1900 : Alternative Divergence [AH][OOC]

[Oscalantine]

So looking at the reservations it seems there is room in europe but the map shows it as taken.

Which one is the one I should go off of, because I would like a nation in europe but I am unsure what's available.

The reservations are what matter, the map lags behind a bit on land claims.

I think Austria-Hungarian region and the Ukrainian region are available, although I might be wrong

I second this. Maps are highly outdated at this time... I am unsure as to what is going on between the OPs

The reserve claims are much more accurate depiction, although Trace should be around soon to answer your questions. If you cannot wait, TG him (Tracian Empire) and you will get quite a ready response. He is the most active of OPs and should be able to get back to you within hours.

[Atreidya]

The reservations are what matter, the map lags behind a bit on land claims.

I think Austria-Hungarian region and the Ukrainian region are available, although I might be wrong

I second this. Maps are highly outdated at this time... I am unsure as to what is going on between the OPs

The reserve claims are much more accurate depiction, although Trace should be around soon to answer your questions. If you cannot wait, TG him (Tracian Empire) and you will get quite a ready response. He is the most active of OPs and should be able to get back to you within hours.

Thanks

[The V O I D]

So, Scandinavia's app will be up tomorrow if I have anything to say about it. Might come out late at night, but the finished product will be out. I am like 90% sure of this.

[Oscalantine]

So, Scandinavia's app will be up tomorrow if I have anything to say about it. Might come out late at night, but the finished product will be out. I am like 90% sure of this.

I had confusions for this... so you moved from China to Scandinavia, or did I completely botch it up and you were aiming for Europe from the start?

Oh and btw, hi Void for like... errr... 5th time?... I see your great taste in RPs haven't diminished in the slightest XDDD

[The V O I D]

So, Scandinavia's app will be up tomorrow if I have anything to say about it. Might come out late at night, but the finished product will be out. I am like 90% sure of this.

I had confusions for this... so you moved from China to Scandinavia, or did I completely botch it up and you were aiming for Europe from the start?

Oh and btw, hi Void for like... errr... 5th time?... I see your great taste in RPs haven't diminished in the slightest XDDD

Yeah. I had China, gave it up and saw the player who originally reserved Scandinavia got their reservation expired and didn't app, so I reserved Scandinavia instead and put up a WIP app for it that just needs the history/bio. I've been working on it for a couple days now, but the finished product should be up tomorrow sometime. Hopefully.

[Intermountain States]

Far from completion
Full Nation Name : Republic of Missouri
Majority/Official Culture : Americans of European Descent (primarily French and British), African-Americans, Native Americans
Territorial Core : The light purple of North America
Territorial Claim : None
Capital City : St. Louis, Missouri
Population : 13 million

Government Type : Republic
Government Ideology/Policies : Classical liberalism, Populism, Egalitarianism
Government Focus : Strengthening Missouri defenses at the Missouri-Confederate border, seek alliances with powerful North American nations.
Head of State : President Samuel Clemens of the Independence Party
Head of Government : Prime Minister William Jennings Bryan of the Populist Party
Government Description : The Republic of Missouri is a parliamentary republic in which members of the Missouri Assembly holds significant power over the ceremonial President.

Majority/State Religion : Christianity (majority)
Religious Description : Missouri has no official state religion but due to most of Missouri citizens are of European or African ancestry, most of them claim faith to Christianity, although there are a small percentage of practitioners of Jewish and Native faith.

Economic Ideologies : Agrianism, Industrial capitalism
Major Production : Agriculture (of livestock and crops), mining, gambling, manufacturing
Economic Description : The primary industry of the Missouri Republic is agriculture due to the state's vast prairies, making it suitable for farming. It does have a large industry based on mining and manufacturing, with a small but growing industry of casinos (it is frowned upon but no one could deny its money making capability)

Tech Level: 8

Army Strength : The Missouri Army is a dedicated and a modern fighting force. Patriotic and professional, the military of Missouri is always ready to defend their fair nation.
Army Weakness : The Missouri Army is small compared to their neighbors' military, largely relying on volunteers rather than conscriptions except for in times of war.
Naval Strength : The small Navy of Missouri is dedicated in their role in ensuring peace in Lake Superior.
Naval Weakness : It's a small navy, largely made up of volunteering merchant ships that spent extra money in putting cannons on their boats with very few being iron ships. Their navy has less of a focus compared to the Army that has always been given a preference in the military budget.
Further Military Description : The Missouri Defense Force is made up of the Army that deal with general land warfare and the Merchant Fleet, dedicated to aquatic based combat. The Missouri Army is 140,000 man strong

National Goals : Ensuring Missouri's independence
National Issues : Economic inequality, strengthening the Missouri-Confederate border.
National Figures of Interest :
- Samuel Clemens: Current President of Missouri, Samuel Clemens is largely known by his pen name Mark Twain. Before getting involved in the Missouri government, Clemens was a political writer, writing satirical anti-slavery novels that are popular to read with folks in North America (likely banned in the Confederacy).
- William Jennings Bryan: The Prime Minister of Missouri, Bryan is an ardent populist who advocate for the backing of silver instead of gold, expansion of civil rights to cover women, and support for the Temperance movement. His party, the Populist Party, currently dominates the political scene of the country.
- Charles Curtis: Hailing from Kansas, Charles Curtis is the leader of the conservative (in the modern sense) Liberal Party that serves as the main opposition to the Populist Party.
National Ambition/Aspirations :

History : The founders of the Republic of Missouri traced its roots to French explorers colonizing the midwestern North America to profit off of the fur trade with Native Americans. St. Louis became one of the center of the fur trade and development for the French colonists in North America.
RP Sample:
- War, what is it good for?
- Rednecks and post-apocalyptic America
- It's like Red Dawn but not as crappy
- Generic late 19th century RP
- War, war never changes
- When Slice of Life had lives being sliced
- Come on you apes, you wanna live forever?
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)

[PLESSUR]

Should finish my app today, sorry about the delay. When will the IC be up?

[Tracian Empire]

Should finish my app today, sorry about the delay. When will the IC be up?

In a day or two, probably

[Tracian Empire]

Should finish my app today, sorry about the delay. When will the IC be up?

Also, after talking a look at your app, the Roman Balkans aren't exactly backwards

[PLESSUR]

Should finish my app today, sorry about the delay. When will the IC be up?

Also, after talking a look at your app, the Roman Balkans aren't exactly backwards

Lol dw I mean IRL fin de siecle Balkans

Btw besides us who are the major powers in Europe?

[Tracian Empire]

Also, after talking a look at your app, the Roman Balkans aren't exactly backwards

Lol dw I mean IRL fin de siecle Balkans

Btw besides us who are the major powers in Europe?

Well, the Roman Balkans over here are pretty developed. Still working on it, but the Roman Empire has reached an acceptable level

Well, the Romans themselves aren't necessarily a major power in Europe, since they also have interests in Africa and Asia. They're somewhere in between.

Then we have a powerful France, and we have Hansa. There is also Muscovy, but it's pretty far away. And we also need a new player for Austria.

[Oscalantine]

XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD


Dudes... I have done it. I have realized that maximum limit of NS post.
My app is 88606 characters long (88K) and NS post's maximum is 60K words long.

... ... ... dammit. Do I need to post two separate posts?

[Oscalantine]

23 pages, Times new Roman 12 ft, single spaced.

[PLESSUR]

On second thoughts I think I'll go with the whole of Italy. Basically the turning point will be that Charlemagne's invasion of Longobardia Maior will be a much smaller affair - while briefly capturing Pavia, he will be unable to retain control of northern Italy, which disintegrates into smaller Lombard duchies. Eventually Benevento will conquer them, as well as Rome, the Byzantine possessions of Ravenna and Calabria and Venice and its Adriatic possessions over the course of a millennium.

Reservation

Nation Name: Kingdom of Italy / Regnum Italiae
Territory: Modern Italy (possibly without Sardinia if someone really wants it) plus the eastern Adriatic coast (i.e. Venetian possessions) up until Ulcinj.
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

APP

Full Nation Name : Kingdom of Italy / Regnum Italiae
Majority/Official Culture : Italian
Territorial Core : Italy, Sicily and the Adriatic coast. Not including South Tirol and Trent, but does include Trieste and Istria. Presumably France has Nice and Savoy but if not we'll be happy to have it. We don't necessarily have Sardinia if someone else particularly wants it.
Territorial Claim : Literally any Med island
Capital City : Rome. Benevento and Ravenna both important administrative centres
Population : 34 million

Government Type : Monarchy, currently controlled by a military junta
Government Ideology/Policies : Autocratic and authoritarian. There are many expansionist elements in the political elite but those in power tend to be more pragmatic
Government Focus : The government wishes to improve trade inasmuch as it will help Italy expand its influence in the Med, an area of growing interest. The military junta controlling the king also wish to counter the rise of liberalism and the challenge it poses to the absolute monarchy. This includes intervention abroad to distract attention from domestic issues as well as economic advancement that bolsters the regime without enriching a middle class that could threaten it.
Head of State : King Matthias V (13 years old)
Head of Government : Regent Filippo Graccias (former general who took part in deposing Matthias' father Lorenzo in 1886 and setting up a military junta as a regency)
Government Description : Until 1886, Italy was a absolute monarchy in which the King either made most of the decisions or appointed ministers who made them. Following a series of national disasters the military seized power and deposed King Lorenzo, establishing a regency with his infant son as king. Most decisions are now made by the regency, centred on General Graccias, and are rubber stamped by a small regulatory body known as the Senate. The judiciary, though formally separate, is highly political and extremely corrupt.

Majority/State Religion : Catholicism
Religious Description : Pretty much as IRL. Interestingly many kings in Benevento ceremoniously 'unrecognised' the Pope in Rome, often by backing an anti-pope, when they were in territorial conflict with Rome. Many papal elections saw Beneventan intervention.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism, though often restricted by petty royal laws designed to enrich the royal court
Major Production : Agricultural: cereals and fruit, wine also being a major product. Small scale textile production
Economic Description : Mostly backward and agricultural, though some industries are beginning to take off in the lower Po valley. Maritime trade centres on the wealthy ports of southern Italy and the Dalmatian coast.


Tech Level: 6. Less advanced than IRL Italy of the fin de siecle, but not as backward as the Balkans

Army Strength : Standing army of 100,000 troops, along with relatively advanced artillery and other technology.
Army Weakness : Transport for the military is shit, so mobilising the full strength of the army would take quite long.
Naval Strength : The new military junta have spent vast sums on the navy, which has become a formidable force. Naval ports surround the coast of the mainland, as well as some important naval based on Sicily.
Naval Weakness : Supplying enough fuel to the whole navy is a big problem, with coal from Italy often not sufficient for supplying all vessels.
Further Military Description : [[OPTIONAL]]

National Goals : Ensure no hostile powers in the Med as well as Italy's northern borders, hinder any powers from growing near the eastern Adriatic coast that could threaten Dalmatia and its environs
National Issues : The army and navy would need improvement, which is what the new junta wish to achieve. The governments task to quell desire for change and political liberalism is also daunting, with the world ever changing.
National Figures of Interest : [[OPTIONAL]] [[Are there any Mother Teresas or Moses that we need to know about?]] Meh. Due to the greater historical continuum to the Lombards much myth and legend is made and cherished of the early Lombard kings as well as of great kings of Benevento. Legacy of the imperial cult of Rome.
National Ambition/Aspirations : [[OPTIONAL]] Domination of the western and central Med, Roman Empire 2.0 REEEEEEE

History : The Frankish invasion of 774, in which Charlemagne sacked Pavia and defeated and killed the King of the Lombards destroyed the unity of Longobardia Maior, the northern half of the Lombard realm. The southern duchies of Longobardia Minor, centred on Benevento and separated from the north by the Byzantine possessions of Rome and Ravenna, survived and thrived, repelling a Norman invasion from Calabria in the eleventh century. The dux of Benevento claimed the title of King of the Lombards in 1093, when it was clear the Franks posed no threat to his growing realm. Though many Lombard duchies recognised the royal title, Lombard civil wars continued right through the thirteenth century.

