghanistan, the Afghan government begins releasing a large number of varied pamphlets and posters explaining the issues of S. asiaticus and other various infectious diseases.
-These pamphlets are then spread out across the country in the many languages spoken by the people of Afghanistan. Much to the government’s surprise, a majority of the population take the information to heart, and many schools attempt to install clean water systems and sinks in order to keep young students safe.
-Around the country, the Afghan government begins implementing western textbooks, teaching philosophies and class doctrines in order to improve the schools in Afghanistan. Many of the religious Madrassas, which make up a majority of the non-urban school system and thus a majority of the nation’s education as a whole, ultimately reject the ideal as a “dangerously non-traditional ideology”.
-The Alshshurtat Alaittihadiat Al’Afghani Almalak (Royal Afghan Federal Police) is formed in light of fears of possible future coups from the military. Focused on protecting the assets of the country as a whole, the Federal Police act as the nation’s investigative force, that both protects the public and the government, but is set to investigate claims of corruption within the Afghan government itself.
-With the RAFP in place, the Afghan parliament comes together and officially ratifies the Afghan Constitution of 1944. This new constitution outlines the freedom of religion, speech, right to free assembly, right to possess property, and the freedom from self-incrimination. This very westernized constitution barely manages to squeeze its way through parliament, but the public of the country rejoices after hearing the news.
-Much of the nation’s military is more or less disbarred, as their defensive purposes is replaced by the more organized and much cheaper RAFP. However, highly-skilled officers and soldiers are given special status, and remain in the military. Those that are disbanded, however, are given a small pension and are finally allowed to return to their families.
-The Afghan military continues to purchase surplus supplies from the United States, and prepares to implement the large number of rifles, machine-guns, artillery pieces and other wartime munitions into the hands of the soldiers of Afghanistan. No longer is the Afghan military running a deficit of high-quality supplies, but is instead up to par with some European nations, and far ahead of its Indian neighbors.
-Technological achievements are “borrowed” from the Colombians and Montenegrins. Most notably, the Afghan government begins experimenting with its own rudimentary forms of penicillin, and prepares a small batch to be used on test subjects. These tests prove successful, though not to the grade of the powerful strains used by the Colombians/Montenegrins in their experiments, and the Afghans must push harder for better results.
-Another achievement, now considered to be truly Afghan in origin, is the idea of massed, observed quarantines. These quarantines are much more organized than those seen in Asia, as it focuses on the health of those in quarantine rather than simply keeping them locked up for an arbitrary period of time. Infected individuals from Rajastan and other countries still die in disconcerting amounts when in quarantine, but those who survive would not have survived if not for the help of the new quarantine procedures.
-A deal is made with China’s western friends, the Colombians. In return for small quantities of Streptomycin and the strategies for Chemotherapy, the Chinese give the Colombians far more improved agricultural tools and massive industrial equipment. Most importantly, this chemotherapy is used to great effect to help with those who have survived the atomic bombings of Shanghai and Guangzhou, and are afflicted with the various cancers due to radioactive contamination.
-In a surprise to many, the Chinese open their doors to Japan. The two nations, now no longer rivals, see the importance of free trade and a more cooperative economic policy towards one another. With help from the Chinese, the Japanese economy can try and fix itself before it is outright crippled.
-With the deal in Japan having gone through, the Chinese also introduce the Asian Recovery Program. This program focuses on China’s neighbors and allies affected by the recent war, or those dealing with diseases and other strife. The first to benefit from the Asian Recovery Program are Japan and China’s southern Moscow-Nanjing Association companions, with small developments being made in Japanese cities scoured by the firebombing raids.
-Trade begins to open up with India as the “Indian Thaw” begins. Brought on by disease, civil upset and economic instability the various governments of India are forced to open their doors to the economies of Europe, North America, and most importantly, China.
-A major decision is made. In the city of Seoul, largely unaffected by the past war, the Republic of China officially exits the Korean peninsula, creating an independent, unified, self-governing Republic of Korea. With a strong independent Korea, the Chinese can begin focusing on problems at home. Though it’s far from ready to be self-supporting, the people of Korea celebrate their Chinese liberators, and the new Republic of Korea can carry on into 1944 as a free nation.
-With the war over for nearly a year, the Republic of China continues the massive cleanup of Shanghai and Guanzhou. Mobilizing those made homeless by wartime devastation, the Republic moves hundreds of thousands of people to remove the literal tons of rubble and ruin that still remain. The reclamation process goes relatively smoothly now that the risk of contamination has been significantly lessened.
-Though the Chinese have suffered greatly, they are far from beaten. Instead, the Chinese government prepares the creation of ‘New’ Shanghai and Guangzhou through the use of “planned communities”. Massive gridwork roadways, standardized asphalt and building patterns, as well as heavily expanded highway and waterway systems into the cities are but the first aspects of China’s reconstruction of the two major cities. These cities will not only be remade to be some of the biggest cities in the world, but will soon become the best if the construction goes according to plan.
-A national contest is sent to the various arts academies within China to create new landmarks for these cities. Though the contest continues for Guangzhou, a monument for Shanghai wins by a landslide in the popular vote. The chosen design, a large, smooth, jade egg inscribed with the Chinese word Xīnshēng, or “rebirth”. The egg is a solemn reminder of the devastation Shanghai had faced, but embraces the idea that the old city will once again be reborn.
-The many old landmarks within Guangzhou and Shanghai, many of them either scoured by the nuclear bombings or outright destroyed, are repaired in some small amounts. Due to the religious and traditional importance of some of these sites, a couple are simply cleared of debris and left to stand in their condition. Most notably, the gates of Longhua Temple still stand, all that remains of the 1700 year old religious center.
-Infrastructure programs similar to those of previous years are applied to the territories of Uighurstan and the newly acquired Mongolia and Taiwan. Most of this focuses on the creation of strong national infrastructure, from roadways to sewage systems, and expanding to more specific actions such as education and law enforcement reform.
-China undergoes the introduction of a new policy, known as the Mínshēng principle. The three “branches” of Mínshēng include the creation of a land value tax, the tearing down of slums to be converted into state-owned housing projects, and the creation of a federalized dole for those unable to make enough money to afford public transportation or other non-life-essential amenities.
-Members of the CDC continue to go into affected areas of Korea, finally bringing about the end of the presence of S. asiaticus in Korea. However, much of this end comes from the bitter fact that a majority of those infected have died, and the population of the Korean peninsula has been wracked by the disease, war and strife over the past half decade.
-The first of December is officially designated to be “Unification Day”. Though not the exact end of the war, the first of that month signifies China preparing to enter a new age, as all of her lost territories over the last half century have been returned to her, and the Republic stands taller than any of the dynasties before it.
-Rocket breakthroughs in the deserts of Mongolia as Chinese scientists rush to join the race between Montenegro and Iberia on the creation of large-scale rockets. First, the Chinese look back to their histories, and create a rocket that runs on a solid composite of highly reactive materials instead of liquid fuel.
-Another breakthrough for the Chinese is the mimicking of the Iberians in the creation of a multi-stage booster of sorts. Using timed decoupling devices, these “Dúlì”, or Independence, rockets can achieve altitudes very similar to those of the Iberian tests in Morocco, and the Chinese are more than happy to have access to such technological marvels.
-With so many international members, the Colombia Asociación Médica Internacional undergoes reform, focusing on the globe rather than being housed exclusively in South America. Thus, the Organización Internacional de la Salud, or International Health Organization, is formed. All nations are offered to join, as the IHO is staunchly apolitical, and will focus on the wellbeing of all peoples.
-A requirement for membership in the IHO is the creation or designation of a large medical university with doors open to doctors from around the world, much like the university of Santa Marta in Colombia. Nonetheless, a large number of European and American countries happily join the IHO.
-Colombian doctors are sent in droves to Korea in order to understand the impacts of radiation on the human body, using the various makeshift hospitals as research centers. Many of the doctors return home with horror stories of burnt fathers, blinded mothers, and children dying of organ failure in their deathbeds. A public report is developed quite quickly, simply titled the “Pyongyang Papers”, and is released for free across the globe in over a dozen languages, describing the effects of the Iberian nuclear bombing of Pyongyang.
-Outside of health, the Colombians try to expand the influence of the American Trade Organization, officially inviting all nations from North and South America, including Patagonia, who shoots down the offer faster than it can be given. The smaller nations of Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic and newly independent Jamaica and Guyane are brought into the fold of the American Trade Organization, sewing some of the last patches into the ever-expanding economic association.
-Colombia declares an “International State of Emergency” in India and southeast Asia as the spread of Staphylococcus asiaticus marches onwards. Colombian doctors in Rajastan and Uttar describe shocking scenes of entire farming communities lay empty, and the streets of major cities are abandoned in the fear of continued spread of disease.
-Doctors present in these affected areas do the best they can, using powerful antibiotics and quarantining those infected, but a global effort must take place to contain and eliminate the disease before it explodes out of the subcontinent and into the Middle East, or worse, into Europe.
-Petroleum engineers from the various technical colleges in Germany head to South America to begin probing exercises for oil in Colombia and Venezuela. These two countries, so closely aligned economically and regionally, could easily provide a large amount of precious oil for the German manufacturing industry. Most of these exercises simply map out areas for high oil production, and discussions between Colombia and Germany may take place soon in order to get the most out of any future deals.
-With Colombia focusing on the world outside, many wonder when the Colombian government would turn its eyes to the people of its own nation. Surprisingly enough, the Colombian government can indeed multitask, and a massive, nationwide series of reforms takes place to ensure the stability of the Colombian economy, and thus the stability of the state.
-First, the Colombians begin repairing the nation's roadways and railways, as well as expanding the recently devised Colombian highway. A majority of the work is done by mobilized homeless and jobless people, their pay coming straight from the treasury of Colombia. The work goes relatively smoothly, with the Colombian government issuing strict work conditions that ensure the safety of those workers is guaranteed.
-Another reform that takes place is the strengthening of Colombia’s school system. Increased funding goes towards the many public schools within Colombia, focusing on the standardization of curriculum throughout the country. Private religious schools are met with regulation as well, as the government demands a certain number of mathematics, engineering and basic biology classes are taught. Of course, the government does not require the teaching of evolution in these private schools, and the biology programs focus instead on individual’s health and how to combat disease at home.
-With these education reforms in place, the Colombian government notices a serious deficit of educators in the country. At the university of Santa Marta, a small “Educatory Wing” is built. At this wing, those wanting to become teachers are given rigorous training and scrutinized at every opportunity to ensure only the best teachers are working at the schools within Colombia.
-Colombia, mimicking the Germans, introduces the Sistema Nacional de Salud (National Health System), or SNS for short. The SNS is a federally funded program that pays doctors and health-care workers, alleviating the dependency on out-of-pocket payments for those receiving medical care. This system will unfortunately increase taxes further on the Colombian people, but even the poorest Colombian feels that cheaper, more accessible healthcare is a boon for Colombia’s citizens.
-The Colombian military continues to reform itself, now standardizing the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine wings. These four wings are properly structured and federalized, answering to the Colombian parliament as opposed to generals favored by the party. This more European style of military management officially puts the final nail in the coffin for the post-Bolivar military organization of Colombia, letting the small latin state clamber onto the world stage.
-At the Universidad de Cartagena, a small number of Colombian electronic engineers unveil a hulking machine known as the Integrador Numérico Electrónico Analyzer y Ordenador, or INEAO. INEAO mimics the Chinese design, and uses more accurate diodes and energy transfer systems. Though expensive and fragile, the INEAO can produce answers for extremely complex equations in minutes that would take entire teams weeks or more to produce.
-At Santa Marta, a major breakthrough takes place. Using condensed oxygen for divers tanks, and a series of small rubber tubes filled with blood, a group of Colombian scientists are able to successfully remove and store a kidney during an intensive operation on a young man. The kidney, from the man’s younger brother, is used to replace a failed one. Using the same process to break down the body’s immune system for chemotherapy, the man acclimates to the new organ and survives. After a month in the hospital, the young man is up and moving, marking one of the first major organ transplants in the Americas.
-Petroleum engineers from the various technical colleges in Germany head to South America to begin probing exercises for oil in Colombia and Venezuela. These two countries, so closely aligned economically and regionally, could easily provide a large amount of precious oil for the German manufacturing industry. Most of these exercises simply map out areas for high oil production, and discussions between Colombia and Germany may take place soon in order to get the most out of any future deals.
-Germany and Japan, originally ideological rivals, grow closer together as Germany extends the open hand of diplomacy to the freshly democratized Japan. A small garrison of German troops is offered to keep the peace, as well as Germany giving Japan a preferred status in the NSTF. However, the Japanese refuse the garrison of German troops, and instead simply takes the minor trade deal with the Germans.
-Feeling that the the situation in the United States could continue to deteriorate, the Germans take it upon themselves to move the headquarters of the United Nations to Berlin, exiting themselves from the American embassy. In their first attempt to hold a meeting of UN delegates, however, less than four delegations arrive: The French, Swedish and Canadian delegations, who immediately accuse the Germans of “aggressive powerplaying”, and refuse to accept the legitimacy of Germany’s “seizure of a politically neutral organization”.
-Instead, Germany takes the chance to put a positive spin on things, and instead uses their makeshift United Nations headquarters to form a stronger bond with the Colombian-founded International Health Organization. Most importantly, the IHO’s formation and minor centralization in Germany sees a large handful of nations joining the cooperative medical association, thus soothing the tensions involving Germany’s movement of the UN headquarters to Berlin.
-Another reformation takes place, this time in NATO. Seeing that NATO is a far more European organization, if anything, and that the bonds of NATO were born out of response to Soviet aggression in Europe, the Germans take it upon themselves to rebrand NATO as the European Cooperative, or EC for short. This strengthens the bonds between the European NATO members significantly, but alienates the former British Commonwealth states of Australia, Canada and New Zealand, who feel left out of the organization, and make the choice to leave NATO/EC altogether.
-Not all of the international dealings with Germany are negative, however. Meeting with French and Africaine diplomats, the Germans make the deal to purchase the various small islands off of the coast of Madagascar, thus giving the Germans a larger naval presence in the Indian Ocean, and letting the Germans keep an eye on the Pacific.
-After missing their chance in 1936, Germany is able to hold the 1944 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Starting at the end of June, Goebbels opens the show, leading into a celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the International Olympic Committee. Carl Diem's idea of the torch relay is used, becoming an instant hit!
-At home, Germany begins to expand its merchant navy, using Great War-style coastal destroyers to act as protective escorts for large cargo ships. Though these ships are armed, they are considered acting within the realm of peacetime operations, and simply keep an eye on the precious cargo of the Republic of Germany.
-Germany also begins to expand their national airline. Using the large cargo aircraft originally purposed for combat, the Germans stumble upon the creation of a large airborne shipping enterprise, moving consumer goods across the continent of Europe without using roads or waterways, cutting the time of transport by more than half.
-A major reform takes place in Germany’s wage system. Now, all employees in German businesses and factories are given wages that reflect upon their efforts in work. Those that work hard and have remained at their jobs for long periods of time will see a dramatic increase in their wages, while those slacking off or seeing a demotion will receive far lower wages. This encourages competitive salaries, as well as breaking up the possibility of dole leeches that do minimal work and are paid the same as someone who works their fingers to the bone.
-Militarily, the Germans redevelop their tanks. Using the recent improvements in barrel and shell technologies, the Germans painstakingly return all of their tanks to armorers and factories to be refitted with these advancements. Though expensive and time consuming, this rearmament of Germany’s tanks will give them a serious edge against any enemy on the battlefield when it comes to armor.
-Electrical engineers in Berlin create a series of small, tightly-wrapped electrical wires that are significantly smaller than any wires currently present anywhere in the world. These wires use a combination of rubber and other materials to insulate the delicate inner workings, and are far smaller than usual wires, allowing them to be made less obvious. Though mostly aesthetic, this invention will reduce the eye-sore impact of wires running to and fro within rooms or on the outside of houses.
-German scientists, learning from the advancements made in Russia and the United States, unveil their interpretation of the theories of using nuclear energy to power entire population centers. Of course, with a German spin, this theory is built mainly on the idea of creating a national grid, which is not only complex and organized, but also heavily industrialized.
-For Iberia, war is a livelihood. Seeing the collapse coming in Italy and the Balkans, the Iberians quickly maneuver their navy into the Mediterranean and blockade the island of Sicily. After a short period of sporadic naval battles between the gigantic Iberian navy and token coastal defense ships of the Sicilians, the Iberians land thousands of troops in Malta and south west Sicily, absolutely decimating the defenders with their better organized, armed and trained soldiers.
-Aircraft, launched from air bases in Sardinia and Genoa, conduct precision attacks on fortified Sicilian positions, destroying huge numbers of forts and disrupting the already disorganized armies of the “false confederation” (according to the Iberians), and making it far easier for Iberian troops to sweep through the “boot” of Italy.
-Iberian marines move into Libya in order to secure Italian assets there, as well as but a boot to the neck of any would-be local revolts. Gunfights take place in the outbacks of Libya between nationalist Libyans and Iberian patrols, but minimal losses are taken on both sides, and the Iberians must work fast to organize the situation before it descends into chaos.
-African colonial forces are mobilized to their fullest extent, and the Iberians quickly move these troops into Italian Mozambique, Somalia and Eritrea in order to keep the presence of the ULE in these largely disorganized regions. With the Italian government more or less unable to focus on their far southern African territories, the Iberians take it upon themselves to take the colonies as their own, promising to work out a deal once the war in Italy is over.
-Combat in central Italy begins as Iberia throws huge numbers of soldiers into the fray. Many of these are Iberian regulars, itching to get into combat after being denied the fight in China. These troops, like those in Sicily, have the upper hand against the forces of the “traitorous King”.
-Crack squads of the SSS, supported by Iberian marines and Iberian aircraft, quickly move into the city of Rome, securing the outskirts and immediately taking measures to turn the city into an impenetrable fortress. Members of the SSS sweep into the Vatican and plead that the Pope flee the city as the war may soon consume it. After some intensive persuasion, a majority of the Papacy’s members, including the Holy Father himself, are sent to Madrid for the time being. It is rumored that the SSS have also evacuated Mussolini, and he is believed to be moved into the Iberian parliament to make decisions over the future of Italy.
-A rapid campaign of fortifications begins in northern Italy, mainly in southern Tirol, in order to keep any German presence out of Italy. SSS, marines and armor crews regularly patrol the mountainous border, explicitly stating that they will shoot any non-Iberian on sight, be they German soldier or Italian national. Much to the relief of Europe, no shots are fired, and the Italo-German border seals up.
-Iberia tries to bring in the entirety of the ULE to help in Italy, but the call is not answered right away, and ignored by some. As rebels spring up in Italy’s Balkan holdings, and unrest grows in Serbia and Croatia, the governments of Greece and Ireland send only token divisions to assist in the Italian campaign. However, the Pahlavis and Patagonians are in full support of the Iberians, the former subsidising the Iberian campaign, and the latter sending entire divisions into Europe.
-To the south, the Iberian navy blockades a majority of the ports in Algeria, demanding that the Algerians give into “Economic cooperation” with the United Liberal Entente. Though furious with the decision, the Algerians are advised by the United Arab Republic to back down, and allow some cooperation with the ULE to take place. Most of this would be in the form of Iberian businesses, and the Algerian government vows that this sort of “violent hostility will not go unpunished in the future”.
-The relations between Iberia and Patagonia warm to such a level that delegates from Buenos Aires arrive in Madrid to discuss the possibility of continued political and economic cooperation. There are widespread rumors that, due to their religious and political similarities, the Iberian state may indeed absorb Patagonia as an autonomous region in South America that would answer to Madrid, which would increase Iberia’s size by nearly a third, and giving Iberia total control over the precious resources in Patagonia.
-Iberian delegates make a surprise visit to Paris, and a calm meeting is held between the two shockingly dissimilar governments. The French accept the Iberian proposal to lock off the Franco-Italian border until the end of the war, but the French will grant asylum to any unarmed peoples that arrive at the border and are willing to be processed. The Iberians do not appreciate the underhanded move, but understand France’s position, and do not take the discussion further.
-Meanwhile, Italians from any of the states occupied by Iberian or ULE forces are granted asylum in Iberian Morocco so long as they pledge allegiance to the Falangist cause. As thousands of Italians flee the war-scarred peninsula and arrive in Morocco, the Iberians take the chance to form the ‘Roman Identity’. Italians, Portuguese, Castillans, Catalans, Basques and Sicilians, the right minded and strong jawed peoples of the Mediterranean are considered to be more “pure and original” Romans, thus creating a racial unity between the Iberian and Italic peoples of southern Europe.
-At home, Iberia’s campaign in Italy unites the public in a way totally unseen. Italian refugees who manage to make their way into Iberia meet with hyper-nationalist groups within Madrid and Barcelona, and begin the petition for the increased presence of a “proper, strong-willed government” in Italy, clearly referencing the Iberians in their public speeches.
-A major breakthrough takes place as the Iberians continue their rocket tests to try and send materials into earth’s orbits. Originally, Iberia’s rockets were guided by predetermined paths, or through the use of remotely-activated boosters to try and keep the rocket on a stable path. Now, using a series of delicate wiring and radio systems, small “fins” are attached to the bodies of rockets, some with smaller liquid-fueled engines on them, allowing operators to actually control the rockets for short periods of time from immense distances.
-In order to maintain the ability to control these rockets as they’d approach the earth’s atmosphere, Iberian electrical engineers from Barcelona present the rocket scientists with smaller packs for electrically charged batteries. Not exactly a new invention, batteries are an extremely useful tool in the conservation of power, and these new batteries are small enough to be pressed into the rockets, allowing for continued minute changes in trajectory during the rocket’s flight.
-With so many international members, the Colombia Asociación Médica Internacional undergoes reform, focusing on the globe rather than being housed exclusively in South America. Thus, the Organización Internacional de la Salud, or International Health Organization, is formed. All nations are offered to join, as the IHO is staunchly apolitical, and will focus on the wellbeing of all peoples.
-Answering the call, Montenegro works quickly to join their ideologically similar brothers from across the ocean, and are the first nation to join the International Health Organization. In Podgorica, groundbreaking ceremonies take place as the nation prepares to erect its largest medical university, known as the "Crnogorski Međunarodni Zdrastveni Centar" (Montenegrin International Health Center). Here, students from around the world can come together and work as a single force to better the lives of people everywhere.
-To the far east, Montenegro starts to make new friends. Yearning to express their pain, and embrace a bright new future, the ailing artisans of Japan are met with a delegation of Montenegrin art students in one of the largest Euro-Asian cultural exchanges, with over five hundred students arriving in Japan to share their ideas and styles with the locals. In response, the government of Japan organizes the construction of the “Nihongo-Monteneguro Geijutsu Daigaku”, or the Japanese-Montenegrin Arts College, to cement the two nations together in a gesture totally unexpected by the Montenegrin delegation.
-Tunisian art students arrive in Montenegro, and give an interesting proposition. Though highly controversial, these students wish to work with the Montenegrins to create a film known as “Al-Yarmuk”, focusing on the crushing defeat of the Byzantines at the hands of the caliph Umar. The controversy stems from its religious connotations, and ruffles the feathers of hardcore Muslims and Orthodox zealots alike. Nonetheless, filming is expected to begin on location in Jordan within the following months, and may be one of the largest films in history in terms of sheer number of actors.
-At home, the Montenegrin government continues to encourage students to partake in the arts, sciences and various sports that are offered at the many high-class colleges within the country. As competition starts heating up between Serbia and Croatia on any and all sports fields, the spirits of Montenegrin athletes join the mix, and multiple major football and tennis tournaments and skirmishes are held at gymnasiums within the region.
-Industrialization continues for Montenegro, but this time the government continues focusing on the improvements of public transportation, creating trolley ways down the centers of most major cities, and improving the consistency of roads that lead into the more rural areas of the northeast of the country, not to mention the creation of multiple privately owned bus lines, which only increases the number of jobs available.
-Large public works projects begin as the Montenegrin government attempts to continue the legacy of Alexanderist Yugoslavia. Large apartment complexes that focus on spaciousness and comfort begin construction around the older projects. These apartments are slightly larger than previous buildings, as well as having amenities such as air conditioning, heating, elevators and a strong electrical supply, allowing families to live happily in a single apartment.
-Montenegro’s domestic market, somewhat ailing, is brought to heel by the finance ministry. A series of bills are put into place in order to reduce the prices of domestically produced materials, as well as increasing the wages for all workers within the country, allowing the average citizen to reap the benefits of montenegrin craftsmen.
-The Montenegrin Linguists' Association continues its work on Common Slavonic, and announces that their progress is at “roughly 85%”, and the New Common Slavonic Dictionary is to be released to the public in the following year. In other realms, the free hands in the Neo-Roman project begin work on Servian, or a language based on pre-Vukovian Serbian, which focuses on the flow and intonation, making it a “melodious and artful” language that has been lost to the ages.
-A major development begins within the MLA. No longer wanting to be considered “Little Serbia” by its nationalist neighbors, the Montenegrin government puts full backing into the creation of an independent Montenegrin language using the Zeta–South Raška subdialect of the Štokavian dialect as a base. In time, Montenegro will have a language all to its own, cementing its identity in the region even further. These times are quickly being known as the “Michaelian Era” or the “Reformist Era”, for fairly obvious reasons.
-Another reform comes as a shock to many of the more conservative citizens of Montenegro. After a short debate in parliament, the Montenegrin government officially legalizes prostitution of both sexes within the country, and institutes protective legislation for prostitutes that ensures their human rights as well as protects their jobs. The True People’s Party are outraged, and hold small scale demonstrations that are met with jeers and tossed trash. Embarrassed, the PNS vow to rear their heads again come the elections in 1946.
-Militarily, Montenegro continues to restructure the armaments of its fighting forces. At Onogošt Group, the recoilless rifles of Alexanderist Yugoslavia are retitled and reformed to be known as the Aspis-1944, or A-44 for short. Large caliber anti-tank rifles, though ineffective against heavy armor, still do their job against lighter vehicles and troop transports. Vuk 1944, or V-44, rifles are just the answer for Montenegro’s high-caliber, high-damage rifles, mimicking the German Panzerbusche 39.
-In competition with the Iberians, the Montenegrins continue to run in the “Space Race”, as it is being known worldwide. Using a series of high-power radios and hydraulic systems, the Montenegrins can now “steer” their rockets after launch for a short period of time, giving them the ability to change the trajectory of rockets on the fly rather than having to use predetermined routes.
-Knowing that the Chinese are also joining the Space Race, the Montenegrins take a few notes from what little public information comes out in regards to the Chinese “solid” rockets. Using roughly the same dry compounds packed into a tightly pressurized space, the Montenegrins are able to launch their rockets off of their pads with these solid rocket boosters before having to engage the far more precious liquid fuel engines.
-Russian entrepreneurs head south, hoping to create a strong series of precious mineral mining companies in Afghanistan. With the help of unemployed locals, these tycoons begin probing for a variety of goods, from natural gas to diamonds. These entrepreneurs are followed by government backing as the Russians subsidize Afghan industries in hopes of strengthening their relations with their southern friend.
-Deals are made with Turkey in order to right past wrongs and introduce an era of friendship between old rivals. Russian mining companies arrive in Anatolia to begin digging through the many mountains of the region to retrieve ores and precious gems. A large portion of any profits will go straight to the Turkish government, and Konstantiniyye agrees to the proposition.
-A token number of Russian troops present in Afghanistan are sent southward to the Afghan-Raja border to ensure that the closing of the border goes over smoothly, and that no drastic actions are taken by civilians or soldiers in the event of an attempted border crossing.
-The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the First Among Equals of the Orthodox Church, is invited to take residence in Sevastopol in order to avoid rubbing the Turkish government the wrong way. Alongside taking up temporary stay in Sevastopol, the Patriarch is invited to visit Moscow and partake in the various theological discussions at the basilicas.
-Joining the Ecumenical Patriarch is a large number of the heads of the Greek Orthodox Church. These church heads arrive in Moscow, including the Patriarch of Georgia and the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Theology debates continue, mostly focusing on the formalization of the calendar and what local practices are considered acceptable or heretical. As time goes on, rumors of a unified Orthodox Church begin to spread, as the Patriarchs choose to remain in Moscow rather than just rush home.
-As more and more European Jews begin to move into Belarus, now considered “New Judea” by many observers, the Russian government is met with a strange issue. Many of these Jews that arrive create their kibbutzim and remain there, keeping to themselves and their small communities, and not interacting with the rest of the Russian economy. To counteract this, the Russians introduce a small campaign to encourage Jews to attend the larger Russian universities in cities like Kiev, St. Petersburg or Moscow, and become more involved in Russian society as a whole.
-Though a majority of the Russian population is satisfied with how things are going, there is still a vocal minority that fears the possibility of future economic or political issues. Zhukov takes it upon himself to address these issues, and for the next six months, will hold weekly “Fireside Chats” with the Russian public over the radio. These discussions will cover what the government is up to, and will introduce transparency to the current Russian system, as well as bring the Russian people closer to their government than ever before.
-Nuclear power continues to grow across the country as more and more plants are constructed and activated, but the Russians demand more power for growing industry, and relying entirely on nuclear power is expensive and time consuming as even some of the largest power plants cannot carry the weight of an entire city. Instead, large hydroelectric projects begin along the Volga, Don and Dnieper rivers in central Russia. The construction is overseen by skilled engineers, but most of the handiwork is done by the many mobilized work crews of the nation’s unemployed. The work is hard, dangerous, and pays only the most basic wage, but is a far more desirable alternative to living on the streets.
-A series of scrutinizing safety checks are made at the many nuclear power plants within Russia as the government continues to construct more and more plants to support the ever-growing Russian industry. These checks ensure that the workers present at the plants are skilled, educated and constantly vigilant, as well as doing a series of failure drills to prepare workers in the event of a real disaster.
-The world’s first nuclear powered submarine, the first of the Барракуды (Barracuda) class nuclear submarines, is deployed in the ports outside of St. Petersburg. Zhukov himself oversees the ceremony of laying down the ship, and christens it the Гордыня (Pride). This submarine begins its first exercises, patrolling the Baltic and conducting a series of rapid surfacing and diving drills. Russia plans to expand its fleet before the year is out by deploying, at the very least, four or more of these high-powered submarines.
-In celebration of past victories, and in remembrance of past defeats, the Russian military holds an absolutely gigantic parade in Red Square, with over 20 thousand soldiers, armored vehicles, aircraft and horses participating in the parade, officially presenting to the world that the Russian bear is alive and well. And clearly, still has its claws.
-After laying down the Pride, the Russian navy begins searching for other ways to project the nation’s military capabilities. Using the designs from the Barracuda-class reactors, a rough draft is created for a nuclear powered Aircraft carrier. Though the design is completely embryonic, if Russian engineers put their mind to it, within the next couple years the Russians could be the first to field a nuclear aircraft carrier, giving said carrier complete independence from traditional fuel stocking issues.
-As the rest of the world goes crazy for rockets having the ability to get out of Earth’s orbit, the Russians continue works on the creation of a rocket that has far more dangerous capabilities. Using copied plans of Chinese solid fuel boosters, the Russians unveil the first prototype of what could be considered an “Intercontinental Ballistic Missile”, or ICBM. Though still in the experimental phases, this gigantic piece of equipment could be armed with a nuclear payload, and could easily give the Russians the ability to strike enemies far outside of the range of the Iberian Grillo. What the Russians lack, however, is the ability to make the rocket target things precisely, thus forcing it to fly on a predetermined path.
-Feeling that the the situation in the United States could continue to deteriorate, the Germans take it upon themselves to move the headquarters of the United Nations to Berlin, exiting themselves from the American embassy. In their first attempt to hold a meeting of UN delegates, however, less than four delegations arrive: The French, Swedish and Canadian delegations, who immediately accuse the Germans of “aggressive powerplaying”, and refuse to accept the legitimacy of Germany’s “seizure of a politically neutral organization”.
-Much of the American republic reacts to this decision negatively, and protests are held in support of keeping the headquarters in the United States. These protests are not political in nature however, and are largely in favor of the US government and the idea of tying the United States together.
-Outside of issues with the German “seizure” of the United Nations, the US calls upon the various delegations to band together and deploy peacekeeping soldiers within central India in order to stamp out the possibilities of civil uprisings due to S. asiaticus. Most of these peacekeepers are invited, but the nations of Uttar and Orissa keep the peacekeepers relegated to the capital, believing that the situation is “out of control” in their rural provinces.
-American aircraft carrying medical and food aid to Korea and Afghanistan are halted and immediately redirected to India. The newly independent Vietnam, currently free of issues from S. asiaticus allows the American aircraft to use their small airfields, and the US conducts intensive airdrop operations throughout the affected regions of India, trying desperately to stem the tide of the disease.
-A new campaign is launched within the United States, known as the “Goods for Good” act. Simply put, American businesses are encouraged to lower the prices on their exports to India and southeast Asia in order to strengthen those nation’s economies and encourage trade in the future. Another aspect to this campaign is to reduce the strain on India’s already weakened state.
-The US government begins issuing a series of warnings for travellers planning on leaving the United States and heading to the Middle East and Indian subcontinent, advising everyone to take caution when travelling to these areas in order to protect themselves from the possibility of becoming infected with any disease, not just S. asiaticus.
-With help from Walt Disney, the United States releases a public health campaign known as “Healthy Hands”. Using a light hearted, family friendly animation, the basic process of washing one’s hands and avoiding the spread of germs is presented before the showings of movies across the nation’s various theaters. The campaign is a hit, and the rates of even simple bacterial infections begin to plummet as people take up some of the most basic practices for hygiene.
-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt officially repeals the executive order that put bans on the public rallies in support of a political party. Issuing a public apology, FDR states that the decision was made “in haste with little thinking”, and promises that “no such act shall ever be taken again”. This does not remove the blemish on FDR’s, and the Democrat’s, reputation as a whole, but makes a world of difference in the nation’s environment as the election season creeps around the corner.
-The US elections, to take place this fall, are considered to be a “monumental change” in America’s history. The Republican and Democrat parties have lost huge numbers of their usual supporters and congressmen as new parties begin to sprout from the ground. This year’s candidates are some familiar faces, while others are new. FDR heads the Democrats, and seeks reelections. Arthur Vandenburg, a staunch anti-Communist, is nominated for the Republican candidate. Thomas Dewey acts as the candidate for the newly organized New American Progressive party, a centrist party focused on American progress and the rejection of both socialism and fascism as ideologies. Finally, the Iron League puts forward William Pelley, the infamous agitator of the mid 30s. “This will be a good year,” says Pelley at a rally in Boise.
-The US government continues to introduce large subsidies for the American metal and agricultural industries, hoping to increase this year’s exports as well as the quality of their goods. With the economy of China back up and running, the United States must work quickly to meet competition. However, being the largest economy in the American Trade Organization gives America a serious boost economically, and the US has immediate paths into Central America to buy low and sell high.
-Military drills continue in the midwest and atlantic as the US army and navy desires to keep its troops in tip-top shape in the event of any sort of conflict or civil disturbance. Suits made of the aramid fibers, or “Kevlar” as some have come to call it, are tested during these drills. The biggest issue is comfort, as some of the most well-defended troops have issues moving or hauling heavy equipment for long distances, as the suits and vests tend to chafe in the heat.
-Using after action reports from the 2nd Sino-Japanese war, alongside giving the contract to various audio engineers within the United States, the first sonar system is officially deployed during the atlantic naval tests. Nicknamed “Loud Molly”, American sonar is some of the most powerful in the world as US naval engineers continue to make revisions to its design and capabilities. On multiple occasions, even some of the best submarine crews of the US navy are spotted during exercises.
-Another breakthrough is made, this time on land, for military technologies. America unveils its first “heavy” tank, known as the M26 “Black Jack”, in honor of the Great War hero general John J. Pershing. The M26 features sloped armor, a 90mm main gun, double-wide tracks and a spectacularly large engine. This tank has the ability to go toe-to-toe with almost any armored vehicle from America’s would-be rivals, and can withstand intense punishment even from aerial attacks.
==Turn 30: July to December 1944==
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-World Tensions are very high.
-The war in Italy continues as the Iberians refuse to slow down. Breaching through the defensive lines of the Kingdom of Italy, the Iberians seize city after city, and begin to make their way south. It is believed that, after this war, the territories of Italy will be returned to Mussolini in one way or another, under the authority of the Italian State.
-The confederation of Sicily grows closer and closer to surrendering as the Iberians mercilessly sweep northwards, close to seizing the vital city of Naples. The resistance of the Sicilians is brave and kills many Iberians, but it is clearly not enough to stop the military juggernaut of this “new European empire”.
-Revolts across Italy’s Balkan territories continue as the Italian State keeps its assets focused on the mainland. There appears to be little desire to keep these territories, as the Italian economy has been shattered in the recent war, and is expected to gain little from holding onto such a volatile series of colonies.
-Protests take place in Berlin, as well as Paris, as citizens of these countries demand that the European Cooperative “bring an end to Iberian imperialism”. Many of these protestors happen to be socialists, which appeals to the German government, but makes the French government tug at their collar.
-In Serbia, the radical, ultra-nationalist Dimitrije Ljotić violently seizes power within the small Balkan nation. Furious with the previous administration, Ljotić purges a majority of the old government and replaces them with allies and sympathizers. Ljotić’s regime is one of “Serbian greatness” and the idea of a “Serb-controlled Yugoslavia”. Ljotić’s plan is to make the Balkans great again, and will stop at nothing to see that dream come true.
-Immediately after taking power, Ljotić breaks any and all protocol within the United Liberal Entente, and declares war on neighboring Croatia. Totally unexpecting this, the Croatians are bowled over on their borders, and a vicious struggle for supremacy breaks out between Croatia and Serbia, completely catching Europe as a whole off guard.
-Massive protests take place in both Croatia and Serbia, demanding an end to the war and the end of the fascist governments. These protests are met with gunfire and slaughter, as both Croatia and Serbia will not see an end to this war “until the other is wiped from the map”.
-Hungary, Iberia’s largest ally in southeast Europe, is called upon to take arms against the Kingdom of Italy. With the growth of dissent in cities like Budapest and Eger, the Hungarian military feels it would be best to flex its muscles in Italy. Whilst travelling through Croatia, however, a large number of Hungarian troops are halted by soldiers from the recently coup’d Serbia. Believing them to be friends, the Hungarians exit their vehicles unarmed, and are massacred outright. This adds significant fuel to the already growing fire of the Balkans, as Hungarian communists take to the streets to demand that the Hungarian government “cease involvement in its imperialism”.
-There is belief that a series of slowly-growing neo-communists are present in Poland and Hungary. Wishing to go back to the authoritarian roots of Stalin’s ideals of communism and anti-capitalism, these groups begin marching in the streets in broad daylight, demanding change and authority within the governments of Poland and Hungary. These protests are treated with as much respect as roaches in a kitchen.
-Seeing the world of fascism and autocracy beginning to fall apart around them, the nation of Bulgaria undergoes significant changes. The "Български земеделски народен съюз", or the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union, a centrist party focused on the good of the nation and its people rather than war mongering and profiteering, seizes power in what is known as the “Silken Coup”. The autocratic government and royal family are lead out of parliament by armed members of the “Orange Front”, and ordered to leave Bulgaria and never return. Bloodless and peaceful, the new Republic of Bulgaria declares “independence” from autocracy, and returns the contested territory of Northern Dobruja to Romania, citing a new era of “friendship and cooperation”.
-Staphylococcus asiaticus continues to spread like wildfire within India, moving southwards at a blinding speed. In Nepal and Haryana, the International Health Organization works tirelessly to continue its efforts to combat the disease, and sees significant success within Nepal. However, the disease is not done wreaking havoc and destruction throughout India, and many more people must put effort into stopping the disease.
-Iberia, the massive, multi-continental European empire that has more or less decided the international policy of the world for the past decade, launches its first satellite into orbit, known as Romulus I. During its flight, the control headquarters in the Baleares picks up a second series of small beeps being transmitted...
-Montenegro, the tiny democratic Balkan state surrounded by power hungry fascist neighbors, has launched its own satellite, known as "Сапутник I" (Saputnik I), at roughly the same time as the Iberians. During its orbit, it passes through the transmission path of Romulus I, and vice versa. Both Iberia and Montenegro awkwardly come to grips with the fact that their competitors are spaceborne too.
-The Space Race continues to heat up as the Republic of China and Greater Russian Confederation throw their hats into the ring and begin funding massive academies and research facilities in order to “send a man to the stars”. Iberia and Montenegro must work fast in order to meet up with their newfound competition.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italian State
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Greece
--Pahlavi Empire
--Patagonia
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Moscow-Nanjing Association (MNA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Russia
--Romania
--Bulgaria
--Korea
--Afghanistan
--Cambodia
--Orissa
--Uttar
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
North Seas Trade Federation (NSTF):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Estonia
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
--Luxembourg
--Czechoslovakia
--Slovenia
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Jordan
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: Economic Association
Player Events:
-Seeing the advantages from the economic cooperation with the Russians and Chinese, and the growth of eastern Europe’s economies from the Moscow-Nanjing Association, steps are taken within the Afghan parliament in order to further the economic expansion of Afghanistan by linking it to the MNA. Afghanistan, now a member of the ever-growing Eurasian trade agreement, stays out of the defensive-pact aspect of the Association, ensuring that the Afghans keep their independence from outside influence.
-To the southeast, the Afghan government continues to use soldiers to patrol the Afghan-Rajastan border, keeping the long and mountainous border secured. A few civilians are found attempting to jump a makeshift border fence, and are immediately arrested by the RAFP and imprisoned. The prisoners are quarantined, and pass away in a few weeks, as the doctors are unprepared to treat their aggressive infection of S. asiaticus.
-Russia continues to foster warm relations with her southern neighbor, Afghanistan. As government investment continues, a small series of Russian teachers and engineers are dispatched as volunteers to the Afghan government. These engineers will assist with creating the various railways in Afghanistan in a cheaper and more efficient manner, whilst the teachers will help in introducing western ideology and social values at public schools in Afghanistan’s cities.
-At home, the Afghans continue their public works projects, such as the creation of a large public railway system. Most of the rails in Afghanistan are either privatized or used for government mining/mineral exploration projects. Because of this, rural individuals are given the opportunity to reach the urban centers for work, medical examinations, shopping or even just a night on the town. Afghanistan’s rapidly growing infrastructure quickly leads to an internal economic boom.
-In schools across the country, the Afghan government continues to distribute pamphlets describing the dangers of S. asiaticus, and hopes to encourage more sanitary practices amongst school children and teachers at these education centers, especially in regards to those in more rural areas that lack a sustainable supply of water.
-New textbooks are distributed amongst the many public schools in Afghanistan. At urban schools, like those in Kandahar and Kabul, these new textbooks are direct translations from Montenegrin, English and French textbooks that have more “westernized” social values and a much more secular approach to the world. In the rural schools, similar textbooks are given, but with the western values removed. Instead, these books focus on the sciences and mathematics to ensure that rural students get the same education as their urban counterparts.
-Large welfare programs begin for the disenfranchised in Afghanistan’s various rural areas. These programs benefit those lacking a sustainable income, and allow Afghanistan’s rural poor to purchase train tickets, buy food and are given significant tax breaks. Many of those who are eligible for these programs are given the opportunity to move into cities in order to get their benefits firsthand.
-Afghan scientists continue to work on the creation of more powerful antibiotics. Using released papers from the Colombians, Afghanistan’s top biologists and medical practitioners unveil a more powerful strain of penicillin, extremely similar to that used by the Colombians and Montenegrins. These scientists then conduct a large series of tests on infected rats to see the spread of bacteria, and eventually move on to some of the first human trials using well-paid volunteers. The tests pass with flying colors, and Afghanistan joins Colombia and Montenegro in the realm of medical achievements.
-Afghanistan’s military continues to gear down, and officially demobilizes as the RAFP takes the place of standing military divisions for the nation’s security. Many of these soldiers immediately return home, happily taking their paycheck back to their families and hanging up their uniform for hopefully the last time.
-The government of Colombia proudly holds up the successes of Afghanistan, considering them one of the key nations in the International Health Organization. With Afghanistan taking it upon itself to try and combat the spread of S. asiaticus, the Colombians are more than willing to continue sharing their medical technology, as well as borrowing any further advancements from the Afghans.
-However, though the Afghan military continues to demobilize, the Afghan government buys huge numbers of surplus American military goods. These goods include rifles, tanks, artillery pieces and aircraft that are largely outdated, but are desperately needed by the largely disorganized and ill-equipped Afghan army and air force. Luckily for the Afghans, advisors from the Americans come to assist the Afghans in using these new weapons.
-Another major breakthrough on the behalf of the Afghans is purchasing a handful of American hazardous material uniforms. These thick, rubbery, awkward suits can protect one’s self from a variety of dangerous materials such as biological/chemical weapons and the intensity of nuclear radiation. Afghan engineers begin producing hazmat suits for the government in small numbers, and can easily be used for the possibility of the spread of disease or a future chemical accident.
-China’s influence, seemingly unstoppable, once again spreads its tendrils into the Indian subcontinent. With help from the Chinese-controlled Development Corp. for the Subcontinent, Chinese businesses and industry moguls begin laying the groundwork for the economies to expand in the nations of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala & Tamil. These states, struggling with S. asiaticus infections and civil unrest, are willing to bend a knee to the Chinese..
-With the strong influence of the Chinese, the nations of Orissa and Uttar are brought into the ever-growing fold of the Moscow-Nanjing Association. With this development, China’s grasp on the Indian subcontinent tightens. Many observers wonder if the country is attempting to tap into the days of the Ming dynasty and its huge influence in India and Indochina’s politics and economies.
-Outside of India, the Chinese send the South-East Asian Development Corporation to work in the newly independent nations of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Surprisingly, the Cambodians welcome the Chinese with open arms, and immediately sign an agreement to join the Moscow-Nanjing Association, happy to be brought under the influence of a Non-European power.
-A new development corporation is founded, putting its center of operation in Beijing. Known quite simply as the East Asian Development Corporation, the EADC begins working on linking the shattered infrastructure of Korea to China, as well as increasing the economic power of Japan by repairing and expanding the various ports that were heavily damaged during the last war. With Japan able to focus its budget elsewhere, the Japanese economy can stand on its own two feet once again.
-Seeing the advantages from the economic cooperation with the Russians and Chinese, and the growth of eastern Europe’s economies from the Moscow-Nanjing Association, steps are taken within the Afghan parliament in order to further the economic expansion of Afghanistan by linking it to the MNA. Afghanistan, now a member of the ever-growing Eurasian trade agreement, stays out of the defensive-pact aspect of the Association, ensuring that the Afghans keep their independence from outside influence.
-Having experienced the threat of disease firsthand, and so many stories of those suffering from S. asiaticus in Korea, the Republic of China takes the steps to join the International Health Organization. The International Health Organization can now utilize the huge manpower reserves of China, and the ability to mobilize thousands of skilled doctors from the various colleges in China.
-At home, the major infrastructure programs that were the norm of the mid-30s in central China are repeated again in Mongolia and Taiwan. Trunk roads, railways, sewage systems and long-range power supply systems are constructed rapidly, linking these relatively underdeveloped territories to the center of China. In Taiwan, a large number of government-owned ferry lines are created in order to move industrial goods and workers across the strait, fostering the growth of industry upon the island of Taiwan.
-A new wing of the Chinese government is formed in response to the growing competition between Iberia and Montenegro. The "Guójiā Hángkōng Hé Hángtiān Jú", or the National Aeronautics and Space Association is born, and the Chinese government begins dedicating a huge amount of the nation’s yearly budget to the association in hopes of catching up to the European “Space Race” within the next half year.
-The reconstruction of Guangzhou and Shanghai continues as the various suburban apartments and housing projects finish construction as the crews move inwards to create the business sectors of these cities. In Shanghai, a huge number of survivors and those made homeless by the nuclear attacks quickly begin to move into the apartment complexes, happily settling down with their families, helping the city become productive once again.
-Rocket tests continue as the Chinese try to find a way to send precious materials into space without them being destroyed upon exiting the atmosphere. Unlike creating a “heat shielding” like the Iberians and Montenegrins, the Chinese decide to use a SABOT-like canister that breaks apart after reaching a certain altitude, decoupling the cargo and allowing small boosters to send it into orbit. Now, the Chinese must simply try to find a way to steer these satellites into orbit, as simple up-and-down exercises are not enough.
-A spectacular breakthrough takes place at the electrical engineering college in Hong Kong. Using silicon and small, delicately applied electrical components, a team of engineers create the world’s first “Integrated Circuit”. About the size of a postcard, this circuit could cut the gigantic, room-sized computers to be the size of a small truck. This invention will not only significantly increase the productivity of computers, reducing their price and size, and making them much more complex.
-A major decision is made in regards to the international Health Organization. Knowing that with more nations joining the IHO that the bureaucratic red tape would grow thicker and thicker, Colombia takes steps to formulate a system of “headquarters”, or creating a series of hospitals that double as meeting places for nations in certain continents. Colombia itself acts as the headquarter nation for both the North and South American IHO members, and Montenegro takes up the call to action and makes itself the HQ nation for the IHO in Europe.
-As more and more doctors begin heading into India, the Colombians recognize that there has to be a better and faster way to enter the subcontinent without having to snake their way through countries or take excruciatingly long plane flights that hop from continent to continent. Instead, a deal is made with Germany to use the Maldives as a “launch point” into India, with small airfields and token ports being used for transporting medical practitioners to the subcontinent.
-The government of Colombia proudly holds up the successes of Afghanistan, considering them one of the key nations in the International Health Organization. With Afghanistan taking it upon itself to try and combat the spread of S. asiaticus, the Colombians are more than willing to continue sharing their medical technology, as well as borrowing any further advancements from the Afghans.
-Outside of its existing members, Colombia pushes for other nations to join the International Health Organization. Though the current members have significant experience in the medical field, they lack the manpower and resources to continue the massive campaign against S. asiaticus. Many nations answer the call, and the Colombians are shocked by how many nations, even some that rival one another, are willing to stand up to the occasion and lend a hand to those in need.
-Colombian engineers and doctors continue their work in Korea and Japan, focusing on the creation of sustainable sewage treatment plants and proper infrastructure for hospitals. Mostly in Japan, the Colombians and Japanese work on creating a series of large hospitals that can sustain thousands of people in the event of a serious disaster or civil unrest. The hospitals themselves are under the jurisdiction of the IHO, and considered international territory.
