A Princess's Plea [OCC/OPEN]

[Holy Marsh]

And just like that, without even remembering that an alliance is more than the Holy Marsh's cool guns, I've just bolstered the loyalist government's allies like . . . ten-fold.

Ureson, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. And, if you've watched that film, the friendship will be even more beautiful. Welcome aboard.

Perhaps in the revolutionary high and looting a Marshite church was burned. Since the Theocracy is otherwise absolutely apolitical, this would be more than enough for it to give Ureson access to whatever it deems necessary.

The Sanguine Republican Guard is very anti-theist. They hate all religions, and will likely have burned a good many churches and mosques before Vakshur managed to restore order in the capital and convince his soldiers to stop looting and pillaging. This also brings up an interesting point. While the Jacobin armies are larger, better equipped, and have a more competent officer corp - exempting a few of the top royalist brass, they are also divided. The radical Marxists and the more moderate Muslim Social Democrats and trade unions will likely be at odds for awhile over the treatment of the capital.

All it takes is one church to be burned. The Theocracy will allow Ureson to control the operation, no matter what they see fit. Should Ureson fail to bring in the heads of the Jacobin leadership for their heretical crimes, then the Theocracy itself will see to it that justice is done. It is in the best interests of all that Ureson succeed, for all nations that have warred with the Theocracy have either ceased to be or now serve it.

Ureson will be authorized whatever he needs in whatever amount he needs it. This endeavor will be known as the Ureson Crusade, should he desire to undertake it. For a short overview of the Marshite Military, read the following- some weapon systems are out of date, however:

Name of Nation: The Grand Theocratic Empire of the Holy Marsh

Military Branches and Roles: Holy Marsh Army(HMA), Holy Marsh Navy(HMN), Holy Marsh Air Force(HMAF), Holy Marsh Holy Warriors(HMHW), Holy Marsh National Militia(HMNM).
Regular Ground Forces: HMA.
Small Arms Used: LY21 Advanced High Lethality Assault Rifle(AR version, BR version, Carbine version, DM version), L45 Tactical Handgun, LY47 Stormhammer SMG, CheyTec Intervention, Thermobaric grenades, frag grenades, flash grenades, Talon combat knives.
Body Armor Used: DAUNTLESS Arachne-IV Marshite Modification IVA body armor, BALCOTH Advanced Helmet, Multi-spectral disruptive pattern camouflage uniforms.
Infantry Support Weapons Used: BRG-20 (HMG), Marshite Stormdrake-II IV(Infantry Version), AA-12 Automatic Shotgun, MGJ21 'Mary Jane' Light Machine Gun, SAGL-25(Squad automatic grenade launcher), GR-88 Grenadier Rifle, Dropper Infantry Mortar System.
Anti-Tank/Anti-Vehicle Weapons Used: MANPAD(firing the MA-14, MA-14T, and MA-14LP), Platoon Level Anti-Tank Weapon(PLAT-W; 80MM Recoiless ETC Rifle), HARM Missile System, LY6A1 Werewolf Assault Gun/Tank Destroyer.
APCs/IFVs Used: LY219(all variants), LY224.
Tanks Used: HAT-2 Sparky II MBT(Variant of the LY4A2), HAT-1 Light, LY9/M22 Dire Wolf Heavy Tank
Artillery Used: LY300 Manticores(missile), LY7/366 Lammasu Self-propelled Gun/Howitzer, LY219/516 "Stormdrake" Armoured Mortar, Viper MLRS.
[region-tag=]Brief Summary of Training and Recruitment:[/region-tag] Marshites are more or less trained since birth, in a fashion. From an early age, they are taught to respect the wishes of the Church, and the Church asks them usually to fight for their faith. Starting at the age of ten, most children have one hour of weapons training and one hour of basic military theory a day during school hours which run from nine to nine six days a week year round. By the time a Marshite schoolchild has finished school, he has received the equivalent of 76 weeks of military training- while not as effective due to the repition of tasks needed to instill core strengths as they grow older, this is still a significant advantage.

This goes on until the age of eighteen, when everyone is conscripted for two years. Training is twelve hours a day, six days a week, every week for two years. The end result is a twenty-year old who is an expert and beyond with his or her weapon, knows almost everything that would matter on a battlefield, holds firm in his or her heart the purity of their mission and the righteousness of their Church, and the ability to kill you in any number of ways. For those who decide to stay in the Army, the training continues as listed above until they retire. This makes the main Marshite Army regular at the age of 22 the equivalent, training wise, of the best special forces. When added to their usually life-time commitments, and with more time, each Marshite unit becomes a more and more elite force. By the age of 24, each soldier has perfected his or her craft without question and therefore learns secondary and tietary specializations. By his or her late twenties, Marshite soldiers know not only how to fight without equal, but to also accomplish other tasks at the heart of other specializations in a pinch. This allows logistical troops to crush opposing ambushes, front line troops to accomplish logistical challenges, mortar infantry to fend off close-quarters charges, and rifleman to use mortars, for example. A Marshite division of twenty-seven year olds is therefore much like a Swiss Army Knife, except that the knife itself is far superior to what we know of now. This makes most combat operations against a Marshite force nearly impossible; you can't cut off supply lines with regularity, overrun positions without unsustainable casualties, etc.