By 1278 Bartolommeo IV had conquered all of Longobardia Minor, and his son Antonio Magnum expelled the Normans from Calabria and Apulia and declared himself Rex Italiae - King of Italy. Though the kingdom experienced much infighting in the fourteenth century, by 1453 Benevento was able to seize Ravenna and much of Romagna from the Pope, depriving Rome of its Adriatic coast and bringing the Lombards into conflict with the growing power of Venice. By now the distinct Lombard identity had been lost, but the Kings of Benevento claimed legacy from both the Lombard Kingdom and of the Western Roman Empire, with the royal court becoming more extravagant and prestigious. Above all, it was the undeclared mission of every king to reclaim Longobardia Maior.

Meanwhile a sort of equilibrium had been established in northern Italy between Venice, the successor states of Longobardia Maior and the rump states of Romagna left by the Byzantines. The whole peninsula was mired by war throughout the sixteenth century in which Benevento failed to expand north and Rome expanded into Romagna and Tuscany and became a menace to the other Italian states.

In the Great Italian War of the 1620's Benevento and her northern allies defeated Venice, which led to Benevento annexing a number of northern duchies, including Parma and Modena, as well as other territories north of the Appenines. This transformed Benevento from a southern Italian state to the dominant power of the peninsula. More wars and annexations led to Venice being reduced to the city alone, which was finally captured in 1761.

The culture of the Lombard state changed dramatically in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. A growth of prosperity from maritime trade created a more affluent and educated society, coupled with a surge in interest in the classical era and the legacy of the Roman Empire. The monarchy transformed as an institution to a more enlightened absolutism, where kings behaved and were treated like emperors, with many royal ceremonies devised from classical history. The Lombard identity had all but disappeared, aside from the ancient Iron Crown of Lombardy, used to coronate nearly every king since the seventh century. It was this that formed part of the glorious historical continuity that the kings, who were still titled King of the Lombards foremost, so treasured.

Following wars in Europe in the early nineteenth century, Benevento more than ever needed to both secure itself and prove its power. No doubt nationalist agitation of the ever more liberal minded middle class also led to the annexation of the Papal States, with the Siege of Rome and the annexation of Piedmont in 1830 finally reuniting the whole of Italy under the Lombard king, who made Rome the formal capital.

Following the accession of Giovanni VII in 1844, Italy entered a period of great difficulty, mired by economic decline and uprisings. This sorry state eventually led to the powerful military deposing Giovanni's son Lorenzo in 1886 and setting up a regency under General Filippo Graccias, which has started improving the economy and, more importantly, has begun devoting huge sums on the military on which the new regime now depends.

RP Sample: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=398045

#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)

App finished. Basically unified Italy that was never part of the HRE and always had a Lombard power in the south. So less enlightened and more authoritarian/despotic Italy, currently ruled by a military junta. Fun fun

[Oscalantine]

Full Nation Name : Most Serene Imperial States of Korea (대한제국)
Majority/Official Culture : Korean, but due to ideology of ethic supremacy, Koreans segregate many classes of citizens based on their ethnic background, allowing cultures in Indochina and Malay Archipelago to uniquely develop without being assimilated into Korean ways.
Territorial Core : Korean Peninsula, parts of Manchuria, Jeju Island, Philippines, majority of Indochina, Brunei, and few islands surrounding Sumatra.
Territorial Claim : Indochina and Malay Archipelago, with vested interest in the Indian Ocean in order to facilitate trade unhinged.
Capital City : Hanyang (Seoul, Korea)
Population : Roughly 60 million total, with 20 million in the mainland and 40 million in the colonies

Government Type : Absolute Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies : Economic, political, and cultural imperialist.
Government Focus : The government’s focus is always to assure supremacy in the region, with their desire always been that of legitimacy. This desire came from historical oppression by the dominating Chinese and Mongol Empires, but even with the fragmenting continental power leaving Korea and Japan as dominating force in the region, Korea never stopped their desire for authority in the region. In current climate, this is done primarily by ensuring that no dominant power rises to the occasion in China ever again, and by ensuring that friendship with Japanese Empire never ends. This has left Korea in a rather peculiar situation of needing to fight on two fronts: political chaos in the mainland as well as European Imperial expansion. Perhaps as a direct reason for this, Korea is necessarily an economic expansionist rather than mercantilist, preferring to not make more enemies through tough economic tariffs than what is already there, and trying to ease tension between itself and its neighbors through lenient tariff policies. Contrary to their peaceful diplomatic focus, however, the Imperial Throne of Korea often times quick to act in order to ensure status quo of its supremacy. Korean military has been known to lash out at anyone who desires to disturb Korea’s prosperity and fortune. This has led to heavy militarization of the nation, and has left Korea rather militant and trigger-twitch fame when it comes to anyone who encroaches too close to its domain.
Head of State : Emperor Lee Yue (이유황제)
Head of Government : The Emperor shares his power with the Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do (축제도 총독), former in the mainland while latter in the colonies.
Government Description : From its rather humble start as vassal of Mongol Empire, the Most Serene Imperial States of Korea, or simply Korea, now is a major player in the Orient with only Japan who can contest any discontent openly in the region. It is an empire that focuses on legitimacy, and as a result will go to war against those who would defame the nation, but not necessarily for expansion. It is important to note this fact that Korea's interest in colonial race, while extremely territory-hungry in the past, has somewhat dwindled in favor of ensuring what wealth it has is not wasted. This has led to solidification projects both by the Imperial Throne as well as Viceroyalty, who seeks to make best use of their already vast wealth into industrial efforts to not only to increase the wealth that Korea is sitting on, but also to protect its hoard against palpable threats all around Korea and its colonies. Furthering this effort to keep their prosperity running is consistent economic and political pacts with its oriental neighbors, not only to ensure that Korea’s legitimacy as a major power in the region is secured, but to ensure that a web of dependent allies would cause possible invasion to come only from so much fronts.

It is important to distinguish between the Viceroyalty and the Imperial Throne when discussing Korea: the Viceroyalty of Chuk-Jae-Do is focal point of “colonial” foreign relations and official colonization efforts while the Imperial Throne of Korea deals with its immediate oriental neighbors and issues with its vassals. While there is indeed a significant distinction, the Imperial Throne views Viceroyalty actually as a very large, very independent vassal of Korea, who deals with all the colonial expansion under the order of the Emperor. While de-facto power of the Viceroy comes very close to the Emperor himself, it is important to understand that the Viceroyalty pays not in taxes, but in tributes much like other vassals of Korea. As a result, it allows colonies under the authority of the Viceroy a significant room for independence, freely engaging in foreign relations and even colonial efforts that the Imperial Throne might not agree with. Furthermore the massive sum of gold necessary for yearly tribute always forces the Viceroyalty to be very diligent in generating capital, but also desire long-term relationships that will continuously pay dividends. For this, it is not unheard of for the Viceroy to engage in questionable dealings with foreign powers to ensure that money always flows through Chuk-Jae-Do even at the cost of their discovery angering the Imperial Throne.

Imperial Throne has relatively stayed the same from Joseon Period, with the following departments designated for different roles in the government, with the Emperor of the Most Serene Imperial States as an absolute authority and final decision maker of all departments.

• State Council (의정부) is the highest political department of Korea who deals with key issues of state and advises the Emperor on these said issues. It is comprised of 12 officials with Chief State Councilor (영의정) being the head of the Council. It is important to understand that State Council is not the Emperor’s cabinet, but rather has evolved from Joseon era to act a sort of “think tank” to key issues that the Empire has. While the Council has some authority over the Ministries, the ultimate power still lies with the Emperor, and the State Council only one instrument of the Emperor to enforce his will on the Ministries.
• Ministry of Rites (예조) is probably the Ministry that has evolved the most from Joseon Dynasty, with its focus primarily on foreign relations rather than on rituals and culture, which has actually been outsourced to Empress of Korea, who oversees all rituals as well as cultural customs that the Empire needs to follow. Due to increasingly complicated needs of diplomacy, Ministry of Rites have grown in authority as Korea grew in political power, resulting in Ministry of Rites being relatively free of authorities of State Council, and instead directly answering to the Emperor.
• Ministry of Works (공조) is a Ministry that only exists to relay information to center of engineering that exists in Chuk-Jae-Do. Due to influence of Second Guild War changing the political landscape of mainland, most of engineers and technicians have moved alongside merchants to Chuk-Jae-Do some centuries ago. As a direct result, vast majority of technological innovations is focused on the colonies, resulting in the Ministry of Works to only serve as a governing body to these independent Engineer-Scholars in Chuk-Jae-Do and to commission Imperial Project towards them whenever necessary.
• Ministry of Justice (형조) hasn’t changed much from Joseon period and acts exactly the same: to be the administrator of law, order, and slavery in the mainland. While the Ministry of Justice advises on what is the norm in the Most Serene Imperial States, it actually does not enforce any laws in the colonies and vassals. However, it is important to note that all servitudes within Korea must have the Ministry of Justice’s approval. As slavery is still a legal and lucrative trade in the region, the Ministry of Justice’s indirect influence is still very significant, and its “encouragements” are usually enforced in order to ensure that all slaves are authorized on demand.
• Ministry of Taxation (호조) still maintains its census and taxation authority, but its concerns with finance and land policies has actually been taken to under the direct control of the Imperial Throne. In its place, the Ministry of Taxation had additional responsibility to communicate with vassals and Viceroyalty to relay the amount of tributes desired by the Imperial Throne at end of every fall harvest. In order to ensure that the right amount of tributes are levied to all vassals and especially to Chuk-Jae-Do, the Ministry tirelessly sends officials to these regions to oversee the economic prosperity of the region and to make sure that no corruption or underhand dealings syphon valuable imperial wealth.
• Ministry of Defense (병조) is relatively the same as in Joseon Dynasty. What has changed, however, is the sheer size of persons manning the military operations of Korea. As each vassals as well as Chuk-Jae-Do is allowed its own military, the Ministry of Defense spends part of its funds to ensure that soldiers in these regions are properly fed and trained. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense also sends out officials to root out any rebellious or treasonous elements from these independent regions to make sure that Korea’s vassals remain firmly within the Emperor’s grasp. The Ministry of Defense is also the sole authority within Korea to operate a navy, ensuring that no vassals would, even if rebelled, escalate the situation beyond their own borders. The vast armada of Korea is thus controlled almost exclusively by the Imperial Throne, further creating a situation where rebellion is very difficult within Korea.
• Ministry of Personnel (이조) hasn’t changed at all in the scope of its authority. It ensures that the right offices are given to the right people. However, its authority is only within the mainland, with independent vassals only needing to inform the Ministry of Personnel changes to any of its offices after the new officials are selected for the job.
• Imperial Throne (황제부) is a special office that is not affiliated with any Ministries or State Council. It answer directly to the Emperor and acts as a voice of the Emperor and a representative of Imperial Will upon all Ministries. Its responsibilities include finance as well as land policies, and advises Empress’s role in the head of rituals and culture. Furthermore, the Imperial Throne acts as a check to State Council, and ensures that bureaucracy of Korea answers to the Emperor and to no one else.

It should be noted that Korea doesn’t have laissez faire economy like most countries at the time, but very command economy. However, this isn’t the case in Chuk-Jae-Do, the nation’s colonial authority. Colonies of Korea, therefore, is not in the state of laissez faire, but in the state of perpetual economy anarchy. Controlling this anarchy is the colonial governance of Chuk-Jae-Do, whose Chaebol groups form a secret council around the Viceroy and act as his advisor.

