Tales of Two Horizons OOC 1.4 OPEN

[Lan Khao Xang Hom Krung Tai]

Day and night (what, what)
Meiguo toss and turn, Mexico keep stressing my mind, mind (what, what)
Fusang look for peace but see I don't attain (what, what)

I'm back around, waha

[Latvijas Otra Republika]

And so France, who had cheated death in the cemetery outside Saint Helena, cheated death once again, and the European plain was forever changed. The French celebrated their second victory at Borodino, establishing definitive control over the entire Russian Wasteland. Soon after, they negotiated terms to annex The Rhine, Piedmont, and many surrounding communities. The European continent, at long last, had entirely fallen under the French banner. Guang, fair and even-handed in their dealings throughout the World, were honoured by the French for their support of the military at the Second Battle of Waterloo. They were presented with the Golden Baguette, the highest civilian decoration given by the Republic.

...And so France's road came to an end... for now. In this new world, fighting continued, blood was spilled, and many lived and died - just as they had in the Old World. Because war... war never changes.

[The Industrial States of Columbia]

And so France, who had cheated death in the cemetery outside Saint Helena, cheated death once again, and the European plain was forever changed. The French celebrated their second victory at Borodino, establishing definitive control over the entire Russian Wasteland. Soon after, they negotiated terms to annex The Rhine, Piedmont, and many surrounding communities. The European continent, at long last, had entirely fallen under the French banner. Guang, fair and even-handed in their dealings throughout the World, were honoured by the French for their support of the military at the Second Battle of Waterloo. They were presented with the Golden Baguette, the highest civilian decoration given by the Republic.

...And so France's road came to an end... for now. In this new world, fighting continued, blood was spilled, and many lived and died - just as they had in the Old World. Because war... war never changes.

That is glorious

[Tales of Two Horizons OP]

Roster has been updated, Wu and Mexico have been cleared due to inactivity, France has voluntarily cleared due to RL obligations

[Intermountain States]

Roster has been updated, Wu and Mexico have been cleared due to inactivity, France has voluntarily cleared due to RL obligations

When you're the only player in East Asia now.

[The Industrial States of Columbia]

Roster has been updated, Wu and Mexico have been cleared due to inactivity, France has voluntarily cleared due to RL obligations

When you're the only player in East Asia now.

"Mad world starts playing"

[Zedeshia]

And so France, who had cheated death in the cemetery outside Saint Helena, cheated death once again, and the European plain was forever changed. The French celebrated their second victory at Borodino, establishing definitive control over the entire Russian Wasteland. Soon after, they negotiated terms to annex The Rhine, Piedmont, and many surrounding communities. The European continent, at long last, had entirely fallen under the French banner. Guang, fair and even-handed in their dealings throughout the World, were honoured by the French for their support of the military at the Second Battle of Waterloo. They were presented with the Golden Baguette, the highest civilian decoration given by the Republic.

...And so France's road came to an end... for now. In this new world, fighting continued, blood was spilled, and many lived and died - just as they had in the Old World. Because war... war never changes.

Simply beautiful

[The Palmetto]

Reservation:
Location: 2
Nation Name: Kingdom of France
635 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

can i make france into an islamic caliphate

[The Industrial States of Columbia]

Reservation:
Location: 2
Nation Name: Kingdom of France
635 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

can i make france into an islamic caliphate

Only if you give me all your colonies

[The Palmetto]

Generic Info
Nation Name: Royaume de France (Kingdom of France)
Symbols: French Tricolor is the official flag. For all state business, the Coat of Arms of Louis-Phillipe is used.
Location: 2
Population: 34.5 million Citizens across Metropolitan France and her Colonies.
Capital City: Paris
Civilization Status: Great Power

Government Info
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Brief Explanation of Government: The French government is dictated by the Charter of 1830, a constitution adopted by Louis-Philippe after his ascension following the 1830 Revolution. The Charter declared that the king was Head of State and chief executive: the King appoints public officials, issues the ordinances and regulations necessary "for the execution of the laws of France", commands the army and navy, declares war, and makes "treaties of peace, alliance, and commerce". In addition, the King has great influence over the legislative process, since he possesses the sole right to present draft laws to Parliament, and the right to grant or withhold assent to laws passed by the Parliament. The King summons and prorogues Parliament and has the right to dissolve the Chamber of Deputies and call new elections. The King also appoints the members of the Chamber of Peers, although Hereditary Peerage was abolished. Finally, the King appoints judges and has the power to pardon those convicted. Technically, the leadership of the government rests with the King, however, the informal position of "Presidents of the Council of Ministers" serves as the French equivalent to the British First Secretary/Prime Minister, leading the government and setting policy. The President is always one of the King's ministers and is selected by the King.

The French Parliament was established with two houses, modeled on the British parliament. The Chamber of Deputies is popularly elected, with those 25 and over allowed to vote after paying a 200 Franc poll tax, and those 30 and over allowed to run after paying a 500 Franc poll tax; these poll taxes were reduced from the previously high ones under the Bourbon restoration, and mostly serve to limit the voting population to the middle class who can afford the tax. The upper house, the Chamber of Peers, is composed of Life Peers appointed by the King. Proposed laws must be passed by both houses of Parliament in order to be enacted into law, once it receives Royal assent. The President of the Chamber of Deputies is elected by the Deputies, while the Chamber of Peers is overseen by the Royally appointed Chancellor of France.

Ideology: Liberal-Conservativism. Due to the poll taxes limiting suffrage and ability to run for office to the bourgeoisie and the upper class, Parliament is mostly dominated by two Orleanist parties; the Party of Movement and the Party of Resistance, serving as the center-left and center-right respectively, alongside the fringe Republican opposition and Legitmatist Bourbon supporters. Both the Movement and Resistance parties broadly support a policy of Liberal economics but tend to disagree on questions of suffrage, with the more Liberal Movement party wanting to increase Democratic means while the Resistance more so supports keeping power within the upper class. Both, however, support the Monarchy and the Industrial bourgeoisie and tend to support progressive policies towards industrialization and centralization.