Brief Summary of Standard Military Doctrine: Marshite Offensive Doctrine employs a large number of tactical operations that cut the enemy a thousand times before the final blow is struck. This is part of a larger strategic doctrine that also employs many strategic operations at once. The enemy is therefore struck at all major points and often has communications, supply lines, and support cut off almost as soon as the battle is joined. This is all part of a combined-arms offensive that seeks to slaughter opposing armies as quickly as possible. The enemy is to be denied his air force, his logistical chain, his armor, support, and routes of escape. So many operations are launched, both tactical and strategic, that entire operations can fail utterly and the overall strategic objective taken just as quickly. This is achieved through superior firepower and mobility, superior training and usually superior numbers. Opposing armies usually find themselves overwhelmed and destroyed before they can defend in depth. On the defensive, the Marshite Army usually supports the vast Militia by cutting the enemy off and forcing them to fight in urban areas. They launch swift and overwhelming counter-attacks and use their knowledge of the terrain to slaughter opposing invasion forces. Their main task is to destroy enemy heavy armor and support- without that, the enemy has no chance against the Militia, let alone the main Marshite Army. However, two-thousand years of warfare have given Marshites the ability to adapt, if little else. Few, if any, enemies could put up a defense or stage an invasion that would catch Marshite forces anything less than prepared.

Brief Summary of Military Culture: Focused. There is little infighting and less bragging, as the mission they all share is Holy and deadly all at once. Once an enemy is identified, the nation will seek out and destroy that enemy, even if it takes generations. The word that most well defines the culture, therefore, is focus. Marshites are taught from birth until death that they are the Chosen People and have a sacred, holy mission to their God- a mission that requires war. Marshites therefore view service and warfare itself as a holy obligation. Two-thousand years of war have also modified non-religious expectations; warfare and the military are as part of life as sports and community are in real life. There is little need to recruit the conscripted troops into the active army after their conscription is over; the vast majority wish to join. It can sustain egregious losses for decades or even centuries without being strategically weakened.

Assessment of Officer Corps (Tactical Capabilities): On the defensive, Marshites are without equal in terms of Officer tactical capabilities. They are able to slice and dice opposing armies of many multitudes their size on their home turf, being able to adapt to almost any situation and launch successful counterattacks with usually fantastic results. Officers are considered the cream of the Marshite youth, achieving the highest physical and academic ranks in their class. They attend highly regarded, 24/7 war colleges that cover the whole spectrum of warfare. They are deployed to conscript units that are a year into their conscription, at which point they train and lead the unit they have been assigned to. They pass and fail along with their unit, and will train and go to war with said unit going into the future. Marshite Officers are officers for life and the tactical training never begins. They are given a wide berth of tactical flexibility as a result.
Assessment of Officer Corps (Strategic Capabilities): See above. The same holds true throughout Marshite command.
Assessment of Logistical Capabilities: Varies. On the defensive or on the continent that it lives on, it is nearly flawless. Recent upgrades to the nation's long-range offensive logistical systems have allowed it to sustain a level of effectiveness on par with any other first-rate power.

Personnel: 750,000,000(Note: Logistical and Support personnel have the same training as combat troops and vice versa, meaning that while combat personnel are expected to handle combat duties, logistical and support personnel are considered fully combat capable.)
Combat Personnel: 250,000,000

Air Forces

Fighter Aircraft Used: LY910 Shadowhawk.
Strategic Bombers Used: B-22 Zeus, B-2, Sariel Supersonic Stealth Bombers, B-52, B-1B.
Ground Attack Aircraft Used (Incl. Gunships and Attack Helicopters): LY908 Warhawk, LY909 Sparrowhawk, AH-86 Liberator, AH-90 Kingmaker, AC-220, A-17
Air Transport Used: C-10 'Minotaur' strategic cargo aircraft, KC-747 'Galt' aerial refueling tanker, C-100 Titan, AH-86B, AH-90IF, MGV-02 Warbeach Ekranoplan.
Number of Aircraft: 800,000
Personnel: 100,000,000(Various, not just direct support personnel)

