Point of Divergence V 5.0 : It's Alive! (OOC / OPEN)

[Speyland]

Actually, we can't accept you. Your application is seen as a shitpost, and your poor grammar shows. Denied.

that's fine. wasn't expecting it to be. just playing with the idea as i thought i had understood it. but yes, also not a good gamer.
being a "good gamer" seems to require a very different perspective on imagination then mine. something a bit more mundane obviously.

Yeah, well, I think you should improve on your grammar, and once you did, you can take part in this. Other than that, better luck next time.

[Speyland]

Reservation App

Name of country reserved: Smart Brain State of the Baltics
Territory: Mainly the Baltics, reaching Prussia (a map is preferable)

(Image)

Accepted.

[Speyland]

Now it's my time to shine! Here's my reservation application.

Name of country reserved: Republic of Fortlandia
Territory: Isle of Man

You’re the OP, and you opt for an island in the English Channel? Not criticising you, but there’s a lot more OTL land and probably ATL land for you to take.

Well, I do feel like my nation is a little isolated, and it would be challenging for expansion to come by. I think I might have to change my reservation for China to be near to my neighbors. I'm not sure at the moment.

[Hanovereich]

Full Nation Name : Federated Union of Australia
Short Nation Name : Australia
Flag / National Symbols: Flag

Government Type : Federated totalitarian republic
Official Political Ideology : Nationalism
Head of State : President Joseph Bennett
Head of Government : N/A
Government Description : A dictatorial regime, all power lays in the hands of the President, who shares it with the Federal Council of the State- equivalent to a cabinet in OTL democracies. The legislature is split into the Senate and the National Chamber, and all members are non-partisan, elected by meaningless elections that have results decided months before the election. There is no official judiciary. The National Court decides all legal matters, and is the closest thing we have to a court of last appeal.

Territory : Australia (excluding Tasmania)
Territorial Ambitions : Literally the whole world. But for now, Southeast Asia, up to probably Japan.
Capital City : Sydney is the official capital. It's part of the Sydney Capital Region. It has a population of around 2 million.
Population : 28,000,000

Majority/Official Culture : Australians, with a significant number being indigenous (majority being Aboriginals).

Majority/State Religion : Christianity makes up 52% of the population (35% Catholic, 13% Protestant, 4% Other), followed by Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Major Industries / Economic sectors: Mining and automobile manufacturing
Amount of Industrialization : As much as they were in the 1940s. That's to say, a lot of factories, a lot of agriculture, and a lot of Westernization.
Economic Description : The west of Australia depends on an agrarian economy, with the main industrial center there being Perth. The east is extremely industrialized, and it is there that much of the trade happens. However, the country's economy is centered on the coast, with the inland being agriculture. We are, however, slowly moving more cities into these areas.

Technological Level : Equivalent to Canada or Britain in the 1930s/1940s. We have most of the Western developments.
Magic and other shenanigans? (If any exists) :

Military Description

Army: The Federal Australian Army has its roots centuries ago, but it started forming in the mid-1900s. By the 21st century, it had fully modernized, but then it sort of just stopped. It's now about 10 years in the past, but has a sizable modern armory made up of tanks, APCs, IFVs and the like. Small yet professional, it relies on its vehicles to win a battle. Conscription has only been introduced in the past few years, and has only really been enforced in the last few months.

Navy: As an island nation, the country invests heavily in the Navy. It was recently merged into the Coast Guard, to get a much larger fleet. Over 40 patrol vessels, 10 frigates, 15 corvettes, 7 cruisers and a lot more smaller ships. We're even trying to get an aircraft carrier. (But that's currently failing. Badly. Extremely badly.)

Air Force: Smaller, yet better equipped. Luckily, the air force did not stall on New Year's Day 2000, and did not watch as the rest of the world found new equipment. Instead, it learnt from the rest of the world, and now has over 300 aircraft, with the majority being fighters or bombers. Most of them are from the United States or Europe, and we are just starting to domestically produce transport aircraft.


National Goals : Take over Asia, and improve the economy. Also build up its military to become a formidable force.


History : During the Second World War, Australia suffered immense casualties, and some questioned their loyalty to London. So, when a totally-not-a-Japanese-sympathizer told everybody that Japan was about to invade, the people had enough. In a revolution that stunned everybody (except, suspiciously, Japan), Australia declared independence from the British Empire on 16 November, 1943.

Despite what most people believed, Australia actually did pretty well. Under a democratic government, infrastructure was improved, West and East were connected, and diplomatic negotiations occurred with Japan, so that they would receive more aid in exchange for relinquishing control of New Guinea. Their GDP skyrocketed, and everybody was happy. This period, from 1943 to 1960, has been called 'The Great Times'.

But, in 1960, the Fascist Movement of The Pacific began to grow. In the year's election, it got 25 seats- an increase from 0 seats 4 years earlier. They got a 25-seat increase. (This may be explained by the fact that the party was formed in 1959, but anyway...) In 1962, after they started riots in Sydney, Canberra and Perth, they overthrew the government in a coup, which lasted only a few days. They spread propaganda of the government's secret (and non-existent) plans, including invading Japan again, rejoining the Empire, and moving away from the prosperous Americas. The Federated Union was formally recognized by the world on 2 June 1960.

RP Sample: There is more, but one will do
#POD 3 (don't remove this!)

[Speyland]

Full Nation Name : Federated Union of Australia
Short Nation Name : Australia
Flag / National Symbols: Flag

Government Type : Federated totalitarian republic
Official Political Ideology : Nationalism
Head of State : President Joseph Bennett
Head of Government : N/A
Government Description : A dictatorial regime, all power lays in the hands of the President, who shares it with the Federal Council of the State- equivalent to a cabinet in OTL democracies. The legislature is split into the Senate and the National Chamber, and all members are non-partisan, elected by meaningless elections that have results decided months before the election. There is no official judiciary. The National Court decides all legal matters, and is the closest thing we have to a court of last appeal.

