1850: Alternative Divergence [AH][OOC-OPEN]

[Alt Div Admin]

1850:Alternative Divergence OOC THREAD [CURRENT ANNOUNCEMENTS] IC//MAP 29.01.2018 [Regional Map Mode] OP board Elerian Tracian Empire Novacom Old Tyrannia Oscalantine “Men make History, but not at the time he wishes.” – Karl Marx__________________________________ But for the sake of argument, what if we could? Be it a point of divergence or a whole new nation, what if we could make history EXACTLY at the point that we wish? Hello and welcome to Another Alternative Divergence, an AH/AW RP where the world is your oyster to do whatever you wish. For the sake of continuity, the time now is 1850 C.E., and and nations are expanding in a world not quite yet sobered by war for annihilation. What would be your vision of a world shaped by the nation that you call your own? Again, for the sake of continuity, we should set a few ground rules. All apps need a point of start and build-up – Whether you start from stone age and build it up to 1850 or simply change a few things here and there from 1800’s is up to you, but I would like for all nations to have an interesting history behind it… to prove you are capable AH/AW Rper. All nations MUST be somewhat original – Let’s try to be a bit more creative than having Great Britain at all its glory. You can keep the name and title, but you MUST have some degree of DIFFERENCE between your nation and the IRL ones. Everything can be excused with reason – I am willing to let anything be possible as long as it is stated clearly in the app with full explanation as to why it has come to be for your nation. … Similarly, I will accept NOTHING without a proper explanation. Nation Application Code: Select all [b]Full Nation Name :[/b] [b]Majority/Official Culture :[/b] [[What your people identify themselves with… French, Chinese, Iroquois, Touareg, etc.]] [b]Territorial Core :[/b] [[place where you have absolute control over]] [b]Territorial Claim :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[region NOT your core where your nation’s ambition lies]] [b]Capital City :[/b] [[Its IRL location and name]] [b]Population :[/b] [b]Government Type :[/b] [[Monarchy, Republic, etc.]] [b]Government Ideology/Policies :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[Militant, Imperialist, Expansionist, etc.]] [b]Government Focus :[/b] [[Tell me a little bit about what is your government’s focus… be it military, economy, culture, legitimacy, etc.]] [b]Head of State :[/b] [[highest-ranking individual in the nation according to rule of law]] [b]Head of Government :[/b] [[highest-ranking defacto ruler]] [b]Government Description :[/b] [b]Majority/State Religion :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[It does not have to be IRL religion]] [b]Religious Description :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [b]Economic Ideologies :[/b] [[Capitalism, Mercantilism, Socialism, Communism, etc.]] [b]Major Production :[/b] [b]Economic Description :[/b] [b]Tech Group :[/b] [Read "Centers of Modernization," European, Oriental, Mesoamerican, N/A (default is N/A)] [b]Army Description :[/b] [[Describe your nation's army in as much detail as you can]] [b]Army Weakness :[/b] [b]Naval Description :[/b] [[Describe your nation's navy in as much detail as you can]] [b]Naval Weakness :[/b] [b]Further Military Description :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [b]National Goals :[/b] [b]National Issues :[/b] [[what needs to be fixed in order for your nation to achieve its true potential]] [b]National Figures of Interest :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[Are there any Mother Teresas or Moses that we need to know about?]] [b]National Ambition/Aspirations :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[Not really a set objective, but rather the big picture that your nation is drawing towards]] [b]Rival:[/b] [[A rival is a country that a nation expects to come into conflict with in the future. Relations of rivalry can be created from historical situations or for more pragmatic issues. A rival does not need to consider your nation a rival in retaliation, but this should be taken into account when discussing relations between nations. A system is in the works, so think well about this.]] [b]History :[/b] [[Can be in paragraph or bulletpoint timeline.]] [b]RP Sample:[/b] [[Either a link to a past post, or an example written right here.]] #AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps) Reservations Code: Select all [align=middle][size=140][u]Reservation[/u][/size][/align] [b]Nation Name:[/b] [b]Territory:[/b] #AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps) *Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations. Centers of Modernization The following are rules concerning the level of technology for Alternative Divergence: Every nation in the RP has a flat 5-year lag from the cannon year (ex. IC year 1850 C.E.; max level of technology up to 1845CE) A technology is available if there was a working prototype in the Western World by specified year. If a critical flaw existed in the year of working prototype and this was fixed later, the technology will be carrying this flaw until the year it is fixed. Every nation can nullify this lag by being a member of Centers of Modernization. There are three Centers: European, Oriental, and Mesoamerican. Any nation can be a member of any of these centers as long as they follow a very specific rules described below. Any nation can either start off as a member if enough justification is given, or can work towards “westernizing” into being a member of these centers through IC posts. TGing the OPs to get noticed on the "westernization" posts on IC threads is recommended. Being a member means following the rules of these cultures in the IC as well as applications. Failure to follow the rules of each Centers of Modernization will result in OP board warning you on first offense and dropping the nation's membership on second. Dropped member will retain technologies invented specifically by the nation. Dropped member will have the nation’s technological advances frozen until 5-year lag is met. Dropped member will lose all privileges that being part of specific center gave. Dropped member can reapply to be a member again or join a new center at any time through IC posts followed by TG to one of the OPs. European Centers of Modernization In the Alternative Divergence, the Western Europe has been among the first regions in the world to go through systematized centralization. As a result, despite being so early in the stages of industrialization major cities in Europe have already well on its ways into urbanization. While not always the case, as some nations prefer waterways due to climates or geography, many of these cities boast some sort of railway given the opportunity to do so. Perhaps due to this connection between cities, most of the major cities in the European culture exist centralized within their mainland, with colonies only serving to provide raw materials and its natives only serving to further their markets. Further elaborating on the nature of Renaissance, the concept of "unalienable rights" have started to gain momentum in Europe. This is contradictory to many of their policies towards colonies, but Europeans are progressive in the areas of universal suffrage and human rights. This certainly does not mean that Europeans only accept democratic states; however, Europeans will find it strange is a nation’s population does not protest to governments who are unwilling to improve social justice for their citizens. On the topic of social justice, the Europeans have come to accept that governments cannot be wholly trusted to enact what is right for the people. As a result, even if their government has since reformed to be progressive Europeans always have minority political voice speaking vocally against the government. While how each European government deals with the vocal minority varies from acceptable to oppression, Europeans consider these minorities too vocal and too active to simply ignore. Oriental Centers of Modernization The nations in the Oriental culture contribute their industrial revolution to continuation of Song Dynasty’s inquisitive nature. Perhaps as a direct result of being inspired by a Chinese Empire with proud Treasure Fleets, the Orientals are focused more on ports. While railways and other inland transits do exists, Orientals pride themselves of their maritime culture and cannot imagine their culture being without any major trade ports. Furthermore Orientals are extremely proud of their Asian heritage and will not accept anyone that is not part of Asian continent. While Oceania and Siberia is normally treated as being an acceptable distance to be part of “pan-Asia,” Orientals find nations within Middle East and beyond to be too strange to be part of their culture. While Orientals wholly accept that there can be people above another group of people and that some are more privileged than others, a nation without uncrossable dogma is unacceptable. Every nation must have a core tenants, be it religious or philosophical, that the nation will not violate, and if violated the nation’s leader must be challenged. The only way that the Orientals would accept new dogma would be to prove them with blood and iron: Orientals will never accept another philosophy into their nation unless it has been challenged and came out victorious. Perhaps due to their resulting “Asian pride” and acceptance of classes, Orientals find comfort in bloodlines. Orientals believe that these bloodlines spiritually define their culture as superior to others and are willing to commit genocide in order to preserve them. Although Orientals see European and Mesoamericans as worthy potential for furthering their bloodline, interracial mix of blood is generally frowned upon. As a result, Orientals are wary of anyone who does not actively counter this mix of inferior bloodline as unworthy of respect. Mesoamerican Centers of Modernization Mesoamericans in Alternative Divergence timeline has been hardy individuals who were dedicated to distinguish themselves from Europeans and Orientals despite the overwhelming disadvantage and have managed to achieve such ideals. Such a goal would not have been possible without often times wildly radical decisions that could only come from those learned individuals who have not only the wisdom to know the steps to tread, but actually walk through the path. For Mesoamericans, this came not from some bloodline or miracles, but from people whose literacy was guaranteed and government who selected those based solely on their ability to achieve success. Therefore, Mesoamericans find other cultures that follow rigid, unmovable social structures to be strangers, and they frown upon those who discriminate against another based on superficial traits. When the Old World came to exploit their father’s lands, Mesoamericans formed a united front against the Old World at any costs. Some outsides will see this as brilliant act of self-preservation by the Mesoamerican governments, but to Mesoamericans this was selfless act of the many to preserve not their own self, but the community that they belonged. Mesoamericans therefore can openly believe in their governments to act in accordance to this ideal: to enact policies that will always put the community and society first. To outsiders, these policies may be branded as Socialism. But to Mesoamericans, it is their people’s wisdom to stand together against all enemies. When the first explorers from the Old World came at Mesoamericans’ door, it was the swift actions by the government that prevented the spread of the curse of the Old World. While the plague brought by explorers and colonists fell many nations, Mesoamericans were saved by their hygiene and healthcare policies. Mesoamerican cities were long since known for their hygienic systems in place such as sewers and baths long before the coming of Europeans and Orientals. Furthermore healthcare of citizens were long considered a social good that equaled in importance as defense, for a healthy people meant healthy soldiers in both mind and body. Still, no amount of preparation would stop the deadly disease completely and plague left its mark on the Mesoamerican society: no Mesoamerican government would neglect on hygiene and healthcare policies for any reason. Even if navy is left wanting and other political options are more advantageous, nothing has higher priority than these two sectors of government at any times. Colonial Rule The following are colonial rules for expansion in Alternative Divergence: The landmass across the world with exception to Centers of Modernization are divided into regions. [Regional Map] Countries with capital in the regions dubbed “Centers of Modernization” are recognized as potential Colonial Powers by default. Those are part of Modernized Cultures (as in, nations included in Accepted Centers of Modernization list) are also recognized as potential Colonial Powers. Colonizing is done via declaration. Any nation can declare a specific region as specified in the Regional Map as part of its point of interest. More than one region can be declared at any time, and declarations can be declared and retracted freely. Remember that more declaration = more resources spent to maintain your expansion. After declaration, appropriate expansion posts will slowly expand the nation’s borders into the lands. The land will be claimed based on adjacency, coastal, and inland in that order for filling out blank plots. Keep in mind that politics will always take precedence to takeover, meaning that if any power contests a nation’s colonization posts, problems with that contest must be resolved before further colonial efforts proceed. Also keep in mind that “contesting” a land requires a power to also declare into the region or otherwise have influence over the region in question (i.e. supporting a native RPC nation or buffing preexisting colonies). PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT OP BOARD WILL NOT BE PROTECTING ANY NATIONS. For plots with preexisting, non-Colonial nation, a Colonial Power has the privilege to make posts to claim a specific plot within the declared region for colonization. With appropriate posts and without any contests, the land will be given regardless of previous owner’s sovereignty. Just as with blank plots, native nations can contest Colonial Power’s colonization of their own lands by use of politics or war. However, if the OP Board sees that sufficient measures were done to advance the colonization effort, the declared plot will be given to the Colonial Power. The only way to stop Colonial Power from colonizing a claimed plot is for that Colonial Power to either: Give up the declaration of the region Give up trying to claim the land in a IC treaty OP Board believes that there has been sufficient loss that all influence of the Colonial Power in the region is exhausted. If the OP Board sees decisive victory for the native nation, these takeovers can be reversed. Conflicts between two Colonial Powers over colonizable region will not be judged in this way, but only in treaties between RPers. Rebellion Rule The following are rules for rebellions in Alternative Divergence: Before delving into rebellions, OP Board STRONGLY RECOMMENDS that prior treaties for vassalization/protectorate are done to give all RPers opportunities in this RP. THE ONLY INSTANCE OF THIS RP ACCEPTING REBELLION IN THE RP IS AS FOLLOWS (All must apply): A nation was NOT a Colonial Power A nation has been fully annexed by a Colonial Power with no plots of land left A nation has not been given a fair (by the definition of the OP Board) treaty for vassalization or protectorate. Once this happens, the annexed nation can form a Rebel Faction within the previously annexed lands. Rebel Faction is NOT a new entity, but the same country as before without any sovereign territory. Rebel Faction’s one and ONLY purpose is to start a rebellion to retake the country. Consider this as a “round two” of fight against colonization. Rebel Faction is allowed and highly encouraged diplomatic relations to ensure success of this rebellion. Rebellion can only be declared by the Rebel Faction. Exception to this is when the overlord of the region finds out that a Rebel Faction exists, where the overlord can send a force to stomp out the rebels, sparking the Rebellion prematurely. The ONE AND ONLY way that overlord can know of the Rebel faction is by the Rebel Faction being caught doing sabotage, violently protest or otherwise attempting to physically destabilize the region. Once the Rebellion is declared, it will proceed like a normal war with exceptions. Rebel Faction can declare the starting point of Rebellion. Given sufficient posts, the Rebel Faction will reclaim that plot regardless of contests. From there, the war will proceed like normal, and will end with a treaty. Regardless of success or failure of Rebellion, afterwards the Rebel Faction will lose all power in the region and either regain sovereignty or fade into memory. At this point, it the Rebellion was a failure, the OP Board does not prevent the failed Rebel Faction from forming a “government in exile” to attempt a secondary attempt. However, OP Board will give heavy bias towards the overlord in that this form of government will lack any real physical power, and thus needing to 100% rely on political favors to retake the lost lands. Rival System The following are rules for engaging with Rivals in the Alternative Divergence: ”Rivals” are defined as a specific target that the nation pledges to the global community as well as its own people to actively and purposefully seek the downfall of. Possible ideas for “seeking the downfall of” could include: Blocking trade Forming alliance blocks against the Rival Exercising military action against the Rival Frequently sending letters of insult to the Rival or degrading the Rival in international meetings Actively engaging in a direct or proxy conflict with the Rival (openly, closed actions cannot be accounted by the OP Board) Anything else that will prevent the Rival from easily obtaining its goals. Rivals can be specific nations or specific ideas (i.e. any nation owning lands in specific regions, any nations with specific ideology like democracy, etc). Rivals can change over time, which can be applied to the OP Board first before being fixed on the applications. Nations without ANY Rivals or isn’t actively attempting the downfall of at least ONE Rival will get the following penalties: Significant decrease in morale of militaries that will almost always result in automatic defeat in a war against anther RPer. Significant decrease in grip in colonial regions that will almost always result in success of a Rebellion. Significant decrease in national unity that almost any invasion will lead to outright defeat in a war.