Naval Forces

Number of Frigates: 2,100
Number of Destroyers: 2,500
Number of Cruisers: 2,950
Number of Aircraft Carriers: 150(Supercarriers), 225(Escort)
Number of Amphibious Assault Ships: 16,000
Number of Submarines: 3,900
Number of Capital/Battleships/Dreadnoughts: 450
Personnel: 200,000,000(Includes 4,000,000 Marines)

Paramilitary Groups: (First group is the Militia. Second group would be Holy Warriors)

Stated Purpose of Paramilitary Group(s): To Defend the Holy Marsh
Small Arms Used: HILAR, AY144L AR, BCR, L45 Tactical Handgun, P90, CheyTec Intervention, Thermobaric grenades, frag grenades, flash grenades, Talon combat knives.
Body Armor Used: DAUNTLESS Arachne-IV Marshite Modification IVA body armor
Infantry Support Weapons Used: BRG-20 (HMG), Marshite Stormdrake-II Version-III(Infantry Version), AA-12 Automatic Shotgun, BRG-15L Light Machine Gun, MK-20 SAGL(Squad automatic grenade launcher), GR-88 Grenadier Rifle, Dropper Mortar System.
Anti-Tank/Anti-Vehicle Weapons Used: Javelin, MANPAD(firing the MA-14, MA-14T, and MA-14LP), MANPAD(firing the MA-14, MA-14T, and MA-14LP), Platoon Level Anti-Tank Weapon(PLAT-W; 80MM Recoiless ETC Rifle), HARM Missile System.
Vehicles Used: HAT-1 MBT, LY219(all versions), Stryker(for anti-air Lyran base), HMLV.(Soon to be upgraded with the LY10 Light tank and an urban combat tank)
Brief Summary of Training and Recruitment: After someone is finished the required two years of army training, they may elect to instead join the Marshite Militia. Most do; the HMA only allows 500 million to serve due to their budget. Of the 700 million militia, more than 500 million at any given time are those who were unable to serve in the Army due to pure budgetary issues. The Militia trains five days a month as well as two weeks once a year, for a total of sixty-nine days of training a year for every Militia member. Most choose to train further, usually with two or three more weeks of voluntary training. Training focuses on defending certain areas, meaning that an opposing army often finds itself slaughtered by the Militia long before the Marshite Army gets to the area. Between the way Marshites are raised, the required training, their zeal, and then Militia training, a Marshite Militia member is more than a match for most invasions.

Brief Summary of Standard Doctrine: They are trained to defend certain areas, and will often undertake dozens of pre-planned operations at once to eviscerate the enemy. An invader finds his supply lines cut, almost every unit of his under vicious ambush, and certain points of contention are too well-defended to take anyway. An invader is often bottled up in dense, unforgiving Marshite cities where the Militia holds the cards and slowly bled to death. The Militia is often able to inflict 3:1 or even 4:1 losses on even well-equipped, well-trained, and well-supported armies that are equipped and trained much like RL British or American troops are in terms of time spent.

Brief Summary of Paramilitary Culture: Very much like the Army, which in turn is very much like the nation, which in turn is who makes up the Militia.

Are the organizations primarily Offensive or Defensive?: Defensive. Offensive actions are limited to counter-attacks.
Are the organizations under a clear Military command, under clear command of the State, or mostly independent?: Under direct command of the CHURCH and State.
Is there significant civilian support for the Paramilitary groups?: It is seen as a natural part of life.
Personnel: 700,000,000
Combat Personnel: 700,000,000(Most logistics are so easy to handle since Marshites fight locally that Militia units that are not engaged can carry out logistical missions with no loss of competency in any field.)
(The Militia also uses the same equipment as the HMAF, with 5,000 aircraft and 1.5 million personnel. It has 3,600 coastal defense craft and 500 Cruisers and Destroyers, with 10,000,000 personnel. These are included in the above.)

HOLY WARRIORS

Small Arms Used: LY21 Advanced High Lethality Assault Rifle(AR version, BR version, Carbine version, DM version), L45 Tactical Handgun, AA-12 Automatic Shotgun, MGJ21 'Mary Jane' Light Machine Gun, CheyTec Intervention, MK-30 SAGL(Squad automatic grenade launcher), Thermobaric grenades, frag grenades, flash grenades, Kukri combat knives.
Body Armor Used: 'Dauntless' Ballistic Armour, BALCOTH Advanced Helmet, Multi-spectral disruptive pattern camouflage uniforms.
Infantry Support Weapons Used: BRG-20 (HMG), XM-25 SAGL, Marshite Stormdrake-II IV(Infantry Version)
Anti-Tank/Anti-Vehicle Weapons Used: MANPAD(firing the MA-14, MA-14T, and MA-14LP), Platoon Level Anti-Tank Weapon(PLAT-W; 80MM Recoiless ETC Rifle)
APCs/IFVs Used: LY219(all variants), LY224.
Tanks Used: HAT-2 Sparky II MBT(Variant of the LY4A2), HAT-1 Light.
Artillery Used: LY300 Manticores(missile), LY7/366 Lammasu Self-propelled Gun/Howitzer, LY219/516 "Stormdrake" Armoured Mortar

