AMW Applications Centre

[Cassanos]

@Vexia: Great, I have always wanted a country full of cheap labour to exploit .

@Argonians: What the rest said. Welcome aboard .

[Iansisle]

Vexia: Looks great. Do it to it!

Mekaria: Lovin' the homebrew concept. It's time we had some more interesting and unique cultural creations injected into AMW. Might be best to make sure you're ok with Lorraine (who plays Virginia) first. Other than that, do it to it!

Wandering Argonians: Now there's a name I haven't seen in a long while! IIRC, we did a character RP together about a century and a half ago or so which I loved. Your claim looks fantastic, as other have said. My only concern is finding you a corner of the world which is remote enough to offer a decent amount of territory at your desired population which is not so remote that there's no possibility of interacting with the others. Perhaps a Pacific island nation?

[Zanziik]

Wandering Argonians: Welcome to AMW. As far as I'm concerned you're welcome anywhere. As Beth Gellert said, there are some open areas around Zanziik that you might find suitable, or anywhere in the Pacific Islands might suit your taste. I'm including a map of the South East Asia/Oceania area that is up to date, to my knowledge. Hope it's useful to you.

If you can, get on the IRC channel, I'd like to discuss some stuff with you if you do end up located near to my nation! Best of luck, looking forward to RPing with you.

[Wandering Argonians]

Many thanks to all for the kind words, but such a backstory has had nearly seven years to build up steam. I hardly deserve credit for what others have added so much to over the years.

@Iansisle: It has been too long. As I watch the elder nations in my home region drop off the map and die (Some literally, RIP Shalamar), it is nice to see a familiar face. It seems I may have found a new home here.

@Vexia: While the Argonians retain their physical appearance, they act as human as any others. I honestly ran with the name to avoid having to devote four or so paragraphs to a description. The detail included in your own submission inspired me to get elaborate with my own.

@Others: I used the population of Hawaii (Based on a 2009 US Census) for my baseline population numbers, but have looked over some other regions (Bolivia, Venezuela Cuba, Jamaica, Indonesia, Brazil) that would certainly fit the bill. With the degree of black market activity I intend to roleplay, interaction shouldn't be an issue, as drug shipments will eventually slip through the government's claws and escape into the wide world beyond. Obviously this may cause some friction with other nations, and I added the whole offshore oil thing in there to garner some outside attention as well. Argonian NS exports have typically been fine metalwork and cutlery, but now I must focus more on more useful items than jewelry and knives it seems.

With the current shadow dictator's thirst for intelligence, interaction shouldn't be a large issue either. He'll inevitably send out observers, and he had to get his modern technology from somewhere. Cars, expensive clothes, all sorts of luxury items for the small upper-class have to come from somewhere.

Of those named nations, which areas are undisputed?

I'll get on that application and factbook right away.

[Chrinthanium]

You've been approved for the offsite now. As far as RL territories that are open, there is a thread in the offsite in The South Pole entitled "World Map" or something like that. There is an up to date and current map. However, outside of Bali and a small part of Borneo, I think most of what you're asking about is open.....

[Wandering Argonians]

Excellent. I'll set about sleeping and do a bit of plotting tomorrow on my day off.

[Wandering Argonians]

After some internal debate on my part, I'd like to claim Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti. Population would be around 15,000 total.

Does this seem realistic?

[Jatriqya and Hoya]

After some internal debate on my part, I'd like to claim Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti. Population would be around 15,000 total.

Does this seem realistic?

No, as the population of Cuba alone is 11.5 million.

The closest I can find to 15,000 is Anguilla, with 14,766 people.

Other options could be Nauru, population 9,267, or Palau, population 20,879. The island of Nevis could also work, with 12,106. Bonaire, 14,006, closer to Venezuela, is also an option if you want the population to be around 15,000.

[Wandering Argonians]

I'm actually more set on the location than the numbers. The environment suits the isolationist view I've concocted more than something with a land border. Besides, I thought we were using the map as a topographical reference. Population numbers can be modified within reason, so long as I don't attempt to cram 100 million people onto a single island.

My view consists of a few large population centers on the main island (Cuba), with a few outlying settlements of far smaller numbers scattered about the main island, and a few others. Isolation is key.

