A Modern World (AMW) Applications Center

[Nova Gaul]

Great comments as always Chrin. I just put up the Congo because of the wild expanse and resources of course. I’d be more than happy to not include it if others aren’t happy with that. It’s no major issue. It just popped into my mind. I can see why people might have a problem though. Maybe I could include a few more less populous west African nations (that’s why I purposely didn’t think of Nigeria). Maybe Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, possibly even Burkina Faso added in? Maybe Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana? I am very open. And some non contiguous colonies would be great too.

I am not looking for huge land grabs, above all, but colonies with resources that I could have some insurrections in that lead to future RP.
My sense of it is the French go through periods of greater and lesser stability. Although there are unhappy folks in the country c 2016, I’d still say it’s stable compared to times before. Indeed, hypothetically, this stability is credited to the French economy in my mind at this stage is being propped up by limited quantitative easing supplemented by dirt cheap imports from the Colonies. Not an ideal situation, as you point out, but the monarchy is trying to put more and more band aids on the a constant wound. Bad analogy I know.

I am fine without a Napoleon too, just wanted to see if the community wanted one. If not, I’d rather not too.

As I said, I don’t think the French have any aggressive motives with Spain. The goal is to maintain the status quo, and maintain a balance of power. But yes I am sure gunning down protestors and extrajudicial imprisonment wouldn’t sit well with a liberal government. I imagine the border is fairly tight, but I don’t see any need for overt hostilities. Likewise, the Iberians would be welcome to vacation in France should they choose. I am sure more than one person in France whose under the eye of the authorities would have sought asylum south of the border too.
Speaking of South of the border, dealing with Esplanadia would be great with France. I doubt they’d commit to any formal alliances, but another absolute monarchy would make for great marriage possibilities with those two like minded royal families.

[Beddgelert]

If you're going to stick around I don't mind you having the Congolese colony, as it won't really compare well with the British Empire and its exploitation will help to explain some of the welfare spending etc. in metropolitan France.

As to Napoleon, I'm hopeful that he'll still exist, over-run Italy, knacker the Valendians and Shieldians (I think an Austerlitz-like defeat is significant to Ian's history, too), defeat the Durcodi outside Windobona (Vienna), try for Lygos (Istanbul) with the intention of becoming a new Roman Emperor, and suffer a thousand cuts in the Geletian highlands before withdrawing and maybe regrouping in time to lose to the British and whoever can be arsed to support them.

We could always revise what/who Napoleon was, I suppose, and put a French imperial drive in his place, perhaps?

[Chrinthanium]

Great comments as always Chrin. I just put up the Congo because of the wild expanse and resources of course. I’d be more than happy to not include it if others aren’t happy with that. It’s no major issue. It just popped into my mind. I can see why people might have a problem though. Maybe I could include a few more less populous west African nations (that’s why I purposely didn’t think of Nigeria). Maybe Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, possibly even Burkina Faso added in? Maybe Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana? I am very open. And some non contiguous colonies would be great too.

I am not looking for huge land grabs, above all, but colonies with resources that I could have some insurrections in that lead to future RP.
My sense of it is the French go through periods of greater and lesser stability. Although there are unhappy folks in the country c 2016, I’d still say it’s stable compared to times before. Indeed, hypothetically, this stability is credited to the French economy in my mind at this stage is being propped up by limited quantitative easing supplemented by dirt cheap imports from the Colonies. Not an ideal situation, as you point out, but the monarchy is trying to put more and more band aids on the a constant wound. Bad analogy I know.

I am fine without a Napoleon too, just wanted to see if the community wanted one. If not, I’d rather not too.

As I said, I don’t think the French have any aggressive motives with Spain. The goal is to maintain the status quo, and maintain a balance of power. But yes I am sure gunning down protestors and extrajudicial imprisonment wouldn’t sit well with a liberal government. I imagine the border is fairly tight, but I don’t see any need for overt hostilities. Likewise, the Iberians would be welcome to vacation in France should they choose. I am sure more than one person in France whose under the eye of the authorities would have sought asylum south of the border too.
Speaking of South of the border, dealing with Esplanadia would be great with France. I doubt they’d commit to any formal alliances, but another absolute monarchy would make for great marriage possibilities with those two like minded royal families.

