AMW Applications Centre

[Al Khals]

Oh, of course, TCB is LRR! You actually might remember Qottar. I'd like to think that maybe early on Najjar had some Malabari sympathy, and that when he lost it, Qottar in turn enjoyed a honeymoon period when he toppled Najjar?

It's good to have my would-be neighbour's approval, Ferkas.

It probably goes without saying, which may be why I forgot to explicitly say so earlier, but I assume that the Al Khalsis were part of the Caliphate prior to the fall of Jedda or then about, at which point the Muslims of Arabia and those who fled to Persia naturally began to diverge.

I wouldn't be surprised, Ferkas, if the Southern Arabians initially held on to larger parts of the peninsula, including 'the empty quarter' (Rub' al Khali) and the mountains of Najran and so on, where they fell back to after the fall of Jedda, and it was these later 'raids' you speak of that captured the south of what is now your country from the Al Khalsis?

[Jatriqya and Hoya]

usually don't post in this thread, but here I go. quick post before i lose internet

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about Al-Khals. As a general rule of AMW, we've tried out second nations and they've never really worked out well... I do trust T as an RPer, but I was really hoping for a move for the Inca to become more active on the world stage... with this I feel like it will relegate them to a secondary status, and ultimately end most RP with them. I'm sorry, but I don't see this as working out well and would much prefer a more fleshed out Inca on the world stage.

I'm not a fan of the idea on the creativity scale, don't find it especially invigorating or inventive.

I don't like the idea new nations starting up in the middle of the Second-Great war, especially in the Middle Eastern area. I'm pretty much against a new nation in the area at this time... it doesn't seem like the right time or place for this kind of action. It's destabilizing, and unless there were an amazing, outstanding, nation I don't think I could condone a new nation in the middle east during this conflict.

All in all, don't really like the idea, find the placement and time of the country not good/practical at all, would much rather see the Inca fleshed out, and think that there shouldn't, no matter who the RPer, be second nations.

[Chrinthanium]

Al Kahls, you have my full support.

Reef Dwellers, you also have my full support.

Texas-Tah, Robsonien.... no. I am afraid that at this time I could not lend my support to your applications.

Femmeghanistan, interesting idea, though I think parts (if not all) of afghanistan are taken, though I could be wrong... Also a feminist take over of a taliban state... well.... ok, I guess anything works, but there's no reason that your nation in AMW would have to have the same geography of the RL Taliban. It could be in the Northeastern US, and it would still work.

[Al Khals]

I think you misunderstand, Jatriqya and Hoya, the Inka won't be staying in AMW.

The Inka are plenty fleshed-out. I'm just tired of being so isolated, there only ever having been one other nation in South America since the restart, and almost all of the nations I've previously interacted with having gone. The story arch I'd like to follow with Tahuantinsuyu will take years to get to the second chapter, as things stand. I can't just sit out there on my own any more, and I don't want to jump ahead fifty pages to suddenly being in a place where we can go to the world, rather than the other way around. I'm going to keep telling the story outside of AMW as and when the mood takes me, but that's all.

Chrinthanium, I'm glad you don't mind cutting that RP short. We can poach the story for a non-AMW RP some day, if you like.

Femmeghanistan, I think the idea you have might be interesting (though I'd hope the account name is sort of a joke, as I don't think it actually makes linguistic sense for a nation to have that name, unless the Femmeghan are a group of people and the 'femme' component a happy coincidence!). Of course until claimed, blank areas of the map are nothing. There's no Afghanistan per se. You can put an oppressive religious fundamentalist government on any bit of unclaimed territory, call it whatever you like, and then have the women over-throw it. Even if in reality it were the most liberal, equal land on earth.

As it happens, I think Afghanistan is free, isn't it? Doesn't the Caliphate stop at the Iran-Afghan border?

