A War of Mud and Steel[AH-OOC-OPEN]

[Dires]

I'm not doing anything Japan didn't do in real history. Coastal China was just as urbanized and for far longer. I merely removed nobles and officials who supported Cixi's conservatism. I didn't cull my entire intelligentsia, many of whom, should be in support of my reforms anyways.

@Tracian, I'll accept that for overall, I'm just saying that I have a decent land army with good fundamentals.

A decent core of a land army, probably modeled after the German one, but you can't have China's numbers and Germany's quality.

Agreed. I'm thinking Russian level for pretty much anything other than my core.

[Tracian Empire]

Any of you speaks Serbian?

?

Other than Kosovo je Srbija, no

[Zostra]

A decent core of a land army, probably modeled after the German one, but you can't have China's numbers and Germany's quality.

Agreed.

Something like what the German mission to China was working towards irl in the 30s? A smaller central army that was modern and efficient to replace the massive, but backwards and factionalized regional forces that existed.

[Dires]

Agreed.

Something like what the German mission to China was working towards irl in the 30s? A smaller central army that was modern and efficient to replace the massive, but backwards and factionalized regional forces that existed.

Yeah, except this time this had the full support of a powerful reform-minded Emperor. As he was/is an autocrat in this area, there are no factions who could have opposed him. The military leadership did not oppose him since he either converted them into his new army or gave them cushy office jobs. Failing that, the Jade Hand took care of them.

In my timeline, I don't need to worry about the empire collapsing, warlordism, I got straight to reform starting 24 years ago. No political factions in the military.

It's not so much that I need to get rid of antiquated military units, I have already transformed what the military was and expanded it along Prussian military doctrine. Corruption still exists in the empire, particularly cronyism. But corruption in the military is not tolerated.

[Zostra]

Yeah, except this time this had the full support of a powerful reform-minded Emperor. As he was/is an autocrat in this area, there are no factions who could have opposed him. The military leadership did not oppose him since he either converted them into his new army or gave them cushy office jobs. Failing that, the Jade Hand took care of them.

In my timeline, I don't need to worry about the empire collapsing, warlordism, I got straight to reform starting 24 years ago.

It's not so much that I need to get rid of antiquated military units, I have already transformed what the military was and expanded it along Prussian military doctrine. Corruption still exists in the empire, particularly cronyism. But corruption in the military is not tolerated.

I see. So you've already got your military organized, you're just working on improving that existing organization?

[Dires]

Yeah, except this time this had the full support of a powerful reform-minded Emperor. As he was/is an autocrat in this area, there are no factions who could have opposed him. The military leadership did not oppose him since he either converted them into his new army or gave them cushy office jobs. Failing that, the Jade Hand took care of them.

In my timeline, I don't need to worry about the empire collapsing, warlordism, I got straight to reform starting 24 years ago.

It's not so much that I need to get rid of antiquated military units, I have already transformed what the military was and expanded it along Prussian military doctrine. Corruption still exists in the empire, particularly cronyism. But corruption in the military is not tolerated.

I see. So you've already got your military organized, you're just working on improving that existing organization?

Yup. My base level should be around Russian standards. My core is above that but below true first rate powers. The leadership and organization is good, I'm just working like any other country to improve on it and work on the level of technology we have available to us. It's not far behind, it's just not cutting edge.

[United oceanian states]

Tracian empire, I think you forgot my reservation. It's for Italy and some of North Africa, and on page 30. Cheers

[Tracian Empire]

For Austria as an example, modernizing wouldn't be that difficult, considering that despite being slightly more backwards than other European powers, Austria was a European, Western nation after all. And it already had a core of progressive people in the government. I allowed those ideas to flourish, and by avoiding an Austrian defeat in the Italian War of Independence, I forced Franz Joseph to take modernizing the army more seriously. Those victories strengthened his position, and stopped him from having to rely on the nobles, relying on the bourgeoisie instead. And when the ethnic keg of powder exploded, the Emperor went on a liberal federal approach that had been proposed by the Romanians and the other people of the Empire, instead of the Ausgleich.