-In India, the Colombians have begun using the advanced quarantine techniques that were originally put in place by the Afghan government. These techniques begin to work their charm as doctors can administer drugs and treatments to a handful of patients at a time rather than having to act as the sole doctor for an entire field hospital. This effect only lasts for some time, however, as more and more are brought in as the disease begins to spread to the urban populations.
-At home, the Colombians continue to work on their infrastructure programs in regards to the creation of trunk roads, multi-lane highways, and most importantly, long-range power lines. Utilizing local supplies of coal and petroleum, the Colombians can create a fairly stable energy grid, and can utilize the new powerline constructions as a background.
-In regards to S. asiaticus, the Colombians continue to break the disease down to the smallest form that they can, and try to take everything they can from it. Using the ENIAC computer, scientists are able to model the spread of the disease overtime, and make a startling discovery. In the small public report that is released, the spread of the disease has only just begun.
-From the United States, a shipment of the M26 “Black Jack” heavy tank arrives in Colombian ports. These heavy tanks act as the first diplomatic cable from the United States in regards to the sale of arms to a friendly nation outside of Eurasia in many years. Not only are the Colombians given these tanks, but the US government assures that the Colombians are given the rights to produce the tanks for their own use.
-Another major technological advancement from the United States arrives in Colombia. A small coastal defense cruiser is gifted to the Colombians. Inside of this ship is the major breakthrough of sonar, which is given to the Colombians as an extension of American friendship to Colombia. This device now allows the Colombians to search for obstructions, and submarines, which will greatly improve the effectiveness of Colombia’s navy.
-Militarily, the Colombians continue upgrading. At firing ranges, Colombians use purchased models of German and American rifles, and decide on a strange formation of the two. Known as the Fusil Automático 1944 (FA-44, for short), is a select fire rifle that uses a smaller cartridge than most battle rifles. This intermediate round, much like that in the hands of the Russians, Chinese and Montenegrins, is lighter and more reliable than having to use a full-length cartridge like the STG-43 and M-14.
-The Colombian military also makes another major breakthrough in the realms of firearms. Using an open bolt system, much like the American M1919 browning, this new Colombian machine gun known as the Ametralladora Ligera Uno, or ALU for short, is a rapid-firing, reliable machinegun using the same intermediate cartridge of the FA-44. The ALU is one of the first “general purpose machine guns”, which can be mounted on a vehicle or reliably carried by a single man, rather than having to haul larger machine guns like the Hotchkiss or M2-.50.
-In the realm of medical technology, Colombian researchers in Bogota continue to try and find ways to vaccinate against serious diseases. A major breakthrough takes place, as a wheelchair-ridden scientist stumbles upon the way to create a vaccine for Polio. The doctor, refusing to be named, is believed to have broken down in tears after finding a way to stop the disease that had ruined his childhood, and affected his life permanently, and is more than willing to have it mass-produced.
-Sitting in a small apartment building, two Colombian scientists spitball ideas about the possibility of the structure of chromosomes and what lies within them. The two immediately come to a stunning conclusion, and rush to the university of Cartagena. After a series of grueling tests and model crafting, the two reveal the structure of Deoxyribonucleic Acid, or DNA, to be twisted in a “double helix”. This is a spectacular breakthrough in biology, and is celebrated by scientists the world over.
-With tensions continuing to grow between the Iberians and Germans, the German government decides to take a stand against the encroachment of Iberian brigades along the Italo-German border. A diplomatic cable is sent to Madrid, with the Germans demanding that the Iberians back down from the border and cease hostile positioning towards Germany.
-German armor and artillery divisions are mobilized and brought along the Italo-German border in southern Tyrol and the German-Polish border in Posen. These troops bristle with some of the most recent German advancements in armor and artillery, and are clearly ready to throw down in the event of escalated hostilities. In the south, the Germans dig in and prepare massive fortifications in the mountains, creating a “Great Wall”-like defensive line.
-The 1944 Summer Olympics come to a close in early July, having been extremely successful, displaying how Germany has grown since the beginning of the decade.
-The North Sea Trade Federation, helmed by Germany, expands the NSTF to the European Cooperative Economy include the entirety of the European Cooperative, hoping to centralize the European economy and create a strong competitor to the Moscow-Nanjing Association. The French, ever resilient to decisions that the Germans make, refuse the offer, and will observe the ECE from an outside perspective.
-In the European Cooperative Economy, the Germans prepare to introduce a series of tax breaks and reduced tariffs on fellow countries that are willing to introduce the Euro to their domestic economy. The nations of Lithuania and Latvia immediately adopt the Euro as a national currency, but immediately regret the decision as the Euro’s state of hyperdeflation forces them to renege on their decision, but will gladly take the tax breaks from the Germans.
-Seeing the shrinking middle class, the German government creates a series of propaganda posters and videos to encourage the migration of outsiders to Germany. Many of these posters arrive in the middle east, in countries like the United Arab Republic and Turkey, as Germany hopes to encourage the arrival of foreigners to boost the German economy and create a more diverse workforce.
-Many immigrants begin pouring into Germany from countries like the aforementioned UAR and Turkey, but also from the newly independent nations of Djibouti and Mali, as disenfranchised and jobless people flock to this new land in hopes of finding a job. Migrants from Ireland and England arrive as well, many of them hoping to escape the oppressive governments of their homeland and seek new lives in a safer, friendlier Germany.
-Refugees fleeing the wartorn nations of Italy, Serbia and Croatia also arrive, hoping to find some sort of new life within Germany, free from the brutal dictatorial rule of their old homelands. These migrants usually enter the country through illegal means, fearing that they would be deported if they attempted to go through German customs.
-German investors head to Japan once again in hopes of encouraging the Japanese to work with the German economy. This time, the Japanese accept the offers of lowered tariffs and import costs, and the Japanese begin to export large numbers of Mitsubishi-Ford automobiles to Germany, which were originally only available in the SEA/North American markets, and are a big fan of collectors.
-A large number of Japanese entrepreneurs unwilling to cooperate with the Chinese head to Germany, and begin wriggling their way into the various government conglomerates for the metalworking and automobile industries. Bringing in Japanese massed production ideas, when mixed with German authority and organization, proves to be a beautiful combination.
-Mimicking the Montenegrins, the Germans begin creating large-scale housing projects on the outskirts of major cities such as Aachen and Cologne. These projects will act as temporary housing for recent migrants and workers that are required to commute to the larger cities. Though their intention is for temporary housing, many migrant families consider it home, and move into these flats without question. In Cologne especially, a string of public housing projects are nicknamed “Englandstadt”, or Englandtown, for their large number of immigrants from the former great power.
-Within the German parliament, a major move is taken to completely disbar the use of tuition fees. Instead of individuals paying exuberant fees for public academies and universities, all students would pay a flat rate. The burden is then spread across the taxpayers of the country evenly, meaning that the german public ends up supporting the future generation of German engineers, doctors and politicians. Private universities are exempt from these rulings, of course, but have trouble competing with the idea of relatively free education.
-Protests take place in Berlin, as well as Paris, as citizens of these countries demand that the European Cooperative “bring an end to Iberian imperialism”. Many of these protestors happen to be socialists, which appeals to the German government, but makes the French government tug at their collar.
-In an attempt to keep an upper hand over the Iberians, German engineers at Focke-Wulf unveil the FW-680. The 680 is a large bodied, double-rotor helicopter much like those in use by the Iberians. However, with the shape of the fuselage, the 680 is much more stable, and can make relatively dangerous maneuvers quickly and safely. Its biggest issue is the sheer size of it, and that it lacks any form of immense speed.
-Germany joins the rapidly growing “Power Club” by unveiling the nation’s first fully functioning nuclear reactor outside the city of Berlin. A small parade is held in celebration, and Joseph Goebbels himself is at the facility, the first to put the station onto full power, a wide grin reported to stretch across his face as the building hums to life.
-The Iberian military campaign in Italy continues, with much of the Iberian army and armored divisions sweeping through the Po Valley, heading southwest to corner the continually collapsing resistance of the Kingdom of Italy. It is unknown where Umberto II has gone to, as SSS divisions regularly make sweeps through captured cities to try and find where he has set up his nation’s temporary court.
-Iberian marine forces sweep through Sicily and begin moving onto the southern peninsula of Italy. They are met with significant resistance from the Sicilian militia and guerrilla groups that refuse to give ground to the Iberians. Horrendous reprisals take place as a handful of high-ranking Iberian officers are assassinated by Sicilian resistance that sees entire villages razed and their population imprisoned. The city of Naples is within the grasp of the United Liberal Entente, and the Iberians are willing to risk everything to seize the coastal city.
-Patagonian and Iberian aircraft begin making token bombing and strafing runs against resistance movements in Dalmatia and Albania. Much of this fighting is largely to appease the Italian State, but the Iberians are not willing to waste assets on Italy’s colonies, and would rather focus on the issues at hand in Italy.
-The last of the Kingdom of Italy’s navy is sunk in a ferocious submarine raid in the Adriatic as the ships attempt to escape to Taranto. A handful of cruisers manage to breach through the Iberian submarine blockade, but are brought down by heavy fire from strafing runs of the Iberian’s air force. The survivors of the ships are brought back ashore and temporarily imprisoned, as the Iberians try to write them off as “impressed soldiers”, or men forced to serve a “traitor state”. This, of course, only gives ammo to Iberia’s critics in regards to their treatment of guerilla forces.
-Hungary, Iberia’s largest ally in southeast Europe, is called upon to take arms against the Kingdom of Italy. With the growth of dissent in cities like Budapest and Eger, the Hungarian military feels it would be best to flex its muscles in Italy. Whilst traveling through Croatia, however, a large number of Hungarian troops are halted by soldiers from the recently coup’d Serbia. Believing them to be friends, the Hungarians exit their vehicles unarmed, and are massacred outright. This adds significant fuel to the already growing fire of the Balkans, as Hungarian communists take to the streets to demand that the Hungarian government “cease involvement in its imperialism”. 
-The same is seen in Poland, as huge protests take place in Warsaw. While the respective parties refer to themselves ideologically with translated versions of the term "Bolshevism", the Czechoslovak counterparts of these neo-communists refer to themselves with the term "Laboři". As the native terms used in Hungary and Poland are overly long and complex, most if not all English writers use a Frenchified version of the Czech term - Labourgism.
-With their capital but months away from being outright occupied, and their already disorganized forces more or less shattered, the Confederation of Sicily reaches the breaking point. A large number of the Sicilian government surrenders to Iberian forces, and requests that they be deported to a neutral country. Many are sent to Venezuela and Brazil as a cruel joke, and it sends a message to those willing to turn tail in the light of Iberian invasion that surrender is not an option.
-In Goa, a handful of Iberian marine divisions are sent to defend the small Iberian colony. The borders of the enclave are completely sealed, and any who attempt to enter/exit are shot on sight. A large number of refugees fleeing the spread of S. asiaticus in the north are believed to have been slaughtered by Iberian border guards, and their bodies dumped in a mass grave. According to the Iberian government, of course, these accounts are “largely unfounded” and have “no real base in fact”. Those that neighbor Iberia’s colony in southern India gladly take note of this, and begin closing their own borders.
-With tensions continuing to grow between the Iberians and Germans, the German government decides to take a stand against the encroachment of Iberian brigades along the Italo-German border. A diplomatic cable is sent to Madrid, with the Germans demanding that the Iberians back down from the border and cease hostile positioning towards Germany.
-Back in Madrid, Pope Pius XII lives in minor luxury in what is considered the “Exile of the Holy Father”. A delegation of Orthodox priests, backed by Russian diplomats, arrives in Madrid under the watch of the Iberian SSS. A long winded debate over church practices is held, but ends with all parties feeling fairly satisfied with the discussion. Much of what went on was behind closed doors, and the zealous Russians and Iberians both gave respect to their religious leaders, and did not partake in the talks, and instead waited outside in awkward silence, staring at one another.
-With relations continuing to warm up between the former enemies, Russia and Iberia agree to see a reduction on Russian goods entering Iberian ports, what little goods those would be. With Iberia having such a strong bias towards economic independence, the arrival of Russian imports such as vodka, jewelry and other luxury goods are considered taboo at best, and outright heretical at worst. The Iberian government takes no steps to ban it however, and simply lets the public make their decision to purchase such goods.
-At home, the Iberian government begins to introduce the Montenegrin-researched “Neo-Roman” languages of Iberian and Neo-Italian for official government documents. Though difficult for most parliament members to understand, decisions and secret dealings are much more difficult to crack by would-be traitors or spies. This new language is now a required class in secondary schools, and students must be able to read important passages from the Holy Bible in Neo-Italian without skipping a beat in order to graduate.
-A rash series of strange sabotage attempts take place in Iberian airports originally under construction by German companies. Expensive construction vehicles, vats of asphalt and even some parked aircraft are blown up by hidden bombs. Seeing this, German engineers immediately pack up and head home, telling the Iberians that “it’s their problem now”.
-At a hidden research facility, Iberian space and aeronautics engineers unveil a special concoction of metals and petrochemicals that can act as a “heat shielding” for the transporting of small objects through the atmosphere, protecting them from the significant temperatures involved with escaping into orbit. With some tampering, this shielding is attached to a small electric satellite known as “Romulus I”.
-Romulus I is attached to an Iberian rocket, and on a clear morning in early December, is launched into the atmosphere at blinding speed. After less than two hours of flight, Romulus I achieves orbit, and begins transmitting low-quality pings to a listening station centered in the Baleares. The Iberian government goes crazy with celebration. Until a second set of pings are heard. Much to the chagrin of the Iberians, a second satellite passes overhead. Montenegro’s “Сапутник I” (Saputnik-I) passes by, and is detected by the listening station.
-Nonetheless, the event of Montenegro's satellite being detected is covered up by the Iberian media, and made to look as if it were done a few weeks later. The Iberian public breaks into outright celebration, and the government takes the opportunity to twist the success of Romulus I into a major propaganda campaign, stating that “Only Latin Ingenuity Can Take Us To The Stars!” in hopes that Patagonian, Iberian and Italian citizens can have a singular identity.
-Meanwhile, in what is known as “Bourbon Arabia”, the Iberians begin to put oil production on its maximum, overworking the various drilling facilities as much as they can in order to begin delivering precious oil to their ailing allies such as Hungary, Poland and Croatia, hoping that their economies can be floated on the black gold for a short period of time.
-Another major technological breakthrough is made by the Iberian space program. Using designs from American and Russian hazardous material suits, a “pressurized suit” is designed. Built for extreme altitudes, this suit keeps the oxygen levels and air pressure at a constant level, ignoring outside conditions. It is nicknamed the “Pecera”, or Fishbowl, for its bizarre visor that resembles a pet’s habitat more than anything else.
-A major decision is made in regards to the International Health Organization. Knowing that with more nations joining the IHO that the bureaucratic red tape would grow thicker and thicker, Colombia takes steps to formulate a system of “headquarters”, or creating a series of hospitals that double as meeting places for nations in certain continents. Montenegro, Colombia’s closest partner in regards to the International Health Organization, uses its massive health university to act as Europe’s IHO Headquarters.
-As tensions begin to flare out of control in the Balkans, Montenegro takes the steps to continue bolstering their nation’s weapons stockpiles. Nicknamed “The Castle Country” by American arms manufacturers, Montenegro begins purchasing small numbers of the M4A3 Sherman series of tanks, which is rebranded as the Puzalački model 1 Pivljanin [Crawler Model 1], or PM1 Pivljanin, in order to keep up with their neighbor’s rush for armored strength. Firearms such as the M1 Garand, Thompson and Springfield are bought in very large numbers, and kept in the various militia stockpiles.
-Czechoslovakia declares Montenegro to be its “strongest friend”, and introduces the “Montenegrin-Czechoslovak Treaty of Friendship”, which sees massively reduced tariffs on Montenegrin goods, and the ability for Montenegrin citizens to enter/exit Czechoslovakia by using their home passports. This comes as Czechoslovakia feels that they finally have someone that cares about their economic and social stability, rather than being used as a puppet by larger European neighbors.
-Similar to what they had done with the Karađorđevići, the Montenegrin government invites Prince Roman Petrovich Romanov and his family to live in the country with a similar deal as the deposed royal family of Yugoslavia. Roman fullheartedly accepts the offer, quickly moving to the country. Roman is regularly seen billiarding with his cousin King Michael and 1st cousin once removed Prince Peter.
-Whilst making friends in Europe, an interesting event takes place. As the Bulgarian “Silken Coup” takes place, a delegation of the former Bulgarian government arrives in Cetinje. None other than the recently deposed royal family, requesting asylum in Montenegro. Rumor has it the family is residing at the royal residence for a short period of time as the Montenegrin government decides what to do with them.
-To the far east, Montenegrin filmmakers pair up with the film company Toho Company Ltd. Producers from Tokyo arrive in Gorawood, and multiple projects are put up as rough drafts, though nothing significant is chosen as of late. With the many friendly developments taking place between Montenegrin and Japanese film studios, many are curious as to what will take place in the near future.
-Tragedy strikes as Dimitrije Ljotić takes violent control of the already fascist Serbia, and declares his government the “Government of National Salvation”. The old government and those who refuse to ally themselves with Ljotić are dragged into the streets and hung for public display. With this coup, many Montenegrin students and filmmakers are seized by the "Garda" or Guard, the new vicious Serbian secret police. These individuals are held hostage by the Serbian government, as Ljotić and his comrades demand that Montenegro “cease any and all actions with the inferior Croatians”, or risk the deaths of more than twenty innocent people.
-With this event taking place, the Montenegrin government immediately moves to denounce the acts of the Serbs, but are forced to go to heel as it becomes very obvious the Ljotić regime is willing to go through on their threat, and letters from the terrified Montenegrins reach the desk of Michael himself, pleading for their lives. One letter, however, from an elderly filmwriter, demands that the Montenegrins don’t back down. It is unknown how Michael feels about the letters, as he immediately closes the cabinet to the media after receiving the notes.
-At home, regardless of tragedy, Montenegro’s citizens continue to push on. As subsidies keep the many colleges of Montenegro up and running, students continue to take part in the many arts and science universities within Montenegro. The graduating class of 1945 is expected to be one of the largest, with thousands of Montenegrins getting the educations that their grandparents only wished they could have. This coming generation of Montenegrins is believed to be “the best and greatest in history”, thanks to the centralization and free-minded attitude of the Montenegrin government.
-Industrialization continues as Montenegro reforms its public housing projects and transportation lines. A majority of the bus and train lines within the country remain government owned, but it is not unheard of for the new roads to be carrying private taxi companies. A common pastime for high-class Montenegrins is to experience the nightlife of the city’s clubs whilst riding in imported Mitsubishi-Ford automobiles, simply known as Style Riding, or "Trendska voznja"/"Voznja u trendu". Tourists to Montenegro tend to describe it as “something we need at home”.
-Industrialization in Montenegro takes an interesting turn as the government unveils the massive hydroelectric power plant in Nikšić called Perućica. Here, a majority of Montenegro’s power will come from natural, water-based sources, cutting down on the reliance of coal or petroleum plants. It will take a while for the dam to be 100% online, but it is hard to find anyone in the country who is not excited for its development. Coinciding with this, as a result of the plant's construction, three large artificial lakes near the city are created, quickly developing into popular recreation and relaxation retreats for the citizens of the city.
-The Montenegrin Linguists' Association holds a massive public assembly in Podgorica, with Michael I giving the address. The amalgamated language of Common Slavonic is considered 100% completed. What makes this speech so shocking to many, is that it is done entirely in the new tongue. Though skipping a beat in few parts, and having difficulty remembering phraseology at some points, Michael I proves to have mastered most of the language, and is met with immense applause. The Common Slavonic dictionary, its most recent form, is released to the public, and flies off the shelves at a blinding speed.
-Montenegro’s linguists also happily bring forward the now completed dictionaries for Dalmatian and Illyrican. Though not as popular as Common Slavonic, many high-class gentlemen’s clubs begin using the dialects to discuss matters of social policy, and oddly enough, it spreads like wildfire through exclusive associations within Montenegro.
-Dioclea engineers begin working with a special concoction of metals and petrochemicals that can act as a “heat shielding” for the transporting of small objects through the atmosphere, protecting them from the significant temperatures involved with escaping into orbit. Dioclea Aerospace is happy to unveil Сапутник I, or “Saputnik I” (Fellow Traveller).
-On a chilly but beautifully clear December dawn, Saputnik I is launched from a coastal rocket test site. After a short period in flight, Saputnik I begins its final adjustments and breaches the atmosphere cleanly and stably. The Montenegrin public, listening to broadcasts from the scientists over the radio, erupt into celebration as Saputnik I begins transmitting its small beeps, signifying its orbiting status. Then everything goes quiet as a second pair of beeps comes over the radio, as Iberia’s Romulus I intercepts the same transmitting signal of the Montenegrins.
-Nonetheless, Montenegro’s public celebrates in the streets of the nation. Michael I is seen touring the rocket site shaking hands and taking photos with the crew, smiling all the way. News of Montenegrin spacecraft sweeps through Europe at the same speed as the Iberians, and in the American media Montenegro is considered “David to Iberia’s Goliath”.
-Another major scientific breakthrough takes place as the Montenegrin engineers responsible for Saputnik begin working on the possibility of a “capsule” that could hold a living animal, or possibly, a human. The design is very radical in comparison to a satellite, as it must be able to return to earth safely and stably without bursting apart, and must also hold vital supplies of oxygen for whatever being may be inside of it. Nonetheless, a design is finalized, and a naming competition is held amongst young Montenegrin schoolchildren, the results to be seen in the coming year.
-Russia continues to foster warm relations with her southern neighbor, Afghanistan. As government investment continues, a small series of Russian teachers and engineers are dispatched as volunteers to the Afghan government. These engineers will assist with creating the various railways in Afghanistan in a cheaper and more efficient manner, whilst the teachers will help in introducing western ideology and social values at public schools in Afghanistan’s cities.
-Russia, continuing to make themselves a presence in the world instead of being the “reclusive empire” of years past, makes a significant monetary donation to the International Health Organization, and becomes one of the largest donors overall to the cause. Russian doctors, researchers and medical practitioners flock to Montenegro and Colombia in order to be assigned to their posts in India to combat the spread of disease.
-To the west, things begin to warm between Poland and Russia. As a majority of the ULE is locked in combat in one way or another, and Poland finds itself threatened by the presence of the Greater German Republic’s many armies massing on its border, the Russians step in to lend a hand. This comes mainly in the form of free trade and opened embassies, both of which being a first since the Soviets invaded Poland during the previous Great War. The Poles accept the deal begrudgingly, knowing that improved trade is the only thing keeping them alive.
-At home, the various colleges and universities within Russia receive massive grants to expand their STEM and business programs. Fearing that they may fall behind in the coming generation of school graduates from China, Iberia, Montenegro, America, Colombia and Germany, the Russians begin pumping money and benefits into schools in order to encourage Russian students to give it their all.
-As the Orthodox church undergoes the many meetings and hearings, many of them towed along by the Russians, a new move is taken within the Russian city of Kiev. Known as the "Святой и Великий Собор Православной Церкви", or Great and Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church. Here, patriarchs from the Orthodox and Oriental churches are able to voice their word in regards to church policy and the goings on of the church’s organization. Much like a congress or parliament, the Synod is usually observed by an audience of lower religious heads and followers, hoping to give their say on an increasingly strengthening Orthodoxy.
-Railways and roadways from “New Judea” begin to lead into the steppes of Central Asia as the Russian government finds both communities in dire need of infrastructure reform. This “Trans-Steppe Railway” system acts as the first in a large series of infrastructural reform that brings these largely separated communities into the fold of the more centralized regions like Ukraine or Russia proper.
-Nestled south of the Ural mountains on Russia’s vast steppe, the Russian government announces the creation of "Роскосмос", or Roscosmos. This new agency, much like the Chinese, is Russia’s answer to the growing competition between Iberia and Montenegro in the field of launching themselves into space. Roscosmos receives a massive segment of the yearly budget, as the Russian government prepares to take a leap into the stars above.
-With Roscosmos set in stone, the Russian government begins handing out massive paychecks to any and all Russian students willing to join up and “fly to the stars”. Many of the students that join Roscosmos are physicists and astronomy majors that have largely sat around writing theories and not putting their skills to good use.
-Now as many students begin to join Roscosmos, the Russian air-force begins hiring pilots and aeronautical engineers in order to strengthen the organization's professional side. Though the idea of manned space flight is largely experimental and not exactly founded in anything concrete, the Russian government knows that the best men for the job are the many highly skilled jet fighter pilots within the Russian air force.
-Now looking outwards, the Russian government unveils an international propaganda campaign for joining Roscosmos. In Japan, Korea, Afghanistan, Pahlavi and Bulgaria, alongside many other nations, small handouts are available at many newsstands. These little brochures are short and sweet and to the point with a catchy slogan: Join Roscosmos, See the Stars. Alongside this catchphrase, the Russian government begins enticing foreigners with massive paychecks, free housing, free healthcare and paid travel to Russia, something that the Chinese, Montenegrins and Iberians have yet to do.
-Payraise hikes also affect the Russian military as it continues to undergo reform. Thousands of troops considered “redundant”, usually those leeching off of benefits and not achieving much or weekend warriors, are given honorable discharges and a significant pension. After doing so, the Russian military increases the wages of soldiers significantly and increases the requirements for passing basic training. Though this closes the door on many would-be recruits, it ensures that those serving in Russia’s military are the best of the best.
-In hopes of meeting the Iberians and Montenegrins on the playing field of spaceflight, Russian scientists begin experimenting with electronically altered positioning of fins and engine outputs for rockets during ascension. The designs are brutally simple, and much cheaper than the Iberian or Montenegrin designs, though they are not as effective. It means little, however, when Russian rockets are no longer “fire and forget” when heading off of the launchpad.
-Another major breakthrough is the creation of the first Russian-made computer. Though in and of itself not a powerful device, and easily outclassed by the new Chinese design, it is something the Russians and many of its neighbors lack. This computer, simply dubbed "Mой Tоварищ Доктор", or My Fellow Doctor, can calculate significant amounts of data in a short period of time, allowing everyone from rocket scientists to biologists to handle intensive calculations in a matter of minutes.
-From the United States, a shipment of the M26 “Black Jack” heavy tank arrives in Colombian ports. These heavy tanks act as the first diplomatic cable from the United States in regards to the sale of arms to a friendly nation outside of Eurasia in many years. Not only are the Colombians given these tanks, but the US government assures that the Colombians are given the rights to produce the tanks for their own use.
-Another major technological advancement from the United States arrives in Colombia. A small coastal defense cruiser is gifted to the Colombians. Inside of this ship is the major breakthrough of sonar, which is given to the Colombians as an extension of American friendship to Colombia. This device now allows the Colombians to search for obstructions, and submarines, which will greatly improve the effectiveness of Colombia’s navy.
-As tensions begin to flare out of control in the Balkans, Montenegro takes the steps to continue bolstering their nation’s weapons stockpiles. Nicknamed “The Castle Country” by American arms manufacturers, Montenegro begins purchasing small numbers of the M4A3 Sherman series of tanks, as well as very large numbers of firearms such as the M1 Garand, Thompson and Springfield.
-The United States, keeping its ties with the democratic states of Colombia and Montenegro, takes the steps to join the International Health Organization. “With a little bit of elbow grease and American ingenuity, we can whip bugs good!” is a common phrase on American propaganda posters asking citizens to volunteer for work at the International Health Organization.
-Furious with the Germans, the United States immediately takes back the headquarters of the United Nations. In an address to the all delegations, none other than FDR himself gives a speech, stating that "Only in the event of a unanimous decision by the council, or in the event of total annihilation, shall the headquarters of the UN be moved from the United States.” The words are met with uproarious applause, and the UN continues to conduct its necessary meetings as they have been before.
-A unanimous vote goes through at the United Nations in order to deploy UN peacekeepers in the nations of Nepal and Haryana. With assistance from local governments, the UN peacekeepers act as policing forces in order to introduce martial law, which is the last possible step before the aforementioned nations collapse into outright civil war.
-At home, a contentious US elections sees the New American Progressive party winning a majority of the votes both in the popular elections and the electoral congress. The Iron League gains a significant amount of votes, but is absolutely stumped by the NAP, and are thus forced to wait another 4 years before being able to run for president. Pelley vows that the Iron League will “return” come the congressional elections.
-In a show of childish loss, the Iron League holds a rally in New Orleans in order to denounce the soon-to-be-president Thomas Dewey. They are met with mockery and thrown objects, and their protest is broken up by furious African-Americans and migrants who have “already dealt with this sort of tyranny once before”.
-The United States concludes its massive, nearly year-long military exercises in the midwest and the atlantic. With growing respect and friendship around the world, the US knows, and hopes, that it need not deploy its military anywhere in any significant force. But, seeing as to how the training exercises went, the Americans are more than ready to be able to throw down if the time comes.
-Having served the US army for only a few years, the Sherman series of tanks are officially disbanded, and are slowly replaced by the much heavier, more effective M26 Black Jack. Many Shermans are put on display at universities and museums, and are kept in storage in the event of national mobilization. But, for the most part, the Shermans are officially out of service within the United States military.
-An interesting military design is made on American testing grounds. This time, mimicking the Chinese, the United States unveils its first Armored Personnel Carrier, or APC for short. Ever creative, the United States Army declares the new APC to be the Model 1944, or M44, Armored Personnel Carrier. Armed with a single Browning M2 HMG, the M44 is affectionately named the “Stumpy” for its squat shape and low profile. Able to carry an entire squad in minimal comfort with maximum protection, the M45 can withstand multiple hits from armor piercing bullets and shrugs off small-arms fire. When tested against tank shells, however, it ceases to exist.
-After weeks of experimenting, the United States Navy unveils its first “Navy-Made” firearm. Using six rotating barrels, much like the Gatling Gun of civil war fame, the newly designed Multi-Barrel Machine Gun Model Navy, or MBMGMN, is a rapid-firing, gas-operated heavy machine gun. MBMGMN, a hilariously confusing acronym, is usually replaced with “Mumbler” by American servicemen. What makes the Mumbler greater than any current heavy machine gun is its sheer rate of fire, able to achieve 4200 RPM, or more than double what the fastest firing machineguns currently have. Fragile, expensive and seemingly overpowered, the US military cannot wait to get its hands on the Mumbler.
==Turn 31: January to June 1945==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=50287208&viewfull=1#post50287208
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-Despite giving it their all, the forces of the Kingdom of Italy lay down their arms and surrender to the overwhelming onslaught of the Patagonian/Iberian/Italian armies and the total destruction of their would-be economy. The territories of the Kingdom of Italy are immediately transferred to the Italian State, and the United Liberal Entente sets its sight south to wipe out the “insolent wretches” of the Confederation of Sicily.
-However, no matter how much the Iberians manage to expand and show their might, the Germans have finally stood up and demanded the halt of the expansive empire. War breaks out between the European Cooperative and the United Liberal Entente on all fronts. Poland, the Pyrenees, Pannonia, the Alps, and everywhere in between that could act as a front becomes one as the two most powerful alliances in the world clash with one another, thousands of dead left in their wake.
-In the east, the Germans begin to smash through the more or less futile defense of the Poles, demolishing their fortifications and obliterating their front-line forces. However, the Germans’ momentum slows quickly as the Poles rally, and begin a brutal war of attrition against an ever-approaching foe.
-Along the Germano-Hungarian border, German armor brigades breach through onto the Pannonian Plain like a thunderstorm. The Hungarians begin their war against the Germans with guerilla warfare and lightning fast ambushes, hoping to utilize their standing army for the defense of major cities like Budapest. The Hungarians are forced to fight on a multitude of fronts, with the Romanians and Czechoslovaks breathing down their necks.
-In the west, the French take it upon themselves to begin attacking southwards across the Pyrenees, hoping to seize important territories within Catalonia or Navarre. However, the French’s momentum hits the unstoppable wall of the mountains, and is then turned right back around as Iberian national guard and militiamen fight tooth and nail to send the somewhat unprepared Frenchmen back home.
-In Italy, the war between the EC and ULE is more a war between Germany and Iberia. Territory is traded back and forth like a tennis ball as both sides try to upend the other along South Tyrol and the winding passes between the Alps and Po Valley. Despite having a home field advantage, the Iberians are forced to give some territory to the Germans, but are prepared to hold what territory they can in Italy.
-In the Balkans, the war between Croatia and Serbia enters a new chapter as a wide variety of rebel groups seize the opportunity to set the region on fire. From Bosnian nationalists to Serbian communists, a massive civil war begins in both countries as thousands of people push to seize control from the other. Brother is pitted against brother, and the whole region is engulfed in the flames of war.
-No longer able to keep the peace, the nation of Haryana erupts into civil disorder as the spread of Staphylococcus asiaticus is unstoppable and has brought an end to many daily activities within the country. Fed up with the failed administration, members of the Haryanan military and public rise up in open rebellion against the government, hoping to overthrow the regime and put in place something better.
-In the small Caucasian nation of Somkhiti, thought to be separated from the petty wars around the world, is brought into the fold of chaos itself. Armenian and Georgian nationalists, unwilling to cooperate with their neighbors, rise up in revolt, hoping to carve out “pure” republics for themselves. A third group, known as the “United Circassia Movement”, a far-right, pseudo-nationalist group bent on the creation of a Caucasus-wide empire, takes the opportunity to put a third knife in the back of the Somkhiti government.
-The Russian army mobilizes southward to ensure peace along the borders between their country and Somkhiti, and quickly finds out that the Turks feel that it's best the Russians keep their nose out of the caucasus business. The Turks have had enough with Russia’s posturing, and prepares to keep their influence out of the Caucasus as best they can.
-Madhya, a relatively stable Indian substate, undergoes a swift and mostly bloodless military coup d’etat, forcing out the old socialist administration and instituting a more conservative republican administration. This causes significant issues when trying to reorganize the effort against S. asiaticus, allowing the disease to once again spread throughout the slums and rural communities within the country.
-Amazingly, a delegation is sent from the Holy See’s temporary stay in Madrid to arrive in the Great Synod. Though not the Pope himself, a number of his most trusted advisors arrive in Russia to begin talks in regards to the Great Schism of 1054, that saw the official division between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. No distinct agreement or deal is made, but the fact that the Papacy is willing to re-open discussions on the topic is groundbreaking in and of itself.
-In the Middle East, after significant pressure from inside and out, the King of Jordan abdicates from his position and in a semi-formal ceremony, hands the territory of Transjordan and Palestine to the authority of the United Arab Republic. The UAR celebrates with fireworks and dancing in the streets, as well as giving the idea of “Arab Unity and National Pride” to the many Arabs still under control of colonies, and within the governments of the MEC as well.
-The world itself seems to descend into absolute chaos. Europe is once again engulfed in war, this time across the entirety of the continent. In Asia, disease acts as a scythe, reaping millions and causing civil unrest on a scale the likes of which have never been seen. In America, tensions begin to boil between Patagonia and Brazil, and in North Africa and the Middle East, Arab nationalism begins to seep into the governments of the region, colonial or otherwise. The fate of the world is in the air at this point, and if it its not caught, will surely fall to the ground.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Czechoslovakia
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Hungary
--Iberia
--Italian State
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Greece
--Pahlavi Empire
--Patagonia
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Moscow-Nanjing Association (MNA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Russia
--Romania
--Bulgaria
--Korea
--Afghanistan
--Cambodia
--Orissa
--Uttar
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
European Cooperative Economy (ECE):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Estonia
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
--Luxembourg
--Czechoslovakia
--Slovenia
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: Economic Association
Real Association (RA):
Headquarters: Madrid, Iberia
Head Nation: Iberia
-Members:
--Iberia
--Patagonia
--Italian State
Type: Economic Association
Player Events:
-Despite the world seeming to fall apart around them, Afghanistan continues to keep the torch of peace and tranquility lit. Afghanistan itself has stabilized significantly since its recent revolution, and much of the nation’s citizens continue on with their daily routines, ignoring the issues of their neighbors as they now utilize national transportation, free running water and a proper education system.
-With this in mind, the Afghan parliament votes unanimously to send huge numbers of Afghan doctors and aid workers to their ailing neighbor, Rajastan. With the spread of S. asiaticus largely slowing down within their borders, Rajastan is now suffering a menagerie of other diseases and civil disorders due to the massive social upheaval and population loss.
-When in Rajastan, these Afghan doctors work hard and try their best to try and help those in need. Using this information, the same doctors return home to Afghanistan and turn to the small pockets of disease ridden communities in the backwater corners of Afghanistan, using antibiotics and sanitation practices to help stop the creation of new diseases in the region.
-Meanwhile, at home, Afghanistan continues to work on its massive infrastructural and industrial reforms. Public works projects help create a snaking series of railways and roads that wriggle through the mountains as Afghanistan creates the final parts of the “Afghan Web”, or the infrastructure that officiates Afghanistan’s centralizaiton.
-Welfare programs are introduced to the far-out regions of Afghanistan in the northwest facing central Asia. Most of this welfare focuses on introducing the last few nomads that are not part of any existing sedentary community, hoping to bring them into the larger cities near the center of the country. Essentially, these families are guaranteed an education for their children and an inclusion into the nation’s healthcare system. It is rare for these nomads to turn down the offer, and many abandon their old tradition in favor of a much easier, more worthwhile lifestyle.
-The Afghan military continues to purchase large numbers of surplus firearms and materials from the United States, as well as converting these weapons into domestic formats. As the Afghan military continues to import so many weapons, they begin to stockpile the older surplus from the days of Pashtunistan, keeping them in backrooms of barracks in the event of civil upheaval or national mobilization.
-A law is put through the Afghan parliament that officially allows the government to institute a nationwide draft that will include all males aged 18 and older. This is harrowing news for many who wish to keep Afghanistan out of any conflict, but the government assures them that it will be used only in times of serious crisis, and will never be used in wars of intervention or offense against another nation, nor will it be used to turn the guns on Afghanistan’s citizens.
-Afghan political science theorists introduce the European ideal of “secret ballots”, or a very simplistic way of hiding one’s ballot papers from public view. Hiding behind a cardboard divider, voters may now make their choice without being seen or harassed by others, and will seal said vote before placing it in a box to be counted.
-Another medical breakthrough in Afghanistan is simplistic in nature but so crazily obvious that many are shocked that it was not commonplace to begin with. Using pure alcohol, hot water and regularly replaced clean rags, doctors are able to completely sterilize their equipment between operations. This cuts down on infections by more than 50%, and leads to significantly healthier individuals leaving the various field hospitals set up by Afghan doctors.
-China turns its efforts inward as the Republican government continues to link various massive infrastructural programs together. As New Shanghai and Guangzhou near the third phase of their four-part reconstruction, the Chinese must lay the groundworks for a massive overhaul of existing industry in order to match the parameters set by these hulking phoenixes of cities.
-Investments into creating the trunk road systems within Uighurstan and Mongolia come to bear fruit, as the first highway linking Nanjing to Ulaanbaatar and Urumqi finishes its construction. In these far-off steppe cities, Chinese factories begin popping up like weeds, giving the Mongol and Uighur population of these regions both jobs and something to keep their mind off of possibilities of independence.
-Large wages are waved under the noses of important engineers and scientists within China in hopes of keeping them within the country. The government continues to subsidize the various technical and scientific colleges within major cities, but must work hard to ensure that the educated elite remain within the nation to discourage the possibility of “brain-drain”, or the exit of large numbers of highly educated individuals out of China.
-The first large-scale reform in regards to wages and the rights of workers is introduced to the general populace. Factories are now to include limits on how many hours an employee works, increase their standards of safety and are put through rigorous inspection from members of various industrial experts within the Chinese government.
-With these new limitations in place, it is difficult for factories to continue exploiting their workers by forcing them into harsh conditions with low wages and little safety regulations. Because of this, many small factories are forced to close after intense scrutiny from the government. However, most factories take the rules into consideration, and the idea of the “sweatshop” slowly begins to die as these workers’ rights reforms sweep through the country.
-A huge number of refugees from devastated areas in northern India flock into Yunnan province, seeking shelter and peace while their countries are consumed by disease and civil disorder. Divisions of the Chinese military are mobilized southward to meet the oncoming refugees, and immediately begin to sort them into quarantine shelters. Families are divided, and many individuals found to be infected with S. asiaticus are rushed to makeshift field hospitals in hope of giving treatment.
-Considered to be the “first wave” of migratory refugees into China, the Chinese government is thrown into a small panic, not entirely sure where to move or house the refugees for the time being. If this crisis continues, China may find itself being flooded with Indian refugees looking for new lives and places to stay, who may never turn back to their homeland.
-Within the Chinese military, the size of divisions is expanded once again to include a brigade of combat engineers. Originally a novelty in the first Great War, these new engineers are vital to the mobility of an army, giving divisions the ability to construct/destroy bridges, overcome obstacles, and set up defensive positions without having to call in a separate dedicated division as before.
-Intense training exercises begin as the Chinese military begins to introduce engineer brigades to existing divisions. Most of these exercises involve moving together as a single entity, and the rapid deployment of engineers to the front line to do a variety of tasks. With the help of armored personnel carriers, engineers are soon to become an integral part of the Chinese military doctrine, giving them a significant upper hand over any future foe.
-New armed forces colleges begin sprouting up throughout China, many of them in major cities. Here, officers and low-tier echelons of high command can begin learning more skills in regards to command and control of men in the possibility of future conflicts. Some of these colleges also focus on the use of special forces, but many of their classes are considered “secret” to the public, and tend to take place at night under the cover of armed guards.
-Using byproducts from oil refining and production, researchers at a Chongqing-based refining facility stumble upon the idea of creating “synthetic” rubber. By solidifying the petrochemical runoff by using a variety of chemicals, the first “synthetic tires” are tested on a factory’s truck carrying a heavy load. The tires work beautifully, and the designs are quickly patented by the Chinese government and introduced to the various petrochemical industries within China. This helps wean the Chinese off of the demand for rubber from the Iberian territories in Africa.
-A flash overtakes the sky in southeast Mongolia as the Chinese government tests their first “miniaturized” nuclear weapon. Using rocketry systems much like that used against them by the Iberians, the Huǒhuā (Spark) Bomb is put to the test. Shielded in casing, the weapon has a much smaller payload than traditional nuclear weapons, but it means little when the bomb has the capability to flatten half of a major city, or vaporize an entire division.
-In hopes of breaking keeping civil chaos from breaking out in India, the Colombian government pleads to the United Nations to create a stronger, more numerous series of peacekeeping forces to be deployed in India. Alongside this request, the Colombian government converts five divisions of the army to become “Blue Helmets”, and they are immediately vaccinated against S. asiaticus and rushed to various welcoming states in India to keep a lid on things before it’s too late.
-Within India itself, the IHO begins to expand its effort to keep quarantines at their peak. These quarantines stop the spread of disease somewhat, but lead to immense economic and social issues, as stores and temples are barred from opening to most of the population. Luckily for most of the areas under the control of the IHO, outright civil war does not break out. This is not the case for Haryana, however.
-Colombia officially bans any and all civilian travel to India, and all flights coming from the subcontinent are escorted away from Colombia’s main airports by military aircraft, the passengers immediately quarantined. However, members of the IHO and volunteers travelling to India are given special passes, and brought to the subcontinent via government-owned and sanctioned aircraft.
-In northern and central India, Colombian members of the IHO give requests to local governments to begin massed incinerations of corpses affected with S. asiaticus. Due to the traditions of Hinduism, many governments give the go-ahead. Family members are given the opportunity to pay their last respects to their dead, but are unable to retrieve the ashes. Before the issues in Haryana erupted out of control for the IHO, doctors were burning more than two thousand bodies a day in huge pyres. “The smell was unbelievable,” a Colombian doctor is quoted to say.
-Doctors from the IHO, specifically Colombians, begin distributing pamphlets much like those used by Afghanistan in hopes of spreading information about S. asiaticus and its dangers. Most of these pamphlets are slipped under doors of already quarantined houses or given out to small children to bring home to their parents. So many people are desperate to return to their daily lives, and the usual reactionary communities in rural areas begrudgingly begin to follow the instructions such as washed hands and keeping sewers flowing.
-As S. asiaticus begins its death-march south, the IHO rushes to begin improving important infrastructural aspects to these countries, such as the widening of sewage systems and the creation of an electrical backbone to supply the large hospitals and government buildings in countries like Tamil and Kerala. Much to the relief of the IHO, these countries have been improving their infrastructure themselves, and are more than ready to go toe-to-toe with S. asiaticus, especially in comparison to their northern neighbors.
-New cases of S. asiaticus, even in already infected areas, are immediately isolated. Generic quarantines aren’t cutting it anymore in the densely populated areas of northern India, and thus these individuals are immediately whisked away to secluded hospitals for treatment, making sure that the possibility of spreading the infection is at best nil. This upsets many family members who see their loved ones carried off by armed guards in the middle of the night, but local governments quash dissent before it gets out of hand.
-Intense, high-number production of the polio vaccine begins within Colombia and associated plants within the United States and Russia. The vaccines are first deployed in south and central America first, in hopes of cracking down issues at home before turning their sights on the diseased circus that is India. Surprisingly, Patagonia opens its doors to the IHO to allow doctors to work on the vaccination of Patagonian schoolchildren, but for only a limited time.
-All doctors returning home from India are immediately quarantined and brought to facilities far off in the northern jungles of Colombia. Here, they are kept for weeks at a time, and receive intense medical scrutiny in the form of blood tests and physical exams. These doctors are also barred from returning to India for a year at minimum, and are unable to give blood for twice that time, to ensure maximum safety for everyone involved.
-Colombia’s military undergoes immense training exercises to ensure that the army is at its best and most-ready. With tensions finally snapping in Europe, Colombia fears that there may be repercussions from acting as the police for south America’s relations. Most of these exercises are ensuring that Colombia’s military has a “flexible defense”, or a constantly-shifting defensive line that is difficult to overcome in a single assault.
-At Colombia’s top universities, students come together to create Computadora Electrónica Automática Variable Discreta, or CEAVD for short. This computer, mimicking the designs of the Chinese, is much smaller and much faster than the ENIAC computer originally being used by Colombian researchers. It is immediately put to use for the creation of newer vaccines, calculating important data and running through scenarios of vaccine deployment.
-These new vaccine trials come to fruition as Colombian doctors unveil their first “Pequeña Aguja” (Small Needle) design. Instead of using a massive syringe, which usually caused intense pain during inoculation and was terrifying to small children, these needles, paired with the more powerful form of the vaccine, use smaller doses to the same effect as the large ones. With this, one batch of vaccines can inoculate more people than the initial forms.
-The clock strikes twelve as the German parliament votes in favor of declaring war upon the United Liberal Entente, finally fed up with the “imperialist expansion of Fascism into Europe”. Joining Germany is the entirety of the European Cooperative, including France. The Kingdom of Scotland enters the war from a “purely financial standpoint”, fearing the possibility of outside invasion.
-Germany’s first strikes against the United Liberal Entente take place in northern Italy along the war-torn Alpine region. Struggling to burst through the thick and winding mountains like Hannibal, the Germans come under regular fire from Italian guerillas and Iberian aircraft. Nonetheless, the majority Italian defenders in the northeast are broken and pushed south, allowing the Germans to have minor breathing room out of southern Tyrol.
-As the Germans continue to push into northern Italy, they are met with heated resistance from the Iberians. Huge casualties are taken on both sides as either refuses to give an inch. Elite soldiers of Germany and Iberia trade fire in fantastic dances of death between the winding mountain passes in the Alps, killing one another with a wide variety of tactics, styles and weapons.
-In the East, Germany’s tank brigades begin to breach through Polish defensive lines on the Posen border. The Poles, despite their unbreakable patriotism and willingness to push back the “vile Germanic barbarians”, are forced to give ground in the north and wheel back to more compact areas of defense in the center of the country. It is unknown immediately what the Russians have in store, knowing that the Germans have breached Moscow’s defensive agreement with the Poles.
-South of Poland, on the Carpathian Plain, German troops bowl over the largely unprepared Hungarians in a daring Blitzkrieg assault. Hoping to make a beeline to Budapest, the Germans call upon the Slovenes for assistance, only to receive news that Ljubljana has been seized by Croat attackers. Despite the war in the Balkans raging, the Croats are more than willing to stick it to the Germans in any way they can.
-Within Hungary itself, vicious urban warfare begins as the Hungarians draw the Germans into tightly packed city streets or muddied village roadways. Here, German armor crews learn the hard way that a stuck tank is a dead tank, as the guerilla tactics introduced by the Hungarians is the yang to German blitzkrieg’s yin.
-Along the Franco-Iberian border, horrendous fighting takes place in the Pyrenees. Refusing to allow the European Coalition to advance on their homeland, the Iberians quickly throw the enemy back and follow them. With Iberians on French soil, Paris is flung into a panic, not expecting such a vicious counter-attack. Meanwhile, in the British Isles, a small brigade of Irish marines land on the western coast of Scotland, wreaking havoc on the ill-prepared defenders and laying waste to Protestant coastal villages.
-Out in the Atlantic Ocean, German, French and Dutch ships attempt to run the line and push through to Morocco. Intensive raids from Iberian submarines and aircraft sink dozens of ships and critically damage dozens more. Two French battleships disappear in an eruption of fire as Iberian torpedoes strike them amidships, detonating their magazines. The few troops that manage to make it ashore find themselves stranded in the Western Sahara, hunted by Iberian colonial troops and aircraft, and are forced to wait for reinforcements.
-In eastern Africa, German ships deployed from the Maldives begin coastally raiding Mozambique and Somalia, sinking a handful of Iberian merchant marine ships and bombarding ports in order to deny Iberian shipping from docking up. Much to the chagrin of the Germans, eastern Africa has a massive coastline, and the few token ships are unable to stop even a majority of Iberian vessels that will surely return with armored escorts.
-Immigrants from northern Africa and the Middle East enter “Ausländischkämpfer” (Foreign Fighter) divisions. These migrants are promised a better life and immense benefits for their family if they take part in the effort against the Iberians, and many of the AUK divisions are sent into northern Italy alongside the majority German spearhead through the alps.
-To Germany, the United States offers the license to create the newly designed Multi-Barrel Machine Gun Model Navy, or MBMGMN, otherwise known as the “Mumbler”. Though still somewhat experimental, and usable only on the heaviest pieces of equipment such as naval vessels or armored vehicles, the Mumbler is surely a great tool for overcoming the enemy.