• The Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do (축제도 총독) is the only official recognized by the Imperial Throne. The office of Viceroy holds complete authority over all the colonies of Korea and has liberty to create whichever means necessary to properly rule over these lands under the Emperor’s name.
• Kim’s Chusu Enterprise (김대가[金大家] 추수사업), or more simply Chusu Enterprise, is one of the major Chaebol Groups in Chuk-Jae-Do with near monopoly in all agricultural products in Korea. While there are other families especially in the mainland who produces agricultural products, the sheer quantity of foodstuff produced by Chusu Enterprise’s plantations takes care of over 70% of all the nation’s food needs. Due to their influence in Chuk-Jae-Do, Chusu Enterprise effectively serves as a governing body within Siam Agri-District (샴 농업지구) located in Thailand and Tondo Agri-District (톤도 농업지구) situated in Philippines. Chusu Enterprise not only produces crops, but also processes them, forming a cartel of all things related to food. Although mostly enforced by the Ministry of Taxation to ensure quality control, Chusu Enterprise prides itself of high-quality food production eaten even by the Most Serene Imperial Majesty as well as the Grand Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do.
• Jagyeong Sangdan (자경[蔗境] 상단) is, just like every Chaebol Groups in Chuk-Jae-Do, is run by one of the prestigious merchant households of Korea. Created by Koh Family, the JS Group, as it is primarily known, primarily concerns itself with the production and packaging of luxury goods that are coming to and from Korea. This line of work overlaps with other Chaebol Groups’ major sales. One such primary example is cash crops, which can be, depending on how it is processed, considered as both items for consumption and thus under jurisdiction of Chusu Enterprise or as a luxury item to be part of JS Group’s balance sheet. Perhaps because of this precarious position, JS Group is only situated in the Chuk-Jae Island proper, and do not have governing position in any of the colonies. This is seen as a politically self-humbling measure by JS Group to ensure that they seek not to dominate over other Chaebols' businesses, but to work alongside them to increase their profits. However, JS Group is perhaps the most connected of all major Chaebol families, with having deep reach within the Ministry of Rites, Taxation, and Justice. It is well known and to distaste of many nobles in mainland that Left State Councilor (좌의정) of the State Council is a member of Koh Family, and has been responsible for staggering growth in influence of JS Group within the mainland of Korea.
• Unity Merchant Marines (결합상선) is probably the most influential Chaebol Group in Korea, run by Kwon Family who has secured Viceroy position in Chuk-Jae-Do for five generations. As the term “Merchant Marines” suggest, the UMM holds all maritime trades under its grasp, working closely with JS Group to ensure that all trade inside and outside Korea is done under Kwon Family’s ships. The UMM has several branch companies including Unity Maritime Industries (결합조선산업) responsible for much of the commercial shipwright in the colonies and Unity Heavy Industries (결합중공업) whose processed materials fuel Korea’s industrial efforts. It isn’t too surprising thus that UMM holds exclusive governance of both Dia Viet Industrial District (대월 상업지구) and Brunei Independent District (브루나이 독립지구). UMM also holds significant influence in Balhae Kingdom, a Manchurian vassal state of Korea, and holds exclusive rights to all minerals in the nation. UMM holds significant influence in the Empire as it almost exclusively relies on UMM for raw materials production necessary to run most factories.
• Unity Financial Concerns (결합금융사업) is a sister company to UMM that provides most of the financial needs of the colonies. UFC gains this ability as holding monopoly on all gold and mint production in Korea, a feat that is only possible due to Kwon Family’s continued line of Viceroys. UFC is responsible for circulation of golds in the Korean market, and strictly imposes quality and quantity check in the nation. As this is the case, UFC has far reach even to the black markets in Korea, often times officially hiring organized criminal organizations to actively enforce their rule of commerce in the colonies. UFC also is the largest bank in Korea, acting as a central bank for the nation. UFC’s IOUs thus function as a quasi-credit within Korea’s influence, allowing Unity Credits (결합신용증) to function as a gold-backed notes within Korea. UFC has other divisions that deal with financials, such as insurance companies covering the needs of UMM and other Chaebol Groups as well as being the commercial and corporate bank for large transactions in Korea. It isn’t surprising, thus, that almost 90% of all lands in Chuk-Jae Peninsula (Malay Peninsula) including Chuk-Jae Island is owned by UFC, with most Chaebol Groups renting the land for a period of time rather than owning any lands in the region.
• Gwang Jeon Electronics (광전전자) is a fledging Chaebol Group run by Park Family. GJ Electronics has a history of financial difficulties in the past, with its parent company of Gwangu Financials (광우금융) being left behind by UMM’s sister company of UFC. While the primary culprit of Gwangu’s fall was heavy investment into electricity, which was unproven technology during the 1880’s, the Park Family’s Gaju (head of large merchant families) never let go of his dream of electric future. Although he died before the first generators in Chuk-Jae-Do started to churn out energy, his dream of electricity was later realized by Park Family who salvaged what they could to make a new company of Gwang Jeon Electronics. Alongside providing energy and maintenance for factory alternators and household electronics use, GJ Electronics also has inherited large investment into telecommunications. GJ Electronics’ telegraphs and telegraph printers are a common use within Korea with Park Code being used throughout the orient as Korean’s go-to code for transmitting information from far-flung locations.
• Imperial Logistics (제국통운) is a transport company run by the Chae Family as part of larger Chae's Imperial Dominion Group, or CIM Group. While strictly under CIM Group and thus abiding by the Group's decisions, it is well known within the Chuk-Jae-Do that Chae Family's other businesses are mostly consisting of small retail businesses that rely heavily on Imperial Logistics's lines of transport and thus not very important point of discussion. The Imperial Logistics is responsible for maintaining all land-transports as well as civilian transports within Korea, and has recently been heavily invested in flight technologies. One of the significant turnarounds of Imperial Logistics's success lies with Chae Family's historical friendship with Kwon Family, who own UMM. As UMM has monopoly on all heavy materials used for railways as well as being the leading shipwright manufacturer, Imperial Logistics has been able to provide the cheapest prices of all transport companies. This has been the demise of all other transport companies and has resulted in Imperial Logistics achieving monopoly of all transit-related businesses in Korea.

Majority/State Religion : Donghak (동학), Cheondoism (천도교)
Religious Description :

Meaning “Religion of the Heavenly Way,” Cheondoism and its predecessor Donghak started in IRL several decades after the 1850 period. In this timeline, however, the religious tone of the movement started much earlier, as Korea met with the Europeans earlier.

The main cause of the movement is relatively the same: pressured by the “Western learning” (called 서학 in Korean), the Koreans felt pressured to keep what was uniquely eastern… or simply be more Korean. Without neo-Confucian culture in this timeline, the radical ideology to preserve Confucianism sprang from the mainland Korea, calling itself Donghak (동학), which literally means “Eastern Learning.” Founded in the 1790’s, this radical teaching saw revival of the Confucian ideology and anti-Christian theology.

While Donghak movement gained steam, in the colonies from the early 1820’s there was a new heretical religion that was gaining steam. While in IRL Cheondoism was revival of destroyed Donghak movement, in this timeline Cheondoism is created not based on Korea Shamanism, but rather from mixing the Donghak Confucian ideology Sunni Islamic dogmas with hints of Protestant ideologies which the colonists were affected by. With the Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do officially approving the ideology into colony's officla religious option alongside Donghak, the mainland Korea has since been warming up to the idea. Cheondoism in this timeline mixes the monotheist idea of the Western region while maintaining concepts of Eastern virtues.

As Korea started to interact more and more with Western culture around 1850's, however, Cheondoism has started to focus more on being recognized as a sect of Christianity than part of Islam. While it does not openly persecute Islamic faith from its core tenants, majority of the priesthood adheres to the rituals of Orthodoxy, as Korean interactions with Roman Empire has opened opportunities for religious scholars to directly study faith in Constantinople. Thus, Cheondosim has started to be recognized as an Eastern heresy to Christianity rather than Islam, which is contrary to its conception. While the dogma of Cheondosim is far from pure Christianity and focuses on open dialogue and debates of faith, it cannot be argued that the religious leaders of Cheondoism considers it almost a requirement to study under either Orthodox or Catholic virtues before being introduced into the priesthood.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism mixed with Corporatocracy
Major Production : Since the initial stages of industrialization, Korea’s focal point of production was in silk and porcelain, the two most lucrative sources of capital for Far East nations. Since then, they have mastered these two products in the mainland to a fine point. The silk production is thus very much similar to that of textile manufactory in IRL Britain, where factories are set up across the urban landscapes to produce the finest silk products for export to Europe. The southern parts of Korea with their fine clay and even finer craftsmen have since perfected the trade of porcelain, creating masterpieces which can rival the beauty of gems. As Korea was able to better repel Japanese invasion during the Imjin War in the past, the Korean craftsmen were never kidnapped to Japanese Empire, and great many decided to stay in their ancestral lands during and after Second Guild Wars. As a result, the southernmost regions of Korea are not only known for its bountiful rice production, but also its porcelain craftsmanship, shipping the goods across to ever-hungry European market.

It is well-known that two abovementioned goods are sanctioned to strictly be produced in mainland, forcing the colonies to produce other materials to survive. Thankfully, the bountiful resources in Chuk-Jae-Do allow not only to gather raw materials, but also to directly create infrastructures and factories directly on the Chuk-Jae-Do proper to facilitate a massive juggernaut of Korean economy. In terms of cash-crops, Korean Indochina is a massive producer of tea and pepper, with farms stretched far across these lands to produce these crops for export not only to Europe, but also to hungry customers in the mainland. Majority of rice production also occurs in this region, allowing Koreans to cheaply acquire their main source of food. This has allowed Korean mainland to stray away from agriculture-based economy to more industrial one, and thus Siam Agri-district is always strictly controlled to produce enough rice to sustain half of the country’s rice demands.

Due to unique locations of its territories, Korean industry has very little need for relying on external source for raw resources. Coal supply was already found on Northern Korea in the earlier stages of industrialization, and since then, coals found in Indochina has been contributing to urbanization of Chuk-Jae-Do proper. Manchuria region of Balhae Kingdom has been the primary contributor of copper, iron, and other minerals for the Most Serene Imperial States’ needs. Iron in particular has been the major producer of Balhae Kingdom, with Korean iron mills in Northern Korea contributing to a major chunk of Asia’s total iron supply. Due to transit issues, however, copper supply needed in the colonies are usually imported from the Japanese Empire, as colonial interactions are much more direct source of copper than having the copper processed and shipped from the mainland. Rubber trees have been cultivated all across Siam Agri-district and Dia Viet Industrial District since the early stages of industrialization, complete alongside timber which has equally been produced in the same region.

Economic Description :

Korea’s trade route is rather simple: the mainland Korea produces silk and porcelain and ships them into Tamna Kingdom, a vassal of the Imperial States. From Tamna, situated in Jeju Island, these goods are packaged and shipped either to Japanese Empire or to Viceroyalty of Chuk-Jae-Do. From Chuk-Jae-Do, spices, rubber, and crash crops are packed alongside productions from mainland are packed for a long journey to Babylos, which is the Most Serene Imperial States’ major trading destination. Korea benefits from shipping exotic goods from Far East and Southeast Asia to Rome, which benefits from providing these goods to Europe en-mass.

Korea, of course, has other trade relations, specifically to Japanese Empire and Haneatic Federation. Japanese-Korean trade relations are that of “don’t screw with the other,” and thus most trade is for demand-basis exchange of raw materials rather than that of profit. Meanwhile, trade with Hansa is a bit more involved and has multiple friendly points where two merchants exchange vital luxury goods between Western Europe and the Orient, but due to sheer distance involved between two countries, the trade convoys are nowhere near as large as one towards Roman Empire. Korea nevertheless provides fair trade relations to these two nations as they do with Rome, allowing access to Korean ports in Chuk-Jae-Do without any restrictions and allowing their respective businesses to proper in the region.

Korean corporations developed very different from their Western counterparts in that Korean firms are family businesses. Of course, the scale of this “family business” is beyond even that of western corporations. Called Chaebol, these corporations are headed by each Merchant Families who founded the Chuk-Jae-Do. The evolution of Chaebol, however, was from Merchant Guild who were isolated from any government control, creating a unique politico-business entity that came to function almost like a line of nobles in mainland. Most Chaebols have series of businesses that help synergize with each other in mostly a vertical integration, although conglomerate-like branches are also common depending the characteristic of each merchant families. While many have trade and commerce in mind, Chaebols are heavily integrated part of Korean economy, and it can be almost accurately criticized that they are the said economy of Korea.

The greatest difference between Korean Chaebol and European Corporations would be the amount of direct political power that Chaebols have. Chaebols collectively operate with impunity within the colonies of Korea, and elect the Viceroy who will represent them in the Imperial politics. The Viceroy, in turn, provides general regulations for Chaebols to follow, which is observed strictly. Furthermore, the Viceroy grants large swaths of lands to the governance of these Chaebol Groups which in turn use the lands for their benefit as well as to improve the economy of Korea. While it was very common that each merchant families basically exploited their political advantages, the Recession of Arrogance during the 1870s leaving the country in panic have changed the opinion of Korean Chaebols: they now see that they are responsible for the economy of Korea and thus willing to collectively agree on goodwill policies that support the wellbeing of all Korean economy.