Brief Summary of Training and Recruitment: Holy Warriors are born into their Cathedral. They are separated at birth into the squads, platoons, companies and battalions that they will fight in during their later years. They are indoctrinated from birth into the Holy Warriors, becoming religious fanatics who are willing to fight no matter the odds. They are trained to fight in hand-to-hand combat since they can sustain injuries. They are taught how to make war since they learn how to read and write. They are taught combat skills since they can comprehend it. Their entire lives are based on the Church and War from birth until death. At the age of fifteen, they are all put into the Support Group, where they learn what war is like without much loss of life. They expect to die in glorious combat, and many nations have been given pause and stymied by even small, suicidal groups of Holy Warriors. Even Holy Warriors unable to fight, such as pregnant women, the elderly, the infirm, and the too-young, find their uses as record keepers, prayer leaders, attendants, etc.

Brief Summary of Standard Military Doctrine: The Holy Warriors launch quick, rapid, and deadly attacks and then vanish just as quickly as they came. Opposing forces can hardly even react to one attack before another is launched. Such is their skill that Holy Warrior companies are expected to be able to destroy opposing regiments on the attack and still be combat capable effective immediately.

Brief Summary of Military Culture: Intense. For Holy Warriors, there is nothing other than War and the Holy Marsh. They are born into it; this is the entirety of their existence, a brutal life followed by a glorious death and finally rest at His side. There is no greater accomplishment than the defeat of the enemy and no better end than death in battle.

Assessment of Officer Corps (Tactical Capabilities): Flawless offensive training has given Holy Warriors a core of lifetime officers who have known battle since before some nations have existed. There is little to no chance of a Holy Warrior operation failing due to tactical or strategic issues, and those few who have failed find their officers sometimes committing suicide due to shame.
Assessment of Officer Corps (Strategic Capabilities): See above. The same holds true throughout Holy Warrior command. Those who lead Holy Warriors into the battle en masse, the Lord-Commanders of the Cathedrals, have been given their rank due to experience, ability, and their religious fire. There are none better.
Assessment of Logistical Capabilities: The Marshite Army usually takes care of Holy Warrior logistics when on campaign. During peacetime, the young, the elderly, and church attendants take care of logistical concerns.

Personnel: 2,000,000
Combat Personnel: 2,000,000
(The Holy Warriors use the same equipment as the HMAF, with 2,000 total aircraft and 200,000 personnel. This is included above.)

Are the branches of the Military united with a clear command structure for use between branches?: Yes.
Are Strategic Decisions decided by Military or Civilian leadership?: Church, State, Military- all is the same in HM.
Are the branches more or less united, with open co-operation between the branches?: Yes.
Are there any enmities between branches?: No. We have fought for over two thousand years for our very survival. Pettiness does not become us.
Is the overall Strategic Doctrine Defensive or Offensive?: Defensive, though all offensive action is permissible if and when it becomes prudent to destroy those who are opposing our faith. The Holy Warriors are the only branch that trains to go on the offensive as a priority.
Nuclear Option?: Yes. It is considered a last resort.
How many?: 25,000 missiles; 250,000 warheads.
Via Submarine?: 2,000
Via Strategic Bomber?: 0. Seen as inefficient.
Via land-based ICBM?: 19,500.
Via land-based TBM?: 3,500.

[Ganos Lao]

Perhaps in the revolutionary high and looting a Marshite church was burned. Since the Theocracy is otherwise absolutely apolitical, this would be more than enough for it to give Ureson access to whatever it deems necessary.

Marsh, Merinha wants to have a roleplay here.

I don't they'd want it to end in five seconds.

[Holy Marsh]

Perhaps in the revolutionary high and looting a Marshite church was burned. Since the Theocracy is otherwise absolutely apolitical, this would be more than enough for it to give Ureson access to whatever it deems necessary.

Marsh, Merinha wants to have a roleplay here.

I don't they'd want it to end in five seconds.

All kidding aside, Ureson would be the one in charge of this. If Ureson wants to use ten Marshites, he can use ten Marshites.

[The Republican United States]

IC Thread

A Princess's Plea

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Here's the out-of-character thread. It's a nice, quiet place where we can talk about your involvement in the story I've got going. I'm looking for several roles to be filled on both sides, and, while I won't forbid the usual attempts at conquest by fledgling foreign powers, that wasn't really my original intent. I'm planning to focus more on small precision strikes and political/economic manipulation from behind the scenes.