Territory : Australia (excluding Tasmania)
Territorial Ambitions : Literally the whole world. But for now, Southeast Asia, up to probably Japan.
Capital City : Sydney is the official capital. It's part of the Sydney Capital Region. It has a population of around 2 million.
Population : 28,000,000

Majority/Official Culture : Australians, with a significant number being indigenous (majority being Aboriginals).

Majority/State Religion : Christianity makes up 52% of the population (35% Catholic, 13% Protestant, 4% Other), followed by Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Major Industries / Economic sectors: Mining and automobile manufacturing
Amount of Industrialization : As much as they were in the 1940s. That's to say, a lot of factories, a lot of agriculture, and a lot of Westernization.
Economic Description : The west of Australia depends on an agrarian economy, with the main industrial center there being Perth. The east is extremely industrialized, and it is there that much of the trade happens. However, the country's economy is centered on the coast, with the inland being agriculture. We are, however, slowly moving more cities into these areas.

Technological Level : Equivalent to Canada or Britain in the 1930s/1940s. We have most of the Western developments.
Magic and other shenanigans? (If any exists) :

Military Description

Army: The Federal Australian Army has its roots centuries ago, but it started forming in the mid-1900s. By the 21st century, it had fully modernized, but then it sort of just stopped. It's now about 10 years in the past, but has a sizable modern armory made up of tanks, APCs, IFVs and the like. Small yet professional, it relies on its vehicles to win a battle. Conscription has only been introduced in the past few years, and has only really been enforced in the last few months.

Navy: As an island nation, the country invests heavily in the Navy. It was recently merged into the Coast Guard, to get a much larger fleet. Over 40 patrol vessels, 10 frigates, 15 corvettes, 7 cruisers and a lot more smaller ships. We're even trying to get an aircraft carrier. (But that's currently failing. Badly. Extremely badly.)

Air Force: Smaller, yet better equipped. Luckily, the air force did not stall on New Year's Day 2000, and did not watch as the rest of the world found new equipment. Instead, it learnt from the rest of the world, and now has over 300 aircraft, with the majority being fighters or bombers. Most of them are from the United States or Europe, and we are just starting to domestically produce transport aircraft.


National Goals : Take over Asia, and improve the economy. Also build up its military to become a formidable force.


History : During the Second World War, Australia suffered immense casualties, and some questioned their loyalty to London. So, when a totally-not-a-Japanese-sympathizer told everybody that Japan was about to invade, the people had enough. In a revolution that stunned everybody (except, suspiciously, Japan), Australia declared independence from the British Empire on 16 November, 1943.

Despite what most people believed, Australia actually did pretty well. Under a democratic government, infrastructure was improved, West and East were connected, and diplomatic negotiations occurred with Japan, so that they would receive more aid in exchange for relinquishing control of New Guinea. Their GDP skyrocketed, and everybody was happy. This period, from 1943 to 1960, has been called 'The Great Times'.

But, in 1960, the Fascist Movement of The Pacific began to grow. In the year's election, it got 25 seats- an increase from 0 seats 4 years earlier. They got a 25-seat increase. (This may be explained by the fact that the party was formed in 1959, but anyway...) In 1962, after they started riots in Sydney, Canberra and Perth, they overthrew the government in a coup, which lasted only a few days. They spread propaganda of the government's secret (and non-existent) plans, including invading Japan again, rejoining the Empire, and moving away from the prosperous Americas. The Federated Union was formally recognized by the world on 2 June 1960.

RP Sample: There is more, but one will do
#POD 3 (don't remove this!)

Accepted.

[Hanovereich]

When will the IC be up?

[Speyland]

When will the IC be up?

When we have at least seven players accepted, the IC will be up. Otherwise, I'm not exactly sure for now.

[The V O I D]

Full Nation Name: The Carthaginian Empire
Short Nation Name: Carthage
Flag / National Symbols: Imperial Standard/Flag c. 200 AFC (After the First Coming). The Coat of Arms is centered in the Imperial Standard/Flag.

Government Type: Federal parliamentary republic with direct democratic elements
Official Political Ideology: Capitalism/Mercantilism.
Head of State: The Sufetes (“Judges” / “Magistrates”; think Roman “Consuls”) are Adara Kohen and Amichai Amos, and theoretically co-heads of state in representing Carthage and its interests; in reality, all power truly lies with the Adirim (“Supreme Council”).
Head of Government: The Adirim collectively act as heads of government as a legislative and executive body in one, appointing the Sufetes and granting them their power.
Government Description: The Imperial Government of Carthage is rather unique in that, unlike their former rivals in Rome, they did not abandon their republican principles; rather, they devolved further in terms of their power. In spite of this, the Carthaginian model proved superior. Carthage's Adirim governs the city itself and the entirety of the Empire, overseeing disputes between provinces, seeing to cooperation with the elected military generals/commanders and officers, etc.

Province-level adirim exist, but only govern their provinces/capital cities and are answerable to Carthage to some degree or another. However, to pass supreme Imperial Law, the city of Carthage writes the laws in the Adirim and then proposes them at Popular Assemblies. Approval must be met at all Popular Assemblies of all provincial capitals, including Carthage itself. Once this is accomplished, the Imperial Law is now supreme over the entirety of the Empire. The Adirim and Rab-manahet (elected generals/military officials) cooperate to enforce the law, enforce internal or external trade agreements, and have ultimate authority over disputes, more general governance, and creating alliances/trade agreements with foreign nations.

Terms for members of all offices range from five to ten years under Carthage's current constitution, with the exception of the Rab-manahet, who are only elected once and can only be removed from power by Adirim proclamation. This is to ensure military command is consistent and does not put inexperienced people into power over the military; combined with some level of experience in military affairs being required to run for election into said offices, the Adirim and Sufetes need never fear a coup.

Territory: The light blue.
Territorial Ambitions: Carthaginians wish to reclaim their homeland/holy land, the land of their progenitors in Old Phoenicia/Judea. Otherwise, they have all the territory they want.
Capital City: Carthage (Carthage, Tunisia).
Population: Approx. 50 million people.