Leader/s: Roi des Français, King of the French, Louis Philippe d'Orléans, and President of the Council of Ministers Adolphe Thiers.

Relations:

Britain - France maintains an awkward relationship with the UK. It’s not quite the hostility of old, where wars between the two nations were expected. This, however, is not to say that the British are friends of the French either. This relationship has seen worse days, that all in mind. Some in France would go further and say that the two’s best days were ahead. This all said the opposite could very well be true. It was of the British tendency to not be so keen on the expansionism of other powers, and especially when it came to conflicting interests. Sometimes not even conflicting interests. As such, it was expected that Britain could be an obstacle for French Foreign Policy in India and the Americas.

Central and Eastern Europe - There are a good many things to say about the people of Europe, but let’s keep this brief. France didn’t want a unified Germany, and a strong Russia could be a threat to the French position of dominant land power on the continent. The Holy Empire exemplified This worrying trend, however, that alliance practice was more to suppress liberal inclinations in those nations. At least France didn’t have to worry about Liberal fervor spreading from abroad. Oh no, it just had to worry about it exploding by itself at home.

Egypt and the Ottomans - Long gone are the days of the Franco-Ottoman alliance. Napoleon made sure of that. As such, the French find themselves supporting the Egyptians in their standoff with the Ottomans. Russian intervention in their conflict prompted Anglo-French action and mediation on behalf of the Egyptians. As things stand now, it would be accurate to say Egypt had a supporter out of France. Beyond that, there was something France wanted. It was the possibility of building a canal that would go from the Mediterranean into the Red Sea. Such a construction would be a boon for French trade and influence. As such, France is in the midst of gradually increasing its local influence.

The Americas - France doesn’t have the most to say about the Americas, it’s prime in the region gone. But Paris is looking to change that. The Caribbean is an area of interest for France, and the weakness of Spain screams opportunity for French Policy Makers. Beyond that, France enjoys trade with a variety of nations in the region. From Fusang to the Anglo settler colonies, to the nations of Latin America. To that’s the extent, it will protect its trade. One final note is that Mexico seems to be in continual debt to France, to Paris’s displeasure.

Asia - France has generally amicable relationships with the States of Asia. The competition that might drive conflict isn’t really there. However as the world becomes more connected, and trade deepens, the potential for friends in Asia piques the interest of some Policymakers.

Population Info
Brief Description of your people: Born out of the convergence of the Gauls, Romans, and Germanic Franks, the French people are renowned for their scholarship, their cooking, and their love making. The birthplace of Republicanism, French people are divided geographically between the more urbanized and industrial north and the agricultural and rural south, and this divide colors their politics as the South more readily supports the Monarchy while the North, with its largely Bourgeoisie population, is more Liberal, even Republican in Paris.
Religion: France is majority Catholic with minority religions of Protestants, known as Hugeonauts, and Jews.
Main/Accepted Culture(s): French
Other Cultures: Basque, Corsican, Alsatian, Algerian, etc.

Military Info
Army: Armée Royale Française, or Royal Army of France, is the professional army of the French monarchy. Numbering 336,000 enlisted and commissioned soldiers serving in the numbered Regiments of the army. These Regiments can then be organized under Divisions who form Corps, the key units of French Armies. These regiments have three battalions; two of Line infantry, one of Light infantry. Additionally, there are multiple cavalry regiments, which are smaller than their infantry counterparts and usually organized in to brigades, and special units such as the Foreign Legion, a unit of foreign soldiers made by consolidating the foreign regiments of the Bourbon monarchy. Soldiers are equipped with the Charlesville Musket, a smoothbore flintlock typical of the age, and dress in the Blue and Red uniforms made famous by the Napoleon armies with alterations to better fit the new monarchy.

The quality of the French army is much diminished from its Napoleonic heights; after the Bourbon restoration, Napoleonic officers were purged and aristocratic officers appointed in droves. Many enlisted and NCO personnel who had served under Napoleon refused to re-enlist, and many more were forcibly disbanded in the effort of De-Napoleonizing the army in order to protect the monarchy from a coup. Louis-Philippe has made amends with many former Bonapartist officers and has seen a small resurgence in the army, although it is still rife with aristocratic influence and corruption. However, the quality of the equipment and drill of the French army still makes it one of Europe's foremost fighting forces. (Quality - 7)

In addition to the Royal Army, France has the Garde Nationale, a force of mostly well off citizens who volunteered for a type of reserve duty within the Kingdom. Numbering close to 300,000 men organized similarly to the Army; it is almost entirely an infantry formation. A reserve formation that exists to provide for the security of metropolitan France, it exists as an extension of the power of the middle class; wealthy citizens who often clash with the landed and titled aristocracy.

Navy: Quality: 7

La Royale, the French Navy, is an old institution and one that has seen better days. With 22 Ships of the Line, 36 Frigates, 24 Steamships, and many assorted smaller ships; along with over 40,000 enlisted and commissioned persons, the French navy might have lost the ability to butt heads with the British on the seas, but it can still hold it's own. The Navy has made a recovery of sorts from the Napoleonic Wars and is prepared to safeguard French expansion abroad. This is notable in the French Navy’s effective assistance during the French Invasion of Algeria.