No worries, NG. I wasn't thinking it a land grab. I do prefer the idea of several lesser populated areas. I think that's a bit more feasible in the current AMW set up. As far as Iberia (at one point they were Spain and Portugal), I think if we did have an empire, it is all past and they've gone independent (leaving the door open for future players, hopefully). You're still evil monarch (as far as Madrid is concerned), so we're probably not really friends, though, for the sake of Europe, we can keep embassies open and line of communication.

Glad to hear that we don't need to mine the border. I'm certain your atrocities are something that still reverberate throughout the populace. Expect a lot of blogs against your antics from Spanish and Portuguese speaking people! LOL And I don't just mean the Californians.

We'll see what King Alejandro II in Esplanadia wants out of life. I'm still working on moving him where I want him though a roughly internal RP. He's certainly not opposed to having liaisons with French aristocratic women looking for the chance at a Latin lover... particularly if that could mean upward mobility for them. Not certain how the French would view it, but c'est la vie (or as we say, "que sera sera").

Again, I'm not the end all voice here, so just things to consider. You don't need to ditch Napoleon on my account. I just don't want to have to deal with that while still sorting out history. Maybe, if he's around and there's an idea once I get more organized there, we'll talk about it again, good sir.

[Nova Gaul]

Hey BG. I WILL stick around, even if there is hibernation. I will make good of AMW France I promise. Good to hear from your again. As regards Napoleon, he would be the logical end to a Revolution and make simpler a Restoration. So I will leave it to the community.

As to any African colonies, I'm happy with anything that has resources per the welfare needed in France and for RP opportunities. Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, some West African states, please let me know everyone. I would like Cote d'Ivoire and Congo, but again, any changes can be done.

Look forward to RPing that Chrin. I am sure Esplanada could be a destination for titled French sunbirds come winter.Please give me your thoughts everyone and I can make a more formal proposal. Have a great weekend, so good to be back!

[AMW Applications]

The map and the claims list is updated through Gandvik's changes and Parsistan's addition. Map will update once the French claim is finalized. Thank you.

[The Crooked Beat]

Just checking in briefly to say that I am both extremely pleased to see that NG has decided to return, and highly enthusiastic for the numerous new RP opportunities which our new France represents. Undoubtedly there is no one better-suited to playing France than NG, and the claim, including its colonial aspects, has my full support.

A short statement on Franco-Gandvian relations, while Gandvik is very far from an absolute monarchy (the monarch in fact wielding effectively no power, and arguably a closeted social democrat to boot), neither is it in any way ideological where foreign affairs are concerned, and if for no other reason than Gandvik's strategic fear of Valendia (as always, stop me if I'm portraying Valendia in a completely wrong light here) the two states are probably natural associates. As to whether or not an alliance might exist, that could depend in large part on France's relationship with Walmington, which I'd guess stands to be fairly adversarial. Certainly Riga would not want to risk driving Valendia and Walmington together by its making any binding military or strategic commitments to Versailles, though such objections won't carry much weight if Walmington and Valendia are already on friendly terms.

Some additional Gandvik discussions, put here so as to avoid causing offense.

I think, after much characteristic vacillation, that I'm fairly set on the new idea of a limited and redistributed Gandvik, and while this potentially now deprives Depkazia of its northern land border, a development which, I would hope, might be offset by the opening of a trade route through Geletia and the Black Sea, coupled with Parsistani porousness, I'm leaning in the new direction in no small part because, by leaving room in Russia for a new player, the pressure, so to speak, on the Gull Flag Republic from Gandvik is reduced, the relative balance of power becomes more even, and a Gandvik now staring down directly a decidedly scary Valendia finds itself significantly more dependent on systems of continental alliances.

I hope this makes some sense to someone besides myself!

[Chrinthanium]

Just checking in briefly to say that I am both extremely pleased to see that NG has decided to return, and highly enthusiastic for the numerous new RP opportunities which our new France represents. Undoubtedly there is no one better-suited to playing France than NG, and the claim, including its colonial aspects, has my full support.

A short statement on Franco-Gandvian relations, while Gandvik is very far from an absolute monarchy (the monarch in fact wielding effectively no power, and arguably a closeted social democrat to boot), neither is it in any way ideological where foreign affairs are concerned, and if for no other reason than Gandvik's strategic fear of Valendia (as always, stop me if I'm portraying Valendia in a completely wrong light here) the two states are probably natural associates. As to whether or not an alliance might exist, that could depend in large part on France's relationship with Walmington, which I'd guess stands to be fairly adversarial. Certainly Riga would not want to risk driving Valendia and Walmington together by its making any binding military or strategic commitments to Versailles, though such objections won't carry much weight if Walmington and Valendia are already on friendly terms.