[Alt Div Admin]

Accepted Nations Last Updated : 29.01.2018 Elerian - Great Xi (習王朝) Remnants of Exilvania - The Holy Catholic Union of the Livonian and the Teutonic Knightly Orders Plzen - Scandinavian Republic (Republikken Skandinavia) Old Tyrannia - Maritime Empire of Japan (大日本海国, Dai Nippon Kaikoku) The Ik Ka Ek Akai - Western Roman Empire(L'impero romano d'Occidente) The Traansval - Kingdom of the Eight United Netherlands (Koninkrijk van de Acht Verenigde Nederlanden) Oscalantine - Most Serene Imperial States of Korea (대한제국) Yurizlansia - Empire of Hungary (Magyar Birodalom) Heidi Girl of the Alps - The United Confederation of Spain, Portugal, and Aragon (La Confederacion Unida de España, Portugal, y Aragon) Sveya - Kingdom of Ireland (An Ríocht na hÉireann) Axis Asteroid - Kingdom of the Vandals (Regnum Vandalorum) The Frozen Fores - Empire of the Inca (Tawantinsuyu) Tracian Empire - Eastern Roman Empire (Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων) Krugmar - Shishodya Dynasty Liecthenbourg - The Grand Republic of the All Russias (Velikaya Respublika Vserossiyskaya) Kisinger - German Empire (Deutsches Reich) Reservations Last Updated : 29.01.2018 Novacom - Aztek Ascendancy Zelent - Empire of the Franks (Caizerik Vin da Franconians) The V O I D - Persian Empire Lunas Legion - United Commonwealths of Great Britain The New Byzantine II - Kingdom of Apeulika (아프리카) Senkaku - Amazonian Triumvirate Accepted Centers of Modernization Last Updated : 08.01.2018 European Centers of Modernization The Traansval - Kingdom of the Eight United Netherlands (Koninkrijk van de Acht Verenigde Nederlanden) Plzen - Scandinavian Republic (Republikken Skandinavia) Heidi Girl of the Alps - The United Confederation of Spain, Portugal, and Aragon (La Confederacion Unida de España, Portugal, y Aragon) Sveya - Kingdom of Ireland (An Ríocht na hÉireann) Axis Asteroid - Kingdom of the Vandals (Regnum Vandalorum) Oriental Centers of Modernization Old Tyrannia - Dai Nippon Kaikoku (大日本海国) Elerian - Great Xi (習王朝) Oscalantine - Most Serene Imperial States of Korea (대한제국) Mesoamerican Centers of Modernization Testlandia - Filler nation here

[Alt Div Admin]

Announcements Date : 30.12.2017 Original Link : Link Announcement from AltDiv Development Applications Main OP "Accepted Centers of Modernization" section has been added "Accepted Centers of Modernization" is used to keep the master list of all nations that has been accepted into specific centers by the OP board List will be updated ONLY AFTER APPLICATIONS HAS BEEN ACCEPTED. Do not bother OPs over this until your app is either on the verge of being finished or is already completed. CURRENT LIST IS NOT YET UPDATED FOR EUROPEAN NATIONS. OP board is currently working on the list of nations that will fit European Centers of Modernization from the application-only. All European nations, please stand-by. The OP board is still working on the rival system, on the colonial system, and on the rebel system. Thank you for your patience. Date : 30.12.2017 Original Link : Link Announcement from AltDiv Development Applications The following nations have been added into the "Accepted" list (in the order of acceptance): Great Xi (習王朝) The Holy Catholic Union of the Livonian and the Teutonic Knightly Orders Scandinavian Republic (Republikken Skandinavia) Dai Nippon Kaikoku (大日本海国) Main OP "Centers of Modernization" section has been revised. Centers of Modernization has been hid under spoilers to prevent page stretching. Centers of Modernization lost its extra gimmicks, as some features were inconsistent with the newly implemented system and because balancing issues. "Colonial Rule" section has been added. The point of Colonial Rule is to best replicate the imperialism that was spreading at this time. No, the system is created to be balanced, and will give heavy, HEAVY advantage to colonizing superpowers. As of this moment, the OP Board will no longer protect the sovereignty of any nations whose capital is in the colonizable region. "Rebellion Rule" section has been added. ALTERNATIVE DIVERGENCE DOES NOT (AND I REPEAT, DOES NOT) SUPPORT REBEL FACTION APPLICATIONS. Rebel Faction is a privilege given to nations that have been colonized suddenly or unjustly to fight a second war in more favorable conditions with more alliances Rebel Faction is NOT intended to be used as a harassing tool to mess with the colonial overlord, but to mount up a significant, "all or nothing" last fight against the oppressors. As this system exists, the OP Board (for your sake of not dealing with perpetual fear of when the rebellion will strike as well as ours for needing to track this) that the colonial overlord be generous with its natives by allowing them to live on as protectorates or vassals. "Rival System" section has been added. The point of Rival System is to create sort of tension in the world. The system is intended to ensure that the world is in some form of conflict or another, not just be peaceful. While some actions are written down, it isn't exactly set in stone. Any efforts to mess with the Rival will be accepted. Rivals, while heavily penalized, is optional. Take that with a grain of salt. Regional Map Mode has been added.

[Plzen]

Reservation

Nation Name: Republic of Scandinavia
Territory: In accordance with this map.
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

[Intermountain States]

Reservation

Nation Name: United States of America
Territory: The mainand US not held by the Azteks
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

[Axis Asteroid]

Glad to see this return.

Here's the reservation for the Vandals. Expect an app up soonish.

Reservation

Nation Name: Kingdom of the Vandals
Territory: Comprising North Africa + Mediterranean islands (Vandal Territory by 455 historically) & other islands on map + Ghana, Mali, and Songhai + Dahomey.
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

[Narintia]

Reservation

Nation Name: Tsaardom of Rusemaa
Territory: Excluding Congress Poland,Central Asia,Caurcasia and Teutonic/Scandinavian taken areas ofc, but including Alaska
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

[Sveya]

Reservation

Nation Name: Ireland
Territory: Ireland
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

Reservation for the island of Ireland. I'm still not quite sure if I want to go kingdom or republican direction.

[Remnants of Exilvania]

Reservation

Nation Name: Teutonic-Livonian Catholic Union
Territory: https://i.imgur.com/6BXVsu6.png
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

[Tracian Empire]

All reservations so far are accepted

[Elerian]

Full Nation Name : 習王朝 - Great Xi, or the Xi Dynasty

Majority/Official Culture : Han Chinese

Territorial Core : On the map

Territorial Claim : Tibet, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Eastern Siberia, Assam, Formosa

Capital City : Nanjing

Population : Roughly 470 Million people

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Government Type : Celestial Empire

Government Ideology/Policies : Chinese Expansionism

Government Focus : The preservation of the Mandate of Heaven is of upmost importance, with the military and economy taking a close second priority.