[Maxen von Bismarck]

Considering that I love the idea of having yet another enemy on my border (the Last Bastion of God's Might & Will ect ect) I would offer up a religious/fundamentalist state in the guise for Femmeghan... Who else? Myself. As has already been worked out with Chemaki (my beloved Muslim antagonist) there was a period of 'outward looking,' which culminated in the creation of a 'Lesser Exarchate.' Perhaps Areopagitican (then, Lpqy Magna) did not merely expand into "Mooritania" but also along the coast in Morocco? Just an idea.

And, this goes without saying, the application of 'Al Khals' (what moniker do you want to go by, these days? AK has a nice ring to it) is fucking awesome. The Inca RPs have already given me no small amount of chuckles, and I have no doubt that those skills will be enjoyed in the Middle East.

[Jatriqya and Hoya]

The Inca leaving AMW is a sad day for AMW

However, that doesn't change the fact that I'm extremely uncomfortable with a new state emerging in the Middle East during what is most definitely the biggest time of tensions since the great war. It just isn't the right time or place. I feel like a location such as Ethiopia/Somalia would offer similar RP opportunities, still near everyone right in between Kemet and Nilosahara, while not plooping down AK right into the middle of everything: I mean, AK could hav seriously changed what happened in the conflict, and completely changes the delicate dynamics of thr Persian Gulf which are still consistently challenged. A location such as Ethiopia/Somalia, at least to me, seems a lot more reasonable at this time.

Moving on though, I'm comfortable with AK moving to somewhere else, although I'm still unsatisfied by the idea really. Although I really can't comment on this point too much, many aspects of AK resemble real-life nations a bit too much, like the use of the Ba'ath party.

[Chrinthanium]

Well, I for one, approve of Al Khans' move to the Middle East and welcome it with open arms. I will miss the Inka's, though they're not gone, they're just not AMW anymore.

[The Crooked Beat]

Al Khals is an ancient AMWer, a regular source of quality RPs, so I'm really inclined to let him go with his first choice. I mean, if Ferkas was against it, that would be one thing, but as it stands I don't see anything too wrong.

As for creativity, well, we shouldn't get too hung-up on terms. I'm no expert on Middle Eastern history, or history in general, but if I'm not mistaken there was more than one Ba'ath Party, and I'm certain that Omar Qottar's is going to be very much its own animal.

For what it matters, I think anything that gets Al Khals more heavily involved in RP is a positive development.

[Beddgelert]

Indeed, IRL there were regionalist and nationalist Ba'ath factions, one almost Fascist the other (initially) leftist, and today the Syrian branch survives (actually, I should probably check the latest headlines out of Damascus before typing that!). I assume the original situation in which AK finds itself will see IC events mould its Ba'ath Party into some third form.

I... can't help a slight chuckle on reading, "many aspects of AK resemble real-life nations a bit too much, like the use of the Ba'ath party" coming from perhaps the internet's landmark one billionth replaying of the Eastern Roman Empire. You're also going to have to stop being a monarchy, and get rid of your Abrahamic religions if you want that to seem like a valid argument, I fear.

However, joking aside, I can of course see the point about a player moving into a conflict zone at the peak of tensions. I think it's mostly up to the combatant parties to voice their opinions on that, and so far at least Ferkas doesn't seem to mind. Still, if it is a problem I tentatively suggest that AK commit to not attacking either side or hosting foreign forces involved in the conflict unless one of the parties chooses to violate AK neutrality. Normally I'd not be for OOC agreements over-riding any IC freedom, but perhaps an established player moving into a warzone is special circumstances?

Of course, if nobody who's actually at war minds, then the point is probably moot.

[Ferkas]

Yea, I would like to add one thing.

Adding a hard-line Muslim nation during the midst of a massive war, with it sharing a border with what is probably a historical enemy is almost...unfair? I love the claim and think it can lead to a lot of RP between Arabia, the Caliphate, and the new state. But I think he should stay neutral in the current war, just because if I had known about this all along I might have acted differently to begin with.