Some additional Gandvik discussions, put here so as to avoid causing offense.

I think, after much characteristic vacillation, that I'm fairly set on the new idea of a limited and redistributed Gandvik, and while this potentially now deprives Depkazia of its northern land border, a development which, I would hope, might be offset by the opening of a trade route through Geletia and the Black Sea, coupled with Parsistani porousness, I'm leaning in the new direction in no small part because, by leaving room in Russia for a new player, the pressure, so to speak, on the Gull Flag Republic from Gandvik is reduced, the relative balance of power becomes more even, and a Gandvik now staring down directly a decidedly scary Valendia finds itself significantly more dependent on systems of continental alliances.

I hope this makes some sense to someone besides myself!

Oh, boy! More tension in a continent that is under more pressure than Trump's ego in a corset! If we don't nuke the place by page 2 of an RP, I'll be amazed.

[Nova Gaul]

Hey all.

That is great info too LRR, thanks for the comments. I imagine France and Gandvik, given fears of driving Valendia and Walmington too close, may not in fact have a formal alliance. But I wouldn't be surprised at all if there had been a few dynastic marriages, maybe even between the royal families themselves, to prepare the groundwork should an alliance become necessary. To my mind right now, France would be attempting a balancing act to keep from any alliances forming and thus threatening the French position.

To be sure, I am sure Versailles gets on fairly well with Esplanada and Gandvik though. Probably Italy too. But I want to stress Versailles would have diplomatic relations with every possible state, at least under my planned Metternich/Kissinger current First Minister.

Before I write up a factbook for approval, I wanted to get some consensus about French colonies. I would much prefer Congo and Cote d'Ivoire, given their nature and I think not too large population but good amounts of land and resoruces that would fit in with the dynamic i'm proposing. But if there are objections that can be changed simply enough to another prospective several states. Please let me know your thoughts all.

And Italy...since you own Switzerland...can I PLEASE have some license to use Swiss guards?

Also, I would be interested in recreating the Ancien Regime method of using foreign regiments in the royal army, that is, foreign nationals who sign on for lucrative life contracts. Any chance any of your states would be available for such? Need not be Catholic or monarchies! Dra-pol perhaps, they'd be a smashing unit in dress uniforms!

[Beddgelert]

As I say, if the colonies are going to be poor and exploited for the benefit of the metropolitans I don't mind either way, personally. They're all going to have Igovian guerrilla operatives trying to infiltrate them in any case

As to foreign guards, there'd again be a handful of Geletians who converted during the Principality. Most did so to make life easier and didn't really mean it, but a few -following Celert himself- were genuine, and on the fall of the Principality they were made extremely unwelcome in the new Republic and now the CSR. Most came from, "new-money" Northern families in Durcodia and Regnia so are of working-class background but may well have fled with a fair few pennies in their pockets, seeking sanctuary and -ideally- a continuation of the relative privilege to which they'd recently been exposed.

Many Tsag will surely be keen to serve in French foreign regiments, as may a smaller number of Greeks, who are generally Orthodox. France's level of hostility towards the CSR and Geletia in particular may be directly proportional to its recruiting power in both the former Tsalland and Greece.

You'd be lucky to get more than a few score to a couple of hundred Geletians, but they'll be pretty hard-core. Maybe a couple of thousand Greeks would be, 'interested' and open to persuasion, and probably a good few thousand Tsag would be seriously enthusiastic. Of course, amongst those only a minority escaped the aftermath of the Short War to seek refuge in Italy or elsewhere, and many remain in the CSR just waiting to be exposed as reactionaries and imprisoned or burned, so to get them France might have to set-up a risky people-smuggling operation.

[Nova Gaul]

Thanks for the awesome response BG. I am working on a prospective factbook as we speak, but will hold off a bit until more people chime in about Africa. I’m again not trying to push Congo and Cote d’Ivoire as a power play, but just because they fit. If anyone is uncomfortable I can switch it out, just want to get a consensus. But the factbook is coming along, well I hope, but you’ll all have to judge that.

*FANTASTIC* information about the émigré troops. Right off the bat the Kingdom of France would welcome with open arms (or at least the nobility and their hangers-on would) any foreign peers rudely dispossessed of their God given inheritance by the lower order. Any Principality era exiles would find a warm welcome in France, most especially any royals that escaped. I am sure their titles would see them well in France, with not a few toadies seeing them as an alternative route into the Court. They might make some decent coin selling access to Court I imagine, with formal presentations and whatnot.