Majority/Official Culture: Carthaginian (and, to some extent, Old Phoenician as well as Judean.)

Majority/State Religion: While it is not a state religion and defacto freedom of religion exists, the vast majority of people are apart of the Messianic Judaic Temple; the calendar system is even based on the idea of the “First Coming” of the Messiah. The Messianic Jews originated in the Kingdom of Judea, which was assisted by Carthage in maintaining its independence against all odds because of their common Semitic heritage. According to Temple doctrine, in Judea, a man called Yeshua was revealed to be the Messiah after managing to fulfill a number of messianic prophecies - but as he did not fulfill them all, it was believed that the First Coming was merely the way that The Lord used the Messiah to start humanity's salvation and redemption, and that a Second Coming would complete it and humanity would be saved.

However, the Judaic Temples of the time did not accept this new belief among their number; the Kingdom of Judea became divided, and eventually, the Jews were banished from their homeland when it was invaded. The Messianic Jews sought refuge in Carthage, and were welcomed; with many Carthaginians able to be converted as a result of the ideas propagated by Messianic Jews (as the First Coming and the promise of a Second was seen as a sign that the non-evangelical nature of Judaism needed to change). Ever since, Carthage and much of the territory under its authority have become Messianic Jews, awaiting the Second Coming and believing that it is their duty to someday reclaim Judea.

Major Industries / Economic sectors: Carthage itself has a variety of industries, with none too large to be notable; indeed, the Empire predominantly seems to gain its power from trade.
Amount of Industrialization: Only the major cities of the Empire are in the early stages of industrialization, including Carthage proper.
Economic Description: Think mid-late 1800s capitalism/industrial revolution capitalism.

Technological Level: Imagine mid-late 1800s Britain.
Magic and other shenanigans?: Some level of steampunk technology going on.

Military Description

Army: The Carthaginian Imperial Military is a fierce force on land, made up of both professional battalions/legions and mercenary auxiliaries paid handsomely for their loyalty to the Empire. They are commanded by those elected into high command positions, and usually said generals/high commanders are loyal to the ideas of the Empire and former soldiers who were elected by their fellow soldiers or citizenry that were impressed by their service. Approximately 200,000+ professional legionnaires exist, with an additional approximate 500,000+ auxiliaries.

Navy: The Carthaginian Imperial Navy is to the Imperial Military as a professionally trained tank operation team within their vessel is to a single soldier only armed with a sword. That is, the Navy is Carthage's pride and joy, and is probably the most powerful Navy on its world. Carthaginian trade ships, protected by the Navy, control the western Mediterranean and heavily influence trade in the eastern Mediterranean; let alone trade throughout the various seas surrounding them. Like the Military, the Navy has elected officials that formerly served among them in charge. The Navy has approximately 400,000+ loyal sailors/soldiers among its ranks, with an additional 700,000+ auxiliaries.

Air Force: The Imperial Air Navy is made predominantly of airships, a rather novel and new invention utilizing the most current steam technologies. Its newness means it is predominantly used to reinforce the Navy or the Military rather than as an assault force itself. Nonetheless, no other Air Navies existed on the world Carthage came from; and so Carthage ruled the skies unopposed in their time. With around 10,000+ loyal airmen and 20,000+ auxiliaries, the Air Navy's airship fleet was well manned and ready to prove itself.


National Goals: Reconquer Judea eventually; continue asserting their dominance whenever/wherever possible.


History: The Carthaginian Empire gains its origins as a colony of Old Phoenicia. To make a long story very short, Carthage won its wars against the Romans; and with that victory, became the uncontested power over the Mediterranean Sea. This power allowed Carthage to grow and expand its control over coastal regions and some level of inland territories, including most of the old Roman peninsula. Carthage's riches allowed them to use their professionally trained legions (inspired by Rome), as well as auxiliaries and mercenary forces/hired armies, to assist their ally in the Kingdom of Judea to remain independent. While Judea was not quite Phoenician, they were Semitic, and thus were likened to cousins of Carthage.

As the centuries went by, Carthage and Judea continued their mutually prosperous relationship - that is, until, Judea became divided as a result of religious upheaval/changes. The King and his people, who were Messianic converts, fled from Judea as the Kingdom was invaded and the people were divided among themselves. The Great Migration, as it was called, allowed for the King and his people to slowly convert the city of Carthage that gave them refuge; and, eventually, the Empire was now heeding the faith of Messianic Judaism (as opposed to Orthodox Judaism, which could occasionally be found in pockets of the Empire or having fled to elsewhere in Europa).

The Carthaginian Empire has attempted multiple times to reconquer Judea, to no avail. Eventually, the Empire found itself balking at the power and speed with which the early Muslim state under its prophet-emperor, Muhammad, rose and conquered all the land in the eastern Mediterranean. Much debate was had in the Adirim, but, finally, one of the Sufetes of the time named Abraham received permission to from the Adirim to go forth and commit diplomacy with the Arabs. A tentative relationship was established, in which a new deal was struck: the Carthaginian Empire would engage in free trade with Muhammad's empire and allow free practice of religion in its territory; in turn, Muhammad would allow the same and allow pilgrimage of Jews to Judea, especially to Jerusalem.

These acts, as well as others taken by early Jewish and Muslim leaders, solidly established that all Children of Abraham (as the Judaic and Islamic faiths were both Abrahamic) were to be staunch allies, even if they disagreed on matters with regard to YHWH/Allah. The most major point of contention between them would be the matter of Judea, which despite having yet to be resolved, has not led to outright war yet.

The Carthaginian Empire's power continued to grow, even as nation-states began slowly consolidating in northern and western Europa independently of their intervention. But they were definitively unable to compete with Carthage's power, or the power of the various Islamic empires of the east. Islam would eventually find its way into northern-central and eastern Europe, despite the Islamic empires never truly conquering the territories. Carthage's Messianic Judaism, as well as Orthodox Judaism, meanwhile, would find itself spreading in western and southern Europe.