Head of State : Yazhu Emperor

Head of Government : Grand Chancellor Xiang Ji

Government Description : A Celestial Empire the same as all the others before it

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Majority/State Religion : Neo-Confucianism

Religious Description : N/A

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Economic Ideologies : Largely Laissez Faire with a few key nationalized industries

Major Production : Silk, Tea, Foodstuffs, Textiles, Raw Materials, Emerging Industry

Economic Description : Similar to the Ming's economic approach with a handful of state monopolies, otherwise the government takes a hands off approach.

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Tech Group : Oriental

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Army Description : With a standing army of 20 infantry divisions and six cavalry divisions, the Chinese army has 390,000 professional soldiers. In reserve, the Chinese may call upon a further 80 infantry divisions and another six cavalry divisions. Armed with the cheap but reliable Hanyang 44, the entire mobilized Chinese military stands at 1.68 million soldiers, perhaps the largest in the world.

Army Weakness : As is typically the case with the Chinese military, an emphasis is often placed on quantity over quality. As such, the current army model is no different. While many officers both high and low advocate for the transition from quantity to a better quality army, the economic situation in China at present ensures this will not come to fruition for sometime.

Naval Description : A total of 108 ships comprise the Chinese navy, including many steam warships.

Naval Weakness : In comparison to its neighbors, the Chinese navy is smaller, in some cases more outdated, and oftentimes ill equipped.

Further Military Description :

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National Goals : Get foreign investors, grow the Chinese Navy, Modernize the Army, Invigorate the Economy

National Issues : Lack of available capital, Stagnating economic trends, Severe drought, and foreign intervention all hold back the Chinese from achieving greatness

National Figures of Interest : N/A

National Ambition/Aspirations : Attain hegemony in Asia

Rival: Tsardom of Rusemaa

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History :

Fall of the Song and Rise of the Jí'ān - 吉安 (1330 – 1523 AD)

In 1211 (2908, Yin Metal Sheep in the Chinese calendar) Genghis Khan and his horde ravaged Western Xia, and at the tail end of the looting an overzealous Mingghan commander mistook a Song town for a Xian one. The commander and his Mingghan looted the town and killed the local garrison. Only after the deed was done did the commander realize his mistake. When the Song learned of the Mongol attack, they broke off their alliance with Genghis Khan.

1213 (2910, Yin Water Chicken), Jin Emperor Wányán Yong survives, continuing to reign twenty more years instead. Ghengis Khan skirmishes briefly with the Song over Western Xia.

In 1214/15 (2911, Yang Wood Dog / 2912, Yin Wood Pig), the Jin didn't move their capital to Kaifeng, as they did in reality due to the Mongol threat. The Emperor Wanyan Yong tried to persuade the Southern Song into a temporary alliance to turn back Genghis Khan. Seeing the threat that Ghengis poses should the Jin fall, the Song agree to an uneasy alliance with the Jin. The combined forces of the Jin and Song decisively defeat the Mongols in the battle of Yinchuan. This defeat prevents the Mongols from threatening China for some time.

1235 (2932, Yin Wood Sheep), Wányán Yongjì died and was replaced by Wányán Shouxù.

In 1267 (2964, Yin Fire Rabbit), Mongols under Khan Khaishan harass Jin China. In a pyrrhic victory, the Jin forces push back the Mongols yet again. This battle weakens Jin for many years to come.

By 1306 (3003, Yang Fire Horse) the Song Chinese were insolvent and unable to raise enough funds to pay government officials and soldiers alike. As a result unrest grew. People felt that the emperor had lost the Mandate of Heaven. In the same year, a rebellion rose in Sichuan, and they become an independent kingdom.

By 1309 (3006, Yin Earth Chicken), all of South China was in unrest. The emperor was killed in the chaos. Jin China also used the opportunity to plunder and annex parts of the Yangtse area. A series of wars and revolts ravage southern China for some time.

In 1330 (3027, Yang Metal Horse), after the dust had settled, the so-called Four Kingdoms had formed in Sichuan, Guanxi, Shandong, and a final kingdom in Jiangxi based in the city of Ji’an

In 1355/56 (3052, Yin Wood Sheep / 3053, Yang Fire Monkey), the first Ji’an emperor (then, still considered one king among many) invaded the Shandong kingdom, dividing it in two.

1357-60 (3054, Yin Fire Chicken / 3057, Yang Metal Rat), he made war against the Guanxi kingdom, conquered Guangzhou, thereby dividing his strongest two enemies.

1362-66 (3059, Yang Water Tiger / 3063, Yang Fire Horse), The Ji’an Emperor went on to conquer the upper Yangtse kingdom, Sichuan and Dali.

The year 1367 (3064, Yin Fire Sheep) saw a Border war between Ji’an and the Pagan Kingdom; Ji’an proved victorious. Pagan was forced to give the conquered Chinese lands back and pay tribute.

During 1371-75 (3068, Yin Metal Pig / 3072, Yin Wood Rabbit), the old Ji’an emperor made war against Guanxi once again. By war’s end the entirety of Southern China was united once again.

In 1381 (3078, Yin Metal Chicken) the first Ji’an emperor was succeeded by his son the Guilin Emperor. Shortly after his ascension to the throne, the Guilin emperor declared war on the Jin Empire.

In 1384 (3081, Yang Wood Rat), with unrest on the rise the new Ji’an emperor was forced to make peace. Jin ceded Kaifeng and Luoyang.

1387 (3084, Yin Fire Rabbit), the War between Ji’an and Jin begins again. In 1390, Goryeo entered the war on Ji’an’s side against Jin.

By 1392 (3089, Yang Water Monkey), the Ji’an conquered Beijing, and the Jin empire was destroyed. Jin loyalist forces fought in vain for several more years before finally surrendering or being destroyed. The Guilinemperor decided that the Great Wall needed to be repaired.


Expansion of influence

Even before the unification of China was complete, Ji’an made efforts to project its power over its own traditional borders. With a newly built fleet, the emperor made the first campaign against Nipponese pirates around Formosa.

In 1385 (3082, Yin Wood Ox) Ji’an and Annam forced Champa into tributary status, as it had been under earlier dynasties.

During the 15th century, Ji’an China sent caravans along the Silk Road to Choresm, starting diplomatic relations with nations along the road.


The Treasure Fleets

1400-02 (3097, Yang Metal Dragon / 3099, Yang Water Horse): First voyage of the Ji’an Treasure Ships. They travelled to Pasai (Sumatra), Melaka (Malacca), Ayutthaya, Khmer, Pagan, and at the end of their journey arrive in Calicut.

1404-06 (3101, Yang Wood Monkey / 3103, Yang Fire Dog): A Second voyage of the Ji’an Treasure Ships is undertaken. They travel to Calicut again, then onto Sri Lanka, whose Raja accepted the Ji’an as supreme rulers. Yet, shortly after the Ji’an fleet left, the Raja reneged on his pledge.