Maybe some kind of internal political thing left them deciding to sit out of actual war?

[Maxen von Bismarck]

I think BG sort of hit the nail on the head, even if it was just some kidding around. No offense J&H, you know that I will always love you conditionally, but it seems a bit 'iffy' for an alternate reality ERE to be criticizing someone for being 'too' life like. I mean, I suppose you do have a point in the sense that AK could be too contemporary in his imitation of RL nation states. Yet I can't help but feeling that 'contemporary' is too subjective of a term to be effective in the long-term (or, even, in the short term). Besides, looking at the AMW world as it is, having a carbon copy of a Middle Eastern state (which AK isn't doing in the first place) would actually inject a huge amount of diversity into the region.

Also, what Ferkas said.

[Al Khals]

It's nice to find that people will miss the Inka, and I'm glad that I'll be able to find RP partners for them at some time in the future.

I must admit that I had briefly considered placing Al Khals around the Horn of Africa (AK having been based on the coast of what is now Nilosahara back in SSA/early AMW and based on the descendants of early Arab merchants), but I've always seen Qottar as using oil and gas to enable him a lot of breathing room with regards to central economic control and geopolitical shenanigans, and I'm not sure that shifting from one side of the Red Sea to the other would move us out of the war zone. I'm not 100% opposed to an African location, but I'm not completely sure how I'd make it work so easily as Arabia.

Al Khals is hardly a hard-line Muslim nation. The motto of the Ba'ath Party is Unity, Liberty, Socialism, and Qottar only appeals to Islamic sentiment when he thinks that it suits his current agenda, whatever that may be. The Republic is officially a secular state, which over-threw three Muslim kingdoms (and a Communist state), and in doing so may have attacked Caliphal interests. I'd like to imagine that some of the Islamist groups opposed to Qottar and the Ba'athists (either the legitimate opposition or the radical militants) may have ties to the Caliphate.

I'd expect that just about every nation that has had dealings with AK or the prior UAR has at times viewed the Ba'athists as an ally and at times as an enemy. Qottar has probably alienated his old friends and befriended his old enemies several times over!

I don't mind sitting out the war. I'll use the time to sort out my military and maybe introduce a few characters. Probably the whole conflict caught Qottar completely by surprise, and he's now worrying about how he could have been so unprepared and just working to make sure he isn't caught off guard again. Al Khals could just hunker down and hope that nobody drags them into it. With other nations' oil supplies being cut apart, AK could stand to make a profit from higher prices. I'm not sure we'll have the capacity to increase production in the short term, but this could possibly be used to draw investment to help us do just that.

[Iansisle]

Keeping in mind that I'm neither in the region nor the conflict currently overtaking it, I fully support AK and whatever he wants to do.

[Old Tyrannia]

I have to say, AK, I do love your application, but then I'm totally biased, since having a fellow Socialist next door would be the UKSS' dream come true. It's likely that Al Khals would be the closest ally Kemet has, though historic relations (i.e. before they were both Socialist) might have been a different story. Of course, I still think we need more Islam in AMW to balance out the influx of Christians, and Al Khals would be an interesting addition to the region. I vote yes, for what it's worth.

[Nova Gaul]

All in all AK I heartily second your application. I think you've created a sound nation, and I am really looking forward to seeing what happens. I don't know how the war will turn out, but it seems as if there is a tentative move for peace, maybe not, but at any rate I have no problem with you getting started.

And I too look forward to RPing with Inka again at some point in time.

[The Mapuche People]

Hey, I'm okay with any place on the map, really, but as you may be able to tell, I would prefer Austria, Switzerland, and that tiny little bit of southern Germany Nibelunc doesn't own. Also, tell me if I got the demonym for a Nibelunc citizen wrong.