When the Empire discovered steam power among other things, and slowly began industrializing, they were vastly able to continue their expansion of control over their territory and their power. The Plague that briefly swept through Europa did not cause much damage to Carthage's interests, mostly because of advanced medicine and cooperation between Carthaginian authorities and the Islamic dynasty of the time. The Carthaginian Empire stood in the 'modern' day of 1500 AFC as the most powerful nation in Europa, if not the world. And its republican idealism, along with the faith basis for it, inspired most of the Western World - with the political axis on this world in the West ranging from plutocratic/oligarchic republicanism at its most conservative to true Carthaginian democratic republicanism at its most liberal as of the 'current day'.

In the East, however, most of the world's politics range from influenced by Islamic religion/authority/ideas with more subtle Western influence or else from the influence of the still-extant Great Qing and its various ideas/religions. There has been no need to explore what is West of Europa/across the sea, as generally the Long Peace has gone on uninterrupted - with everyone benefiting economically from it.

RP Sample: An example post:

The Imperial Palace
The City of Carthage
Tenth Day of Sivan, 1500 After the First Coming
The Carthaginian Empire

There was a light buzzing sound going through Sufete Amichai's head as the Adirim debated their next actions. Truth be told, he believed that his fellow Sufete, Adara, was suffering a headache as well. That poor woman. She was one of the few women elected by the Adirim into the position of Sufete; it had been a number of decades since the last one. Usually, they were elected by the more oligarchic elements of the Adirim, from wealthy and influential families who had no young sons to charm their way into this august office. But Amichai did not begrudge her this; after all, he owed his current situation to his father. The Adirim, while elected by the people to some degree or another, still took frequent donations and were influenced by their family and family politics as much as they were the will of the people.


“I call for order,” Adara's tired voice finally called out, an authoritative tone. But the buzz of conversations among the Adirim did not stop. “I said, I call for order!”


“We both call for order! It is time to begin this session of the Adirim, on the Third Day of Sivan, in the Fifteen Hundredth Year After the First Coming,” Amichai called out as well, adding his voice to Adara's. Finally, the Adirim quieted. Adara looked at him gratefully, to which he inclined his head.


“To begin, then,” Adara spoke, clearing her throat, “today, We, the Sufetes you have so generously elected, are here to open the discussion as to whether we shall send envoys during this year's Pilgrimage to Judea in order to negotiate the freedom of Judea and its placing of sovereignty under our great and faithful Empire. First, We shall hear arguments of those For this great endeavor; and then, We shall hear those who are against this measure and their reasons for it. Who shall have their voice heard first?”


“I would like to speak For this great and faithful act first, Honorable Sufetes,” the voice of Alexander Harel, a son of a Greco-Roman peninsular merchant who had moved to Carthage if Amichai remembered rightly, called out into the quiet that followed.


“We shall hear Your Voice, Honorable Speaker,” both Amichai and Adara spoke as one, and so it began.

#POD 3

[Speyland]

Full Nation Name: The Carthaginian Empire
Short Nation Name: Carthage
Flag / National Symbols: Imperial Standard/Flag c. 200 AFC (After the First Coming). The Coat of Arms is centered in the Imperial Standard/Flag.

Government Type: Federal parliamentary republic with direct democratic elements
Official Political Ideology: Capitalism/Mercantilism.
Head of State: The Sufetes (“Judges” / “Magistrates”; think Roman “Consuls”) are Adara Kohen and Amichai Amos, and theoretically co-heads of state in representing Carthage and its interests; in reality, all power truly lies with the Adirim (“Supreme Council”).
Head of Government: The Adirim collectively act as heads of government as a legislative and executive body in one, appointing the Sufetes and granting them their power.
Government Description: The Imperial Government of Carthage is rather unique in that, unlike their former rivals in Rome, they did not abandon their republican principles; rather, they devolved further in terms of their power. In spite of this, the Carthaginian model proved superior. Carthage's Adirim governs the city itself and the entirety of the Empire, overseeing disputes between provinces, seeing to cooperation with the elected military generals/commanders and officers, etc.

Province-level adirim exist, but only govern their provinces/capital cities and are answerable to Carthage to some degree or another. However, to pass supreme Imperial Law, the city of Carthage writes the laws in the Adirim and then proposes them at Popular Assemblies. Approval must be met at all Popular Assemblies of all provincial capitals, including Carthage itself. Once this is accomplished, the Imperial Law is now supreme over the entirety of the Empire. The Adirim and Rab-manahet (elected generals/military officials) cooperate to enforce the law, enforce internal or external trade agreements, and have ultimate authority over disputes, more general governance, and creating alliances/trade agreements with foreign nations.

Terms for members of all offices range from five to ten years under Carthage's current constitution, with the exception of the Rab-manahet, who are only elected once and can only be removed from power by Adirim proclamation. This is to ensure military command is consistent and does not put inexperienced people into power over the military; combined with some level of experience in military affairs being required to run for election into said offices, the Adirim and Sufetes need never fear a coup.

Territory: The light blue.
Territorial Ambitions: Carthaginians wish to reclaim their homeland/holy land, the land of their progenitors in Old Phoenicia/Judea. Otherwise, they have all the territory they want.
Capital City: Carthage (Carthage, Tunisia).
Population: Approx. 50 million people.

Majority/Official Culture: Carthaginian (and, to some extent, Old Phoenician as well as Judean.)

Majority/State Religion: While it is not a state religion and defacto freedom of religion exists, the vast majority of people are apart of the Messianic Judaic Temple; the calendar system is even based on the idea of the “First Coming” of the Messiah. The Messianic Jews originated in the Kingdom of Judea, which was assisted by Carthage in maintaining its independence against all odds because of their common Semitic heritage. According to Temple doctrine, in Judea, a man called Yeshua was revealed to be the Messiah after managing to fulfill a number of messianic prophecies - but as he did not fulfill them all, it was believed that the First Coming was merely the way that The Lord used the Messiah to start humanity's salvation and redemption, and that a Second Coming would complete it and humanity would be saved.