1407-09 (3104, Yin Fire Pig / 3106, Yin Earth Ox): Third voyage of the Ji’an Treasure Ships. This time they went south to Brunei, Majapahit, and the Guineas.

1416-19 (3113, Yang Fire Monkey / 3116, Yin Earth Pig): The Great Voyage: Ji’an Treasure Ships went to Hormuz, visited Persia and started diplomatic relations. After that the fleet sails down the African coast from port to port before finally stopping in Mozambique. Following that, Ji’an merchants started trading with east African kingdoms.


Further events

1410s: Mongol incursions under Baraq Khan on Chinese territory force the Ji’an to interfere.

1419: Work on the Grand Canal between South and North China is renewed.

1422 (3119, Yang Water Tiger): Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) pays tribute to Ji'an

1451 (3148, Yin Metal Sheep): Tibet joins the Chinese sphere of influence.

1452-56 (3149, Yang Water Monkey / 3153, Yang Fire Rat): A Chinese treasure fleet sails up the Red Sea, sending a delegation to Egypt. On their return, they also spread tales about Romans, Muslim desert savages, and European Kingdoms.

1474 (3171, Yang Wood Horse): The Northern Vietnamese King asks the Ji’an emperor to solve a struggle for succession. This sets a precedent for extending Chinese influence in Vietnam


Decline and fall

By the 1510s and 20s (3207 Earth Snake / 3217 Earth Rabbit) as the dynastic cycle dictates, the Ji’an dynasty was in its death throes. Corruption in the Imperial court was rampant, the Emperors cared less about administering their nation, and more for hunting, spending, and whoring. Perhaps the only productive activity that the last Emperors undertook was spending a great deal of their wealth on the arts, cultural projects, and extensive monuments and works of architecture that survive into our present day. For this reason the technological progress of their predecessors, the Song, was not lost. However, even with all their great feats of architecture and art, the Ji’an still fell prey to the dynastic cycle and after a series of droughts, famines, plagues, and rebellions the mighty Ji’an was laid to ruin.


Rise and Fall of the Zhēnxīn - 真心 (1525 – 1757 AD)
(I don’t feel like doing the bullets anymore)

Seizing upon the weakness of their southern neighbors, the Manchu Jurchen tribes united under a man named Sunjaci Xidong whom had previously been a minor Ji’an official. With a veritable horde of Manchus at his back, Xidong strove headlong into the chaos that had consumed China. Chaos is a ladder and Xidong made his way to the top most rung. After nearly a decade of campaigning, Xidong had conquered much of China. Xidong consolidated his power and claimed the Mandate of Heaven, in the process establishing the Zhēnxīn Dynasty.

Shortly after Xidong’s death, his son and heir continued what his father had started and squashed the few remaining independent warlords. Not long after, the new Sangui Emperor choose for his newly consolidated Empire to focus inward. In the process, this caused China to stagnate intellectually due to a lack of an exchange of ideas with foreigners. This trend continued for sometime before the status quo was broken.

In the late 1600’s an invasion of upper Vietnam was executed to extend Zhēnxīn influence further abroad. In a stunning defeat that rocked the entire country, a smaller but better equipped Vietnamese army defeated the Chinese invasion force nearly three times its size. The Vietnamese victory was owed in large part to superior modern Korean firearms that allowed the Vietnamese to outperform the Chinese army. It was this event that pushed the Zhēnxīn emperors to reconsider their foolish inward policy.

A second army was gathered and dispatched to Vietnam, and despite suffering considerable losses were able to gain the upper hand and decisively defeat the Vietnamese. After northern Vietnam was annexed, another flaw in the Zhēnxīn’s inward policy became apparent. The Vietnamese were better off with open trade with its neighbors and the free spread of ideas that came with it proved to be very productive. Because of this, the reigning Yamen Emperor rescinded these policies enacted by his predecessors and sought to bring China out of isolation. After nearly two centuries of isolation, however, it was apparent many reforms were needed to bring China back to modern standards.

Despite the efforts set into motion by the Yamen Emperor many of the necessary reforms weren’t enacted before the collapse of the foreign Zhēnxīn dynasty.

Signs that the dynastic cycle were again at work to remove the Zhēnxīn dynasty from power were evident shortly after the first few reforms were put into place. In fact, while they were necessary to the modernization of China they were perhaps the reason for the Zhēnxīn dynasty’s ultimate demise. In a similar fashion to Wang Anshi’s New Policies, a series of socio economic reforms were enacted that proved equally disastrous to Wang’s New Policies. At first the policies that included land grants, loans, and nationalization of some industries were successful and proved to be profitable for the government, and in many cases the lower class as well.

However, after a series of devastating natural disasters, many landowning peasants and merchants defaulted on their loans, having lost everything they owned. This coupled with the extensive corruption in the court, and ineffectual response made by the Zhēnxīn lead to a similar demise to the Song. Unable to pay officials and soldiers the mounting unrest in provinces all across their territory led to the Zhēnxīn loss of the Mandate of Heaven and subsequent deposition of the last Emperor. And while it took many years, the Zhēnxīn too fell prey to the Dynastic Cycle.



Rise of the Xi Dynasty to Present


After usurping the throne of the Zhēnxīn, Emperor Taizu of Xi spent the next sixteen years conquering the rest of China, reuniting much of the territory that had once belonged to the Zhēnxīn and ending the power vacuum left by the fall of the previous dynasty. In Nanjing, he established a strong central government over the empire. Ensuring administrative stability by promoting the civil service examination system of drafting state bureaucrats by skill and merit, instead of aristocratic or military position, and promoted projects that ensured efficiency in communication throughout the empire. These projects included repairs of the Grand Canal, and other ambitious work projects. Emperor Taizu also promoted groundbreaking scientific and technological innovations by supporting such works with his patronage.

For almost a hundred years the Xi Dynasty has reigned supreme over China, invigorated by the Industrial Revolution and a Cultural Revolution. However, severe drought, economic downturns, and social unrest have recently threatened the stability of the Empire. The Xi teeter on the edge of falling prey to the dynastic cycle, but many still cling to the the hope that a change in fortune is on the horizon. Whether that hope is in vain is yet to be seen.

#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)

[Elerian]

All reservations so far are accepted

Scandinavia's claims in the Caribbean are taken by Nova already, and I don't know about the New Zealand claim.

[Tracian Empire]

Reservation

Nation Name: Republic of Scandinavia
Territory: In accordance with this map.
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

My bad here. Unfortunately, I didn't notice the West Indies on your map - they belong to the Azteks.

[Plzen]

My bad here. Unfortunately, I didn't notice the West Indies on your map - they belong to the Azteks.

Dropped the West Indies, took the rest of Java instead.

Sorry that my history is so weak, but I do intent to sleep tonight.

EDIT: Fixed some typos and incorrect calculations.