[Tracian Empire]

Tracian empire, I think you forgot my reservation. It's for Italy and some of North Africa, and on page 30. Cheers

No, I didn't. The BB Code is butchered, and I expect that copying a format from the OP and completing it without ruining the code is a requirement for me to take a reservation seriously.

Also, while I'm usually not that criticizing, your nation can't exactly be called the New Italian Empire, since there was no old Italian Empire in this timeline.

[Zostra]

A bit bored so started coming up with what my navy would look like.

These are just the equivalent to the ships I would have. So for example when I say I have the Sverige-class, I just mean something equal, not that I literally got the Swedes to build and sell me that ship.

Front Line Ships

• 3 x Sverige-class coastal defense ship
• 6 x Karlsruhe-class cruiser
• 12 x Derzky-class destroyer
• 4 x C-class submarine

Second Line Ships

• 2 x Monarch-class coastal defense ship
• 4 x Victoria Louise-class cruiser
• 6 x Siegfried-class coastal defense ship

"Interior Force" Ships

• 3 x Humber-class monitor
• 4 x Wilmington-class gunboats
• 12 x Small Gunboats, comparable to USS Quiros or USS Peoria

[Trotza]

Ayy map update of accepted nations.

http://i.imgur.com/V1l1Mur.png

Note: Syria territory pending on semi-Byzantine reservation status.

[Greater Slavic Union]

Ayy map update of accepted nations.

http://i.imgur.com/V1l1Mur.png

Note: Syria territory pending on semi-Byzantine reservation status.

Add Crimea to reservation

[Dires]

Ayy map update of accepted nations.

http://i.imgur.com/V1l1Mur.png

Note: Syria territory pending on semi-Byzantine reservation status.

I think the Brits have New Zealand as well.

[Tracian Empire]

Please excuse me for a few minutes, it was just announced that my favorite anime ever will get a sequel, so I'm going to have a crisis of excitement

[Zostra]

Ayy map update of accepted nations.

http://i.imgur.com/V1l1Mur.png

Note: Syria territory pending on semi-Byzantine reservation status.

Less of a Scramble for Africa, more of a Casual Stroll for Africa

[Trotza]

Ayy map update of accepted nations.

http://i.imgur.com/V1l1Mur.png

Note: Syria territory pending on semi-Byzantine reservation status.

I think the Brits have New Zealand as well.

Well I don't remember them explicitly mentioning it.

Ayy map update of accepted nations.

http://i.imgur.com/V1l1Mur.png

Note: Syria territory pending on semi-Byzantine reservation status.

Less of a Scramble for Africa, more of a Casual Stroll for Africa

I mean with the Brits and Germans goin lazy on the colony game, there's not much at all

[Dires]

Please excuse me for a few minutes, it was just announced that my favorite anime ever will get a sequel, so I'm going to have a crisis of excitement

What anime?

[Greater Slavic Union]

Ok. I will send you a map with my COMPLETE RESERVATION (too long if written)

[Trotza]

Oh, I just remembered. We need to add Mexico/Aztlan to the map, and roster, and everything. Totally forgot about them for a second there.

[Tracian Empire]

Please excuse me for a few minutes, it was just announced that my favorite anime ever will get a sequel, so I'm going to have a crisis of excitement

What anime?

My favorite anime ever, Code Geass.

[Dires]

What anime?

My favorite anime ever, Code Geass.

Oh what, Code Geass is pretty awesome. I wasn't a fan of the art in the beginning but the plot got me in.

[Zostra]

What anime?

My favorite anime ever, Code Geass.

There's only soup!

[Tracian Empire]

My favorite anime ever, Code Geass.

Oh what, Code Geass is pretty awesome. I wasn't a fan of the art in the beginning but the plot got me in.

They just announced a movie sequel that will happen after the end of Season 2



HYPE

[Tracian Empire]

My favorite anime ever, Code Geass.

There's only soup!

Poor Lelouch

[Greater Slavic Union]

This is the reservation for the Holy Empire of the South Slavic Peoples