National Title: Tzaklak Yamana (The Free State of Yamana)

Area Title: Yamana, Yaghaland, the Southern Republic

Demonym: Yamano, Yagha

Population: 23,000,000

Capital:
- Capital: Zukunft, with 6,000,000 inhabitants
- Largest City: Pogyorinamkad, with 7,000,000 inhabitants

Government and Ideology:

The Yamana state is organized based upon the writings and theories of the native political theorist Pyotr Enekoitz. Enekoitz, originally a disciple of the Nibelunc communist theorist Karl Marx, gradually abandoned his teacher's theories after returning to Yaghaland (at the time split between Nibelunc and the Geletian Triarchy). There, he realized two things: firstly, that a "revolutionary situation" along the lines of Igoism would not develop in Yaghaland during his lifetime: secondly, that the individualistic Yamana would never accept total nationalization and enforced collectivization. Therefore, he began tailoring his own theories to the situation in Yaghaland.

In the 1876 book On Economics, Enekoitz designed an economic system now known as both "Enekoitzism" and "state capitalism". In this book, he stated that under a truly fair and free system, the state must own a significant proportion of the economy, while allowing private enterprise in these areas to continue. Essentially, what Enekoitz propagates is the state as both a highly competitive corporation in its own right and a regulator for other companies. Further, Enekoitz proposed the abolition of every form of taxes, with the state instead using profits gained from economic nationalization to support the significant welfare state Enekoitz's economic system (a welfare state encompassing free healthcare, free university entrance, and very cheap public housing).

In the 1880 book Birth of the Free State, Enekoitz explored the political trappings of Enekoitzism. Here, he proposed a form of republicanism dividing the Enekoitzist state into several hundred "comune" or communes. These communes, each made up of 50,000 people, elect an essentially autonomous (though ultimately yielding to the federal state) council of 10 members, as well as two representatives to the "Fkrkat spozasty" or National Senate. The National Senate, acting as a collective head of state and running on majority vote, decide on matters of national or transcommunal scope, and are also able to intervene in intracommunal politics, with a catch. This catch is the so-called "polistazy polizei", or political police, today represented in Yamana as the Political Security and Regulation Agency (PSRA). These political police are the effective counterbalance to the National Senate's power, and may intervene in any senatorial legislation if the Council of High Commissioners (the PSRA's highest sub-organization, non-elected and based on merit) judges that legislation to be unconstitutional. The Senate, however, has the ability to fight back: if the PSRA intervenes, the Senate has the right to hold a second vote for the aforementioned legislation. If that vote is more than 75% for, the PSRA's judgement is overruled and the legislation goes through. After this legislation goes through, the Senate has the ability to call out the military to enforce their decision, an ability which has nearly caused civil war several times.

Besides the PSRA, there are two other law enforcement agencies in Yaghaland--firstly, the State Bureau of Higher Crime (SBHC). Higher crime is classified under the Yamana constitution as drug trafficking and/or possession, treason, sexual crimes, and murder. Yagha law is unusually strict on these four various crimes: under federal law, execution is required for each. Legally, a federal prosecuter can ask for nothing less. The SBHC is also in charge of intelligence and counterintelligence activities both within and without Yamana. Over time, SBHC agents have gained a reputation for great ruthlessness in their operations: usually, Yamana intelligence operations are noted for their extreme efficiency and brutality. The third, and last, law enforcement agency in Yaghaland is the Central Crime Punishment Agency (CCPA). The CCPA covers all forms of crime not covered by the other two and has jurisdiction and sub-agencies in every commune. Interestingly, the CCPA not only operates Yamana's police force, but also provides federal prosecuters for each case they investigate, and runs a highly secretive chain of prisons throughout the nation. Is it any wonder the conviction rate in Yamana is over 80%?