Full Nation Name: Republikken Skandinavia (en: Scandinavian Republic)
Majority/Official Culture: Scandinavian
Territorial Core: As in this map, the regions with solid colours.
Territorial Claim: As in the above map, the regions with checkered colours.
Capital City: København, Sjælland, Denmark, Scandinavia
Population:

Scandinavian Realm - 28.86 millions total

Scandinavia - 9.10 millions
Sweden - 4.93 millions
Sweden Proper - 3.05 millions
Finland - 1.86 millions
Gotland - 0.02 millions (disputed territory)
Denmark - 2.46 millions
Denmark Proper - 2.10 millions
Holsten - 0.36 millions
Norway - 1.71 millions
Norway Proper - 1.61 millions
Iceland - 0.07 millions
Faroes - 0.02 millions
Hjaltland - 0.01 millions

Colonies - 19.76 millions
Java - 9.57 millions
Unorganised Java - 8.76 millions
City of Batavia - 0.81 millions
Scandinavian India - 7.43 millions
Serampore - 6.53 millions
Tranquebar - 0.90 millions
Scandinavian Africa - 1.23 millions
Guldkyst - 0.71 millions
Sydafrika - 0.22 millions
Mauritius - 0.30 millions
Ny Sjælland - 0.87 millions
Scandinavian North America - 0.66 millions
Vinland - 0.54 millions
Markland - 0.12 millions

Government Type: Parliamentary republic.
Government Ideology/Policies: Colonial imperialism. Commercial expansion.
Government Focus: Baltic domination, most immediately by bringing the current war against the Teutons to a successful conclusion and annexing Gotland. Continued industrialisation and economic growth via free-market internal policies, protectionism, and the exploitation of colonies and international commerce. Colonisation of the East Indies and Sub-Saharan West Africa. Acquisition of commercial rights in East Asia.
Head of State: Rasmus Kierkegård, Republikkens kansler.
Head of Government: Søren Jensen, Statsministre
Government Description: The Government of the Scandinavian Republic is of a parliamentary-republican nature with divisions of power. The executive branch, which leads the day-to-day affairs of state, is led by the Chancellor of the Republic, chosen directly via an election conducted under the principle of weighed universal male suffrage. The executive is considered subservient to the legislature, led by the State Minister, which is composed of an upper and lower house, elected by landed suffrage and universal male suffrage respectively. The State Minister is appointed by the legislature after each election for seven year terms, or shorter if there is an early election.

Majority/State Religion: Church of Scandinavia.
Religious Description: The Church of Scandinavia is a state-sanctioned religious institution that abides by a branch of Lutheranism, which is itself a branch of Christianity. Christian faiths are the dominant majority in the Scandinavian home region, and is also spreading rapidly into the colonies.

Economic Ideologies: Capitalism. Protectionism.
Major Production: Manufactured goods, machinery, furs, lumber, fish, grain, raw metals, rubber.
Economic Description: Being a colonial empire, Scandinavia has very little in the way of economic consistency between its provinces. Southern Scandinavia is highly industrialised, with the great cities of Copenhagen, Göteborg, Oslo, and Stockholm spewing smoke into the skies in sprawling coal-powered industrial districts. To the north and to the east, as well as in North America, traditional workshops and agriculture dominate, taking in a variety of fish, furs, grain, and cattle. The Scandinavian Orient is very urbanised, but poorly industrialised. These are commercial centres, making a living primary via the transport and exchange of goods produced by other countries.

Average Annual Household Income by Region
Note: 1 kroner (kr) = 20 rigsdaler (r) = 400 skilling (s) = 3 oz t Au (93.31 grams gold)

Denmark - kr. 10, 12r 3s
Home Regions Average - kr. 7, 16r 3s
Sweden Proper - kr. 7, 8r 19s
Norway - kr. 6, 14r, 11s
Scandinavian North America - kr. 6, 12r 2s
Scandinavian Pacific - kr. 5, 13r 17s
Finland - kr. 5, 13r 16s
Realm Average - kr. 4, 17r 2s
Scandinavian India - kr. 3, 15r 19s
Java - kr. 3, 2r 11s
Scandinavian Africa - kr. 2, 3r 8s

Net National Income - 24.17 million kr.

Tech Group: European Centre of Modernisation

Army Description: Scandinavia's main military limitation has always been its small population. Naturally Scandinavia's doctrine has always been about getting the most out of each and every soldier, and this mindset remains valid even in the industrial era. The Scandinavian army, entirely professional and backed by trained reserves, has one of the highest concentration of artillery and mechanised weapon of any army in the world.
Army Weakness: Naturally, Scandinavia's heavy focus in the quality of its army has left much to be desired in terms of its size. Scandinavia's regular army numbers barely above 60,000, unusually small for a nation of its size. Being designed mainly for the heavily forested Finnish border, the Scandinavian Army is also largely lacking in cavalry.
Naval Description: The Scandinavian Navy is the country's pride and crown jewel. Well-drilled crew serve under creative and knowledgeable captains in the finest of vessels to sail the seas. Although Scandinavia is not a large nation, its position as a colonial power necessitates a large investment into the navy. The Scandinavian Navy is geared first towards the maintenance and protection of its far-flung colonies, and second towards the projection of force into the Baltic and North Seas.
Naval Weakness: The Scandinavian colonial empire is far-flung indeed, and the Scandinavian navy has many obligations everywhere that can sometimes overwhelm the navy's ability to effectively respond to all of them.

National Goals: Emerge as a European great power, with all the scientific, cultural, colonial, industrial, and diplomatic bells and whistles associated with that status.
National Issues: Influence of the Teutonic-Livonian Catholic Union. Various nationalist and anti-colonial movements in the colonies. Scandinavia's less developed northern and eastern provinces.
Rival: The Teutonic-Livonian Catholic Union

History:

With the closure of the viking era, although the Scandinavian kingdoms unified themselves and grew their populations, it was clear that the Scandinavian people no longer had the strength and influence that they once did. Not only did traditional Norse culture and religion disappear, the region suffered a variety of political losses as well. The Scandinavian ability to effectively enforce sovereignty in its various Baltic territories, most notably Gotland, waned, while the Danish border with the Franks was pushed north in a couple of settlements and the kingdom had to sell the Duchy of Estonia to the upstart Livonians. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the Kingdom of Norway lost a series of wars against the Kingdom of Scotland, losing its tributaries in and around the British Isles, while commerce in the Baltic was increasingly dominated by German interests, represented by the Hanseatic League and the Teutonic Order. Its only victories were to be found in the east, where the Kingdom of Sweden expanded to absorb the uncivilised tribes of Finnish people in Österbotten, and even that was contested by the rise of Livonian Finland to the south and the east.

Fearing the growth of powers hostile to it and seeing their increasingly common interests, the nobility of the Scandinavian kingdoms arranged for a personal union between the three kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, bringing Scandinavia under a common crown. This union proved relatively successful, as noted by the stalemate in the Scottish invasion of Norway, 1474-1481 and the failure of Scotland to secure its war objective of Hjaltlands/Shetlands. Meanwhile, the union also continued to expand towards the east, emerging decisively victorious in a series of wars fought between the Scandinavians and the Livonians and, as a result, absorbing all of Finland under the Swedish flag. The new Empire also humbled Russian forces in the First Russo-Scandinavian War, expanding their borders all the way to the White Sea.