Essentially, your governments, corporations, and individual actors can provide training and weapons to the established factions, can provide food and water to aid with the continuing drought, and can send small groups of elite soldiers to wreak untold devastation on hundreds and hundreds of troops armed with WWI-era technology. Sounds fun, right? And, if you insist, brutal invasions are allowed. I go all in.

The Story Thus Far: The self-proclaimed heirs of Cyrus the Great have reigned over, and occasionally governed, the Principality of Merinnha since 1698 C.E., when Mohammed Abd-al-Rahman ibn Azad al-Ratheshtari, a Shiite emir, asserted his independence from his Safavid overlords and established a small, secure fief across the boundless seas. At the time, the rulers feverishly promoted Shiite Islam, converting the numerous churches into beautifully decorated mosques and the devoted Christians into pious Muslims. However, the al-Ratheshtari line fell from power close to a century ago, and major changes have occurred since then.

Ismail Kareem Abdul-Aziz ibn Jibril al-Tehsildar, commonly called Ismail I, founded a new line of princes, the Tehsildari, in 1863. They have been the dominant agents in shaping Merinnhese politics since that time. Their reforms saw the modernization of a relatively primitive society, something which undoubtedly helped to halt efforts by major powers to subjugate and colonize the small, resource-rich nation. They also championed Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of Persia, bringing about dramatic demographic shifts. At the moment, twelve percent of the population is Zoroastrian, seventy six percent of the population is Muslim, three percent of the population is Christian, and nine percent is nonreligious.

The most recent prince, or Shahzadeh, took the throne as Ismail III in 2008, following the death of his grandfather, Darius I. Both Darius and his grandson had been lethargic rulers, leaving much of the actual governance to viziers and local governors - to disastrous effect. While this system works well normally, the lack of a strong leader bodes none too well for a nation in crisis. It was only a matter of time until these lackluster princes were confronted by just such a thing.

In 2014, a horrible drought struck Merinnha. The rainy season came and went without so much as a drop of precipitation. Sheep, goats, and even camels began to die from dehydration and malnourishment, and the grain crop wilted and burned in the fields. The situation was most grave in the extreme western and northern peripheries of the country, where few natural oases existed. Soon, even people began to die, while Ismail hesitated in his palace at An Ramaji, comfortable with his wife, his young daughter, and his infant son.

Finally, in February of 2015, a small, stout man by the name of Ibrahim Vakshur delivered a rousing speech in a large lecture hall at the University of Janina in Amazeraa, calling attention to the plight of farmers, shepherds, and industrial workers. The students proclaimed him 'Babak', or father, and launched a series of demonstrations against the Peacock Throne, demanding reforms and sustenance for all. When police attempted to regulate these protests, riots broke out, marking the beginning of a civil war.

Many suspect that Vakshur and his co-conspirators in the Jacobin Club had been anticipating a revolution for some time, especially due to the discipline and weapon quality of certain units that materialized in the beginning weeks of the ongoing conflict. Of particular note are the Sanguine Republican Guard, led by the flamboyant and bloodthirsty Colonel Sermend al-Rashid Heski, a figure who recalls the exploits and looks of Che Guevara. Their deep red banners strike fear into the hearts of royalists everywhere.

The revolutionary forces quickly overcame the so-called Blue Armies, who were encumbered by a bloated officer corps consisting of incompetent nobles and out-dated weaponry from the First World War, seizing the western and northern regions of Merinnha in a matter of weeks and surrounding the capital city of Amazeraa. Here, they encountered the first true resistance to their campaign in the form of the 3rd Mechanized Infantry and the Anusiya under the joint command of Ismail III and his distant cousin, recently promoted Major General Mirza Dawud Abd-al-Rashid al-Tehsildar ad-Khors.

While outnumbered, the masterful leadership of ad-Khors allowed the royalist forces plenty of time to regroup and even contemplate a tactical withdrawal from the capital. However, Ismail III forbade this. On the 19th of April, the Sanguine Republican Guard, bolstered by the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Mining Infantry Battalions, stormed the palace at An Ramaji, bringing the stalemate to a bloody end. Heski's men slaughtered hundreds, including the Shahzadeh, whose corpse was desecrated according to Zoroastrian custom, and his wife. The revolutionaries allegedly bashed their infant son's head against the wall as the child wailed, before dumping his lifeless body over those of his parents and scorching them all.

Only one glimmer of hope sustained the royalists. Major General Mirza Dawud Abd-al-Rashid al-Tehsildar ad-Khors's reformed 3rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion all but eliminated the 2nd and 4th Mining Infantry Battalions, enabling him to slip through enemy lines with Fairuza Lamis Janan al-Tehsildar, the presumptive Shahzada. They retreated halfway across the country, losing half their number, to arrive in the well-known loyalist stronghold of Jahidah, the single largest port in Merinnha. From there, Fairuza gave a desperate, heartfelt address, calling for aid from her subjects and from foreigners and promising that she would not abandon her supporters in their time of need.