Le Garde Geletienne I think, to make a neologism. Maybe a company of hussars, that’d be grand, and they’d look smashing on parade through the Champs-Élysées. Do you figure of a company of 256 is realistic? Perhaps commanded by an exiled noble, one of the princely blood maybe even? They’d be, along with the other foreign troops, members of the King’s Household. Equivalent to Lifeguards.

Maybe on top of them a Greek Battalion and, perhaps, a full Tsag Regiment? Anyway exciting for me at least.

EDIT: I put up the first blurb of a working factbook, see the link below, but it can, again, easily be chaged.

[Chrinthanium]

Thanks for the awesome response BG. I am working on a prospective factbook as we speak, but will hold off a bit until more people chime in about Africa. I’m again not trying to push Congo and Cote d’Ivoire as a power play, but just because they fit. If anyone is uncomfortable I can switch it out, just want to get a consensus. But the factbook is coming along, well I hope, but you’ll all have to judge that.

*FANTASTIC* information about the émigré troops. Right off the bat the Kingdom of France would welcome with open arms (or at least the nobility and their hangers-on would) any foreign peers rudely dispossessed of their God given inheritance by the lower order. Any Principality era exiles would find a warm welcome in France, most especially any royals that escaped. I am sure their titles would see them well in France, with not a few toadies seeing them as an alternative route into the Court. They might make some decent coin selling access to Court I imagine, with formal presentations and whatnot.

Le Garde Geletienne I think, to make a neologism. Maybe a company of hussars, that’d be grand, and they’d look smashing on parade through the Champs-Élysées. Do you figure of a company of 256 is realistic? Perhaps commanded by an exiled noble, one of the princely blood maybe even? They’d be, along with the other foreign troops, members of the King’s Household. Equivalent to Lifeguards.

Maybe on top of them a Greek Battalion and, perhaps, a full Tsag Regiment? Anyway exciting for me at least.

EDIT: I put up the first blurb of a working factbook, see the link below, but it can, again, easily be chaged.

To be truthful, since most people are not objecting, I will rescind my objection to DR Congo and wish you godspeed and good luck in your new venture into AMW. I am happy to have a neighbor, particularly one who knows how to push the buttons on my social liberal peoples. One can always use a good foil, NG, and you have the skill to be both an ally and a foil all at the same time. Iberia is supposed to be boringly "Normal" as a nation goes, so don't expect too much. We'll probably have neutral relations with Paris just because we feel it is better to remain on good terms with our only land-connected neighbor both for our own sake and for Europe's sake.

As for Esplanadia, as long as the drug trade happens without interruption and the crown gets its 10%, there's never a problem with outsiders coming in and befriending the King and the nobility. Especially if the outsiders are interested in buying our drugs. Obviously those in power can't directly connect anyone to anyone, but there are enough intermediaries to facilitate just about anything. Can't speak to the drug laws elsewhere in AMW, but Iberia has legalized recreational and medical marijuana use and has decriminalized all other drugs. It looks at harder drugs as a health problem instead of a criminal problem. So, the drugs from Esplanadia find their way into Iberia with ease. Trafficking them is still highly illegal, at least as to exporting to foreign nations, but the Esplanadians have contacts all over the Iberian peninsula for just that sort of thing... just in case your French people, or any other AMW nation (for that matter) are interested.

In spite of recent attempts to modernize the societal and economic conditions, it is still pretty much the King, the nobility, and the drug lords running the show and the rest trying to get by on what little they make. The King is only interested in fathering an heir to keep the line going and to prevent the alleged "rightful" heirs at bay. Any support from a powerful foreign ally to keep the House of Duarte on the throne will always make that nation the King's best friend. Anyone trying to get the House of Ibañez back on the throne will be seen an enemy worthy of the firing squad... or being stretched on the rack... or a host of other painful "educational" techniques.

Perhaps you and I can have our royals meet each other at some point in the future when you're up and running with your new claim.

I'll state this again: I didn't claim Andorra. If you want it, take it. If not, I'll tack it onto my claim. Either way, it's not going to swell either population.

[Nova Gaul]

Oh and BG – I didn’t neglect the Igovian guerillas point, in fact I’m really looking forward to it. That also transits well to what I wanted to speak about with Chrin.