-At home, Germany undergoes full-scale mobilization, bringing in any and all men into the armed forces as it can. Conglomerate factories are put into overdrive as massed production is called for. Tanks, guns, artillery pieces, planes, munitions and other important aspects of warfare are rolling out of the gates of these large factories in order to get them to the front lines as quickly as possible.
-To ensure that these factories are working at their hardest, the German government officially lowers the yearly holidays allotted to German workers by a significant amount. However, in order to counteract the rising dissent in regards to increased work hours, the nation’s retirement age is lowered by five years, ensuring strong pensions for those willing to work themselves just a bit harder for the German war effort.
-Around the country, oil rationing is put into place. Entire gas stations are seized by the German government, their assets liquidated and moved to refining facilities to be used by any and all vehicles involved in the current war effort. Though this significantly impacts the population of Germany in regards of travelling to work or to see family, many understand the reason behind the rationing, and it is rare to see complaints.
-A nationwide propaganda campaign is put into place, decrying the hostilities and atrocities committed by the Iberian government and its allies. Many Poles still living in Germany use the propaganda as a tool in hopes of convincing the general populace of Poland proper to rise up against their fascist, oppressive leaders. The propaganda, for the most part, is embraced, and the German populace is more than ready to dedicate themselves to the war effort.
-German engineers, experimenting with ways to “pop” oncoming Polish and Hungarian tanks without dedicating armor battalions or using clunky, truck-towed anti-tank guns. Known as the Panzerjäger 1945, this tank-like vehicle houses an immense gun capable of piercing even some of the thickest frontal armor. The achilles heel of the PzJg-45 is its lack of armor and opened rear, which is required to compensate for the recoil and size of the anti-tank gun.
-Alongside the creation of an anti-tank piece, the Germans at Krupp also reveal a modified version of the Panzerjäger 1945, known as the Panzerjäger Beweglichen Angriffswaffe 1945, or for short the PzJgBeAw-45. Designated as an “assault gun”, the PzJgBeAw-45 is meant for running up to fortified positions and blasting away, freeing up engineer brigades and reducing the risk of broken momentum. With a shorter-barrelled cannon, this vehicle has token armor, and can withstand hits from the various light-to-medium tanks deployed by the Hungarians and Poles, but is easily cracked open by most anti-tank guns.
-Having withstood too much pressure from the oncoming Iberians, the forces under the banner of the Kingdom of Italy officially surrender to the men of the United Liberal Entente. In Venice, the quickly-defunct-capital of the Kingdom of Italy, a peace deal is signed between the few surviving generals, who are given amnesty and quietly deported to Ireland, where they will be unable to interfere in the future of Italian politics.
-Many of the soldiers captured by the Iberians see a temporary stay in PoW camps. Here, these men are processed and declared Loyal, Questioning or Disloyal. The former are quickly given a small monetary package and sent on their merry way back to wherever they may have come from in their pre-war days. The latter two remain in captivity to be “processed” by Iberian personnel.
-Some soldiers from the Kingdom of Italy turn right around and pledge an oath of allegiance to Mussolini. Considered useful, the Italian State offers them a position in the State’s military, and they are immediately put into “repatriated” divisions, which are overseen by Iberian officers despite being Italian-majority soldiers.
-As the Iberians begin to move their troops south to finish off the floundering Sicilians, German artillery rumbling over the horizon acts as an informal declaration of war between the European Cooperative and the United Liberal Entente. Immediately after receiving the news, all countries within the ULE flock to Iberia’s banner and begin full-scale mobilization. Even Croatia, currently locked in a dance of death with Serbia and a whole host of Balkan rebels, moves a handful of divisions northward to drive a boot into the face of the Slovenians.
-Repatriated divisions are immediately moved to the northeast, where they put up a desperate but failing defense against the Germans south of Tirol. Fighting with smaller numbers in urban areas that have already been heavily damaged, the Repatriated divisions give it their all, and inflict significant casualties on German and Slovene troops, but are ultimately forced to retreat and regroup.
-As the Germans continue to push into northern Italy, they are met with heated resistance from the Iberians. Huge casualties are taken on both sides as either refuses to give an inch. Elite soldiers of Germany and Iberia trade fire in fantastic dances of death between the winding mountain passes in the Alps, killing one another with a wide variety of tactics, styles and weapons.
-Clearly, in Iberian eyes, the French feel somewhat unready for the war, as their incursion into the Pyrenees is met with such ferocious resistance that entire brigades seem to evaporate under the fire of Iberian soldiers and militiamen alike. Because of this, a hole is discovered in the French lines, and members of the Guardia Nacional drive the French back over the mountains and begin occupying territories in France proper. The French quickly discover that, unlike the Soviets in conflict’s past, the Iberians are filled with a fury that is honed and sharpened like a sword.
-Out in the Atlantic Ocean, German, French and Dutch ships attempt to run the line and push through to Morocco. Intensive raids from Iberian submarines and aircraft sink dozens of ships and critically damage dozens more. Two French battleships disappear in an eruption of fire as Iberian torpedoes strike them amidships, detonating their magazines. The few troops that manage to make it ashore find themselves stranded in the Western Sahara, hunted by Iberian colonial troops and aircraft, and are forced to wait for reinforcements.
-In eastern Africa, German ships deployed from the Maldives begin coastally raiding Mozambique and Somalia, sinking a handful of Iberian merchant marine ships and bombarding ports in order to deny Iberian shipping from docking up. Much to the chagrin of the Germans, eastern Africa has a massive coastline, and the few token ships are unable to stop even a majority of Iberian vessels that will surely return with armored escorts.
-Iberian air raiders, taking it upon themselves, begin unleashing hell on the exposed Mediterranean ports of France, killing hundreds and setting a handful of pocket-cruisers ablaze. Iberian submarines patrol the Mediterranean day and night, aided by a whole host of ULE aircraft. Trade for the European Cooperative is officially at an end if it comes out of the Suez Canal, as a daring submarine captain sinks seven freighters with his deck-gun alone the instant they leave Port Sa’id.
-Though war grips the headlines and policies of Iberia, Madrid knows that it cannot focus on that alone. Instead, Iberia and Patagonia come together once more in a specialized trade deal that jumps the last hoop for the future of unification. The Spanish Dollar and Patagonian Peso are officially disbanded, and the new Iberian Real is introduced. Though significantly deflated in comparison to the Dollar and Peso, the fact that it will be used almost exclusively for deals between the two nations will help bolster its strength overtime, and will ultimately sew the Patagonian banner to that of the Iberians.
-With the economy of the Italian State more or less crippled, and the Falangist government of Italy trying desperately to shed any and all connection to the previous “traitor-filled” government, the Iberians quietly introduce the Iberian Real. Using this currency, the Italian State is able to nurse off of the titanic Iberian economy, which more or less envelopes what little economic power the Italian State claimed to have.
-A government owned conglomerate housed in Barcelona, known as Petrolera Catalán-Árabe (Catalan-Arab Oil Company), or PCA for short, is officially formed. Here, members of the Iberian oil industry will oversee the production and refining of oil collected from “Bourbon Arabia”, and will receive continuous subsidies from the government. This helps decentralize Iberia’s administration of oil, freeing up government assets for more important matters.
-Petrolera Catalán-Árabe officials are sent to Algeria and begin oil probing exercises. Though still furious with the Iberian government, the Algerians know that they lack the expertise and ability to tap into their small oil reserves themselves, and simply hope to see some cut of the profit whilst the Iberians sell their goods to their friends and allies.
-And finally, at home, all German, French, Scottish and other EC affiliate nationalists are rounded up, detained, and immediately forced over the border into France under a wary flag of truce. Though in a state of war against the Iberians, the French quickly act to grab the civilians and send them to non-disclosed hideaways somewhere far, far away from the front lines.
-A major breakthrough takes place within Iberia’s massive space program. Using what they learned from the creation of Romulus I, and the importance of rapid communication, the Iberians manage to create a large, automobile shaped “capsule” with the ability to send information back and forth at blinding speed. Within this capsule, a man could fit inside and “guide” the small boosters on the sides to push himself about. Unlike the Montenegrins, the Iberians are deciding to take their time.
-Considered an absolutely insane idea that makes less sense on paper but in tests is shown to be quite disruptive, the Iberians reveal a “Nuclear Torpedo” in a test along the northern coast of Morocco. This torpedo is tipped with the Grillo warhead, and uses double the engine power of a regular submarine’s torpedo. Able to “swim” at blinding speeds, the Víbora (Viper) torpedo is to be used against columns of battleships or to be fired into a major enemy port. Here, the detonation would obliterate most if not all ships/structures in its wake, but also spread a huge blast of irradiated water upon the surrounding area, more or less blocking it from any significant use for weeks.
-A deal is cut between the Kingdom of Montenegro and the Greater Russian Confederation. With help from the Montenegrin Linguists' Association, books and dictionaries of Common Slavonic are given in significant quantities to the Russians in return for a large monetary compensation. In Montenegro, the money is immediately re-invested into the MLA for future projects, especially into finally pinning down the mysteries of the vulgar Latin dialects.
-After being threatened with the execution of dozens of innocent students and tourists, the Montenegrin government finally bows its head and gives into Serbia’s demands. The Montenegrin embassy in Zagreb is evacuated and officially closed, cutting all Montenegrin-Croatian ties indefinitely. Honoring their side of the agreement, the Serbians release their hostages and hand them over to Montenegro in a high-tension meeting at the Serbo-Montenegrin border. As the hostages are transported back into Montenegro, the Serbian delegation is ambushed by a group of the Partizani, many consider it to be a “fitting end to fascist posturing”. Shortly after, all Montenegrin-Serbian ties were cut indefinitely.
-Peonia, Montenegro’s only nearby friend in the neighborhood of the war-torn Balkans, opens up a deal with the Montenegrins once again. Biologists and archaeologists both are invited to the island of Голем Град (Golem Grad), to research the many species of snakes and birds that reside on the island, whilst the archaeologists are invited to study and collect artifacts within the few small houses and churches that are considered “Archaeological Sites of Significance” within the growing European Archaeological Society, who just so happens to be looking for a home somewhere within southern Europe.
-A heartwarming offer is given to Montenegro from their northern friends, the Czechoslovaks. Despite being locked in a two front war with neighbors to their north and south, the Czechoslovak parliament invites a delegation of the Montenegrin government to oversee the ribbon cutting ceremony for the "Mezinárodní Muzeum Slovanského Dědictví", or the International Museum of Slavic Heritage, centered in Prague. Though given a Czech name, all other known Slavic languages lie beneath the gates in the same sized font. The owners of the Museum promise that all names will be taken down and replaced with Common Slavonic once the language takes hold over the next generation.
-Montenegrin doctors in the International Health Organization begin to intensify their works within Maharashtra and Gujarat, the two Indian substates that are friendly with Montenegro. Struggling to keep a hold on the disease, these doctors work tirelessly day and night, sacrificing comfort, calm and even some of their sanity to save as many lives as they can. One Montenegrin doctor collapses after working for a 73 hour shift, and is immediately rushed to his own hospital bed. He awakens to find his bed covered in hundreds of flowers and gifts, many of them from villagers that he saved with his own hand.
-The Bulgarian royal family and its delegation, including small Simeon II, are officially granted asylum within Montenegro. However, they are required to live out their lives as regular civilians. This comes as the Bulgarian government continues to reform itself, and moves to lift the ban on Simeon’s presence in Bulgaria. Bulgaria’s proposition to Montenegro, however, is that Simeon “live life as a commoner” before he is allowed to return to his home country.
-Abroad, Montenegro’s many movie makers going on with their profession in the United States report that Hollywood is undergoing through a “revolution”. After a period of actor strikes and significant members of large studios leaving their position, what many call the “studio system” has begun to take its final breaths. Independent companies, alongside much fairer contracts and a stronger union for actors to take part in, begin driving a “stake through the heart” of the conglomerate production companies within Hollywood.
-At home, students graduating from Montenegro’s various arts colleges begin taking on a dangerous new job. Signing up to take flights to capital cities such as Berlin, Madrid or Athens, these filmmakers hope to capture live footage of the coming war. The general opinion is that “sharing the horrors of war will stop it in its tracks”. Despite Montenegro’s generally neutral position, the governments of Germany and Iberia put these students into some small rear-echelon groups, far from the front line.
-The transportation reform comes to an interesting conclusion as large taxi conglomerates begin to form within the country. Known as “Taksi cehovi”, or Taxi Guilds, these conglomerates begin competing with one another in order to garner more customers and rake in the profits. Many of these guilds begin to hire expert drivers, and spend lavishly on high-quality cars, and charge exuberant rates despite the general populace barely being able to carry the pocket change for it. This causes many smaller Taxi companies to go out of business, as near monopolies are formed in the world of taxi cabs.
-At the MLA, researchers begin the creation of a 1:1 translation of the Mahabharata, or the ancient Sanskrit epic that describes the creation of many of India’s Hindu philosophies. Despite already existing in some forms, most of the story was passed down via oral tradition, and much of the art of understanding Sanskrit had been lost. Now, with the help of the Montenegrins, Sanskrit is quickly reaching a state as to where it could be re-introduced to India. The possibility of a linguistically unified India is a very enticing proposal, as many of India’s Indo-Aryan ethnic groups claim direct descendancy of the original Sanskrit peoples, and reintroducing that could bring significant unity to the relatively divided region.
-Another major technological breakthrough takes place within Montenegro in regards to space travel. Creating a larger version of Saptunik, officially titled Saputnik II (though with the alternate title of Nada, which means Hope), the Montenegrins bring along a small husky bitch named Malka. Though a small dog, Malka is prepared to take a significant step for mankind as she is the first living animal to be sent into orbit.
-Disaster strikes as important members of the experiment are unable to make it to the launchpad, their car’s brake lines snipped by some unknown saboteurs. Because of this, young Malka is suffocated in Saputnik II, and the craft itself descends through the atmosphere far too fast, and breaks apart upon re-entry. The failure is a massive stain on Montenegro’s relatively perfect record of technological advancements. Animal rights groups begin to protest outside of the agency’s headquarters, and Michael himself is more or less forced by public opinion to give an apology to the Montenegrin people. Many question the usefulness of space travel after such a horrendous incident, which results in the suspension of the country's space program.
-However, musicians fiddling about with amplifiers and a Gusle, a traditional, one-stringed instrument in Serbo-Croatian folk music, discover a way to combine the two. Using “pickups”, or a transducer that detects vibrations and converts them to an electrical signal, the world’s first “Electric Gusle” is created. Able to make a wide variety of tones and beautifully entertaining sounds, companies leap at the opportunity to introduce the Gusle to musicians around the world, and immediately begin to rebrand it as the Frenchified “Goussle” for Latin-alphabet markets.
-A deal is cut between the Kingdom of Montenegro and the Greater Russian Confederation. With help from the Montenegrin Linguists Association, books and dictionaries of Common Slavonic are given in significant quantities to the Russians in return for a large monetary compensation. In Russia, these books are introduced to colleges and secondary schools, offered as an extremely important class for students to take in regards to forming a “common bond amongst our Slavic brethren”.
-Originally considered one of Russia’s many rivals, the Greater Russian Confederation signs an official free-trade deal with the United States of America. Within this deal, the GRC and USA will give to one another their various mineral resources and food supplies with reduced tariffs, alongside Russian/American companies able to set up shop overseas without any significant influence from their respective governments.
-Amazingly, a delegation is sent from the Holy See’s temporary stay in Madrid to arrive in the Great Synod. Though not the Pope himself, a number of his most trusted advisors arrive in Russia to begin talks in regards to the Great Schism of 1054, that saw the official division between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. No distinct agreement or deal is made, but the fact that the Papacy is willing to re-open discussions on the topic is groundbreaking in and of itself.
-Trade discussions with the Poles begin once again. As Poland itself is wrapped up in a defensive war on multiple fronts against Germany and the European Cooperative, the Russian government takes the steps to begin supplying Poland with its surplus of food, industrial goods and munitions. This is greatly appreciated by the Poles, who are now more willing to cooperate with the Russians than ever, especially when facing down the full brunt of Germany’s eastern brigades.
-The Moscow-Nanjing Association always considers itself “open” to including Poland, as it already has a neutral state (Bulgaria) and a EC member (Romania) under its influence. Poland doesn’t take the bait, however, and sticks to a more “traditional” form of trade agreements, and turns down the offer of being involved in an “international web of intrigue”. The Russian delegation keeps its mouth shut and doesn’t mention the entirety of Poland’s agreement with the ULE.
-A long, winding oil pipeline leading to Konigsberg, originally created during the days of the Soviet Union, is officially shut down as the Russians begin to completely halt trade with the Germans. Stating that “German aggression has time and time again proven to be a negative”, the Russian government begins severing ties with Germany left and right as war begins to engulf Europe.
-With the Common-Slavonic books in hand, the Russian government begins reintroducing the idea of Pan-Slavic unity once again. Using the Common Slavonic dictionary, alongside reinterpreting Roman texts in regards to the early Slavs, Russia prepares to make itself a major centerpiece of the global Slavic community. The Russian government officially declares Russia itself to be the “Protector of All Slavs”, and hopes to implement its title despite a majority of the Slavic world engulfed in warfare already.
-With Duma members coming from all walks of life making their way into the Russian government, Zhukov himself uses one of his limited constitutional powers to introduce the Russian elections to be open across the board. Russia, having gone from monarchy, to socialism, to stalinism, to dictatorship in less than a century, officially “thaws”. The Greater Russian Confederation now considers itself an indirect democracy, where a majority of the upper house is chosen as representatives of the people. However, Zhukov still holds his position, and continues to have a strong say in Russian politics.
-Though democracy has its peaceful side, Russia knows that now is not the time to be picking flowers and watching the doves. The Russian military undergoes full mobilization, and is sent to the western borders. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers are prepared for duty, as well as the Russian navy undergoing a series of intensive drills, the entire Baltic fleet set on high alert. Russian troops sit at the Polish and Baltic borders in a clear state of posturing to ward off any would-be future enemies.
-With their southern neighbor Somkhiti undergoing total rebellion and mayhem, the Russians send a large detachment of their main army to oversee the borders and ensure that the instability does not wash over into Russia itself. Many wonder if the Russians will step in to quell the violence, rather than simply try to keep the door closed on the caucasus. Turkey, however, pressures the Russians to back off, considering Somkhiti’s civil disorder to be “it’s own problem that Russia has no reason interfering in”, and moves its own troops to the border. Now, the Russian army is in a standoff on two fronts, and the world watches with held breath.
-Along the Russo-Finnish border and in the city of St. Petersburg, immense fortifications begin construction. Mimicking the St. George line, these fortifications are meant to force invading armies into chokepoints and act as a general disturbance, rather than the classical fort system from the days of Napoleon and his Grand Armée. Nonetheless, these fortifications will make it difficult for any oncoming attackers to simply swing through the relatively flat lands of Russia.
-Russia’s economy undergoes total mobilization. Consumer goods, a staple of the Russian import/export economy, take a backseat to the creation of tanks, artillery pieces, munition and aircraft. Russia is unwilling to fall behind, or be caught off guard in the face of invasion like they were before. A mobilized Russia is a scary Russia, and this is a key step to giving the bear its signature teeth.
-With aircraft production going at top speed, engineers at Mikoyan unveil the “Sokol II”, or the upgraded form of the Sokol I jet fighter. Slightly larger than previous designs, the Sokol II is very similar to its predecessor. Its differences, however, are the inclusion of long-range radio systems and more hardpoints on the wings, allowing it to act as a pseudo “Multi-Role” fighter aircraft.
-Heat shielding, like that used by the Iberians and Montenegrins, is experimented with. The Russian design is much more crude and simplistic, taking a very Russian approach in terms of “cheap and effective” rather than “complex and expensive”. What Russia lacks, however, is more modernized satellite designs. Nonetheless, Russia may soon be another member in the satellite club, and cannot wait to get themselves ready to walk amongst the stars.
-Originally considered one of Russia’s many rivals, the Greater Russian Confederation signs an official free-trade deal with the United States of America. Within this deal, the GRC and USA will give to one another their various mineral resources and food supplies with reduced tariffs, alongside Russian/American companies able to set up shop overseas without any significant influence from their respective governments.
-To Germany, the United States offers the license to create the newly designed Multi-Barrel Machine Gun Model Navy, or MBMGMN, otherwise known as the “Mumbler”. Though still somewhat experimental, and usable only on the heaviest pieces of equipment such as naval vessels or armored vehicles, the Mumbler is surely a great tool for overcoming the enemy.
-Trade begins once again between the United States and Japan. The ailing island nation, desperate to receive more money from somewhere, gladly takes up the offer to return to “pre-war trade levels”. America’s love for Japanese goods now focuses on the arts and media, as more and more Japanese films begin entering the world market and arriving within the United States.
-At the United Nations, the delegation of the United States unveils the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Within this document, basic tenets of what are to be considered the rights of “Every free man, woman and child throughout the world” are detailed, such as the right to assembly, speech, freedom of religion, freedom from segregation and the pursuit of individual success. The charter is immediately met with resounding applause and agreement, and is voted through almost unanimously by the United Nations’ various delegations.
-Earlier in the year, Thomas E. Dewey is sworn in as President of the United States. Now, for the first time since the Civil War, the United States has a third party candidate, this time under the banner of the New American Progressive Party. During his inauguration speech, Dewey outlines the basics of his platform. “To secure the borders, to secure our safety, and to secure our freedom” are his ending lines, which is replied to with cheers and whoops from the crowd on the grounds outside the capitol building.
-Immediately upon taking office, Dewey begins the treacherous tightrope walk of preparing America’s first “Civil Rights Bill”, which effectively outlaws segregation and discrimination in any establishment based on race, religion, creed or sex, and would instead people of all backgrounds to be treated equally. This is met with immense backlash from the Democrats in Washington, but the Republicans and Socialists gladly support the bill.
-The bill, when introduced to the house, however, does not pass. This comes as there is simply too strong of a presence within the US government of far right individuals, whilst the fracturing of the Republican party into two pieces has disorganized the would-be strong opposition to the Democrats and the occasional Iron League party member. Dewey is forced to make a choice, and must decide whether or not to put it through as an executive order and face backlash, or wait until the next congressional elections to boot it through.
-Within the streets of the United States, rallies for the bill begin across the country. In many northern, non-segregated states, Pro-Civil Rights marches begin to swarm around state capitals, demanding that the state take it upon themselves to begin introducing bills of their own in such manner. More or less copying the bill, the states of New York, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Washington, California and Arizona officially sign mimics of the Civil Rights Bill into law, which manages to enrage the Iron League governors of Louisiana and Arkansas.
-Another stick in the eye of the far-right comes as America’s first Jackson-Class nuclear powered aircraft carrier is set to sea outside the harbor of New York City. At its christening ceremony, Thomas E. Dewey announces that the name of the ship is the USS Abraham Lincoln, in “Honor of the man who united the country and freed our common man”. The Lincoln immediately steams along the coast of the US, making regular stops with impromptu air shows, to tell both the world and America’s citizens that the US navy means business.
-America’s various infantry units are immediately called back to their armorers as the US government begins officially issuing the light model of “kevlar”. Though not exactly bulletproof, this armor is far lighter than any in history, and can slow down or even stop shrapnel from causing significant damage to the human body, and small caliber rounds are slowed down enough to stop them from immediately killing soldiers.
-Always wanting to improve their military’s technology in one way or another, the US Army Corp. of Engineers unveils the M1A2 “Bazooka”. Using a small electrical charge, the M1A2 fires a large rocket with an armor-piercing warhead capable of penetrating light to medium armor, giving it the ability to either completely knock out a tank or significantly damage its crew and components. What makes the Bazooka better than most anti-tank weapons of its class is that it is carried by one man, as opposed to an AT-gun crew or the tripod mounts of some recoilless rifles.
-Thinking that they could take the designs and that no-one would ever know, the United States unveils the Attack Helicopter Model X-45, or AH-X45 for short. A large, single-rotor helicopter not too dissimilar from those designed by the Iberians a few years prior, the AH-X45 is an experimental “attack” design for helicopters. Using two heavy machine guns on the side doors, and a small set of rockets on hardpoints, the AH-X45 acts as a sort of “aerial gunship”. At the current moment, its biggest drawbacks are the fact that it is massive and quite clumsy when attempting to make rapid maneuvers, and could be seriously damaged or even shot down by machine gun or sustained rifle fire. Nonetheless, the AH-X45 is the first step to creating a capable attack helicopter, and the US is the first to get their hands on them.
==Turn 32: July to December 1945==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=50414985&viewfull=1#post50414985
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-Shocking the world, and terrifying anti-fascists within Europe, the governments of the Italian State and the State of Patagonia kneel to the authority of Iberia. Centering themselves in Madrid, the Iberian government declares that this new nation is the Latin Imperium, officially reviving the Roman Empire, and initiating the “period of the Third Rome”.
-The war in Europe continues as the European Cooperative reorganizes itself to fight against the United Liberal Entente. In southern France, a new front is opened as Iberian marines seize the coastline and prepare to move inward, whilst Iberian aircraft conduct an air-raid similar to that of the “Razing of Belgrade” not too long ago, completely totaling the city of Edinburgh, killing tens of thousands.
-However, the European Cooperative gets the upper hand on the United Liberal Entente in the Balkans, as the Hungarian resolve quickly begins to collapse due to the uprising of communist rebels, the forces of Hungary folding inwards, unable to keep up with the onslaught of Czechoslovak, Romanian and German forces.
-Seeing that Germany has ignored the Russian proposition of exiting Poland, the Duma votes unanimously to declare war on Germany and the European Cooperative as a whole, immediately moving the mobilized troops of Russia westwards. In a shocking display of treachery, it is revealed that the French have refused to enter the war against Russia, and will keep its troops focused on the United Liberal Entente.
-Despite threats from the Russian government, the Turks refuse to back down as Russian forces move into Somkhiti in order to “preserve regional peace” and “prevent further war crimes”. Thus, what is considered to be the 10th Russo-Turkish war begins, but this time, the Turks are seriously outgunned and outnumbered.
-The Balkan front enters a new chapter as the civil war in Croatia/Serbia continues to grow, and the Serbians grow ever closer to seizing the capital city of Zagreb. Despite this, both sides continue fighting, and reprisals from all sides are seen, with thousands being slaughtered in one of the most vicious civil wars in history.
-Simply dubbed as the “American Alliance”, the United States, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia conduct one of the most complex military campaigns ever, known as “Operation Champion”. Officially entering the war, the Alliance swings south and begins the invasion of Patagonia, hoping to dislodge the empire from South America.
-Seeing that the fall of their home country is a direct result of Iberian influence in Europe, the New Commonwealth is formed. Canada, Australia and New Zealand enter the war against Iberia, and hope to bring the idea of democracy and freedom back to Europe, and believe that such an act will thaw the “freezing grip of autocracy” in England.
-Seizing their chance, the Middle Eastern Coalition strikes against the United Liberal Entente, hoping to not only free their oppressed brethren, but show the world that there can indeed be a center of power in Arabia. Despite their willingness to fight, the only nation that proves to be effective in the war is the United Arab Republic, which is quickly beginning to fight on multiple fights against the United Liberal Entente.
-During their occupation, Colombian soldiers and observers come across a massive camp in Juan José Castelli. Simply titled “Camp Siete”, nearly a thousand dead are found starved and beaten, their corpses dumped into mass, unmarked graves. Only a handful of survivors are found, most of them being small children huddled in corners of squalid huts that clearly acted as housing units. Upon seizing the camp’s documents, it is believed that these dead are “political miscreants” and “racially inferior peoples”. It is unknown if these camps were set up by the Iberians, but it is clear that the name of the location makes it clear that there are more, possibly bigger camps in Patagonia or other Latin controlled areas.
-A series of new nations are born from the fires of civil war in the former Italian possessions in the Balkans. Dalmatia, Metochia, Istria, Albania and a slightly enlarged Slovenia are the results of these uprisings, and the power dynamic of the Balkans prepares to change yet again, with all sides holding their breath for the results of the civil war in former Yugoslavia. Meanwhile, the Italian possessions in the Aegean Islands, the Dodecanese League is formed.
-A coup takes place in Gujarat as a large number of right-leaning military leaders seize power from the socialist government. With the help of the general populace, the government’s officials are ousted and forced to return home. Despite this, Gujarat remains within the Non-Aligned Movement, and refuses to interfere in foreign affairs. Gandhi himself moves to nearby Afghanistan, where he is given temporary room and board, and begins preaching the ideas of cultural unity within the ethnically divided nation.
-Staphylococcus asiaticus begins to burn itself out. With the hard work of the International Health Organization, and the fact that many who are infected with the disease have been killed by it, the disease begins to lose momentum faster and faster. Within the next few years, the disease may be a minor threat in the region, rather than the embodiment of death itself.
-Quick overview of the fronts of the Fourth Great War:
--European Front: In western Europe, along the Pyrenees, the French managed to drive the Iberians back over the mountains. However, the French were quickly overcome by the arrival of Iberian marines to their south after the island of Corsica was seized by forces of the Latin Imperium. The horrors of the destruction of Edinburgh were relatively unmatched by anything previous in history, the Iberian bombings equal to that of their raids in Belgrade years before.
--Eastern Front: The Russians entered the war on the behalf of Poland, and essentially the United Liberal Entente. After bowling over the meager defenses of the three Baltic states, the Russians soon hit a wall as the Germans dug in deep and prepared for a war of attrition against the Russians. In the Caucasus, Russia was forced to open up another front as their “protective” actions in Somkhiti triggered the wrath of Turkey, who immediately moved in on the behalf of their supposed Caucasian ally.
--North African Front: North Africa was quickly engulfed in the flames of war as Iberian and Italian troops found themselves under attack from forces of the Middle Eastern Coalition. Despite being caught off-guard, the ULE was quick to move against the Arab attackers, and forced many of them back onto their home soil. Because of this, however, the ULE found itself spread somewhat thin in North Africa, and the front escalated from minor annoyance to possible threat as the Free Libyan Army begins wreaking havoc behind the lines of the ULE.
--Middle Eastern Front: The United Arab Republic, unlike its allies, was largely able to fend off the ULE and begin making advances into northern Arabia and Mesopotamia. Their goal was fairly clear: remove the ULE from what used to be Iraq, as well as booting out the puppeted Saudi regime, possibly taking the entirety of the Arabian peninsula for themselves.
--Atlantic Front: In the Atlantic, the Latin Imperium’s blockade continues to work its wonders, completely obliterating an attempt from the Canadians to push through and reach Scotland. Though shipping continues to be raided in huge quantities, the “forces of the free world” desperately tried to run the blockade and reach their allies overseas, and the Latin navy had to keep its cool before it became stretched too thin.
--American Front: In south America, a new front was opened against the Latin Imperium as Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and the United States began a full-scale invasion of Patagonia, hoping to upend the fascist influence in South America, as well as preparing to bring the fight over to Europe.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Czechoslovakia
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Latin Imperium
Head Nation: Latin Imperium
-Members:
--Hungary
--Latin Imperium
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Greece
--Pahlavi Empire
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Moscow-Nanjing Association (MNA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Russia
--Romania
--Bulgaria
--Korea
--Afghanistan
--Cambodia
--Orissa
--Uttar
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
European Cooperative Economy (ECE):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Estonia
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
--Luxembourg
--Czechoslovakia
--Slovenia
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Egypt
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: Economic Association
New Commonwealth (NC):
Headquarters: Ontario, Canada
Head Nation: Canada
-Members:
--Canada
--Australia
--New Zealand
Type: International Association
Player Events:
-Despite their membership in the Moscow-Nanjing Association, with one of the members now at war with the European Cooperative and the government of Somkhiti, the Shahdom of Afghanistan declares total neutrality, as their membership in the Moscow-Nanjing Association is entirely economic, and thus has little bearing on Afghanistan’s external affairs.
-Deals continue between the Shahdom of Afghanistan and the ever-crumbling Rajastan. Despite being able to hold their own against the spread of disease, Rajastan’s economy is shattered, and the political stability of the country is more or less nil at this point. Afghan soldiers cross over the border after invitation from Rajastan, and are used to quell civil disobedience by their presence alone. The government of Rajastan slowly becomes permanently attached to that of Afghanistan, and many political leaders flee the country in order to save their own skin.
-The many triage centers under the control of Afghan doctors begin handing out large numbers of antibiotics to combat just about any bacterial disease, regardless of its severity. However, those prescribed the medication are required to continue their regimens even if their symptoms cease in order to stop the possibility of a mutating “superbacterium”. With the education systems in place, and a little bit of fear tactics, patients heed the warning and take their medicine.
-Welfare remains a hotly debated topic within Afghan parliament as the middle class begins to expand rapidly with a stable economy, leaving thousands of poor in the dust. Programs to provide the poor with housing and food continue, and begin to attract the many poor poppy farmers and goat-herding nomads in the far out reaches of the country to come to the larger cities.
-Public works programs continue throughout Afghanistan. Now, however, the government focuses on the creation of offroads and large, industrial railways that lead into the craggy mountainsides towards the mineral-rich southeast, where mining companies and prospectors come across vast deposits of gems, iron and uranium.
-A gigantic mining industry begins to boom in southeastern Afghanistan, as Afghan companies get to the rich mineral deposits in the eastern, mountainous regions of the country. Massive veins of chromium, copper, zinc, graphite, fluorite and gemstones are discovered by industrial workers, and the Afghan government leaps at the opportunity to begin exploiting these resources to their fullest extent.
-These massive mines, subsidized by the Afghan government, collect thousands of workers down on their luck from the cities, who begin giving it their all to get a cut of the absolutely massive amount of resources hiding just beneath the surface of Afghanistan. The many dangers of mining become apparent, as dozens are either injured or killed in mining accidents monthly, but the riches quickly appear to outweigh the issues as Afghanistan can now become an export-based economy.
-Due to a coup in nearby Gujarat, the Indian nationalist and unifier known as Mahatma Gandhi arrives at the embassy in Kabul. Given room and board within Afghanistan, Gandhi and his followers begin spreading their various works on Indian nationalism, which quickly begins to rub off on the many Afghan ethnicities. Surprisingly enough, the idea of a “common Indian identity”, though a relatively recent thought by historical standards, is rewritten by the Afghan government to apply to the Tajiks, Uzbeks, Balochs, Pashtuns and Turkmens living within Afghanistan.
-A new way to store and dispose of needles and used medical equipment is created within Afghanistan. Simply using a marked wooden box with a thick burlap bag within, doctors are able to deposit used equipment safely, without exposing patients or other doctors to infected materials, or worse, accidentally using them in treating patients. In order to “purify” the equipment before it is officially destroyed, doctors simply douse the bag’s contents with pure alcohol and heat the bag in a large oven to kill off any bacteria.
-Using stronger strains of wheat, corn and potatoes, many of them originally grown within the United States of America, Afghan farmers begin planting much more powerful and plentiful foods for the Afghan population, slowly weaning Afghanistan off of the teat of other nations in order to keep themselves fed.
-A new age has begun for Afghanistan as the centralized and stable government begins to reap the benefits of economic cooperation and the massed resources right beneath its feet. Within less than a decade, many predict that Afghanistan will come to play a key role in Eurasian economic and political deals.
-With a few nudges from the Chinese government, the Development Corp. for the Subcontinent heads into northern India to begin work on creating a more stable economy for the recently coup’d nation of Madhya. With the support coming from China, the Madhyan government takes the step to align itself with the ever-present empire, and joins the Moscow-Nanjing Association out of sheer necessity, otherwise Madhya would find itself completely cut off from any strong economic partners.
-With the war reaching a new height, the Greater Russian Confederation opens itself to becoming more and more dependent on the Republic of China’s vast quantities of industrial centers and food stores in order to keep Russia’s economy somewhat intact, while also giving China a bigger opportunity to make money as Europe becomes locked-down.
-Aid and supplies continues to be delivered to northern India as China fosters warm relations amongst the popular assemblies in the various MNA members in India. Disregarding disease, Chinese economists begin the arduous process of linking together infrastructure, as the highway system of northern India becomes more than just a dream, and will soon become a reality.
-At home, China continues its massive infrastructure programs, focusing on bringing the outer provinces up to the same standard as their inland compatriots. Cities like Nanjing, Changsha and Hong Kong are shining examples of what these outer provincial cities should become, and Harbin quickly rises to the top as China’s northernmost industrial center.
-Construction reaches its third and final phase in the rebuilding of ‘New’ Shanghai and Guangzhou. Tall buildings, much like those in New York City and Chicago in the United States, are constructed during the rebuilding process. These will act as office buildings and administrative centers for businesses arriving from around the world. China, having reclaimed her lost territories, prepares to build “up” rather than “out”, and Guangzhou/Shanghai are examples of such philosophy.
-With threats from the outside ever present, and the world seeming to go to hell in a handbasket, the Chinese government takes the step to create the "内政部 (Nèizhèng bù)", or the Ministry of the Interior. Here, important decisions in regards to national security can be made without choking up parliament and its various offices.
-The "国家警察机构 (Guójiā jǐngchá jīgòu)", or National Police Agency, alongside the "国家警察服务 (Guójiā jǐngchá fúwù)" or National Police Service, are formed as a subset of the Ministry of the Interior. The former acts as a committee that oversees actions carried out by local police forces and is used to root out corruption when needed, as well as implement new standards for police. The latter acts much like the American FBI, which has jurisdiction in any region of China, and is used in only the most severe cases, such as serial murderers or economic scandals.
-The "营建署 (Yíngjiàn shǔ)", "全国社火 (Quánguó shè huǒ)", "国家土地测绘委员会 (Guójiā tǔdì cèhuì wěiyuánhuì)" [‘Construction and Planning Agency’, 'National Fire Agency', 'National Land Surveying and Mapping Committee'] are formed within the Ministry of the Interior, acting as ad-hoc government agencies. This is an important step in decentralizing the Chinese government, despite the country priding itself on its existing centralization. These new agencies allow the upper houses of parliament to make more important decisions without being swamped with relatively minor requests.
-Finally, the "移民署 (Yímín shǔ)", or National Immigration Agency is formed within the Ministry of the Interior. Tasked with processing would-be migrants, creating an easier migration system, and the creation of visas, the NIA immediately gets to work in the southeast of the country as refugees threaten to spill over the border.
-With help from the Center for Disease Control, the National Immigration Agency begins creating small centers to begin processing incoming migrants, checking them for disease or any other health complications. Basic literacy tests are given to the refugees, and those that fail are turned away. However, the languages are not only Mandarin, Cantonese or Burmese, but a variety of European languages that are spoken regularly in the major cities from foreign businesses.
-These new migrants that are willing to work and make themselves useful in Chinese society are invited in, and given a permanent visa, officially making them citizens of the Republic of China. The once closed-in empire is now the most open-bordered country in the world, its economic tentacles spreading ever farther over Eurasia, ready to grab the world’s economy by the neck.
-At the University of Nanjing, electronic engineers begin working on an experimental “hard disc drive”. Using magnetic strips laid out in a circular fashion, Chinese researchers are able to store a whopping 3 megabytes on a single plate-sized drive, cutting the size of computers down significantly, and increasing the amount of storage they can use. Known as “Nanjing-1”, these discs are immediately put to use in recording a variety of important information for the Chinese government, and are quickly patented for the Chinese government to make a profit off of foreign markets.
-A blinding flash rips through the relatively calm evening skies of Inner Mongolia as the Chinese government unveils its newly created hydrogen bomb. Known as the "锤子 (Chuízi)", or Hammer, this new bomb has the ability to completely level an entire city and its suburbs, and is equal in size to that of the Russian hydrogen bombs. China continues to make its statement that it is not easily beaten, and makes it clear that they have the same toys as everybody else does, now in spades.
-In Bogota, president Pumarejo addresses the nation, and the globe as a whole. In a display that shocks many centrists and neutrals within Colombia, Pumarejo publicly denounces fascism and falangism throughout the world. “It is a stain, no, a curse that is put on humanity that must be cleansed from the world. When man conquers man in the idea of some political ideology, and disposes of his brothers simply for their difference from him...it is unacceptable.” The speech is met with uproarious applause, and touted in the halls of Venezuelan and Brazilian parliaments as well, as the latter two nations begin to mobilize.
-Known as “Operation Champion”, the navies of the United States, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia skirt along the coast of South America, and begin bombarding the ports of the now Iberian-controlled Patagonia. The goal of Operation Champion is obvious: completely push out Iberian and Fascist influence out of south America for good. Colombian aircraft are brought along on the American carrier Lincoln, and begin leading out strikes on Iberian infrastructure. Though not exactly precise, these bombing raids help soften the fragile roadways in the northern regions of Patagonia, allowing the Brazilians to begin moving in.
-In another major public meeting, Pumarejo declares that all occupied territories in Patagonia will be “treated with the utmost respect, and will undergo transition into a functioning democratic society, lead by the people, for the people. We are not entering the war to reclaim territory, nor to create some false sense of imperialism, but to instead break the chains of imperialism, and free South America from the threat of fascism”.
-The Colombian air campaign continues over the north of the country, engaging Iberian and Patagonian aircraft as their bombing raids continue to wreak havoc on the ill-prepared defenders in the north of the country. Despite the effectiveness of the Iberians in Europe, their south American contemporaries are in no way as vicious nor as ready for war. Regardless, as the Colombian bombers continue to clear a path for the advancing Brazilian divisions, it is not uncommon for a small detachment of bombers to be either heavily damaged or take immense losses.
-On the ground, Colombian M26 “Blackjack” tanks make quick work of the hilariously outdated Patagonian tanks. Despite the union between Iberia, Italy and Patagonia, much of Iberia’s industrial capacity is put to use in Europe, so the Patagonians are left with hand-me-down tanks that are obliterated by the heavy M26. The M26 shows its true colors once the tanks spill out onto the Patagonian plain, making mincemeat of the retreating Patagonian defenders.
-In occupied areas of Patagonia, Colombian doctors and teachers begin doing their best to make things better for everyone involved. Massive field hospitals that treat ULE, Allied and civilians alike are common within occupied territories, and people are treated with care that is rivaled by some of the best institutions in Europe. Teachers, aided by the presence of Brazilian soldiers, begin instructing children on the dangers of fascism and what it has done to the world. Though considered somewhat drastic, this step is required in order to prevent another rise of far-right extremists in south America.
-During their occupation, Colombian soldiers and observers come across a massive camp in Juan José Castelli. Simply titled “Camp Siete”, nearly a thousand dead are found starved and beaten, their corpses dumped into mass, unmarked graves. Only a handful of survivors are found, most of them being small children huddled in corners of squalid huts that clearly acted as housing units. Upon seizing the camp’s documents, it is believed that these dead are “political miscreants” and “racially inferior peoples”. It is unknown if these camps were set up by the Iberians, but it is clear that the name of the location makes it clear that there are more, possibly bigger camps in Patagonia or other Latin controlled areas.
-With this information in mind, the Colombians begin a massive propaganda campaign in order to garner support against the United Liberal Entente and the horrendous effects of Iberian influence in South America. One of the greatest posters that grips the hearts and minds of the Colombian people is an unedited photo of one of the survivors of Camp Siete, the child’s glassy eyes staring directly through the camera, with the words “¿Y usted?” (And you?). The recruitment centers of Colombia nearly explode with the amount of able bodied men signing up for the fight.
-Tourism and travel, Colombia’s big money maker, is officially restricted “until peaceful conditions are reached”. Thousands of foreigners now find themselves trapped in the various resorts of Colombia, grumbling, wishing to return home. A handful of furious Englishmen demand that they be allowed to return home. The consulate simply states “The submarines are waiting.” The upset individuals quickly return to their luxury hotels to wait out the war.
-Mimicking the existing jet fighter design from the United States, the Colombian air force begins experimenting with a “submarine hunting” aircraft. Known as the “Águila marina”, or Sea Eagle, the newly designed C-1945 is a high speed jet fighter outfitted with a cluster of air-to-sea torpedoes or depth charges. If a submarine is spotted, the C-1945 can carry out an aerial attack on the submarine’s location, either driving the vessel to the surface, forcing it away, or better yet, sinking it.
-Named after José Custodio Cayetano García Rovira, the Colombian navy begins building its own aircraft carrier, in the “Garcia” class. The Rovira, which quickly becomes its name in the newspapers, is set to be somewhat smaller than its European and American counterparts, but is more than compatible with the various aircraft it is set to haul about the ocean. It is unknown if its construction will be finished before the end of the war.
-Seeing that Germany has ignored the Russian proposition of exiting Poland, the Duma votes unanimously to declare war on Germany and the European Cooperative as a whole, immediately moving the mobilized troops of Russia westwards. In a shocking display of treachery, it is revealed that the French have refused to enter the war against Russia, and will keep its troops focused on the United Liberal Entente.
-Despite this, the German troops present in Poland begin digging in, and digging in deep. Large trench fortifications are constructed, and the German occupiers prepare for a drawn out slugfest against the overzealous Poles and the oncoming Russians. However, much to the chagrin of the Germans, and Russians to some extent, both sides begin to dig in around major cities, refusing to give ground as well as refusing to risk the dangers of going “over the top”.
-With the help of special operations units, the German military begins to booby trap the front line by setting up large minefields and triggering gaslines in villages to detonate at the first sight of Russian advance. Aircraft and artillery begin striking major cities such as Krakow and Warsaw, focusing on the outright razing of these near-ancient cities. This comes in response to the Russian use of napalm and thermobaric weapons against German troops, the field being “leveled”, in some cases quite literally.
-To the south, German aircraft rule the skies in the heavily destabilized Balkans. With token airstrikes and basic close-air-support, the Slovene army is able to push out the Croatians, as well as utilizing the mobilized militias in Slovenia’s newly acquired territory. In Hungary, German paratroopers land far behind enemy lines, hoping to begin wreaking havoc in the Carpathians. To their surprise, they land directly in the center of communist territory, the communists hailing the Germans as “protectors of the people’s ideology”. And then immediately demanding that the Germans “leave Hungary to its own devices”.
-In northern Italy, the Germans begin trickling down over the border, eventually spilling into Venezia as the Iberian defenders pull south and reorganize, much of this coming from the devastating raids in the Po valley. However, many of the battered troops are the Italians under command of Iberian officers. The Iberian regulars hold the line with vicious results, causing the Germans to reorganize their Italian plans themselves.
-In the small areas of occupied territory, the Germans set up temporary local administration for the “National Republic of Italy”, a pseudo-state with far-left leanings. However, lacking a central command, the NRI is mostly a subset of German occupying authority, and oversees police duties and medical treatment of civilians.
-In France, the Germans begin the rapid construction of a temporary airstrip in Bordeaux. Smaller than a regular strip, this does not deter the Germans from conducting punishing air and nighttime raids on major cities in Catalonia and central Iberia. Many of these raids hit industrial areas, but prove to be extremely dangerous for German pilots as the Iberian air force and anti-aircraft cover is more than brutal enough to deter repeating attacks on the same area.
-Despite the French betrayal in regards to Russia, the German government sees the importance of providing the French with assistance in fighting Iberia along the Pyrenees. Temporary free leases of German armored vehicles and aircraft are given to the French, alongside the required officers to train the new users.
-In southern Germany, Iberian ‘Matador’ missiles begin raining on major cities like Vienna, Munich, Salzburg and Innsbruck. These rockets, though non-nuclear, are filled with high explosive and incendiary chemicals. These rockets land in the center of highly populated cities, killing hundreds on the initial impact, thousands in the fires, and displacing thousands more. The Iberians are clearly in the mood to wreak havoc on the general populace of Germany.
-Germany undergoes true, full scale mobilization. Women are given the same positions as men in factories, children are given menial labor jobs such as being farm hands or movers of goods on factory floors. The disabled, depending on their affliction, are given the ability to begin working in factories. Crippled individuals confined to wheelchairs or crutches are assigned to monitoring the movement of trains and troop carriers. The entire populace of Germany is put to use, in any way possible.
-A huge propaganda campaign sweeps through Germany. Leaflets, speeches and radio broadcasts on how the German people can reduce waste and get the most out of the little things are a common sight in Germany. A film to be presented before any regular entertainment showing, titled “Die Menschen”, or The People, depicts a small German family living through the chaos of bombings and destruction, but come together and work as a single unit to not only improve their own lives but that of others. Die Menschen is considered to be “one of the greatest propaganda films in history”.
-Craftsmen are ordered to begin giving small classes to the general public. Blacksmiths, tailors, cobblers and bakers give small instructional seminars on how the general public can care for themselves and produce/repair their own goods at home in the event of nationwide rationing of important materials, which has already begun in some regards.
-Germany undergoes the beginnings of food rationing, fearing that the war may be drawn out, and the blockade in the Atlantic could soon choke out the German war machine. The rationing for the general public is minute, but meats and dairy are prioritized for the army, and thus the prices of such goods skyrocket. The German populace is annoyed, but have no real reason to complain, knowing that the war is of the utmost importance.
-Disaster strikes as Joseph Goebbels, while on tour in Strasbourg, is struck in the stomach by a sniper. His wounds are survivable, and he is expected to return to office by the next year. The sniper is quickly found and cornered in a small church, where he goes down in a blaze of gunfire. It is believed that the sniper is a French nationalist, finding that Goebbels’ visit to Alsace-Lorraine was the perfect opportunity. In the meantime, Reichskanzler Wilhelm Pieck, an avowed socialist, takes control of Germany in the absence of Goebbels, and the German public is thrown into a rage rather than being disturbed or frightened, seeing the attack on Goebbels as an attack “on every German”.
-Massive construction of air-raid shelters, communal bunkers and anti-aircraft emplacements begin throughout Germany. This is made in order to protect the common man from the scathing effects of airstrikes and even the possibility of a nuclear attack. These bunkers are well constructed, and take only a short while to produce, but have little to no amenities in the event of prolonged stay underground.
-Blackouts begin across Germany for two reasons. The first is obvious, to protect the general populace from oncoming Iberian night raids, while the other is used for saving electricity for the important industrial aspects of the German war machine. Luckily, thanks to the presence of nuclear power plants, electric rationing is the least of Germany’s industrial worries.
-Using a mimicked design of the Americans, the Germans begin tests on the Fock-Wulf Hubschraber 45, or FW-H45 for short. This dual-rotor helicopter, though somewhat sluggish and not exactly impervious to ground fire, can carry a small package of rockets as well as mount twin-MG42 setups on the side doors, essentially creating a “gunship” of sorts that could wreak all sorts of hell on ground troops.
-Known simply as the “Moskito”, the German air force begins the construction of a wood-based bomber. Though it cannot carry anywhere as much as the multirole jets already present in the Luftwaffe, the Moskito can carry a single 1800kg bomb, nicknamed a “Strassebrecher” (Street Breaker). Construction begins, and the initial tests show that the Moskito can slip through nighttime defenses quite easily, though it lacks any sort of worthwhile defenses.
