1906: Alternative Divergence [AH][OOC-DEAD]

[Pasong Tirad]

Did France just start World War One - over some fundamental moral-religious principle?

Technically, Ethiopia is about to go into a civil war. France is just supporting one side. And knowing that some uppity workers are about to try and shake the status quo of imperial monarchy in Ethiopia, the two Romans are no doubt going to be hedging their bets as well (the Byzantines with the current empress, and the Latin Romans with an emperor that might be friendlier with the west than with the east).

[Remnants of Exilvania]

Alright, now that the Roussillon crisis is set into motion - who's gonna help me not die against France?

*stares at army*
*stares at France*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Rome*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Spain*
*stares at army again*

How about no? Death to Spain and all that jazz.

[Tracian Empire]

Did France just start World War One - over some fundamental moral-religious principle?

Technically, Ethiopia is about to go into a civil war. France is just supporting one side. And knowing that some uppity workers are about to try and shake the status quo of imperial monarchy in Ethiopia, the two Romans are no doubt going to be hedging their bets as well (the Byzantines with the current empress, and the Latin Romans with an emperor that might be friendlier with the west than with the east).

Hmm, whether the Western and the Eastern Romans will cooperate or not will really depend on the results of the discussion between the two Roman monarchs in Rome.

But the ERE is most likely going to support the current monarchy yeah, and if French agents are messing around in Addis Ababa, you can bet that the Roman agents, the angeliofóroi/messengers aren't far behind.

[Finland SSR]

Alright, now that the Roussillon crisis is set into motion - who's gonna help me not die against France?

*stares at army*
*stares at France*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Rome*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Spain*
*stares at army again*

How about no? Death to Spain and all that jazz.

Come on man, don't let me die out heeeere

Besides, you're gonna have to fight France someday. Which France would be easier to beat - one with a hostile Spain barricaded behind the Pyrenees, or one without?

[Tracian Empire]

*stares at army*
*stares at France*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Rome*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Spain*
*stares at army again*

How about no? Death to Spain and all that jazz.

Come on man, don't let me die out heeeere

Besides, you're gonna have to fight France someday. Which France would be easier to beat - one with a hostile Spain barricaded behind the Pyrenees, or one without?

The ERE is certainly not a big fan of Spain, but if this ends in a conflict between Spain and France, Constantinople might accidentally send some help. Small things.

[Reverend Norv]

Alright, now that the Roussillon crisis is set into motion - who's gonna help me not die against France?

*stares at army*
*stares at France*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Rome*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Spain*
*stares at army again*

How about no? Death to Spain and all that jazz.

Hey! Glad to see you are still with us. I was worried that you had dropped.

Technically, Ethiopia is about to go into a civil war. France is just supporting one side. And knowing that some uppity workers are about to try and shake the status quo of imperial monarchy in Ethiopia, the two Romans are no doubt going to be hedging their bets as well (the Byzantines with the current empress, and the Latin Romans with an emperor that might be friendlier with the west than with the east).

Hmm, whether the Western and the Eastern Romans will cooperate or not will really depend on the results of the discussion between the two Roman monarchs in Rome.

But the ERE is most likely going to support the current monarchy yeah, and if French agents are messing around in Addis Ababa, you can bet that the Roman agents, the angeliofóroi/messengers aren't far behind.

Well, where would be the fun otherwise?

[Tracian Empire]

Well, we're certainly going to have a lot of fun in Ethiopia xD

Oh, and to bring some activity to this OOC, what secret agencies do your nations have?

The ERE has two, that sometimes overlap in their functions. The Messengers are the most important organization, the successors of the Agentes in rebus who were disbanded in the 7th century, re-established again by the Komnenoi and then by the Palaiologoi. The organization itself doesn't have a name, its members are known as the αγγελιοφόροι/angeliofóroi, the messengers, or the μαγιστριανοί/magistrianoí, the magister's men, as they are led by an officer known simply as the Mάγιστρος/Magistros. They answer directly to the Emperor and act both as a secret police, repressing those who would fight against the order of the state, and as an intelligence agency of sorts. They do all the fun stuff, undercover agents, covert operations. They're also sometimes known more or less ironically as "the guardian angels", or "the archangels", because their insignia generally shows a holy icon with Michael and Gabriel, the Archangels.

This is a theme they share with the other agency, the well known Bureau of Barbarians, and here is where it gets a little complicated, since the two organizations are both separated and connected. Theoretically, the bureau is a part of the government, subordinated to the Logothete of the Drome, and it deals strictly with diplomacy and foreign intelligence, but in practice they act as a part of the messengers. Insignia of the normal messengers tends to show the two archangels are they are shown in Orthodoxy iconography, with Michael on the left and Gabriel on the right, but insignia of agents of the Bureau switches their places.

And there is like I said a fair amount of overlapping in terms of what the members of the two agencies do, since the Bureau also acts as a counter-intelligence agency of sorts, supervising foreigners in the Empire and especially in Constantinople.