However, the Judaic Temples of the time did not accept this new belief among their number; the Kingdom of Judea became divided, and eventually, the Jews were banished from their homeland when it was invaded. The Messianic Jews sought refuge in Carthage, and were welcomed; with many Carthaginians able to be converted as a result of the ideas propagated by Messianic Jews (as the First Coming and the promise of a Second was seen as a sign that the non-evangelical nature of Judaism needed to change). Ever since, Carthage and much of the territory under its authority have become Messianic Jews, awaiting the Second Coming and believing that it is their duty to someday reclaim Judea.

Major Industries / Economic sectors: Carthage itself has a variety of industries, with none too large to be notable; indeed, the Empire predominantly seems to gain its power from trade.
Amount of Industrialization: Only the major cities of the Empire are in the early stages of industrialization, including Carthage proper.
Economic Description: Think mid-late 1800s capitalism/industrial revolution capitalism.

Technological Level: Imagine mid-late 1800s Britain.
Magic and other shenanigans?: Some level of steampunk technology going on.

Military Description

Army: The Carthaginian Imperial Military is a fierce force on land, made up of both professional battalions/legions and mercenary auxiliaries paid handsomely for their loyalty to the Empire. They are commanded by those elected into high command positions, and usually said generals/high commanders are loyal to the ideas of the Empire and former soldiers who were elected by their fellow soldiers or citizenry that were impressed by their service. Approximately 200,000+ professional legionnaires exist, with an additional approximate 500,000+ auxiliaries.

Navy: The Carthaginian Imperial Navy is to the Imperial Military as a professionally trained tank operation team within their vessel is to a single soldier only armed with a sword. That is, the Navy is Carthage's pride and joy, and is probably the most powerful Navy on its world. Carthaginian trade ships, protected by the Navy, control the western Mediterranean and heavily influence trade in the eastern Mediterranean; let alone trade throughout the various seas surrounding them. Like the Military, the Navy has elected officials that formerly served among them in charge. The Navy has approximately 400,000+ loyal sailors/soldiers among its ranks, with an additional 700,000+ auxiliaries.

Air Force: The Imperial Air Navy is made predominantly of airships, a rather novel and new invention utilizing the most current steam technologies. Its newness means it is predominantly used to reinforce the Navy or the Military rather than as an assault force itself. Nonetheless, no other Air Navies existed on the world Carthage came from; and so Carthage ruled the skies unopposed in their time. With around 10,000+ loyal airmen and 20,000+ auxiliaries, the Air Navy's airship fleet was well manned and ready to prove itself.


National Goals: Reconquer Judea eventually; continue asserting their dominance whenever/wherever possible.


History: The Carthaginian Empire gains its origins as a colony of Old Phoenicia. To make a long story very short, Carthage won its wars against the Romans; and with that victory, became the uncontested power over the Mediterranean Sea. This power allowed Carthage to grow and expand its control over coastal regions and some level of inland territories, including most of the old Roman peninsula. Carthage's riches allowed them to use their professionally trained legions (inspired by Rome), as well as auxiliaries and mercenary forces/hired armies, to assist their ally in the Kingdom of Judea to remain independent. While Judea was not quite Phoenician, they were Semitic, and thus were likened to cousins of Carthage.

As the centuries went by, Carthage and Judea continued their mutually prosperous relationship - that is, until, Judea became divided as a result of religious upheaval/changes. The King and his people, who were Messianic converts, fled from Judea as the Kingdom was invaded and the people were divided among themselves. The Great Migration, as it was called, allowed for the King and his people to slowly convert the city of Carthage that gave them refuge; and, eventually, the Empire was now heeding the faith of Messianic Judaism (as opposed to Orthodox Judaism, which could occasionally be found in pockets of the Empire or having fled to elsewhere in Europa).

The Carthaginian Empire has attempted multiple times to reconquer Judea, to no avail. Eventually, the Empire found itself balking at the power and speed with which the early Muslim state under its prophet-emperor, Muhammad, rose and conquered all the land in the eastern Mediterranean. Much debate was had in the Adirim, but, finally, one of the Sufetes of the time named Abraham received permission to from the Adirim to go forth and commit diplomacy with the Arabs. A tentative relationship was established, in which a new deal was struck: the Carthaginian Empire would engage in free trade with Muhammad's empire and allow free practice of religion in its territory; in turn, Muhammad would allow the same and allow pilgrimage of Jews to Judea, especially to Jerusalem.

These acts, as well as others taken by early Jewish and Muslim leaders, solidly established that all Children of Abraham (as the Judaic and Islamic faiths were both Abrahamic) were to be staunch allies, even if they disagreed on matters with regard to YHWH/Allah. The most major point of contention between them would be the matter of Judea, which despite having yet to be resolved, has not led to outright war yet.

The Carthaginian Empire's power continued to grow, even as nation-states began slowly consolidating in northern and western Europa independently of their intervention. But they were definitively unable to compete with Carthage's power, or the power of the various Islamic empires of the east. Islam would eventually find its way into northern-central and eastern Europe, despite the Islamic empires never truly conquering the territories. Carthage's Messianic Judaism, as well as Orthodox Judaism, meanwhile, would find itself spreading in western and southern Europe.

When the Empire discovered steam power among other things, and slowly began industrializing, they were vastly able to continue their expansion of control over their territory and their power. The Plague that briefly swept through Europa did not cause much damage to Carthage's interests, mostly because of advanced medicine and cooperation between Carthaginian authorities and the Islamic dynasty of the time. The Carthaginian Empire stood in the 'modern' day of 1500 AFC as the most powerful nation in Europa, if not the world. And its republican idealism, along with the faith basis for it, inspired most of the Western World - with the political axis on this world in the West ranging from plutocratic/oligarchic republicanism at its most conservative to true Carthaginian democratic republicanism at its most liberal as of the 'current day'.