With the age of exploration dawning and the riches of the Americas and the Orient now availed to Europe, and with its internal affairs heavily simplified and pacified by the formal establishment of the Scandinavian Empire and the integration of the apparatus of state of all three kingdoms in 1516, Scandinavia, like many other western European countries, turned their eyes outwards, towards the virgin plains of North America. Greenland, which Scandinavian explorers unfortunately found to be deserted of the viking settlers that arrived there a few centuries prior, was recolonised throughout the early 1500s, with the establishment of several towns on its southwestern shore. The Scandinavian West Indies Company, with its mandate of exploiting the riches of the Americas, was founded in 1556. As the 16th Century went on, the first seeds that would eventually grow into Scandinavian North America was founded, with ships of first merchants, then later colonists arriving in Vinland and Markland. The Skrælings of North America gave way to the settlers one way or another, either it was by integrating into colonial settlements, being wiped out through new diseases brought from Europe, or in a series of skirmishes against the colonists eager to expand their homesteads. At the same time, trading posts were established in the Gold Coast, which would slowly grow over time into entire towns and fortresses under Scandinavian control.

Scandinavia was then shook heavily by the Peasant Revolt in 1624. The rise of colonialism and the increasing prominence of Scandinavians in trade both abroad and in the North Sea resulted in the increasing urbanisation of the Scandinavian coast and the corresponding rise of merchants as a prominent political interest in Scandinavian courts. Commercial burgher interests, dissatisfied with the aristocratic national order, eventually incited the general Scandinavian population into open revolt against the Crown, resulting in the abdication of the monarch and the formation of the Scandinavian Republic under the leadership of the Parliament. This led to a massive civil war throughout Scandinavia which invited the intervention of multiple foreign powers, culminating in the Third Russo-Scandinavian War of 1654-1660, in which Scandinavia lost most of its gains in the previous Russo-Scandinavian Wars, ceding Kola, eastern Karelia, Neva, and Ingermanland in exchange for peace.

These internal struggles, however, did little more than slightly slow down the inevitable expansion of Scandinavian commercial interests outwards against the world. The Scandinavian East Indies Company was founded in 1681. Afterwards, Scandinavian-Asian trade rapidly grew over the following decades and, with it, Scandinavian political and military influence in the Orient, culminating in the establishment of Scandinavian trading harbours in Tranquebar and Batavia, as well as a colony in Ny Sjælland.

Scandinavian-Teuton relations, never particularly warm due to their clashing interests in the Baltic Sea, soured dramatically with the rise of nationalism in the Scandinavian lands. Increasingly, powerful Scandinavian political interests began to see the Baltic coast as their land, rightfully gained in the glory days of the viking era, that should naturally be recovered by Scandinavia in its inevitable rise towards great power status. Perhaps as a result, in 1848, the Scandinavian Republic declares war on the Teutonic-Livonian Catholic Union for the liberation of Gotland's Swedish minority, blockading the island and fighting multiple pitched naval battles across the Baltic Sea.

RP Sample:

Hey you, colonial, snakker du skandinavisk?

Such a simple question. I can already feel your retort. "Of course not," you'd say. "I am a proud son of the great empires of the sand! I live in the ancestral lands, speaking the language handed to me by the rich heritage of my people and nation. I have no need for imperialists, or for your imperialist languages, fit only for lowly merchants."

Heh. I remember the last person who tried something like that. He was a nice person. His skull makes for a nice decoration to impress my friends with. Do they have a filthy skull of a savage to show off? I think not.

But consider this. That's a pretty important question. Your answer doesn't just determine how much you get paid today, whether your children will ever learn to read, or whether you will have the rights of a man or of cattle. It isn't just the difference between having a tiny voice in how your village is run and having no opinion at all, the difference between spending your summer in the shade or breaking your back in the mines.

No... I'm not having a good day today. So your answer will determine whether you get to see your family tonight. Or whether you get to see them, ever.

So take a breather. Mull over your answer. Recall what you learned in your language lessons last week.

Now, let me ask it again.

Snakker... du... skandinavisk...?

#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)

[Intermountain States]

Majority/Official Culture : American
Territorial Core : Non-Aztek part of North America, excluding Canada, Greenland, and Alaska
Territorial Claim : N/A
Capital City : Washington D.C
Population : 23,191,876

Government Type : Federal Presidential Republic
Government Ideology/Policies : Classical Liberalism, Federalism, Expansionism
Government Focus : Defending American interest and to oppose any foreign intervention in North America.
Head of State : President Milliard Filmore (Whig)
Head of Government : Speaker of the House Robert Charles Winthrop (Whig)
Government Description : The government of the United States of America is a federal presidential republic with the President of the United States holding executive power with the Vice-President serves as the substitute for the President in the cases of the President's unavailability, otherwise holds little prestige. Each state elects representatives to Congress with the House of Representatives elected by individual districts and the Senate appointed by state legislatures with Congress represented by the Speaker of the House which is the one of the most powerful position in the nation.

Majority/State Religion : Christian majority, no official state religion
Religious Description : The United States Constitution stresses that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, ensuring that there will not be a state religion. The majority of the population is Christian with non-Christian minorities do having significant populations.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism
Major Production : Coal mining, steel production, manufacturing, food, lumber
Economic Description : The United States is a wealthy nation and its vast size stretching from Maine to Washington allows for a diverse range of industries to flourish. The Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic pride themselves as industrial centers for manufacturing and mining while the states of the Ohio River Valley provides premium mining productions. Much of the Plains states and the Rockies are agricultural centers while states in New England, the South, and the Pacific Coast are centers of fishing and trade (The South still maintains industrial might)

Tech Group : European

Army Description : The United States Army is made up of a standing army consisting of volunteers. Thanks to industrialization, the United States mass produces equipments for their military asnd expansion of railroads allow them to transport troops quickly through the use of trains. Their greatest strength, however, lies on the Second Amendment where mass gun ownership made the United States one of the most armed countries in the world.
Army Weakness : Ever since its independence, the United States had never faced a conventional military beforehand, with much of their combat history being dealt with fighting hostile tribals in the frontiers. For the most part, the country experienced relative peace with a large number of regulars getting promoted more on connections rather than merit.
Naval Description : Industrialization has allowed the United States to adopt steam technology for their warships with experimentation being made on ironclad warships.
Naval Weakness : The Navy of the United States is considered to be just adequete and ordinary compared to the navies of their neighboring states. There are really nothing to write home about for the Navy.
Further Military Description : [[OPTIONAL]]

National Goals : Ensure the Union's role as a power in the Americas
National Issues : Military reforms, civil rights issues,
National Figures of Interest : Abraham Lincoln
National Ambition/Aspirations : N/A
Rival: N/A (maybe Scandinavia, maybe the Azteks, who knows)

History :
Colonization and Revolution (1607 - 1783)
Permanent British settlement into North America began in 1607 with the success of the Jamestown colony. Other colonial settlements follow and British colonization efforts in North America were concentrated in the east coast. The colonies in North America were largely self-sufficient and was self-governing for much of its existence, creating a gap in the culture between the colonists and the citizens in Great Britain. Overtime, the colonists were starting to see themselves as different from the Britons and tensions happened between the colonists and Britain over trade, taxation, and westward settlements. Eventually, tensions were high enough for the British colonies to unify into the United States of America by declaring its independence in July 4th, 1776. The primary government, the Continental Congress, declared Virginia representative George Washington to lead the newly formed Continental Army. Despite initial setbacks, the Continental Army was able to win victories, aligning with the Quebecois and soon forced Great Britain to recognize the United States as an independent nation in September 3rd, 1783 after the Siege of Yorktown.