This new “merchant’s responsibility” is the key tenant of “Chaebolism,” which forces social responsibilities to firms and bring a refreshing viewpoint of coporatocracy where the corporations take responsibility for the economy of a nation by becoming the "economic hand" of that nation. This is completely different from the laissez faire tenants of free-capitalism of this timeline and Kensyian policies that will come about during the mid 1900's in that corporations themselves actively become the "invisible hand" to control the economy to their socially-responsible vision. The interesting tenant of Chaebolism, however, is that the ideology believes that nation’s nobles are a plague upon the mankind. Core belief of Chaebolism states that without a proper group responsibility that can only be brought by the corporations, the independent capital holders such as nobles can become too corrupt and thus their capital becoming a potential liability that can cause recessions and depressions. This reflects not only historical grudge of Korean merchant class against the nobility, but also the historical dissonance that Korean nobles had during the recession, seeking only to hoard their health unlike the merchant families who invested so heavily into recovering the destroyed economy of Korea.

Tech Level: 10

Army Strength : Korean army focuses heavily on indirect fire, consisting superior artilleries and rocketry which can decimate enemy lines. Chuk-Jae-Do hosts not a military academy, but military engineering academy known as Hwayak-Saguanhakkyo (화약사관학교), or simply the Military Academy of Gunpowder, where Engineer-Scholars are raised from honorary families to discuss the latest innovations of gunpowder technologies. As Chuk-Jae-Do is freed from nobility class belittling engineers, scholars, and merchants, these Engineer-Scholars are respected and highly regarded, and in return they preserve, maintain, and innovate Korea's already potent gunpowder tradition to its utmost heights.

Such a legacy of rocketry and artillery makes Korea a unique military power in terms of being among the very, very few nations to utilize rocketry so early into the history. Weapons systems such as Hwacha, Shingijeon, and Chongtonggi are all weapons systems which was developed in the Joseon Dynasty and have since been perfected. (This assumption of such weapons being perfected lies in critical flaw of each weapon, which was that it was too cost-intensive gunpowder-wise for Koreans to develop further. As in this AH scenario Korea is a colonial power with plenty of access to raw materials, the research would have continued in course making rocketry primary weapons of choice for Koreans.) Rocketry thus are far more accurate and granting far greater range. While not as long as its artillery cousins, rocket systems in Korea reached a range of roughly that of 7500 to 8000 meters, with accuracy roughly that of standard artilleries of this time. With the explosive firepower that rockets usually are accompanied with as well as ability for Korean rocketries’ mechanics being able to ripple-fire into enemy lines, the absolute barrage of rockets flying into the air will lit any opposition on complete fire before the Korean military comes into blows with infantry combat. This initial “alpha strike” grants Koreans a massive advantage in a conventional warfare, allowing Koreans to shred enemies before enemies ever get the chance to mount a serious retaliation.

Army Weakness : Due to many reasons in weapons development, Korean small arms are never up to the pace of most modern guns in other developed worlds. As Korean military mostly worked on damp jungles with little rooms to maneuver around, Koreans found themselves relying much more on bows and arrows, which could easily pack as much punch as guns with Korean innovations in such areas as Aegisal. However, even Korean innovations cannot keep archery afloat, and towards the 1880s, Koreans have slowly started to integrate guns into the service. While Koreans do have key technologies in the areas of magazines, rifling, and cartridges, Korean innovation in small arms are very lacking, resulting in guns that are unreliable at long ranges compared to European and even Japanese counterparts.

Furthermore, Korean infantry isn’t exactly the most trained aspect of military. Due to its focus on technology, Korean military is, while not completely bumbling fools of previous era, still not as highly disciplined. This allows exploitable hole in Korean military, creating an interesting case where Korean infantry might break ranks during sustained assault while engineering crews will be disciplined enough to hold their ground despite their escort infantry fleeing the battlefield. This discord has forced military commanders of Korea to position Korean heavy weapons not behind, but often times in front of the infantry line, creating a situation where heavy weapons could become targets to enemy fire so long as they are willing to risk their heavy cannons to position.

Naval Strength : Korea was the first nation in the world to boast ironclad, an overtechnology that granted superiority in the seas. Korean engineer-scholars have not slacked since then, creating the first “predreadnaughts” in the seas for multiple purposes. Korean navy equally utilizes the advantage that army artillery and rockets have, in that it is more accurate and has longer effective range than most ships in the world. Most guns in the navy reach effective range of 17,000 meters and maximum range of 22,000 meters, with rockets reaching effective range of 15,000 meters. This provides significant range advantage for Korean ships, which can shower enemies with cannon fire well before enemy ships can retaliate and puncture enemies with anti-ship rockets once the opposing navy gets close to range. Korea was among the first nations to have a dedicated anti-ship weapons system that did not focus on reducing the crew on deck, but on destroying the actual hulls of warships. This doctrine has been further enhanced with the onset of steel plating becoming common use, creating weapons systems with a dedicated capability to destroy other ships from far enough range.

Beyond the simple use of technology, Korean admiralty is something to be marveled at. Korean admirals were once only comprised of nobles in the mainland military academies. However, ever since the Viceroy Dong-Nyuc's precedence of hiring capable pirates and privateers into naval officers, the window of opportunity for Korean admirals have been widened to cover men and women from all walks of life. As admiralty is among the very, very few professions where prestige can be won regardless of one's past or class in Korea, many brilliant minds tirelessly strive to take admission exams to become an admiral, resulting in the brightest military minds within the Empire to flock to being an admiral.

Naval Weakness :Due to conflicts of interest between nobles of mainland and merchants of Chuk-Jae-Do, for the most part naval hierarchy is focused predominantly in the mainland. Considering that most of naval actions for Korean campaigns are staged in the South and Southeast Asia, this creates a logistical nightmare for Korean admirals, which need to wait on days before mobilizing. Although innovations in telecommunication is slowly closing this gap, the fact that mainland is the only place that can mobilize the fleet creates a lag between distress being called by the colonies and mainland responding to the threat. Usually this spells out few days to even weeks depending on bureaucratic process, making Korean colonies vulnerable in the onset of invasion.

#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)

[Oscalantine]

Further Military Description :

The military doctrine of Korea is that of firepower. Known for its use of gunpowder since the early 15th century, the Korean military has always made up for its lack of manpower and disciplined troops by decimating its foes before enemies had any chance to get close. This has led to not only superior defensive architecture in the case where armies are lost and need to fall back, but also to better artillery and weapons platforms designed specifically to strike the enemies down from range. Owing this this strategy, the Koreans boast some of the best large guns in service, as its howitzers out-range much of the European guns by a clear margin. Furthermore the Koreans are possibly the only nation in the world to properly integrate rocketry so early in the history, owning several practical applications of rocket types that can decimate enemies in the barrage of firepower.

It should be noted that military division of the mainland and colonies differ, while navy is under the control of the mainland due to the agreement settled after the Imjin War. Colonial armies bolster their number with less disciplined mercenaries who fights for coins. These have been often times more than enough to stop the natives from uprising, and it has created several mercenary guilds directly in Chuk-Jae-Do proper which oversees the training and merchandising of guns for hire. Meanwhile, mainland still utilizes traditional army, which is maintained in actuality as a disciplinary force for internal conflict than actual war.

While soldiers may be less funded, the engineering core of Korea in both mainland and colonies are lavishly funded and manned with many gifted individuals. Engineering core often times have discipline and training necessary to hold arms and fire even as explosives are going off at all sides, and they are trained to stand their ground. As engineering core also mans many ship-based batteries, naval morale and discipline is maintained even as ground forces are something of a running joke to Korea's neighbors. In the colonies, few merchant families have created an institute in which military engineering is studied in a professional level, and it is considered as honorary feat to hold the title of "engineer" in the colonies. These Engineer-Scholars in turn serve both mainland and colonies to educate common soldiers in the art of arming and maintaining the gunpowder weapons platforms which form the backbone of Korean military.

The Most Serene Imperial States boasts one of the most diversified and efficient assortment of artilleries which gives diverse options to field commanders in open combat. It is one of the reasons of success of Korean navy, and it is primary reason why most military conflicts by Koreans are won despite the laughable morale and discipline among the troops.

Korean cannons, called Chongtong (총통) were built to be efficient in fuel and accuracy, as Koreans were besieged early in the history against military either too numerous or too disciplined with consistent pattern. In order to keep consistent results, Korean military instead turned to gunpowder-related weapons that could cause as much damage as possible, and hence the coming of many gunpowder-related innovations like Chongtong. Since its initial innovation, Imperialized Korea has continued to work on its superior cannon technology, creations new era of Chongtongs which can outclass any European batteries.

Chongtongs were unique to their western counterparts in that they are shorter, yet were much more fuel-efficient and have much longer effective range. This tradition comes from historical significance as early as 16th century, where Cheonja-Chongtongs (천자총통) used in Imjin Wars during 1592 boasted cannon length of 1.3 m, weighed 300 kg, and charged with 2.4 lb of fuel to approached maximum range of 960 m (effective lethal range of 500 m). Meanwhile, the European equivalent of Culverin in English during the same period, had length of 3 m, weight of 1200 kg, and used 12 lb of gunpowder to reach maximum range of 450 m. (source, [Namu-wiki], [Wikipedia]) Considering that both cannons were in action at the same time and had same diameter, this can be a measuring stick of Korean ingenuity in the field of artillery.

Since then, Chongtongs have only increased in effectiveness. The current iteration of Chongtong most frequently used by Korean military is Wangja-Chongtong (왕자총통) and Hwangja-Chongtong (황자총통), literally meaning “king” and “emperor” level cannons. Both cannons boast superior range and more efficient use of gunpowder, although the difference has become relatively equivalent and not doubling effective range like in the past.

Wangja-Chongtongs are predominantly used in the land battles and is towed weapons platform. It has effective range of roughly 8,500 meters and length of 2.5 meters. Taking inspiration form earlier Chinese literatures and European breach-loading system, the Wangja-Chongtongs have integrated quick-fire gun system, with firing rate of roughly 25 shots per minute. It has caliber of 160 mm and primarily utilizes solid and shrapnel rounds, while the rifling within the cannon provides for accuracy that pars European counterparts.

Hwangja-Chongtong is not intended for the use of field cannons like Wangja, but instead to be used as ship mounted or coastal batteries. In order to increase efficiency, the Hwangja-Chongtongs have 160mm caliber just as Wangja, but the gunpowder utilized during the casing is far greater, creating effective range of 17,000 meters. The barrel length is thus increased to massive 6.5 meters, making the cannon extremely impressive feat of military engineering. Due to increased firepower, Hwangja-Chongtong does not utilize rapid-fire system but a simple breach, reducing its fire rate to roughly 15 rounds per minute. Another issue for Hwangja is that at a sacrifice of increased range and firepower, Hwangja is prone to overheating after about 60 minutes of sustained fire. When this occurs, the accuracy which the Korean navy boasts is greatly diminished as the cannon starts to warp, needing engineers to compensate for this warping by adjusting the aim constantly. While this issue can be readily fixed after the conflict with on-board engineers, the warping issue significantly reduces the range and fire rate of the ships to 13,000 meters and 7 rpm respectively.

While the slots for massive cannons are filled by Wangja and Hwangja, the smaller caliber field cannon role is met with remodeled Cheonja-Chongtongs. The remodeled Cheonja-Chongtong utilizes 50 caliber, 1.5 meter length barrel that can boast an impressive 35 rpm fire rate. Cheonja is used alongside both Wangja and Hwanja as field cannons and ship-mounted cannons respectively to ensure that there is no interruption in the rain of fire. The advantage of Cheonja is that it is not as likely to overheat and warp the weapon, making the weapon much more accurate, rapid response platform for use in both military and navy. However, this comes at the cost of weapon’s range, which can only reach 7,000 meters.