-Shocking the world, and terrifying anti-fascists within Europe, the governments of the Italian State and the State of Patagonia kneel to the authority of Iberia. Centering themselves in Madrid, the Iberian government declares that this new nation is the Latin Imperium, officially reviving the Roman empire, and initiating the “period of the Third Rome”. Alfonso, despite his rapidly failing health, is given the title Imperator Augustus, whilst Franco is given the title of Caesar. The Falangist party takes on a new image as it dawns a new phrase: “In Hoc Signo Vinces”. “In this sign, you will conquer”.
-In northern Italy, the Germans begin trickling down over the border, eventually spilling into Venezia as the Iberian defenders pull south and reorganize, much of this coming from the devastating raids in the Po valley. However, many of the battered troops are the Italians under command of Iberian officers. The Iberian regulars hold the line with vicious results, causing the Germans to reorganize their Italian plans themselves.
-In southern Germany, Iberian ‘Matador’ missiles begin raining on major cities like Vienna, Munich, Salzburg and Innsbruck. These rockets, though non-nuclear, are filled with high explosive and incendiary chemicals. These rockets land in the center of highly populated cities, killing hundreds on the initial impact, thousands in the fires, and displacing thousands more. The Iberians are clearly in the mood to wreak havoc on the general populace of Germany.
-The fighting in Italy becomes more and more dangerous for the Iberian troops that seem to be pinched in the north. To counteract this, the Mediterranean fleet makes a spearhead along the coast of southern France, and Iberian marine brigades spill onto the beaches of the south, entering another front for France. In the meantime, the island of Corsica is taken with little resistance, as the French pull back as many assets as they can to the homeland.
-Iberian aircraft begin striking French military installations. Surprisingly enough, these attacks only hit major industrial areas and areas of importance to the French military, with minimum civilian casualties being seen in these attacks. However, a small raid takes place in Marseilles, with Iberian planes setting the city ablaze with incendiaries, panicking much of the population and forcing them to flee.
-Supplies are shuffled over via airdrop into Hungary, as the Iberians desperately attempt to support their Carpathian ally, knowing that if Hungary falls, Poland will find itself isolated and the Balkans will become an extremely easy target for the European Coalition, making the possibility of an Adriatic front a legitimate threat as opposed a background fear of the Iberian military high command.
-In Africa and the Middle East, the Iberians are taken somewhat off-guard by the declaration of war from the Middle Eastern Coalition. Iberian assets in Algeria are seized, and the tiny militaries of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Sudan are mobilized to begin fighting the Iberians. Most of those nations find themselves hilariously outnumbered and overwhelmed, though it begins to stretch Iberian forces in Africa thin. In Arabia, the United Arab Republic proves to be a much more imposing foe, breaching into Bourbon and Saudi Arabia. The UAR is staved off somewhat by the oncoming Pahlavi forces and defensive brigades launched out of Somalia, but the threat of cutting off the empire’s oil supply is too obvious.
-In Libya, a revolt breaks amongst the Arab population. Known as the “Free Libyan Army”, the rebels are a rag-tag, disorganized militia bent on removing the influence of the empire from Libya, as well as creating a free and democratic state. Their dreams are crushed quickly, however, as the Iberian and Italian forces take their gloves off and outright massacre the rebels, as well as torching their villages and taking thousands captive.
-In eastern Africa, small portions of the Atlantic navy are sent to begin raids against German possessions in order to protect Somalia and the important grain reserves of central Africa. Small naval landings are conducted around Madagascar and in the southern Maldives, which proves to be somewhat successful for the Iberians. These small overseas acquisitions will be difficult to keep a handle on, however, as the war in Europe, and now America, begins to heat up.
-In the north Atlantic, the Latin navy (with assets from Italy and Patagonia) begins to create an “oceanic wall”, essentially cutting off the Americas from Europe. Thousands upon thousands of tonnes of shipping are sunk by the ever-present Iberian submarines, and a Canadian attempt to run the blockade is utterly destroyed. Other portions of the Iberian navy, including the precious carriers, are sent to the North Sea. In doing so, a massive air raid is conducted on the Scottish city of Edinburgh. Tens of thousands are killed in one of the worst air raids since the razing of Belgrade. Entire portions of the age-old city are demolished, and the Iberian attack is relentless, lasting nearly two days. The carriers scurry back home, unharmed, whilst the city of Edinburgh burns.
-In America, a new front is opened up as the United States and her allies begin “Operation Champion”. This large-scale military action is an attempt to dislodge the empire from America entirely, as well as possibly bring the fight to Europe. Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and the United States bear down on the ill-prepared military of Patagonia. Despite the presence of Iberian officers, the Patagonians are folded up along the border, forcing them to rapidly reorganize.
-Repetitive bombing raids and coastal attacks along Patagonia's relatively exposed eastern seaboard begin to isolate the province from the empire’s mainland. Nonetheless, the imperial war machine keeps turning, and the whole world begins to cower as it is engulfed in the roar of fire and death.
-Essentially taking designs from the Russians, the Iberian air-force begins conducting tests on using the matador rocket on the underside of jet bombers. Instead of a large, unwieldy payload of unguided bombs, some bombers can be outfitted with the Matador, allowing these aircraft to conduct immense, long-range attacks on targets that the ground-based erector systems would be unable to hit. However, these matadors are nowhere near as accurate, and the bomber essentially becomes worthless as its one-shot payload is expended.
-In order to cut down on the sheer size of squads, as well as create a more mobile way of fighting, Iberian arms manufacturers design the Pilum grenade-launching system. Mounted beneath the front handguard of Iberian assault rifles, this 35mm tube can fire a high-explosive grenade nearly 10 meters away, farther than the average throw. The Pilum also allows the user to immediately return to fighting with his rifle, rather than having to fiddle with taking a grenade off his belt and tossing it.
-Despite the world seeming to collapse all around them, Montenegro continues to stand as a beacon of solidarity and centrism in a region torn apart by civil strife and all-out war. To the south, the recently independent Metochia pleads for assistance from Montenegro, their new pseudo republic very close to the edge of certain destruction. Debates go about in the Montenegrin parliament on how to exactly assist the Metochians, as their small neighbor is a ragtag group of nationalists as opposed to a functioning republic.
-Bulgaria, having just undergone its revolution, begins to open its doors to the world once again. Already friendly with Montenegro, the Bulgarian government feels that it is best to continue keeping diplomatic relations warm. Though larger and more populated than Montenegro, Bulgaria is leagues behind in the realm of public transportation, and requests that the Montenegrins give some of the designs of Montenegro’s “integrated” public transport system, and the rights to produce “such luxurious metro trains and stations”. If given these tools, Bulgaria could easily begin to cut down on the foot and car traffic in its major cities, and allow people to get to work faster and easier.
-In the far east, the fruits of Montenegro's labor were continuing. In Bombay, Ardeshir Irani's "Pujari", despite complications from both the S. asiaticus crisis and the division of the subcontinent, was completed. In Hong Kong, the new school (xinpai) wuxia genre is beginning to grow in popularity. Meanwhile, in Japan, many artists are looking for jobs to begin showing off their work.
-The army of Montenegro is officially mobilized for the first time since the nation’s inception. This comes as a huge number of refugees begin to gather at the borders, fleeing the chaos and destruction from throughout Italy and the Balkans. Many of the militia units stay at home, as the government calls instead on the regulars to present themselves as an organized and disciplined fighting force, as opposed to the disorganized armies of ill-repute that seem to run the show in the surrounding countries.
-A refugee system is put into place. After intense scrutiny from border patrols, refugees are moved to small camps outside of major cities within Montenegro. Here, they are processed and given a variety of choices on how they should continue their future. They can choose to simply stay in Montenegro until the war is over, be moved to a safe neighboring country such as Istria, Dalmatia or Peonia, or be moved down to Bulgaria, where they will be spirited far away from the conflict in Europe.
-New standards are introduced to the metro systems of Montenegro. These additions include trained ticket vendors and a more precise system of ticket purchasing using timetables and weekly deals on rides. Alongside ticket reform, all trains are slowly outfitted with climate control systems that keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This comes as Montenegro prepares to begin integrating the metro system into the rest of Montenegro’s public transport, having both above and below ground trains that work in tandem with busses and other forms of transport around the country.
-After introducing these new reforms to the metro system, the Montenegrin government turns its sights on the soon to be short-lived taxi guilds. The companies are forcefully liquidated by the government, and a new rulebook is created for taxi drivers across the country. Taxi companies must register themselves to the government in order to work for the public without being given significant fines if they are found without the proper registration. However, these regulations also give incentives to introduce a higher standard of quality to cars, as well as train new taxi drivers on how to get through cities rather than having them wing it. These reforms ruffle the feathers of those who profited off of the guild, but that pales in comparison to the relief felt by the general public.
-Montenegro’s period of massive industrialization of the country begins to wind down as the government begins handing it over to private companies to pick up where they have left off. Factories from companies like Škoda and Mitsubishi-Ford begin to create thousands of jobs throughout Montenegro. Despite this, Montenegro’s massive hydroelectric projects continue smoothly, and the small Balkan state stands high above its neighbors in regards to industrialization, worker’s rights and sheer economic strength and diversity.
-Arts, sports and sciences, considered to be Montenegro's bread and butter, begin to show significant achievements. In the past year alone, four Montenegrin films are considered major hits in Europe, three of them being “Knightlies”, which were originally considered bottom of the barrel, but now film companies throughout Europe compete in order to make the best of the best. The fourth successful film is the “Al-Yarmouk” epic, which is one of the highest grossing films in history, and is met with 5 stars across the board.
-The Montenegrin Linguists Association continues its various projects, including delving into the ancient language of Sanskrit. With the prevalence of Indo-European dialects in their studies, the MLA presents the first form of the Sanskrit to Serbo-Croatian dictionary, though many words and phrases are still missing. This dictionary is kept in more private circles of academics as it is not entirely complete, but many suspect that within the next year alone, Sanskrit may soon be given the breath of life once again, and may return to its homeland, India.
-Always trying to get a leg up on the competition, the Montenegrin military begins experiments with new forms of explosive weaponry. Two independently tracked vehicles are designed, known as the "Golijat" and "Jazavičar" respectively. The former is a world’s first, a completely independently controlled and piloted “tracked mine” carrying a 100 kilogram charge. The latter is a much larger vehicle, with a whopping 400 kilogram explosive packed beneath its armor. Both are made to be driven towards a target and detonated remotely, destroying either tanks or buildings that happen to be in the way of the Montenegrin military.
-Seeing that Germany has ignored the Russian proposition of exiting Poland, the Duma votes unanimously to declare war on Germany and the European Cooperative as a whole, immediately moving the mobilized troops of Russia westwards. In a shocking display of treachery, it is revealed that the French have refused to enter the war against Russia, and will keep its troops focused on the United Liberal Entente.
-With the war reaching a new height, the Greater Russian Confederation opens itself to becoming more and more dependent on the Republic of China’s vast quantities of industrial centers and food stores in order to keep Russia’s economy somewhat intact, while also giving China a bigger opportunity to make money as Europe becomes locked-down.
-Russian soldiers begin moving westwards, passing over the Polish border in preparation of creating a bulwark defensive line against the oncoming Germans. Despite Latvia and Estonia not being members of the European Cooperative, the Russian military moves across their borders in hostility, knowing that the two tiny Baltic states would provide economic aid to the Germans.
-In the Baltics, the Russians try their best not to damage infrastructure during their occupation. When fighting, the Russians do whatever they must to push enemies off of their defensive ground, but when holding the territory themselves, they institute basic curfews and proceed to dole out medical supplies and food to the general public. This comes as the Russians try to improve their public image in the eyes of the Balts, who regularly paint the Russians as vicious demons.
-When on the march in Poland, Russian soldiers are able to put aside past differences with the Poles, and begin sharing food, cigarettes, gifts and drinks with both the locals and the Polish soldiers. Though the Polish government is extremely put off by the arrival of the Russians, they begrudgingly allow the soldiers to mingle, knowing that the common enemy of the Germans could spell the death of the Polish state forever.
-Fighting the Germans, the Russians are given relaxed rules of engagement, and the keys to the stockpiles of napalm and fuel-air bombs, unleashing a violent and bloody reprisals for the use of biological weapons in the previous war between Germany and the then Soviet Union. These bombs make quick work of exposed infantry, but do little to destroy the armored divisions put to use by the Germans. Russian pilots have issues when using these fire-based weapons as well, as the Germans begin to dig in and occupy major Polish cities, and using these weapons would risk razing Polish territory.
-In Warsaw, Krakow and Bydgoszcz, the Russian army begins to dig in deep and prepare for a major fight with the oncoming Germans. Oddly enough, the Germans themselves are digging in along their occupied holdings, and many believe that a static front may be born within Poland as both sides refuse to give ground, but also refuse to risk throwing away lives unnecessarily.
-German aircraft and artillery begin striking major cities such as Krakow and Warsaw, focusing on the outright razing of these near-ancient cities. This comes in response to the Russian use of napalm and thermobaric weapons against German troops, the field being “leveled”, in some cases quite literally.
-In the Baltic Sea, the small Baltic navy begins to make quick work of the Estonian and Latvian “navies”, as well as obliterating shipping and immediately begin to create a gigantic blockade along the coastlines of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, essentially cutting them off from aid outside of the tiny land border between Lithuania and Germany.
-In the south, Russian soldiers officially step over the border and begin the occupation of the shattered state of Somkhiti. The few Somkhit and Rebel forces that get in the way are utterly crushed, as the rebels are exhausted and ill-prepared for the incoming assault of Russians from the north. However, despite threatening the Turks with thermobaric and nuclear weapons, the Turkish military is quickly mobilized and moved to fight against the oncoming Russians.
-Short engagements begin along the northern border of Turkey, with the Russians quickly taking the upper hand. Despite the home advantage and mountainous territory the Turks have, the Russians simply begin to overwhelm the Turks, and push the Turks back over the border, preparing to spill over into Anatolia and seize major cities.
-At home, the Russian military begins creating special operations schools for various unique positions within the Russian military. Though the Russians have paratroopers, marines, engineers and the like, the Russians lack the ability to surprise their foes when outside of the major frontal assaults. Known as “Cнайперская Школа”, or simply, “Sniper Schools”, the Russian military prepares to introduce a large number of specially trained spies, sharpshooters, forward observers and nighttime operators to the front lines by putting them through rigorous and deadly training exercises.
-Industrialization continues throughout central Asia in the region of Turkestan as Russia attempts to create a stronger economic backing within the region. However, the first factories are not the usual steel mills nor oil reclamation plants, and are isntead large facilities to foster the creation of vaccines and antibiotics to be put to use at home and abroad in the event of continued spread of disease.
-A gigantic recruitment drive is put into place, the Russian government demanding that the men and women of the nation join up and put themselves out on the front against the Germans and the “enemies of democracy in the baltic”. Despite the campaign, the recruitment rates rise only somewhat, as many who wish to be in the military are already there, and the Russian public is relatively unafraid of the war itself. This is a double-edged sword too, as this calm demeanor keeps prices of goods low and the markets somewhat stable.
-At the Great Synod in Russia, the various members of the Orthodox church are prepared to present to the Pope that he would remain FIrst Among Equals, and would have jurisdiction as a Patriarch of Rome. The Pope himself turns down the offer, but only for now. With so many meetings at the Synod, the Holy Father has become increasingly disenfranchised with the rabid zealotry of the Iberians and their catholic allies, and feels the decentralized, locally-powerful style of the Orthodox church to be increasingly attractive and better for the world.
-Known as “Cтранник”, or Strannik (Wanderer), the Russians launch their very first satellite into the stars above. Strannik, like Saputnik and Romulus, is a very simplistic satellite that simply sends out beeping messages to a small ground control center within the Urals. Simplicity aside, Strannik puts Russia up in the ranks of Iberia and Montenegro in regards to space travel and the study of the great unknown.
-With pressure from president Dewey and the hawk-minded members of the senate, congress votes almost unilaterally in favor of war with Iberia and the United Liberal Entente. Immediately, the United States goes into full scale mobilization, and the many recruits itching to get their boots on foreign soil find their wishes granted as America begins the first strikes in “Operation Champion”.
-Skirting along the eastern coast of the US, the navy begins hauling thousands of American soldiers on troopships that are protected by cruisers, destroyers, battleships and carriers. Considered to be almost “submarine proof”, this naval group picks up Colombian, Venezuelan and Brazilian ships, and begins a surprise attack on the eastern coastline of the once independent Patagonia.
-Coastal bombardments begin in the early hours of the operation in hopes of not only eliminating resistance, but distracting the Patagonian defenders from the American marines that land in the far south of the country. Despite the choppy waves and vicious resistance on the beaches, American soldiers begin their march northwards in hopes of upending Iberian influence in South America once and for all.
-Aircraft from Colombia begin to protect American soldiers as desperate Patagonian defenders refuse to give a single inch to the Americans. Despite this, American soldiers push onwards as Operation Champion is in full swing. A squad of American marines, trapped against a lake, but give it their all in fighting platoon after platoon of oncoming Patagonian soldiers, giving their lives in what is to be known as the Battle of Lake Toro.
-American submarines begin organizing themselves into “wolfpacks”, and scour the center of the Atlantic in a daring game of cat-and-mouse with the far better equipped and grizzled veterans of the Iberian navy. Nonetheless, it becomes a battle of wits on the high seas as both sides regularly engage one another in knife-fight close encounters.
-The American military begins to conduct training and creation of dedicated combat engineers and paratrooper divisions. Seeing the use of both, the US finds itself lacking in the field of diverse military tactics, and the United States puts these Airborne troopers to good use in northern Patagonia where the fighting continues to escalate between the Brazilians and Patagonians.
-Far to the east, American peacekeepers in Haryana officially lock the nation’s borders down in an attempt to stop the growing bloodshed from spilling over into neighboring countries. Taking an officially neutral stance, these peacekeepers are left alone by both government and rebel forces, both sides understanding that their presence is for the betterment of Haryana as a whole as opposed to military in nature.
-America’s military influence doesn’t stop in South America. Officially, the State of Ireland is given one and but the one warning to exit Scotland entirely, as the US cites Scotland’s presence as “essentially neutral in the current war”. The Irish, knowing that they sit behind a wall of iron that is the Iberian blockade of the Atlantic, ignore America’s demands, and continue to wreak havoc in Scotland.
-As the United States enters a state of total war, the US government takes the chance to unleash propaganda upon the masses. With a rousing speech from Thomas E. Dewey, the public of the US is whipped up into an anti-fascist frenzy, and much like Colombia, America’s recruitment centers quickly begin to run out of room.
-A system of donations to the war effort, alongside war bonds, are introduced to the American public. People are encouraged to do everything they can to aid the American military, as well as controlling inflation via the purchasing of war bonds. With this, the US military can continue its mobilization, the millions of American factory workers to give it their all to destroy Iberia and its allies.
-A huge referendum is held within the colonial states of the Philippines and Puerto Rico. A simple decision on the ballots to the public: Stay a colony, become independent, or become a state. Knowing the benefits of the third option, Puerto Rico votes nearly 85% in favor of becoming an American state. In the Philippines, the US public is shocked to see the same decision play out. Officially, Puerto Rico and the three new states of Luzon, Mindanao and Visayas are introduced to the United States. Dewey states in a small speech that “The borders of the most free country in the world continue to expand”.
-Thomas E. Dewey, in a shocking display of power, officially signs the divisive Civil Rights Act into law via executive order. Some hardcore democrats and the few remaining members of the Iron League decry the act as an overstep of the president’s powers, but the general public is more than willing to accept it. African Americans view fascism with the same eye as everyone else, and are “More than willing to lay their lives on the line just like any true freedom-loving, patriotic, red-blooded American”, to quote Thomas Dewey. The age of discrimination in America begins its death throes.
-At Texas A&M University, researchers begin to toy with the idea of “lasers”, or “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation”. Though not exactly a “new” idea by any means, as the idea has been kicked around by scientists over the past few decades, but now America may be the first to actually conduct the tests for one. Their initial designs are fairly flimsy, however, and will require more intensive research in order for the first laser to be tested in any way.
-With helicopters quickly becoming an important aspect for the mobility of warfare, special “decks” are designed for aircraft carriers and even cruisers in order to mount a helicopter upon a moving ship. Brutally simple on paper, these decks are actually surprisingly complex, as they must stay relatively stable in choppy waves, and not simply grab onto the landing struts of the helicopter and toss it into the water. Which is exactly what the first experimental design did, luckily with few injuries.
==Turn 33: January to June 1946==
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-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-The Fourth Great War, quickly becoming known as World War II, continues to engulf the entirety of the world. Millions of men lay their lives on the line in the name of whatever freedom they hold dear, be they forced to fight or chosen to be in the field. Nonetheless, few nations are safe from the infectious disease that is war.
-In the Balkans, the Communist "Partizani", specifically the Alexanderist faction led by Mihajlo Apostolski, manage to seize power in Serbia. Territories occupied by Serbia are officially drawn into the newly reformed Yugoslavia. Soldiers that feel a return of communism as a negative either defect to Croatia, or like many, turn to one of the many fighting insurgent groups within this “new” Yugoslavia.
-The Labourgists, a far-left, militant form of communism more in line with that of Stalin’s USSR, take control of Hungary through military coup. Under the leadership of Mátyás Rákosi, the Treaty of Budapest is signed, and Hungary returns to its old borders, declaring neutrality. Thousands of Hungarians flee Romania, fearing possible reprisals from those repressed under the old regime.
-The war in Turkey, already in favor of the Russians, sees the inclusion of the United Liberal Entente as Greece officially declares war on Turkey, hoping to reclaim “historically Greek” territories. Latin aircraft lead airstrikes on Ankara nightly, simply to prove a point.
-The United Arab Republic, despite its ongoing war with the United Liberal Entente, officially annexes the Kingdom of Egypt. The Egyptians, unable to keep their military nor economy in check, fold just like the Jordinians in giving over their territory to the more adept administration of the UAR.
-Staphylococcus asiaticus begins to die out as the ratio of infected:immune reaches 1:1, and the former receive some of the best treatment in the world. Madhya officially ousts its old government and institutes a new one, finally allowing IHO doctors and UN peacekeepers into their territory.
-Despite their work continuing, the Colombian government officially signs over the control of the International Health Organization to Montenegro for the time being, citing that the war in South America “sets a dangerous precedent in regards to the presence of doctors. They should act as a force all their own, not follow armies like vultures, justifying conquest”.
-The health of Alfonso XIII continues to deteriorate. During an important parliamentary meeting involving the transfer of rationed goods to the military, Alfonso collapses when attempting to exit his chair. He is rushed to a hospital, and undergoes intensive treatment. The stability of the Latin crown is in jeapordy, and in order to keep the peace, Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde uses his rank of Caesar to take control of the Latin Imperium. With the King on his deathbed, and his children considered impure cripples by the Barcelona Laws, the days of Bourbon control over Iberia may come to an end.
-Time continues to march on as the bodies pile up around the world. Many fear that the nuclear option may be considered by one of the world powers, or that something even worse may be unleashed on unsuspecting civilians.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Czechoslovakia
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Latin Imperium
Head Nation: Latin Imperium
-Members:
--Latin Imperium
--Poland
--Ireland
--Croatia
--Greece
--Pahlavi Empire
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Moscow-Nanjing Association (MNA):
Headquarters: Nanjing, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Russia
--Romania
--Bulgaria
--Korea
--Afghanistan
--Cambodia
--Orissa
--Uttar
--Madhya
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
European Cooperative Economy (ECE):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Estonia
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
--Luxembourg
--Czechoslovakia
--Slovenia
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: Economic Association
New Commonwealth (NC):
Headquarters: Ontario, Canada
Head Nation: Canada
-Members:
--Canada
--Australia
--New Zealand
Type: International Association
Player Events:
-With the final pleas of the Rajastani government being heard, and the public of the country ready to take matters into their own hands, soldiers of the Kingdom of Afghanistan move across the heavily guarded border and march into the major cities. Though under the appearance of military intervention, the public--and government--of Rajastan rejoice with the arrival of the Afghan soldiers, and the people welcome their new government. Rajastan is no more, and is now a new state of the ever-growing Kingdom of Afghanistan.
-The extensive antibiotics and antiseptic campaign of the previous years are moved towards the newly acquired territories in Rajastan. The rest of Afghanistan has settled quite nicely, and the quality of life has skyrocketed over the past year and a half with the help of competent administration and strong economic policies. Rajastan immediately begins to feed off of this success, and the antibiotics/antiseptics help wipe out the last vestiges of Staphylococcus asiaticus in Rajastan.
-Throughout Afghanistan and her newly acquired territories, the various welfare programs and public construction campaigns continue. Most notably, the lengthening of highways and railways into Rajastan are a major boon for the economic prosperity of the nation. Despite the massed unemployment, mining companies hire workers in the tens of thousands, and put them to work reaping the benefits of cobalt, tungsten, copper, precious metals and more goods that are spirited away beneath the mountains of Afghanistan.
-However, the Afghan government officially forms a worker’s rights wing, and quickly officiates a bill allowing workers of any kind to form unions for their protection. Within this wing, inspectors regularly head out on surprise visits to mining areas to scrutinize the working conditions of miners and equipment operators. Many small companies, and a couple international conglomerates, are struck with significant penalties by the Afghan government, with a dozen individuals being tried for crimes against humanity. Though a shocking development, this seizure of criminals helps sow the seed for proper treatment of workers the world over.
-Elections are held throughout Rajastan in order for the Afghan government to get a sense of the political views of the nation’s new citizens. Previous parties are given the opportunity to participate within the elections, as well as have all previous heads of state participating. The latter, obviously, receive a meager share of the vote, mainly from party loyalists.
-Rajastan’s elections see a majority victory for Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his All-India Muslim League party. Though their focus on rights for muslims within former British India is more or less defunct, the Afghan government welcomes their like minded conservative friends, and celebrations are held in Rajastan, welcoming a year of stability and equality.
-Afghanistan’s military begins opening up large recruitment offices in hopes of fostering a stronger, more dedicated volunteer army. With these offices in place, the Afghan military can focus on training its troops and reorganizing their composition. With that in mind, some generals of the Afghan army themselves undergo training to ensure that they have a strong grasp on infantry tactics in the field.
-Though not exactly a strikingly new idea, Afghan researchers and engineers unveil a small, automobile-sized steam engine for use by the general public. Although the world continues to move to diesel and gasoline-fed engines, the lack of mechanization in the rural areas of Afghanistan will act as a major hindrance in the progress of the country’s economy.
-Nationwide, massive sewer systems undergo construction to begin the reclamation and cleansing of water around the country. Large water treatment plants are constructed near major cities, while pipelines snake their way into the highest mountains of Afghanistan in hopes of giving the average person more ability to keep themselves and their family safe from septic waste.
-Business continues as usual for China as money continues to flow into the hands of the Chinese government from their friends within India and southeast Asia. The Dutch, feeling the strain of colonial burdens, request that the Chinese begin sending economic advisors to Indonesia to oversee “possible future transfers of power”. Immediately, Chinese economists and engineers set to work in Indonesia to begin rolling out budget and infrastructure reforms.
-Infrastructure reform within China itself continues, going headlong into a new age. Massive, twisting highways reach from the flatlands of the Manchurian steppe, descending as far down as the misty jungles of Yunnan and beyond. The gigantic trans-Indian highway program nears completion, officially making the drive from central India to Nanjing a week long trip by car.
-In the city of Nanjing itself, the final infrastructure reforms are put in place. Nanjing is drastically than it was before, with massive skyscrapers, European-styled office buildings, widened streets filled with cars and businessmen, shops from around the globe. Nanjing is considered to be the “Asian New York”, and is clearly worthy of the title.
-Finally rising out of the pain of nuclear hellfire, the city of Guangzhou is officially “reborn”. In a solemn ceremony, Chiang Kai Shek cuts a red ribbon, opening the city to new residents, be they from afar or original citizens of Guangzhou. Despite long period of rebuilding, a shocking number of people flood into the city, ready to start their new lives in the “most modern city in the world”. Shanghai continues construction, however, many individuals unwilling to let the ancient portside city be outdone by Guangzhou.
-The 衛生福利部 (Wèishēng Fúlì Bù) [Ministry of Health and Welfare] is formed within Nanjing. This new section of the government absorbs the Center for Disease Control, as well as having oversight of the nation’s healthcare system, from clinics to full-scale hospitals. Not only does the MHW have authority in the health system, but also controls the various welfare projects and policies within the country, standardizing common income and reducing the impact of massed unemployment on the nation’s economy.
-A huge step in the reformation of China is taken, officially cutting China off from the Qing/Early Republican/Warlord eras. With the former provinces more or less loosely tied to the government, with old tax and governance systems relying on a now defunct set of rules, such as the use of military governors, the Chinese government prepares to overhaul the system by a massive amount.
-This overhaul, modern and European in every sense, sees the creation of 单一的当局, or “Unitary Authority”. Unitary Authorities have elected positions, and oversee the control of local administrative policies. Control over police forces, taxation, business regulations, land grants and everything else are given to educated local officials that are elected to their positions, rather than appointed generals who allowed the system to stagnate and lead to the Warlord period. Soon, China will be able to stand above the world, with more than 550 million people prepared to take up the call to the future.
-Known as 联合部队司令部 (Liánhé bùduì sīlìng bù) [Joint Forces Command], the Chinese military undergoes the centralization and standardization of tactics, organization and structure. Most importantly, Joint Forces Command is set to build up cooperation between all groups, despite many of them being different specializations (marines, mountaineers, etc.), the Chinese military must learn to act as a single element.
-Military colleges throughout China begin courses on the standardization of tactics and ensuring the flexibility of officers. Most importantly, these courses focus on the possibility of officer death, and the “jump to action” that NCOs must take in the event of an officer being brought down/killed. Massed front tactics aren’t the norm in China, and the squad must support the attack more-so than sheer numbers.
-Taking ideas from the Montenegrins and Iberians, the Chinese unveil their own form of “thrust vectoring”, or the small adjustments made by the funnel of a rocket’s engines, allowing it to change its course, quite literally, on the fly. Thrust vectoring is the most important step for long range rocket flight, as its operators can control the rockets with precision.
-Though extremely simple in design and purpose, the Chinese make a massive leap in long-range communications technology by creating something known as a “transponder”. Simple enough, transponders take in data from a long range and transfer it into smaller packages, allowing operators to discuss important information from sometimes hundreds of kilometers away.
-The invasion of Patagonia continues, as Colombian armored troops begin to move alongside Brazilian forces. The Patagonian defenders begin to dig in deep, the element of surprise having been lost over the period of the last few months, and the Brazilian infantry losses aren’t something to be ignored. However, their lack of powerful anti-tank equipment from the Iberian mainland gives the Colombian armor a chance to act as a spearhead through the various entrenched positions.
-Aircraft of the Colombian air force begin to position themselves to conduct airstrikes in the mountains of the west, hoping to dislodge the Patagonian militiamen that are continuing to harass supply lines by sneaking out of the mountains at night time and retreating upwards before daybreak. These strikes also focus on Patagonian staging positions for artillery, turning the mountains into a fiery death trap for all involved.
-Major cities, such as Buenos Aires, come under the scrutiny of Colombian airstrikes. Unlike their European counterparts, the Colombians lack the ability to coordinate or guide their strikes, so the good old fashioned carpet bombings are the norm. The straggling defenders of Patagonia’s air force do their best to defend their capital city, but not without seeing scores of the industrial neighborhoods made inoperable from combined Colombian, American, Brazilian and Venezuelan strikes.
-The east coast of Patagonia is locked down with a massive force of combined naval power. However, supplies to these ships are regularly harassed by the now blockaded ports of Brazil as Iberian submarines begin sneaking across into South America, even conducting strikes in the Caribbean. The blockade itself is protected by a screening force of aircraft and destroyers, but the slowing of supplies to the frontline proves to be more than an annoyance as time goes on.
-At home and abroad, the Colombian government initiates a powerful propaganda campaign. Using images and testimonies from the Patagonian death camps, of which more and more are found, with the simple phrase “Es por esto que luchamos”. “This is why we fight”. Surprisingly enough, Peru and Ecuador take up the call, despite having former friendship with Iberia, and mobilize their token number of troops to begin heading southwards to deal with Patagonian positions.
-With the inclusion of Peru and Ecuador, the American alliance grows ever stronger. American ships can now head out of California and Oregon, swing down to the Peruvian+Ecuadorian coastline, and the supplies can be distributed from there. With the total lockdown of South America beginning, the war turns ever in favor of the Allied forces fighting against the Latin Imperium.
-Humanitarian work continues in Patagonia and India, as Colombian doctors do not let politics or warfare get in their way. In Patagonia, civilians, soldiers and prisoners of war alike are treated in massed hospitals. Vaccines are distributed, and the small villages turned on their heads by the war are given a moment of reprieve with help from Colombia. In India, Staphylococcus asiaticus has officially entered a “burnout” stage, where the number of immune and infected individuals reach a 1:1 ratio, and the latter are given more intensive treatment.
-In Madhya, the civil unrest ends with an ousting of the former parliament, and a more liberal, centrist parliament installed. With this, Colombian doctors and UN peacekeepers are once again allowed to enter the country, which is the last major hotspot for the disease which has killed tens of millions over the past few years.
-Despite their work continuing, the Colombian government officially signs over the control of the International Health Organization to Montenegro for the time being, citing that the war in South America “sets a dangerous precedent in regards to the presence of doctors. They should act as a force all their own, not follow armies like vultures, justifying conquest”.
-Elsewhere, Colombia begins to reach out overseas and try to introduce a stronger friendship between themselves and others. Japan, already willing to work Colombia, opens up its doors completely, and gives small bonds for the Colombian government to purchase. These bonds, held by Japanese businesses, relieve the pain of having a trade deficit overseas during wartime, and thus brings the two nations closer together.
-At home, a massive push is made for the reclamation and conservation of precious materials for the war effort. National scrap drives are introduced, and children are encouraged to take any and all empty cans, broken car pieces, disabled equipment and any other form of metal and bring them to gigantic scrap heaps where the metals can be melted down and repurposed. Oil and food rations are introduced, with “Comida” and “Gasolina” (Meal and Fuel) tickets given out in set, weekly amounts for households. “Su Vida, Su Hogar” (Their lives, your home) is the new catchphrase for Colombia’s propaganda, telling citizens that they must give up some of their amenities to prepare for full-scale military engagement in Patagonia.
-Known as a “Hard Disk”, electronics engineers in Colombia introduce a form of storing data, much like the Chinese. The Colombian design is somewhat larger in size, and thus holds somewhat more information. What is most important about this hard disc is that it works in tandem with Balística Equipo Científica Electrónica (BECE). BECE focuses on trajectory and speed of military equipment, namely projectiles of artillery or aircraft-launched rocketry. With this in hand, BECE can act as a “virtual” testing ground for new military equipment.
-A massive reinforcement of the Polish front begins. Knowing that the Russians are preparing for a westward attack, German anti-air equipment is set up in the rear lines to protect the crucial supply dumps and field hospitals, as well as keeping some cover for any troops that come under threat from the oncoming airstrikes. This proves to be an effective strategy, as most of the rear areas are kept relatively safe with Russian aircraft unwilling to risk being shot down by the brick-wall of Anti-Aircraft.
-Using huge amounts of the Katyusha rocket artillery, paired with near nonstop bombardments from the air, the German positions begin to soften under the sheer amount of ordnance dropped upon them, which sees cities and villages turned to nothing more than pools of mud and ash with the spring thaw.
-With the Germans having their bells rung, the Russians push forward at full speed with combined infantry, motorized and tank assaults. In the south of the country, a breakthrough is made, forcing the Germans back over their border and securing the regions near the key city of Krakow. However, in the north, German boobytraps and defense-in-depth strategies force the Russian wave to break over them, slowing the advance just enough for the Germans to recollect themselves. Nonetheless, German military efforts in Poland are slowed significantly, and the front manages to change for once in more than a year.
-German troops begin to fortify themselves in Latvia and Lithuania as the Russian war machine refuses to stop through the Baltic front. Unfortunately, the key ally of Estonia is left out in the cold, completely cut off from reinforcements. The Estonian government is evacuated, and the country becomes a full-scale bloodbath between Estonian regulars and militia and the Russian attackers. Latvia and Lithuania see their own bloodshed, the former slowly being engulfed by the Russians while the latter stagnates as the Poles move to their home territory, giving their occupation over to the Russians.
-Unrestricted submarine warfare begins out in the Atlantic as German submarines begin sinking convoys bound for Ireland and Patagonia, as well as some key raids along the Afro-Iberian trade routes in western Africa. However, this form of commerce raiding is uncomparable to the effectiveness of the Iberians on raiding European shipping, but is nonetheless effective in choking out the tiny Irish nation from outside help. In the Baltic, the Germans begin their own blockade of Russian shipping, keeping any commerce vessel bound for Petrograd from breaking through the wall of submarines, and those that do are quickly sunk.
-The Russian submarine fleet in the Baltic goes on full unrestricted warfare mode, sinking dozens of shipping vessels of any kind heading through the region, and doing significant damage to probing attacks from the Kriegsmarine that is headed into the region. Coming from behind these submarines is the bulk of the Russian Baltiyskiy flot, hoping to seize the Baltic and block any further advancement east of the Kriegsmarine.
-To the Baltiyskiy flot’s surprise, and somewhat to the Germans as well, the Kriegsmarine arrives in full force in the Baltic sea near the port city of Gdansk. A massive battle is held, with aircraft, battleships and submarines duking it out for a period of more than three days. Multiple ships on each side are sunk, including two German and one Russian battleship. More than sixty planes in total are lost simply from anti-air fire from ships, and the losses in men are tremendous. What drives both admirals of the Kriegsmarine and the Baltiyskiy flot to madness is that the battle is largely indecisive, and both navies are forced to limp to their home ports to avoid further destruction. For now, it seems that the Baltic remains a naval stalemate.
-Despite this setback in the Baltic, the German efforts in the east continue, and the bodies continue to pile for both sides, much like it has for any land war in the east in the past 300 years.
-With the Hungarians having capitulated and officially out of the picture, the Luftwaffe uses the corridor from Ruthenia into Romania as a launching point to begin strikes on Crimea and Sevastopol. There, the Russian Black Sea fleet is struck multiple times. However, these naval raids do little to stop the Black Sea fleet from continuing operations against Turkey, but do the job to at the very least distract them and slow their advance.
-In the south of France, German forces pair up with the French in hoping of pushing out the Iberian troops that have landed in the south. A massive battle is fought over the city of Marseilles, with immense casualties racking up on both sides as neither the EC nor the Iberians wish to give an inch for the city, and what was once a proud French city is reduced to a state of total disrepair and rubble as the fighting continues.
-Italy, the place that is more or less the area that started the conflict, goes somewhat cold as the Germans simply continue to fortify the Po valley in preparation for a strike south. Immense air battles continue over major cities in northern Italy, and the armies of both the Latin Imperium and Germany continue to build up in the region, staring each other down for the final bout that will decide the fate of the peninsula.
-Despite not being involved in the war, the republics of Scandinavia, including Finland, begin sending arms and men to the aid of the European Cooperative. These soldiers are immediately redirected to Scotland, and help in the push against the Irish invaders, securing the coastline of Scotland and officially putting the Irish to heel. These soldiers are prepared for a naval invasion of the Irish mainland, alongside a now mobilized Scottish military, and simply await the orders of the EC.
-For the time being, Germany’s overseas territories off the coast of Madagascar, as well as the Maldives, are given to the Australians. This territorial transfer allows the Germans to recall their Afro-Indian navies and marine forces and skirt them quickly around southern Africa and up into mainland Europe. Their small size and spread out posture allows them to sneak past the Iberian submarines, and allows the warships to continue the fight against Ireland.
-The Mumbler, the rapid-firing, multi-barreled weapon imported from America, begins to crop up in cities in southern Germany as a defense against missiles. Though the tactic against matadors is simply “throw so many bullets it cannot feasibly pass through them”, the tactic works in bringing down a couple of missiles before they reach the centers of major cities.
-At home, Joseph Goebbels finally recovers from his gunshot wound and returns to the regular practices of government. However, it is obvious that his health has deteriorated significantly, as his usual energy is not there, and his outlook is more serious and less fantasizing. Nonetheless, a myriad of letters and get-well-soon wishes have arrived at Goebbel’s doorstep, and for nearly a three day period, Goebbels holds televised press conferences answering questions of the public, and assuring the German people that there is “nothing to fear but fear itself”.
-Also during these televised programs, German chefs and nutritionists begin releasing information on the best way for the German people to “reap the benefits of food rationing”. The chefs, with aid from reports from the nutritionists, give out recipes that make the usually unappealing rations somewhat appetizing and more filling. This helps raise the morale of the German people, who feel less discomforted with the rations themselves.
-Led by Otto Strasser and his "Nationalsozialer Front" party, the German people undergo what is to be considered “spiritual mobilisation”. Tapping into the nationalism of the German people, alongside the Lutheran ideals of austerity and self sacrifice, the party petitions the government to introduce war bonds, which are bought in massed numbers by the people. Germany, in a sense, enters a state of total war.
-Seeing the need for more protection when moving their troops, as well as the usefulness of a fighting transport vehicle, designers at Krupp unveil the Gepanzerten Kettenautomodell Ausfuhrung-A, or GpKaM Ausf.A for short. This vehicle is armored from top to bottom, and has a closed hatch as opposed to the usual open-topped design. Using a full-track for propulsion, the GpKaM Ausf.A can quickly move itself along difficult terrain, as well as utilize twin heavy machine guns on a top-mounted turret to defend itself or allies during combat.
-With help from Luftwaffe commander Albert Kesselring, the defense of German cities is made even stronger with what is to be known as the “Kesselring System”. Using interconnected telegraph, telephone and radio lines that criss-cross along the south of the country, paired with radar stations as well, the Luftwaffe can more or less “paint a picture” of southern Germany, and immediately scramble fighters to intercept enemy aircraft when presented with them.
-With the front of the United Arab Republic moving south after its annexation of Egypt, the forces of the Latin Imperium make a daring naval invasion of the southern Sinai peninsula in hopes of seizing the critical Suez canal. Unsurprisingly, the Iberian forces roll over the meagre defenses of the Arabs, having caught them completely by surprise. Moving east and west from the canal, massive fortifications are constructed to defend the canal from being attacked from air, sea and land, as well as protecting the flow of oil.
-Djibouti, the tiny state in northeast Africa, is seized by a single division of Iberian marines returning to Somalia from their campaign in Yemen. The ports are officially used to house Iberian submarines and equipment, which scurry up and down the red sea coast with little interference.
-The campaign in North Africa continues with immense victories for the Iberians as they push their way through Algerian and Tunisian territory like a knife through butter. In Libya, as the rebels begin to move northward towards crucial oil fields, the Iberians set up an immense counter-attack, and manage to lock the rebelling Arabs in place. Their forces beginning to stretch thin in Africa, the Iberians must make the choice on which territories to surrender to attack or attempt to hold.
-A series of immense carpet bombings begins throughout territories in the United Arab Republic. With use of both Matador missiles and jet aircraft, cities like Cairo, Raqqa, Damascus, Beirut and Amman fall victim to fire and cluster bombs. Thousands of civilians are killed, as the bombing raids focus on hitting populated areas in hopes of forcing the United Arab Republic to their knees. Unfortunately, the biggest effect this has is to simply rack up the death toll, as the UAR considers it just another setback, despite their capital city having huge areas of its historical district turned to rubble.
-Russia is declared an “impromptu ally” in the war against the European Cooperative. Though having their disputes with the Russians multiple times in the past, the Latin Imperium appreciates the efforts made by the Russians against the “socialist heathens of Europe and their Muslim lapdogs”. In declaring the Russians as friends, a small raid is launched over Ankara, hitting multiple key city centers, in which part of the Turkish parliament is killed in the strikes.
-With Greece advancing on the Turks, the United Liberal Entente declares itself officially hostile towards the Republic of Turkey, and the Pahlavi Empire prepares to move any assets it can in offense against Turkey, wishing to get something in return for the many years of the Safavid-Ottoman conflicts in the centuries before. When in regards to autocracies, it seems, grudges are never dropped.
-In northern Italy, German aircraft continue to lead devastating attacks on the entrenched positions of Iberian and Italian soldiers. Most of these bombings are non-lethal, but their destruction of important logistics and communications lines may as well be traded out for deaths, as it slows the advance of ULE forces north, and causes major disruption along the front lines.
-With the Germans clearly preparing to move south, and the Latins preparing to move north, the armies of both the Latin Imperium and Germany begin staring each other down for the final bout that will decide the fate of the peninsula. So far, who will be declared victor remains up in the air. Simply, everyone knows that the casualties will be enormous.
-In southern France, Iberian and Italian marines make headway towards the key city of Marseilles. However, when arriving at the city, they are met with immense French and German defense. The battle lasts weeks, with huge portions of the city devastated, and the losses stacked high and evenly on both sides. The ULE forces are eventually forced out of the city, but the indecisiveness of the battle proves that southern France will remain a warzone for some time.
-An official deal is made between Madrid and Paris. The two warring nations will exchange prisoners of war that are of equal rank. Meeting within the alpine regions of Switzerland under the flag of truce, officers and high ranking individuals are handed off between French and Latin soldiers. After this meeting, it is clear that these men will quickly return to the fight in order to kill the other side as soon as they can.
-In the Atlantic, the Iberian navy begins a series of immense commerce raids along the ports of Brazil, leading all the way up into the Caribbean. Crucial trade is lost between the American Alliance and their economic partners, as unrestricted submarine warfare sinks hundreds and hundreds of tonnes of shipping within the region. However, the massive blockade in the southwest territories of Patagonia make it nearly impossible for Iberian submarines to push through, let alone try to sneak through troopships to begin supporting the ever-choking regions of Patagonia.
-The Latin Imperium tries its best to keep its friends unaware of Camp 7, and the other camps that are discovered by the day within Patagonia. To their surprise, and to the horror of other nations, Ireland and Greece appreciate the “purge of unclean individuals”, whilst the Pahlavis and Croatians simply brush the camps aside. Clearly, Iberian propaganda has done its work on convincing their allies to align themselves with the ideals of Falangism.
-On the home front, the Latins launch a massive propaganda campaign within Iberia and Patagonia, declaring the war in South America to be of “significant racial importance” as the forces of the United Liberal Entente try their best to “destroy the devil-worshipping democracies and god-hating communists that threaten the livelihoods of true Romans”.
-Alongside the propaganda campaign for racial uprisings within South America, the Latin government officially declares Columbus Day, like in America, to be a national holiday. However, Columbus Day is to be celebrated as a day of “racial triumph over the heathens of the Americas”. Columbus is also declared one of the “truest Romans, on par with the mighty Augustus with his importance in founding the Spanish colonial empire”.
-Pope Pius XII, disillusioned with the Latin Imperium, attempts to exit Madrid to “free himself from this territory of madness”. Supposedly, a scuffle involving the guardsmen of the Pope and Iberian policemen is seen by enough citizens to raise the ire of many in the Latin parliament. The Pope is, quietly, placed under house arrest, but it appears that even the Holy Father is furious with the Latin war effort, and Latin politics in general.
-The health of Alfonso XIII continues to deteriorate. During an important parliamentary meeting involving the transfer of rationed goods to the military, Alfonso collapses when attempting to exit his chair. He is rushed to a hospital, and undergoes intensive treatment. The stability of the Latin crown is in jeopardy, and in order to keep the peace, Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde uses his rank of Caesar to take control of the Latin Imperium. With the King on his deathbed, and his children considered impure cripples by the Barcelona Laws, the days of Bourbon control over Iberia may come to an end.
-A major breakthrough, originally designed by the Japanese, is made by Iberian military engineers working on bombs and missiles for the Iberian army. With using a hollowed “case”, Matador missiles and air-to-ground bombs are able to break open and spread small submunitions out over a wide area. Though only the size of a hand grenade, a single Matador missile can spread nearly a thousand of them over a huge area, turning them into a perfect anti-infantry (or anti-civilian) weapon.
-Another important form of the Matador is designed on an Italian airfield in hopes of defending the homeland from oncoming airborne attackers. Though a tiny version of the Matador, nicknamed the “Pequeño” (Little One), this rocket packs a serious punch. Launched from a large block, roughly twelve of these missiles can be shot into the air, coordinated with radar signatures of enemy aircraft. Though not entirely accurate, these airburst rockets are more than enough to dissuade bombers from entering too deep into Latin airspace.
-With the world falling apart around them, and the Balkans once again thrown into disarray and mayhem, the tiny nation of Metochia once again pleads for assistance from their northwestern neighbor, Montenegro. A meeting is held in parliament, and the decision is made. In the frosty mornings of the early year, Montenegrin troops cross over the border, officiating the annexation of Metochia. The old revolutionary assembly of Metochia greets them and agrees to step down. Montenegro, it seems, has expanded.
-Despite their work continuing, the Colombian government officially signs over the control of the International Health Organization to Montenegro for the time being, citing that the war in South America “sets a dangerous precedent in regards to the presence of doctors. They should act as a force all their own, not follow armies like vultures, justifying conquest”.
-Bulgaria, having asked nicely, is given the opportunity to begin purchasing large numbers of patents and designs for integrated public transport. Within Sofia and Plovdiv, the local governments immediately begin implementing these new ideals, and the Bulgarian populace is excited to reap the benefits of large-scale industrial mobilization.
-After days of talks between Montenegrin students and diplomats within the parliament of Japan, a deal is struck. Despite Japan’s pride of being an independent, sovereign state, Japanese parliament votes unanimously in favor of repealing censorship laws over newspapers and other forms of media. Considered to be days of the “neo-Shogunate”, comic strips, film, music, tabloids and other forms of speech within Japan are officially unregulated, and the people are allowed to speak their mind. Alongside this, with the appearance of Machiko Hasegawa's "Sazae-san", the modern era of "manga" has officially started.
-From up in the north, having to fight a pincer-attack within the Carpathian mountains, the Czechoslovak government with help from Škoda requests that the Montenegrin military give them the designs for the "Buldog" Heavy Tank Destroyer. The request isn’t desperate, but military advisors see that the Bulldog is the perfect choice for close quarters knife-fights with enemy tanks.