The Articles of Confederation (1783 - 1789)
The first few years were not so kind to the young Republic. Congress accumulated a massive debt fighting for independence and many Revolutionary War veterans were unemployed and had no means to keep their property. The Act of Confederation binded the American states in an informal union which lead to a weak central government that has little say in the competing states for territorial expansions. After an unsuccessful rebellion consisting of disgruntled veterans lead by Daniel Shay, there was a clear consensus that reforms were needed to ensure the survival of the Republic. Delegations from each states went to Philadelphia to discuss reforms to the Articles of Confederations in 1787. The Convention ended with the newly created United States Constitution replacing the Articles in favor of a stronger federal government, a bill of rights that limit governmental powers, and to create a more perfect union. The office of the Presidency was created and delegates overwhelmingly voted for George Washington as the first President of the United States.

The George Washington Administration (1789 - 1797)
The Presidency of George Washington presided over the establishment of the new federal government. While not officially a member of the Federalist Party, he was sympathetic to their views and implemented many Federalist policies such as establishing First Bank of the United States, the United States Mint, and the United States Customs Service. He also placed tariffs on foreign goods and excise taxes on whiskey to fund the national government and to address trade imbalances with Britain. He secured territories for the US along the Great Lakes from the natives and established the United States Navy to protect America's maritime interest against pirates. Concerned about the growing partisanship between the Federalists lead by Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton and the Republicans lead by State Secretary Thomas Jefferson, Washington struggled to keep the rival factions together due to his fear of partisanship and its potential affect on the fragile unity of the country. Not wanting to run for a third term (despite having the popularity to win by voters), he declined from re-election and retired to his home in Mount Vernon, setting a precedence created for future President to be limited by two terms. The election 1796 election was held between Vice President John Adams of the Federalist Party and State Secretary Thomas Jefferson of the Democratic-Republican Party. Despite a close election, John Adams won the Presidential race and the Electoral College called that Jefferson must be Vice-President.

The John Adams Administration (1797 - 1801)
The Presidency of John Adams was marked by Federalist domination in Congress with Adams keeping much of Washington's cabinet in line. During Adams's Presidency, the expense of cotton and other so-called cash crops that dominated the south began to be unprofitable and some of the Southern states abolished slavery due to cost. Except for a few scandals by the Federalists and diplomatic efforts in Europe, the Adams Presidency was considered unremarkable and was defeated by Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 election.

The Thomas Jefferson Administration (1801 - 1809)
The Presidency of Thomas Jefferson was marked with territorial expansion of the United States and an official end to slavery. While west of the Atlantic was not a new idea, the expedition lead by Lewis and Clark to Oregon paved the way for potential American access to East Asian trades. Jefferson also presided over the national debate regarding slavery. With cotton and tobacco being much more expensive to procure, most southern states already abolished slavery and Jefferson presented a plan that would maintain a nationwide end on slavery. With slavery already being costly, the southern states for the first time joined with their northern brothers in voting for an amendment that puts an end into slavery in the United States and their territories. During Jefferson's term, Ohio joined the Union.

Future Presidents (because I'm too lazy to make more paragraphs)
4. James Madison (1809 - 1817): Expansion of governmental powers and promotion of industrialization the country. Indiana joined the Union.
5. James Monroe (1817 - 1825): Establishment of the Monroe Doctrine that opposes any future European intervention into North America (never really enforced). Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Maine, & Missouri enter the Union.
6. John Quincy Adams (1825 - 1829): Promotion of economic modernization with continuation of protectionism and industrialization. Immigration from Europe were common in both the North and South of the East Coast.
7. Andrew Jackson (1829 - 1837): Conflicts against native tribes in America and threats of seccession from South Carolina over tariffs. Arkansas and Michigan joined the Union.
8. Martin Van Buren (1837 - 1841): Economic turmoil and conflicts against the Mormons.
9. Henry Clay (1841 - 1845): Re-establishment of the National Bank to revive the economy. Florida joined the Union.
10. James K. Polk (1845 - 1849): Reduction of tariffs and full expansion into the Pacific along with foreign policy achievements with East Asia and Western Europe. Iowa, Oregon, Minnesota, and Wisconsin entered the Union.
11. Zachary Taylor (1849 - 1850): Died 16 months into his term.
12. Millard Filmore (1850 - ): Jefferson joined the Union.

RP Sample: - War, what is it good for? (Back to 1935)
- Rednecks and post-apocalyptic America (Fallout: Damn Dirty South)
- Red Dawn but slightly better (Crane Ascendent)
- Generic late 19th century Alt-history RP (Voice of a New Age)
- War, war never changes (Fallout: Republic of Dusts)

#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)

[Tracian Empire]

Map and list updated.

[Plzen]

Map and list updated.

Since I was booted out of the West Indies, I have opted to take the rest of Java instead. If this is permissible, please update the map to reflect that.

Also, Svalbard is a part of Scandinavian core territory, and the Norwegian-Russian border needs correction.

Thank you for your concern.

---

It occurs to me that I have enemies basically everywhere. Territorial disputes with the Teuton-Livonians, territorial disputes with the Vandals, the US has rivalled me for some reason, and I'll eat my hat if none of the Asian empires challenge Java and New Zealand.

The joys of being a global colonial empire.

[The Traansval]

Seeing as how this is 1850 i assume that Africa will be colonized ICly.

[Tracian Empire]

Seeing as how this is 1850 i assume that Africa will be colonized ICly.

Yes. Small coastal colonies can exist, but nothing too large or inland.

[The Traansval]

Reservation

Nation Name: The United Provinces of the Netherlands
Territory: The Benelux Region (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg), the territories of the Dutch Colony of Cape Town (Pre-British occupation), the Dutch overseas territory of Suriname, the island of Sri Lanka, and the territories of the Dutch East Indies.
#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)
*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting reservations.

[Plzen]

-snip-

Thank you for your concern.

A statement on these issues would be nice to have.

EDIT: Issues are solved. Thank you. Snipped.

---

-snip-

The region that was IRL the Dutch East Indies is quite hotly contested at the moment, looking at the map.

[Tracian Empire]

Map updated

[The Traansval]

-snip-

Thank you for your concern.

A statement on these issues would be nice to have.

EDIT: Issues are solved. Thank you. Snipped.

---

-snip-

The region that was IRL the Dutch East Indies is quite hotly contested at the moment, looking at the map.

Well, i'll take all I can get of it that doesn't overlap others claims.

[Tracian Empire]

A statement on these issues would be nice to have.

EDIT: Issues are solved. Thank you. Snipped.

---

The region that was IRL the Dutch East Indies is quite hotly contested at the moment, looking at the map.

Well, i'll take all I can get of it that doesn't overlap others claims.

That would be Sulawesi and some smaller islands.

[The Traansval]

Well, i'll take all I can get of it that doesn't overlap others claims.

That would be Sulawesi and some smaller islands.

https://i.imgur.com/xsF8tbw.png

This then would be my preferred claim to Asian lands. (The Orange)