Ibrahim Vakshur, meanwhile, strove to regain control of his looting subordinates so as to minimize the harm done to civilians and enforce the rule of law. Having accomplished this after two days of frantic writing and speeches, the man known as Babak went onto declare the People's Republic of Merinnha, promising that elections would occur as soon as the fighting had ended. Furthermore, perhaps in an attempt to counter the princess's plea, he sent out an address to his followers and to his foreign supporters, imploring them for greater aid.

The stage is now set for a continuation of the earlier struggle between the Blue Royalists and the Red Jacobins. The revolutionaries will likely raise close to a quarter of a million troops in an effort to fully suppress the remnants of royalist resistance. The royalists may gather a bit more than one-fifth of that number, though the dogged leadership of ad-Khors is no meager advantage. Who will secure the reigns of power and lead the nation into the future?

I plan to have a political map and a geographical map posted soon. Please, bear with me.

Important Actors

Fairuza Lamis Janan al-Tehsildar
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Fairuza is the sole surviving member of the royal household, and, while not capable of actual leadership at the tender age of fourteen, she has become a symbol of the royalist cause. Her attitude has been characterized as "wild" and "rebellious" up until this point, but, following her address to the people, she has been praised for her courage. She is well-liked by the soldiers, who often call her "their princess." Should the royalists triumph, Fairuza will become the next ruler, succeeding her father. It will be the first time that a shahzada has reigned in her own right.


Mirza Dawud Abd-al-Rashid al-Tehsildar ad-Khors
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Major General Mirza Dawud Abd-al-Rashid al-Tehsildar ad-Khors is a cold, calculating man, who will execute all necessary political machinations and military maneuvers to ensure the preservation of the Tehsildari line. A poor, distant cousin to the main line of that house, Mirza would likely have been confined to a minor military post had the rebellion not broken out. His heterochromia made him a peculiar and unpopular figure at court, since the condition is widely seen as unlucky. However, following the outbreak of the war, he distinguished himself by leading the remnants of the Northern Army in an orderly retreat to the capital. His masterful tactics during the Siege of An Ramadi have made him the singular royalist hero of the revolution. He has now assumed supreme command at the slight age of twenty eight.

Factions

The Royalists

The Principality of Merinnha

Any number of monarchist or right-leaning governments will be inclined to support the young princess and her loyal entourage of officers. Anti-communist countries and powerful corporations with strong interests in petroleum and mineral resources like steel, gold, and silver are likely candidates. In particular, I'm looking for a private oil company to sustain losses in the region due to rebel activity. However, all nations and factions are welcome.

The Jacobins

The People's Republic of Merinnha

The Jacobins need a militarily strong ally. This ally would have been supporting them for several years prior to the onset of hostilities, providing training and weapons in secret. This country is likely Marxist-Leninist in its philosophy, and stands to gain access to the lucrative petroleum and mineral wealth of Merinnha. This country probably also has a few 'military advisers' on the ground. I'd prefer an experienced role-player for this position. Various other left-leaning and republican forces are welcome too.

Third Party Factions

None

We're here to help the Royalists in exchange for oil.

[Merinnha]

Marsh, Merinha wants to have a roleplay here.

I don't they'd want it to end in five seconds.

All kidding aside, Ureson would be the one in charge of this. If Ureson wants to use ten Marshites, he can use ten Marshites.

I have to go with Gan on this one. Don't brutally kill everyone. Otherwise, I'll have to make a new country. Again.

We're here to help the Royalists in exchange for oil.

As Generalite, this makes me laugh. I'll allow you in to help the royalists. However, from this point forward, excepting long-time acquaintances, I'd like to halt further admissions as royalist allies. The Jacobins still need plenty of support.

If any of the current role-players is interested, I need a single oil company for the role-play as well. They would have lost about half of their production capacity from the civil war, and I imagine they'd have plenty of complaints for the vizier. They'd likely insist on him recapturing their pipelines and refineries in the interior, and, if they were less ethical, they might even hire mercenaries to bolster the legitimate government.

[The Republican United States]

All kidding aside, Ureson would be the one in charge of this. If Ureson wants to use ten Marshites, he can use ten Marshites.

I have to go with Gan on this one. Don't brutally kill everyone. Otherwise, I'll have to make a new country. Again.

We're here to help the Royalists in exchange for oil.

As Generalite, this makes me laugh. I'll allow you in to help the royalists. However, from this point forward, excepting long-time acquaintances, I'd like to halt further admissions as royalist allies. The Jacobins still need plenty of support.