-In North Africa, Montenegro’s friend Tunisia pleads for assistance. The J-41 rifle, far outclassing the Lee-Enfield Mk.III and surplus G.98 Carbines, is requested to be exported to Tunisia’s fight against the ever-encroaching Iberian and Italian armies. The J-41 is somewhat outdated by more modern Montenegrin designs, and the surplus could be put to use in the fight against the United Liberal Entente. The only issue is getting the rifles to the country safely without risking convoys being obliterated by the ever-present threat of Iberian submarines.
-At home, a new faculty is formed at the University of Podgorica. Known as the "Informatički fakultet Univerziteta Podgorice" (Computer Science Faculty of the University of Podgorica), electronic engineers and researchers are given a public space to put their skills to work in regards to the creation of computers and long-range telecommunication technology. Importantly, the use of transistors and publicized designs of Colombian and Chinese computers leads to significant breakthroughs.
-Known simply as the "Bibliotekar" (Librarian), this new Montenegrin computer has the ability to go toe-to-toe with early Colombian and current Chinese designs. Only about the size of a couple large automobiles, the Librarian takes full advantage of the “Punchcard” system, allowing the computer to make massive calculations in short periods of time, and it is a massive boon to Montenegrin research.
-The Montenegrin Linguists' Association, with help from Metochian students, begins continuing its work on the languages of India, by adding every single of them to its list, followed by standardizing the various scripts of India down into three main veins: Hindi, Marathi and Tamil. Using Sanskrit as a base for the first two, and local dialects for the latter, the MLA hopes to produce a much more unifying series of languages for the future possibility of a united Indian state.
-Elsewhere within the MLA, the many languages of France, Italy and Iberia, whether they were Romance or not, are also added, along with the Guanche language and the Elbasan-based standard for Albanian. Work also begins on two seperate Albanian languages using the Gheg and Tosk dialects (known as Ducaginic and Arianitic respectively), the future applications of these languages being currently unknown.
-The Peonian dictionary, under construction for years, is officially released to the public, and given to the Peonian parliament as a gift. These books are handed to Peonian elementary schools and homes in huge numbers, hoping to unite the country further with their own, unique language that separates Peonia from its neighbors, thus further cementing their independence.
-With the industrialization of Montenegro more or less finished, government contractors begin heading to the newly acquired territories of Metochia to undergo massive overhauling of the local transportation systems and industry, the area largely neglected by the Italians during their occupation. The process may take a couple years to bring them up to par with the rest of the country, but it is no doubt a major improvement on the local economy.
-The "Studentska zajednica Metohije" (Students Union of Metochia) is formed in light of the annexation. Made up of young adults considering themselves to be the “revolutionary minds of the Balkan region”, these students begin holding secretive meetings in coffee houses and sandwich shops within Montenegro. Their immediate goals are obvious: see the death of autocracy in the Balkan as a whole. However, their definition of “autocracy” is not exactly defined.
-Parliamentary elections are held once again in Montenegro as the nation prepares to switch from 5 year to 4 year election cycles. All citizens of Metochia are given the opportunity to vote as well, which increases the number of seats within parliament. The election is smooth and structured with no major issues. The "Narodna sloga", the current party, is reelected in a landslide, the populace more than pleased with the party’s past administration. As a result of shifting political wins, the "Republikanski sabor" came in second place by a small margin, managing to clamber above the relatively weaker opposition parties.
-As the tide of war shifts and tumbles throughout Europe, the Montenegrin military tests weapons and munitions to ensure that it remains ahead of the game. Known as the "Visoko eksplozivna protivtenkovska" [High-Explosive Anti-Tank], or VEPT [HEAT], this shell can tear through softer armor and release a huge amount of molten metal within the internals of the tank. Though a gruesome way to dispose of enemies, the VEPT shell proves to be effective at finding weak points within various tanks, rather than having to play a guessing game with solid armor-piercing weaponry.
-With the Russian air force and army at peak mobilization, the push west begins. Using huge amounts of the Katyusha rocket artillery, paired with near nonstop bombardments from the air, the German positions begin to soften under the sheer amount of ordnance dropped upon them, which sees cities and villages turned to nothing more than pools of mud and ash with the spring thaw. However, the rear lines of the Germans are left well protected as Russian pilots refuse to enter the brick wall that is the amount of anti-aircraft weaponry the Germans have at their disposal behind the front lines, and instead focus on the immediate battle lines instead.
-With the Germans having their bells rung, the Russians push forward at full speed with combined infantry, motorized and tank assaults. In the south of the country, a breakthrough is made, forcing the Germans back over their border and securing the regions near the key city of Krakow. However, in the north, German boobytraps and defense-in-depth strategies force the Russian wave to break over them, slowing the advance just enough for the Germans to recollect themselves. Despite these shortcomings, and the massive losses, the Germans are forced backwards, and Polish forces are given some breathing room for the time being.
-In the Baltic front, the Russians continue their seemingly unending advance. Estonia grows ever closer to capitulating, as brutal streetfighting begins on the outskirts of Talinn. Supported by German marines and regular infantry, the Russians find the city relatively closed to their advance, but continue to spread across the rest of Estonia’s territory. In Lithuania, Polish soldiers relinquish the occupation over to the Russians in order to reinforce their own front lines. With the presence of the German army in Lithuania, this creates another relatively stagnant front line for the Russians to fight across.
-The Russian submarine fleet in the Baltic goes on full unrestricted warfare mode, sinking dozens of shipping vessels of any kind heading through the region, and doing significant damage to probing attacks from the Kriegsmarine that is headed into the region. Coming from behind these submarines is the bulk of the Russian Baltiyskiy flot, hoping to seize the Baltic and block any further advancement east of the Kriegsmarine.
-To the Baltiyskiy flot’s surprise, and somewhat to the Germans as well, the Kriegsmarine arrives in full force in the Baltic sea near the port city of Gdansk. A massive battle is held, with aircraft, battleships and submarines duking it out for a period of more than three days. Multiple ships on each side are sunk, including two German and one Russian battleship. More than sixty planes in total are lost simply from anti-air fire from ships, and the losses in men are tremendous. What drives both admirals of the Kriegsmarine and the Baltiyskiy flot to madness is that the battle is largely indecisive, and both navies are forced to limp to their home ports to avoid further destruction. For now, it seems that the Baltic remains a naval stalemate.
-In the southeast, the Russian army finally forces the last vestiges of Somkhiti’s defenders to submit. However, Russian occupation of the region is relatively peaceful, and leaders of the Georgian and Armenian minorities are brought to the table. In return for their service in (ethnically mixed) divisions against the Turks, the Russian government will give the Armenian and Georgian states relative autonomy and freedom of choice within the republic. The Georgians, feeling more at home with Russians than Armenians, and the Armenians still burning from past experience with Turkey, willingly take up the call.
-The push into Turkey continues, the Turkish forces quickly overrun by the superior numbers, weaponry and tactics of the Russian army. Along the coastline of the Black Sea, Russian submarines and surface vessels regularly raid ports and cities as well as completely ending any and all shipping within the region. Surprise attacks from Romanian and German bombers are common, launched from Dobrudja, and hitting as far north as Sevastopol. These attacks do some minor damage, and serve mainly as annoyances and distractions for the main mission of the fleet.
-The call is put out to the Greeks, who have remained neutral in the Anatolian campaign up until this point. With discussions held in Athens, Russian diplomats finally convince the fascist government of Greece that the “time for the Megali idea is at hand”. Catching the Turkish forces entirely off-guard, Greek soldiers spill across the Dardanelles into Asia Minor, as well as forcing themselves into the Thracian peninsula. Arguably, the Greeks and Russians seem to be in a race to the City of the World’s Desire: Constantinople.
-Seeing the opportunity to strike, Kurdish forces in the south of Turkey rise up in complete and total revolt. Many of their political views vary, as communists, falangists, religious zealots, republicans and liberals take up arms in unity to rally to a simple call: “Out with the Turk, in with Kurdistan”. These soldiers pledge neutrality to Russian and Greek forces, and simply demand that the peace deal with Turkey involve the creation of an independent Kurdistan in the future.
-With all going well in many of the fronts, Zhukov himself takes the time to visit soldiers on the frontline in Poland. Despite the dangers, Zhukov sets up temporary headquarters in Warsaw and makes repetitive, clandestine visits to entrenched positions of Russian soldiers. Zhukov is greeted as a hero and is given a saintly reputation amongst the soldiers, many of whom shout “Бог с Жуковым!” (God with Zhukov!). The morale in these areas skyrockets, as the Russians are filled with almost religious zeal to continue the fight.
-Elsewhere at home, Russian priests from the Great Synod head eastward into Turkestan and Siberia to continue spreading the good word. Though many of the Altaic peoples keep their Islamic practices and principles, these priests also introduce the Cyrillic and Latin alphabets of Common Slavonic. With this, these communities are drawn closer and closer to the Russian majority, as “Russification” slowly turns into “Slavification”. In Ukraine, the usual tensions between Russian and Ukrainian begins to cool down, as the popularity of Common Slavonic continues to rise.
-Taking designs from the Katyusha rocket system and Montenegrin recoilless rifles, engineers in the Russian military begin to work on a new anti-tank weapon. Known as the Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт (Ruchnoy Protivotankoviy Granatomyot) [Hand-Held Anti-Tank Grenade Launcher] or RPG for short, this tubular weapon is very similar to the Panzershreck, Bazooka and other anti-tank rocket launchers. What makes this one different, however, is that it loads from the front, and the compact size of the launcher+rocket allows a single user to operate the weapon rather than two.
-At Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau, a new Russian battle tank is designed. Hoping to go toe-to-toe with the heavy armor of the German and American tanks on the field in the western front, this new medium-to-heavy tank, known as the T-54, is put to the test. With a focus on sloped armor and a heavy front, the T-54 is more than a match for German tanks, and once production for them goes into full swing, the Russians can meet their German adversaries 1 on 1 in the field.
-Launched from air bases in Brazil, American paratroopers begin their assaults on positions in the south of Patagonia, linking up with the Marines that had already hit the beaches in the previous season. Dropped from the sky, jumping into the unknown, the march to Buenos Aires has begun.
-Marine forces continue to arrive in the southwest of the country, their troop carriers managing to skirt most of the Iberian submarines that lurk along the “Viper’s Causeway”, a new nickname for the increasingly deadly waterway between the US and South America. Nonetheless, American forces continue to march northwards, hoping to link up with their allies.
-Mechanized and armored divisions conduct combat along the foothills of the mountains, going toe to toe with the diehard defenders of Patagonia who refuse to admit defeat. Nonetheless, the American cause of justice is swift, and like a tidal wave, begins to rush northward at a blinding speed.
-With assistance from Colombian bombers, the armor and mechanized troops manage to break out onto the Patagonian desert, giving them moments of reprieve from the near constant harassment from Patagonian guerrillas and militia. Once in the desert, these troops can begin marching forward faster and faster, utilizing the inhospitable desert’s one advantage: nobody else is there but them.
-Across the ocean, managing to break past the blockade, a handful of M44 Armored Personnel Carriers and ‘Blackjack’ heavy tanks arrive in southern France to be used in French factories. Despite having left NATO years before, the strong friendship between America and France remains, and the French are more than glad to begin putting these armored vehicles to use against the Iberians.
-As well as getting armored vehicles to France, the US government sends a small delegation in hopes of bringing the Commonwealth of England into the fighting, citing “Latin exceptionalism is the first step to seeing a Europe in chains.” However, the American delegates are quickly thrown out from their speech in parliament, and the English decide to take a hostile stance towards “anything socialist, communist, fascist or generally Anti-English, including Americans”.
-At home, Thomas E. Dewey takes the chance to continue denouncing fascism in the US senate and on television broadcasts. Images of the Patagonian death camps are made public, and regularly distributed as pieces of propaganda to further the fight against fascism. William Dudley Pelley, the head of the Iron League, even takes this as a sign that his position has been destroyed. The Iron League, after a short meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas, is officially disbanded.
-As America continues to build upon its infrastructure and power grids, the US government moves a new reactor site to the west, focusing it near the city of Los Angeles. Despite the dangers of earthquakes in the region, the US Army Corp. of Engineers begins groundbreaking for the new reactor, which will be known as “Big Bess” due to its sheer size. The size is mainly a defensive measure against earthquakes, giving the reactor itself a large area to “slide about on”, rather than collapse in on itself and causing serious damage.
-Putting their scientists to good use, the US Navy begins researching a more precise form of sonar. Though already having it in their possession, warships struggle to pinpoint the exact location of submarines that may be tracking their every move. Instead, a brutally simple design is created by electronic engineers at the University of Lowell. Known as a “Sono-Buoy”, these floating objects have a long antennae and a small sonar system built into them, and can be dropped by helicopters. Giving off small pings when activated, warships can triangulate the position of a submarine far quicker than having to play a guessing game with nondescript shapes and depth charges.
-With the effectiveness of the Multi-Barrel Machine Gun Model Navy, or “Mumbler”, upon naval vessels and dedicated ground vehicles, the US government looks for those able to “miniaturize” the weapon and give it use on aircraft, namely, helicopters. Known as the Multi-Barrel Machine Gun Model Navy MkII, this weapon uses four barrels and fires the smaller .30 Carbine round. Its rate of fire is significantly reduced, dropping from 4200 to 2000. Nonetheless, this “Minigun”, as it is affectionately called, can lay down significant amounts of fire from a stable, airborne position without causing damage to the airframe.
==Turn 34: July to December 1946==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=50702962&viewfull=1#post50702962
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-Having been finally overcome by the Russians, the tiny nation of Estonia has been forced to surrender. Its territory is officially brought into the fold of Russia as a pseudo-independent autonomous state under the control of the Russian government. It is unknown how many troops the Russians are now moving southwards and how many must remain in Estonia to quash the possibility of a rebel campaign.
-Riga, the capital city of Latvia, is surrounded by Russian forces. At the same time, Vilnius is seized by a contingent of Russo-Polish troops, and the government is forced to go into exile on the west coast of the country. Though the baltic front seems to be reaching a conclusion, Heinz Guderian’s promise of “By the grace of God, I shall return” proves otherwise.
-Croatia is finally surrendered over to the newly reformed Yugoslavia as the old fascist government flees the nation before the Alexanderist Partizani are able to seize the capital city of Zagreb. The civil war enters a new phase as the communists must turn their guns on the various rebel groups that threaten the new government’s stability.
-A contingent of furious Balochs, more or less “forcefully annexed by the Pahlavis” in the last war declare a “Jihad” against the Shah’s government. These rebels quickly seize magazines and bases that were unprepared for such an attack, and wage a war that is a mixture between a struggle for independence and a holy conflict.
-As the front in Turkey begins to come to an end, the Russian government officially declares the Democratic Republic of Kurdistan as an independent nation. Out of all the rebellious Kurdish groups, the Kurdish Democratic Party is set as the heads of the country. This raises tensions within the country, but the Russian army leaves the Kurds to their own devices in order to bring their troops westward.
-Staphylococcus asiaticus enters its final death throes. The light finally shines on India, and the results are terrifying. The numbers at this point are at roughly 9 million dead due to the disease, and experts predict that the number will reach 11 million by the time the disease is eradicated. Nonetheless, the efforts of the IHO and the world community have saved countless more than they would had they let the disease take its course.
-The world economy shudders violently as many major nations turn their economies to be focused entirely on wartime efforts. Said nations are able to survive, as their sheer number of resources at their disposal and economic ties to their allies are more than enough to keep them afloat. It is the minor nations, in Africa, South America and India that are at the most threat. Further economic pressures risk civil upheaval on an enormous scale.
-Quick overview of the campaigns of the Fourth Great War:
--European Campaign: As the war continued to rage on, German forces took it upon themselves to make a tactical retreat over the Polish border onto home soil. However, during said retreat, entire villages were turned into death traps, farms made infertile, and wide stretches of Polish forests and plains turned into minefields. The Russian advance caught wind of the traps laid, and it was halted along a hundreds-of-mile long “dead zone” between the Russo-Polish armies and the German border. Germany did not see such reprieve in the east everywhere, however, as Russian troops officially forced the surrender of Estonia, surrounded Riga, and seized Vilnius. The war in the Baltic was still considered in its early stages, and the sheer number of losses prove to be more than worrying for all parties involved. In the western front, France’s massive military had finally finished its last requirements for mobilization, and the armies of the Netherlands and Belgium marched south to meet up with their French comrades. The southern coastline of France quickly turned into a bloodbath as the French threw their whole weight in against the Latin forces present, and pushed on over the Pyrenees, finally turning the tides of the war against the Latins. Ireland fared much worse, as Scandinavian volunteers alongside German expeditionaries managed to close the gap between Scotland and Ireland, making headway against key Irish cities such as Belfast and Dublin. The capital of the tiny isles nation had been seized, but the fervently defensive IRA continued to lead a brutal guerilla war against the occupying forces, and collaborators were regularly murdered in vicious ways. Down south in the Balkans, the Croatian government was officially forced to surrender the country to whoever could handle it the best, fleeing the nation as communist rebels threatened to seize the capital of Zagreb. Said communists, collaborators with the Partizani in the newly reformed Yugoslavia, joined the nation with the aforementioned Yugoslav government. The civil war entered its final phase, in which a successful rebel group had to turn its sights on the smaller forces that threatened its stability. The results were horrendous.
--Afro Middle Eastern Campaign: Latin Forces, later in the year, officially mobilized in full force to begin a campaign of “cleansing the world of Saracen threats”, and moved into Africa with vigor. What essentially started as keeping enemies down had turned into a Crusade, as the Middle Eastern Coalition struggled desperately to keep the swarming Latins at bay, but largely failed in every respect. Only the United Arab Republic managed to keep control of the situation, and even then, their losses were pitiful in comparison to those of the Latins. The Libyan rebels that had harassed the Latins for more than a year were brutally crushed, with thousands of soldiers forcefully marched into the Sahara. Families of these rebels were executed en-masse, and the Latins did everything that they could to get rid of Arab presence in northern Africa. Meanwhile, in Balochistan, the furious natives rose up in rebellion against the occupying forces of the Pahlavi Dynasty. What is known as the “Balochi Jihad” today had begun, as many of the groups used religious fervor and Balochi nationalism as a weapon to whip up the peoples of southeast Iran into a frenzy.
--South American Campaign: Latin presence in South America began to wane significantly as the pressure of the American Alliance had shown its worth. Defenders in Patagonia were stretched thin, and were ordered to continue the fight against an increasingly more prevalent and more powerful enemy. Cut off from supplies from home, losing major cities and huge swathes of territory and manpower reserves dwindling, the Latin government in Madrid ordered the Patagonian forces to attack through Uruguay in hopes of cutting off the Brazilian forces pinning them down. Unfortunately, this counter-attack struck a brick wall, and was more or less halted by the presence of Colombian, Brazilian and American troops stationed in southeastern Brazil.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Czechoslovakia
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Latin Imperium
Head Nation: Latin Imperium
-Members:
--Latin Imperium
--Poland
--Ireland
--Greece
--Pahlavi Empire
--Saudi Arabia (Protectorate)
Type: Defensive Pact
Guangzhou Cooperation Organization (GCO):
Headquarters: Guangzhou, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Korea
--Cambodia
--Orissa
--Uttar
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Maharashtra
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Eurasian Accord (EA):
Headquarters: Ürümqi, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Russia
--Pakistan
--Romania
--Bulgaria
--Kurdistan
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
European Cooperative Economy (ECE):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
--Luxembourg
--Czechoslovakia
--Slovenia
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: Economic Association
New Commonwealth (NC):
Headquarters: Ontario, Canada
Head Nation: Canada
-Members:
--Canada
--Australia
--New Zealand
Type: International Association
Indian Union (IU):
Headquarters: Islamabad, Pakistan
Head Nation: Pakistan
-Members:
--Pakistan
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Uttar
Type: Political Association
Player Events:
-After the annexation of Rajastan, members of Afghan parliament begin meeting with other nations within the regions of the former British Raj. Within these meetings, the Afghans create the “Indian Union”, a pseudo-political unifying force within the region of northern India. The Indian Union immediately finds membership amongst Madhya, Haryana and Uttar, nations that have been either rocked by previous internal issues, or find themselves isolated politically.
-With nudging from Afghan politicians, and with evidence of rapid economic growth within the acquired territories of Rajastan, a deal is made to bring Maharashtra into the fold of the Moscow-Nanjing Association. However, Maharashtra explicitly states that it will not enter the Indian Union, and will remain within the Non-Aligned Movement. Regardless, it gets the job done for economists within the Moscow-Nanjing Association.
-Internally, national reform programs and infrastructure projects continue. Railroads, sewer systems, telephone lines, power grids and all sorts of important, western machinery is introduced to the region of Rajastan. As most of the nation’s programs come to a head within the home regions, the economy must shift its focus to sustaining the relatively unindustrialized Rajastan.
-A propaganda campaign is launched within Afghanistan to celebrate the triumph over Staphylococcus asiaticus, after completely eradicating it within Afghanistan itself, and the disease dying out rapidly within India. A small parade is held, but instead of the usual military prowess, it is doctors that have served in the “healing of our scarred nations”.
-A new referendum is held within Afghanistan. This time, the government sees what the nation’s name shall be changed to, if at all, as the usual “Afghan” identity has been introduced to a handful of new ethnic groups that have never had connections to Afghanistan in any way at all. The referendum passes with 77% of the population choosing the name “Pakistan”, in order to represent the various ethnic groups within the nation itself. Officially, the Shahdom of Pakistan is founded, with a new flag chosen to represent its peoples.
-The Royal Pakistani Navy is officially formed at the ports in the southern reaches of the country. Unfortunately, due to the lack of seamen trained or prepared for such tasks, the Royal Pakistani Navy begins construction of but one destroyer, the “Islamabad”. The RPN hopes to bring in more recruits over time, but the sheer minute number of men who have even spent time on the waters causes the growth to be sluggish. Nonetheless, the Islamabad continues construction at a regular rate, using the nation’s various precious metals to line areas of the ship’s parts, such as chromium for strengthening barrels.
-The recruitment campaign for Pakistan’s military continues, and a surprising number of young men wish to join up for the Pakistani Air Corp., hoping to get behind a cockpit in one of the many different aircraft within the Pakistani arsenal. Many of these recruits soon wash out, some of them never even seen a plane in person, who immediately blackout at the slightest G force.
-Medical practitioners within Pakistan begin working with the idea of “synthesized” opiates, or using small trace amounts of poppy to create entire batches of medicine such as morphine. Unfortunately, initial tests simply create a toxic mixture that is unfit for use in medical procedures. Nonetheless, it is an important step forward for the creation of affordable drugs for the common market.
-Using designs from American, British and Iberian naval craft, the Pakistani navy begins trials of fast-moving “speedboats”. These two-men craft are packed with a powerful engine and sleek design, allowing them to cut through waters at a blinding speed, making it very easy for them to track down smugglers or surround ships.
-The South-East Asian Development Company, one of the most important forces for creating a strong economic backing within Asia, turns its attention to Dutch Indonesia. Behind closed doors, the Dutch government agrees to essentially surrender the territory in all but name in order to continue the war against the United Liberal Entente in Europe and Africa.
-Chinese troops quickly arrive in Indonesia, backed by engineers and developers who act as armies all their own. Almost immediately, coastal villages see buildings torn down and rebuilt. Huts are replaced with concrete houses, with plumbing and proper sanitation systems.
-A large lump sum of cash is sent to the Dutch, giving the Chinese total control over Indonesia for the next year until the Indonesian Republic is set to be declared independent. In the meantime, the new Chinese administration gets to work with the local populace to begin divvying up territory into states, as well as creating a series of roads that link the key city of Jakarta to various portside locations throughout the country.
-Seeing that the Moscow-Nanjing Association is far too unwieldy to control all at once, diplomats come together and officially split the group into two semi-separate entities. To the southeast, headquartered in Guangzhou, the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization (GCO), oversees the smaller South East Asian and Indian states, whilst the Eurasian Accord (EA), headquartered in Urumqi, acts as a controlling entity for the massively different economies of southeast Europe, and helps the Russian economy straddle the two continents.
-At home, the Chinese military formalizes the "新興研究計劃局" (Xīnxīng yánjiū jìhuà jú), or ‘Emerging Research Project Agency’. The ERPA is essentially a more centralized Research and Development department for the Chinese armed forces, allowing further testing of new technologies and equipment in secret testing zones. This benefits the military in two ways, as increased testing works out the kinks of any possible “wastes of time”, as well as keeping tech behind closed doors for as long as possible.
-Increased funding is given to universities, with extra cash being focused on universities willing to focus on specific topics. This comes as the Chinese government is prepared to foster an extremely powerful backbone of specialized universities and schools throughout China in order to educate a growing population. Specialization keeps students who are undecided from absorbing the benefits of the state, and gives other students the opportunity to achieve their goals, be it a doctorate in electronic engineering, biology, history, etc.
-Wages and pensions are offered to students willing to dedicate their time at school to work on government contracts and projects. Not only are these offered to students in China, but they are regularly slipped into advertisements and flyers in America and Europe. Foreign students, some lamenting the war and having fled their country altogether, are given the opportunity to put themselves to work in China’s many schools.
-Using agents from the government’s department of education, secondary schools are sniffed out for students that show potential, not only in their tests but their dedication to schooling. Interviews with teachers and students are held, and these chosen individuals are given the "國家獎學金" (Guójiā jiǎngxuéjīn), or National Scholarship. This scholarship is a huge monetary deposit for these students, and more or less guarantees them a free first year at a major school of their choice. Reports show that test scores in China skyrocket due to competitive students.
-With the centralization and reformation of the Chinese government, the Unitary Authorities continue to undergo work. With elections being held throughout the provinces, the ruling Kuomintang party continues to stay popular amongst the provincials, even as far out as Uighurstan and Mongolia. The reforms will still take upwards of a year to fully implement, but so far things appear to be going as smooth as they could.
-The Yihewani, a Muslim minority population within Yunnan, are invited to the discussion table in Nanjing. Over the past few decades, the Yihewani have become increasingly volatile and isolationist due to past repressions and reprisals from previous governments. Now, offering them minor benefits such as increased freedom of worship and reduced taxes on Mosques, the Chinese government encourages their integration into the rest of Chinese society. Many agree to follow this, and the Uighurs may soon follow suit themselves.
-With the last meter of asphalt being ceremoniously laid by Chiang Kai-Shek himself, the city of ‘New’ Shanghai is officially rebuilt. Once a nuclear hellscape, the city is now bigger and stronger than it ever has been. Survivors, workers and students alike flock to the massive city to take advantage of the dirt-cheap housing prices. What makes Shanghai so special, is that it is 1:1 in similarity to Chicago, New York, London, Berlin or any other major western City. However, Shanghai boasts a completely new transportation, power and sewage system, something that its western competitors were forced to build around existing structures. Economists suggest that within the next two years alone, Shanghai will act as the world’s door to China once again.
-In a small center near the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, the "中心心理測評及餐飲為武裝部隊人員" (Zhōngxīn xīnlǐ cèpíng jí cānyǐn wèi wǔzhuāng bùduì rényuán) [Center for Psychological Evaluation & Catering for Armed Forces Personnel] is created. Here, soldiers for special forces are monitored and given various evaluations to ensure that they are up to snuff. What exactly goes on in the centers is kept top secret, as is anything in regards to China’s “Dragon Soldiers”.
-On the eve of the first day in December, a rocket carrying "太陽神" (Tàiyáng shén), a tiny satellite smaller than the wheel of a car, is launched. After an hour of flight, decouplers fling Tàiyáng shén out into the upper atmosphere, and officially into orbit. Within minutes, Tàiyáng shén begins transmitting small blips to a control center in Ulaanbaatar, and immense celebrations are held throughout the nation as the first Chinese satellite begins to orbit the Earth.
-A deal is struck between Montenegro and her South American companion, Colombia. In return for the precious VEPT shells, which will easily rip Latin tanks to shreds, the Colombians officially give the Montenegrins the right to produce their version of hard discs. Immediately, the VEPT shells are put to use against the entrenched tanks of the Patagonian defenders, and prove to be more than effective at cutting open a tank like a can opener.
-Across the sea, the Germans are given a working copy of BECE in return for the newly designed GpKam Ausf.A. This comes as the Colombians prepare for a research agreement with Germany to work together on the creation of “gun computers”, or electronic devices that allow artillery pieces to be artificially guided towards a target, rather than having to use massed bombardments in hopes of hitting something.
-Sonobuoys are officially leased to the Colombians permanently from American naval research facilities. Now, the deadly boogeyman of Iberian submarines can be seen in the blackness and detected before it can attack. Though this does not allow pinpoint accuracy, simply the pinging of sonar will cause even the most grizzled submarine captain to have second thoughts.
-With these APCs, the Colombians prepare for a great “Punta de Lanza” of combined armor and infantry attacks. Two variants of the M26 ‘Blackjack’ arrive on the scene to assist in the push. The first is a squat, turretless vehicle that has a massive repurposed till, nicknamed a mine ‘flail’. Lacking anything past a machine gun, the M26 ‘Azote’ can clear the way through treacherous minefields, as well as churn up the sandbags and dirt walls of frontline trenches. The second tank is far more intimidating. Known as the M26 ‘Candileja’, this tank replaces the 100mm gun with a long tube attached to a second gasoline reserve. With a high pressure blast, and mixed with volatile chemicals, the mixture bursts into flames as it comes into contact with small electric nodes at the end of the barrel, turning the tank into a gigantic flamethrower. It becomes increasingly obvious that the Candileja, despite having no anti-tank capabilities up front, is a weapon of sheer and unbridled terror.
-The thrust south begins as Colombian troops move in small but heavy-armed groups, acting as “spear points” that breach ever-widening and deepening trenches of the Patagonians. Intense artillery bombardments paired with airstrikes soften the initial defenders, allowing a moment of reprieve for the infantry to dismount from their APCs. After that, a massed rush of Azotes and Candilejas tear away at the deep defenses, allowing infantry to enter the trenches and do the grueling task of close-quarters fighting with select-fire rifles.
-The push south is more than effective, with many of the Patagonian defenders crumpling under the combined weight of Colombian, Brazilian and Peruvian attackers, their supplies from the Iberian homeland choked off finally by the massed blockade. Successes aside, the Colombians refuse to rest, and it is not uncommon for Brazilian support divisions to find only the leftovers of Colombian camps that had been set up not more than two days before their arrival.
-Cordoba, the strategic city of central Argentina, comes under barrage of aircraft and artillery as Allied forces lay a brutal siege to the city’s defenses. Unwilling to allow themselves to be choked by the massive lakes to the city’s north, the offensive from the north breaks around them instead, hoping to surround the city and starve it out. Though not exactly civil, and somewhat hypocritical of Colombia’s stance on civilian deaths, it becomes a necessary evil that can prevent the deaths of thousands more.
-Airfields, artillery emplacements, dockyards and rear-line trenches come under the scrutiny of Colombian aircraft, artillery and commandos. These key strategic centers are slowly but surely whittled away by near constant bombardment and sabotage, and a growing number of Anti-Falangist insurgents lead devastating attacks on Patagonian headquarters. Soon, it seems, the war in South America will come to a close.
-Major cities come under fire as well, their outskirts regularly being hit with incendiary weapons, artillery bombardments, cluster bombs, commando sabotage or other forms of mayhem making. This forces defenders to the intricate centers of the cities, and also strangles the roadways that supply said defenders with munitions, medical aid, food and water.
-The Colombian strategy is something like that of a flash flood. The waves break across the edges of the cities, but instead of giving the Patagonians a moment of reprieve, they instead find themselves surrounded by rushing torrents of white capped water.
-With a huge variety of new technology being produced, and given, to Colombia, the Colombian government takes it upon themselves to begin handing over copies of the technology to their allies. Though their armies are severely outdated in comparison to Colombia or the United States, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil are more than happy to get their hands on precious resources such as sonar or VEPT shells.
-Colombia, finally putting two and two together with the failure of Montenegro’s second satellite launch, officially denounces Iberia’s “tampering with the freedom of science”. This denunciation falls on deaf ears however, as the massed slaughter of civilians and the government organized genocide of minorities takes somewhat of a precedent in comparison to a knocked down satellite.
-Colombia guarantees the future independence of Bolivia and Paraguay at the capitulation of Falangist Patagonia. Seeing that the two aforementioned nations were taken in acts of expansionist war, Colombia declares their annexation illegal, and takes the steps to begin setting up independent governments for the end of the war in South America.
-Doctors from Colombia wear the bright-white uniforms of neutral IHO practitioners, and head to the neutral hospitals in neutral areas of both not-so-neutral sides of the war. Soldiers and civilians alike are treated for sickness and injury, as the Hippocratic Oath does not stop at some arbitrary border or denounce an ideology. These doctors are congratulated by both sides as hardworking individuals, although in Patagonia they are scrutinized and regularly isolated from discussions with anyone but patients.
-Some survivors from the increasingly common death camps are given the chance to ‘volunteer’ for research. At medical universities in Colombia, these survivors are tested for disease, to see the effects of malnourishment, and looked over to see the effects on one’s psyche. When news reaches the general public this, many are shocked, seeing that these survivors are being used as guinea pigs.
-Known as the ‘Expresa Bola Roja’, the Colombian government grants a number of construction companies contracts to begin the creation of a gigantic infrastructure program. With huge dockyards leading to even bigger highways that finally end at gigantic railways, the front line of the Allied war effort can be supplied with munitions, medicine and food without fail, and without risking precious transport aircraft from being shot down by either ground based or airborne threats.
-With Germany continuing to fight on two fronts, Berlin sends a cable to Montenegro for the Balkan nation’s assistance once again. The lucrative importance of the VEPT is unquestionable, and German armor brigades require such munitions if they wish to stand any chance against the Russians. In return, the newly designed heavy tank, the Panzerkampfwagen VI ‘Mjölnir’ is given to Montenegro for domestic production, as well as a handful of surplus tanks given as “gifts”. Some consider the trade one sided, but as the saying goes, all's fair in love and war.
-After a deal with Colombia, the Germans are given a working copy of BECE in return for the newly designed GpKam Ausf.A. This comes as the Colombians prepare for a research agreement with Germany to work together on the creation of “gun computers”, or electronic devices that allow artillery pieces to be artificially guided towards a target, rather than having to use massed bombardments in hopes of hitting something.
-Using huge numbers of aircraft launched from airfields in Poland, the Russian air force leads immense strikes with napalm and high-explosive munitions on cities such as Danzig, Stettin and Konigsberg, hoping to weaken the will of the German people. The Luftwaffe deals with some of the bombers as they head west, but not enough to totally stop the bombardment of civilian centers.
-Using the small number of submarines that can break the German blockade, torpedoes and deck-mounted rockets are fired into coastal facilities in Gdansk and Stettin. Not targeting civilians or ships themselves, these explosives are used to wreak havoc with the creation of ships for the Kriegsmarine. Though Germany’s western facilities are largely unharmed, these ports are key in keeping steady supplies to the Kriegsmarine’s Baltic contingent, which soon jeopardizes the campaign in the sea to hold the Russians back.
-Regardless of these naval setbacks, the Germans officially make a strategic redeployment on the other side of the Polish border. Much to the chagrin of Russian and Polish troops willing to chase after them, villages and farms are burned, salted, destroyed or outright sabotaged. Miles upon miles of minefields are laid between the Russian advance and the German border, effectively turning the majority of the border into a No-Man’s Land. The Russian advance halts before hitting this wall, and prepares to regroup, giving the Germans a small moment of reprieve.
-An unrestricted air campaign is launched against Poland. Despite the massive air superiority in the region of the combined Russian and Polish air forces, the Germans instead break up their bomber contingents into two-or-three-at-a-time “Streik-Gruppen”, allowing them to sneak through the screening efforts of Russian fighters, turning many portions of large Polish cities into rubble. Everything outside of the chemical weapons used in the previous war are given a go, and no target is left unconsidered.
-Fighting in the Baltic turns to be disastrous as German forces are forced to retreat from Latvia, and must watch Vilnius fall into the hands of the Russians. However, the Latvians and Lithuanians continue to put up a desperate defense, and whatever German help can be given, is given. Heinz Guderian, acting Feld Allgemein in the east, declares “I shall return. By the grace of God, I shall return.” An ominous warning that blurs predictions over the war in the Baltic.
-In Italy, the German forces make one small push that officially seizes the northern portions of the peninsula. From there, massive fortification efforts are made, including the creation of the “Kaiser Line”, which stretches from the western Alps to the ports of Venice, and acts as a death trap for any would be Imperial attackers that attempt to cross that line. With the French advances in the west, this action is made smoother and simpler.
-Despite having dug in, and preparing for a slugfest, the Germans decide to ramp up the air campaign. The Iberians lack the ability to maintain a strong air force, and the Luftwaffe makes a headway through the Peninsula into Sardinia, Sicily, Corsica and even parts of North Africa, leading devastating strikes on entrenched Imperial positions and troopships.
-In the west, German forces appear to be simply tagging along as the French officially mobilize every last individual that they can, and make a steamrolling effort south. Despite fortification efforts, the arrival of the monstrous French army with Dutch and Belgian troops in toe, makes the war in southern France seem like a one-sided boxing match. German tanks act as support roles, while the French make up the bulk of the effort against the Falangists.
-In a diplomatic mission to the Netherlands, Gregor Strasser begins striking up deals to “unite the Germanic peoples through the power of the rail”. In essence, the Dutch government prepares to stretch its industrial and civilian railways over the border to connect with those in Germany. Largely untouched by the war, the Dutch are able to put this to work, and are more than willing to connect themselves to one of the largest economies in Europe. In France, Strasser prepares to do the same, but only achieves reduced tariffs on goods. However, enough finagling has convinced the French government to join the European Cooperative Economy once the current war is brought to an end.
-At home, the German government begins new campaigns. The first is to create contests between school children in regards to scrap drives. The more metal a group of children bring to the various recycling centers, the bigger prizes they can earn, most of which are days off from school or a trip to the countryside. However, children are also promised to have them and their families join Goebbels for dinner if they bring in significant amounts of metal. Suddenly, cans are randomly dumped in the streets as some children rush to get to see the leader of their great nation.
-Public Service Announcements replace commercials for conglomerate goods on television, describing various important things that people can do to save resources, money and time in the event of further austerity. Basic medical treatments, ways to purify clothes, using every piece of an animal, and what it means to fast in the event of increased rationing helps relieve the stress on some families that are woefully ill-prepared.
-Government funded daycare centers, guarded by armed personnel and given some of the best teachers in the various regions, are opened to allow parents to drop off children and head to the factories. A wounded veteran describes the ‘Kindertagesstätten’ as “Chaotic, if not more so, than battling the Russians” due to the sheer number of squealing children that “have taken over” the centers.
-The Kesselring system is expanded along towards the border with Poland as Russian airstrikes continue. Both sides appear to be reducing the sheer number of bombers in the air, but are not letting up on their attacks. With this in mind, the Germans hope to trap the few planes that make it past the initial air patrols, and swat them down before any major cities can be struck.
-At the Berlin Sportpalast, Joseph Goebbels gives a speech that is broadcast not only in Germany, but around Europe in six different languages, as Goebbels prepares to make a point: “Have you lost faith, as the Latin propaganda states? Have you lost your way, as Franco spouts on the podium? No! Instead, are you angrier than before? Are you more than ever willing to give it all? Are you and the German people willing to work for victory? Do you want total war? If necessary, do you want a war more total and radical than anything that we can even imagine today?”. The speech is met with immense applause, as National Order 1 is put into effect, which is the outright maximum mobilization of any and all individuals to the army and factories. Not one inch of German land is to be left untilled, unoccupied, unguarded or otherwise unused.
-Tank researchers at Krupp unveil the newest design of tanks. In order to compete with the standardization of the Russians and Americans, the Germans finally put aside the old style of having large numbers of specialized tanks. Instead, the Panzerkampfwagen VI ‘Mjölnir’ is unveiled. Bearing thick, sloped armor, a 105mm gun, a pintle-mounted machine gun on the turret, and another in the driver’s port, the Mjölnir is Germany’s “Main Battle Tank”, and is immediately put to work to go head to head with the T-44.
-Messerschmitt, Germany’s aircraft designer and “savior of the air” are tasked with the creation of a superheavy bomber that can reach out far distances and strike with “the utmost malice” as ordered by Goebbels. A 4-jet engined aircraft, known as the Me-264, is unveiled. It is the largest aircraft in the German arsenal, and is nicknamed “Fetter Albatros” (Fat Albatross) due to its enormous size and somewhat sluggish speed. What the 264 does not lack, however, is firepower. Multiple gunports and a gigantic bomb bay turn it into less of a seabird and more of a winged grim reaper.
-In Italy, the German forces make one small push that officially seizes the northern portions of the peninsula. From there, massive fortification efforts are made, including the creation of the “Kaiser Line”, which stretches from the western Alps to the ports of Venice, and acts as a death trap for any would be Imperial attackers that attempt to cross that line. With the French advances in the west, this action is made smoother and simpler.
-Despite having dug in, and preparing for a slugfest, the Germans decide to ramp up the air campaign. The Iberians lack the ability to maintain a strong air force, and the Luftwaffe makes a headway through the Peninsula into Sardinia, Sicily, Corsica and even parts of North Africa, leading devastating strikes on entrenched Imperial positions and troopships.
-Though the Iberians and Italians do their best to keep ground on the northern coasts of the Mediterranean, they are met with the most terrifying foe in Europe: a mobilized France. Supported by Germans, Belgians and Dutch, the French throw their full weight against the Latin Imperium, not only dislodging them in a series of brutal and bloody battles, but officially breaching past the Pyrenees. French aircraft begin leading probing strikes against major cities such as Zaragoza, Valencia, and most shockingly, Madrid itself.
-In North Africa, the Iberians pull out all the stops and begin a massive assault and counter-attack against Arab forces. Algeria, Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania and Sudan are made quick work of as entire armies of the Latin Imperium are pressed against their relatively unprepared forces. The Free Libyan Army is pushed out of the major population centers that it held in Libya. The United Arab Republic tries desperately to hold the line, and finds many of their troops trapped in Saudi Arabia as key ports along the coast of Egypt are seized by the advancing Latins. The death toll is enormous as the Imperium openly refuses any surrender, be they civilian or soldier, and villages are massacred outright.
-Returning from a now Chinese-administered Indonesia, the few and far Dutch Marines take it upon themselves to leap from Madagascar into Mozambique in hopes of making some sort of strike against the Latin Imperium. Largely, this is more annoying to Latin high command than anything, and the attacks are ignored in favor of the larger war effort on the home front and in North Africa.
-In South America however, the war is going miserably. American Alliance troops continue to lay waste to Patagonia’s increasingly spread-thin defenses, and major cities like Cordoba and Buenos Aires are under threat of occupation. With the situation down the drain, Latin high command calls for a counter-attack through Uruguay to cut off the oncoming Brazilian military. Unfortunately, the attack is halted as much of the advancement slams headfirst into a widened Allied line, causing both sides to once again dig in and fight it out over an extended period of time.
-Regardless of the incidents at home and abroad, the Latin government refuses to admit even the slightest defeat. So much so, that defeatism is officially outlawed and made punishable by death. At least four senators and well over thirty officers are tried and executed for “Attempting to subvert the social order of the Imperium”. These men are shot, and their families imprisoned until further notice.
-The Bourbon Dynasty is officially declared dead in the water as the remaining heirs of Alfonso are considered impure by the Barcelona Laws their father helped write up. The boys are exiled to Malta, where they are stripped of title and rank, and placed under permanent house arrest. However, in response to the lack of a royal head, Franco rushes to officiate Prince Xavier, a Carlist claimant to the throne, as Imperator Xavier I. Xavier, though somewhat shocked at the decision, takes it upon himself to act as the ruling head of the country. Some consider Xavier to be nothing less than Franco’s puppet, but words such as that mean death if spoken in public.
-In Carlist Arabia, the Latin Imperium puts any and all oil wells on maximum production to fuel the ongoing war effort. As oil reserves begin to dry up, the Latins are desperately clinging on to whatever oil they have left, and are planning on reducing the number of vehicles being used to prioritize fuel for aircraft and rockets. Seizing the coastline of Egypt helps keep the oil flowing towards the Latin factories, but there is an air of nervousness around military higher-ups.
-Firearms are handed out to civilians in Iberia and Italia as “foreign traitors” begin to creep into unoccupied territories. These firearms, most of them outdated by today’s standards, are to be used by these civilians to initiate a guerilla campaign “the likes of which have never been seen”. In Iberia itself, as many of the regular soldiers are off in other fronts, entire units of “Ejército Popular”, or Folk’s Army. These are groups of largely old men and young boys tasked with fighting the oncoming Germans and French by “any means necessary”.
-Despite the war, the researchers tasked with creating new technological advancements for the Latin Imperium press on. Romulus I, the satellite that crossed paths with the Montenegrin Saputnik, meets its expected end. Though a major leap forward for communications technology, the satellite eventually was pulled back into the orbit of the earth, and burnt up upon reentry. However, launched from a base in Morocco, far and away from any foreign threats, Romulus II heads to the stars to act as a “Permanent fixture” above Earth’s atmosphere. Romulus II is larger, more complex, and uses a much larger rocket to send it into space, and the Latin people rejoice. After three hours of flight, Romulus II begins sending signals to specialists on the ground.
-Another major breakthrough is made, but is kept entirely secret. On airfields that are spirited away in parts of the Iberian peninsula and central Africa, what is known as the “Icarus Device” undergoes multiple tests. Spies from all nations attempt to get their hands on it, but this program appears to be more under-wraps than that of Iberian nuclear weapons.
-A deal is struck between Montenegro and her South American companion, Colombia. In return for the precious VEPT shells, which will easily rip Latin tanks to shreds, the Colombians officially give the Montenegrins the right to produce their version of hard discs, allowing for rapid growth in Montenegrin electromechanical engineering.
-With Germany continuing to fight on two fronts, Berlin sends a cable to Montenegro for the Balkan nation’s assistance once again. The lucrative importance of the VEPT is unquestionable, and German armor brigades require such munitions if they wish to stand any chance against the Russians. In return, the newly designed heavy tank, the Panzerkampfwagen VI ‘Mjölnir’ is given to Montenegro for domestic production, as well as a handful of surplus tanks given as “gifts”. Some consider the trade one sided, but as the saying goes, all's fair in love and war.
-Taking control of the International Health Organization, Montenegrin doctors officially open up hospitals on the outskirts of war zones in both Allied and ULE territory. Using massive, bright-white tents with a bright red cross or rod of asclepius, these hospitals treat the wounded of both sides, soldiers and civilians alike. This is a massive step forward in proving that the IHO is truly international, and that political boundaries mean nothing to them.
-Tunisia, slowly being choked out by oncoming ULE forces, receives a massive shipment of the J-41 rifle from Montenegro. Considered surplus, these rifles are given to Tunisia as a “diplomatic initiative between friends”. This infuriates Latin diplomats within Montenegro, who immediately exit the nation and consider Montenegro “et non receperunt” in future deals between the United Liberal Entente and other nations.
-To the north, using access through Hungarian railroads, Montenegrin ‘Buldog’ tank destroyers are sent to Czechoslovakia in order to combat the Polish forces that crisscross between the eastern Carpathians. Knowing the importance of these close-quarter “knife-fights” between armored vehicles, the Buldog is immediately put to use by Czechoslovak forces under the new designation ‘Buldok’. Using experimental “scattershot” shells, the Czechoslovak forces turn Buldoks into giant shotguns. The results are grisly.
-South of the border, the centrist government of Montenegro is asked to mediate a deal that was set up by the nationalist government of Albania and the social conservative government of Peonia. The proposal made by the Peonians was simple: the “trade” of Albania's Aromanian minority in return for an equal amount of Peonia's Albanians from the outer edge of 'Greater Albania'. From Tirana, the Albanian government has declared “Shqipëria për Shqiptarët” (Albania for Albanians), which promotes the continuation of the mission stated by the "Kararname", resulting in the slight rise of nationalistic actions made by Albanians outside of the country. The Peonians, using the Albanian government's newfound racialism against them, has the Albanians, somewhat passive-aggressively, accept the deal, and now both parties await Montenegro's response. 
-At home, the encouragement of sports causes the reemergance of an official organization that groups the various city and college sports teams together. Known as the "Fudbalski savez Crne Gore", or the Football Association of Montenegro, (FSCG for short), this organization gives footballers a standardized set of rules, as well as salaries and sponsorships. With television expanding, the FSCG hopes to get its own channel.
-Industrialization of Montenegro continues, with the creation of a national highway system that twists and winds from the newly acquired Metochia, all the way to the Montenegrin coastline in the west. This highway, though minute in comparison to the Reichsautobahn of Germany or the highways of America, it is nonetheless an important step in sewing Metochia into Montenegro as a permanent acquisition.
-Hydroelectric projects, preparing to be the biggest provider of electricity to Montenegro next to coal, push on without delay. Within the next year, the massive project in Mratinje will near completion, and the people of Montenegro drool at the thought of drastically reduced power bills.
-Seeing the Latin Imperium as nothing more than an “instigator of conflict and divisive element for humanity”, the Montenegrin Linguists Association officially ends the Neo-Roman project, and proceeds to focus on its older projects. Oddly enough, more work is put into the studies of old Slavic mythology, and a growing number of the MLA are brought into the fold of the Children of Perun, the rapidly expanding Neo-Pagan religious group within Montenegro.
-The Montenegrin military begins to standardize itself once again, going through the ledgers and testing the various rifles at its disposal. A single, official design is chosen, which remains as the bullpup Juriša, now the 1946 model, its size and mobility a deciding factor for keeping it as the standard rifle for Montenegro. The other rifles, experimented and prepared for deployment, are shuttered away in reserve in the event of mobilizing the various militia groups.
-Montenegro’s tanks undergo retrofitting with various armor technologies copied from the Germans. The thick, angular plates are slowly replaced with smooth, sloped armor that assists in the “glancing” of oncoming shells. Not only this, but the newly acquired PzKpfw VI “Mjölnir” is introduced, renamed as the Gazilački model 1 "Gvardija", or GM1 for short. This massive tank dwarfs older designs, and sits with the Buldog as an important piece in Montenegro’s armored divisions.
-Another breakthrough is made, once again taking designs from the Germans and Russians. Using eight 100mm tubes on top of a heavy truck, Montenegrin military engineers create a rapid-firing, easy to reload form of self-propelled rocket artillery. What it lacks in sheer firepower of something like the Katyusha, it is far more accurate, and allows the operator to bring down fire in a more concentrated area, reducing the risk of collateral damage significantly.