I haven’t had a chance to get it on the factbook yet, but I wanted to say France and Esplanada may share drugs as a common factor. I’m going to go into more detail on the factbook, but for at least several decades France has been inundating the African colonies with a highly addictive hypnotic-opioid combination drug (but cheap to produce and of dubious purity) known as Trac-A, probably known to the locals as ‘dreamers’. The purpose of this drug pushing would be to sedate the population while simultaneously getting them to become more dependent on the French, with the added benefit of making them more pliable subjects: people won’t rebel when they’re generally in an euphoric coma and would be afraid to do so because that’d result in a disruption in supply. I’d imagine dependency is well above ¾ in both the Congo and Cote d’Ivoire. I wouldn’t even be surprised if workers were often paid in part, a large part, with the drugs.

In France proper of course drugs would be strictly controlled (at least outside of the Court, where I imagine drug use and abuse of every sort is totally rampant, it’d help explain why people in 2016 still dress like they’re in 1785). Cannabinoids of excellent quality would be freely available and their use even encouraged, but drugs that cause physical dependency and weaken the workforce, while seen as a boon in Africa, would be seen by the crown as an economic negative in France.

I can imagine no better supplier of the components Trac-A than Esplanada: the French territories lack the requisite climate needed to grow the opium poppy. So if the drug lords were willing to sell at dirt cheap prices (making up for any losses in gargantuan qualities supplied) I imagine there’s ships bringing raw drugs across the Atlantic by the kiloton be refined into Trac-A in France.

That could perhaps be the link that allows France and Esplanada to build their relationship, perhaps with an eye towards a dynastic marriage along the way. When things get rolling France might even enter into your current RP, it’d perhaps be a good debut.

Please have Andorra, I took Monaco in my claim, so I see no reason why Iberia should have it.

[Chrinthanium]

Oh and BG – I didn’t neglect the Igovian guerillas point, in fact I’m really looking forward to it. That also transits well to what I wanted to speak about with Chrin.

I haven’t had a chance to get it on the factbook yet, but I wanted to say France and Esplanada may share drugs as a common factor. I’m going to go into more detail on the factbook, but for at least several decades France has been inundating the African colonies with a highly addictive hypnotic-opioid combination drug (but cheap to produce and of dubious purity) known as Trac-A, probably known to the locals as ‘dreamers’. The purpose of this drug pushing would be to sedate the population while simultaneously getting them to become more dependent on the French, with the added benefit of making them more pliable subjects: people won’t rebel when they’re generally in an euphoric coma and would be afraid to do so because that’d result in a disruption in supply. I’d imagine dependency is well above ¾ in both the Congo and Cote d’Ivoire. I wouldn’t even be surprised if workers were often paid in part, a large part, with the drugs.

In France proper of course drugs would be strictly controlled (at least outside of the Court, where I imagine drug use and abuse of every sort is totally rampant, it’d help explain why people in 2016 still dress like they’re in 1785). Cannabinoids of excellent quality would be freely available and their use even encouraged, but drugs that cause physical dependency and weaken the workforce, while seen as a boon in Africa, would be seen by the crown as an economic negative in France.

I can imagine no better supplier of the components Trac-A than Esplanada: the French territories lack the requisite climate needed to grow the opium poppy. So if the drug lords were willing to sell at dirt cheap prices (making up for any losses in gargantuan qualities supplied) I imagine there’s ships bringing raw drugs across the Atlantic by the kiloton be refined into Trac-A in France.

That could perhaps be the link that allows France and Esplanada to build their relationship, perhaps with an eye towards a dynastic marriage along the way. When things get rolling France might even enter into your current RP, it’d perhaps be a good debut.

Please have Andorra, I took Monaco in my claim, so I see no reason why Iberia should have it.

Partners is drugs. I like it. Perhaps Alejandro II has a thing or two to learn from the French. Drugging the population to illicit compliance? Now, that's something he would most assuredly do. Though, we'd probably want to find a way to pipe it into the water system, like fluoride.

Also, I will tack on Andorra to Iberia.

EDIT: About the current RP.. I'm rewriting it. Not deleting the posts, just rewriting it because I can do better than that.

[Nova Gaul]

Pipe it into the water! Hahaha, ingenious! "Stop worrying about things Pablo, get a nice glass of soma-cool from the tap!"

I very much look forward to the RP Chrin, let me know when you get things squared away and feel comfortable with me doing a post myself.

[Europe - Prussia]

Well, seeing that, for all intents and purposes, the claim was accepted, the only thing I have left to say is Welcome back to AMW NG.