(Very) Short History:

The first references to the Yamana in the days of yore is in 198 B.C., when Roman soldiers noted an extremely vicious and tenacious tribe of barbarians occupying the eastern mountains north of what would later become Venice. The Yamana would resist Roman invasion until 122 B.C., when the Fourth Yamana-Roman War resulted in the capture of the key mountain fortress of Ipoqter, leaving all of Yaghaland open to the legions. Though the Yamana grew prosperous under the Roman Empire, the region remained one of the most troublesome in the Empire, with riots ocasionally flaring up into fully-fledged military revolts. Finally, when the Emperor Constantine officially converted to Christianity, the Yamana region rose in a revolution led by a priest of the traditional Yamana religion Tangata Manu, one Gorka Xemenis. This time, they managed to oust the Romans for good. In 326 A.D., the Kingdom of Yaghaland under the Xemenis dynasty was declared.

The short-lived fervour of independence, however, was not to last. In the year 343, a Celtic invasion from the east overran the Kingdom. A subsequent Roman invasion reconquered the land, but was unable to hold it, and so Germanic tribes from the north conquered Yaghaland. Yamana was to be ruled under the Germanic tribes and the subsequent Holy Roman Empire until 1232, when another mighty revolt led by a priest restored the Xemenis dynasty to the throne of Yaghaland. Propped up by the Franks/French to offset their mighty enemies the Nibelunc, Yaghaland survived as a fiercely-independent, but poor state, hardly making it through the great medieavil wars against the Geletians, the Holy Roman Empire, the Florentines, the Tsags, and the Ionians. The state was finally split and annexed in 1753 between Nibelunc and the Geletian Triarchy. Languishing under their rule, Yaghaland was specifically kept a backwater, militarized border region in both nations, to both protect against the other and suppress Yamana nationalism.

This policy, however, failed after the separate efforts of Pyotr Enekoitz, Otto Zennarutza, and Irati Marinelarena in (respectively) 1883, 1864, and 1878 established (respectively) the Yagha Komunista Alderdi ("Yagha Communist Party", YKA), the Atzerakoi (literally, "Warriors of the King", a monarchistic separatist party), and the Piromaniako (literally, "Pyromaniacs", an anarchist revolutionary group). In the beginning, the Atzerakoi were the largest group, and the most strident. While at first holding simple peaceful protests in the cities of Nibelunc Yaghaland, the Atzerakoi soon escalated to all-out guerilla warfare when it became clear that their demands were not being heard. For many years, this consisted of low-level campaigns in the Yamana hinterland,which the Nibelunc and Geletians hardly controlled anyway. However, when the Piromaniako was formed, all of this changed. With a largely urban following, the Piromanioko instigated riots, carried out bombings and shootings, and wreaked general havoc in the cities. The Atzerakoi, seeing the Piromanioko as part of a "plague" which would cause the corruption of an independent Yaghaland, began fighting against both the Nibelunc and their fellow revolutionaries. During this period, unrest also began spreading into Geletian Yamana: after the first large-scale bombing campaign in Pogyorinamkad, Pyotr Enekoitz saw the opportunity to form the YKA as both a revolutionary party and a sensible alterntive to Marinelarena's anarchist nihilists. As such, membership within the party grew rapidly, especially in Geletian Yamana. By 1892, the situation was ready to escalate, save one last thing...

In May of that year, Enekoitz met with Marinelarena and Zennarutza in Pogyorinamkad to discuss a so-called All-Yamana Popular Front (AYPF) to oppose both the Nibelunc and the Geletians and free all of Yaghaland. After several days of arguing and negotiation, the other two leaders grumblingly agreed to the popular front. And so, in January 1893, the Yamana Revolution began, with a simultaneous assault on foreign military positions in the three cities of Pogyorinamkad, Ulakaniechad (later Zukunft), and Qazqandar. While YKA and Piromanioko forces took (respectively) Pogyorinamkad and Qazqandar easily, Otto Zennarutza's forces were repulsed from Ulakaniechad after several days of fighting. (Rightly) seeing that the capture of the ancient capital was the most important propaganda victory the AYPF could win, Enekoitz ordered an immediate reinforcement of Zennarutza's army and another assault on the city. This time, with the aid of elite YKA Red Guards, the AYPF took the city. All of Yaghaland was under their control, and it was only August.

