This thread is as the title proclaims the OOC thread for the Han-Frankish war aka Shattering the Hammer. This is to be the home to any OOC disputes and arguments, no need to clutter a perfectible good IC thread with that crap.
Info Dump
Contained under here will be lots of important information and background fluff regarding things happening in the war thread.
Viewpoint Characters
Charles Martel II- Sovereign of the Carolingian Empire and Protector of her Dominions, Defender of Christendom and Holy Roman Emperor.
Charles Martel is a direct descendant of the ancient rulers of the Carolingian dynasty and came to power during the bloodiest years of the Second Great War. He was the lone survivor of the Imperial Family during the conflict. He is loved by the veterans of that conflict for personally leading the French and Allied military in the campaign that forced the Germans of French soil. It was also the direct actions of Charles and the troops of his corps, that forced the first bridgeheads over the Rhine after nearly a year of bloody stalemate before the collapse of the German military machine. This action earned Charles his title as the Hammer, and the endearment of his troops who would follow their Emperor into any battle.
The prolonged conflict left scars not only on Charles body but also his soul, and that of France itself. In light of the damages wrought on his nation, it was decided not to rebuild Paris and the damaged regions at all but rather transfer the capital to Venus.
Charles detests war and knows its costs well, yet he is a soldier as well as an autocrat, he believes it is his duty through the divine right of kings, to protect his nation's interests at all costs.
Mathilda Armitager-Martel- She is the eldest daughter of Charles Martel and Sandra Armitager, one of five sisters, she has only been recently recognized as the Crown Princess of the Frankish Empire. Some in the court and the Empress Sandra herself expected Charles to recognize his bastard son Jon as Crown Prince, he did not.
Mathilda is tall, blond, and athletic, not a courtesan or some powered face damsel of an imperial court. Charles raised every girl of his blood as a strong fighter and shrewd politician. In the Third Empire it is law that every noble must serve before they can rule.
Much was said in the media about the seemingly blossoming relationship between Mathilda and the now King of Sweden Gustav II. Yet, that relationship was cut off suddenly after the bombing of the motorcade during the then crown princes' visit on Venus. Now Mathilda wears a jagged scar on the left side of her check and is courting Duke Tancred of the Spanish March.
It is a little known fact her son, is of the old Vaga ruling dynasty, the son of Gustav II, who had disappeared when his Kingdom fell into civil war and unified as the Kalmar Union.
Gerald Auielle- The Brigadier General in command of the 1st Army which is currently deployed near Guangzhou in the Chinese March. He is a long time professional soldier having served in the Great War and the Italia and Germany campaigns. In the Great War he served as a company commander under Charles Martel's command and was a part of the the offensive that forced the Rhine. He has attained his rank and position without any aristocratic connections and earned his way though hard experience, his troops call him Old Piss and Vinegar, but from most its a term of endearment. Auielle is known to be a strict leader demanding adherence to a strict drill regiment, but also is known to reward his officers and men for their hard work and over looks the requirements of soldier life, like brothels.
Laurence Blanchard- A Squad leader with the Ninth Fusiliers, he is a veteran of the Germanic Campaign. He is attached to same Battalion as Sgt. Major Robert Mann. His unit is currently deployed with the 1st Army responsible for the protection of Guangzhou.
Dominique Pilchard- The minister of the Foreign Affairs department. He is a small plump man who is over weight and balding, but he is also known to be made of something stronger then steel. He represents the will of France to other nations and is a firm believer in the rights of man and the supremacy of France and the other nations of the Cytherean Alliance over its opponents.
Supporting Characters
Forthcoming as I rp them.
Important Places
Nouveux Paris- Capital City of the Third Empire, located on Aphrodite Terra, Venus.
Chinese March- A territory that has long been a sphere of influence for the Frankish Empire, it was only made into a March after the counter-offensive in the closing months of the Second War. Liu Yongfu, during the time that France was but an influence in the area, was the leader of a gang of organized bandits, much like the Italian Mafia. He continued to take advantage of the situation to the point before the Frankish counter attack he was the main point of resistance against the MIng. Following the establishment of the March, he swore his fealty to Charles Martel and was named his Duke. Yongfu represents a stark contrast to the seemingly insane decrees of the Ming Empress and is proof to not only his subjects but to the larger world that not all those of the Asian blood are insane.
Armed Forces Disposition and Composition
Map of the current disposition of Frankish Forces in the Chinese March: http://img576.imageshack.us/f/chinafrontarmies.jpg/
3rd Army- CO General Robert Adlare HQ-Fuzhou
Nominal Strength-400,000 men
Actual Strength-400,000men
7th Army- CO General Pierre Rivere HQ-Meizhou
Nominal Strength-400,000 men
Actual Strength-400,000men
1st Army- CO General Gerald Auielle HQ Guangzhou
Nominal Strength-400,000 men
Actual Strength-400,000men
12th Army Geneal Emiel Durel HQ- Wuzhou
Nominal Strength-400,000 men
Actual Strength-400,000men
19th Army CO- General Rikard Starke HQ Nanning
Nominal Strength-400,000 men
Actual Strength-400,000men
32nd Army CO-General Laura Demount HQ-Haikou
Nominal Strength-400,000 men
Actual Strength-400,000men