[Maxen von Bismarck]

I'm actually more set on the location than the numbers. The environment suits the isolationist view I've concocted more than something with a land border. Besides, I thought we were using the map as a topographical reference. Population numbers can be modified within reason, so long as I don't attempt to cram 100 million people onto a single island.

I think that's sort of Chrin's point. Numbers can be squiggled a little bit, but just as we can't have 100 mil' on a solitary island we can't have several million people reduced to a few thousand. I know it sounds contradictory, usually if people want to 'give up' population then it's usually accepted, but that's how we roll.

Hmm... perhaps, and this is just an idea, you can work something out where you claim a majority (or a strong minority) of Cuba's territory and whomever your neighbor turns out to be has the vast majority of the population?

[Jatriqya and Hoya]

I'm actually more set on the location than the numbers. The environment suits the isolationist view I've concocted more than something with a land border. Besides, I thought we were using the map as a topographical reference. Population numbers can be modified within reason, so long as I don't attempt to cram 100 million people onto a single island.

AMW uses real-life population numbers, in order to keep it as realistic as possible. The map isn't just a topographical reference, but also a reference in terms of population.

As much as numbers can be squiggled, it seems that in order for the isolationist idea to work out, you claim a group of islands, for example the British Virgin Islands (RL population 27,000 with 50 islands), and that you squiggle that down to 15,000.

[Beddgelert]

Absolute population is set in stone. We don't wipe out millions of people any more than we add them. Fortunately, since you don't have to claim whole RL countries, it would be possible to take, for example, several islands out of the Bahamas, or one from there, one from Cuba, one from the Turks and Caicos, and so on.

[Chrinthanium]

Beeg is right, your population is tied to which location you claim. Whatever it's RL population is what you have. Just like whatever it's natural resources you have, you have. ANd whatever climate it has, you have.

[Jatriqya and Hoya]

Beeg is right, your population is tied to which location you claim. Whatever it's RL population is what you have. Just like whatever it's natural resources you have, you have. ANd whatever climate it has, you have.

Although it's important to remember that if the weather in the RW doesn't affect your claim, in the sense that if there's a big destructive hurricane in the RW, it doesn't necessarily happen in AMW (although it could)

[Beddgelert]

Beeg is right, your population is tied to which location you claim. Whatever it's RL population is what you have. Just like whatever it's natural resources you have, you have. ANd whatever climate it has, you have.

Although it's important to remember that if the weather in the RW doesn't affect your claim, in the sense that if there's a big destructive hurricane in the RW, it doesn't necessarily happen in AMW (although it could)

Oh, yeah, good point. The general climate and typical weather events, of course, but if nothing else it would potentially be insensitive to make a game out of the suffering of real people while it's actually happening!

[Chrinthanium]

Hence why I said climate and not weather. The two are not interchangable.

[Mekaria]

Hello, chaps! Sorry, but I've been rather busy this early week, and today I finally have the time to finish off my application. So I'm reposting it. I haven't had the chance to write a real history, so I've instead made a rather large culture section, a larger government section, and added a military section. Here:

Full Name: The Grand Federal Coalition of the Zuma Peoples
Names: The Zuma Coalition, Zumaland, Zuma
Etymology: The name refers to the old Zuma League, the nation to which the modern coalition is a successor state. The Zuma League resisted the colonial expansion of both the European powers and the Zuma's northern neighbors, Belarus and Walmington on Sea.
National Leader: The Pakapi, or High Chancellor, of the Zuma is the official head of state of Zumaland. Currently, Dmitry Sudakov rules.
National Capital: Place-Where-The-River-Runs-Into-The-Sea, or Riversea (our New York).
Territory: Pennsylvania, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusatts, New Jersey, New York, Vermont
Population (est.): 54,000,000
--The Straits(near our Boston): 20,000,000
--Northfort(in northern Maine): 13,000,000
--Riversea: 10,000,000
--Rural: 11,000,000
Currency: Credit (CRD)
GDP (overall): 2 trillion credits (credits are basically the equivalent of the US dollar)
Flag:

Government: With most of Zumaland being undeveloped hinterland servicing the triplet ports of Riversea, Northfort, and the Straits, the government is centered around these three great cities, with the nation being divided into three iqotans or states with each city as a de jure capital. Each city has a Grand Assembly of 60 men, elected mainly from each city's districts. Around 20 in each Grand Assembly are elected from the hinterlands. The Grand Assembly also elects a Minor Chancellor as head of the city's government. This Grand Assembly runs most of the iqotan's affairs, sans foreign and military ones. These are the job of the Council of Powers, the highest executive body in the land. Each iqotan elects three members of the Council and puts forward a candidate for High Chancellor. The High Chancellor wins by a combination of popular vote and support in the Council of Powers. When a High Chancellor is selected, the capital is moved to his city of origin. The current High Chancellor is from Riversea--thus for his term in office (six years), Riversea is the capital of Zumaland.

The Council of Powers and the High Chancellor have little actual power in the nation, besides in the areas of foreign and military affairs. The High Chancellor, however, does have a way around this regionalistic setup. The so-called "High Decree from the Esteemed Office of the High Chancellor and the Council of Powers", or Chancellor's Decree, is a power given only to the High Chancellor and only able to be used once a year, which allows the HC to implement any law he wishes. However, most HCs still tread carefully, not making any radical changes to Zumaland's setup. This is because any Grand Assembly that wishes to do so can call for an impeachment of the High Chancellor: if any GA does so, a vote is automatically held throughout the Council of Powers and each Grand Assembly. Majority passes.

Military: With this setup restricting the federal government's power, most Councils of Powers concentrate the government's substantial budget on Zuma's military. One of the main underpinnings of Zumaland's army is the mandatory service of each 18-year-old. Every Zuma citizen serves for two years and can be conscripted again in the case of war until after they turn fify. However, the army is mostly equipped with 80s-era Geletian and Virginian weapons. Zumaland's true pride and joy are its air force and its so-called Experimental Force (EF). The air force, a volunteer force, is small, but highly-trained and armed with only the most advanced weapons. Zuma pilots are trained to be essentially suicidal: if their planes are too heavily damaged to keep flying and/or they are heavily wounded themselves, they are ordered to crash their planes into an enemy tank/fortress/building/etc. as a last resort. As well, they are politically and ideologically doctrinated for a period of two years before fully entering service. This, and the multiple informal engagements with the Belarusian air force and navy throughout the years have Zuma pilots some of the most courageous and hardened in the Americas, prepared to do anything for their nation. This courage is coupled with deadly weaponry--Zumaland employs both biological and chemical weaponry extensively in their air, naval, and ground forces.

(Note: all below are real weapons.)

The Experimental Force is an advanced military force dedicated to designing, creating, and fielding the newest unconventional weaponry. The EF operates as the center of Zumaland's war effort, using their advanced weaponry to tear apart and destroy enemy armies. Among their creations is the abortive Z-17 Experimental Corkscrew Tank, designed to operate in below-freezing conditions, the Z-10 Shiner, a non-lethal weapon designed to blind enemy combatants with a powerful blast of light (currently standard-issue for all EF troops), the so-called "Heat Ray", another non-lethal heavy weapon that fires electromagnetic radiation at a target, causing an incredibly painful burning sensation in the recipient of said electromagnetic radiation. Most of the EF's weapons are non-lethal, and are designed to make the enemy rout rather than be killed, as the Zuma government officially wants to avoid as many casualties as possible in any theoretical war.

This seeming idiosyncrasy--incredibly deadly air weapons coupled with non-lethal (though maiming) ground weapons--can be easily explained by turning to the Zuma Military High Command's overriding military doctrine. Termed "Pavlovianism", after its creator, Brig. Gen. Vladyslav Pavlov, it has as its major tenet the causing of as much destruction to a nation as possible both during and after a war. The after part is crucial. Pavlov states that there are three major purposes of war:

1. To defend yourself.
2. To gain strategic resources (land, uranium, etc.).
3. To cripple your enemy's ability to fight.

Therefore, he advises that one does not use weapons that kill immediately, or even weapons that kill at all. Use biological weapons, that spread through a populace and decimate it slowly, chemical weapons that cripple those who they strike, reducing their capacity for future labor, and/or nonlethal weapons that maim those they are used on. A good example is the Shiner, above. The Shiner blinds those who it is used on, destroying their ability to work and provide labor for the enemy state's future war effort. An added effect is the fact that those who are maimed are a burden to the enemy state, as it is forced to provide services to these people, draining money away from military buildup. Thus, the enemy state is weakened permanently, and you have gained an advantage against it.