Other Info
Economic Strength: 15 - France is a major industrial and agricultural producer and one of Europe's great colonial powers. Ranging from the cloth mills and coal mines of the north to the vineyards and orchards of the south, France is not only a great producer but a great exporter and mercantile nation, doing trade as far west as the Americas and as far east as the Orient.
Development: 17 - The Metropol is a very urbanized and built-up area. With a strong infrastructure of roads, ports, and cities, France is one of Europe's most developed nations, rivaled only by Britain. The north in particular with its strong industrial base is largely built up, with Paris being one of Europes most modern cities.
Public Order: 6 - France has perhaps never been stable since Louis lost his head, but in the year of our lord 1836 France is as stable as it has ever been since the Empire. With the loss of major labor and republican uprisings in 1832 and 1834, the Republican and Radical opposition is mostly sidelined and kept quiet as the public debates now revolve around the fight between the Party of Movement and the Party of Resistance. If the King loses his popularity among the middle class, his main support base, it could turn the public against the monarchy.
Goals: To restore the glory of the Kingdom.

History: Old King Louis lost his head to the mob and up rose a Republic that sparked a continent-wide revolution. In the midst of Chaos, Napoleon rose up and established himself as Emperor of France and ruler of Europe. The grand coalition rose up and defeated him, restoring the Bourbon monarchy only to see Napoleon return briefly until he was defeated once more at Waterloo.

With the Bourbons restored once more, they ruled France with a careful hand until 1830, when they attempted to crack down on the civil liberties of the French press and middle class, leading the National Guard and popular organization to revolt. The Bourbons fled, and the Parliament proclaimed the Duke of Orleans, Louis-Philipe, as the new King of the Orleanist Monarchy of France. Louis-Philipe has based himself largely with the Liberal middle class of the north, although his politics are more centrist and often clash with actual liberal politicians. His popularity among the middle class and non-aristocrats (he is nicknamed "The Citizen-King) has kept him afloat, even in the face of multiple revolts including the 1832 Parisian revolt and others.

Under the rule of Louis-Philipe and his cabinet of ministers, France is currently under the eye of the storm, feeling a sense of calm floating above the underlayer of seething rebellion brewing, and growing resentment of the King by the liberal middle class, that is threating to boil over.
429 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

An original app I worked hard on and did not just steal from Transvaal. May modify it if necessary.

[Tracian Empire]

Everyone knows that Germany's true western border is on the Seine.

[The Palmetto]

Everyone knows that Germany's true western border is on the Rhine.

Couldn't agree more, though I noticed you made a typo, so I went ahead and fixed it for you.

[Greater Liverpool]

Can I take over the Shu?

[The Industrial States of Columbia]

Can I take over the Shu?

Yeah, there is a reference app, feel free to edit that, and we will get you setup. You are on the discord correct?

[Tales of Two Horizons OP]

Roster has been updated, France has been accepted.

[Greater Redosia]

Now what I want to know, is what is everyone's favorite colour in regards to military uniforms. I for one enjoy the greatness that is the colour green, especially for nations like the American Federation.

[The Industrial States of Columbia]

Now what I want to know, is what is everyone's favorite colour in regards to military uniforms. I for one enjoy the greatness that is the colour green, especially for nations like the American Federation.

Gotta be red

[Greater Liverpool]

Generic Info
Nation Name: Great Zhang (State of Shu)
Symbols:
Location: 68
Population: 40.000.000
Capital City: Chengdu
Civilization Status: Great Power

Government Info
Government Type: Absolute bureaucratic empire
Brief Explanation of Government: The Shu government, being the ancient institution carried over from over a thousand years, is a blend of extremely rigid conservatism and desperate attempts at modernization, creating a system that is as arcane and old as it is complex. The sole power rests with the Emperor, which means the ‘constitution’ of Shu can change on a dime. Generally, however, the Empire follows the structure that it has had for over a thousand years. The Empire is run by six Boards, each tasked with particular duties. All these Boards, apart from the Board of War, are run by two presidents, with four secretaries under them. The Board of War, following the Reforms of 1752, has one Grand Marshal at its head, able to make his own decisions and acting as commander in chief in the Emperor’s stead.

In order to become part of the large civil service, one has to complete one of the four levels of the Confucian examinations. The first three levels correspond to the levels of government: local, national, and courtly, with the latter being required in order to hold the highest offices. The fourth examination, implemented in 1813, is separate from the earlier three, and is meant solely for the officer class. It barely goes into the Confucian classics and deals almost exclusively with Sun Tzu and Chinese military history, as well as a simplified writing exam.
Ideology: Reactionary Conservatism, authoritarianism, ever-increasing militarism, isolationism
Leader/s: Huangdi, Son of Heaven, Zhang Bai Mu Lǐ Shì Mín
Relations Shu maintains good diplomatic relations with al neighboring states, only viewing Chu with added suspicion. Over the last 60 years, Shu has attempted to become more of a mediating presence in the region. It has promised on multiple occasions that its militaristic past is over, and that is now seeks amiable diplomatic relations with all Chinese states, as a central figure in an ever-changing web of alliances. The Three Rivers Palace in Chongqing is often visited by foreign dignitaries seeking amicable solutions to their disputes. However, Shu has shown increasing hostility to the Viet, a bordering country which is not viewed as Chinese, and which could provide Shu with a road to the sea it desires.

Population Info
Brief Description of your people: The demographic makeup of Shu is problematic, to say the least. Traditionally, most of the country was made up of an illiterate peasant class. However, over the years, and especially since the rise of the Shu Peace after 1749, an increasingly rich merchant class has begun to gain importance. These merchants gain information from other Chinese states as well as the West, and are often read in both the Confucian classics as well as western works. Being able to pay for preparations for the examinations, these merchant families have increasingly come to dominate the imperial bureaucracy, to the detriment of the ancient landed aristocracy and the lucky peasant here and there who managed to get an imperial grant.