Alongside the usual cannon shells, all Chongtongs have a variant of explosive shell called Bikyukjin-Cheonrei (비격진천뢰), which is fragmenting shell designed for anti-personnel purposes. Invented 25 years prior to Imjin War, this overtechnology of Korea required separate delivery mechanism and had effective range of 900~1000 m. After landing on the ground, the separate fuse which was lit before firing would detonate, scattering metal fragments as well as destroyed shell in a wide range. This technology has been perfected into cannon shells, which allows the shell to deliver a punishing shrapnel to enemy forces who try to brave Korean firing line. Due to advances in cannon technologies, Bikyukjin-Cheonrei’s disadvantage of range has mostly been solved, and comes in both 160 and 50 mm rounds, which are caliber of choice for most Korean guns.

The ultimate weapon of choice for Korean army, the Shingijeon (신기전) is anti-personnel rocket platform that has existed since 14th century. During that time, the weapon was a monster to use… in both effectiveness and resources required. It wasted quite a massive amount of gunpowder… even more so than Cheonja-Chongtong. While this may not sound much for Western standards (as some cannons during the same era used 12 pounds per round of cannon), Koreans needed to import all aspect of gunpowder at this time, and thus the weapon was deemed extremely expensive to use. However, Shingijeon served its purpose as both destructive in close range and devastating to morale of armies. With effective range of roughly 1000 m, Shingijeon fired rocket-propelled arrows in massive succession, firing with a particular whizzing sound. While accuracy was something to be desired, Shingijeon did its job in scaring the barbaric foes in the battlefield at the cost of much-expensive gunpowders.

While the technology fell out of favor during the 15th century, the rush of resources from colonies saw its revival as effective anti-personnel weapon of choice to morale-depraved Korean armies. Continued development has for the most part fixed the accuracy and misfire issues, and synchronized machined parts have created a more systemized reloading mechanism to be used. Due to advances in rocketry, the 1900 Shingijeon have range of roughly 7500 meters, which is roughly the range of most cannon lines. This provides powerful advantage for Korean armies as Singijeon can be used to fire down on artillery lines to more effectively destroy cannons and, more importantly, cannon crews that need to be stationed alongside the cannons.

Shingijeons in Korean military today uses metallic frames and encased rockets rather than arrows outfitted with gunpowder propellant. This has allowed Shingijeon to pack more explosive and even fragmenting rounds in its package, taking full advantage of two-stage rocket systems rediscovered from Sejeong the Great’s era. Shingijeon fires 40 small rockets all at once, with firing rate of roughly 5 rounds per minute. This piece of weapons platform essentially is guaranteed to create havoc in the enemy lines, as rain after rain of explosive rounds falling down upon the enemy formation before any small arms can be fired. One disadvantage of Shingijeons at current atmosphere is in its rather precarious position: Shingijeons are so effective as both removing the cannon crew as well as incoming soldiers, generals are often times stuck between how to best use Shingijeons in field battle.

While most Shingijeons are similarly transported like field cannons, with horsepower, few Shingijeons are also found on top of Hwachas to add firepower to already impressive weapon. It can be very much argued that Shingijeons were originally intended for use on top of Hwachas, but Hwacha’s limited utility has moved Shingijeons into its own weapons platform to be carried to battle alongside field cannons.

The Hwacha is metallic, combustion-engine-drawn vehicle of Korean military. With rough maximum speed of 13 kph but operating speed of 9 kph, this weapon is clad entirely in solid steel and has internal crew of two and external crew of 4: the internal crew is responsible for positioning the vehicle into position, while external crew is responsible for priming the weapons. The external crew has a seat above and to the back of the vehicle, ensuring that even the external crew has some degree of protection from weapons fire. Its weapons include two Cheonja-Chongtong and one Shingijeon alongside two top-mounted rifles for added anti-personnel protection. Unlike armor car prototypes which were invented in Europe for scouting purposes, Hwacha was created to provide protection for backline field cannons, and thus acting as a forward weapons platform of Korean military. Its primary use is to mount Shingijeon, which needs to be protected as its maximum reach is within the range of most field cannons of European powers.

While it is completely within Korea’s arsenal to think of such weapon, Hwacha has been widely recognized as extremely situation weapons system. The sheer weight of Hwachas alone often times makes it so that it must be on solid grounds and never in any muddy or soggy terrains. The weight issue is mostly resolved by Dreadnaught wheel system which allows Hwacha to move despite its weight, but it doesn’t solve it sluggish speed of deployment. Thus, only when both the weather and terrain is right can Hwacha be deployed, relegating this weapon to sort of a prototype than actual practical application.

The reason why Hwacha hasn’t been declared a failed product actually comes from its development history. Hwacha during the 1850s were favored use of quick-response on-deck weapons for wooden fleets in Korean navy, allowing Shingijeons to be moved into position at any angle in response for boarding. As the naval side of the war quickly changed to ironclad and thus made Shingijeons an unattractive weapons of choice in naval combat, scholar-engineers of Chuk-Jae-Do sought to improve upon the Hwacha’s land use. Even at this time, Hwacha wasn’t exactly an effective weapon on land, having the same limitations as it does now. The development almost halted until the discovery of internal combustion engine in the 1880’s, creating a newfound interest in the weapon. However, the current design is deems simply too unattractive weapon for practical use, and many generals prefer to risk Shingijeon in open combat rather than hulling around weapons platform that takes its own fuel as well as horses to draw.

At the present time, continued efforts are being considered to create a better mobility system of Hwacha to provide effective in battle, as there is no doubt that at the precisely optimal conditions, Hwacha’s effectiveness is unparalleled. However, currently one 20 of these prototypes are present in the Korean military and all are positioned in Manchurian borders where flat terrains proved to be the most optimal location for their deployment. The obsolete version of 1850s variant are slowly being scrapped, with few still on top of trade convoys that still have wooden decks.

The introduction of ironclad for Koreans posed both a significant advantage as well as significant disadvantage during the turmoil of 1850’s, as Korea’s advantage of being the only nation with ironclad, the Turtle Ship, was significantly reduced. However, with much more legacy of utilizing ironclads, Koreans found themselves quickly adapting and becoming the leading innovator of naval technology, finding better way to improve on Turtle Ships’ designs.

During the 1860s and 70s, Korean ships found themselves on the similar line as other major powers in naval tactics: ramming with ironclad while ships of the line fired from the sidelines. The popularity of already popular use of Korean ironclads made scholar-engineers question the effectiveness of these ships: if ironclads were all ramming each other, it made no sense to entertain the enemy’s most favored strategy. This led Koreans to focus development of more deadly caliber guns, which were met with development Hwangja-Chongtong and first creation of Korea’s pre-dreadnaughts towards the last 1870s.

However, in the strange turn of fate, Koreans have officially put an end to their own Turtle Ship, which was made with ramming in mind. Koreans knew that as the technology progressed and weapons on equal strength as Hwangja-Chongtongs were created, ironclads’ ramming tactics would become useless. This saw halted production of Turtle Ships in the 1880s with the creation of Gabuk, massive pre-dreadnaught of unparalleled firepower. Gabuk’s development in 1883 paved the way for Koreans to focus on distanced firepower over ramming tactics which became popular as a result of ironclads.

Compared to ironclads like Turtle Ship, Gabuk is much, much larger, with 118 meters in length. It continued the tradition of Turtle Ship’s domed upper hulls which protected the crew within. However, noticing that encased hulls could be punctured and devastate crew within, the hulls of the ships were sectioned into individual controlled areas to minimize damage. These patricians served to provide protection from nearby explosions and allow Gabuk to function with minimized damage even if the warship was hit. Gabuk used quadruple-expansion steam engine and has maximum speed of 16.8 knots due to its sheer weight of steel involved.

Gabuk boasted impressive three twin Hwangja-Chongtongs, which were situated two in the front and one in the back. To the each side Gabuk houses 5 Wangja-Chongtongs and 10 Cheonja-Chongtongs. To the back of the ship, Gabuk houses slots for Daejanggun-Shingijeon, where up to four can be fired from the back at a time.

Gabuks were usually accompanied by Turtle Ships, which has slightly different role of providing escort to larger Gabuks. Compared to Turtle Ships, which were far cheaper to make, each Gabuks were engineering marvel to construct, and production of Gabuks put a massive strain on the Busan military harbor. As a result, the Empire has seen to outsource construction of Turtle Ships to the colonies, which still produce and maintain Turtle Ships as a accompaniment to Gabuks.

While the continued development of Turtle Ships have been halted in favor of Gabuk, the colonies of Chuk-Jae-Do still produces and maintains there ironclads to serve as a bulk of Korean navy. The Turtle Ships haven’t had much change since its 1870 design, which saw through several changes to the original Turtle Ships that are thought of.

During 1870, Koreans opted for triple-expansion steam engine as primary engine for Turtle Ships, increasing the speed of the vessel to roughly 18 knots due to the lower profile of Turtle Ships compared to traditional ironclads. Turtleship has single Hwangja-Chongtong on the top of the ship with rotating turrets which serve as its main battery, with 3 Wangja-Chongtongs and 5 Cheonja-Chongtongs on each side to serve as axillary guns. Turtle Ships, due to lower profile is highly maneuverable, which, with its accelerated speeds, allow for an ideal ramming ship.

At the present date, however, Turtle Ships primarily serve as escorts to more expensive Gabuk flagships and provide additional ranged firepower with Hwangja-Chongtongs. Of course, admirals are not afraid of using Turtle Ships to respond to ramming efforts by the enemy ironclads, sending Turtle Ships to directly engage the enemy while letting Gabuks take potshots at the enemy before two fleets clash.

Considered pinnacle of Korean rocketry technology, the Daejanggun-Shingijeon (대장군신기전) is armor piercing rocket developed by Koreans to specifically pierce steel-plated ironclads approaching Korean Gabuks. The inspiration came from 15 Century Shingijeon variants called Dae-Shingijeon (대신기전) and Sanhwa-Shingijeon (산화신기전). These two prototypes in Munjong era were considered too expensive to be practical, and its lethality was considered lacking compared to the cost involved. The two saw brief use in few conflicts, but were ultimately written down as failed weapons.

The development of Daejangun-Shingijeon began at around late 1870s with the scholar-engineers of Chuk-Jae-Do seeing the future of naval conflicts. Koreans at the time heavily relied on Daejanggun-Jeon (대장군전), a cannon-loaded anti-armor shell of Korean navy, to puncture wooden hulls of enemy ships of the line. However, it became increasingly apparent that Daejanggun-Jeon were ineffective against ironclads of major powers, who would shrug off iron-tipped missiles and come into direct combat with Turtle Ships, leading to unexpected casualties where previous era wooden ship combat would have seen zero Turtle Ship loss. The scholar-engineers estimated that with the popularity of ironclads in modern naval combats, the Daejanggun-Jeons will become completely obsolete by the end of the century.

Thus, the efforts were given to create weapons system that would give extra punch to Daejanggun-Jeons, which was needed to punch through tough steel armors of modern ships. The result came from previous obsolete Sanhwa-Shingijeon, which provided secondary propulsion that would further propel the rocket through. Scholar-engineers thus believed that secondary rocket after initial launch would provide an ample strength necessary for completely-steel Daejanggun-Jeons to puncture all the way through the iron hulls of ironclads.

During the experimentation stage, the apparent difficulty over putting explosive within the cannon surfaced, ruining several Hwangja-Chongtongs in the process. It was seem incredibly dangerous for this new Daejanggun-Jeons to be fired from a cannon-mount, as rocket propulsion could simply explode from the heat resulting in fire of Hwangja-Chongtongs. At the same time, lesser caliber Chongtongs were seen as unfit to fire this new weapon, which didn’t have the strength or length necessary to guide the weapon. Furthermore, rifling in the barrels in Hwangja-Chongtongs were seen as a liability to Daejanggun-Jeons, which had to have a snug fit to fire properly.

Again, the solution came from yet another ancient relic, the Dae-Shingijeon, which was a rocket too large to fit into Shingijeon system. Thus, this rocket was outfitted to fire from a mounted platform and arc in great distance to attack the enemy. With then-rage of 1km, the documents of the time served as a platform for creation of a completely new system to carry Daejanggun-Jeon towards enemy ships.