Culture: Over the centuries, Zumaland has been the recipient of many leaky boatloads of immigrants: as such, it is quite the multiethnic nation. Despite this, however, there is little racially- or ethnically-motivated violence, because of the embracing nature of Zuma culture. Any man (or woman) who can speak Zuma is seen as a Zumquatt (closest translation: "As Good As A Zuma"). Therefore, even first-generation immigrants are quickly Zumaized and turned into loyal subjects of the High Chancellor. This is juxtaposed besides the Zumas' highly xenophobic nature. Uniquely, this xenophobia applies only to those who do not speak Zuma, or those who don't live in Zumaland. A common Zuma expression, "If I can see you, you are my friend", illustrates this rather succintly. Zuma sociologists theorize that this unique xenophobia was caused by having such a massive, non-Zuma, enemy nation to the north of them: the implied underlying idea is that everything that does not accept Zuma is evil.

Despite all this, however, Belarusian culture has slowly and inexorably influenced Zuma culture: this is most obvious in the great Second Sodom (as it is known among most Catholic nations), Northfort, where refugees fleeing from the Tsar's oppressive rule have built, out of nostalgia to their homeland, some of the most brilliant examples of Belarusian architecture in the world. These buildings also house some of the largest, most-filled-with-drugs-and-sin-est gambling establishments, again, in the world. Corporations often build their corporate headquarters here, away from the industrial fog that is the Straits, and the cream de la cream that is Riversea, as the massive cluster of skyscrapers in the 1st-5th Districts of Northfort show. Northfort is a strange city, with an economy almost entirely run on the huge gambling houses in the city, the multiple large prisons within Northfort's swath of hinterland, and the accompaning gigantic service industry, mostly populated by first-generation Belarusian immigrants. Underneath this seedy veneer, however, lies a true-blue Zuma city with a nostalgic, nationalistic heart. The much-lauded Northfort Zuma Culture Month is a huge, fun orgy of ultranationalism smack-dab in the middle of the summer, with hundreds of folk concerts, streets filled with traditionally-dressed, dancing, happy Zuma, and copious amounts of alcohol. Even the City That Goes Too Far (as it is known among most American nations) has to get back to its roots sometimes.

Whatever else one says about the Federal Coalition, one has to admit that it is no doubt an urban nation. Only 11 million of the nation's approximately 54,000,000 citizens live in the rural parts of Zumaland, and of those 11 million, 7 million are either retired or commute to one of the Triplet Cities each day for work. The two northern supercities, Riversea and Northfort, are dwarfed by their gigantic southern counterpart, the Straits. Encompassing almost 5,000 square miles (made up of Massachusetts' Norfolk, Suffolk, Barnstable, Nantucket, Plymouth, Dukes, and Bristol counties) and with 20 million inhabitants, the Straits is Zuma's industrial heartland, as well as its largest and busiest port. The great factories of the city churn out a diverse array of consumer items, while the great freighters which surge into port every morning and out every night carry these goods around the world. Straits laptops can be found in such faraway lands as Chrinthanium and Lusaka, while Straits automobiles are driven everywhere from Nibelunc to Uyghurstan. However, there is a dark side to this industrial wealth. The Straits is the most dangerous city in the Coalition, with an overworked and partially-corrupt police force battling powerful mafia kingpins and their drug-addicted lackeys in violent gunfights throughout the city. The northernmost district of the city, Beachland, is notorious for being almost entirely lawless and run by the infamous Virginian Mafia. It is here that the copious amounts of hard drugs used by the elite in Riversea flow into Zumaland, while the money for these drugs comes almost entirely from the gambling houses of Northfort. The federal government, having little control of any one city's affairs, is nigh-powerless to stop this vicious cycle.