However, both the landed aristocracy and the unlanded peasant class have gained other ways to rise to prominence. Following the reforms of 1752 and 1813, the military has become increasingly meritocratic. No longer is one required to be able to write poetry in order to become an administrator. Rather, simple writing skills, which can be obtained at the new imperial war academy, are enough to pass a simplified test. The officer class, as opposed to the merchant class, is more conservative generally, and while merchants are familiar with western philosophy, the war academy teaches modern techniques and tactics after the French Napoleonic style.

Of course, the landed gentry, still being the richest class, have their own way of exerting their power. While the military and the merchants seek to centralise, the landed aristocracy seeks to decentralize. Some have begun building factories in order to exert their own economic power, only to use that new economic power to build power bases for themselves in their own provinces. This increased wealth has also gained them the ear of multiple Presidents and Court officials, as well as foreign businessmen and even some ambassadors. The international reach of these landed aristocrats goes furthest, and their economic power is set to increase similarly to the merchant class.
Religion: While the are large Christian and (even larger) Muslim presences in the empire, Confucian beliefs still hold overwhelming majorities, and especially Christians are confined to their own separate quarters, where they engage mostly in banking. The Islamic community has had more luck, their sons forming some of the most elite units of the imperial army, including a contingent of the imperial guard.
Main/Accepted Culture(s): Han and Hui, Tibeto-Burman
Other Cultures: Miao-Yao, Tai

Military Info
Army:
Imperial Guard: the Imperial Guard was formed as a compromise following the 1752 Reforms. The two Presidents of the War Board were replaced by a single Marshal, gaining almost total control of all aspects of the military. However, in order to retain political power, the Emperor insisted on maintaining his own personal force, independent of the War Board. These officers would still have to pass the Confucian exams, even after the creation of a separate military exam in 1813. As a result, the Imperial Guard has officers personally loyal to the Emperor, and arch-conservative in their outlook (even less socially progressive than the army). The elite of this guard are formed by the 2.000 man Hui Regiment, a Muslim contingent, and the Household Cavalry, which is almost completely staffed by sons of aristocratic families. The soldiers of these regiments are the best of the best, although their officers fail to have the expertise of their war academy colleagues in the army.

Imperial Army: Confusingly to many foreigners, independent from the Imperial Guard, and largely independent from the Emperor as well. Following the 1952 Reforms, the Imperial Army was placed under the command of the Grand Marshal, who held the Emperor’s authority in matters, making for easier command. Successive Grand Marshals have since then implemented their own reforms. Professionalizing uniforms and command structures, instituting artillery training and the Imperial Topographic Bureau, in charge of strategic decisions. Further, the Imperial Army was made self-sufficient, theoretically able to live off the land they conquer and being highly mobile, in order to prevent another Yellow River disaster. In 1813, reforms by the emperor Napoleon were partially copied, introducing the imperial war academy and the more military-oriented exams, as well as the division structure which made Napoleonic armies mobile. The officers are of very high quality, but the soldiers themselves are still conscript levies, and there is only a small standing army which is tasked with border defense. However, efforts to enlarge the army are thwarted by other factions, especially the Board of Revenue and the Imperial Chancery, which manages international affairs.

Note: the artillery corps is well-trained, but lacks the production of large amounts of modern cannon. Most of their training pieces are ancient.

Quality:
Officers: 8
Soldiers: 6, but lower as more conscripts are raised

Navy: The Shu navy is a branch of the army, and consists of a few river patrol boats and fireships meant to block off the Yangtze. The river is guarded by multiple forts, which is where the true power of the defense lies. The non-existence of a Shu river navy, which could be used offensively, is seen as a prerequisite for the position of Shu as peaceful mediator, and the building of a river fleet would certainly draw international ire.

Other Info
Economic Strength: 10
The Shu Peace has made Shu lands profitable and its commerce flourish. However, it has one of the least industrialized of the Chinese States, and its reactionary policy and opaque bureaucracy only serves to exacerbate these problems. There exists an extremely wealthy upper class, a small merchant middle class and a very large, illiterate peasant class, who are called upon to do most of the labor and serve in the army. Increasingly, they are also made to work in factories, and imported food from more technologically advanced neighbors increasingly makes Shu farming uncompetitive. This, in turn, leads to unrest, as small, luddite militias have begun to spring up, especially among the Miao-Yao minority in the more distant, rural areas. The merchant class, hoping that a wealthy lower class will turn more peasants into consumers, has lobbied for conditions to be improved, especially through the adoption of the modern scientific method in Confucian exams, but the imperial court has eschewed any alteration to the Confucian canon.
Development: 12
The infrastructure of Shu is better than many European states, but it has begun to lag behind. It has not yet shown interest in the adoption of railway, and while the public works system has ensured a stable network of roads, this network is yet insufficient to provide for an industrialized society. Large canals would have to be dug in order to create the necessary infrastructure to fuel the country through the Yangtze river, for instance, and many rural areas are still only connected by dirt roads and dangerous mountain paths. The story goes that some outlying villages have not yet been notified about the collapse of the Ming (although this is hard to believe, most likely an exaggeration).
Public Order: 18
The situation in Shu is outwardly incredible stable. For all its flaws, the reactionary government and its militaristic reforms have contributed to overall order, defeating banditry and creating a unified state. Factionalism is neatly channeled through the person of the Emperor, who seems very capable in managing conflicting interests both abroad and at home, a gift from his departed father. Extremely conservative, the government does its best to stop any rebellious ideas and ideologies from spreading, and is able to root them our firmly wherever they come to the surface. However, more and more, the factionalism is growing beyond the control of the emperor. While still mostly kept to debates in tea houses outside of the capital, the ideas of the French revolution have not failed to cross over to the East, and these whispers lead to even more extreme reactions from the conservatives. The military, meanwhile, seeks to modernize the country without losing its values, and the merchant class seeks to modernize in all aspects as soon as possible. These values cannot coexist for long without strife, and factional disputes and infighting are expected in the near future.
Goals: Various. The Emperor seeks to maintain the Shu Peace, keeping his country neutral and safe. The merchants share the penchant for pacifism, but want to modernize the country rapidly, drawing examples from other Chinese States. The military, however, wants to act more strongly, and secretly many officers want to do away with the Shu Peace entirely in favor of a more expansionist policy, especially at the expense of the Viet.
History:
The first origin of the State of Shu, or the Shu Empire, is laid down in the Romance of the Prince. The story is a classic of literature and known to most in Shu, as it is popularly displayed in theatres and puppet shows alike. It takes place in the mid-15th century and tells the story of prince Tao Shuren, who was out hunting when he came upon a group of bandits. These bandits had captured a maiden, dressed in peasant’s clothes but extremely pretty and fair. With his cunning, using a hollow tree to sound more imposing than the young prince was, Tao Shuren put the bandits to flight. With a single arrow, he killed their leader, and he rescued the girl. Prince Tao quickly learned that the girl was one of the daughters of the emperor, who had recently fled across the sea never to return. Out of gratitude, and having no-one else to go, the princess married Tao, conferring upon him the right to rule All under the Heaven, and gifting him with a simple circlet she had hidden on her person. Thus, the royal family of Shu claims descendance from both the Ming Emperors and Tao Shuren, who would become the national hero of Shu in the coming civil war.