In the East, however, most of the world's politics range from influenced by Islamic religion/authority/ideas with more subtle Western influence or else from the influence of the still-extant Great Qing and its various ideas/religions. There has been no need to explore what is West of Europa/across the sea, as generally the Long Peace has gone on uninterrupted - with everyone benefiting economically from it.

RP Sample: An example post:

The Imperial Palace
The City of Carthage
Tenth Day of Sivan, 1500 After the First Coming
The Carthaginian Empire

There was a light buzzing sound going through Sufete Amichai's head as the Adirim debated their next actions. Truth be told, he believed that his fellow Sufete, Adara, was suffering a headache as well. That poor woman. She was one of the few women elected by the Adirim into the position of Sufete; it had been a number of decades since the last one. Usually, they were elected by the more oligarchic elements of the Adirim, from wealthy and influential families who had no young sons to charm their way into this august office. But Amichai did not begrudge her this; after all, he owed his current situation to his father. The Adirim, while elected by the people to some degree or another, still took frequent donations and were influenced by their family and family politics as much as they were the will of the people.


“I call for order,” Adara's tired voice finally called out, an authoritative tone. But the buzz of conversations among the Adirim did not stop. “I said, I call for order!”


“We both call for order! It is time to begin this session of the Adirim, on the Third Day of Sivan, in the Fifteen Hundredth Year After the First Coming,” Amichai called out as well, adding his voice to Adara's. Finally, the Adirim quieted. Adara looked at him gratefully, to which he inclined his head.


“To begin, then,” Adara spoke, clearing her throat, “today, We, the Sufetes you have so generously elected, are here to open the discussion as to whether we shall send envoys during this year's Pilgrimage to Judea in order to negotiate the freedom of Judea and its placing of sovereignty under our great and faithful Empire. First, We shall hear arguments of those For this great endeavor; and then, We shall hear those who are against this measure and their reasons for it. Who shall have their voice heard first?”


“I would like to speak For this great and faithful act first, Honorable Sufetes,” the voice of Alexander Harel, a son of a Greco-Roman peninsular merchant who had moved to Carthage if Amichai remembered rightly, called out into the quiet that followed.


“We shall hear Your Voice, Honorable Speaker,” both Amichai and Adara spoke as one, and so it began.

#POD 3

It's glorious! Accepted.

[Cybernetic Socialist Republics]

Oh that Carthage is giving me an idea + also making me give up that spain concept, lol.

Reservation App

Name of country reserved: Levantine People's Republic (working name)
Territory:

[Hanovereich]

Not being critical, but Carthage is a bit too big for my liking. Maybe a bit less of the Apennines?

[Speyland]

Oh that Carthage is giving me an idea + also making me give up that spain concept, lol.

Reservation App

Name of country reserved: Levantine People's Republic (working name)
Territory: (Image)

Accepted.

[Cybernetic Socialist Republics]

Oh that Carthage is giving me an idea + also making me give up that spain concept, lol.

Reservation App

Name of country reserved: Levantine People's Republic (working name)
Territory: (Image)

Accepted.

Actually, I'll go for the full Levant. Add Iraq and Kuwait in.

[Rupudska]

Accepted.

Actually, I'll go for the full Levant. Add Iraq and Kuwait in.

Kuwait is not the Levant V:

[Democratic East-Asia]

Reservation App

Name of country reserved: French Democratic Republic
Territory: France (no Corsica or Alsace Lorraine), Walloonia

[Cybernetic Socialist Republics]

Actually, I'll go for the full Levant. Add Iraq and Kuwait in.

Kuwait is not the Levant V:

But it is part of British holdings in the middle east after ww1. Which is what this Levantine People's Republic is based on plus French holdings.

[Hanovereich]

Can I have a country and an organisation? Planning on a company that has a monopoly on the mining industry (a bit like the East India Company OTL), and has holdings/colonies on Tasmania. And/or possibly a democratic government-in-exile.

[Hanovereich]

Full Organization Name : The Australian Democratic Movement as a Government In Exile
Type of Organization : Government-in-exile
Flag / Symbols: Flag

Official Economic Ideology : Capitalism
Official Political Ideology : Democracy
Head of Organization : Prime Minister in Exile Alana Mason
Other Important Individuals : Deputy Prime Minister in Exile James Monson, Commander of the Military Christopher Harris

Territory : Capital in Auckland (until somebody takes NZ), that's it.
Territorial Ambitions : Mainland Australia
Capital City : Auckland
Membership : 3,200, including government, militia etc. Approximately 100,000 'True Loyalists' on Australia

Tech Level: 1960s-era technology. Since it was deposed at that time, there it is.
Extra Information / Quirks: Nope. A regular government in exile.
Universe of Origin (if any): Well, my alternate history universe, where Australia gets a fascist dictator.

Military Description

Army: 500 soldiers

Navy: 200 marines, 300 sailors, 3 tugboats and a patrol ship

Air Force: None


Organization Goals : To unite Australia under a democratic government


History : [For context, use my FUA history] After the government was exiled, they fled to Auckland, where they set up temporary headquarters. They managed to leave with a large number of defectors, as well as the democratic government. Without much international support, they stayed in Auckland for some time. They held elections, where their members (mainly from the Liberal Party which was overthrown) elected a new government-in-exile. They maintained communications on the situation on the mainland, encouraged resistance, and held a lot of funds, which they used in a propaganda campaign against the fascists. The current de jure government was elected last year.

RP Sample: Use my FUA one.


