Eight Metropolis Plan

**The Eight Metropolis Plan** (八大都市構想) is an economic initiative drafted by Carl Regnitz to revitalize, modernize and industrialize the Erebonian Empire’s infrastructure and economy to include the newly annexed provinces of Crossbell and North Ambria.

## Background

Following the Crossbell Campaign, in March, S.1205, the Crossbell State would be officially be annexed by the Erebonian Empire, becoming the Imperial Province of Crossbell. In December of that same year, following the Northern War, the North Ambria State would also be annexed, becoming the Province of North Ambria. Governor of Heimdallr Carl Regnitz would draft the plan in response to the vastly different political landscape within the Empire created by these annexations. The plan is named for its goal of developing and connecting the eight major cities - or metropolises – within Erebonia and create the core of the ‘New Empire.’ These cities are Heimdallr, Saint-Arkh, Ordis, Bareahard, Roer, Crossbell City, Haliask and Jurai. In May, S.1206, while serving as a representative for the Empire in the Crossbell Special Inspectorate, Gorvernor Regnitz officially announces the plan in a nationally broadcasted speech during the Crossbell provincial legislature at Orchis Tower.

## Overview

The primary intention of the plan is to boost economic growth and industrial development by creating a network of orbal infrastructure spanning the entire Empire with the eight metropolises serving as key hubs.

Most notably, the plan revokes the right of provincial lords to decide upon and collect taxes within the regions they control by implementing a standardized system that makes tax laws and rates within all eight cities the same as Heimdallr’s. This is significant for Crossbell specifically because being officially part of Erebonia makes all trade with Calvard restricted. By amending the previous system – one that was extremely complicated due to all the different statutes in each territory – the plan makes conducting business within the Empire much easier. This ensures the sustainability of Crossbell’s economy despite the loss of trade from Calvard.

The plan also includes stronger protection from the republic and large-scale construction projects. These projects include the conversion of Tangram Gate to Tangram Fortress, the construction of the Reinford Military Factory in Crossbell, as well as a groundwork for the implementation of Crossbell’s orbal network throughout the Empire.

### Effects

The most significant effect of the plan is the impact it has on the nobility. Standardizing the tax system ensures that all mira flows through the capital, centralizing power within Heimdallr. This drastically weakens the nobility who for generations were reliant on the taxes from their territories to sustain a living. In conjunction with the formation of the Central Diet, the Four Great Houses essentially lose all their power. Crippled by these changes, many ruling lords have no choice but to relinquish their lands to be bought out by companies.

The plan proves successful in revitalizing the Imperial economy as the Empire’s GDP rises by 42% since the year prior. Annexed provinces show dramatic improvements to their economies as well. For Crossbell and North Ambria, the eight metropolises now being easily connected gives each a plethora of new trade ties. As a result, business within both provinces begins to thrive with all the new clientele from the rest of the Empire.

### Significance during the Great War

At the onset of the Great War, the enactment of the National Mobilization Law gives the Imperial government full administrative control over Heimdallr. This allows Chancellor Giliath Osborne to convert all the tax money consolidated in the capital from the Eight Metropolis Plan to drastically increase military spending in preparation for Operation Jormungandr without gaining approval from the Central Diet. In collaboration with the Reinford Group, Osborne commissions 8 Gargantua-class battleships and 12 Dragunov-class railway cannons along with the mass production of thousands of Achtzehn tanks and tens of thousands of Panzer Soldats to be distributed amongst the 25 active armored divisions within the Imperial Army. Much of this production comes from the new Reinford Military Factory in Crossbell – another product of the Eight Metropolis Plan.