-Elsewhere in the military world, engineers from Podgorica unveil the newest bullet for Montenegro’s heavy machine guns. Using a steel-core penetrator, the tip is filled with high explosive, much like that of a tank shell. The twist, however, is that the charge is “shaped”, allowing it to explode in a direction. Designated the "Višenamenska protivmaterijalna" [Multipurpose anti-matériel], or VNPM [MPAM], this bullet becomes the ultimate “dragonslayer”, or "aždahoubica" in the native Serbian (its new nickname), against lightly armored vehicles, as two rounds could destroy an engine, disable equipment or kill personnel inside.
-The Russian offensive westward continues, with bombers now swarmed with escorts, prepared to wreak havoc on the German defensive lines. Armored attacks on the ground prove effective, as it seems that the German front is crumbling and falling backwards. Elements of the Polish military take their chance to move forward, and three platoons are sent to chase after the Germans to harass them. Horrifyingly, many of the platoons turn into pink mist due to the sheer amount of mines and booby-trapped villages. German soldiers have also taken it upon themselves to poison or outright burn the crops in areas they occupied earlier, making western Poland a dead no-man’s land.
-Russia’s advance holds near the border of Posen, as high command attempts to reconsider its movements against the Germans. Though their offensive could quickly meet Germans on their home territory, the supply problem could quickly become enormous, and some of the old guard suggest that the army prepare itself to dig in once again, though far away enough to avoid artillery strikes.
-Using huge numbers of aircraft launched from airfields in Poland, the Russian air force leads immense strikes with napalm and high-explosive munitions on cities such as Danzig, Stettin and Konigsberg, hoping to weaken the will of the German people. The Luftwaffe deals with some of the bombers as they head west, but not enough to totally stop the bombardment of civilian centers.
-Using the small number of submarines that can break the German blockade, torpedoes and deck-mounted rockets are fired into coastal facilities in Gdansk and Stettin. Not targeting civilians or ships themselves, these explosives are used to wreak havoc with the creation of ships for the Kriegsmarine. Though Germany’s western facilities are largely unharmed, these ports are key in keeping steady supplies to the Kriegsmarine’s Baltic contingent, which soon jeopardizes the campaign in the sea to hold the Russians back.
-In regards to the Baltic, the small nation of Estonia finally capitulates to Russian forces after a lengthy siege of the last loyalist stronghold. A deal is struck with local Russian sympathisers, and the State of Estonia is officially sewn into the Russian fold as an autonomous district. Riga, the capital of Latvia, is besieged as Russian forces surround it on all sides. Stubborn irregulars conduct intense raids on Russian rear-lines, but it does little to lighten the siege in any way.
-With Latvia close to capitulation, and Lithuania’s government forced westward as its capital falls, Russian aircraft begin conducting firebombing raids in hopes of forcing an unconditional surrender. Thousands are killed in the strikes, most of them civilians, and huge portions of nearly ancient cities are burnt to the ground. This does little to force the Balts to capitulate, and instead fuels their hatred of Russians further.
-A state of “Total War” is initiated. Known as “National Plan One”, the nation is mobilized to its fullest extent. Children are put to work in factories, as many adults are pressed into service by the government. The sick, the old, the infirm are called upon to pick up a wrench or blowtorch, and are taught by the few remaining industrial experts. Though a drastic choice, this allows for the massed production of Russian tanks, aircraft, guns, and now ships as the Russian navy prepares to go into overdrive in hopes of breaking the German blockade of the Baltic.
-To the south, the Russian advances against Turkey continue. Hoping to seize the City of the World’s Desire (arguably before the Greeks do), the Russians quickly send diplomats to make deals with the Kurdish forces in the south. Officially, the Democratic Republic of Kurdistan is formed, with the right-leaning KDP put in power. This raises tensions within the country, but the Russian army leaves the Kurds to their own devices in order to bring their troops westward. The Turks dig in deep around Constantinople, and prepare to fight tooth and nail in what has quickly become an obvious Holy War of sorts.
-At the Grand Synod, that line of thought is made increasingly common, as priestly figures recognize Zhukov’s acts as “protective” and Russia as a “defender of eastern, if not all, Christendom”. This raises ire amongst the few remaining diehard Socialists within Russia, but the sheer number of believers quickly quashes notions of dissent as parades are held in Zhukov’s honor.
-Taking pages from the United States, Russian researchers begin putting together the idea of how to create lasers. Using one of the well-protected facilities in the Urals, tests are run in order to create such a device. Though they are unable to create “Little Zeus” like the Americans, the first steps are taken nonetheless to create Russian lasers all their own.
-In hopes of mobilizing more of the population, machines are designed with small mechanical “computers”, using schematics from Chinese electronics. Though not exactly complex, these machines can be “programmed” to do repetitive actions, such as stamping metal, pouring moulds, cutting on a lathe, and other important parts of the assembly line that are reserved for manual laborers. Surprisingly enough, this helps reduce the number of workers significantly.
-Sonobuoys are officially leased to the Colombians permanently from American naval research facilities. Now, the deadly boogeyman of Iberian submarines can be seen in the blackness and detected before it can attack. Though this does not allow pinpoint accuracy, simply the pinging of sonar will cause even the most grizzled submarine captain to have second thoughts.
-Naval patrols begin sweeping through the “Viper’s Causeway” in the Caribbean, with American destroyers and cruisers pairing up with air-dropped sonobuoys in hopes of detecting Iberian submarines. Unsurprisingly, a handful of submarines are knocked out of action near the key port of Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Elsewhere, near the Panama canal, two submarines are forced to the surface. The American navy slowly begins to force the influence of the Latin Imperium out of Central America for good.
-In southern Patagonia, American marine raiders conduct immense attacks on Patagonian infrastructure, knocking out key lines of communication and transportation, allowing for a smoother assault northwards. Despite the defensiveness and zeal of the Patagonians, the sheer technological advancements and size of the American marines and army overwhelm them, and Operation Kite, the push to link up with Brazilian/Colombian/Venezuelan/Peruvian troops in the north, is a go.
-Along with Operation Kite, the US navy begins the construction of nearly two dozen escort destroyers and cruisers, as well as four new battleships and a new Jackson-Class nuclear aircraft carrier. With the American economy mobilized, these ships will hit the waters sooner than anyone was expecting, and the hardworking American people have nobody to thank but themselves for helping in the effort.
-Puerto Rico, America’s newest state, is put on high alert. 1 out of 3 adult males is mobilized, and all fishing vessels are seized by the US government and used as sub hunters, regardless of their size. Puerto Rico is too key of a naval asset to risk losing to Iberian submarines, or worse, Iberian foot soldiers. Nonetheless, the mobilization comes to harm the island to some extent, as its economy officially hits a brick wall with a sheer lack of manpower.
-On the homefront, America’s massive infrastructure campaign continues, the nation’s hard working men and women, of all creeds, color and political views, coming together to do their part in the war against tyranny. It is not uncommon to see mixed groups of factory workers, many of them women, rushing into factories with a determined look on their faces, not doing it for pay but to see the destruction of the Latin Imperium’s dictatorial reign once and for all.
-Using various excess compounds from petroleum, researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles unveil a new form of “synthetic” rubber. Though not as strong as the rubber that comes from the trees, the huge amount of oil and reserves that the United States has allows for the creation of hundreds and hundreds of tonnes of rubber that can be put to use in tires, hoses, truck beds, and various other industrial/military needs.
-Using research from the previous year, technicians working with the “Laser” projects unveil their first working model. Nicknamed “Little Zeus”, scientists from three universities have created a high-powered laser that is visible to the human eye. However, its nickname is a bit overstated, as “Little” Zeus requires an entire compound to be able to project a laser smaller than a millimeter in diameter for more than a few seconds at a time. Nonetheless, this is a huge leap forward in technology, and America stands at the forefront of yet another technological revolution.
==Turn 35: January to June 1947==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=50854037&viewfull=1#post50854037
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-Patagonia officially capitulates as the noose is drawn tight around Buenos Aires, forcing the colonial government to lay down its arms or risk the outright destruction of Patagonia as a whole. The American Alliance prepares to move across the Atlantic, and bring an end to this war.
-In a bloody display of neo-Crusader fanaticism and Latin superiority, the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, the former being the birthplace of Muhammad and the most important city to the Muslim faith, and the latter being the restingplace of Muhammad and the second most important city to the Muslim faith, are subjected to a week-long series of carpet bombing campaigns and rocket strikes, which not only kills thousands but also obliterates both the Masjid al-Haram and the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi. In Mecca, the Black Stone is dragged out of the wreckage of the Ka'aba and smashed with sledgehammers by Latin soldiers, who purposefully make a mockery out of the destruction.
-In response to this act, a series of Muslim scholars and clerics and their followers rise up in total revolt against the Latin Imperium, declaring a “Global Jihad”. These soldiers conduct raids and acts of terror against their Latin oppressors, preparing for a prolonged and bloody conflict for the “sanctity of the Muslim people”. Many wonder if the conflict will spill over into other territories.
-After being evacuated from the Iberian peninsula, the Pope openly denounces the Latin Imperium, and proceeds to excommunicate the entirety of the Latin government. This embarrasses, humiliates and infuriates the Latin government, which forces the Pope to flee to Sevastopol, fearing that he too may face the fate of the Sauds and Wahhabs.
-War continues once again in the Eastern Front as the Baltic states capitulate, forcing the Germans to go on the offensive against the Russians. Poland continues to become less of an independent state and more of a chessboard for the two warring empires of Germany and Russia.
-The tiny island nation of Ireland officially capitulates to the occupying forces of Scotland after the denouncement of Iberia by the Pope. The Irish government surrenders, and declares that Ireland is “Catholic first, warriors second”. Irish citizens are subjected to images of Latin extermination camps in South America.
-The Russo-Turkish war comes to an end as the city of Constantinople falls into the hands of the Greeks. Turkey is forced to pay a huge indemnity to the Greeks and Russians, as well as recognize the newly independent states of Trebizond and Kurdistan. The Orthodox Church, it seems, has regained its seat in the east.
-The situation in the Balkans continues to deteriorate as a massacre conducted by the “Young Hand” kills a majority of the Alexanderist government. Tito and his Partizani attempt to take control of the government, but are forced away, causing the nation to split into two camps, alongside reigniting the fury of the many rebel forces.
-In better news, the last known outbreaks of Staphylococcus asiaticus slowly begin to die out, as well as the disease itself. The efforts made by the International Health Organization and the various Indian governments show that, with perseverance, humankind can achieve anything. The IHO remains as a functioning organization, however, as there are ever watchful eyes over the next “big disease” that may rear its head.
-Quick overview of the fronts of the Fourth Great War:
--Western Front: With the Latin Imperium having totally lost control in South America, the scrambling forces were unable to hold back the oncoming flood of the French and Germans as they spilled down across the Alps and Pyrenees into Latin territory. The fighting was brutal for both sides, as the Latins refused to give land in the Iberian peninsula, and the vicious guerilla campaign behind French lines continued to wreak havoc on supply and logistics. Nonetheless, the efforts of the Latin Imperium were quickly draining as their assets became increasingly spread thin across North Africa and within their homeland.
--Eastern Front: The eastern front ignited once again as German forces pushed a spearhead against the entrenched Russian defenders. With the help of the Czechoslovaks and Romanians, however, the Germans were able to fold in some of the Russian lines, and prepare for a push against Warsaw. The Polish army was slowly exhausted of most of its resources, and much of Polish high command was unable to keep a firm grip on their own territory, forcing the Russians to act as sole defender of Polish lands. With the capitulation of Latvia and Lithuania, however, the Russians could sustain the fight long enough to keep themselves in due order.
--Afro Middle Eastern Front: In the north, the Latins underwent a campaign of genocide and destruction. With Mecca burning and both the Saud and Wahhab families executed, the Latins saw fit to completely do away with the “Arab Problem”, and tens of thousands were brutally murdered, their homes devastated, and their holy places ransacked. The territories originally held by the Sauds were unofficially absorbed by the United Arab Republic, who gained little by retaking a holy city that was more or less reduced to rubble. Meanwhile, in the southeast, ANZAC and Dutch forces began sweeping upwards into Mozambique, completely catching the Latin defenders off-guard. With Latin forces spread thin, the armies of Australia and New Zealand had little difficulty in marching northwards towards the Congo, which the Latins used as their one and only breadbasket.
--Global Jihad: With the razing of Mecca and Medina, a series of radical Islamic clerics and preachers, who had been under the thumb of the Iberians/Italians for a long time, rose up in outright holy war. Inspired by the Balochs in the Persia, the Great Jihad was focused against the occupying forces of the Latin Imperium, and its leaders desperately tried to keep that focus in line. Despite the clear religious fundamentalism, these clerics did not want to see further violence enacted against Muslim people, and wished to overthrow the chains of Latin oppression once and for all, and by any means necessary.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Czechoslovakia
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Latin Imperium
Head Nation: Latin Imperium
-Members:
--Latin Imperium
--Greece
--Pahlavi Empire
Type: Defensive Pact
Guangzhou Cooperation Organization (GCO):
Headquarters: Guangzhou, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Korea
--Cambodia
--Orissa
--Uttar
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Maharashtra
--Pakistan
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Eurasian Accord (EA):
Headquarters: Ürümqi, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Russia
--Pakistan
--Romania
--Bulgaria
--Kurdistan
--Trebizond
--Greece
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
European Cooperative Economy (ECE):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
--Luxembourg
--Czechoslovakia
--Slovenia
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: Economic Association
New Commonwealth (NC):
Headquarters: Ontario, Canada
Head Nation: Canada
-Members:
--Canada
--Australia
--New Zealand
Type: International Association
Indian Union (IU):
Headquarters: Islamabad, Pakistan
Head Nation: Pakistan
-Members:
--Pakistan
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Uttar
Type: Political Association
Player Events:
-Internally, China continues to undergo development and redevelopment of its heavily urbanized and tiny rural populations. Now known as the “Era of Great Reform”, Chiang Kai Shek has ushered in a new Chinese golden age through his efforts to restructure the nation’s economy, education sector, military, demographics and industrial might.
-One of the many reforms implemented in 1947 is the introduction of increased resources and funding across the board for all research departments attached to the government. Health, electronics, nuclear, mechanical and communications researchers receive massive pay increases, and many of them are given a longer leash to delve into already patented technology in order to create better, more efficient forms of it.
-Tax rebates and subsidies are waved in front of the noses of successful private researchers as well, as the Chinese government hopes to ignite competition between the private and public sector in regards to technology. Multiple conglomerate research companies begin butting heads with government scientists, both groups putting out more work in order to receive higher funding, which in turn causes an exponential growth in new technologies.
-The Republic begins opening up a series of government funded universities for adult education. These centers only focus on the basics of learning (basic math, biology, chemistry, etc.), and are used to foster an interest in more specialized forms of manual labor. Seeing that most of the work force remains uneducated factory workers, the Chinese government considers it simply “not viable” to continue having such teeming masses of otherwise unskilled individuals, and tries its best to diversify the knowledge of workers in China.
-Alongside this, many universities within China open up a wing for ‘First-Year’ students. Here, adults seeking university education can take free general education courses, and receive an associates degree, and then be given the choice to find a job or continue their education through said university. Many students pick the latter, as the associates degree encourages continued academic pursuit.
-A large emphasis is put on the “Westernization of China”. Though this infuriates many die-hard conservatives, the government makes it explicitly clear in another statement that it will be “Westernization with Chinese characteristics”, and will focus on strengthening the economy and the sciences, and not “kowtowing to European ideology”.
-Surprisingly, a large number of western immigrants make their way into China. Underground democrats from Italy, Altaic peoples from Russia, Englishmen, Canadians and even some Americans cut their ties from home and make their way to China in hopes of finding better lives overseas. These individuals try their best to blend in with Chinese society, and the latinization programs of the Chinese language help this significantly.
-Military exercises are conducted in Mongolia in order to test how well Chinese equipment performs in deserts. These are small exercises, and all they prove is that sand is coarse, irritating, and gets everywhere when trying to use armored vehicles in a desert environment. Chinese doctrine simply states “Avoid deserts” at this point.
-In hopes of beating the Colombians at their own game, the miniaturization of microprocessors reaches a brand new height at the University of Beijing. Known as “Lotus I”, this new microprocessor is the size of a wallet. Though lacking the sheer capacity and power of its larger compatriots, Lotus I is a great leap forward for computing technology, and makes it obvious that soon computers will not need to engulf entire buildings in order to work.
-With the tech boom continuing, Chinese researchers at the University of Shanghai unveil a brand new technology. Known as “FM Broadcasting”, this new form of radio uses high-frequency waves that are less susceptible to interference from power lines or other large energy sources. However, when setting up a broadcast station far in the Taklamakan desert, in hopes of speaking to their compatriots in Shanghai, crackled murmurs are heard. Coming from the west. Upon investigation, the Chinese have just detected European broadcasts. It is believed that researchers of both parties spoke to one another saying “how has nobody thought of this yet?”
-The city of Buenos Aires, capital of Patagonia and the last stronghold of Falangist resistance in South America, finally opens itself to the occupation of Allied forces. Soldiers are marched out, hands above their heads, white scarves around their neck showing their surrender. Officers march out in formation, hands at their sides, trying their best to keep what little dignity they have. Many of these officers are immediately arrested, but a handful are grabbed by civilian mobs and brutalized before Colombian soldiers can get to them.
-Much of Buenos Aires has been devastated in the fighting, as Colombian and Brazilian troops were forced to fight street to street, building to building, room to room, as the desperate defense dragged out for weeks on end. This causes many in high command to become nervous of the possibility of entering a war in Europe, but those fears must take a backseat to the occupation of Patagonia.
-The former nation of Patagonia is divided north and south. Unlike previous ideas of occupation, this is done instead to alleviate the pressures on the occupying forces. To the north, Venezuela, Brazil and Peru have authority over the occupied territories, and to the south, the United States and Colombia reorganize themselves in preparation for an attack west.
-Meanwhile, the Patagonian population is made fully aware of the war crimes committed by the Falangists. The reaction is surprising, as disgusted and ashamed of these acts, as the Patagonian/Latin administration has kept a tight lid on information up until this point. Said Falangist administrators are rounded up and held in maximum security, overseen by US Marines at all times, in preparation for taking the Iberian government and throwing them in the slammer too.
-Aircraft, submarines and small ships of the Colombian navy make single mission probing expeditions through the Atlantic to test the strength of the Latin navy situated in between the two hemispheres. Despite their ferocious reputation, it is clear that the fleets of Iberia are slowly becoming exhausted. The biggest hurdle will be attacking the walls and fortifications along the western coast of the Iberian peninsula, which stopped the British from getting a foothold in the Spanish-Portuguese war so many years ago.
-A horrifying incident takes place in the middle of the night in the city of Bogota. As the city settles in for the twilight hours, a massive explosion rips through a heavily populated center of the city, killing hundreds and setting blocks of houses ablaze. Immediately, air raid sirens go up, and fighters are scrambled. Radar detected only a fast moving blip, and Colombian high command soon finds out that Bogota was not alone. Rio, San Juan, and even the bay of New York City have been struck similarly.
-A Colombian pilot scrambled to find the radar blip detects his target and prepares to intercept. What he sees, before it disappears from view, is a chilling reminder of Latin ingenuity. It is a pilotless, cockpit-less, and now weaponless, bomber. The mythical “Icarus Device” is revealed to the world. An antipodal bomber.
-At home, the Colombian government quietly changes its propaganda to focus from Patagonia to Iberia itself. Any fears of public disappointment is immediately soothed after the strikes in Bogota. The Colombian populace is furious, and frothing at the mouth, ready to take a huge bite out of Iberia, and clamp down for another. “Independencia, Libertad, Victoria!” is the cry from the people of Colombia, who do anything they can to bring an end to the Latin Imperium.
-The tourist industry opens up once again, though not as widely as it was before. Doctors and researchers are encouraged to take some time off to rest and relax, as are high-ranking officers and wounded soldiers. The resorts remain empty.
-Using byproducts from oil refining and production, researchers at a Cartagena-based refining facility stumble upon the idea of creating “synthetic” rubber. By solidifying the petrochemical runoff by using a variety of chemicals, the first “synthetic tires” are tested on a factory’s truck carrying a heavy load. The tires work beautifully, and the designs are quickly patented by the Colombian government and introduced to the various petrochemical industries within the nation. This helps wean the Colombian government off of importing real rubber from outside sources, especially with the world’s richest supplies under control of the Latins.
-A brutally simplistic, yet devastatingly effective weapon is devised by a Colombian air force pilot. Known as a “Perro Perezoso” (Lazy Dog), these half-kilogram steel darts can be dropped from an aircraft at a high altitude onto a target. Though not explosive, the sheer kinetic energy of these darts hitting terminal velocity allows them to punch through the vulnerable top armor of tanks, through roofs of headquarters, or straight through the body of a soldier.
-In the western front, the republics of Latvia and Lithuania finally capitulate, their armed forces surrendering before the end of the summer. This comes as a shock to the world, as the security of the Baltic is now officially threatened by Russian expansionism, and now gives the Russians breathing space to move their navy about.
-In the Baltic Sea, the Russian fleet makes a second attack against the Kriegsmarine blockade. Surprisingly, the blockade is largely gone, as the Kriegsmarine appears to have pulled back for repairs. The Russian advance into the Baltic Sea begins, but halts as commanders become increasingly nervous over the presence of European Cooperative submarines or mines within the waters near Danzig.
-German bombardments begin along the west, using artillery and aircraft. These bombing runs focus on breaking up the supply lines of the Russians, and prove to be deadly effective against the increasingly disorganized Poles. This creates holes in the Russian line that the Russian army moves quickly to plug up. Fuel reserves are hit, as are rear-line communications, causing serious disarray amongst Russian forces.
-A fortification process begins on the western Polish border in preparation for the German attack. Surprisingly, this attack does come, alongside the forces of Czechoslovakia, Romania, Scotland and the Netherlands. As the Russians are forced to give ground on multiple fronts to regroup, a series of vicious attacks take place behind their lines, scattering supplies and seeing dozens of officers killed. It is believed Pro-Socialist movements within the Polish population have taken up arms against Russia at the behest of Germany.
-Southern Poland is hit the hardest, as Czechoslovak and Romanian forces push upwards to try and drag the Russians down. Luckily for the Russian defenders, most of the German spearhead breaks along the early fortifications, and much of No-Man’s Land remains so, but Russia must now rethink her strategy in order to make any sort of gain within German territory.
-In retaliation, a gigantic bombing campaign begins along the western front, focusing mainly on German positions and coastal fortifications. These strikes are indiscriminate, and civilians/Russian POWs are caught up in artillery, air and rocket strikes. Russian Fuel-Air Bombs are used to their fullest extent in hopes of dislodging the German rear lines, but the sheer size of the front makes it difficult to discern their effectiveness. Many bombers are intercepted as Germany’s Anti-Air radar and defense system picks out these bomber formations and gives their fighters time to strike them down.
-Meanwhile, in the Italian Front, the Germans make significant gains as Imperial forces buckle under the combined weight of airstrikes, artillery, infantry and armor rushes along the increasingly weak positions in central Italy. The city of Rome itself is in clear view, and Franco-German forces make a point of doing as little damage as possible to try and soothe the minds of Catholics who view the city as sacred ground.
-Women, always considered to be homemakers and now considered workers in factories, are given a chance to prove themselves elsewhere. Though not conscripted like the Russians, women are given the opportunity to volunteer and serve as communications, supply, repair and medical troops, freeing up the much-needed manpower for combat units along the Eastern front. “Deutschland ist Ein!” is the call of women in the armed forces.
-In the northeast of Italy, the Germans officially relinquishes control of territory over to the newly formed “State of Venice”. This pseudo-state is run by members of the Italian Socialist Party, and is given authority over all German-captured territory in Italy, as well as being able to form its own Italian-national troops. Largely, their armies still move in tandem with the Germans, and their economy exists solely on paper, but nonetheless, Italy is reborn as an independent nation once again.
-After much persuasion, France, Belgium and Luxembourg agree to link themselves to the German infrastructure program in the west. The Benelux region is more or less slowly being knitted as a German economic substate, whilst France only lets its borders with Belgium and immediate borders with Germany be used for such projects. Despite their friendship and war comradery, the French are more than suspicious of Germany’s goals.
-In Hannover, a dedicated series of small towns, known as Flüchtlingshäuser (Refugee houses) are constructed. Here, the swarms of Italians, Balts, Serbs, Croats, Poles, Arabs and Turks that seek places to stay and rest are given a “home” all their own. When arriving, these individuals are screened and (somewhat forcefully) made to mingle with groups of other ethnicities. At these Flüchtlingshäuser, the German government begins looking for volunteers into the foreign legion, and many Italians step up to fight against Latin oppression.
-Meanwhile, these refugees are given the opportunity to get a job at German factories in order to free up manpower. These jobs do not pay well, and do not have the added benefits that German citizens enjoy, but it’s something for them to do as well as make some money for their family. These workers are also given small classes by German teachers in order to learn the language and understand what it means to live in Germany. These refugees that begin to understand and speak German are (somewhat crudely) nicknamed “Neuevolk”, or New People, due to their foreign origins.
-Propaganda storms continue as the German government celebrates its victories over the Latins in central Italy and northeastern Iberia. Though the war is far from over, it is clearly turning significantly in favor of the European Cooperative and its Allies, as the United Liberal Entente. dwindles in size day by day, and its only significant members are trapped by walls of hostile forces
-Using old designs from the early 30s, and taking notes from the Chinese and Colombians, German researchers begin drafting designs for “synthetic” refineries, where they can squeeze just about everything they can out of existing oil supplies, as well as create a fuel mimic using coal or other fuels. Though not exactly new, this will significantly reduce the strain on the German war machine as the Iberian blockade continues to stop American oil from reaching the country.
-With help from the Colombians, the Germans unveil their own form of the kinetic “Lazy Dog” bomb. This German design uses a large, shaped block of concrete rather than the small steel darts, and is specially designed for cracking through tanks or bunkers. The concrete is given a tungsten point, and inside of it is a steel core, allowing it to penetrate even the toughest armor if dropped from a high altitude. These brutal, simplistic and arguably disconcerting “bombs” are given the name “Blitze”, or Lightning Bolts, for their sudden appearance and destructive capabilities.
-In an attempt to both raise morale of their own troops, and shatter that of their enemies, the forces sitting on the Suez canal move eastward in hopes of seizing Jerusalem, the Holy of Holies, the City of God, the resting place of Christ, and the ultimate target for any zealous Christian. Unfortunately for the Iberians, this is easier said than done, as the rabid defenders of the United Arab Republic force the Latins to take a mile in return for an inch. Bloody street-to-street fighting is the name of the game as the Latins try desperately to reduce any damage to the region of Judea, homeland of Christ.
-Fed up with the presence of Muslims in any way, shape or order, and seeing that the time is more than right to prepare for a “final solution”, forces of the Latin Imperium arrest and execute a huge majority of both the Saud and Wahhab families, declaring them “Racially and religiously inferior”. Immediately afterwards, the holy cities of Mecca and Medina are repetitively bombed with Matador missiles and napalm bombs in a 7 day “Campaign of Cleansing”. Muslims around the world over are horrified as images of a burnt Ka’aba are released, as well as the Black Stone shown smashed apart by Latin soldiers with sledgehammers.
-The effect of such an act is quickly felt. Clerics and Imams throughout the Muslim-majority territories in the Latin Imperium declare for a “Total, unending Jihad against our oppressors”. In Africa, across the Imperium’s colonies, Iberian administrators are butchered, soldiers targeted, farms set ablaze, and supply lines devastated. Many Muslims outside of the Imperium call for the war to be focused against the Latins, and not against anyone else. Many fear this may have fallen on deaf ears.
-With a global Jihad raging against them, the Latins are faced with even more hardship as Franco-German forces spill over the Pyrenees as well as into central Italy itself. The mish-mashed defenders in Italy retreat southward, hoping to defend Rome at all costs. It is obvious that the price is high for even the smallest of battles for the Latin forces now.
-Desperately, the Latin Imperium conducts brutal commando raids along the coastline of France and even the United States. Using what little of their surface fleet remains, the Latins bombard the ports in the Chesapeake Bay and Port Charles, before finally being sunk by American aircraft. In France, Latin commandos focus not on strategic but civilian targets in hopes of demolishing French morale. It proves largely ineffective.
-In San Juan, Rio, Bogota and the bay of New York City, the Latins reveal their mysterious “Icarus Device”. Launched via rocket off of a rail in central Africa, and using boosters to keep it afloat, these pilotless bombers are given a timer to drop their 1000lb bomb, and then suicide-bomb themselves into the Pacific ocean before being discovered. Unfortunately, one Icarus Device is tracked by a Colombian pilot, and the cat is quickly out of the bag. Nonetheless, the hundreds that are killed and the tens of thousands of dollars in damage manage to show the world that the Latin Imperium is not yet down.
-A large propaganda campaign is put into place in order to give the various militia groups of Iberia a mission. This mission, simply put, is to fortify Madrid and defend the city at all costs, as the Latin government quietly moves to Casablanca in hopes of continuing the war there. The fervent construction begins, and rubble of Madrid as it is repetitively bombed by French aircraft is converted into makeshift bunkers.
-Total mobilization occurs, as all able-bodied men, women and children capable of working in the factories are given a brutal 7 day work week. These shifts last nearly 12 hours, and the workers are given only one day every other week to rest. Those that slack or attempt to quit suddenly disappear seemingly overnight.
-Fearing for his life, the Latin Imperium quickly shuffles the Pope to Naples, far away from the range of French or German bombers, and out of the Iberian peninsula as a whole. Immediately upon arrival, the Holy Father outright denounces the Latin government in a scathing decree: “Villany, treachery, oppression and murder is what lead to God sending his son to free us. How dare we take his name and use it to do exactly that of Pontius Pilate, Nero and Tiberius? How dare we use his name to destroy the sanctity of life? Ask yourself, is it best that we remain true to God if we take his name and run it through the mud? I ask you, no, I plea to you, stop the fighting, stop the madness, and demand that the Latin Imperium surrender itself!”
-The message of the Pope shocks Catholics the world over, as many either hoped or feared that he would remain silent during the entirety of the war. A day after his sermon, the Pope officially excommunicates the Latin government from the Catholic church, a drastic act that not only humiliates, but also serves to enrage, the Latin government. The Pope flees to Sevastopol, fearing that the Latins may take the chance to simply murder him and get it over with.
-In North Africa, the Latin Imperium puts to use one of its newest inventions. In the city of Tunis, in the dead of night, civilians wake up to a faint “fruity” odor wafting through the air. Suddenly, people begin to vomit, convulse and choke. Thousands of innocent men, women and children are quietly snuffed out by canisters filled with Ethyl Dimethylphosphoramidocyanidate, or its colloquial name, Tabun.
-In a testing field in the Sahara desert, the Latins test one of their 1000lb bombs to be filled with something totally different. Instead of explosives, these new “Cruzado” bombs detonate in the air, spreading about small, white clouds of a dusty pale substance. The sheep used in the experiment never knew what hit them. The Iberians, however, do. Though not exactly invented in and of itself, the use of weaponizing this substance is a terrifying development. A new form of weaponry, known as bioweapons, is born on the Iberian testing grounds using anthrax.
-Artists continue to make their way from Montenegro to Japan, working with various creative minds in the far-off Asian nation. When these artists return, they bring back a series of cartoons that are becoming increasingly popular throughout Japan. Known as “manga”, these comics quickly get the Montenegrin populace hooked on Japanese drawing and storytelling styles, which further brings the two nations, despite their distance, closer together.
-The two Balkan republics of Istria and Dalmatia turn to Montenegro, the only Balkan country that hasn’t descended into absolute lunacy, for minor assistance. Istria and Dalmatian diplomats tour Montenegrin factories, observing how the workers are organized and managed, as well as taking rides on the various forms of public transport within Podgorica. Though they may not take anything concrete back with them, they learn quickly what it means to create a stable backbone for the private sector.
-With war continuing in Europe, the Montenegrin government sells the much-desired VNPM bullets to the Germans, in return for the massive steel presses and other industrial equipment that helps fuel the German war machine. These presses dwarf anything seen in Montenegro, and are an obvious reminder to the globe that German ingenuity, when focused, can achieve amazing things.
-Montenegrin troops are sent to mediate the population exchange between Peonia and Albania, as discussed in the latter half of last year. While some of the tribes in the area make the job difficult, the exchange goes off without a hitch. The Peonians quickly begin accommodating for the new Aromanians, hoping to integrate them into the cosmopolitan population of the region. 
-A series of rowing competitions take place along the coast of Montenegro, with teams from Dalmatia, Istria, Peonia and Albania taking part. Though small in size and number of competitors, the Montenegrin sports associations hope to spread this throughout the Balkans once the war is over, and introduce a regional sports competition to happen every year; a “Balkalympics”, as an American tourist described them.
-Industrialization of Metochia continues as the Montenegrin government officially completes its gigantic hydroelectric projects. The cities of the south spring to life with cheap, reliable energy, and are finally tied to the heart of Montenegro as the roadways link north and south together in seamless paths. Montenegro’s economy, despite the war in Europe and the nearly routine instability of the Balkans, continues on a steady path of expansion.
-At the Montenegrin Linguists' Association, the separate “Montenegrin” dialect is officially completed, as well as Serpian. The former allows Montenegrins to speak to one another in their own common tongue, officially making Montenegro its own state, as opposed to a “Serbian stepchild”. However, the idea of Montenegrin conflicts with Common Slavonic, and scholars regularly butt heads over each language’s application.
-Concerns regarding the various Neo-Pagan groups within Montenegro reaches a head. Despite their lack of doing anything other than hold meetings and charity groups, the Slavic pagans come under fire by various religious scholars. The Montenegrin government puts an end to it in a public meeting in Podgorica. Orthodoxy is still held as the “traditional religion” of Montenegro, as led by the autocephalous "Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral", but Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, and even irreligion, are recognized by the Montenegrin government, and documents officiating the freedom of religion are reaffirmed. Tensions are soothed, and everyone seems to go back to their daily routine.
-The Montenegrin military begins to produce their domestic versions of tanks, known as the Oklopnjački Model (OM) series, with the name literally meaning Tank Model, though stylistically translated as Ironclad Model. These tanks dwarf anything that the Montenegrins had previously (other than the Buldog), and it allows the Montenegrin military to jump up to the level of other standing European armies.
-After a disagreement between management, a handful of members from Onogošt, led by a German American immigrant and a Montenegrin from the Potarje region, move northward to Mojkovac to found Byrsgaw Armory (Brskovka oružarnica), a domestic producer of firearms for the Montenegrin populace. Firearms such as the Mauser C96, Luger P08, Walther P38, Holek Automat, Ithaca Auto & Burglar and Burgess Folding Shotgun are given Montenegrin designations (Metlač T47, Bracht T47, Alemanac T47, Moravica T47, Čuvač T47 and Savijač T47 respectively), as well as homebrewed designs, such as their lever actions, the Byrsgaw vz. 47 shotgun and the Hajdučija vz. 47 handgun, and their Montenegrin-style Sokač M47 revolver. This helps further cultivate the gun culture amongst the Montenegrin general public, different from that of the US. In Montenegro, the firearm is a symbol of power and independence, and is treated properly. Shooting competitions and gun shows generally see small sales or trading, rather than massed purchases or needless rivalry between individuals.
-At an automobile factory in Herceg Novi, engineers come to the conclusion of creating a “rotary” engine. Instead of using pistons, the HN Engine would use a single, triangular rotor that moves within the body of the engine, reducing its size and increasing the RPM significantly. Though it is fragile and currently untested, the HN Engine is a huge leap forward in engine technology, and would allow for high-powered engines to be used in a compact size.
-Knowing that television and radio will soon dominate Europe’s entertainment industry after the end of the war, Montenegrin communications researchers begin toying with the idea of high-frequency radio transmission technology. Known as “FM”, broadcast stations in Montenegro and Maharashtra are built, as the two nations hope to communicate with one another more frequently, and with less interference. However, during a test broadcast, quiet murmurs are detected coming over the airwaves. Upon investigation, it is believed that researchers of both parties spoke to one another saying “how has nobody thought of this yet?”
-Seeing as to how the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization has more of the same assets, facets and rulings as the now-defunct Nanjing-Moscow Association, the government of Pakistan officially transfers itself over to the east. However, Pakistan considers itself to be an important “founding member” of the Nanjing-Moscow Association, and pushes for the ability to become a dual member of the two organizations, claiming that they “may not stretch across Eurasia, but are instead in the middle of the two great continents”.
-Turning its focus on nearby India, the Pakistani government allows Mahatma Gandhi to move freely over the borders of Indian Union, where he goes about preaching the idea of a “Unified, single state of India”. Though his words of human rights and fairness for all are appreciated by the lower and middle classes, most of these states have slowly developed their own cultures over time, and the idea of a single India falls on deaf ears.
-This is reflected as Pakistani diplomats head out attempting to bring more countries into the organization, only to come back empty handed. Many of these states would rather cooperate with one another on a personal level, rather than be “drawn into the hands of a foreign power”. Pakistan’s Islamic roots do not help in this situation, especially for the nationalist states in the south of India.
-At home, Pakistan continues its large infrastructure projects, which prove to have significant impacts on the daily lives of nearly everyone. A nationwide railway is finally complete, and can carry thousands of tons of cargo to-and-from the newly acquired ports of Rajastan every day, and the economic power of Pakistan skyrockets as gems and precious metals flood out the doors of the once backwater central-Asian nation.
-The government turns its income into subsidies as small businesses are given a fairly major boost in order to keep them afloat and help ignite competition. These come in the forms of the aforementioned subsidies, large tax cuts, free land purchases, or a combination of the three, which helps the private sector of Pakistan explode into life.
-Pakistan’s navy continues to go about on a nationwide recruitment campaign in order to bring in more young men to “Conquer the Waves!”. Interestingly, this campaign works out to the navy’s benefit, as former fishermen and ferry workers take the chance to make extra money on the seas, and some Pashtuns/Tajiks join simply to see something that they had never experienced before in their lives.
-Russian naval advisors help nudge the Pakistani navy along. Though unable to send a ship of their own, these advisors bring along copies of the old Alexanderist Yugoslavian “Pocket Cruisers”, or small ships that cling to the coastline and act as a mobile gun platform to stop would-be raiders. These advisors also help drill the Pakistani navy on basic naval orders, something that the navy has lacked since its inception, though that is no fault of its commanders.
-Refinement of the synthesized opiates continues. Though Pakistan has a huge supply of poppy, and will in no way reduce that supply by exporting it for medical reasons, there is still a push for the creation of a longer-lasting, more reliable series of opium-based medication that raw poppy simply cannot fill. These new medicines are put to the test in experimental trials, and prove to be fairly effective. The biggest issue from these synthesized medications, however, is that they prove to be far more addictive than raw opium, and this sparks a debate over the legality of the drug, both religiously and politically.
-Nitrous Oxide, the useful, combustible chemical compound is put to use for a much less dangerous and arguably far less entertaining purpose. Though already known for its use as an anaesthetic, researchers at the University of Kabul put themselves to work on creating a 50:50 mix of Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide. This diluted format allows for less dangerous consumption in the medical practice, and reduces the risk of outright asphyxiation. This also makes it far more volatile if used in an engine, as the increased amount of oxygen allows for larger, more explosive capability.
-In the western front, the republics of Latvia and Lithuania finally capitulate, their armed forces surrendering before the end of the summer. This comes as a shock to the world, as the security of the Baltic is now officially threatened by Russian expansionism, and now gives the Russians breathing space to move their navy about.
-In the Baltic Sea, the Russian fleet makes a second attack against the Kriegsmarine blockade. Surprisingly, the blockade is largely gone, as the Kriegsmarine appears to have pulled back for repairs. The Russian advance into the Baltic Sea begins, but halts as commanders become increasingly nervous over the presence of European Cooperative submarines or mines within the waters near Danzig.
-German bombardments begin along the west, using artillery and aircraft. These bombing runs focus on breaking up the supply lines of the Russians, and prove to be deadly effective against the increasingly disorganized Poles. This creates holes in the Russian line that the Russian army moves quickly to plug up. Fuel reserves are hit, as are rear-line communications, causing serious disarray amongst Russian forces.
-A fortification process begins on the western Polish border in preparation for the German attack. Unsurprisingly, this attack does come, alongside the forces of Czechoslovakia, Romania, Scotland and the Netherlands. As the Russians are forced to give ground on multiple fronts to regroup, a series of vicious attacks take place behind their lines, scattering supplies and seeing dozens of officers killed. It is believed Pro-Socialist movements within the Polish population have taken up arms against Russia at the behest of Germany.
-Southern Poland is hit the hardest, as Czechoslovak and Romanian forces push upwards to try and drag the Russians down. Luckily for the Russian defenders, most of the German spearhead breaks along the early fortifications, and much of No-Man’s Land remains so, but Russia must now rethink her strategy in order to make any sort of gain within German territory.
-In retaliation, a gigantic bombing campaign begins along the western front, focusing mainly on German positions and coastal fortifications. These strikes are indiscriminate, and civilians/Russian POWs are caught up in artillery, air and rocket strikes. Russian Fuel-Air Bombs are used to their fullest extent in hopes of dislodging the German rear lines, but the sheer size of the front makes it difficult to discern their effectiveness. Many bombers are intercepted as Germany’s Anti-Air radar and defense system picks out these bomber formations and gives their fighters time to strike them down.
-The Battle in Poland has started once again, as both sides prepare for the final, true ending battle that will decide the fate of Eastern Europe. The Russian army pushes hard,and the combined forces of the European Cooperative push back, just as hard. The death tolls are enormous, and the “No Man’s Land” of western Poland will be a graveyard of vehicles and people for decades to come.
-To the south, Russia’s gains come at a much cheaper price. The City of the World’s Desire, Constantinople, finally falls to the hands of the Greeks as Turkish forces surrender unconditionally to the demands of Russia, Kurdistan and Greece. The Megali Idea is put in full force, as the Greeks retake the capital of the long-dead Byzantine Empire, Constantinople. To the east, the region of Kars is seized by Russia, and a small state of Trebizond is formed. In Trebizond, various minorities such as Armenians, Georgians and Circassians, are given breathing room from both Russia and Turkey. Though not resembling anything of its medieval namesake, Trebizond is yet another piece of territory ripped from the Turks.
-Turkey’s government is allowed to remain in power, after being forced to recognize all gains made by the Russian forces. The Turks cease attempting to put through Pro-Turkish Orthodox priests of their own, and are forced to pay an enormous indemnity to Greece for their “many years of oppression and madness”. Officially, the land that could be considered the Holiest of Holies, has been seized by Orthodox forces.
-Kurdistan, the small rump state given independence by Russia, is officially brought into the Russosphere as an ally of Russians and “any new friends who find themselves making deals with our givers of independence”. Russian diplomats and merchants are given free entrance to Kurdistan, and the Ruble is quickly adopted as Kurdistan’s national currency. In essence, Kurdistan is a Russian state that flies its own flag.
-In central Siberia, Russia begins launching its nuclear-capable rockets onto testing grounds to make a point. The point falls largely on deaf ears, however, as rocket propelled nuclear weapons are nothing new, and their prolific use by Iberia makes it so Russia must use them “as a weapon rather than a hand gesture”. This puts the Russian military in an awkward position, and further news of tests is quietly shoved aside.
-Gas and oil scouting continues in Siberia as the Russians try desperately to wean themselves off the importing of foreign oil, which is slowly being choked out as the United States takes a hostile stance against Russia once again. These oil and gas reserves that are found can sustain the Russian military for some time, and possibly be converted to civilian use in the future once the war is over.
-In an attempt to mimic the Americans, as well as expand their navy, the Russians go to work on creating their own nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Using designs from their submarines, and looking at the capabilities and resources required for such a vessel, the Russian navy officially announces the building of the Brusilov, named after the daring Russian general of the first Great War. The Brusilov will be finished within the next year and a half, and will be a welcomed addition to the Russian navy.
-Nestled in the urals, a rocket test site goes live, catapulting its tubular self into space. High above the earth’s atmosphere, a capsule is launched, and the small satellite nicknamed “Cтранник” (Wanderer) begins transmitting messages to the ground. The Russian space authority celebrates with cheers and applause, as Russia walks amongst the stars with the likes of Iberia, Montenegro and China.
==Turn 36: July to December 1947==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=50930383&viewfull=1#post50930383
-World Tensions have led to WAR.
-The war in the East comes to a close as the Germans and Russians finally come to an agreement. Known as the "Treaty of Warsaw", signed on July 8th, 1947, the peace saw not only the ceasefire between the European Confederation and the Russians, but also the death of the Baltic states and the total dissolution of the independent State of Poland, divided between Germany and Russia. 
-The Polish government, largely defunct at this point, was lead out of Warsaw at gunpoint by German soldiers, the ministers held in prison to be charged with crimes once the war with the United Liberal Entente as a whole came to an end. A de-militarized zone surrounding the changed borders between Germany and Russia was formed, and was not to be broken for 5 years. Unsurprisingly, the Germans made sure to keep Warsaw outside of the DMZ in order to keep an eye on the growing bolshevik movement within Poland.
-The death of Poland was shocking to many, as was the German "abandonment" of the Baltic states, who they swore to protect. Despite being given southern Galicia as a prize, many in the German public, especially those in the east, felt that the deal was half-hearted, and that the Germans gave far too many concessions to the Russians. Despite this, in Poland, the people are infuriated, and the "Polska Ruch Laborzistyczna" (Polish Labourgist Movement) grows day by day, as July 8th becomes known as the day of the "Wielka Zdrada" (Great Betrayal).
-With stability returning to India, the economies of southeast Asia begin to grow once more. This is in stark contrast to Iberia, Greece and the Pahlavis, who remain largely under blockade or outright occupation, shattering what could have been productive economies.
-Russia’s influence in the east grows as Kurdistan and Trebizond are officially recognized as independent states in the United Nations, and the two take part in the growing debate over the occupation of Poland and the Baltic States.
-Tensions rise along the Russo-Iranian border as the Pahlavi Empire exits the United Liberal Entente and instead moves its troops to the Azerbaijani border with Russia, something that is considered extremely provocative by many nearby nations.
-The war in Yugoslavia draws to a close as both sides come to a strenuous peace deal, and decide to fight the war by pen rather than by sword. Those in the most danger now are the ever-shrinking rebel groups that now have two armies breathing and bearing down on them.
-The idea of using nuclear weapons to end the war is becoming increasingly common talks in French parliament. No public news on this matter has been made apparent.
-Quick overview of the fronts of the Fourth Great War:
--Greco-Italian Front: With Latin forces having surrendered Rome to the advancing French, many Italian divisions stationed south of the city took their chance to lay down their arms in surrender. These prisoners were treated in drastically different ways according to who took them in. The French were the most accepting, simply taking their papers and sending them to camps in major cities within Italy where they would wait out the war. The Germans would send them back to the German homeland in massed PoW camps. The Venetians would usually execute these prisoners on the spot, calling them “People’s Enemies”. Meanwhile, across the Adriatic, German forces managed to create a surprise beachhead on the shores of western Greece. With token forces of the Kriegsmarine having closed off the Sea of Marmara, German troops made a beeline towards Athens. The resistance was tough, but most of these troops were hardened veterans of Italy or the Eastern Front.
--Afro Middle Eastern Front: Despite immense victories over relatively weak nations, the Latin forces began to stall their advances. Most of this came from the increasing presence of enemies in the homeland Peninsula, which forced three army groups to return from North Africa and put up a defense in Iberia. This retreat was a significant moment of reprieve for MEC troops that were more or less doomed to see Latin occupation. The Global Jihad, which had strength earlier in the year, began to quickly peter out. Many realized that this was not the first time that the Kaaba had been destroyed. Despite this, the fact that it was infidels that brought about its destruction kept many jihadists still raving.
--Balkan Front: After a long period of fighting, the Titoist “West” and Alexanderist “East” came to an agreement. For the next year, both sides would remain in a ceasefire, and talks would be made over restructuring the government into an independent Yugoslavia. In the meantime, both nations turned their forces against the dwindling Rebel groups in their territory. Reprisals were common and brutal.
--Iberian Front: As French, Dutch and now German forces began to spill over into the Iberian homeland, Madrid came under threat from a totally different front. Despite the pounding attacks from Icarus Devices, bombers, U-Boats and other deadly tools, forces of the United States Army Air Force, Marines, Army and Navy managed to breach the blockade and open up a front on Iberia’s shores. The death toll was in the near tens of thousands, but this did not dissuade the Americans from forcing themselves deep into Iberian territory.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Czechoslovakia
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
United Liberal Entente (ULE):
Headquarters: Madrid, Latin Imperium
Head Nation: Latin Imperium
-Members:
--Latin Imperium
--Greece
Type: Defensive Pact
Guangzhou Cooperation Organization (GCO):
Headquarters: Guangzhou, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Korea
--Cambodia
--Orissa
--Uttar
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Maharashtra
--Laos
--Vietnam
--Indonesia
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Eurasian Accord (EA):
Headquarters: Ürümqi, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Russia
--Romania
--Bulgaria
--Kurdistan
--Trebizond
--Greece
--Pakistan
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
European Cooperative Economy (ECE):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
--Luxembourg
--Czechoslovakia
--Slovenia
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: Economic Association
New Commonwealth (NC):
Headquarters: Ontario, Canada
Head Nation: Canada
-Members:
--Canada
--Australia
--New Zealand
Type: International Association
Indian Union (IU):
Headquarters: Islamabad, Pakistan
Head Nation: Pakistan
-Members:
--Pakistan
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Uttar
Type: Political Association
Player Events:
-After brief negotiations, the Chinese government comes to an agreement with Pakistani diplomats. Officially, the Shahdom of Pakistan is given access to the economy of the Eurasian Accord. However, upon exiting the doors, the Chinese quickly add an addendum that officially disbars Pakistan from access to the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization, which is now officially a “Southeast Asiatic affiliation”, though not on paper.
-To their south, the Republic of Indonesia is officially released from the grip of the Dutch. Unsurprisingly, the Indonesian economy stands on its own two feet, and even feebly flexes its muscles, thanks to the presence of Chinese engineers and construction experts. Quick negotiations sew Indonesia into the fold of the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization. With such a large country with diverse assets, the GCO now covers a huge variety of exports, from oil to rubber to rare earth materials.
-Finally convinced of the importance of being part of such a massive organization, the republics of Vietnam and Laos officially sign agreements to join the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization. Officially, as of the December of 1947, the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization holds over one billion people within its member states.