#POD3

[Deblar]

WIP, History incomplete, RP sample not added yet

Full Nation Name : Republic of Texas
Short Nation Name : Texas
Flag / National Symbols:
Flag:

Government Type : Semi-Federal Presidential Constitutional Republic
Official Political Ideology : The ideology of Texas is a quite complex one at large. The ideological diversity of Texas is quite easy to spot, looking at the main two parties, the Houstonian Party and the Nationalist Party, as well as the up-and-coming People’s Party. The Houstonian Party, named for Sam Houston, originally followed Sam’s policies, but over time it evolved into a classical liberal/centrist ideology. The Nationalist Party is the more right-wing party, being both socially and economically conservative. The People’s Party follows more democratic socialist/social democratic views, which is quite popular among the younger population of Texas, as well as ethnic minorities.
Head of State : President Thomas Mitchell Campbell
Head of Government : ^
Government Description :
The government of Texas is largely based on the American government of its original timeline, with three branches of government. The President, the Vice President, and the Cabinet form the Executive Branch, the bicameral National Congress, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, form the Legislative Branch, and the Supreme Court of Texas, as well as other, smaller courts of various levels, form the Judicial Branch. The President is elected every four years, with a three term maximum. The Senate is made up of two elected representatives from each province, and the House of Representatives is made up of many different elected representatives from roughly equally populated congressional districts. Judges on the Supreme Court are appointed by the President and approved by the National Congress, while judges in lesser courts are usually elected.

Territory : Modern boundaries of Texas
Territorial Ambitions : None anymore, as Texas agreed to relinquish its claim on the upper Rio Grande Valley as part of the Rio Grande Compromise with Mexico.
Capital City : Austin
Population : 5,382,593

Majority/Official Culture : Texas formally identifies with the Texan identity, though informally Texas is primarily Anglo-American, with some Hispanic, Afro-Texan, and various European cultures also present.

Majority/State Religion : While Texas is officially a secular state, most Texans are Christians, mostly Protestant, with some following Roman Catholicism. Some various folk religions, such as Voodoo, are present, though not too largely.

Major Industries / Economic sectors: Oil, Natural Gas, Refined Steel, Cattle, Cotton, Foodstuffs
Amount of Industrialization : Texas, while not as industrialized as its timeline’s America, is a rather industrialized nation itself. Factories are present in its largest cities, though much of the countryside remains rural.
Economic Description : Texas’ economy has boomed in recent decades with the discovery of oil, and stood as one of the world’s largest oil producers. With the introduction of factories in the early to mid 1850’s, Texas has also been an important producer of refined materials, such as steel. While Texas has made strides with industrialization, the countryside remains largely agricultural, with various crops being grown by the many farmers who inhabit the countryside.

Technological Level : Great War-era
Magic and other shenanigans? (If any exists) : none

Military Description

Army:
120,000 Standing Army
400,000 Including Reserves
115 Holt’s Tractors, modified into early tanks


Navy:

15 battleships
20 cruisers
1 monitor
28 destroyers
12 torpedo boats
19 submarines
14 steel gunboats
26 auxilliaries
6 gunboats
(All WW1 era)
Air Force:
Texas has been researching the development and deployment of airplanes for combat, though for now, Texas has no Air Force

National Goals : The goals of Texans for Texas vary based on political views and other factors, but overall goals that all Texans share is to insure the survival of the Republic, secure Texas’ defenses, and to become a shining beacon of democracy and freedom for the rest of the world to follow, both their old world and this mysterious new world that they find themselves in.


History :
“Remember the Alamo!”

Texas first won its liberty after the defeat and capture of Mexican despot and general Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. In 1844, Anson Jones was elected President, and he began negotiations with the United States regarding annexation. Naturally, alarms rang in Mexico, which had up to this point considered Texas a rebellious province. Mexico sent a message to the Republic saying that Mexico would recognize the independence of Texas if they didn’t join the US. Texas would accept, which caught the United States off guard. Texas also gained widespread recognition afterwards, as many countries didn’t recognize Texas at first because they didn’t want to tarnish their relationship with Mexico, a problem which was all but eliminated with this agreement.

However, while the agreement benefited both sides, there were still disputes between Texas and Mexico, the biggest regarding the border. Texas still maintained its pre-recognition claims on the upper Rio Grande Valley, while Mexico maintained that the Nueces River was the boundary. However, in 1846, Mexico revised its constitution and held special elections. Ricardo Gutierrez Gomez was elected president, and he was willing to negotiate a compromise with Texas regarding the border. In early 1847, he invited Texan president at the time Anson Jones to Mexico City to negotiate, an invitation he accepted. After a 9 day negotiation period, an agreement was made. Texas would be granted new territory to form its current borders for a sum of 15 million dollars. As part of the agreement, Texas would relinquish its claim on the upper Rio Grande Valley and grant Mexicans living in the newly acquired land dual citizenship, while Mexico would would pull its troops out of the territory and hand over government owned property to Texas.

Some Mexicans within the government objected, and made a legal challenge against the Rio Grande Compromise, as it came to be named, and the case made it all the way to the Mexican Supreme Court, though they would rule to uphold the compromise, setting it in stone. Some Mexicans celebrated the ruling, others reviled it, and Texans and Mexicans living in the ceded territory who feared military reoccupation breathed a collective sigh of relief.

After the agreement, all was quite in North America, until 1849, when gold was discovered in Mexican California. Naturally, many were attracted to California, and nearly 300,000 would immigrate to the territory over the next year, primarily Americans. In reaction to the sudden spike in population, Mexico would carve two new territories out of the Alta California territory: California Territory, which consisted of main California and Baja California, and New Mexico Territory, which consisted of the rest of Alta California. Mexico, however, would prove to have not learned its lesson from how they mismanaged Texas, making those same mistakes that causes the Texan Revolution, restricting trade and immigration from the United States and increasing military presence. To further anger the Californians, when Mexican elections began in 1850, they were denied a voice, as they were a territory and not a state. And then, Ricardo Gutierrez Gomez would win re-election, though his opponent would coup the Mexican government soon after his defeat, as he had earned the support of the military. They had been against Ricardo Gutierrez Gomez largely because he reduced military spending by 40% during his tenure. After the coup, Californians feared that their already limited freedoms would be further limited, and massive protests overtook San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as in other cities and towns in California Territory. The new government saw these protests as borderline treason, and ordered for extra troops to be sent to regain control of the territory. The people naturally objected, and many Californians rise up in arms and clashed with Mexican troops in the Territory, sparking the Californian Revolution.