Thus the creation of Daejangun-Shingijeon was completed during 1885 after the first Gabuks completed their maiden voyage. Gabuks were given extensive refit to house the proper launch platform, which further delayed complete deployment of Gabuks until 1889. The completed weapons platform housed a launch site where a solid-steel, winged projectile roughly 1.5 meters in length and 13 centimeters in diameter is encased by 0.3 meter propulsion device packed with gunpowder and another 0.5 meter initial launch device. The effective range of the weapon is roughly 15,000 meters. The initial ignition brings the Daejanggun-Shingijeon up into the air, where the falling weapon gains acceleration through the secondary ignition of the weapon, giving an extra punch that it needs to puncture through thick steel hulls of ironclads.

The greatest weakness of Daejangun-Shingijeon is its “leathal” range, which greatly limits Gabuks from frequently utilizing this weapon. Daejangun-Shingijeon actually has a lethal range of 13,000 meters, which falls short compared to most advanced naval guns in foreign nations which roughly translates to 16,000 meters. This means that Gabuks have to get into firing range of other pre-dreadnaughts to prime its most lethal weapon, which isn’t in the best interest of Gabuk with its impressive range of 17,000 meters, outranging most ships by at least a kilometer. However, at its lethal range it has been known to punch all the way through the armor of steel-plates without fail, exploding in the ship with remaining fuels in brilliant display of fireworks. Thus, Daejanggun-Shingijeon has been seen as a weapon of last resort to end the drawn on conflicts when the Hwangja-Chongtongs starts to overheat and its range greatly suffering. As overheated Hwangja-Chongtongs greatly diminish in range to 13,000 meters anyways, Gabuks are seen to close ranges with enemy fleets to prime its Daejanggun-Shingijeons before enemies have time to blast through Gabuk with its own cannons.

National Goals : To protect its trade interest and increase the wealth and legitimacy of Korea.
National Issues : Even when Korea has become a recognizable great power in the world, its struggle and division between the nobles of mainland and merchants of Chuk-Jae-Do has only deepened. This has been further divided after the 1870 recession, where Korean merchants blame nobles for not assisting in the reconstruction of the nation. The resulting divide between classes has transformed Korea into a nation with an internal cold war between two dominant classes. While the peace is maintained by relationship between the Most Serene Imperial Majesty and the Grand Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do, should the leaders of each side break ways Korea may see a scale of internal unrest unseen in any nations of the world.
National Figures of Interest :

• 축제도 총독 권나제 (Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do Kwon Na-Jae) : The Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do is the son of previous Viceroy Kwon Dong-Nyuc and Pirate Queen Laura Angenent. Born on 1857 in the City of World’s Desires (Constantinople), the Viceroy has more than fitted into his father’s shoes after taking the office in 1881 after his father resigned from office to take responsibility for Korea’s recession. Since then, the Viceroy has overseen an era of rapid technological advances and evolution of Merchant Guilds into true Chaebol Groups.

National Ambition/Aspirations : To successfully claim recognition from the global community as the superpower in the region.

History :

The history of Imperial Korea must first be explained with its pre-predecessor, the Kingdom of Goryeo. The history of Goryeo follows that of IRL, where Mongol Empire managed to wear down the small kingdom into submission and forced it to be a vassal under the overlordship of the now-known Golden Khanate. However, unlike the Goryeo today, the kingdom was unable to muster more resilience, and the kingdom falls during the 1238, where they fulfil the agreement of vassalage and send the royal hostages to the Mongol Empire instead of violating the agreement like in our timeline. During the fifty-two years that Korea was under Golden Khanate’s vassalage, many innovations that was once blocked by the Song Dynasty pours into Korea. As Korea was more ideal staging post to produce weapons for Siberian front, technicians arrive to establish a proper front against both the Japanese invasion as well as Siberia. This further infuses superior Song Dynasty technology improved by the Mongol’s global idea bank with Korean knowledge, creating a scientific revolution in the Peninsula. During this time of progress, Goryeo managed to even out technological improvement alongside the Mongols. However, much of this advancement was not implemented in the civilian sector, but in the military development and buildup, as both the Goryeo government and its overlord wished to improve military capability in the region.

The time to strike back came during the 1290’s, when the empire was suffering from massive civil war after the several prior failures of Mongol invasion to Roman Empire, Japan, and other parts of the world. Without having the ability to maintain troops through spoils of war, the Khanate broke down in series of infighting. While the attention is divided elsewhere, Koreans declare independence from Khanate, separating from the Mongols altogether. Whether it is due to internal conflict or losing ambition to continue eastward expansion, the Mongols did not return since Goryeo’s independence.

Korean Peninsula was able to continue its due course in history towards the end of the Goryeo period to the early Joseon period. During this time, Korea was in its own rapid industrial revolution. The major driving force was, of course, the fear of Mongolian retaliation. As the Mongols cleared the rebellion and civil war and continued to consolidate its power, the Goryeo never stopped industrializing and modernizing its military. The atrocities of Mongolian raids never left the Korean populous, and against the greatest foe the political realm was able to unite in a common stand. This, however, had an issue of uneven industrialization, which created skewed progress where technology only applied to military improvement rather than being used to raise the standard of living.

In this hardened military conscientious and rising demand for more resources to fuel their industrial engine, it was inevitable that Goryeo needed to expand its troops. The most readily-available target seemed to be Manchurian region, which managed to escape the Mongol vassalage like Goryeo. Goryeo was ready to take the land theirs, with the best general that the Goreyo Dynasty has ever seen and soldiers ready and modernized to take on the primitives. This time, however, the fear of Mongols divided the resolve. Many in the court saw the invasion as a waste of resources which could be instead invested to furthering economic buildup and better defense against the attrition that they have suffered decades past. Others believe that expansion was the only answer to rising demand for resources. Decades of peace was fracturing the small kingdom once so resolved to defend their people.

The last king of Goryeo, despite the wishes of many, including the general leading the assault, decided to proceed with the invasion regardless. However, as if destiny was against Goryeo, the general receives news that Japanese raiders were attacking Korea when the kingdom is at the brink of war. In an effort to save the people, the general turns around, only to receive report that the news were only rumors, and that the general is declared a traitor for disobeying the king’s direct orders. In an attempt to save his family and friends, the general decides to march to the capital with his armies, seize the kingdom and starting his own dynasty. The Joseon Dynasty has begun.

Joseon Dynasty, after initial years of instability and issues with heirs, finally settled down when Sejong the Great was seated on the throne. Under his guidance, the Joseon period achieves the second wave of industrial and scientific revolution, where progress in the civilian sector was taken as a priority. The subsequent agriculture revolution also raised the standard of living for Koreans everywhere, creating a ripe situation for Korea to consider expansion once more. Hangul Alphabet is also invented at this time, spreading fast through the industrializing Koreans as a new, easy way to read and write. The literacy level in the kingdom explodes, and the populous becomes much more conscious about their standard of living.

The legacy is continued with Munjong, whose innovations in military are to be noted even in our timeline. While Munjong did not reign more than two years IRL, modernized medicine keeps the sickly king living, and this contributes to solidifying the royal legitimacy as well as progress that was made during the Sejong era. Crucial innovations are made in military and ship designing, and Munjong era saw first attempts at Korean ambition for expansion. While no colonies are set, the exploratory ships were send to map the coastlines in order to gather potential areas where Mongolian influence does not lie. Unlike the Mongols, Korean explorers decide to travel southward, exploring the islands in the Southeast Asia. While lagging behind the Khanate, Korea manages to discover the Spice Islands death of Munjong at 1472.

During Danjong’s era, the first official attempts at exploring the Philippines begin. Despite the enthusiasm, the colonists sent were never able to establish foothold in the area due to native aggression and tropical climate. Despite the failures, trade centers were established in the area, brining spices and other luxury materials to Joseon, which in turn fueled the spice trade through the Silk Roads. This makes Korean merchants among the wealthiest and the more influential merchants in the region, allowing merchant class to amass wealth that surpasses even the nobles who owned plantations and factories.

By the early 1500’s, the colonization attempts are abandoned in favor of establishment of trade ports. Many of the trade in the Spice Islands is directed by independent merchant guilds which focused on amassing wealth through trade and competing with one another in often times violent manner. This era is known as “Guild Wars” or 조합전쟁 in Korean. The era is marked with disturbing amount of naval conflict among Koreans in the route between the mainland Peninsula and the Spice Islands. Korean Pirates run rampant in the seas, creating needless violence that hurts both the Korean economy and military potential.

While the Joseon Crown never actively prohibited Guild influence during the beginning of 1500’s in fear of Mongol offensive, as the Mongol Empire slowly disintegrated into civil wars the nobles grew ever more jealous of the merchant’s amassing of wealth. At this time cast system of sort existed in Korea, where merchants were separate class beneath the nobles alongside other “commoners” like farmers and craftsmen. Soon, the government started to crack down on the merchant guilds under the guise of “aiding the enemy through internal conflicts.” This brought Guild Wars into abrupt halt during the 1530’s.

Although never mentioned, the hate between merchants and the nobles were reciprocal: merchants often times lamented about their social standings at equal with the poorer farmers and desired nobility status. Scientists and Philosophers, who were also considered of lower class due to their distinction as “craftsmen,” were also in the similar grounds, often times having their work stolen by the nobles who desires fame and fortune of the innovations. This led to exodus of these two classes to the Spice Islands. By the 1530’s, the trade ports were a stable settlement in the region, friendly enough with the natives who relied on the trade to continue to bring exotic industrial goods from Joseon to their primitive abodes. These trade ports will serve as the renewed colonial ventures of the Korean merchants and engineers who desired social freedom from their castes.

The first attempt at settlement was in Chuk-Jae-Do (IRL Singapore) where the Koreans created permanent dwellings and factories to produce goods closer to the native market. Soon, many trade centers centering around the Chuk-Jae-Do expanded to full-scale colonies, where mercenaries from both mainland and native population was hired to push out the native tribes in the area. The main part of success was Korean Reflex bows, which worked extremely well in jungle climate as a long-range weapon that surpassed the native gruella tactics with surprise attacks of their own. This paved a crucial role in dominating the native population and creation of permanent settlements in the area.

As the Korean colonies grew without proper permission by the government, the Crown naturally attempted to control these faraway claims, which led to Battle of South China Sea, where colonial privateers decimates unsuspecting royal transports in extremely one-sided surprise offensive. This caused the Second Guild Wars to erupt, where the merchant guilds actively declared allegiance to Chuk-Jae-Do and moved their assets from the Korean mainland. This significantly weakened Joseon both militarily and economically, as the battle was mostly waged in the ports in mainland, where merchants were seizing control of the ports to ship their goods back to the colonies while the loyalists were preventing their escape. By 1580’s, Joseon was devastated of both manpower and trade, and were forced to acknowledge the independence of Chuk-Jae-Do in 1585.

The weakened Korea was a tasty target for the Japanese invasion in the 1592. The initial start to the invasion was Korea’s refusal to acknowledge Japanese advancement through Korean territory to China, which Korea considered was a “brother country” at the time. Called the Imjin Wars by the Koreans, the war was one-sided, as Japanese soldiers were highly trained and disciplined by the inter-Daimyo wars prior to their recent unification by a single Shogun. As Joseon was devastated of both men and economy, Joseon was forced to give ground and continue to move its capital north. Meanwhile, however, Chuk-Jae-Do was at its heyday, being able to trade directly with the Mongols and natives, the trade revenue nearly tripled, which allowed funding of technological advancement to continue their advantage in the region, including famous Turtle Ships which were to be used to prove supremacy against the potential Indochina kingdoms.

Despite honoring the Chinese as big-brother state, Koreans received no help from the Chinese. This was in part similar to Korean history in IRL, where Chinese Emperors felt distant about the conflicts in Korean Peninsula and came to intervene with only the most humble call by the Koreans. Seeing Korea as a possible threat to future Chinese expansion, the Chinese Emperor refused the plea, dooming Korea into Japanese subjugation. However, in 1595 massive fleet headed by several Turtle Ships were sighted in the Japanese-controlled port in the coast of Yeosu. The merchant guilds of Chuk-Jae-Do, headed by a single viceroy in a unified republic government, successfully gathered support of the merchant families to aid their once-home through counter invasion from the southern Korean coasts. Japanese navy was completely caught unaware by the massive firepower of the Turtle Ships and battle-hardened privateer fleet of the Chuk-Jae-Do, and were forced to retreat without gathering their ground forces in the Korean Peninsula. Trapped and cut from supplies, the combined Joseon forces vanquished the Japanese invaders in a massive pincer move to the capital. At the Battle of Hansung in 1596 signaled the end of the Imjin War, where the two nations signed peace treaty and exchanged prisoners. Although the war was in Joseon’s favor, the negotiations were done in relatively equal grounds as Joseon did not know whether the aid from Chuk-Jae-Do was here for their own conquest.