[Finland SSR]

Internal secret operations and counterespionage in Spain are concentrated under the Social Investigation Brigade (División de Investigación Social), founded as a part of the Integrist reforms in Spain to ensure the stability of the country in the face of foreign and domestic threat. As far as internal operations go, the SIB have plenty of experience, such as through busting Basque and Catalan organizations or underground Christino cells, and receive a significant amount of funding to have their training, manpower and equipment to be up to date with modern technoloy.

Foreign espionage is somewhat more eclectic and doesn't have a unifying organization - the SIB operates wherever they can, but they are usually only assigned if the matter is directly related to internal stability, such as dealing with foreign exiles. There are several foreign espionage agencies under the Ministry of External Affairs and each one has their own field of expertise, although, in general, Spanish foreign espionage is a lot weaker than internal operations.

[Reverend Norv]

France is very heavily focused on hard power, so it hasn't really conceptualized the use of intelligence forces as an independent arm of national policy. For this reason, as with Spain, its secret services are pretty disjointed.

The oldest is the Sûreté, a branch of the Gendarmerie Nationale - the national police, responsible for serious cases that cross département lines. The Sûreté is responsible for counterintelligence operations and for monitoring foreigners in France (and Algeria). It is basically a law-enforcement division rather than an intelligence-gathering agency: its job is to discover, arrest, try, and convict foreign spies in open, civilian court. France is enough of a rechtsstaat that foreigners and citizens have the same legal rights in criminal procedure, including in national-security cases, which means that the Sûreté has to operate fairly publicly and transparently.

Then there is the Cinquieme Bureau de l'État-Majeur, also simply known as the Fifth Bureau. This is an arm of the French Army's famous General Staff, and consists of Staff College graduates who specialize in military intelligence and reconnaissance. Given the General Staff's status in France, the Fifth Bureau is the largest and best-funded of France's intelligence agencies; its officers report directly to the Army Chief of Staff and often work independently or undercover, but the command staff of every French regiment also includes a few Fifth Bureau aides and observers. Despite its size, the Fifth Bureau's role is fairly narrow: it is strictly a military intelligence agency, whose primary job is to map terrain, ascertain the location and strength of enemy forces, steal and study enemy weapons and equipment, access or predict enemy battle plans, break enemy codes and disrupt communications, and so on. It is intended to help the French Army win battles, not to help the French state achieve its larger strategic objectives. It is perhaps the best in the world at what it does, but what it does is fairly limited.

Finally, there is the Détachement Spécial pour le Renseignement Étranger, or just Special Branch. This is an odd group under two decades old, still organized more as an ad hoc taskforce than as a formal agency, made up of personnel from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry for Greater France, and the troupes coloniales. Its purpose is to collect information and carry out operations necessary to secure French interests overseas, most especially in its colonies but also more broadly. It reports directly to the Cabinet, and is the closest thing France has to a conventional foreign intelligence agency. It is, at a minimum, daring and innovative, and in cooperation with strong local partners (like in Morocco or Ethiopia), it can be effective. But it is still a fairly young and inexperienced agency, and its political status is as unsettled as its funding is uncertain. It is the primary French agency active in our Ethiopia plot.

[The Felan Federation]

I think for Sweden, we might have to go with the Internal Intelligence Service, the IIS or Intern Intelligensservice. Sweden doesn't have much trust in itself on trying to compete with other foreign powers on the field - granted due to their rather protectionist mind-set. They have figured the best way to draw strength is from within and prevent anyone else from messing with their internal affairs. Mostly dealing in counter-intelligence, counter-espionage - while also acting to keep an eye on both minorities and colonials. (Ala the few Minorities that have avoided Swedenization and the other factions in the colonies, to make sure they don't be causing any troubles or trying to rise up).

Then there are the Lions or Lejonets. They are your Special Forces of the Swedish Kingdom, compared to the rest of the Armed Forces - they are the hard nails. The Swedish SAS. Trained in the Jungles of South America, the Lands of Africa and the cold north of Scandinavia. They are the elite commando regiment - designed to operate and act as both saboteurs and also if need be, the dagger to the enemy. Mostly they have been dealing in insurrection in the South America. Their main ideal is to be able to operate anywhere, and outlast anyone against them.

[Remnants of Exilvania]

*stares at army*
*stares at France*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Rome*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Spain*
*stares at army again*

How about no? Death to Spain and all that jazz.

Come on man, don't let me die out heeeere

Besides, you're gonna have to fight France someday. Which France would be easier to beat - one with a hostile Spain barricaded behind the Pyrenees, or one without?

We prefer pretending the French don't exist.

If we can't see it, it can't attack us.

*stares at army*
*stares at France*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Rome*
*stares at army again*
*stares at Spain*
*stares at army again*

How about no? Death to Spain and all that jazz.

Hey! Glad to see you are still with us. I was worried that you had dropped.