Reality, as always, is more sobering. The princess indeed married Tao Shuren, but the question is whether it was what she wanted. A contingent of soldiers of Tao Shuren overtook her carriage and slayed her guard before she could get to loyal harbours in the south, preventing her escape. In return for her life, she married general Tao Shuren, who was by then already in his thirties. Tao Shuren would play a big role in the civil war to come, eventually carving out for himself a kingdom in the south and calling it Shu. However, with an imperial princess as bride, he indeed claimed the Mandate of Heaven, and much of the coming civil war he spent trying to usurp that throne. He died while his army was besieging Beijing, some say poisoned by his soldiers, others say by the hand of his wife. Anyway, these are the legendary and historical beginnings of the State of Shu, and what would become the Tao Dynasty.

The infant son of Tao Shuren and princess Feng Yaling came to the throne, with his mother reigning in his stead as queen-regent. This was the beginning of the Regents Period, when the position of the emperor was factually split between three people: The emperor himself, who performed most ceremonial duties; the regent, who managed civil affairs, and the Grand Marshal, who had been given control over the army by the late Tao Shuren. This would start internal strife between the army and the civilian government which, in all fairness, would never really subside. The Regents Period lasted between 1480 and 1538, after multiple emperors, regents and marshals had passed. In 1538, the regent, being the emperor’s younger brother, came to the throne suddenly after the emperor died of disease. Instead of retaining the position of regent or promoting a new one, Tao Wen took on the powers of both. In 1540, he stripped the Grand Marshal of his rank and adopted its powers, too, again reinstating the powers of the emperor of old. Tao Wen, who claimed emperorship over all of China, then set about preparing for the unification of China. It was an ambition he would not see through to its end; in 1573, Tao Wen died, leaving grandson Tao Feng to finish his preparations. The young prince, unlike his father (who was skipped over for succession) had been trained as a master administrator and politician, but he wisely left the conduct of war to his able marshals.

The Wars of the Coalition were extremely complex period, stretching over 33 years. There was always some war somewhere going on, but the parties to the different sides, sometimes more than two, shifted dynamically to account for new politics and old rivalries. The era can be roughly defined as ‘a period of war meant to unify China under one banner’, but it often branched off into different conflicts with different goals depending on the leadership. Whatever the case, the war began in 1594 with the Shu invasion of Guang, and the Pearl River Campaign. In the wake of the army, which caught Guang off-guard, came a second army of Confucian bureaucrats, especially to wrest control over the new territories in the name of the Emperor. In this, the very first year of the campaign, the cracks in the strategy were already beginning to show, with whole bureaucracies being overturned in order to bring new provinces in line with regular imperial rule. This meant that conquered territories were extremely inefficiently taxed, and very little troops could be drawn. Already, language differences between the various provinces made it impossible to properly govern the conquered provinces.

From Guang, the armies marched north through Chu towards the old capital at Beijing, with a smaller contingent being ferried over to Taiwan in order to capture what remained of the Ming dynasty, pretenders to the imperial throne. The Min had by then already successfully wrest control over Taiwan, however, and the Ming had fled to Australia. So, this invasion not only drew Min into the war, far before this was acceptable, it also trapped the most elite troops of Shu on the island, unable to pierce the blockade. This also led to Min allying with Chu, laying the groundwork for the First Coalition against Shu. Their combined army was defeated soundly in July 1596 at the Battle of the Grand Lakes and again at the Battle of Red Yangtze, but with large casualties inflicted against the Shu army. This stalled the Grand Imperial Army, which requested that the Emperor give them time to restock and resupply, and give them time to consolidate. However, the Grand Army was too much of an expense not to be used, and could only be realistically equipped through the spoils of war, so there was no way but further. Only the sacking of Beijing could realistically pay all the debts the Emperor had incurred with foreign and domestic investors.

This led to the creation of the Chancery, which was tasked with complex imperial diplomacy. Their task was to create a coalition of friendly states which would help Shu ascend to control the whole of China, in return for vast sums of money and at least nominal independence. A hard sell for the Imperial Faction, which had agreed on a policy of unification without compromise, but the fact remained that without support Shu could not expect to defeat states like Wu and Zhou. Allying finally with North Zhou, Shu defeated a coalition of South Zhou, Wu, the Min fleet and what remained of the Guang forces, which were rallying northwards every time they were defeated. With every victory, Shu was treated more and more like an outcast, and more and more rulers were willing to support the governments-in-exile of the fallen states. North Zhou technically became a tributary state, but inflicted the first major defeat against Shu forces in 1604, when they switched sides on the eve of battle against an Islamic rebellion in Wu.