In a surprising turn of events, the Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do came to the mainland following the peace negotiations in peace. In the following meetings between Joseon monarch and viceroy that followed, a settlement was met in 1599 just before the turn of the century. According to the agreement, the merchants of Chuk-Jae-Do will be hailed as equals by the Joseon government, where only the reigning monarch will be held at higher regard. Furthermore, independence of the colonies will be guaranteed as long as the merchants pledged their alligance to the king. The Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do will oversee the governance of the colonies, while a collective navy will ensure that disagreements must be settled through talks and without armed conflicts. After the settlement, a full peace was called by the Japanese Empire in favor of trade and friendly relations. It was the Viceroy who advised the Emperor at 1600 to accept the terms of peace and trade, paving the road to Viceroy’s influence and power within Korean politics.

As the century turned, Joseon worked towards further colonialization and aggressive expansion. The colonial effort was fully supported by the Joseon government at this point, where the government openly declared war against the Indochina kingdoms for coastal provinces. While the primitives were assimilated and converted to Joseon’s second-class citizens and workforce, much of the Indochina and Malay Archipelago kingdoms were completely destroyed in favor of establishing Korean settlements. Due to abundance of resources from these colonial victories created prosperous mainland, whose population were often encouraged to take land and status for themselves in the colonies instead of overcrowding the nation’s few precious lands. The population explosion in the 1600’s coincides with the colonial zeal, as Korea continued to aggressively conquer territories for their expansion ambitions.

By the late 1600’s and early 1700’s, Joseon was introduced to colonial Europeans, who have circled around African Continent and began to explorer the coasts of Malay Archipelago. Few conflicts arose as colonial ambitions collided, but obvious advantage in the Joseon’s proximity to mainland made the Europeans acknowledge much of Joseon’s claims in the region. As the time progressed, European pirates began to appear alongside Korean ones. Whether this was intentional by the European powers in an attempt to enlist the help of privateers to curve Korean dominance in the region is unknown. However, due to sheer development of ports by the time of arrival of Europeans made developed colonial cities owned by Koreans much more appealing to pirates, who often sided with the Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do more often than any other sides. Korean merchants were more than willing to share the fortune with the pirates, as the added fees were not their concern when shipping them back to Europe.

This time also saw Korea’s numerous conflicts with the Japanese Empire, which was also growing its own colonial ventures. Conflicts rose in the Philippines which became a hotbed of proxy war between Korean and Japanese colonial governance. While the war never reached the mainlands of each country, fierce war waged between Korean northern Philippines and Japanese southern Philippines. The war eventually ended with Korean victory, but historians question the nature of victory. At many points in the conflict, Japanese soldiers were only hampered by Korean blockades, which otherwise would have completely overrun Korean colonies in Tondo, crushing all Korean colonial efforts. With such an overwhelming evidence, Korean scholars at the time concludes that it was Japanese Empire’s decision to give up the costly ventures to further fuel other, more profitable expansions. Whether this is true or not is hotly debated topic, but what is clear is that Japanese colonial authorities as well as colonies were given peaceful departure from the island as a result of Korean conquest of Japanese Philippines.

Regardless of dominance in the Southeast Asia, the arrival of Europeans was of concern for Joseon. What was even more concerning, however, was breakdown and volatility of Chinese states to Korea’s immediate neighbor. Seeing the need for Joseon to put up a larger claim than the current status, the Joseon monarchy declared itself an empire, creating Imperial States of Korea in 1760 CE. The “states” part was largely due to two governing jurisdiction: mainland which was directly controlled by the emperor and the colonies which were under the jurisdiction of the Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do. As the new century came, the newly christened nation began to create nationalist movements and progressively modernized and improved their military powers to compete with increasingly threatening world.

Despite the rapid social reformation, the Korean states were stable due to prosperity in the colonies, which saw complete monopoly in the maritime commerce of the region. The control of European spice trade made trade wealth circulate in the colonies’ Merchant Guilds, which transformed the merchant society further and further into status of colonial nobility. These Merchant Guilds actively hired mercenaries and pirates in the region in order to keep each other in constant check and to threaten European trades who didn’t pay premium to Korean rule. This unfortunately had negative side effect of Pirate Revolt in the Chuk-Jae-Do in future events. However, it was clear at the time that the wealth of Korea came from its colonies, which made Korean authorities uneasy that Merchant Guilds would once again declare independence from mainland and create its own, merchant nation.

At its infancy, the new Korean Empire was first tested under the fire of war at its own backyard: Manchuria. The region was relatively anarchical with many nations influencing the Manchu tribes into proxy wars to control their numbers. However, the creation of a proper nation was something that Korea was not expecting, which led to Imperialistic Korea to mobilize. The Manchurian Conflict of 1851, however, was not without its issues, as it served to call in other major powers in the region. For the first time, Korea was threatened from all sides by China and Japan in the mainland, but also in the colonies as European Powers eyes Korea colonies the moment that Korea went to war.

Open revolt from Korean men and women in the southern Manchuria was the only saving grace that Korea had against rising coalition aiming to dismantle Korea. Unable to act quick enough to unexpected rebellion, Korea took this golden opportunity to find legitimacy to send aid to newly created Second Kingdom of Balhae under humanitarian aid to fellow Koreans. This advance was only matched by Japanese Empire, which saw through the disguise of support as an intent to seize the wealth Manchurian region. The resulting conflict saw stalemate between the two sides as neither side wanted to war against each other in open conflict. The Japanese detachment to Manchuria was blockaded from all support by Korean navy, but there was enough supply for Japanese soldiers to hunker in away from naval batteries, forcing Koreans to engage from land. Korean generals were reluctant to face Japanese troops without naval support, recognizing that Korean infantry will be slaughtered by highly disciplined Japanese troops.

Eventually the leading stalemate came to negotiations, where Japanese and Korean Imperial officials met in 1852 to negotiate a truce. Understanding for the final time that Koreans and Japanese could not show such a vulnerable side to Europeans again, the two Empires began to construct an intricate treaty to ensure that both Oriental superpowers will not engage in such costly conflicts. However, this treaty was not completed until 1854, before which there was constant bickering in the colonies over the control of trade and economic wealth.

During the time of the drafting of new treaty, the Koreans further ran into issues with pirates of Malay Peninsula openly revolting against Korean Merchant Guilds. This is called the Third Guild War (제3조합전쟁) and it was predominantly a war between pirates around Korea’s trade routes and Korean trade guilds. The new Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do Kwon Dong-Nyuc oversaw this conflict as first major issue in office, where he cleverly allied with the so-called “Queen of the Spice Islands” to conquer all opposing pirates back to the Viceroyalty’s sides. This paved a way for private navy of the colonies which were not before seen in Korean history, and was seen as open objection to the Korean nobles.

At this time, pirates in the Southeast Asia fled all the way to Roman regions in the Persian Gulf, where the Viceroy’s fleet finally disposed of them in the Battle of Persian Gulf. The war was successful in part due to Roman support, who always saw pirates in the region as a threat to Roman interest in the region and thus sent a detachment to aid Viceroy’s efforts. The resulting peace negotiations thus included Roman Empire, who reclaimed previously pirate-invested Persian Gulf region as part of Roman province of Babylos. The Viceroy himself was present in the Treaty of Babylos which historians actually see as the beginning of alliance between Roman Empire and Imperial States of Korea.

Due to brilliant display of tactic in both mainland and in colonies, Korea’s position in the world was set in stone. The Silk Accords (비단합의) by Korea and Japan assured that both nations will be out of each other’s way in colonial ventures and mandated that the two nation will not work to undermine each other’s economies. Furthermore the two nations joined together in alliance which has not been broken since. The Treaty of Babylos (베빌로스 조약) and subsequent Treaty of Constantinople (콘스탄티노플 조약) created the mutual trade city of Babylos which would work as Korea’s primary destination for all trades to Europe as well as lasting alliance between Korea and Rome which is still honored to this day.

Following the peace talks and victories over several European powers over the conflicts, Korea was recognized as regional power with legitimacy that was firmly established in the region. The prosperity that followed saw Korean merchants’ and nobles’ greed grow, as they continued to exploit lands and people to grow in wealth. First business collective and corporations were formed by Merchant Guilds were recognized by the Viceroy and divide between rich and poor widened in drastic levels. Labors were forced to work 15 hour shifts and given next to nothing in return, and slavery and debauchery was rampant in the areas, where kidnapping children to bolster factory manpower was a frequent sighting as debtors seizing girls from families to put them through brutal prostitution.

Eventually, the lower class completely collapsed, unable to bear the weight of upper classes’ greed. This was something that came completely unexpected by Korean bureaucracy, as Koreans never knew this kind of collapse before. Laborers simply ran out of their spending power, struggling to buy pouches of rice to feed their family to spend on other goods. The resulting domino effect made factories shut down as demand for all but the most crucial of necessities became nonexistent. This brought Korea economy into 10 year recession known today as Recession of Arrogance (오만의불황). Many Merchant Families fell from their wealth and support for the Viceroy plummeted.

Most historians widely consider the beginning of Recession of Arrogance to take place in 1868, with the unexpected implosion of Baek Family, who was widely known industry lead among the Merchant Guilds responsible for production of furniture that even went as far as tribute to the Emperor himself. As the Baek Family’s corporate empire fell, Park family soon followed due to Park Family’s financial investments being closely related to Baek’s ventures. With Park Family’s banks calling on all loans, several smaller merchant families started to file bankruptcy one by one until by 1870 nearly half of the Merchant Guilds were threatened with financial crisis.

Fortunately, this recession wasn’t without solution. Emperor immediately called for all Merchant Guilds, leaders of new social movement of labor unions, and nobles of mainland to forge a solution. The gold was still present in very few elites in Korea, and trade revenue and its respective industries were still making profits. The economy was not completely lost to Koreans. However, the nobles and merchants present in the meetings were ill considerate of the situation at hand: they were still wealthy and were not affected by the recession. The negotiations drone on for several years with no one wishing to lose any profit.

Finally in 1874, Viceroy of Chuk-Jae-Do acted. Mobilizing Viceroy’s own military, he led a bloodbath through Chuk-Jae-Do slaughtering private guards of Merchant Guilds’ most influential leaders and dragging them into the Viceroy’s manor. The Merchant Guilds were forced at a gunpoint to formulate a self-humbling resolution of responsibility, which were to be binding agreement punishable by death. The Viceroy took this document along with leaders of Merchant Guilds to prostrate before the Emperor to beg for forgiveness. This event, now known as Enlightenment of Capital (자본의계몽), served to chastise the merchants into negotiation with the working class to find a socially responsible way to gather wealth.

While the merchants were initially forced into this act, the merchant classes soon began to realize that the flow of capital was vital for continued wealth of a nation. This was in part assisted by various theories of capitalism which was circulating in the Chuk-Jae-Do, which was sponsored and punished by the Viceroy. Following 7 years saw dictatorship of Viceroy in the colonies, which forced Korean merchants into a period of “experiments” to see if these theories of corporate social responsibility would indeed lead to economic recovery. This is later recognized by scholars as the onset of Chaebolism, an exclusive Korean virtue of hereditary capitalism that imposes social responsibility and noblesse oblige to the merchants and wealthy.

It is important to understand that nobles did not take part in this new reform, which, despite the Empeor’s pleas, fell on deaf ears. However, the recovery of colony’s economy eventually trickled down to Korea mainland, which have slowly adapted into changes in social patterns such as human and worker rights.

The scholars widely regard the end of Recession of Arrogance as the same year that the Viceroy declared its end, which was in 1881. Following this announcement, the Viceroy gave up his “emergency” power, and was prompted tried and fired from his office due to abusing his powers. However, it was clear that the Viceroy’s efforts have led Korea out of its greatest economic recession and possible destruction, which was highly praised in the subsequent trials on the fate of ex-Viceroy. Ex-Viceroy Dong-Nyuc was lauded as hero of the merchants and were given retirement celebration to live out rest of his life peacefully in the Jeju Island, and his son was unanimously selected as next Viceroy to rule Chuk-Jae-Do, first time in Korean history where not only did on merchant family rule the colonies for 5 times in a row, but also the first time that the Viceroy position as inherited from father to son.