-At home, China draws its massive ‘Unitary Authority’ reforms to a close. Now, instead of states being run by local demagogues or power-grabbers, these Unitary Authorities oversee the day-to-day maintenance of local economies, law enforcement, businesses and resource management. It is an interesting experiment in the decentralization of centralization, as these “UAs” have more individual power, but still answer to a massive central government.
-Within these Unitary Authorities, new regulations are put into place, such as that all businesses must be licensed by their Unitary Authority. The way these businesses are licensed vary from UA to UA, and it usually depends on the resources and population within the region. For example, the Unitary Authority of Uyghuristan cannot allow for the creation of a paper mill, due to the lack of water within the region.
-Tax reforms are put into place, as the nation’s economy is more than able to change itself. Taxes are raised for the wealthy and lowered for the poor, while the middle class receives more flat rates. Unlike other reforms, taxes remain federally controlled. This reform allows for the continuation of building up the Chinese budgetary surplus, while drastically reducing the burden of the average citizen.
-As regulations on foreign investments are reduced, three brand new stock exchanges are constructed in Guangzhou, Harbin and Shanghai. Here, investment-minded citizens can interact with foreign markets and keep track of economies in real-time, while also being able to diversify their assets. This may create a new class of citizens not involved in the government who have a massive income, but for now, it's best that any money at all come through, regardless of who it goes to.
-A newly formed, central bank aptly titled the “Bank of China” is created in order to allow businesses and individuals to take out loans directly from the government. In each Unitary Authority capital, a branch of the Bank of China is opened. Depending on the population of each province, more are opened. The largest, the Central Bank, is created in Nanjing. China, it seems, is the “New Europe” in terms of its economic and military capabilities.
-In the realm of military, the Chinese navy begins testing the 鹰 (Ying) [Eagle] long-range sonar. Based on Colombian designs, the Ying uses more powerful pings to reach out farther from the ship. Though at significant ranges, the sonar only picks up fuzzy details, it is nearly double the power and accuracy of western designs. Its largest drawback is its noise, which can alert enemy ships to the location of the pinging ship.
-In a more terrifying example of China’s military prowess, a launch site in western Uyghuristan fires off the first model of the 弹弓 (Dàngōng) [Slingshot] missile. The Slingshot reaches its target. In Manchuria. With double the range of the Iberian Matador, the Slingshot is considered an “Inter-continental Ballistic Missile”, like that of the Russians. Now, nobody can dare approach China without getting an ICBM lodged in their forehead, or at least dropped on their fleets.
-During a somewhat leisurely drive through Berlin, Goebbels’ motorcade stops just in time to watch Kreuzberg Square erupt into a cloud of flames and smoke. A 1000 pound bomb filled with naphthene and palmetic acids, or Napalm, has been detonated in the center of Berlin by an Iberian “Icarus Device”. At least seventy people are killed, hundreds more wounded, and a dozen homes and old buildings burnt to the ground. It is unknown where the Icarus Device has landed.
-Despite this, the Germans prepare for the ultimate thrust southward. “Blitzkrieg”, or Lightning War, tactics are used to breach through the Iberian defenses in Italy. These defenses are, somewhat disappointingly, few and far between as the Germans meet barely any resistance, but instead begin to collect thousands of prisoners, mainly Italians. As per their agreement, the State of Venice absorbs captured territory by the French and Germans.
-In a brash display of democratic freedom, French and German troops march shoulder to shoulder through the streets of Rome on a victorious parade. The Latins had outright abandoned the city, and alerted the French that they wish to see no harm to the ancient holdings. The Latin Imperium has lost its seat of power, and the Italian front comes largely to a close.
-German forces in Italy take little time to hang around. Instead, commandeering hundreds of fishing vessels, abandoned Latin naval pieces and even some rowboats, the Germans undertake “Unternehmen Marita”, or the invasion of Greece. The Greeks are caught totally off guard, and are unable to respond in time before the Germans sweep through the north like a knife through butter. Many villages they come across are empty, as it is soon discovered the Greek government is forcing out Turks in Asia Minor and moving Greeks in to “repopulate lost lands”, reminiscent of the 1923 population exchange.
-A handful of German submarines manage to sneak past the Iberian blockade of the Mediterranean, and close off the Dardanelles and the sea of Marmara. Though only a handful, as mentioned, these submarines make it nearly impossible for any Greek troops to make their way from Asia Minor over to the homeland. If exploited, the Greek front will be a deathless walk in the park.
-Seeing the situation in Africa spiraling out of control, and knowing that a strong series of African countries means stronger German influence in the area as a whole, the German military officially forms the “Afrika Korps”. Made up largely of refugees having fled the fighting in northern Africa, these men are battle ready and more than willing to lay their lives on the line. Arriving in Tunis, the make quick work of the ever-faltering Iberians, and move westward to free their Algerian brethren.
-German soldiers are cycled out of the east, but remain mobilized, as the military stations them in key positions throughout Slovenia, and sends the most skilled troops to the frontline in Iberia itself. Though there is much grumbling, these soldiers are more than understanding of their purpose, and will continue to put their lives on the line for the good of the world around them.
-Many of the old class-based tanks are slowly brought in to be renovated and fitted with special roles. Many of the early light tanks are turned into construction machines, such as bulldozers or cranes, while others are used to make hospital transports. However, an important breakthrough is made with the Panzer VI. Known as a “Befehlspanzer”, or Command Tank, this armored vehicle loses its gun in favor of a wide radio array on its armor, allowing it to communicate with almost every single tank in a platoon. This is an extremely important breakthrough for tank tactics, and it is unsurprising that the Germans are the first to go about it.
-Slovenia, still recovering from the brutal occupation of the Croatian fascists and repetitive bombings from the Italians, accepts the German offer of the “unified” infrastructure program. This will slowly become a major part of the Slovenian economy, and will link the tiny nation closer to German control once more. However, this offer is outright refused by the Czechs and Danes, who are given this proposal, and nearly toss the diplomats out the door.
-Refugees fleeing the war-torn areas of the world are given welcome in Germany, as well as free classes to learn German. However, these individuals are given a much better chance at life, so long as they act as “Wiederaufbaukader”, or Reconstruction Squads, to get to work in the cities of Danzig, Stettin, Konigsberg and Memel, all of which were heavily damaged by the recent war with Russia.
-Martial law is instituted in Poland, and conscripts are regularly seen marching around enforcing curfews and breaking up protests. In the de-militarized zone, police armed with rifles are allowed to walk through and monitor the Polish dissenters. Surprisingly, many German police come across pamphlets and posters from the "Polska Ruch Laborzistyczna", similar to that in control of Hungary. “Niemców, Pracownicy!” (Germans Out, Workers In!) is scrawled upon windows and walls throughout occupied Poland.
-A huge Anti-Occupation demonstration is held in Warsaw, with nearly 10,000 men and women marching in unison, demanding that both the Russians and Germans “exit Poland at once”. Red banners and a new, crimson Polish flag fly in the wind. With fascism gone, the next ideology comes to fill in the void.
-Seeing the usefulness of the Iberian Escarabajo, the German government drafts up the idea for a ‘Volkswagen’, or People’s Car. The Germans are unwilling to do too much to the Escarabajo, and instead simply ask Porsche to rip off the design, retitling it as the “Käfer”.
-Fearing the future, German scientists get together and begin to work on the idea of creating a nuclear weapon for Germany. First, however, these scientists must understand the power of the atom, and the importance of “fission theory”, or simply harnessing that power and releasing it in a devastating manner.
-In a brash attempt to end the war early, American commandos infiltrate the city of Casablanca, and in the dead of night try to assassinate members of the Latin government. Several parliament members and military advisors are killed, but Franco, Xavier and other key members manage to escape death. The commandos, nicknamed “Comandos de la Cobra” by the Latins, slip into the darkness, and are never heard from again.
-During a somewhat leisurely drive through Berlin, Goebbels’ motorcade stops just in time to watch Kreuzberg Square erupt into a cloud of flames and smoke. A 1000 pound bomb filled with naphthene and palmetic acids, or Napalm, has been detonated in the center of Berlin by an Iberian “Icarus Device”. At least seventy people are killed, hundreds more wounded, and a dozen homes and old buildings burnt to the ground. It is unknown where the Icarus Device has landed.
-Latin forces take it upon themselves to surrender the holy and ancient city of Rome to the advancing forces of France and Germany. This comes as the Italian front faces total collapse, with thousands of prisoners being taken and Italian nationals laying down their arms, seeing that the war is quickly coming to an end.
-In a brash display of democratic freedom, French and German troops march shoulder to shoulder through the streets of Rome on a victorious parade. The Latins had outright abandoned the city, and alerted the French that they wish to see no harm to the ancient holdings. The Latin Imperium has lost its seat of power, and the Italian front comes largely to a close.
-On the beaches in southern Iberia, American troops grab victory out of the hands of the voracious Iberian defenders, and begin to push inward in what is known as “Operation Overlord”. The US airforce goes toe-to-toe with the Iberians in the sky, and massive naval battles take place in the Atlantic as the United States prepares for the “total, unquestioned liberation of Europe from the jaws of Fascism”.
-Losses aside, with tens of thousands dead in the water or on the beaches, the United States pushes onward into Iberia, and prepares to bring the war to an end, spending blood and bullets all along the way. The march to Madrid has begun as American troops spill into the Iberian peninsula.
-Despite this, fighting in Iberia itself remains hot. However, the Iberian defense forces are slowly being forced back, as the number of regulars dwindles day by day, and the militiamen are only able to do so much to the advancing Americans and Frenchmen. Madrid lies within reach of the Allies, and the city is regularly subject to bombing raids.
-The Atlantic Fleet, heavily damaged yet vetted by prolonged conflict at sea, is finally returned to home ports in northeast Iberia, just in time to avoid destruction at the hands of the US navy. These ships are immediately drained of oil and arms, and their crews repurposed as foot soldiers to continue the fight against the advancing Allies. U-Boat captains, however, are given the ultimate order. No surrender, no return, no retreat. The end of Iberia is near.
-A series of mining ships pass through the Suez canal in retreat towards Somalia, in their wake leaving huge numbers of explosives within the Red Sea in order to deter any future shipping or attacks into Arabia. Though having lost a huge amount of oil for their war effort, the Iberians understand that closing the Suez is more important, which would halt any reinforcements for the Allies coming from the east.
-After the destruction of the Kaaba and the increasingly prevalent information of Latin death camps, the Pahlavi Empire officially exits the United Liberal Entente and ceases all hostility with Allied forces to ensure not only its own survival, but to protect its “traditional interests”, whatever those may mean.
-At home, a series of desperate propaganda posters and campaigns are put out for the general public. These posters depict the last stand of Iberia and the importance of national pride, paired with the quote of Tsar Alexander I during the Peninsular War: "The Spaniards have been defeated; and they are not beaten, nor have they surrendered"; these words begin to fall on increasingly deaf ears.
-The Mafia, once considered an enemy of the state, is now used to ensure that men and women within Sicily remain loyal to the Latin Imperium and continue to put up their fight against the Allies, and to continue fighting once the State of Venice advances into their lands. “Meglio Morti Che Rossi!” (Better Dead Than Red!) is a common slogan amongst those in Sicily.
-In an attempt to keep things sane, the Iberian government contracts how few workers remain on creating a bridge to stretch from Gibraltar to Africa. This channel bridge would allow for troops and supplies to pass from resource-rich central Africa into the Iberian homeland. Construction begins, but is slowed significantly by repetitive air raids by the United States and France.
-Military high command brings forward the fact that, were Iberia to be occupied, many of the armed forces would take the chance to surrender and return to the homeland. A rift is formed between the remaining members of Iberia’s senate, as the “Reformatores”, those who seek cooperation with the Allies and the best possible outcome in the war, and the “Defensoribus”, those who desire a brutal, unending fight to the finish despite immense losses. The senate is split 50/50, thus causing Franco and his allies to make their choice.
-With war surrounding them, and their only large trade partners cut off by the ever-present Latin submarines in the Mediterranean, the nations of Istria and Dalmatia turn to their only nearby friend, Montenegro, for help. This request for help comes in the form of a proposal, which threatens to take Montenegro’s neutral stance. Known as the “Hemska bezbednosna inicijativa” (Haemus Security Intiative), which would tie various Balkan nations together in a defense-based alliance. Peonia, though part of the Non-Aligned Movement, is somewhat swayed by the idea, as is Bulgaria. However, it hinges on the strongest economy, Montenegro, to work.
-At home and abroad in the region, large concerts are held as Montenegrin musicians and their fantastic instruments (such as the gusla and the gajda) spread throughout the region. In Podgorica, a new series of concerts known as the “Jesenka lepota” (Autumn Beauty) concerts, in which hundreds of artists come together over a 4-day period to share their music with the world. These concerts are a boon to the local economy, as many who can flee war-torn areas, or get safe passage to Montenegro, spend copious amounts of money on local goods as they listen to the beauteous music.
-The industrialization of Metochia comes to conclusion as the last railway lines are officially laid by none other than Michael himself. Metochia’s local industry has already begun to boom, and profits of small businesses skyrocket as more and more people come to invest in the region, move into new homes, or generally just buy something from the menagerie of stores.
-At Onogošt, the HN Engine is purchased and patented, along with the factory in Herceg Novi. Immediately, engineers at the factory are put to work in creating a line of luxury designer cars known as the “Rhizon” series, under their new subsidiary/marque, Prevalis. These cars, though ludicrously expensive compared to most automobiles, is a fantastic choice for automobile aficionados and collectors, as well as upper-crust individuals from countries like France, Russia and Scotland.
-The Montenegrin Linguists' Association begins work on several new projects; the first concentrates on the Jewish languages, especially Ladino, the most commonly spoken language in the region, while the second concentrates on the Romani languages, especially the variants spoken in Serbia and Montenegro. Alongside this, the second also began work on standardizing each respective form of Romani, with plans to standardize languages for each region (such as the Balkans, Germany, Iberia, etc.) and standardize a united, global Romani language. This standardization is made to “unite” the Romani on multiple levels. Alongside this, the MLA recognizes that Croatian, Serbian and Bosnian are subsets of Serbo-Croatian, much like Montenegrin. Meanwhile, the first Sanskrit-to-Montenegrin dictionaries are made publicly available, and many are shocked at the similarities of the languages.
-In order to address the conflict regarding Common Slavonic vs. Montenegrin, the MLA comes to an agreement; they decide to encourage that the common citizen speak both languages: “Montenegrin in Montenegro, Slavic for Slavs”. Simply put, the use of Montenegrin is to be relegated to conversations, government documents and television broadcasts, while international deals and meetings with other Slavs are encouraged to be carried out in Common Slavonic.
-Byrsgaw Armory, an ever-growing firearms manufacturer, gets the rights to produce the Mauser 06/08 Semiauto Pistol, the Obrez variant of the Mosin-Nagant, the already converted Pedersen device, and the Pedersen rifle (to be known as the Brzalica T47, the Skraćivač T47, the Automatica T47 and the Petrovica T47 respectively). These firearms fly off the shelves as gun collectors the world over try to get their hands on increasingly rare items.
-At Onogošt Group, a more “formal” manufacturer, the FB Vis handgun from Poland and the Maxim gun are reproduced in large quantities, under the new titles Polonjak M47 and Mitraljak M1947. A “light” version of the latter is designed, to be used for light vehicles. Ditching the cooling jacket and reducing the cartridge to a new round, 6.5x45 “Roga”, the Strojnik M1947 is a favorite of logistics companies, who are usually only armed with carbines.
-Finally, a deal is struck between Onogošt and Byrsgaw, before the two companies leap at each others throats. Onogošt is given the right to produce their own Montenegrin-style revolvers (creating the Njegušica M47), whilst Byrsgaw are given the rights to the Šaržer and Autopunjač rifles, which are considered defunct in favor of current rifles.
-Though not exactly a new concept by any means, Montenegro’s tiny navy sees the need for the transportation of helicopters across oceanic boundaries in the events of natural disasters or evacuation of civilians. Instead of building a massive aircraft carrier, the Montenegrin navy instead dedicates itself to creating the “Nemanjić” class helicopter carrier. With 8 pads capable of holding 2 helicopters each, the “Stefan” is put under construction, and is expected to be sea-worthy within the year.
-Knowing that their military must remain at the same level as their neighbors, the Montenegrin navy unveils a new, deadly weapon. Using basic electronics, this “Acoustic Torpedo” can listen in to the sonar pings sent out by enemy ships, and redirect itself to hit those targets. More deadly and harder to detect than magnet-based weapons, the Harpija (Harpy) Torpedo can render even the most heavily armed battleship useless if the submarine is not detected in time.
-After brief negotiations, the Chinese government comes to an agreement with Pakistani diplomats. Officially, the Shahdom of Pakistan is given access to the economy of the Eurasian Accord. However, upon exiting the doors, the Chinese quickly add an addendum that officially disbars Pakistan from access to the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization, which is now officially a “Southeast Asiatic affiliation”, though not on paper.
-Working hard to keep the region stable and smooth, the Pakistani government creates the “Subcontinental Economic Agreement”, which sees the sharing of resources such as steel, coal, spices and other goods. This comes as a way to somewhat bypass the GCO/EA borders, as well as to build up strength in India, thus weaning the new states off of the economies of others.
-Nationwide, religious and political leaders unite to denounce the destruction of the holy city of Mecca, decrying the Latin Imperium’s acts as “insufferable, violent and brutal for the sake of being brutal.” The few Latin assets within Pakistan are put to the torch by furious mobs.
-Public works projects continue throughout Pakistan, mainly focusing on Sindh. Due to its unique status as Pakistan’s only port region, the government begins pumping huge amounts of money into the state to foster the growth of the shipping industry, as well as ensure that the nation’s navy can be supported out of such a small region.
-At home, the burning of Mecca is used to recruit en-masse men into the army and navy, who now chomp at the bit to get a piece of the Latin Imperium, or at the very least, its nearby ally Persia. In order to keep things sane within the Indian Union, the Pakistani military conducts exercises with member states to bring them up to speed on the basics of military duty. The skill level and quality of the Indian troops is pitiful, to say the least.
-After immense amounts of testing, the first successful synthetic opiate is publicly distributed within Pakistan. Named Protoracin, this drug is used to treat a variety of pain-inducing ailments, as well as reduce the impact of shock on those suffering from huge wounds, such as injured soldiers on the battlefield. Protoracin does have a major drawback, however, as it is highly addictive, and a handful of nurses have already overdosed after sneaking off with batches of the drug.
-Though by no means an original idea, Pakistani military researchers begin putting out a new form of gas mask. This time, rather than using burlap or leather, these gas masks use thick rubber paired with a single, wide filter. It is proven to be highly effective, and is an important tool for those working in the mines of Pakistan.
-The war, for Russia anyhow, is over. Seeing that the fighting would end in either nuclear or biochemical annihilation of both sides, Russian and German diplomats sign a cease-fire in the No-Man’s Land of western Poland. Despite tensions running hot throughout Europe, the Germans officially sign the Treaty of Warsaw, which divides eastern Europe between Russia and Germany and institutes a demilitarized zone between the two nations.
-The Polish army, now disbanded, look in in shock and horror at the “outright abandonment of us” and the “Wielka Zdrada” (Great Betrayal) of the Russians. The poles retreat to the DMZ, where they are considered safe by international law. Tensions in German-held Warsaw begin to rise exponentially.
-The United States Government officially denounces the illegal occupation of the Baltic states by the Russians, declaring it an act of “brazen Imperialism similar to that of the Latins” and demands that there be international action against Russia. A debate is sparked within the United Nations, and the occupation of Poland by Germany and Russia only serves to set the discussion table a light with anger.
-Units of the Russian military are then drawn back into the Caucasus region in order to solidify Russian holdings, as well as keep an eye on the republics of Trebizond and Kurdistan, ensuring that the two nations remain staunch allies to the Russians. Meanwhile, tensions rise along the border with the Pahlavi Empire, as Persian troops are seen regularly staring down the Russians in Azerbaijan.
-A series of new nuclear reactors are constructed in eastern Poland in order to facilitate stronger and more reliable energy output for the local populace. However, many Polish locals protest the building of reactors, considering it “Russian re-settlement”, and demand that the reactors be built elsewhere.
-Pope Pius XII, head of the Catholic church, arrives in Kiev. In a historic moment unseen for nearly a thousand years, the Pope attends the Great Synod of the Orthodox Church to discuss doctrine and ideas of faith. Though this does not mend the schism nor does it re-unite the church, it is the first step in a line of many that could lead to the total re-unification of East and West, thus recreating the Nicene days of old.
-On the 1st of August, at midnight, Iberia time, the forces of the United States Navy and Marine Corps move en masse through a hail of Icarus Devices, artillery, gunfire and swarms of bombs in a daring naval landing on the shores of southern Portugal. Despite immense losses, the landing craft hit the shores and spill American troops onto the sand. The war for Europe is reaching its pivotal end moment.
-On the beaches in southern Iberia, American troops grab victory out of the hands of the voracious Iberian defenders, and begin to push inward in what is known as “Operation Overlord”. The US airforce goes toe-to-toe with the Iberians in the sky, and massive naval battles take place in the Atlantic as the United States prepares for the “total, unquestioned liberation of Europe from the jaws of Fascism”.
-Losses aside, with tens of thousands dead in the water or on the beaches, the United States pushes onward into Iberia, and prepares to bring the war to an end, spending blood and bullets all along the way. The march to Madrid has begun as American troops spill into the Iberian peninsula.
-In a brash attempt to end the war early, American commandos infiltrate the city of Casablanca, and in the dead of night try to assassinate members of the Latin government. Several parliament members and military advisors are killed, but Franco, Xavier and other key members manage to escape death. The commandos, nicknamed “Comandos de la Cobra” by the Latins, slip into the darkness, and are never heard from again.
-The United States Government officially denounces the illegal occupation of the Baltic states by the Russians, declaring it an act of “brazen Imperialism similar to that of the Latins” and demands that there be international action against Russia. A debate is sparked within the United Nations, and the occupation of Poland by Germany and Russia only serves to set the discussion table a light with anger.
-Peacekeepers from India, now considered more or less un-needed, are sent to the occupied regions of southern Patagonia. Upon arrival, these peacekeepers are put to use to ensure that no resistance movements crop up, as well as begin the arduous process of rebuilding and rehabilitating the economy of Patagonia to accept new administration.
-Some of these peacekeepers are sent to Bogota, Caracas and Rio de Janeiro to assist with the rebuilding. Granted, a 1000 pound bomb is a scary weapon, but in terms of the sheer size of the cities, they wiped out a block in a city of hundreds of thousands. These troops are more of a token force to discourage looting and further damages to public property.
-At home, money is poured into repairing New York Harbor. Despite only a dozen dock workers being killed, the damages to one of the most important economic centers of the United States is a serious threat, and the US government is unwilling to sit by and wait for private investors to work on the repairs.
-Though the public of the United States grows to be increasingly anti-Russian, the idea of using computers to handle machinery in factories is considered to be an important idea, especially in regards to extremely dangerous work such as industrial-scale metallurgy, where hundreds a year are horribly injured. These semi-automated lines could prove to be a boon for large-scale manufacturing.
-Seeing the importance of using a nuclear weapon, and especially the deterrent factor of having one, the US government begins pumping funds into researching the idea of “splitting” the atom, which would release a tremendous and deadly amount of energy over a given area.
==Turn 37: January to June 1948==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=51003828&viewfull=1#post51003828
-World Tensions are very high.
-The war is over. Despite the deaths of millions, the world is able to rejoice, knowing that the threat of the Latin Imperium and the United Liberal Entente is at an end. The Latins are destroyed, and their only ally, the Greeks, forced to give up the island of Cyprus and begin holding standard elections.
-The Moroccan and Congo death camps are discovered. Here, millions of Muslims, Arabs, Africans, Gays, Disabled, Jews, Heretics and Political Dissidents were systematically murdered by the Iberian government over a period of nearly a decade and a half. Despite digging for six months, bodies continue to surface, and Colombian doctors find entire villages that are empty.
-Morocco itself, once considered the western homeland of the Berbers, sees its local Arab/Berber population dropped by nearly 78%. The land is a ghost town, its resources stripped, and its history destroyed.
-The United Nations, led by the US and Germany, push for the creation of the United Nations Court of Criminal Justice. This will be the final noose around the neck of Falangism and Latin Imperialism, as hundreds of officers, government personnel, and camp directors are to be sentenced justly by an international court of their diplomatic peers.
-Meanwhile, in Poland, a series of communist rebellions take place in hopes of forcing the Russians and Germans out of power, and finally creating a truly free and independent Poland. The German response is harsh, but it does little to deter the Labourgists from giving up hope.
-The Yugoslav Civil War comes to an end as the Podgorica Accords seal the peace between the Titoists and Alexandrists. Hundreds of thousands are left dead in the wake of the war, and all sides are considered exhausted. Another major left-leaning state is formed in southern Europe, as a rump version of the former Yugoslavia.
-Riots break out in London as the “Labour Movement” takes a violent turn in England. The quiet island nation that used to act as the world’s observer devolves into chaos as the Third English Civil War takes place. On one side is the English Labourgist party, another the Free England Movement, another the standing English Government, and on the other the English League of Fascists. All sides compete in what is to be yet another horrific civil war in Europe that could spell the death of untold thousands.
-A huge riot in Addis Ababa forces Haile Sailesse out of power, and the Ethiopian Labourgist League institutes its rule. The spread of Communism to non-major countries is growing strongly and rapidly, and the King of Ethiopia heads to Russia in hopes of finding refuge.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Czechoslovakia
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
Haemus Security Initiative (HSI):
Headquarters: Pazin, Istria
Head Nation: Montenegro
-Members:
--Istria
--Dalmatia
--Montenegro
--Peonia
--Bulgaria
Type: Defensive Pact
Guangzhou Cooperation Organization (GCO):
Headquarters: Guangzhou, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Korea
--Cambodia
--Orissa
--Uttar
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Maharashtra
--Laos
--Vietnam
--Indonesia
--Nepal
--Bhutan
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Eurasian Accord (EA):
Headquarters: Ürümqi, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Russia
--Kurdistan
--Trebizond
--Greece
--Pakistan
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
European Cooperative Economy (ECE):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
--Luxembourg
--Czechoslovakia
--Slovenia
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: Economic Association
New Commonwealth (NC):
Headquarters: Ontario, Canada
Head Nation: Canada
-Members:
--Canada
--Australia
--New Zealand
Type: International Association
Indian Union (IU):
Headquarters: Islamabad, Pakistan
Head Nation: Pakistan
-Members:
--Pakistan
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Uttar
Type: Political Association
Player Events:
-With little going on with the outside world as the war draws to a close, the Chinese government instead institutes a new office, known as the 监察院 (Jiānchá yuàn) or “Control Yuan”. This office is made up of former Kuomintang secret police, military advisors and spies, that instead turn their sights on the Chinese government. Intense screening processes are common searching for everything from drug use, money laundering, corruption and even murder amongst officials within state and federal government offices.
-To counter the Control Yuan, a second office is formed, known as the 考试院 (Kǎoshì yuàn) or “Examination Yuan”. Despite having thrown away many old Chinese traditions in favour of westernization, Kai Shek and his office reintroduce the examination system to a minor extent. The Examination Yuan sends out tests to colleges and universities which check for applicant’s aptitude for partaking in government work, and can pull out some bright minds to take part in the Chinese bureaucracy.
-Nepal and Bhutan, both countries devastated by S. asiaticus, apply for membership in the GCO. They more or less default themselves into the economic organization, as their puny economies must trade with someone within the GCO in order to survive. After losing nearly 18% of its population to disease, Nepal has no choice but to seek help from the Chinese, who gladly offer it in return for membership in the GCO.
-Wage reform takes place within the Chinese military as the Chinese parliament passes the 士兵权利法案 (Shìbīng quánlì fǎ'àn) or “Soldiers Rights Bill”. This bill sees that all soldiers currently serving in the Chinese military would be given the option to take a series of classes on their discharge which teaches them basic skills needed to become part of the labor force, as well as an increase in their severance pension. Regular pay increases are seen across the board, and the standards raised alongside it. China’s massive military must also be one highly trained and ready for battle, and the pay is more than an incentive for people to dedicate themselves to their country.
-Using computers, Chinese electrical engineers create the idea of a “fire control system”, or a single electronic component that does the job of nearly 5 different men. These large computers are found at the base of guns on Chinese naval vessels, and detect the gun’s position, rate of fire, and elevation in order to bring the piece back into its original firing position. Tests along the coast of Taiwan prove highly effective, and give the Chinese a significant edge over their enemies.
-Seeing the usefulness of AM/FM broadcasting, the Chinese begin to use their skills with diodes and computer construction to create a small, “hand held” transceiver. Though the receiver rests on the back of a single soldier, the old size is cut down to that of a backpack, weighing roughly 3kg rather than 11. These transceivers can be carried by 4-5 members of a squad, and allow for significantly faster and more accurate communications between officers and their constituents, or boots on the ground and aerial support.
-The war, officially and unofficially, is over. Colombian troops join American, French, German and Dutch troops in the streets of Madrid in a victorious march through the ruined city. Oddly enough, the people of Iberia rejoice, many of whom feeling finally freed from the shackles of oppression. Victory has come to those who truly deserve it.
-At home, a joint project begins. “Proyecto de Ayuda de América del Sur”, or the South American Relief Project is underway. Using help from Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador and even Guatemala, the nations of South America get to work on getting their hands dirty and cleaning up the mess that is Patagonia, and hope to have a neighboring friend in the region that is not only friendly, but willing to cooperate with democracy.
-Doctors of all kinds are sent to Iberia and Patagonia to continue re-education projects and oversee the treatment of peoples. With the American liberation of Death Camps 1-40, and the discovery of the “Water Treatment Organization”, these doctors have more than a handful of work to do. Many of them are forced to act as morticians as more and more bodies are discovered in these camps.
-As hundreds of officers, soldiers and non-military members of the Latin death camps are brought together, President Pumarejo calls not for the punishments nation-by-nation, but instead the creation and application of a United Nations Court of Criminal Justice (UNCCJ), calling Iberian acts of “terrorism and genocide totally against whatever the members of the UN stand for”.
-As the United States declares June 6th as Victory Day, the Colombians adopt the exact same holiday, but make it federal. Businesses close, and the nation is encouraged to celebrate the “sacrifice and punishment taken by those who risked their lives to defend freedom”.
-Despite the UNCCJ going underway, the Colombian parliament pushes for the fair treatment of those charged with crimes, as to not step down to the level of the Latins, using an American quote, "Con malicia hacia nadie, con caridad para todos" (Malice towards none, charity for all) from the American president Abraham Lincoln. This helps calm the riled up anger of the Colombian people, and pushes them to look for positive ways to stop this sort of thing from ever happening again.
-Huge oil projects begin now that Colombian troops come home and need jobs. Off the coast, gigantic oil platforms taken from American designs begin construction, using the labor of demobilized troops. Though they are somewhat of an eyesore, these oil platforms will give Colombia an extra form of export, rather than just the usual “banana republic” series of fruits and luxury goods that flow out in huge quantities for a tiny return.
-Service industries, or specialized industries that require college degrees, are encouraged in order to diversify the economy. A handful of soldiers who have spent most of their time in the rear lines supply create “Dinero de le Gente” or “People’s Money”. People’s Money acts as a loan business connected to many major banks, and quickly spreads like wildfire as small businesses erupt across Colombia.
-After years of research and experimentation, the Colombians finally unveil a new lifesaver to be used on those in the world. Polio, the horrendous disease that has crippled millions, including the late president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, is on its way to eradication as a vaccine is introduced. It is first used in Patagonia, where tens of thousands of orphaned children are given the vaccine, and Colombian doctors soon hope to head over to Africa and central Asia, finally bringing a stop to a terror to children.
-Knowing the importance of the atom and its uses, the Colombian government undergoes a program of civilian nuclear research. At a secret compound known as “Carlomango”, or Charlemagne, hidden somewhere in the Colombian jungle, scientists begin putting together the research needed to harness the power of one of the deadliest and yet most useful pieces of nature.
-Combat operations come to an end for the exhausted German military as the Iberians surrender to the advancing Allies. Now, with the war over, many German soldiers are happy to return home to their families and loved ones. A march through Madrid or two, however, keeps the spirits of those on occupation duty up. The levelled cities of Iberia are a sight to behold, and the German attitude is a mix between satisfied and horrified.
-Understanding the importance of the Eastern Front and the lessons learned, the German military begins to rapidly expand the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine, hoping to keep in rank with the Russians. With the Atlantic secured and Western Europe no longer under threat of aerial attack, the German military is more than willing to turn its sights east to ensure that the Russians don’t even sneeze improperly, lest they risk war.
-Across the German-held areas of the Polish DMZ, and the city of Warsaw itself, Polish communists rise up en-masse, demanding that the Germans and Russians “come to terms with a free and independent Poland”. These revolts coincide with the Red Poland Movement in Russia. Though somewhat violent in how they force Police away and smash the windows of German police stations, they are otherwise peaceful, and march in huge numbers, demanding that talks be held.
-This comes at a tumultuous time as the German elections take place. The Nationalsozialer Front, or the National-Social Front, headed by the Strasser Brothers, squeezes ahead with its coalition against the "Volkssozialismus" coalition held by Goebbels, and takes power, with Gregor Strasser becoming Reichspräsident and Otto Strasser becoming Reichskanzler. Gregor has a much heavier hand than Goebbels, and pushes for the deportation of Polish Communists and Fascists alike. The fascists are more than happy to leave, and flee to a variety of countries. However, the Communists resist violently, and raids on homes usually end in the deaths of officers as well as their targets.
-Outside of the violence in the East, the German government pushes for other nations to join the European Cooperative Economy. Unsurprisingly, the various Balkan nations given the option refuse, and simply work with themselves and plan to buy exports of ECE materials. Meanwhile, the staggeringly huge nation of France, once a longtime rival to Germany, now sets aside old blood in order to join the “most free and most neutral economy in the world”. Luxembourg is more or less forced to do so, as tariffs would obliterate the tiny country.
-At home, industrialization goes through the roof for much of Germany, as the economy begins to demand the processing of raw resources. Imports from the soon-to-not-exist Union Africaine are immense, and the German industries gobble up coal, iron, copper, tin, wood, marble and a whole variety of other resources that are spat out into industrial goods. With the Strassers at their back, German industry is more than ready to move forward.
-New nuclear reactors are built up in the east in order to reduce the dependence on oil. These areas demand electricity as well as an improved economy, and despite tensions, the Germans are more than willing to give them that. Keeping the east weak will only encourage further rebellion, and even Strasser’s nationalist ideology cannot possibly allow more of this to happen.
-German skiffs search the Baltic Sea in hopes of finding the Icarus device that had slaughtered dozens in Berlin the year before. Knowing that the robotic plane suicide-bombs itself into the nearest body of water, these searchers hope to find either it, or its remains. After immense searching, only bits and pieces of the wings are found, but some believe that the rest of the plane remains beneath the waves.
-Taking some of the mobile infantry carrier designs, the German workers at Krupp unveil the Raketenpanzer M1, or RM1 for short. Using a mount of 15 50mm rockets, the RM1 has the ability to lay down suppressive, explosive fire accurately up to a mile and a half away, as well as move with other mobile units. A small pintle-mounted machine gun keeps the vehicle from being overrun by infantry.
-With some of the nuclear cores of Iberian nuclear torpedoes taken in, German scientists begin working on the usefulness of “waste accumulation”, or the processing of leftover nuclear materials in order to produce something far more deadly: a bomb. The Russians, French, Chinese and former Iberians have their bombs, which puts Germany in a dangerous state.
-Deep into discussions over how to continue the war efforts, the Iberian parliament is rocked by an explosion. Suddenly, dozens of guards spill into the room wearing pale-white uniforms, and begin shooting members of the Defensoribus’ groups. Other guards open fire, and over seventeen parliament members are killed in the fighting.
-Xavier is escorted out into a caravan and evacuated from Casablanca. A sniper takes out the driver, and Xavier is then riddled with bullets as a passing motorcycle assassin takes his chance. Meanwhile, Salazar and Franco attempt to escape via plane. Unbeknownst to them, the pilot has rigged the engines, and during takeoff bails out. The engines explode, shredding Salazar’s chest and killing him instantly. Franco is not so lucky.
-Crawling away from the wreckage, his legs reduced to fleshy, burnt stumps, Francisco Franco Bahamonde struggles to find some sort of refuge. He looks up into the eyes of Moroccan prisoners who have been freed by Reformatores loyalists within the death camps. In a brutal twist of fate, the skinny, malnourished prisoners pull Franco apart with their bear hands, his squeals fading out into the smoke and flames of burning Casablanca.
-Franco’s body, what is left of it, is paraded through the streets and hung from a tree in the city center. The Reformatores drag Defensoribus loyalists out of parliament, and immediately begin sending out the signals to Latin troops in Africa and Iberia: the war is over.
-Troops across North Africa and Europe lay down their arms, surrendering to the advancing Allies. American, German and French soldiers begin dragging these regulars into PoW camps in Morocco, all of which are stationed outside of the now liberated death camps. The horrors of millions being slaughtered is to be etched into their minds for eternity. Camp guards are sent to an international POW camp on the Swiss border, where they will be processed in the coming UNCCJ trials.
-Meanwhile, in the Cybele Palace, the old seat of power for the Latins, the SSS Honor Guard hold out for nearly two weeks against the occupying Allies, despite the war being over. Multiple accounts of such fighting continues across North Africa. However, Cybele Palace is razed by American bombings, bringing a quick end to their fighting. SSS troops trapped in northern Africa face a fate far more horrific.
-On the Canary Islands, American soldiers discover the Iberian Department of Water Treatment. Searching through papers, it is quickly discovered that the brutal bacterial infection that swept through India, Staphylococcus asiaticus, was a Latin invention. The deaths of millions were signed by the scientists here, all of whom that remain that had not already committed suicide are sent to Switzerland for processing.
-Surrender is official as the Latin government is dissolved. The Latin Imperium, originally stretching across 3 continents, is reduced to a handful of cities. The Bourbon dynasty, what remains of it, is granted amnesty by the French parliament, and allowed to return to govern whatever successor state will be made of the Latins. In the meantime, however, the Madrid Free State is under the joint control of occupying forces, and has little to no standing as an existing nation.
-Despite scouring the many air bases and naval facilities, Allied forces are unable to find the location of Iberia’s nuclear weapons. It is believed they have been smuggled away to some far-off nation, or disabled, or simply put into hiding. This comes as nearly 15% of the Defensoribus party have fled to various countries, unable to be found or brought to justice.
-The war, officially, is over. The Latin Imperium dies not with a bang but a whimper and squeal as the boot of justice “stamps out the heart of the Eagle”.
-In a shocking turn of events, as the Balochi Jihadis declare independence from the Pahlavi Empire, they immediately raise the flag of Pakistan. A plot is revealed, as evidence of Pakistani tampering with the rebels is made far too apparent. Now known as the United Party of Islam, these Jihadis look past religious borders and instead focus on the unity of Muslims as a whole, and act as a peaceful part of the Pakistani parliament. In less than half a decade, Pakistan has nearly tripled in size.
-With this acquisition, however, comes the immense need for public works programs. The region was more or less abandoned by the Pahlavis, and the Jihadis were unable to keep a firm grip on civil order, thus letting many large cities go to waste, and the infrastructure that was already fragile has ceased to exist. This will act as a huge weight on the shoulders of the Pakistani economy, but optimistic economists see the usefulness of an extended shoreline and even more territory within Pakistan.
-Seeing the huge number of addicts to synthesized opiates, the Pakistani government introduces a series of large scale “Addiction Centers”, where individuals will be treated anonymously, and allowed to wean themselves off of the drugs. Counseling and therapy are offered for free,and the centers are paid for by the taxpayer. Many religious fundamentalists see this as a good thing, feeling that it coincides with Zakat, or the distribution of alms, as these individuals are in desperate need and have nowhere to turn.
-Western businesses are encouraged to open up in Afghanistan. Most of these are banks or fishing services from southern Europe, but are largely small in comparison to the existing Pakistani business sector. Nonetheless, with increased western presence, the Pakistani economy will reap the benefits of free trade.
-Military exercises continue within the Indian Union as all parties show the same problems: commissioned officers, militia troops, lack of uniforms, lack of standardized weapons, lack of standardized supply trains, and a lack of supplies in general. The work required to fix this would be immense, and would take a series of years to bring them up to Pakistani standards. Regardless, this would be important to keep the Indian Union as a successful international organization.
-With the buildup along the Russo-Persian border in Azerbaijan, the Pakistani army mobilizes along the recently acquired Balochi border. Pakistani and Pahlavi troops stare down one another, and many on both sides sleep with their finger on the trigger, prepped for the other side to strike first.
-In order to keep some sort of advantage over their neighbors, the Pakistani National Armory unveils the BA-1, a select-fire automatic rifle sporting a 40 round magazine, chambered in the American cartridge .30 Carbine. What it lacks in immediate stopping power it makes up for in weight and rate of fire.
-Another major advantage, mimicking some of the current European designs, is a pattern of clothing known as camouflage. Using streaks of yellow, brown and white, soldiers of Pakistan’s elite groups can blend in with the desert environment, wearing what is colloquially known as “Rattlesnake”.
-The Haemus Security Initiative, a Balkan-focused defense association that would ensure the area’s safety as well as independence, looks to Montenegro once again. The Montenegrin government has a series of demands that would be written into the association’s constitution: 1) All member states will remain neutral in foreign wars outside of the Balkans. 2) The association is to remain totally defensive, and will not intervene unless a member state is in danger. 3) That the association ensures Balkan independence from foreign influence. These amendments are hastily made, and Montenegro slowly quasi-scoots out of the bubble of neutrality to join the HSI.
-In an attempt to ensure that neutrality and safety is kept within the Balkans, the Montenegrins nudge the Alexandrist/Titoist factions of Yugoslavia to come to the table and begin talks. In what is to be known as the Podgorica Accord, a three week discussion is held between the two sides. At the end, the Alexandrists officially lay down their arms, agreeing to serve in an equally represented parliament with the Titoists. This dissuades all further rebellion in the region. Tito himself meets with Michael, thanking him for opening talks, and tells him that he'll get the honor of the Order of Freedom once it is founded, and has free access to the country at any time.
-At home, the MLA finally finishes the creation of the African Vulgar Dictionary. The books fly off the shelves at markets in Tunisia, as the MLA continues to link the two countries together. Upper society, what little of it remains post-war, in Tunisia eats up the dictionary as if it were candy, and the language soon joins Arabic amongst scholarly individuals.
-To the south, industrialization continues in Metochia. Though the region is more than up to speed with the rest of Montenegro, the government feels best that the port-heavy area be given special attention in regards to its industry. Interestingly enough, along the border with Albania, these industrial border towns attract the many Albanians still living in Metochia, who begin to flock to the south in order to be closer to the homeland and profit at the same time. Though many find it redundant that they simply don’t head home, this soothes tensions between any nationalists on both sides of the argument.
-Onogošt, Montenegro’s premier arms manufacturer, makes a bid to purchase the assets of Rast & Gasser, an extinct company that has been more or less defunct since the dissolution of Austro-Hungary. Despite this, Onogošt is able to purchase their assets and designs, and abandons its Njegušica M47 design to produce the new Rast & Gasser M1948 revolver for police and civilian purchase.
-Onogošt also purchases a handful of designs, including the ZK-383, Winchester .50 AT, and the Winchester Automatic Rifle. These are to be used for a variety of fields, namely police and counter-terrorism units, as well as sport shooters and the occasional hobbyist. These guns come under new names, to be called the Zbrojovka M48, Voljšlem M48 and Braonovica M48 respectively. Slowly, Montenegro's gun culture is extending beyond just handguns.
-Using tiny strips of the radioactive substance known as tritium, a jeweler in southern Podgorica unveils a series of “Nite-Watches”, that use a small charge of tritium to be illuminated in the dark of night. Thought to be a novelty idea, these watches fly off the shelves despite their price as dock workers, taxi drivers, businessmen and even homeowners see the importance of having the time at a moment’s notice.
-Seeing that fire is a huge risk in the tightly packed factorial regions of Montenegro, researchers at Cetinje University unveil a series of “dry” extinguishers. Using a combination of chemical compounds, these extinguishers can choke out fires faster and easier than the generic Co2 or pressurized water. Though expensive, again these products are bought in bulk by factory owners hoping to reduce the risk of burning down an entire block or two.
-With war all over the world coming to a peaceful and final close, the Russians turn their sights once again on influencing the various nations of southeastern Europe, hoping to squeeze something out of them at any given opportunity. This time, with the Bulgarians and Romanians having left the EA, the Russians look to the Greeks. This push comes instead for the Greeks, now made a democracy by their peace treaty with Germany, to accept the return of their king. The Greeks, kindly but sternly, say no.
-Trade routes towards China, including the ever-growing train station in Tannu Tuva, begin to widen significantly in order to facilitate more trade with the east as trade from the west comes to a halt. European nations within the ECE, and many nations in the Americas, begin to cease trade with Russia, in hopes of forcing them to release the Baltic states.
-In an attempt to create more money for the Russian economy, surplus weapons are set on the market to Southeast Asian countries, in hopes of not only making a handful of cash but to also increase Russian influence outside of Europe. Countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia and Burma refuse the deal, stating that the presence of Chinese weaponry is already enough, and that their stockpiles can’t hold any more weapons.
-Though Russia begins to demobilize and allow their troops to return home, an explosion of riots and violence seizes the eastern half of the Polish DMZ. Known as the “Red Poland Movement”, a sister to the Warsaw Commune, these Polish communists rise up in total revolt within the DMZ, demanding that Russia and Germany “come to terms with the existence of an independent and free Poland”. To attack these troops is to fight mainly civilians within the DMZ, which could spark yet another war against Russia. A war that Europe is more than ready to be prepared for.
-With this in mind, the Russians begin to hire huge amounts of foreign labor to begin rebuilding the acquisitions in the West, mainly Poland. As the Polish population bristles against the Russians, the arrival of foreigners only serves to quicken their anger, and protests are held across Russian-held Poland, red banners flying, “Long Live A Free Poland!” echoing on the wind.
-In the Baltic states, troops that are not demobilized set to expanding the defensive line along the sea. Here, ports are fortified and given massive guns in order to protect precious trade and naval routes towards Russia, as well as act as monitoring for the European Cooperative Economy’s members’ navies. Russia aims to create “Fortress Baltic” within the coming years, though construction equipment is regularly sabotaged, and workers occasionally found strung up on the docks.
-The Russian Black Sea Fleet begins patrolling the eastern Mediterranean around the waters of Greece and Turkey, for two reasons. The first is to pressure Greece into accepting their King as well as kneeling to Russian authority, and to threaten the Turks into not attempting any form of fighting against Russian acquisitions, be it on the battlefield or in the United Nations.
-At the Moscow Medical Academy, some of the first Russian transplants are declared a success. Taking technology from the Colombians, a pair of surgeons is able to successfully transplant the liver of a dead man into that of a dying child, giving the girl one last chance at life. Within a week, she is found waltzing through the gardens at the academy, light and happy as could be.
-Out in the Urals, the Russian Space Association continues to look to the stars, but now with the aid of a gigantic telescope. Known as “Ivan”, the 15 meter long, 18 meter wide telescope carries electronic cameras that allow it to peer deep into space. Beautiful images of Mars, detailing the planet's dusty red surface and snow capped poles, are distributed throughout Russian science magazines.
-Before American troops can enter the key city of Madrid, a horde of Latin troops begin marching towards them. In tight columns, hands raised, bearing white flags. The war is over. Across the Iberian continent, the war comes to an end as the Latin government undergoes a vicious coup that sees liberal members in power.
-Out on the Atlantic, a series of U-Boat fleets surface and make headway to Virginia, turning their flag upside-down or flying scores of sewn-together service shirts to show their surrender. A dozen submarines are captured, two of which carry nuclear-tipped torpedoes. Their crews are searched, monitored and imprisoned, but most are found guilty of no other crime than being an enemy in wartime. One U-Boat captain is given quarters at the White House to meet with Dewey, after many seamen find out that he is a veteran of multiple wars, “But would shoot only once”, allowing wounded or disabled ships to escape. The nuclear torpedoes are disabled or detonated off the coast of Guam.
-Despite this, American commandos in Madrid fight room-to-room within the Cybele palace in an attempt to root out the last SSS soldiers, the Honor Guard. For nearly a week after the war is declared over, the Palace remains in enemy hands, and is eventually leveled by American bombers, finally bringing an end to the conflict.
-A propaganda campaign launched by the United States across the Iberian Peninsula and mainland Europe describes the horrors and vicious treatment of minorities and their own citizens within the many death camps discovered in the central Congo basin and Morocco, as well as the creation of S. asiaticus being linked directly to the Latin government. This propaganda is used to rile up the populace of all nations involved, and to push for harsher punishments at the coming UNCCJ.
-Also at the United Nations, the United States proposes a worldwide embargo on Russian goods, citing the “dissolution of an independent Poland, and the annexation of three independent Baltic states, which was made illegal after the Second Soviet war”. This comes as Thomas E. Dewey signs an executive order outlawing all business with the Russians, as well as disbarring all further Russian immigration to the United States “until further notice”.
-Seeing the importance and usefulness of FM broadcasting, the US army puts together new versions of the, somewhat clunky, radio backpack. Knowing that FM can go farther and faster and cleaner than AM, these “Model 2” radio sets allow soldiers to connect with high-command while out in the field, rather than having to use runners or dedicated radio vehicles.
-Knowing that the power of the atomic bomb is one of the most important tools in modern gunboat diplomacy, American scientists pick over the pieces of the disabled nuclear torpedoes. Their designs are far too complex and their instructions coded, but their nuclear cores remain intact, and are studied extensively.
Notes: This turn, despite being edited, still has plenty of errors, such as the maps themselves, confirmed by Zilla themselves. For this reason, this version of the turn is still very much a WIP.
==Turn 38: July to December 1948==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=51069256&viewfull=1#post51069256
-World Tensions are very high.
-The war is over, officially, as the Treaty of Madrid is put into place. Iberia is split up amongst Galicia, Vasconia and Catalonia, while Patagonia returns territory to Bolivia. The two former fascist nations are brought to their knees and introduced to republicanism and democracy.