Zumaland's elite, its cream of the crop as it were, is mostly housed in the nation's current capital, Riversea. With only 10 million inhabitants, Riversea is the Coalition's smallest city. It is also its richest, with approximately 30 billionaires and almost 300 millionaires living in the 1st and 2nd districts alone. This city of playboys and playgirls is supported by a massive service industry, which, strangely, is not horribly exploited both because of the multifarious city unions and the Socialist Party's supermajority in the city's Grand Assembly. However, the real moneymaker for Riversea is its booming film industry. At least three of the world's and all of the Americas' major studios have at least one important base within Riversea: the city churns out an estimated 200 films a year, from action to drama to comedy to epic war. Zuma filmmakers are some of the highest-paid in the world, while Zuma actors and actresses are often richer than most of Riversea's oligarchs.

[Wandering Argonians]

Hmm. Perhaps I'll just take Jamaica. (Population roughly 2,700,000)

Or...

What is my maximum allowable starting population? Is there an issue with me having 11 million people on an island? Obviously the numbers will grow in the future, but I'd suggest posting some sort of 'rule book' or guidelines in the future. This might not work after all.

[Beddgelert]

-lorraine-, since I'm (for now) taking charge of map updates, I've run into some confusion on your claim, as the map I've 'taken over' doesn't indicate that you have control of Lower Michigan or Indiana, which appear to be listed in your factbook, and I'm not sure where the original claim is to be found, so may be going blind. Any help on this?

Wandering Argonians, there isn't exactly a maximum population per se, but since the reshuffle we had a while back, AMW is free of superpowers and we try to prevent anyone from having a total degree of dominance in any given region (though of course there's no denying that Chrinthanium is more powerful than Zanziik, and Gandvik is screwed if Nibelunc loses patience with them, etc etc). Essentially the community tends to oppose new claims that are particularly large, stable and wealthy, though perhaps more leeway is given to trusted/admired players than to unknown quantities. Is there an issue with you having eleven million people on an island? Not if that island happens to be Cuba. You're likely to be gladly approved with both Jamaica and Cuba if you're happy having a population of fourteen or whatever million. You should know that within your claim you are allowed to move population around so long as it's basically believable (if you move a million people into a desert, be able to find them sufficient water and so forth), should you want a mega city and a lot of barely peopled tribal land, for example.

Mekaria, without passing further judgement on the character of your claim, which seems basically interesting at least, I think there may be some territorial conflict with Virginia, which I believe controls RL Ohio and possibly Maryland and Delaware, too. But, then again, it reads as if your nation will have some major industrial capacity and such anyway, so perhaps it's no bad thing that you be restricted to I think the fifty-five-ish million people in New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, anyway.

(Or heck, even the fortyish million of NY, NJ, and PA, and we make WoS go ahead with the New England take-over thang)

[Mekaria]

Oh, really? *goes and reads Virginia's factbook* Hmm, I suppose you're right. DIdn't notice that before. Well, I'll modify it, then.

EDIT: There we go, now I only have New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

[Maxen von Bismarck]

Zumaland makes me think that bunch of drunk Walmingtons, or Acadzians, wound up in your history. You can call it whatever you want, yet the name made me expect some sort of colonial history and without a hint of it makes me feel almost cheated. Perhaps you and Walmington could work something out?

I'm not sure I understand why your military is so obsessed with low casualties (all those funny little non-lethal weapons), and also tells their pilots to ram them and their planes into enemy forces?

Of course, both those things are just nit-picky. Generally speaking, I approve of the claim.

[Silver Beach]