The new Viceroy Kwon Na-Jae continued his father’s efforts into his office, sponsoring scholars’ efforts in creating new theory of economics. This brought along Chaebolism, which came to rule the corporate values of Chuk-Jae-Do as a dominant ideology of the land. First Chaebol of Kwon Family filed a request for the Viceroy to accept the family clans into business in 1882, signaling the beginning of Second Korean Renaissance, where the reconstruction efforts of Korea from the recession saw new heights in technology and philosophy in all aspects of society.

The golden age of Korea is claimed to be ongoing progress, with revolutionary new technologies being born from ancient technologies in Joseon Dynasty being reviewed, creating new waves of military technologies. Korean firms’ focus on circulating capital and social responsibility continues to pour capital in the colonies and even in mainland to promote second wave of industrialization and urbanization in leading Korea into a second age of prosperity.

It is well-known for Koreans that its colonies did suffer in radical political climates during Recession of Arrogance, which included losing valuable colonies lands long been recognized as Korea’s core lands. Furthermore Korean merchants have given ways for European powers access to spice market which the Koreans have monopolized, with several losses in key naval conflicts that threatened to dismantle the nation. With the economy stabilized, Korea is once again seeking to find dominance in the region and beyond, finding new sources of capital and brining Korea into another age of wealth and prosperity that will be hailed as fist Golden Age of Korea.

RP Sample: 1850, 1855, 1860 AltDiv

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[Oscalantine]

This is the infamous 88K word application. Sorry that I had to cut it in order to fit into the app ^^;;;

Korea has been sort of a passion project of mine so I wanted to make sure that I have all the details for the country that I want to RP as

[The Traansval]

God fucking dammnit Korea

Now i gotta make my app better, cause yours is so good.

[Oscalantine]

God fucking dammnit Korea

Now i gotta make my app better, cause yours is so good.

XDDD thanks. Imperial States of Korea is a passion drive of mine, so I have been doing plenty of research and outfitting all my years. It is sort of several years worth of work in progress, and I finally broke NS and had to post in two separate posts T~T

[The Traansval]

FInished App

Full Nation Name: Arabia
Majority/Official Culture : Arab/Bedouin/Afro-Asian/African
Territorial Core :

Territorial Claim:

Capital City : Riyadh
Population : 5.2 Million

Government Type : Authoritarian Republic
Government Ideology/Policies : Armed Neutrality
Government Focus : Currently, the Arabian government under Emir Faisal I is focused primarily on improving the Economy and Commerce of the nation.
Head of State: Shah Faisal I
Head of Government: Speaker of the Peoples Assembly Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al ash-Sheikh
Government Description: The principle powers of the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches are all held by the Shah, who is elected for one ten year term. The only other major parts of the government, besides the Shah, are the Cabinet of Ministers (Whom carry out the Emir's laws through their Ministries) and the Peoples Assembly, which consists of elected representatives who propose laws to the Emir. The largest power not invested in the Emir, is the power of the People Assembly to enforce Term Limits. The Emir is also not the Commander in Chief, that is invested in the General of the Armed Forces of the Arab Nation.

Majority/State Religion : Majority Hanbali Sunni Islam, with smaller sects of Shafi'i Sunni Islam (Yemen), Ibadi Islam (Oman), Oriental Christianity (Somalia) and others.
Religious Description : Oh boy, please don't make me try to disect Islam.

Economic Ideologies: Largely Mercantilism with mixes of Capitalism.
Major Production: Oil, medium-minor Ore deposits, Dates, Spices, Coffee. Most Agricultural products come from the Horn Colonies.
Economic Description: Largely a weak economy based off trading Agricultural goods with foreign traders.

Tech Level: 5

Army Strength: 204,200 Total Servicemen; 36,000 Cavalry Men, 135,600 Infantrymen, 7,000 Light Scouts, 3,000 Republican Guardsmen, 24,600 Artillery men. High Mobility, Excellent Tactics and Training are staples of the Arab Army.
Army Weakness: Poor Equipment, little unit cohesion, poor communications and low numbers. The Arab Army has no standard Uniform, no standard arms and no standard cartridge. The clothing worn by soldiers often is either their own Tribal Dress or their own clothes (Some servicemen with more wealthy families sometimes order their own stylized Uniforms from European Tailors), and their weapons can often range from Cutting Edge European Rifles (Usually purchased by those more Wealthy Servicemen) to the much more common Jezail Flintlock and Single Shot Black powder rifles (Martini Henri's, French Gras Rifles, etc.). Also, the primary route of communication between unit is still a Runner or Carrier Pigeon, with Telephones and Telegraphs being non-existent.

Naval Strength: 7,460 Sailors; 3 Cruisers, 8 Destroyers, 15 Coastal Torpedo Boats, and 80 Transport ships. 600 Men serving in the Maritime Infantry, serving as garrisons aboard the ship.
Naval Weakness: The Arab Naval Force was built primarily for service in defending the coastal plains around the Peninsula, and as such has very limited capabilities outside said Coastal Regions. The Marine Corp as well have limited capabilities outside areas next to the coast.


National Goals: Improve the Economy and Arabian Industry.
National Issues: Tensions between Shia, Sunni and other sects of Islam within the Republic.
National Figures of Interest: The Prophet Mohammed (Lazy answer, i know.)
National Ambition/Aspirations: Uniting all of Islam under the Arabian Nation.

History: For centuries, the people of the Arabian peninsula lived isolated lives. There was no Arab nation, only tribes that roamed the deserts, hoping from oasis to oasis, raising cattle and just surviving. This was once not the case, for once all of Arabia and the land of sand was ruled by a mighty caliphate, created by the successors of Gods Prophet himself. They ruled a land, not of tribes, but of one Arab people. Then the Romans came, and the Arab people stood their ground, only to fall to Persian daggers lodged in their backs. The Caliphate fell, and Arabia slowly was absorbed by the empire of new.

All has been conquered, except for one place. The inhospitable Arabian Peninsula; a vast track of uncross able desert, where no Roman or Persian has dared to step foot in. There, the Arab peoples ran, there God gave them shelter. There, the centuries of Tribes went on, before an act of god ended it. In his sleep, Hussein bin Ali received the word of god. He called for Hussein, he called for him to do his work and to reunited the peoples of the Desert, to once more form a land of Arabs, ruled by neither Roman or Persian.

At the ripe age of 17, Hussein ascended to the throne as the Emir of Mecca in 1870. At the time, the only civilization that could be found in Arabia was centered around the major cities of Old, like Mecca and Muscat. These city states relied mostly on trade and the Arab desert for defense, but Mecca was the most powerful of the City states due to its religious, cultural and economic significance. Hussein used this power to begin his Empire. He started by taking in Tribute states, forming alliances with the local tribes and even doing business with foreign merchants to obtain modern arms. In 1874, Hussein now held power over much of what would become Makkah Province, and he wanted more. At age 21, he raised an Army of conscripts from his little Kingdom, and armed them with Remington black powder rifles. His new army, numbering into the tens of thousands, began to march on what is now know as the Great Campaign. With Hussein at its head, the army marched along the dusty roads and began to absorb any peoples they met. Those who did not come willingly, and there were a few, were absorbed by force.

The campaign would last six years, culminating in the declaration of the Arabian Nation in the ancient city of Riyadh, which was declared its capital. The government that we now see today were formed by Hussein, now 27 and Shah of Arabia, in the great palace he created in the city. The reign of Shah bin Ali is marked with examples of deep tension and civil unrest, as the rather violent method of Unification left many with deep resentment to the man who took away their independence. Any move towards rebellion was squashed by the Shah's Army, which by now was the massive horde of untrained men we still see today. Shah bin Ali enact many of the founding laws of the nation, including a codex of civil and criminal laws that still got rid of the previous system in which laws could vary from region to region. Sadly, the reign of the Shah was cut short in 1887 as an assassin shot Shah bin Ali through the heart as he was taking his morning walk through the city of Riyadh. The man was swiftly captured by the Shahs bodyguards, and publicly tortured then hanged for all to see. But his death left a void, for the 34 year old ruler had left not a single heir to his throne, and thus the Arab nation was on the brink of collapse just seven years after its formation.

To fix this, the Peoples Assembly (Which had been formed as an advisory council to the Shah) passed a series of laws known as the Acts of Republic. These laws were the first and only laws ever to be passed by the Assembly, and they outlined a system where a new Shah would be elected for One Term every Ten Years. The first elected Shah was Abd al-Ilah Pasha, a middle aged man who'd served as the Sharif of Mecca after Hussein became Shah of Arabia. Pasha would bring about many Economical Reforms, including subsidies on the Mining and Shipping industry, along with the creation of the Arabian Colonies on the Horn of Africa. The people of the Horn had long been close to the Arabs, with many of the area being of the Muslim faith aside from the Orthodox Ethiopians. The land was without true government, only collections of smaller kingdoms and tribes. Pasha, leading a force of Arabs numbering nearly 100,000 strong, crossed the 18 miles straights between Arabia and Djibouti using Merchant Ships. He moved east ward, fighting Tribes and planting the Arabian Flag along his way, by 1895 the Arabian Africa territory was establish with its government being based in the city of Mogadishu. To support his territory, Pasha ordered the construction of a new Arabian Fleet from Foreign drydocks, which began to protect trading in Arabian Waters from the infamous pirates of the area, along with (Of course)enforcing Arabian rule in the Colonies. In 1897, the term limit for Pasha's Shah-ship was over, and in a public ceremony he personally over saw the free elections of the next Shah. By the end of the year, the votes had been tallied and the new Shah, a man named Faisal the First would be elected by a slim majority. Faisal was apart of the Reform faction, which sought to increase the economic, social, industrial and military reforms of Pasha's Administration along with increased centralization of the Government and state. Opposing Faisal and the Reformists, were the Conservatives who sought to increase tribal autonomy and to enact more laws that follow closely to Islamic belief and Sharia law, the Conservatives were lead by a man named Muhammad ibn Abd al-Mu'in, who had just narrowly lost the vote to Faisal.

Its been four years now since the election, and the Conservatives still do what they can to throw a fuss over the actions of Faisal and the Reformists, but the reforms are starting to take place and the people can see towards the horizon, a horizon of deep hues that promise a bright future for Arabia and her people. A greater Arabia, and strong Arabia, a Modern Arabia.

RP Sample: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=418949&p=32219465#p32219465
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=414369&p=32163985#p32163985

#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)

[Rygondria]

So korea how would you think that korea would have managed to open trade with India ?

[The Traansval]

God fucking dammnit Korea

Now i gotta make my app better, cause yours is so good.

XDDD thanks. Imperial States of Korea is a passion drive of mine, so I have been doing plenty of research and outfitting all my years. It is sort of several years worth of work in progress, and I finally broke NS and had to post in two separate posts T~T

Also, "Mechanized" in relation to Armies, is a term used to denote if a unit is "Mechanized", meaning they go into battle carried by an Armored Vehicle of some sort. Mechanized Infantry are different from Motorized Infantry, the main difference being a Mechanized Unit is transported via a vehicle that is both Armored and Armed and will then assist them after they have gotten out, while Motorized Infantry are transported on unarmored and unarmed trucks or other such vehicle that is not capable of assist them in combat.

[Second Helghan Empire]

So looking at the reservations it seems there is room in europe but the map shows it as taken.

Which one is the one I should go off of, because I would like a nation in europe but I am unsure what's available.

I believe the Poland, Lithuania, and austro-hungary areas are open

[Atreidya]

Reservation

Nation Name: Neo-Dacian Empire
Territory: Hungary, Romania, Moldova,Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Ukraine west of the Privdennyy Buh river (essentially west of Kiev)
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

[Tracian Empire]

Reservation

Nation Name: Neo-Dacian Empire
Territory: Hungary, Romania, Moldova,Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Ukraine west of the Privdennyy Buh river (essentially west of Kiev)
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

Oh, this is interesting.