-The Polish communists hold out in their territory, repeatedly leading strikes on advancing troops and generally making it hell on earth to be able to fight against them. Russian and German troops must re-think their strategies.
-The English Civil War draws to a standstill as all sides begin recuperating, hoping to strike out within the coming months. Meanwhile, London is burnt to the ground as the Communists attempt to flee, but are cornered and slaughtered by Fascist militias.
-Polio vaccines spread throughout south America and will soon be introduced to the world, thanks to the help of Colombian medical researchers.
-A rebel group arrives in Portugal, known as the Portuguese People’s Front. Demanding that all Spaniards leave Portugal, and that the nation swing itself farther and farther left, even farther left than Germany, the PPF undergoes immense growth in the south of Portugal and begin raiding cities and banks left and right.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Czechoslovakia
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Portugal
--Galicia
--Castille
--Vasconia
--Catalonia
--Union Africaine (Dependent)
Type: Defensive Pact
Haemus Security Initiative (HSI):
Headquarters: Danilovgrad, Montenegro
Head Nation: Montenegro
-Members:
--Istria
--Dalmatia
--Montenegro
--Peonia
--Bulgaria
--Illyria
Type: Defensive Pact
Guangzhou Cooperation Organization (GCO):
Headquarters: Guangzhou, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Korea
--Cambodia
--Orissa
--Uttar
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Maharashtra
--Laos
--Vietnam
--Indonesia
--Nepal
--Bhutan
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Eurasian Accord (EA):
Headquarters: Ürümqi, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Russia
--Kurdistan
--Trebizond
--Greece
--Pakistan
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
--Istria
--Dalmatia
--Bulgaria
--Illyria
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: International Association
European Cooperative Economy (ECE):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Latvia
--Lithuania
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
--Luxembourg
--Czechoslovakia
--Slovenia
--Portugal
--Galicia
--Castille
--Vasconia
--Catalonia
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
Type: Economic Association
American Trade Organization (ATO):
Headquarters: Bogota, Colombia
Head Nation: Colombia
-Members:
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
Type: Economic Association
New Commonwealth (NC):
Headquarters: Ontario, Canada
Head Nation: Canada
-Members:
--Canada
--Australia
--New Zealand
Type: International Association
Indian Union (IU):
Headquarters: Islamabad, Pakistan
Head Nation: Pakistan
-Members:
--Pakistan
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Uttar
Type: Political Association
Player Events:
-As the world’s economies begin to fluctuate with the post-war boom industries, the Chinese take it upon themselves to begin the creation of a proper federal judiciary system. Known simply as the 司法院 (Sifa Yuan) or Judicial Yuan, the Chinese government can now oversee the laws created in Unitary Authorities and other states within China.
-The nation’s UAs are grouped up into a series of larger sub-regions. Uighurstan-Mongolia, Southern, Northern and Manchu states are the 4 large divisions that act as guiding lines for administrative works and influence. Within the Unitary Authorities themselves, smaller courts are built to the standards of the Judicial Yuan. In some areas, Unitary Authorities finally relieve themselves of martial law and institute a regular, independent, standing police force. China “breathes free” as the last chains of autocratic dominance are cut away.
-As German forces move out to secure their new holdings from Iberia, they find themselves headed to the coastal region of Goa. Only to discover that Chinese marines have seized the territory for themselves. As the Chinese were out of the Treaty of Madrid, and the far-east territories of Iberia were considered in limbo, the Chinese took the chance to have a base of their own in India. Tensions run high.
-Within Goa itself, the Chinese occupiers are shocked to find a Latin majority, Indian minority in the region. This also comes as a surprise to find yet another death camp within the region. A camp set aside entirely for S. asiaticus and other bioweapon research. The camp is immediately liberated and then destroyed, and the Chinese occupiers hailed as heroes by the local population.
-The idea of using crack-squad, highly-trained and highly-efficient soldiers is not lost on the Chinese. Utilizing their “Dragon Soldiers” from the past few years, the Chinese military forms 罢工阿尔法队 (Strike Team Alpha), a secretive, covert special-operations unit meant for deep ops far flung into enemy territory.
-The Chinese launch a new satellite, nicknamed 雨捕手 (Yu Bushou) or Rain Catcher. This larger satellite orbits lower than most, and uses a simplistic radar array to “ping” over the planet’s surface, namely over China (it’s geosynchronous target). These pings pick up disturbances in the earth’s atmosphere, and allow researchers to track storms from farther away, rather than simply throwing noodles at the wall and hoping that something sticks. Rain Catcher is a massive development for astronomy and meteorology.
-Colombia, along with the other allied powers, officially signs the Treaty of Madrid, thus ending the Second World War, as it is known, entirely. Diplomats from Colombia oversee the execution of eleven high-ranking Falangist officials, and the deaths of twenty camp-running officers. Others are imprisoned for immense sentences in Germany or France, while others are acquitted of their crimes, stating that their involvement was “incidental and forced”.
-With the war over, Colombia assumes direct control over the International Health Organization, just in time to provide relief for a devastating earthquake that shakes Japan to its core. Luckily for the Japanese, the organized central government puts forward a well-thought out response that sees thousands of lives saved and property that could have been left to rot propped up just in time.
-As the cleanup efforts in South America continue, Colombia puts forward the idea of a United South American Treaty Organization, or USATO. This organization would unite the South American states together and make it harder for internal rebellions and outside invasions to affect member states. Brazil and Venezuela see the idea as worthwhile, whilst Ecuador and Peru have mixed feelings.
-At home, the Colombian government introduces a bill regarding returning veterans. All troops coming home are given what are essentially severance packages, and these soldiers are also given front-place in line for job seeking, now that the Colombian post-war economy is outright booming.
-Tourism begins again in Colombia as European veterans flock to the warm beaches of Colombia, enjoying drinks and relaxing on the white sand. Colombia quickly begins to overtake the southeastern US and southern California in terms of tourist attractiveness.
-Polio vaccinations begin across Colombia and throughout all of South America. Day by day, thousands of children and young adults are given the life-saving vaccine, which has crippled millions the world over, including former US president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Soon, the vaccine is to be distributed to the IHO, and thus, all over the world.
-With the help of German scientist Josef Mengele, Colombian researchers begin work on seeing the effects of cigarettes and other tobacco products on the human body, as it is increasingly common to see lung issues in those who smoke regularly.
-Understanding the importance of harnessing nuclear energy, in either the form of a bomb or a reactor, causes the Colombian government to put their minds to work on the creation of blueprints in regards to reactors themselves. These blueprints are put to use in a secluded jungle hideout, heavily guarded by the Colombian military.
-The Demilitarized Zone between Germany and Russia is temporarily brought down as both sides attempt to destroy the Labourgists that have risen up against the two nations. However, this does not mean that the Germans are willing to help the Russians, as they proceed to join the embargo against Russia, something that all ECE members quickly do in suit.
-Fighting against the Polish communists is difficult, time-consuming and deadly. The asymmetric aspect of the war is what brings many German soldiers to their knees, and hundreds of civilians are killed by accident, only fueling the cause for the communists. This war will be long, bloody and seemingly impossible to win.
-Occupying forces in Calatonia and Galicia remain, hoping to institute a more socialist-friendly series of governments in the successor states of Iberia. While Castille remains swung to the center, Catalonia, Galicia and even Vasconia are slowly brought into the fold of democratic socialism, thanks to the influence of both Goebbels and Strasser.
-German soldiers pulling out of Castille are instead thrust into Pakistan in order to continue assisting the Indian Union’s pitiful military coalition. Though the Pakistani military mimics that of a European army, the other states have hilariously underequipped, undermanned and understaffed armies, which is something the Germans will whip into shape without question.
-The Montenegrin Linguists' Association is now in works with the German government-sponsored Working Group for Orthography on the creation of an orthographic format of the German language, using the Saxon and Bavarian dialects as the dominant forms. This comes as the German government pushes to create a unified linguistic community within Germany, and make it easier for foreigners to learn the language, rather than be subjected to having to stumble through conversations in German because their teacher taught them Rhenish rather than Bavarian, et cetera.
-At home, a series of major reforms are put into place to draw back on the industrial machine, as well as leave a cushion for returning soldiers. Those that are fired are given a series of immense benefits, especially those who “served the nation well”, who are granted a free Beetle car in return for their service. Soldiers are given free access to gyms and massive monthly benefits paid for by the taxpayer.
-The German government, in response to the number of wounded and shell-shocked soldiers, creates the Veteranen Verein, or Veterans Association, where soldiers can work through their issues without having to sit in a regular hospital for hours or days on end, thus freeing up more doctors for more non-military patients.
-As restrictions on luxury goods are withdrawn, foreign companies begin to once again invest in the German economy. Despite being socialist through and through, Gregor Strasser is not stupid enough to have his country entirely locked up. However, the high tariffs only allow for the highest quality foreign goods to be introduced, and even then, government alternatives tend to be the first purchased.
-Huge subsidies are given to the production of food in order to encourage the growth of a “strong and healthy German people”. Grain, meat, fruit and even vegetable producers receive large government benefits, many of which will last for more than a decade. Food production goes through the roof, and it is hard to find one who goes hungry in this post-war boom Germany.
-A new form of German culture is introduced, highlighting the pre-Christian, Pagan era of Germany, in hopes of reuniting the German people’s under a cultural banner. However, Christianity remains as the dominant religion, and is not to be interfered with, in hopes of not dividing the German peoples.
-After testing their long range bombers, and knowing the importance of avoiding ground fire and other aircraft, German engineers quietly release the K-1 Höhenlagebomber, a high-altitude, low-noise bomber. With a smaller payload and a smaller crew, this aircraft can reach immense heights without being detected by ground forces.
-Knowing the importance of the nuclear weapon and its capabilities, German researchers unveil their first design for a nuclear-capable device, simply nicknamed “Karl”, in remembrance of Charlemagne. Though the fission techniques are not finished just yet, Karl will soon be Germany’s first nuclear weapon.
-Known as the Frente do Povo Português, or the Portuguese People’s Front, this new rebel group seeks to create an independent and communist Portugal, free of both fascist and German influence. The FPP has been hiding underground for years under the Falangist regime, and now finds itself ready to strike.
-A series of intense raids take place in Galicia and Lisbon, as banks are robbed, policemen killed and businesses set ablaze. The fractured Portuguese government is largely unable to contain the fighting, and is forced to resort to drastic measures, which only ends with more people joining the FPP.
-Aid comes in the form of stolen firearms and donations from an outside source. These firearms are then used against occupying soldiers, including Frenchmen but more importantly, used against any spaniard that the FPP can find. Extrajudicial killings and massacres are commonplace.
-The Portuguese and Galician governments are unable to find the FPP as it usually slips deep into the shadows, and much of what the rebel group plans on doing is unknown. However, a delcaration is made in Lisbon at a rally: “A Portuguese Congo, Portuguese Mozambique, Portuguese Galicia, Portuguese Goa and Portuguese Macau!”
-The rump Yugoslavian Federal Republic officially changes its name to the Federal Republic of Illyria after a parliamentary decision, in a move seen as odd by outsiders to the regions. The name change comes as a result of the name "Yugoslavia" being tainted by memories of the past, so in hopes to attach itself to a “more ancient and less nationalistic view of our history”, it wishes to assure the other former Yugoslav states that it has given up its claims. With this, Illyria approaches the HSI (which had its HQ moved to Danilovgrad), knowing that security in the Balkans is an extremely important issue, and plan on creating a “strong, independent Balkans”. The Montenegrins accept wholeheartedly.
-Despite their leftwing radical nature, the State of Venice happily welcomes the return of its king, Umberto II. In a lavish ceremony held in Turin, the King hosts his cousins, Michael I, Roman Petrovich Romanov and Peter Karađorđević. In what is known as the “Last Ball”, thousands of royalists and Coronists take part in the ceremony, and enjoy a large party. This infuriates hardcore socialists, but even they know the importance of royal figureheads, and leave the ceremony largely untouched.
-In a shocking turn of events, diplomats from Istria and Dalmatia approach Montenegro with a simple request. Seeing as to how Montenegro handled the industrialization of Metochia and the various ethnic issues in that region so well, the states of Istria and Dalmatia wonder if it would be possible for Montenegro to take them under their fold. The government of Istria is slowly peeling itself apart, and the ruling party pleads that Montenegro step in before their nation is “ripped apart from the inside”.
-At home, a huge art show is held in Podgorica for international newcomers to the world of art. In a surprising turn of events, a huge number of the famous pieces involve the struggles of war. One piece, made by a French soldier, Jean Marie Piroot, depicts none other than Christ weeping over the tattered uniforms of a Falangist and Frenchman, the words “Et pourtant, vous vous battez?” (And yet you fight?) inscribed in a Latin text. The piece is taken into the art museum of Podgorica, and is a huge attraction to veterans of both sides.
-Industrialization begins to wrap up, especially in the south near the newly renamed region of Pukija, or Gegerska by the Albanians. Southern Metochia is largely up-to-snuff with the rest of Montenegro, but now various administrators begin the painstaking process of making sure every last screw is tightly in place, all rails the right size, and all wires packed behind walls in a uniform manner, ensuring safety across the board.
-As the Montenegrin Linguists' Association continues to work on various languages around the world, the first Romani-to-Montenegrin and Romani-to-English dictionaries are released, allowing for most readers to begin to understand the various dialects and subdialects of the Romani peoples. Much of the pain and hate experienced by the Romani can be aided by the simple fact that language is one of the biggest possible barriers to deal with.
-The MLA also works with the German government-sponsored Working Group for Orthography on the creation of an orthographic format of the German language, using the Saxon and Bavarian dialects as the dominant forms. This comes as the German government pushes to create a unified linguistic community within Germany, and make it easier for foreigners to learn the language, rather than be subjected to having to stumble through conversations in German because their teacher taught them Rhenish rather than Bavarian, et cetera.
-The Montenegrin refugee program continues, but now reaches its final and most important step: where refugees want to go next. Many of the non-Slavs, such as the Italians, begin to return home, while most of the Slavic refugees decide to remain in Montenegro, after being able to take up jobs within the country and having an easier time learning the rapidly growing language of Montenegrin.
-In the realm of science, Montenegrin researchers launch a pair of satellites. The first is known as "Galileo", using a small camera packed into its front, letting it take beautiful photos of the moon and Mars, as well as pictures of earth. The first images of Earth’s upper atmosphere are released, and millions of copies of the photo are hung on people’s walls within Montenegro.
- The second satellite sent skyward is known as "Zvučnik", or Speaker. Using the same frequency as some television programs, this satellite can beam back the signal to areas usually without television reception. Known as “Satellite TV”, this Montenegrin invention is the bane of local television broadcasters, and will quickly overcome most antennae-based television sets.
-Russian troops still on the western front move down to combat the Polish communists. What the Russians don’t expect to face, however, is a totally asymmetric war. Troops will enter cities, believing them to be empty, only to find themselves ambushed and surrounded, where few survive. Booby traps, plainclothes fighters and snipers are the norm within Labourgist territory.
-Buildups along the Persian border continue, and both the Russians and Persians seem to be prepped for a huge battle. The Kurds desire lost territory in northern Iraq and Persia itself, while the Russians eye the important oil fields of Baku and Khuzestan.
-The Russian air force and navy continues to expand, with more capital ships being prioritized, as well as long-ranged nuclear capable bombers. Though keeping to the very Russian tradition of “tech a few years behind but huge numbers”, Russian fighter pilots are neck and neck with the Germans, considered to be the top aces in the world.
-Outside of the military, the Russians attempt to cooperate with the Arab Republic, hoping to introduce ‘oil cooperation’. The Arabs outright refuse, stating Russia’s attack on an EU member as “pointless posturing” and Russia’s heavy religious stance as “detrimental to even the most secular of states”.
-Administrators from the Jewish state of New Judea are brought in to oversee the reconstruction of Poland and the Baltic States. Many of these Jewish administrators are harassed and antagonized by locals, usually with phrases such as “Jews out, Russians out!”. The administrators, used to such language, ignore it, and help with the introduction of nuclear power in these western states, essentially “keeping the lights on forever”.
-More and more propaganda comes out in favor of Zhukov, given the nickname “Father Zhukov” by much of the propaganda. Most of it is simply to get a figurehead for the Russian people and distract them from any issues in the west, as well as keep the nation’s priorities in line with the central government.
-A handful of new satellites are launched, many of them for the use of long-distance communication. By using radio waves, these satellites can redirect messages from Earth’s atmosphere back down towards a geosynchronous target. The Russian government can now speak with those in Vladivostok without having to relay huge message lines, and this is a massive step forward for communications technology.
-Though an absolutely bizarre idea, Russian engineers at Tula unveil the TK-48, a ‘superheavy tank’. Weighing 100 metric tonnes, the TK-48 is designed to be a “nuclear powered” tank, using a tiny reactor to power non-essential electronics within the tank’s immense armor. The sheer weight comes from the amount of lead and other metals used to keep the toxic radioactive effects away from the crew, and even then, crewmembers must wear hazardous material suits specifically made for the TK-48.
==Turns 39/40: January to December 1949==
Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1474078&p=51307404&viewfull=1#post51307404
-World Tensions are high.
-Tensions in the middle east plummet as the Pahlavi dynasty submits to the authority of the Russians, and give up huge swathes of their territory, cut their military down to size and pay a series of indemnities. This humiliating defeat on the political level saves the nation immense hardship were there to be war.
-However, the plans of the Pahlavis backfire, and high-ranking military officials sympathetic to the Khorasan Movement, a pro-democratic group hidden within the government itself, oust the Shah peacefully in what is known as the “Dove Coup”. These officials step down as elections take place in the newly formed Republic of Iran.
-It is believed that the Shah has fled to either Thailand or Vietnam in an attempt to escape retribution from Persia’s neighboring rivals.
-The Aegean Guard, originally a separatist group from the times of the Italian occupation of Greek islands, moves into mainland Greece. With the demanding push for democracy forced upon them by the Germans, the Aegean Guard, reorganized under the “Neo Komma Anthropoi” (New People Party), takes control of Greece.
-In England, the idea of a free and democratic nation dies as the Free England Movement splits left and right. The Falangist and Labourgist militias continue to battle it out, and the English government flees en-masse to Ireland, Norway and Sweden. England is now a battleground country, and a huge majority of the nation’s people are locked in a brutal conflict.
-Africa finally sees a new age as the Union Africaine rips itself apart to give birth to dozens of new countries. With French administration and centralization, these colonies are expected to see growth and prosperity over the coming decades, unlike the rapid exit of India done by the former United Kingdom.
-The far-left PPF in Portugal quickly grows in size and strength, essentially seizing a series of cities in the north of the country. Due to UN provisions, peacekeeping forces are essentially forced to sit and watch as the meager forces of the Portuguese military fail to do anything in regards to the rebellion.
Treaties/Alliances:
European Cooperative (EC):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--France
--Germany
--Czechoslovakia
--Belgium
--Netherlands
--Luxembourg
--Slovenia
--Romania
--Scotland
--Portugal
--Galicia
--Castille
--Vasconia
--Catalonia
Type: Defensive Pact
Haemus Security Initiative (HSI):
Headquarters: Danilovgrad, Montenegro
Head Nation: Montenegro
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Peonia
--Bulgaria
--Illyria
Type: Defensive Pact
Pan-Pacific Trade Organization (PPTO):
Headquarters: Miri, Indonesia
Head Nation: N/A | Parliamentary
-Members:
--China
--Thailand
--Burma
--Malaya
--Andhra
--Korea
--Cambodia
--Orissa
--Uttar
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Maharashtra
--Laos
--Vietnam
--Indonesia
--Nepal
--Bhutan
--Colombia
--Peru
--Mexico
--Ecuador
--Canada
--United States
--Brazil
--Cuba
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Jamaica
--Guyane
--Pakistan
--Gujarat
Type: Economic Association
Eurasian Accord (EA):
Headquarters: Ürümqi, China
Head Nation: China
-Members:
--China
--Russia
--Kurdistan
--Trebizond
--Greece
Type: Defensive Pact | Economic Association
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):
Headquarters: N/A
Head Nation: N/A
-Members:
--Montenegro
--Nicaragua
--Denmark
--Switzerland
--Finland
--Haiti
--Dominican Republic
--Sweden
--Ethiopia
--Liberia
--Cuba
--Venezuela
--Maharashtra
--Turkey
--Brazil
--Peonia
--Norway
--Colombia
--Gujarat
--Japan
--Jamaica
--Guyane
--Bulgaria
--Illyria
Type: International Association
Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
--Somalia
--Eritrea
--Chad
--Nigeria
Type: International Association
European Cooperative Economy (ECE):
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Head Nation: Germany
-Members:
--Germany
--Finland
--Sweden
--Netherlands
--Belgium
--Denmark
--Luxembourg
--Czechoslovakia
--Slovenia
--Portugal
--Galicia
--Castille
--Vasconia
--Catalonia
Type: Economic Association
Euphrates Union (EU):
Headquarters: Damascus, United Arab Republic
Head Nation: United Arab Republic
-Members:
--United Arab Republic
--Tunisia
--Algeria
--Turkey
--Sudan
--Mali
--Mauritania
--Somalia
--Eritrea
--Chad
--Nigeria
Type: Economic Association
New Commonwealth (NC):
Headquarters: Ontario, Canada
Head Nation: Canada
-Members:
--Canada
--Australia
--New Zealand
Type: International Association
Indian Union (IU):
Headquarters: Islamabad, Pakistan
Head Nation: Pakistan
-Members:
--Pakistan
--Madhya
--Haryana
--Uttar
Type: Political Association
Player Events:
-Pakistan is brought back into the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization, just in time to see the massive Asian economic alliance form into the Pan Pacific Trade Organization, or PPTO. In a momentous step to link east and west, the ATO and GCO are both dissolved and merged. Though the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization remains semi-independent, keeping its defensive military status, the PPTO prevents possible embargoes, and also reduces the risk of conflict as nearly two dozen nations are linked together economically.
-After a long time staying out, the Chinese finally take the steps to join the United Nations. Despite vehement protests from the Germans, China is brought aboard the United Nations Security Council and the Court of Criminal Justice. The tensions over Goa are the only talks at the United Nations, and it is not uncommon for both German and Chinese delegates to leave the floor after heated debates.
-Despite Goa being a hot button issue in the UN, the Republic of China gives the territory of Goa back to the neighboring nation of Karnataka. Karnataka, its new nationalist parliament having taken power, is happy to take the region of Goa. Despite the friendly move, Karnataka remains staunchly neutral, now giving the Germans no ability to claim the seaside port region.
-Chinese forces move into member states of the Pan-Pacific Trade Organization within India, setting up missile batteries and moving in large numbers of troops and tanks. Alongside this, the local armies are given the chance to work with the Chinese in harsh military exercises. Somewhat more effective than the Pakistani training ideals, the Chinese whip many Indian officers into shape, and essentially begin to puppet some nation’s militaries.
-Submarines and ships circle the Maldives, a crucial link to east Africa and southern India, which is currently under the control of the Germans. Chinese and German warships stare each other down, and both sides regularly probe the other’s airspace. It is believed that both the Germans and Chinese are preparing for the worst, squaring off in the Indian Ocean.
-With the war over in Europe, industries around the world convert themselves to the production of civilian goods. As China’s economy was entirely civilian based, even the most adept domestic producers cannot keep up with the rapid, explosive return of Chinese goods on the world market. South America and southeast Europe are essentially choked out by Chinese imports.
-The latinization of Chinese comes essentially to an end. Despite railings from conservatives and upset parents, the Chinese language is now officially latinized, and is slowly being translated into the Hindi and Cyrillic alphabet as well. Latinized and simplified, Chinese is now much easier to learn for foreigners, which only makes it harder for other nations to compete with the Chinese.
-A series of demonstrations are held in Beijing celebrating the newly declared “Era of Wealth and Great Prosperity”, starting in 1930, and that continues onto the end of the 1940s. This success is directly attributed to the proper administration of Chiang Kai Shek and the Kuomintang government.
-A new military group, made up of police forces and security contractors, is formed as the Xiànbīng. The Xiànbīng essentially act as a gendarmerie to act as hardcore military police. This comes alongside the reformation of the National Police Agency, now known as the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau. Instead, the new National Police Agency oversees the administration of Unitary Authority police forces, and can use the Xiànbīng to crack down on overblown protests, or bring the peace to areas affected by natural disasters.
-On the testing ranges in Mongolia, the Chinese army introduces the newest tank to take to the field. Sporting a 105mm gun and a huge front mantle, the Type 50 is a state of the art tank in terms of its capabilities. What sets it apart from many of the other tanks, other than the Germans, is that it is built to serve multiple purposes. It is, as its designation suggests, a Main Battle Tank, built to support infantry, attack positions and fight other armored vehicles.
-In regards to tanks, the Chinese reveal the Type 10 Rocket Propelled Anti-Tank Weapon. Using a 70mm rocket with a shaped head, the Type 10 can rip a hole through the side armor in most tanks, including some of the recent German designs. The Type 10 is reloadable, and a two man crew have the ability to kill up to four tanks in a single sitting. This cuts down anti-tank crews from five men and a cumbersome AT gun to simply two men, one launcher.
-Outside of the realm of warfare, the Chinese put research into creating a series of clandestine, secretive organizations that will oversee the new age of war. Rather than taking it to the field, this new warfare will come in the form of proxy, spies and international finagling. Simply known as “Unit 1”, the Chinese put their massive intelligence network to good use.
-With all possible conflicts out of Colombia’s hands, the Colombian military undergoes massive drawbacks. Nearly 70% of the standing forces are disbanded with honorable discharges. The remaining soldiers are those that showed immense valour and courage, and receive large paychecks. Those that are disbanded receive regular tax cuts and benefits in the mail.
-In a momentous step to link east and west, the ATO and GCO are both dissolved and merged. Though the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization remains semi-independent, keeping its defensive military status, the PPTO prevents possible embargoes, and also reduces the risk of conflict as nearly two dozen nations are linked together economically.
-After the massive earthquake in Ashgabat, Russia last year, Colombian relief crews rush to the nation to begin work on saving countless lives from the wreckage. Despite help from the Russian government, these relief crews are better trained and more prepared for such an event, and make quick work of the wreckage and begin rebuilding the area at once.
-Colombian diplomats in the United Nations struggle desperately to keep the peace between Russia, Germany and China. As tensions rise in Poland due to the seemingly uncrushable revolt, and the ever-growing hotspot of the Maldives and Goa, the Colombians attempt to bring all sides to the discussion table to prevent the possible outbreak of war. This largely goes nowhere, as the Russians and Germans are too wrapped up in their insurgency, and the Chinese refuse to enter discussions.
-A gigantic number of migrants from western Africa make their way to Colombia, seeing it as one of the most peaceful and worthwhile countries to head to. Many of these migrants fear heading to Germany, seeing the change to a far more oppressive regime as a negative. Many Colombians welcome these migrants with open arms, but their different culture and ideals causes some tension.
-As the elections are right around the corner, Alfonso Pumarejo takes his chance to officially announce his stepping down from power. Despite being declared as Colombia’s greatest president, Pumarejo is exhausted and finds himself unable to continue working through the menagerie of problems that politics presents. However, Alberto Lleras Camargo, a longtime friend of Pumarejo and member of the liberal parties, is elected in a landslide victory later that year.
-Colombia quickly becomes the “#1 Medically Adept Country in the World”, housing millions of doctors, scientists, researchers and aid workers. Those from Europe head to Colombia in order to receive medical treatment, knowing that the service is not only affordable, but that Colombian doctors are more than skilled, many of them happen to be outright experts. Medical colleges throughout the world are envious of the Colombians.
-The tourism industry explodes as European and American visitors to Colombia come to the many massive resorts and beachside villas to enjoy their summer or winter holidays. The money pulled in by local communities is enormous, and American tourists tend to be the most spending, as they are more than willing to help out an ally of theirs from the Second World War.
-After some bickering in parliament, the Colombian government officially sets aside the funding for the creation of the Colombian Space Agency. The goal of the CSA is to get a Colombian satellite into orbit within the next 5 years. The funding comes mainly from private donations, but some taxes are levied as well.
-Another major breakthrough is made in the field of medical science in Colombia. Known as propranolol, this drug can treat the serious complications of high blood pressure, which are quickly becoming recognized amongst the Great War generation as they reach older and older ages. This life saving drug is quickly mass produced and distributed throughout Colombia, and the government owned patent hits the world market before the end of the year.
-The Colombian nuclear agencies continue their work on the creation of nuclear energy. Using American designs and American theories, the Colombians slowly crawl their way into the ranks of the nuclear club, one step at a time. Before the next decade is out, a plant will be “in every major city” as promised by Camargo.
-Submarines and ships circle the Maldives, a crucial link to east Africa and southern India, which is currently under the control of the Germans. Chinese and German warships stare each other down, and both sides regularly probe the other’s airspace. It is believed that both the Germans and Chinese are preparing for the worst, squaring off in the Indian Ocean.
-Conventional tactics are out of the window for the German army as they attempt to crush the Polish resistance in the east. A brutal war of attrition begins, but backfires as it simply strengthens the resolve of the Polish rebels, who begin to spread northwards. It is not uncommon now for bombings to take place in German cities, carried out by Polish Labourgists. Most notably, a school is bombed in Bavaria, killing sixteen and wounding thirty children.
-German troops land on the western shores of England in an attempt to combat the Falangist and Labourgist rebels. However, the act is considered one of war by the English government, but the complaints are essentially moot. The Germans make quick work of the rebels and begin to make their way south, clearing through the Government and Rebel forces without issue.
-The Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine continue expansion, especially as the German government unveils their first nuclear aircraft carrier, named the “Karl der Grosse”. The KdG is one of the most state of the art aircraft carriers, and takes part in military exercises with EC members in the Baltic.
-In competition with the Russians, the German government runs quickly down to Africa to begin the sale of arms and training of armies with the newly independent African states. This comes alongside sincere economic cooperation, desperate to keep Russian and Chinese influence out of Africa. German diplomats slowly begin the process of creating an independent African cooperative economy, but the Russians and Chinese act far too quickly, and the talks are stalled.
-Surprisingly, though the PPTO is seeing major economic success, Australia and New Zealand are proudly invited to the European Cooperative Economy. Australia and New Zealand adopt the Euro, which is now made the official currency of the European Cooperative Economy. The Euro started off weak, but at this point is a significantly stronger and more usable in trade around the world.
-A series of large food subsidies are given in response to the continued cooperation in the European Cooperative Economy. These subsidies are essentially just the boost to the various countries that require it, which almost none of them do. These subsidies are also offered to Norway and Switzerland, the latter happily taking in food to add to their already massive stockpile. Norway and Switzerland are sewn into the European Cooperative Economy as “non-participating members”.
-The European Space Agency is officially formed, and all European nations sans Russia are given access to the data and rocket sites that are set up on the wide plains of eastern Germany. With help from the Montenegrins, the “Bell” satellite is launched in early December. The Bell is the first internationally launched satellite, and has no official “owner”.
-In an attempt to bring the Euphrates Union closer to the European Cooperative Economy, the Germans propose continued cooperation between the two economic organizations. However, the Russians have them beat after offering the UAR substantial food supplies in return for oil, thus locking out any further ECE deals for the next few years to come.
-At home, with the help of the Strasser administration, the Republic of Greater Germany undergoes a significant change. Now known as the Demokratische Nationale Republik von Größerem Deutschland, or Democratic National Republic of Greater Germany (DNRGD), the nation’s flag changes for what appears to be the umpteenth time. Strasser’s new administration capitalizes on the nationalism of Germany, and this only fuels the anger of the Polish rebels.
-Migrants are now given the chance of either returning home free of charge, or staying within Germany. As many of these individuals are refugees, they choose the later option of staying in Germany. These migrants are then required to find a job within 30 days of making said decision, and must take a test that proves their fluency in the standardized German and basic knowledge of German society. No longer are migrants encouraged to keep their old culture, but are instead to conform to German society.
-The new standardized German dialect is introduced to various schools across the nation in order to slowly dissolve the regional differences of German dialects. Though this crushes the unique history of many regions in Germany, the act is considered an important step forward in the creation of a unified national identity.
-A dual series of projects begins in central Germany. First, the urbanisation of Germany is encouraged, and subsidies are given to farmers that produce less than a set amount to head into the cities and pursue jobs there. Outside of the cities begins a national beautification project that sees the planting of millions of trees, wildflowers and wild grasses. Nature slowly reclaims the regions of old Germany, and farms are quickly taken over by fields of wildflowers. Oxen are imported from the United States, and a project to recreate the Auroch and reintroduce it to the European plains begins.
-Known as the ‘Wilhelm’, the Wehrmacht unveils a powerful shoulder fired recoilless-rifle. Using a rifled barrel and basic rocket techniques, the Wilhelm can punch through the armor of tanks reliably at over 100 meters, thus giving a two man crew the power of a static anti-tank gun, which significantly increases the movability of troops in the field.
-Out on the Canaries, a blinding flash lights up the night on Christmas Day, 1949. Known as the “Gottspalter” (God Splitter) test, the German government unveils their first atomic weapon. Now, the three most powerful European nations, Germany, Russia and France, all have access to the most devastating weapons in the world.
-After intense deliberation with Istria, Dalmatia, Slovenia, Peonia and Illyria, Montenegro finally works out a deal between the various nations. The former two countries are integrated into Illyria as semi-autonomous states, with Slovenia receiving some of Istria's northern territories, while Peonia and Montenegro trade territories with Illyria. Montenegro continues to act as the caring mother for the Balkans, keeping her children in line.
-With the annexation of Istria and Dalmatia underway, the Montenegrin and Illyrian governments put together the “Balkan Rifle League Championship”. With contestants from Bulgaria, Peonia, Albania, Montenegro, Illyria, Romania, Slovenia and Greece, a six day long shooting competition is held in Podgorica, set to be every year. This year, Peonia takes first prize, barely squeezing past Montenegro’s top competitors.
-As the world settles into a new political climate, the Montenegrins push for a climate all their own. In a bid for the 1956 Winter Olympics, the Montenegrin city of Kolašin is chosen in a sweeping victory for Montenegro as the IOC is more than happy to send contestants to the famously neutral country.
-At home, the Montenegrin government continues to encourage its citizens to participate in the arts and sports. A series of local competitions take place, but most notably is the Podgorica Art Conference, created by the Royal Film Society’s many members. At the PAC, international artists present their works and work with others on joint projects. The PAC makes millions for the local economy, and many famous artists head to local businesses for food, drink and supplies.
-The various Albanian tribal groups, some families reaching back centuries, are invited to participate in the Montenegrin-Albanian Association. At the MAA, these groups are allowed to discuss issues and present the Montenegrin government with various grievances. However, the deal also puts forward a huge step in uniting the Albanian tribes, as tribal unity is something worked on by the Petrović-Njegoš rulers for generations. The Albanian community in Montenegro slowly feels more accepted, and less of a minority over time.
-At the Montenegrin Linguists Association, a whole host of new dictionaries are released. The most prominent is Sabir, officially known as Mediterranean Lingua Franca, which flies off the shelves as many people in Montenegro look to dive into an ancient and thought-to-be-lost language. With the success of the MLA, the average Montenegrin citizen speaks at least two modern languages, and has skill in one dead. Montenegro’s citizens are considered the “most educated in the world”.
-At Onogošt, the Montenegrin company purchases the rights to a variety of odd weapons. Namely, the Model 8 Self-Loading Rifle and the Reising M55 Submachine Gun. Most notably, however, is the purchase of the Kolibri 2mm “Parlor Gun”, which is rapidly returning to the various pubs and gentlemen’s clubs, where men show off their shooting skills in back rooms with a tiny handgun.
-Meanwhile, Byrsgaw purchases the rights to the Thompson Autorifle, Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver, MP-18 and M1922 “Bang Rifle”. The distinction between Byrsgaw and Onogost is becoming apparent: the former are the “Weapons of Man”, the latter “Weapons of Entertainment”. Nonetheless, it is not uncommon to see a Montenegrin household without a handful of these firearms from either company.
-A major development is made in the realm of naval technology for Montenegro. Borrowing designs from the United States, Montenegrin scientists unveil the Type 1 “Sonobuoy”. These devices make it easier to detect submarines and can be dropped by helicopters, thus making the small Montenegrin navy a force to be reckoned with.
-Outside the realm of weaponry, the “Kanari” model of telephone is unveiled at a tech show in Cetinje. The Kanari is a small, hand-sized telephone that is mounted on a moderately sized receiver on the wall. This frees up horizontal space, as well as dramatically increases the quality of calls. Most notably, the Kanari is more than affordable, and it is difficult for stores to keep them stocked as the demand remains high.
-Oddly named the “Zabava kutija” (Fun Box), the newest model of color television is released at the same tech show as the Kanari. The Fun Box has a total of four channels, and can display full-color television programs and films in stereo sound. Though expensive, the Fun Box is the most popular television set of all time, showing up in households all over the world.
-Pakistan is brought back into the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization, just in time to see the massive Asian economic alliance form into the Pan Pacific Trade Organization, or PPTO. In a momentous step to link east and west, the ATO and GCO are both dissolved and merged. Though the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization remains semi-independent, keeping its defensive military status, the PPTO prevents possible embargoes, and also reduces the risk of conflict as nearly two dozen nations are linked together economically.
-Pakistan brings along a nearby friend, Gujarat, into the Pan-Pacific Trade Organization. Seeing their relatively neutral position as more or less detrimental as their nearby trading partners are members of an organization of some kind, the small state of Gujarat decides to fold and join the Pan-Pacific Trade Organization as an economic member.
-After meeting with delegates from the Euphrates Union, Pakistan is brought into the fold of the growing influence of the United Arab Republic. Now tied to two of the strongest trade organizations in the world, Pakistan acts as a middleman for many of the goods coming from the PPTO heading to the EU and vice versa. The tariffs are low, but make plenty of money for Pakistani businesses.
-Independence is guaranteed for the small Indian nation of Karnataka as the region of Goa is given to the independent and neutral country. Pakistan pledges to keep the nation’s independent from any form of foreign attack, and the Pakistani army is more than willing to lay itself on the line for regional stability.
-A huge number of Persian refugees, fleeing from possible reparations of the new government, or refusing to live in Khuzestan, Kurdistan or Azerbaijan, arrive in Pakistan. Many of them move into Balochistan, and attempt to make themselves part of the rapidly growing Pakistani economy.
-Pakistan, much like Montenegro, quickly becomes the main stability keeper in the region. Tensions flare up in central India as many states slowly begin to claim the territories of others. Those not in the Indian Union or GCO/PPTO are quickly re-arming and preparing for war, something that Pakistan is struggling to ensure does not happen.
-The Pakistani government undergoes a series of massive reforms in order to keep things in check. Rebuilding processes are focused entirely on the region of Balochistan, and the various welfare programs are reorganized entirely. Instead of being used only for the poor, these programs are entirely taxpayer funded and used for all members of society, rich and poor.
-This comes at a crucial time, as the population of Pakistan quickly begins to grow at an alarming rate. Birth rates are up amongst the poor and the rich, and thousands of children are born into what were once poverty stricken families. With government help, these families can stay afloat long enough to receive benefits and resist falling back below the line.
-Pakistan’s military readiness is brought down despite growing tensions in the Indian Ocean. With the help of Chinese advisors, Pakistan’s military is slowly brought up to speed with the standard tactics of the former GCO. Alongside this, the Royal Pakistani Air Force is founded, and is prepared to “guard the skies”, using a variety of domestic and foreign aircraft for national defense.
-Known as the Baloch I, the Pakistani air force unveils its first jet fighter. Using a single engine mounted beneath the cockpit, the Baloch I is not exactly the fastest or most maneuverable aircraft, but is more than capable of defending Pakistani airspace. What makes it special is its cheap and reliable airframe, alongside a hilariously simple engine that almost any skilled engineer can repair in a matter of hours.
-Known simply as the “Bright Night Program”, the Pakistani government begins funding various researchers to look into harnessing the power of the atom. After a period of only a few months, these researchers unveil various blueprints of reactors and ways to break down nuclear materials.
-As the PPF continues to grow in size and strength, their demands for the expulsion of all Spaniards and occupying forces is slowly met, as the UN peacekeepers move south to defend Lisbon, leaving the north largely unprotected and abandoned. Spaniards are rounded up and deported from the now PPF occupied areas in the north.
-With the peacekeepers and Portuguese forces moving south, the PPF comes into possession of thousands of unused firearms and millions of rounds of munition, able to supply their guerilla forces for months of sustained combat. These weapons are quickly put to use in brutal raids against old manors mansions in the old districts of northern Portugal, where the owners are slaughtered and their food redistributed amongst the guerillas. The manors are repurposed as bases for the PPF’s fighters.
-A standardized military uniform is created for the guerilla forces of the PPF. Using rich black cloth, a common wear of shepherds, the PPF guerillas are clad shoulders to feet in “Black Pajamas”, as said by American peacekeepers. These guerillas are one of the fiercest forces since the SSS, and prove that Iberian military prowess is anything but gone.
-The Moncada barracks, a resting point for American peacekeepers, comes under siege late in the year. The forces inside quickly surrender, wishing not to face the fates of mansion owners, and give up their arms. The prisoners are lead to the coastline and are found bound and gagged, but unharmed. This act essentially is one of war, and provokes immense anger in the American populace.
-Not all the acts of the PPF are violent, however, as many food drives and medical services are provided for the poor and unemployed peoples now living in the occupied territories of the PPF. These people are then repurposed into farmers, factory workers, or basic bureaucrats, and given payment in food and shelter.
-Recruitment continues as the PPF heads into the rural countryside and through the slums of war-torn Portugal, and begin recruiting dozens upon dozens of new fighters every day. These men are then trained off in the mountains, and are ground into the dirt before being built back up as vicious killing machines. Women are used as spies and hit-and-run fighters, usually planting bombs on roadsides or shooting up government buildings.
-Old newspaper mills, abandoned since the rise of the Falangists, are repurposed as PPF propaganda mills, where the “Veludo Vermelho” (Red Velvet), the PPF’s own newspaper, is printed. The Red Velvet details the successes of the PPF, and is usually filled to the brim with the horrid acts of the Spaniards and barbarous occupying peacekeepers.
-After the massive earthquake in Ashgabat, Russia last year, Colombian relief crews rush to the nation to begin work on saving countless lives from the wreckage. Despite help from the Russian government, these relief crews are better trained and more prepared for such an event, and make quick work of the wreckage and begin rebuilding the area at once.
-The Russian military, though standing down, sends a series of soldiers into the occupied territories of eastern Poland in order to crack down on the Labourgist rebels. However, upon arrival, a series of ambushes forces the Russians out after immense casualties. The Poles have taken to dressing as civilians before fighting, and the Russian occupation of Poland slowly begins to fall apart.
-Russia slowly draws back its military spending and begins to focus it elsewhere. Though the Russian navy continues to grow in size, the Russian state begins to focus on an entirely defensive army. With the maximum size of the nation reached, it is better to keep the nation bristling like a porcupine rather than roaring like a tiger.
-In order to slowly get out of the ire of many United Nations members, Russia begins a series of drawbacks on its nuclear weapons stockpiles. Still keeping the number large, the Russians proceed to dismantle their larger weapons and instead keep a stockpile of “small-scale, tactical weapons”. This does help soothe some fears, but the fact that there are nuclear weapons at all still upsets many.
-Trade continues with the Moscow-Nanjing Association and the PPTO as the embargo on Russian goods remains. However, despite humiliating them on the world stage, the Russians are able to sew the Pahlavis into a dual agreement with the Euphrates Union and the Moscow-Nanjing Association. This comes as the Russians strike up a series of oil-for-food deals with the United Arab Republic, which brings the somewhat boiling tensions between the two nations down to a simmer.
-As a menagerie of new nations declare independence from the Union Africaine, the Russian government swoops in to begin setting up trade deals and prepare these new nations for becoming functioning members of international society. Nigeria and Somalia are the most welcoming to Russian diplomats, and are slowly brought closer to the Moscow-Nanjing Association.
-In a shocking turn of events, the Russian Government holds a referendum known as the “Royal Declaration Decision”, or to re-adopt the old monarchy of Russia. Surprisingly, 60% of the population votes yes, and Zhukov is crowned Tsar on Christmas Day, 1949. Some are furious, and demand that Zhukov step down, while others question the validity of the votes. But, what has been done is done.
-The Russian government creates the “Starving Artists Program”. In order to kickstart the creation of new Russian arts and music, federal funding is given to various schools and well-known artists in order to continue their projects. The money is meagre, and simply gets the artists by, and comes for a limited time, but it is more than enough to produce some of the most beautiful 20th century sculptures and plays.
-In newly acquired territories, the Russian government begins welfare programs in order to bring people back on their feet. This comes alongside the Starving Artists Program, and is thus considered one of the first steps in creating a welfare-based state.
-The Department of Infrastructure is formed, and oversees the various monotonous aspects of life, such as roads, schools, water, communications and electricity. Most importantly, however, the Russian government will oversee the inspection of nuclear plants in bi-weekly periods to oversee their safety, which rapidly becomes the number one priority over fears of a possible Polish terrorist strike.
-At Russian schools, a new series of elective language programs are offered. Mandarin, Greek, German and Latin are some of the most popular languages to be learned, and Mandarin is the most encouraged amongst many young Russian children as China and Russia continue to be close allies on the world stage. With help from the Montenegrin Linguists Association, the Russian government slowly begins to cyrillicise Greek, German, Latin and Mandarin, which is more than a daunting task.
-A series of new cities crop along the Aral and Caspian seas, known as “Eco-Centers”. Using rooftop gardens, rainwater collection, water recycling and hydroelectric power, these Eco-Centers are a testbed for self-sustaining and ecologically friendly cities. Within the next five years, these cities will be livable and are proposed to be totally self-sustaining before the end of the next decade, completely on their own grid.
-With help from Colombian doctors, the Russian government creates a new breed of Corn, simply known as “Tsar’s Corn”. After intense breeding programs, Tsar’s Corn is heartier and can grow in more adverse conditions, though it produces smaller and less palatable kernels. Despite these setbacks, this will help decrease Russia’s dependency on food imports, as well as diversify the Russian diet.
-The Russian military unveils a new fighter jet, known as the Лиса (Fox). With swept back wings, the Fox can reach immense speeds and make maneuvers on a dime, rapidly outpacing its German and Chinese competitors. What it lacks, however, are hardpoints, which forces the Fox to remain a dedicated fighter/interceptor, and cannot take on the multirole basis that many earlier Russian jets have.
-With experiments taking place in Siberia, the Russians unveil the newest model of superheavy tank. At over 12 meters in length, 16 with the two 145mm cannons forward, and weighing more than 90 short tons, the Russian Колосс (Colossus) tank is unique in the fact that it has a tiny nuclear power plant in place of a gasoline/diesel engine. The Colossus is sluggish and can barely keep up with a walking soldier, but can sustain its own power for more than quintuple that of even the most fuel efficient engines, and continue moving after that. The Colossus would be best used as a mobile artillery platform, but the Russians refuse to let themselves fall behind in the realm of tanks.
-The United States is brought back into the Pan Pacific Trade Organization, or PPTO. In a momentous step to link east and west, the ATO and GCO are both dissolved and merged. Though the Guangzhou Cooperation Organization remains semi-independent, keeping its defensive military status, the PPTO prevents possible embargoes, and also reduces the risk of conflict as nearly two dozen nations are linked together economically.
-The Moncada barracks, a resting point for American peacekeepers, comes under siege by the PPF late in the year. The forces inside quickly surrender, wishing not to face the fates of mansion owners, and give up their arms. The prisoners are lead to the coastline and are found bound and gagged, but unharmed. This act essentially is one of war, and provokes immense anger in the American populace.
-The United Nations Security Council is formed, with the nations of China, Russia, Germany, France and the United States as its head members. This council gives ultimate veto authority over decisions in the United Nations, but also reduces the risk of war, as it gives these powers a platform to speak to one another on. Hostile tensions between Germany and China quickly forces delegates away.
-Surplus American weapons are sold in bulk to the various Indian Union nations not already receiving weapons from the Chinese. These guns are gobbled up and put into the hands of the rapidly growing armies of India, as all sides appear to be prepping for a regional conflict the likes of which have never been seen.
-Despite military drawbacks, the United States continues to keep a series of UN-sponsored peacekeepers in Iberia to oversee the rebuilding of the nation. These peacekeepers are occasionally reshuffled north into Scotland and Ireland, especially along the Anglo-Scottish border, keeping a close eye on the rapidly deteriorating civil war in England.
-As the American economy continues to grow at an exponential rate, various investors are encouraged to put their money into foreign businesses, especially those in Iberia. With the New Union Plan in place, these former Iberian and Patagonian nations will need all the help they can get to stem the tide of resurgent Falangism or extremist Communism.
-At home, the United States forms the National Aeronautics and Space Agency, or NASA, in hopes of launching American satellites into space with the help of captured Iberian technology. On a cold December evening, the United States launches the “Washington” satellite, which begins to transmit information to the ground after an hour in orbit. The Space Race has officially kicked off, as China, Russia, Montenegro, Castille, the United States and Colombia all struggle to get themselves among the stars above.
-A new plan is put into place by president Dewey. Known as the “Light Sky Program”, the United States government drafts the production of at least two nuclear facilities in each and every state in the Union, including the Philippine states and Puerto Rico. The plan will take years to be officially finished, but the results would be astronomically beneficial to the everyday life of the average American.
-Despite its industrial might, the United States cuts down on its arms manufacturers, and instead puts the “Reclamation Plan” in place. These large factories meant for creating weapons of war are purchased by the government and instead made into consumer goods works. Though government owned, these factories are regularly auctioned off to large companies, allowing for thousands of jobs to remain in the hands of Americans.
-Returning soldiers are given a second “GI Bill”. Much larger than the previous ones, these soldiers are now given the chance to live out a regular life. Counseling is also given to men who had to fight in Iberia, Morocco and Patagonia, especially for those who worked on the liberation of the menagerie of Iberian camps during the war.
-Deep in the Utah desert, a flash ripples through the night sky like never before. Known as the ‘Constitution Test’, the United States officially triggers the detonation of its first nuclear weapon. The United States is making a point that it is not only a superpower, but a superpower that will remain that way. Come hell or high water.
Notes: This is the last confirmed turn for this RP. It has been confirmed, however, that there are plans for epilogues to be made, going by the decade up to the 2000s. In the meantime, keep in mind that this turn, akin to Turn 37, has a lot of rough edges, confirmed by Zilla themselves. For this reason, this version of the turn is still very much a WIP.
Category:Turns