Now onto more practical matters: about Valendia-France relations, I believe the word "glacial" fits; both countries are simply too dissimilar in culture, history, politics and beliefs to be even remotely friendly. Trade and the like would still happen of course (the border our countries share is too big to simply ignore each other) but the disdain that the empire feels towards France (or more specifically its governing body) would be well known; I believe that Valendia would see France like they see Gandvik and Esplanadia ("headaches" in other words) but unlike Esplanadia which is in America, and thus unimportant, and Gandvik, which is considered somewhat competent and a potential ally if it does straighten out their act, France would be considered like a migraine one can't ignore, for the simple fact that its right besides the empire.

However, with France currently being so unstable, Valendia would have closed its borders as a security measure, with the exception of a bottle-neck in Luxembourg, and threatening to invade if their problems spilled out of their borders, though that would be more of a bluff than anything.

On TCB's post, I have to gree with it; Valendia wouldn't care about little stuff, but if its a formal military alliance then things would radically change.

Hmmm, now that I think about it, this could really serve to establish power blocks at least in Europe, between the monarchist/conservative countries (France and Gandvik) and the republican ones (Iberia and Italy). The odd ones would be Geletia and Valendia, because neither truly fits with either side. There's Britain too, but that's something for WoS to decide.

[Nova Gaul]

Heya EP,

Thanks for the welcome, it’s so great to be back and factbooking once again. Please do check out the factbooks everyone, I have the overview and the nature of the government up now.

Just to speak to questions of instability, I’d like to point out that although there were several revolutions in French history and bad riots in 2014 (all explained in the factbook) the Kingdom is in a pretty stable way right now with now, well, existential problems as yet.

I do agree to the trade idea: dislike each other though they may, neither Valendia nor France (nor Iberia or WoS for that matter) really have anything to gain from a war. Of course this may change if, as you point out, power blocks form, but as of France’s debut I imagine the last 50 years have been very unremarkable in terms of international disputes in Europe.

I have no idea where France fits into the Great War, and don’t really want to work about that yet, but I can easily imagine they’d have joined the Aventine.

I am working on the factbooks as we speak, so there will be more forthcoming, but I think I have enough up now for everyone to have a very good idea of where I’m starting and: and to lodge any complaints or concerns if they have any.

So good to be back, I really missed AMW, my home away from home.

[Chrinthanium]

Pipe it into the water! Hahaha, ingenious! "Stop worrying about things Pablo, get a nice glass of soma-cool from the tap!"

I very much look forward to the RP Chrin, let me know when you get things squared away and feel comfortable with me doing a post myself.

Well, I just wanted to cut out the over-abundant dialogue and replace it with more prose. Start in rather close and specific and reveal the general main plot of the thread. Short and sweet it may well be this newly-rewritten OP, but it does more, in my opinion, than a long-winded, chattering post. As far as you posting in it, well, the king is dead, Alejandro is ascended, and I am certain this event has made its way from the news reports of Esplanadia to the world. We are, after all, still in the modern times in AMW, and news travels fast. I'll leave it to your own discretion when you wish to post in it.

[AMW Applications]

MAP UPDATE

Have added the Kingdom of France to the following locations: Metropolitan France; Ivory Coast; Democratic Republic of Congo
Have added Andorra to the United States of Iberia

The map is updated and as accurate as possible as of 9 June 2016 at 21:53 UTC.

[Nova Gaul]

Thanks for the clarification Chrin. If you don't mind I may just introduce myself into it briefly soon.

Very much looking forward to it, hopefully I'll have the most important segments of my factbook done by next week. I have the overview and government sorted, but as always government minutiae takes a while.

[Europe - Prussia]

Heya EP,

Thanks for the welcome, it’s so great to be back and factbooking once again. Please do check out the factbooks everyone, I have the overview and the nature of the government up now.

Just to speak to questions of instability, I’d like to point out that although there were several revolutions in French history and bad riots in 2014 (all explained in the factbook) the Kingdom is in a pretty stable way right now with now, well, existential problems as yet.

I do agree to the trade idea: dislike each other though they may, neither Valendia nor France (nor Iberia or WoS for that matter) really have anything to gain from a war. Of course this may change if, as you point out, power blocks form, but as of France’s debut I imagine the last 50 years have been very unremarkable in terms of international disputes in Europe.

I have no idea where France fits into the Great War, and don’t really want to work about that yet, but I can easily imagine they’d have joined the Aventine.