The war dragged on, with losses and gains, victories and defeats, conquests and rebellions and betrayals and even marriages, until 1626. Finally, in what seemed like the final victory, Shu forces under the command of young commander Zhang Xianzhong, with their South Zhou and Min allies (who had been given back Taiwan and additional Chinese holdings as compensation) finally bested the walls of Beijing. They sacked the city wholesale, with the old capital descending into chaos. The Min, who had parked their fleet nearby, were able to get most of the treasure, while Shu and Zhou soldiers began slaughtering one another. It was a complete disaster, and the already famished besiegers found that all food in the city had been eaten or burned. They killed the civilians, slew the horses, and put whatever treasure they could find on hand carts to be transported back to Shu. The Min broke their alliance on the way back, taking the treasure for themselves, and the Zhou scattered into the countryside to pick off Shu units on their long march home. While marching back, the rest of China joined the Last Coalition, which meant the army of Zhang had to make a fighting retreat. Most soldiers never even saw battle, deserting and buying up farmland with their personal treasure, never to be heard from again. Some wealth landowners all through China descend from these deserters, although no noble wears it proudly.

Zhang finally returned to Shu with not a tenth of his army, and only enough treasure to pay them for their troubles. When the Coalition armies closed in on Shu, the Emperor denounced his claims on the Imperial Throne unconditionally. Only some clever manoeuvring on the part of Zhang, making his army seem larger than it actually was, saved the country from invasion and destruction. The treaty, the Peace of the Three Rivers, signed at the secondary imperial palace, would form the basis for diplomacy in China for the next century. The Emperor had to pay a huge sum, and give up the imperial regalia, for safekeeping abroad. The regalia were scattered, and would never be brought together again in a single collection. Meanwhile, the Emperor had his own trouble. Deeply in debt, he had to sell imperial lands to landowners in order to keep at least some liquidity, although the imperial finances forced him to sell the lands at large discounts, especially to veterans. More and more, the imperial bureaucracy could simply not be maintained, with local warlords taking over these affairs. Banditry by veterans made these warlords even more important, their military experience required to keep the peace. The power of the Emperor slipped to the capital, and even there he could not extend his grasp fully. Eventually, the creditors got to him, and placed the imperial household under observation.

While the warlords could abide by some decentralised power, it was a step too far to see bankers and merchants control the Emperor. Powerless was fine, but a puppet Emperor they could not accept. Some warlords followed Weng, the Warlord of the East, who represented one of the most ancient families of Shu. They traced back their ancestry to the entourage of Prince Shuren and the Tao, giving them some imperial legitimacy. However, Weng was old, and some others supported Zhang Xianzhong, the Warlord of the West. Civil strife followed, and according to the Ballad of Zhang Xianzhong, Zhang eventually killed Weng in single combat. This would not have been difficult, as Weng Xiu was 75 at the time the civil war ended with his death. The Imperial Family fell into the hands of Zhang, who first styled himself as the Imperial Protector and Grand Marshal, reviving that old title from over a century before. However, the merchant faction could not be placated, and machinations to get to the Emperor continued. Therefore, Zhang finally had them killed along with the leaders of the merchant faction, taking a distant cousin as a concubine and taking the imperial title for himself. Had this happened at any other time, this would be cause for civil war, but the country was depleted, his enemies were already defeated, and the country was ready for a competent, peaceful ruler.

Zhang proved himself in the years following. His reputation as a sacker of cities kept the capital at rest while he reformed the government and introduced much-needed modernisations. He reduced the size of the bureaucracy, which had until then been adequate to rule the whole of China, and gave some limited legal powers to his warlord-allies, while appointing military governors to the more unruly provinces. Eventually, however, these positions became one, and Zhang slowly destroyed the power of the landed nobility by appointing military governors in their stead. Zhang also introduced coinage and unified measurements that were more useful to the governing of Shu. Most importantly, he began hosting international conferences at the Three Rivers Palace, thereby recognising the sovereignty of the other nations. These were all to happy to accept his rule over Shu if it entailed their own recognition, while Zhang strengthened his foreign trade relations and secured a steady revenue stream. The Chancery became focused on diplomacy again, and supported many conferences held in the palace, as well as keeping track of the many treaties signed there.

Zhang also hosted the Conference of the Coalition, a sort of proto-league of nations. While the idea never really got off the ground, it did create an idea of the Chinese nations having at least some unity beyond sharing a former government, and it would herald a century in which cultural collaboration was more important than conquest in Chinese politics.


429 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

[The Industrial States of Columbia]

snip

I might change up the history a bit, specifically the part about north and south zhou's separation (they weren't separate till the civil war) and add a little blurb about Shu's later history. Provided you add those, you are accepted.

[The Palmetto]

Now what I want to know, is what is everyone's favorite colour in regards to military uniforms. I for one enjoy the greatness that is the colour green, especially for nations like the American Federation.

Gotta be red

Blue for me.

[Intermountain States]

Now what I want to know, is what is everyone's favorite colour in regards to military uniforms. I for one enjoy the greatness that is the colour green, especially for nations like the American Federation.

I prefer blue myself. That being said, I am biased towards olive green if we're talking about colors of military uniforms in general instead of just being limited to early 19th century warfare.

[Fossia]

Now what I want to know, is what is everyone's favorite colour in regards to military uniforms. I for one enjoy the greatness that is the colour green, especially for nations like the American Federation.

Green wins out for me. Really love them old russian uniforms:



Although I must say the White and Blue color scheme of the french and austrians in the 1700s was pretty damn nice too.

[Zedeshia]

For me it is between grey and dark blue, similar to those used by Prussian forces in the 19th century.