Though the Nibelunc and the Geletians would launch several invasions into Yamana over the next two years, the AYPF managed to repulse them with ease. Finally, in 1895, both nations grudgingly signed the Treaty of Pogyorinamkad, recognizing Yamana independence and agreeing to a ten-year non-aggression treaty. And now came the darkest part of Yamana history, known as the "Great Terror". Enekoitz, realizing that Marinelarena and Zennarutza, with their radical ideas and strong support bases, could not survive, enlisted one of the most competent (and infamous) members of the YKA to "take care of them": Aingeru Intxausti, the so-called Wolf-King of Pogyorinamkad. Quickly reorganizing his famed "Timberwolves" elite counterintelligence division--which had served under the Geletians, the Nibelunc, the French, and finally under the Yamana themselves and were later to form the core of the PSRA--Intxausti launched a massive campaign of proaganda, violence, and arrests against the Piromanioko and Atzerakoi. Marinelarena and his most trusted lieutenants were killed in a shootout at a roadside tavern in eatern Yamana: his favored heir, Gaizka Etxebarria, was found dangling from a rope in his dingy apartment building and was presumed to have committed suicide. Jokin Aroztegi, famed and skilled commander of the Atzerakoi miltary forces during the war, was stabbed by a mysteriously-disappearing assailant in a bar fight. Only Zennarutza and his brother, Kerman, escaped the hunt, fleeing to Valendia. Both were destined to die only three years later after a reportedly drunk driver ran them both over on a street corner in the Empire's capital city. The driver was killed at the scene.

With the YKA's political enemies finished, Enekoitz began almost single-handedly building the modern Yamana state, drafting hundreds of state documents himself. However, the first National Senate would not be elected until after the great communist's death: during his lifetime, the state was officially held to be in a "state of crisis", during which an elected "emergency dictator" would manage the nation. This gave him the ability to rapidly industrialize and urbanize Yamana, which he did. Millions of farmers had their land bought from underneath them for a pittance and were forced to move to the cities to support the new, rapidly-growing, public and private corporations. The state-run agribusinesses took over in the countryside with a will, transforming the Yamana agricultural industry into a model of efficiency.The same thing was happening in the cities: Yamana factories were turning out unprecedented levels of goods, which were sold on the international market to great profit for all. It appeared that the Yamana communist experiment was working. That is, until Pyotr Enekoitz died in 1910.

An immediate election was called by Intxausti, Enekoitz's temporary successor. Though the elections went off smoothly, however, the Senate turned out to be deeply divided on most issues and was usually deadlocked while screaming politicians berated each other over the smallest bureaucratic nonsense. The only thing they weren't divided in, unfortunately, was their opposition to the PSRA. A deep-seated rivalry for control of the nation began to arise between the Council of High Commissioners (led by Intxausti), and the Senate, led by the Zukunftan politician Haiza Barrena. The several interventions during this period were deftly parried by Barrena's handling of the Senate. In the beginning, (namely 1917) Intxausti disregarded Barrena's power and attempted to keep the Senate's legislation from going through by force. Barrena, however, proved himself a cool poker player and called out the military to defend the constitution against the PSRA. A chilly standoff in July of 1917 ensued: finally, the PSRA realized they could not oppose the military on this, and backed down. The so-called July Incident would tear a rift which would not be healed until the Great War between the PSRA and the Senate.

This split dominated Yamana politics until the Great War broke out in the '40s. Recognizing the nation as a likely target in the Geletian wars of conquest, a young politician named Naiara Gorribede began pushing for greater cooperation among Yamana's various factions, and for more concentration on defence. Aided by the quickly-forming Unity in Strength Bloc, Gorribede managed to push through several pieces of legislation legalizing the conscription of all able-bodied men during wartime, and authorizing massive new funding pipelines into the military. As a result, Yamana's military began rapidly modernizing and rearming. At the end of the war (through which Yamana very carefully stayed neutral), a French general called the Yagha military "the most well-prepared, well-armed, and well-trained army in Europe". A compliment indeed.