I am working on the factbooks as we speak, so there will be more forthcoming, but I think I have enough up now for everyone to have a very good idea of where I’m starting and: and to lodge any complaints or concerns if they have any.

So good to be back, I really missed AMW, my home away from home.

Oh ok, I stand corrected.

Nonetheless, I believe the situation would remain the same; with the situation in your colonies and the riots in 2014 the empire would believe that there’s definitely something rotten in France and measures would be taken, the most obvious one being the strengthening of border security and establishing 2 or 3 choke-points as border passes to keep a close eye on who’s coming and going.

Plus, there’s also the whole deal with the drugs, because while Iberia has a liberal stance on them, on Valendia is the opposite: the stance on cannabis is being loosened yes, but with the other drugs the stance is still hard as iron and unyielding. So the fact France is (though maybe that title goes to Iberia too?) the entrance of the drugs to Europe would be another issue that strains the relations too.

Also, I'd like to ask you about Airbus; its a confirmation more than anything, but you'll keep its civilian airlines and helicopters? under normal circumstances, I would propose that Valendia and France would have treaties to keep things together but, as I said before, our countries are too different for that to work, so I believe it would be best to divide the Airbus stuff.

[Nova Gaul]

Oh no need to stand corrected EP: I'm not trying to say an absolute monarchy in 2016 is a pillar of stability, just that it's currently in a calmer place in its troubled history.

Naturally I agree the border would be tight, no Schengen Agreement in AMW I think. I couldn't disagree with choke points either. It would be a natural thing on both ends, with as Chrin said earlier visas a necessity. As to the drugs please let me clarify ( I tried to do so on the factbook ) that only cannabinoids would be legal in France ( save the Court where there are quack 'doctors' ) and the harder stuff is strictly for use in the African colonies. The crown would absolutely ensure Trac-A is prohibited in France.

As to Airbus I don't see why France wouldn't be willing to work on civilian ventures with Valendia, although military cooperation is probably impossible I see no reason why two states that aren't overtly hostile can't build products together. the French are more pragmatic than anything, though I can quite understand why valendia wouldn't want to work with such a dissimilar government. Basically if there is a party that wouldn't want to go joint venture id say it would be Valendia. They'd be open to build and trade with Valendia, in the civilian realm at least. It's your call in this regard.

[Europe - Prussia]

Ah, now its more clear. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

And on the Airbus issue, civilian craft yes, military no. You right on this point; Valendia would be pragmatic enough to cooperate on the building of civilian aircraft, but military would be a big no-no.

[Walmington on Sea]

NG's application being essentially accepted and done with, I've put a reply to some recently-raised points over in the Big Discussion Thread.

[Chrinthanium]

The State of Nippon

Conventional Long Form: The State of Nippon
Conventional Short Form: Nippon
Local Long Form: Nippon-koku
Local Short Form: Nippon
Coordinates: 35°N 136°E

Government Type: Democratic Republic
National Leader: Chancellor (Shushō): Ryoichi Miyamoto (Since 1 April 2016)
Legislature: National Diet (Kokkai)
-Upper House: Senate (Jōin)
-Lower House: House of Representatives (Shūgiin)
Courts: Supreme Court (Saikō-Saibansho) and lower courts
Capital: Tokyo
-Coordinates: 35°41′N 139°46′E

Population: 126,702,133 (2016 Estimate)
Area
-total: 377,915 sq km
-land: 364,485 sq km
-water: 13,430 sq km
-note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
Coastline: 29,751 km
Population Density: 335.27 per sq km
Largest City: Tokyo (8,967,665, 2015 estimate)

GDP: $3,801,063,990,000
GDP per capita: $30,000

Economy

The Nippon economy is based primarily on services such as banking and communications as well as manufacturing. Nippon products are some of the best in the world with many native brands becoming international standards. Computers and computer equipment, video games, televisions, cameras, mobile phones, cars, transportation, and heavy machinery are just some of the numerous products produced in house. The focus on consumer electronics, appliances, and automobiles has given the nation, and its people, a high standard of living and a sense of national pride. It is said by the locals that "What Nippon makes, the world takes." The nation is lacking in natural resources, however, thus relies heavily upon the importation of raw materials to feed its industrial belly. Once an economic powerhouse, the economy has slowed in recent decades as both the fertility rate dropped as well as changing cultural values which places more emphasis on people rather than the corporations themselves.