Hahaha, nah, I couldn't leave an AltDiv. Not if it's got you and Fin and another opportunity for me to antagonist Thrac.

I was just sick for a week, recuperating for another and now been working demotivating overtime to make up for all the time I lost.

[Kazarogkai]

Come on man, don't let me die out heeeere

Besides, you're gonna have to fight France someday. Which France would be easier to beat - one with a hostile Spain barricaded behind the Pyrenees, or one without?

The ERE is certainly not a big fan of Spain, but if this ends in a conflict between Spain and France, Constantinople might accidentally send some help. Small things.

My navy... practically non existent. Plus my entire Land Command of 20 Standing Legions is barely the size of a french corps by all indications. so... I'm probably going to be sitting back in the case of any major European war not counting some screwing around in Venezuela.

[Remnants of Exilvania]

The Empire does not engage in such dishonourable activities like espionage.

The 30+ intelligence agencies are mainly not Imperial. The Imperial Military's Fernaufklärungsabteilung has proven itself as inept time and time again and the Imperiaä Interior Intelligence Service is a bunch of customs officers and policemen in different uniforms who spent the last decades hunting for French revolutionaries and instigators of civil unrest and practically nothing else. With mixed success.

What the remaining agencies do? God forbid they do something productive.

[Alt Div Admin]

• Map and list updated: Bengal, Morocco, Poland-Lithuania,Iceland removed

~Thrace

[Reverend Norv]

• Map and list updated: Bengal, Morocco, Poland-Lithuania,Iceland removed

~Thrace

In that case, since I originally ceded the territory for the Morocco app from my first application, it would be great if I could get it back.

[Nea Byzantia]

Am I allowed back?

[Tracian Empire]

Am I allowed back?

Oscal is the one who banned you, and I do not have the authority to override his decisions.

[Tracian Empire]

Sorry for the silence - we're not going to give up on this, but it seems that all members of the OP board are busy in real life, we're dealing with all sorts of issues. So our response might be a bit slower than usual, especially mine, since I'm dealing with fun stuff like final exams, and college admission.

Anyway, the map update right now is just a tentative update - I removed the players I knew where gone. We're going to do another roll call, so if you guys are still around, please say so! I'll also send some TG's to see what to do, especially to people who haven't posted in the IC yet - we understand if people are busy, so that's not an issue, but we do have to see who is still interested.

My IC post will come in a day or two hopefully, my PC hasn't been cooperating. So once again, sorry for keeping you guys waiting.

Oh, and about Morocco yeah, I'll add it back.

[Intermountain States]

Still here, I have some time now so I could work on my IC post

[Benuty]

After my biology test today, and a laboratory I will probably work on something regarding modernization, and faith.

[Reverend Norv]

Definitely hoping the pace will pick up a bit once the folks who are in school catch a break.

[Finland SSR]

Definitely hoping the pace will pick up a bit once the folks who are in school catch a break.

Hope I can muster the energy to make a post this week or the next.

[Remnants of Exilvania]

Sorry for the silence - we're not going to give up on this, but it seems that all members of the OP board are busy in real life, we're dealing with all sorts of issues. So our response might be a bit slower than usual, especially mine, since I'm dealing with fun stuff like final exams, and college admission.

Anyway, the map update right now is just a tentative update - I removed the players I knew where gone. We're going to do another roll call, so if you guys are still around, please say so! I'll also send some TG's to see what to do, especially to people who haven't posted in the IC yet - we understand if people are busy, so that's not an issue, but we do have to see who is still interested.

My IC post will come in a day or two hopefully, my PC hasn't been cooperating. So once again, sorry for keeping you guys waiting.

Oh, and about Morocco yeah, I'll add it back.

Hello there.

Definitely hoping the pace will pick up a bit once the folks who are in school catch a break.

Exam season ends on the 15th of July for me. After that there's most likely going to be an uptick in my own activity.

[Kazarogkai]

Sorry for the silence - we're not going to give up on this, but it seems that all members of the OP board are busy in real life, we're dealing with all sorts of issues. So our response might be a bit slower than usual, especially mine, since I'm dealing with fun stuff like final exams, and college admission.

Anyway, the map update right now is just a tentative update - I removed the players I knew where gone. We're going to do another roll call, so if you guys are still around, please say so! I'll also send some TG's to see what to do, especially to people who haven't posted in the IC yet - we understand if people are busy, so that's not an issue, but we do have to see who is still interested.

My IC post will come in a day or two hopefully, my PC hasn't been cooperating. So once again, sorry for keeping you guys waiting.

Oh, and about Morocco yeah, I'll add it back.

Ello still around. Still trying to get the time to make a post.

[Tracian Empire]

It's been more than a month since my last IC post anywhere. This is kinda depressing. Yes, my PC hasn't been cooperating, and yes I've been busy, and yes my motivation abandoned me, but still.

I remember when I used to write like, six posts a day.

This is kinda depressing.

I'll try to lock myself in my room and work on some posts.

Soon™