[The Industrial States of Columbia]

For me it is between grey and dark blue, similar to those used by Prussian forces in the 19th century.

Greyish teal is one I forgot, but yeah, dark blue is def a good one.

[The Surge Empire]

Alrighty, Application for Qian is done, largely stolen from the original application so hopefully everything should be good. As always let me know of anything i need to fix.

Generic Info
Nation Name: Empire of the Great Qian
Symbols: Flag
Location: 72
Population: 48,000,000
Capital City: Beijing
Civilization Status: Great Power

Government Info
Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
Brief Explanation of Government: In part a run-of-the-mill Confucian-style Chinese monarchy, but with some European characteristics diffused through Russia. Notably, that the Beijing Church has ingratiated itself into the political life of the country, so that the Patriarch (usually) has the ear of the Emperor.
Ideology: Conservative Orthodoxy, neoconfucianism, absolutism
Leader/s: Emperor Leontius, given name Biru Jiànshēn
Relations Qian's strongest ally and biggest trading partner is certainly Tsarist Russia, the 'big brother' from which Qian adopted the Orthodox Church. On-again, off-again relations with the Mughals, with whom Qian has both traded peacefully and skirmished over the Pamirs. Guarded neutrality towards Joseon after the status quo ante bellum conclusion to their 1817-1821 war. Historically, Qian has remained aloof of the affairs of the Chinese states, but has taken a more active role in the past half century, and may yet intervene in Zhou's civil war in order to establish its sphere of influence in the north. Commercial relationships ongoing with the Dutch and British.

Population Info
Brief Description of your people:
Religion: Qian has been a Christian state since the adoption of Eastern Orthodoxy by the Emperor Biru Taiji in 1652. At present, a little under half the population follows the Beijing Church, although the Qian continue to proselytize the faith, though less brutally than they did before. Most of the common people who follow Orthodoxy have incorporated some elements of traditional Chinese folk religion (such as ancestor reverance) into the new faith, a phenomenon which the emperors have indulged in the name of conversion. About a third of Qian subjects follow Tibetan Buddhism, especially in Outer Mongolia. Most of the remainder profess Sunni Islam, a faith with a far more turbulent and violent relationship to the Qian state. Persecution of Muslims has continued on and off for some time, with the Chang'an Massacre of 1743 capping one of the most egregious and brutal internal campaigns against them. The current emperor, Leontius, has scaled back the violence, but Islam is still not widely tolerated in the Empire.
hodox Main/Accepted Culture(s): Manchu, Han, Mongol
Other Cultures: Hui, Uyghur, Tibetan

Military Info
Army: The Army of Qian is among China's largest and most powerful, with 450,000 active troops. Though it has taken well over a century, and several defeats, for the banner-style traditional army to be reformed into a western-style war machine, it seems the empire has finally arrived in this regard. Qian troops are drilled relentlessly in modern tactics until they are capable of switching maneuvers on a dime. And though the Army's armaments are perhaps not the most cutting-edge to be found on Earth, they are certainly on par with much of Europe, thanks to the efforts of the Qian emperors to develop an organic arms industry, with Russian help. While issues of aristocratic patronage might still sometimes hamper the promotion of the most deserving officers, new practices in recruitment have clamped down on the problem to some degree. One relic of the past that the Army has found more useful to retain than discard is the use of Mongol cavalry, who now rain fire down on the enemy with carabines rather than bows before closing with the blade, shrieking all the while.

Of the regular army, the most elite troops of the empire are the Kheshig regiments, elite shock troops that have evolved from the old Imperial Guard. Although some Kheshig still guard the Emperor's person and family at all times, the corps has expanded to 50,000 men. These soldiers are taken from only the most exceptional candidates of the regular regiments, then drilled still further until they are deemed ready. The timely deployment of the Kheshig has turned the tide of many a battle and siege for the Qian emperors.

If necessary, the efficient Qian bureaucracy could theoretically squeeze out another nearly half-million peasant militia, but militia units are always poorly armed and have far inferior morale and leadership as compared to the regular army, so this would only be an action of the very last resort, if the empire faced an existential invasion.

In sum, the Army has evolved into a powerful, modern force. Its weapons are not the most advanced in the world, but its size, discipline and training regimes make Great Qian the supreme power in North China. 7.5/10.

Navy: 45,000 men, including 8,000 Marines. Qian is a land, not a naval power, so it has few maritime ambitions beyond the ability to prevent a foreign power from blockading the coast. The Navy has developed modern ship design from the Dutch and is even more the province of meritocracy than the Army, however it is held back by the relative unimportance of maritime culture in the empire, which has contributed to the small size of the officer corps. Additionally, budgetary priority is always given to the Army, which has always been the real hammer of the Emperor. 5/10.

Naval Yards at Tianjin: 14 ships of the line, 10 frigates
Naval Yards at Zhaocheng (OTL Vladivostok): 6 ships of the line, 7 frigates, 1 steam vessel

Other Info
Economic Strength: 12 - In the field of industrialization, Great Qian is a little behind most of the Chinese powers but is rapidly catching up, helped along to some degree by Russian expertise. The Empire may not have quite as much or as modern infrastructure as some of the southern states in the aggregate, but massive deposits of coal and iron, as well as a large labor force, ensure that Qian has a strong manufacturing capability, one that gets stronger with every passing year. In a handful of years, the court mandarins project, the empire will be able to churn out arms and munitions at an incredible rate. On the commercial front, overland trade with Russia and maritime trade with the Dutch, British and Japanese has contributed to the recent growth of a mercantile, somewhat educated bourgeoisie class. Still, there remains much room for growth and improvement. Most of Qian is still overwhelmingly rural, and the nomadic populations of some outlying provinces do not participate in the modern economy to the extant that they could.