Culture

The modern culture of Nippon is a perfect blend of Eastern and Western culture. The Nihonjin (the demonym for people of Nippon, which is also called Nihon internally) contemporary culture is an infusion of Asia, European, and North American cultures. Crafts such as dolls, ceramics, and textiles; performance arts such as bunraku, dance, and kabuki; martial arts, calligraphy, ikebana, origami, and even karaoke are abundantly practiced. Culinary delights from its native roots are some of the most respected in the region, if not the world. Rice or noodles, soups, creations made from fish, vegetable, and tofu. The food is known for its emphasis on seasonality. Many recipes are local or family-owned. Dishes can vary from region to region depending on the availability of ingredients. Poetry, literature, plays, kaiju movies, and anime are globally-popular forms of Nihonjin culture.

In the 1900s, as Western ideals infiltrated the culture, bedrock principles of Nihonjin culture were called into question. Attitudes towards sex and sexuality changed from conservative to liberal. The right of free speech became the most treasured of all rights just ranked above the right to vote (universal suffrage for all citizens wasn't achieved until 1934 when women got the right to vote). Gender roles, which were quite strict in the early and middle years of Nippon history were turned on their ears. Women became the breadwinners while men became the homemakers in some families. The Great Cultural Awakening, as it has been called internally, was a period where stringent social norms gave way to relaxed attitudes about life. LGBT rights are strictly protected. It is believed that people are who they are and they are good as they are born.

The Nihonjin are some of the hardest working people in the world. While they do believe in balancing work and home, dedication to one's job is a virtue in the modern state. Life is not work and work is not life, but corporations reward those who work hard, respect their position, and respect their superiors. Life-long employment, once a hard-and-fast rule of society gave way to more protected worker's rights in the 1970s. Today modern workers in Nippon enjoy a 40-hour week with overtime if they work over their 40 hours, a 5-day work week, paid vacation, and even government-mandated leave acts for family emergencies.

The people of Nippon are not particularly religious. In recent census reports, the average Nihonjin claims to be non-religious, agnostic, or atheist. There are small pockets of Christianity in the modern nation. The major religion of the people is Shintoism followed by Buddhism, though only 19% of the population self reports as being "dedicated adherents" to any religion.

History

The modern nation traces its roots to the 600's BCE when the first truly Nihonjin peoples emerged. Over the next 800 years, a series of tribal entities were established up and down the archipelago. These tribes lived in relative harmony over that time frame. Beginning in the 200's CE, tribal consolidation began. War broke out between several regional factions to gain control of the whole of society with three regional powers becoming the dominant powers in what would become Nippon. These three kingdoms, as they were called, would vie for power off and on until the 12th Century CE when the tribes were finally united under the sword of Kento Sakimura.

The Kingdom of Nippon lasted for 600 years until the Fall of the Kingdom in the late 1800s due to an economic crash. The nation rejected their king quite violently and set up a system of democratic government. It was akin to Athenian democracy with direct democratic votes for legislation and executive bills. Voting was open to all male citizens who owned land. Direct democracy, while a good and decent idea, led to mob rule with the rights of groups and even individuals deemed unpopular in society were restricted rigidly. The system began to fracture when women began championing the right to vote along with non-land-owning citizens. In 1934, women were granted the right to vote and in 1940 the right to vote was extended to all citizens over the age of 19. Another voting rights act was passed in 1990 which lowered the age to register to vote to 16. With direct democracy running amok, the Chancellor sent emissaries to Britain, America, and California to study their forms of government. In 1945, the Nihonjin Constitution was born and ratified creating a representative government with elected representatives to protect against mob rule modeled primarily on the American model.

Government

The Chancellor is the Head of State and Government. He is a directly-elected national leader who served a five-year term and can only hold the position for two-consecutive terms. He may run again after the passing of one term. The National Diet is the legislative body. The bicameral legislature is divided into the House of Representatives (lower house) and the Senate (upper house). A bill must pass both houses to become law. The House is made up of single member house districts while senators are elected at large from each prefecture. Each prefecture is granted three senators. There are 144 senators and 475 representatives. Each senator is elected to a 6 year term with 1/2 of the Senate being up for election every third year. Representatives are elected to 4-year terms with 1/2 of the house up for election every 2nd year. The Supreme court handles all constitutional cases and serves as the court of final appeal. 10 justices and one chief justice are appointed to serve 10-year terms. They may be reappointed an unlimited amount of times.

[Amerique]

I was kind of wondering what this concept offers which isn't similar or identical to your United States of Iberia, from an RP perspective.