Over the next half-century, the Yamana industrialized economy began to be eclipsed by the rising power of the Nibelunc industrial economy. As a result, the Yagha began looking more and more into high-tech and experimental sectors, moving Yamana rapidly into the future. Today, Yaghaland is a center of biotechnology, computer science, rocketry, private spaceflight, and other high-tech industries, and is still a rich, first-world nation which a largely-urbanized and wealthy population. However, political schisms, the growing power of the three law enforcement agencie, and the near-unrestrained power of Yamana's various megacorporations still threaten to derail Yaghaland, while anti-Geletian and anti-Nibelunc paranoia and bias continue to cripple good relations with the Free State's closest neighbors. Only time will tell if the Yamana will be able to solve these problems and continue on into a peaceful, prosperous future.

Economy:

Major Industries: Fourth-sector industries such as biotechnology, information technology, high-tech rocketry, and others dominate the economy, while old mainstays such as arms manufacturing, banking, and agribusiness still command a significant portion. Private spaceflight companies are a new and rising breed in Yamana--the new, experimental spaceport near Zukunft is seeing a lot of successful and unsuccessful tests lately.
Currency: Yamana Credit (YC)
GDP: 793 Billion Belgemarks

[Nova Gaul]

My my my this application came out of the blue – in a most excellent way! I am particularly impressed with you history Mapuche…have you had a country in AMW before? You seem to know the history quite well.

I’m not exactly sure about the borders and such (perhaps you might wish to consider parts of a wide open Scandinavia…would not affect your history much) but then again your desired location would put you much more in the loop for RP.

So yes, you get my full endorsement to continue along and hop on the good ship AMW.

[Iansisle]

Don't have time to comment right now, although I do like the app. Unfortunately, I think the part of central Europe you want is currently occupied (though you may be able to work with the respective countries) so you may have to consider Scandinavia, Iceland, Ireland, or Portugal. I think those are the only parts of Europe still open

[The Mapuche People]

NG: Nope! I'm totally new! But I do hope that area is open, because I really want it. Portugal or Ireland could work, but it sort of feels like they're both too isolated for what I want.

Iansisle: Mmm, okay. I'll work on a change of location.

[Iansisle]

Just got home to check the map thread and, yes, I'm afraid central Europe is completely full. Florance added in that bit of Germany not covered by Nibelunc a while back. There is a chance that Burgov, Cass and Beddgelert would be willing to work with you carving out a little niche in the area, but there's really no precedent for that. There's also the somewhat unsure state of Mongulistan in the Baltics -- I don't believe the player has posted since his factbook and I've not seen him on irc in a while?

[Chrinthanium]

He came on IRC not too long ago, but there hasn't been much from him at all.

I must admit this application is spectacular. You have my approval. Completely.

[Mongaulistan]

I telegrammed my various neighbours regarding history hoping for some replies, but none as of yet.

[Beth Gellert]

Hmm, Machupe's app does indeed look promising, and I hope we can find somewhere workable to fit it in.

Does Mongualistan cover everything that was previously empty up there? I've never been too sure about the final Shield-Nib-Mod borders and the status of northern Poland, Belarus, the Baltic states, and northwestern Russia.

[Mongaulistan]

I had originally planned on just taking up southern Finland, and the rest of Russia, but was encourage to accumulate more borders.

[Beth Gellert]

Interesting. Am I right in thinking that you do want to have oil as a significant source of revenue? I suppose that's where a need for Norway comes in, right (my memory, obviously, is not what (I'm told) it once was)?

Still, perhaps this means there's space to work something out with Machupe, perhaps Denmark and southern Sweden hosting a little high-tech nation as described?

I'll leave it to people who're actually based up there, I suppose.