If any of the current role-players is interested, I need a single oil company for the role-play as well. They would have lost about half of their production capacity from the civil war, and I imagine they'd have plenty of complaints for the vizier. They'd likely insist on him recapturing their pipelines and refineries in the interior, and, if they were less ethical, they might even hire mercenaries to bolster the legitimate government.

So are you going to accept the offer of American Military Aid?

[Merinnha]

So are you going to accept the offer of American Military Aid?

Yes, but keep it to less than ten thousand soldiers - preferably even less. Also, I'm planning to focus heavily on logistics and mobilization in this role-play. It won't exactly be realistic, but getting an army ready should take a pretty long time. It could be weeks before a fully assembled force arrives on Merinnhese shores. Only one Jacobin allied nation should have a respectable force present at this time, and they are more like advisers.

The main request from the royalists is for weapons, skilled officers as military advisers, food and water, vehicles, and the like. Financial aid in the form of grants or even loans would be very welcome since the dinar is being affected by heavy inflation at the moment and the exchange rate is suffering. The royalists will likely have to print worthless currency with the promise to make good on its value after they have restored peace. I haven't really decided how my characters will approach this yet, but negotiations will likely have to occur between high-ranking diplomatic officials from other countries, since most ambassadors were trapped in the capital by the sudden Jacobin offensive.

As such, consider most of this out-of-character information. Your characters will likely need to talk to the makeshift royalist government in Jahidah to ascertain the situation properly, though some financial estimates and speculation aren't inconceivable especially if your governments follow foreign and international markets.

[Merinnha]

I'll have responses up tomorrow night in all likelihood.

Banija, I plan to address your government's communique with one of my own, not to mention a bunch of talking and planning from my characters.

US, I'll have a welcoming party prepared for your soldiers. Did they arrive by boat or by plane?

[Ureson]

As heartless as it may sound, Ureson's primary goal will be bringing Jacobin leadership to trial for the death and abuse of Marshite missionaries - or putting them in the ground if that is not possible. And helping the loyalist forces is the most expedient way to likely get that done. So they'll provide resources, equipment, training of both main-line and special operations forces, air support, and the like but they'd ideally like to see the royalists being the ones doing most of the main-line fighting. Both for the image presented to the people caught in between and because - to put it simply at the risk of sounding heartless - its not their war beyond the troubles suffered by Marshites in the region.

The Holy Marsh and other members of the Union, if/when they are called on, will likely be requested to provide further logistics and supplies, move in equipment and vehicles for the royalists, and serve as additional support in the hunt for enemy leadership. That way one side isn't flooded and overran in three pages of posts by the other and there is plenty of opportunity for role-play and development. If that is okay with you, Merinnha.

[Merinnha]

As heartless as it may sound, Ureson's primary goal will be bringing Jacobin leadership to trial for the death and abuse of Marshite missionaries - or putting them in the ground if that is not possible. And helping the loyalist forces is the most expedient way to likely get that done. So they'll provide resources, equipment, training of both main-line and special operations forces, air support, and the like but they'd ideally like to see the royalists being the ones doing most of the main-line fighting. Both for the image presented to the people caught in between and because - to put it simply at the risk of sounding heartless - its not their war beyond the troubles suffered by Marshites in the region.

I like heartlessness when it comes to politics. Despite many of my past and current characters being deeply emotional people, politics and war are often very cold things, at least to those who are used to them.

The Holy Marsh and other members of the Union, if/when they are called on, will likely be requested to provide further logistics and supplies, move in equipment and vehicles for the royalists, and serve as additional support in the hunt for enemy leadership. That way one side isn't flooded and overran in three pages of posts by the other and there is plenty of opportunity for role-play and development. If that is okay with you, Merinnha.

It also suits my out-of-character objectives too, so it's a double win! It's definitely okay.

[The Republican United States]

I'll have responses up tomorrow night in all likelihood.

Banija, I plan to address your government's communique with one of my own, not to mention a bunch of talking and planning from my characters.

US, I'll have a welcoming party prepared for your soldiers. Did they arrive by boat or by plane?

By Plane.

[Western Pacific Territories]

I side with the Jacobins. To be honest though, I just want to raid and pillage and destroy your nation.

[Nasaira]

Tag

[Novaya Equestria]

I'll side with the Royalists since they need fuel. Mah nation has an oil company.

[New Mushroom Kingdom]

This looks very interesting. Especially for a corrupt right-wing monarchy.

Thanks. I like role-playing monarchies. I figured I'd try a more believable approach though. Corruption, corruption everywhere! Does that mean you're in?

MIght be late, but sure. This nation is also corrupt as fuck.