Higher up Californians, such as Joshua Norton(yes, that Joshua Norton), as well as average civilians, would gather in San Francisco regarding the future of California, and inevitably, the idea of independence was brought up, and it proved to be a popular one. After some debate, a Declaration of Independence would be unanimously approved, and would begin to be drafted. However, Mexican troops would land in the harbor and take the city, and the people in the meeting fled, until they reached a mining outpost town, which would eventually become Sacramento, the capitol of California. There, the declaration was drafted and signed, and the Republic of California would declare its independence from Mexico, “for the reasons of the abuse of, disregard for, and blatant limitation of the God given rights and lives of the people of California”(excerpt from the declaration).

The United States would quite quickly recognize the independence of California, which resulted in Mexico suspending diplomatic relations with America. The United States, largely in spite of Mexico, began to secretly supply the Californians with supplies, like food, weapons, and ammunition. However, it wouldn’t be long before this was discovered by Mexico, who were infuriated. Infuriated enough, in fact, to use the supply of weapons to and the recognition of California as casus belli against the United States, and Mexico would declare war. Texas, meanwhile, kept a close eye on the situation, which quite quickly deteriorated. Texas, while it empathized with California’s cause, having fought for a similar cause themselves merely 15 years before, knew that they wouldn’t survive long non a conflict against Mexico, at least on their own. So in an emergency proclamation, the President of the time, William Crawford, declared that Texas would remain neutral in the Californian Revolution/ Mexican American War that had broken out. While at the time the proclamation was controversial, later on the proclamation would be seen as the right thing for Texas to do at the time.

Eventually, with the Californian victories at the Battles of San Francisco and Los Angeles, and American advances through New Mexico Territory, the Yucatán Peninsula, and towards Mexico City, the Mexicans would sue for peace on October 4, 1851, after around 6 months of fighting. In the Treaty of Guadalupe that ended the conflict, California would be officially granted independence, as well as its claimed territories in mainland California and Baja California, New Mexico Territory would go to the United States, and Mexico would agree not to attack California or America until at least 1875. After the end of that, everything was largely silent in North America, until 1854. During this time, Texas would rewrite its constitution almost completely to more mirror the American constitution, and California would go through a period of political instability. The President of California, Cassius Burke, was a fierce Californian nationalist, and would fire many of his cabinet members who even suggested that California join the United States, a question that had hovered over the minds of Californians since the end of the Californian Revolution. Cassius would also harshly punish newspapers and other organizations who encouraged American annexation of California, which many people, to say the least, didn’t appreciate. Among these people were Joshua Norton, who had largely remained out of the public eye since the Revolution, and he, after some convincing, would agree to run for president against Burke. Eventually Norton would win the election, and upon taking office would begin negotiations with the United States regarding annexation. These negotiations would prove fruitful on February 16, 1855, when California was officially annexed into the United States and made a state.

However, tensions in the US, which had been quietly stirring since the Missouri Compromise of 1820, began to flare after the annexation, tensions which would lead to the American Civil War. With California’s entrance into the Union, and with other states being joining as well, the South was feeling more and more underrepresented. Insert Abraham Lincoln’s election victory in 1860, and the Southern states would begin seceding from the Union: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Arkansas in this order would secede during President James Buchanan’s lame duck period. The recently elected Texan president, Grant Richfield, vehemently opposed the new Confederacy, calling it a “mass-hysteria fueled backwards anarchy that will inevitably fall to the might of the Union”. Obviously, the prospects of Texan-Confederate relations potentially being established went down the gutter quite quickly. While Richfield was against the Confederacy, public opinion on the CSA was split. Meanwhile, the American Civil War progressed on, with Fort Sumter being attacked, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina joining the Confederacy, and the first major battles taking place. Texas was debating on whether or not to get involved, but then, tragedy struck. Sam Houston, the First President of Texas, would pass away in his home in the city of his namesake, Houston, where he would also be buried. A two-week mourning period was declared, as the Republic looked back on the life of the man who was largely responsible for the rise of the Republic in 1836.

Meanwhile, Confederate general Victor Hayes, who was stationed in Louisiana, began to make plans for a preemptive attack on Texas. The Confederacy was suffering the effects of the American blockade, and Texas, meanwhile, had been making more of a profit on their cotton as European countries turned to Texas for cotton supply. Economic competition with Texas, combined with President Richfield’s condemnation of the Confederacy contributed to General Hayes’ feelings of hatred towards Texas, which a few Confederate citizens shared with him. As such, on October 2nd, 1862, General Hayes led an artillery attack on a Texan base in Port Arthur


(Remove all parenthesis when done)
#POD 3 (don't remove this!)

[Newne Carriebean7]

Reservation App

Name of country reserved: The Greater Volksrepublic of Germany
Territory:

[Deblar]

I’ll have my history finished in a bit

[Democratic East-Asia]

Reservation App

Name of country reserved: The Greater Volksrepublic of Germany
Territory: (Image)

Bro what the hell even are your borders LMAO. Please just claim more of Germany.

[Newne Carriebean7]

Reservation App

Name of country reserved: The Greater Volksrepublic of Germany
Territory: (Image)

Bro what the hell even are your borders LMAO. Please just claim more of Germany.

It's called boarder gore art.
I was going to call it prussia but prussia was already tkanen.

[Speyland]

Can I have a country and an organisation? Planning on a company that has a monopoly on the mining industry (a bit like the East India Company OTL), and has holdings/colonies on Tasmania. And/or possibly a democratic government-in-exile.

Uh, sure. You can if you want.

[Speyland]

Reservation App

Name of country reserved: French Democratic Republic
Territory: France (no Corsica or Alsace Lorraine), Walloonia

Uh, accepted? Are you sure you want to do this?