Development: 12 - There are two Qians: one is a modern, industrialized state with well-developed infrastructure. The other Qian is representative of a remote, rural backwater that has yet to depart the middle ages in some regions. Generally, the Empire's development depends on its proximity to the coast and to the rest of China; the southern borderlands, Beijing, and much of Manchuria are linked by a web of well-kept imperial highways. Qian's port facilities are among the most advanced in East Asia, though not the largest. Urbanization proceeded slowly for much of the 18th century, but has erupted in the past twenty or so years. In remote provinces, however, such as Dzungaria, Outer Mongolia and the regions north of the Amur, many folk still keep to the nomadic lifestyle. A casual traveler might have no inkling that he was in a large, autocratic state.

Public Order: 15 - No dynasty is ever devoid of bad rulers - however, the Qian have been lucky to only have a handful. Historically, the dynasty has prided itself on good governance and the ability to balance the Empire's diverse ethnic groups without too much violence or undue brutality. On the question of religious toleration, the Christian emperors have been very indulgent of the Buddhist population and of traditional Chinese folk religion, even giving the former full toleration in the 1804 Hohhot Declaration. State attitudes towards the Muslim population have varied from ruler to ruler, but have turned sour in the last twenty years. Qian's Confucian-style bureaucracy is as ingrained as any other Chinese state, however the Emperors have imported a particularly useful Russian innovation: the secret police. The Xizuo are the Emperor's personal intelligence and police force, having become very adept at infiltrating dissenting groups and either exposing them or misdirecting their efforts.
Goals: Establish influence/dominance in northern China, vassalize or conquer Tibet, contain Joseon, industrialize further, promote expansion of Chinese Orthodoxy, become the Dominant Chinese Power, someday

History:

The tale of Great Qian begins with the Manchu clan called the Biru, who had prospered as generals in the service of the Ming since the mid 15th-century. When the Ming collapse began, the Biru fled to their power base along the Amur and founded a modest kingdom.

The Biru reemerged in the early 17th century, when they took advantage of the chaos caused by the Wars of the Coalition to sweep across Northern China. After subjugating the Khalka, Biru Nikan took his Manchu-Mongol army and invaded southern Manchuria and Inner Mongolia, taking Chifeng and Hohhot and making the latter his temporary capital. The North was divided into many small feudal states, some of which were already overextended by the titanic struggle against Shu. Over the next several years, Nikan conducted campaigns in all directions, conquering Outer Mongolia in 1624 and seizing Gansu two years later. In 1630, his victorious army entered Beijing after a lengthy siege, conferring on the clan instantaneously the legitimacy and authority of a Chinese dynasty.

Nikan adopted the dynastic name 'Qian,' giving name to his growing empire. He would spend much of the rest of his reign in the field, expanding his realm's borders to the east and west. In his later life, Nikan encountered and then befriended Russian Orthodox missionaries from Moscow, allowing into his burgeoning court a great deal of Christian and Western influences. He ultimately rejected the faith, though, finding it too meek for his purposes.

His nephew and successor, Biru Taiji, saw the value in being linked culturally with Europe through the Christian faith. Visits to Moscow and Kiev in 1650 confirmed this for him. In 1652, Taiji was baptized in the Yellow River, professing that the Orthodox faith would now be the Empire's. He never took a Christian name, but would become one of the faith's fiercest proponents.

Orthodoxy met with dogged resistance at first. It began to take root more organically when much of the Manchu nobility revolted in 1663. Taiji defeated the rebels and put each of the clan's unruly men to the sword, allowing for thousands of aristocratic Manchu children to be baptized and brought up in the faith. Once the first local Chinese Archdiocese was established in Beijing, the faith began to spread more easily, having acquired the legitimacy of the state religion.

The House of Biru Christianized itself, but only sinicized to the extent that was necessary to rule the empire. The Emperors retained their Manchu given names and took a saint's name upon ascending to the throne. As Tsarist Russia grew more powerful in the West, so to did Qian grow in the East, the two powers exchanging and adopting each other's customs and technologies as suited their needs. Russian missionaries were essential for the training of a native Chinese clergy, and for peacefully converting as much of the populace as possible. Peter the Great's military advisers helped to bring the Qian roughly in line with European standards of the day - the banner armies were disbanded, western-style regiments formed, and a strict meritocracy imposed on the officer corps, on pain of death. There were learning curves along the way: Qian attempted to invade Shu in the 1730s and was soundly trounced; but the army took those lessons and applied them admirably, forcing the introduction of modern field artillery. An abortive naval invasion of Japan in 1761 prompted the Navy to abandon the junk and adopt modern frigate designs from the Dutch. Border wars and skirmishes with Joseon, Tibet and even the Mughals provided a low-stakes proving ground where Qian's burgeoning army could test out the newest tactics and technologies, discarding what failed and keeping whatever brought victory. Without really fighting a major, existential war for the past sixty years, Qian nonetheless entered the realm of a great power

All the while, the Empire's expansion continued apace against Turkic peoples to the west and nomads to the north. Wherever recently conquered peoples became troublesome, the state brought in Han settlers to balance out regional demographics until Qian authority became accepted, even appreciated in some places. The clergy would soon follow the army and the settlers, forming an effective pattern of conquest->pacification->conversion, until even Kashgar, at the western frontier, sported an Orthodox cathedral, completed in 1810.

Save for the 1817-1821 war against Joseon, Great Qian under Emperor Leontius has practiced diplomacy, not war. But with the Zhou Civil War threatening to spill over into the rest of central China, the incentive to intervene and establish a permanent sphere of influence may be too great to resist. And it was, Qian would intervene and Zhou would be united again, with South Zhou being the victor. However Qian Peacekeepers would remain

429 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

Also on the Subject of Uniform Colors, i like a good red or green