Full Name: The Grand Imperial Duchy of the Congolese
Names: Duchy of the Congolese, The Congo
Etymology: REfers to the original name of the land that they have originated from
Head of State: The Archduke Richard Ferdinand
Head of Government: Kabaka Luwenda Mutebi
National Capital: Kinshasha
Territory: Republic of the Congo, and Bas-Congo, Kinshasha, Bandundu, Équateur, and Orientale.
Population: 35 million people
Government: These people have a long history of civil war, have been united for 50 years. Since they became united under The Grand Imperial Duchy of the Congolese, they have developed the westminister system of government. Their Prime Minister, called the Kabaka(King literal translation, think of Prime Minister), is elected by the Lukiiko(Parliament), who are elected directly by the citizens of the Grand Imperial Duchy of the Congolese. Sub divided into 6 states(the ones where I claim territory, I use those borders) they have their own constitutions, and lots of power are devolved to the states. The national central government mainly deals with foreign policy, and governs over trade. In the unicameral Lukiiko, each state has 20 represeantives, for a total of 120 members of the Lukiiko. In each state, the state government makes even size constiuencies for each member, which are elected by the FPTP. Two main parties are the African National Congress(Socialism) and the Alliance for the Congo(centre-left). Lots of history of corruption, and really only one major tribe in Congo, though the pigmy people(3% of population) are guaranteed 6 spots in Lukiiko. Archduke is just a figurehead, real power in Parliment.
Culture: The tribal history of this nation really is dominated by one tribe. Women are really discriminiated against, as they have never held a seat in Parliament. Like to dance, lots of soccer in this nation. This nation is also rugby crazed. The pygmy people have a long history of being discriminated against, and generally reside by the coast. This swahili speaking nation(97% speak it as the first language) does not have lots of education, has lots of poverty.
Demographics: 52% female, 48% male
99.2% black, 0.3% white, 0.4% indian, 0.1% other
official language is swahili, 97% of the nation speaks it. Aka is spoken by 2.9%(pygmy peoples), and 0.1% speak something else.
88% catholic, 10% anglican, 1.8% various tribal religions, 0.2% other
92% are members of the Bunyoro tribe, 3% are members of various pygmy people tribes, 1% is some other tribe, 4% claim no tribal ancestry.
From the Bunyoro tribe, you are a Banyara.
And if you are from Congo, you are congolese.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic ... #Provinces Shows you the provinces of the DRC I am taking, which are, on that list, 1,2,3,7, and 10. And I am also taking the Republic of the Congo, shown here. The provinces I didn't show declared independence in the 1980s.

History: The Duchy of Congo started out as a tribe of the Congo in the 1400s. After independence from the Belgians, they really began to speak swahili, and they have had a few civil wars. In the final war in the 1890s, that few know about, the pygmy people were taken over as slaves for the Bunyoro tribe master(92% of population). After a bloody revolution during WWI, the pygmy people remained close to the eastern border. After the 6 provinces out east declared independence, the pygmy peoples fled that way. The ones that didn't flee, stayed and faced persecution. After the chief of the Bunyoro tribe(Lulika I) became archduke under the new constitution, there has been democracy ever since. Lots of tribal distrust and hatred between the Banyara people and the pygmy people. Going down, but the language difference is worring.


Yeah, I can expand on history and culture later. Am I accepted?

[Mekaria]

MvB: Sorry for the disappointment, man. It's just turning out to be quite difficult to flesh out the history.

As for the military thing, I suppose I didn't adequately explain why they do that in the app itself. You see, the overriding military doctrine among the high command is that the ultimate aim of war is to cripple a nation's ability to function during peacetime and, thus, cripple its ability to prosecute future wars against your own nation. Having an assload of blind ex-soldiers wandering around is more of a burden to a state then having an assload of dead ex-soldiers. That's why all the nonlethals: most of them heavily maim.

Silver Beach: I know I'm not a member yet, but I do have something to say about your app. You can't have a Duchy of a Grand Empire. Not only is a Grand Empire a larger unit than a Duchy, you have two imperial titles for one nation. Maybe you want the Grand Imperial Duchy of the Congolese? Or the Grand Empire of the Congo?

[Silver Beach]

MvB: Sorry for the disappointment, man. It's just turning out to be quite difficult to flesh out the history.

As for the military thing, I suppose I didn't adequately explain why they do that in the app itself. You see, the overriding military doctrine among the high command is that the ultimate aim of war is to cripple a nation's ability to function during peacetime and, thus, cripple its ability to prosecute future wars against your own nation. Having an assload of blind ex-soldiers wandering around is more of a burden to a state then having an assload of dead ex-soldiers. That's why all the nonlethals: most of them heavily maim.

Silver Beach: I know I'm not a member yet, but I do have something to say about your app. You can't have a Duchy of a Grand Empire. Not only is a Grand Empire a larger unit than a Duchy, you have two imperial titles for one nation. Maybe you want the Grand Imperial Duchy of the Congolese? Or the Grand Empire of the Congo?

You know, that makes sense. Im changing it to the Grand Imperial Duchy of the Congolese, thanks for catching the mistake

[Mekaria]

Sure thing, man. I hope we can RP together when we both get accepted!