[Drogland]

Drogland still will support the jacobins

[Ganos Lao]

I side with the Jacobins. To be honest though, I just want to raid and pillage and destroy your nation.

Doing that makes you risk war with more than just the sons and daughters of Merinha.

[Unified Soviet Socialist Republics]

The Soviet Union under Valdimir Iosevich Rychenkov would be watching the sitiuation closely. The Socialists would have to fufill preconditions for the Soviet Government to take up the business of the Jacobins. Such as anti-LGBT/Sexual Deviance,Social-Cultural Traditionalism and Central Planning.

[The Federation of Democratic Regions]

As Generalite, this makes me laugh. I'll allow you in to help the royalists. However, from this point forward, excepting long-time acquaintances, I'd like to halt further admissions as royalist allies. The Jacobins still need plenty of support.

If any of the current role-players is interested, I need a single oil company for the role-play as well. They would have lost about half of their production capacity from the civil war, and I imagine they'd have plenty of complaints for the vizier. They'd likely insist on him recapturing their pipelines and refineries in the interior, and, if they were less ethical, they might even hire mercenaries to bolster the legitimate government.

Damn, does this mean no Operation Run Over Dudes With Tanks and Wear Cool Glasses Operation Feed Starving Orphans?

[Raktio]

Can't join right now but I later might join as a momentarily neutral fraction as per both sides have their own pros and cons.

[Merinnha]

I side with the Jacobins. To be honest though, I just want to raid and pillage and destroy your nation.

You're more than welcome to try it, but don't be alarmed when the Jacobin commanders use your troops as cannon fodder or shoot them in their backs. They aren't after all striving to destroy their own homeland. Well, most of them aren't anyhow.

Tag

Noted. I await your proposals with great eagerness.

I'll side with the Royalists since they need fuel. Mah nation has an oil company.

If you'd like, you may role-play the oil company that controls most of the pipelines, refineries, and wells in Merinnha. I'd prefer for this to be a private corporation with international assets instead of a nationalized company. At the moment, they would have lost about half or more of their assets in the country, and would likely be urging the royalists to recapture them - with local executives and officers of the Merinnhese subsidiaries meeting with government and military officials often to remind them of their duty to protect private property. I don't really need too much more military support for the royalists, but this role would be entertaining, I think.

Drogland still will support the jacobins

Welcome aboard, sailor! It's a sorority thing. Accept it. It makes life better.

Doing that makes you risk war with more than just the sons and daughters of Merinha.

Who needs a guard dog when you have the Ganosian military?

The Soviet Union under Valdimir Iosevich Rychenkov would be watching the sitiuation closely. The Socialists would have to fufill preconditions for the Soviet Government to take up the business of the Jacobins. Such as anti-LGBT/Sexual Deviance,Social-Cultural Traditionalism and Central Planning.

Vakshur is socially progressive in many ways. However, their are some among the revolutionaries, not strictly speaking Jacobin in their political affiliation, who would be on board with anti-LGBT legislation, the preservation of old traditions - though still favoring the abolition of aristocratic privileges and whatnot, and central economic planning. The hardliners of the Muslim Social Democrats, who may splinter from that group if the revolution succeeds, would be the most probable candidates.

Damn, does this mean no Operation Run Over Dudes With Tanks and Wear Cool Glasses Operation Feed Starving Orphans?

I'm afraid so. Diplomatic commentary is still welcome though.

[Ganos Lao]

Who needs a guard dog when you have the Ganosian military?

You also have the Marshite Union military. That alone is like having an army of guard dogs.

[Merinnha]

Who needs a guard dog when you have the Ganosian military?

You also have the Marshite Union military. That alone is like having an army of guard dogs.

They're scary though.

Having the Marshite military is like having a Rottweiler when all you wanted was a German Shepherd. I love both of them, but the former frightened me when I was small.

[United Ameritania]

of ze spooky. vhe hab ze orbital cannon zho.

[Unified Soviet Socialist Republics]

The Soviet Union under Valdimir Iosevich Rychenkov would be watching the sitiuation closely. The Socialists would have to fufill preconditions for the Soviet Government to take up the business of the Jacobins. Such as anti-LGBT/Sexual Deviance,Social-Cultural Traditionalism and Central Planning.

Vakshur is socially progressive in many ways. However, their are some among the revolutionaries, not strictly speaking Jacobin in their political affiliation, who would be on board with anti-LGBT legislation, the preservation of old traditions - though still favoring the abolition of aristocratic privileges and whatnot, and central economic planning. The hardliners of the Muslim Social Democrats, who may splinter from that group if the revolution succeeds, would be the most probable candidates.

---

The Soviets would send representatives to meet with the Muslim Social Democrats among others. Arms and Advisors would be following soon enough.