Metal on Metal [WW1 Steam/Diesel Punk] IC(OPEN)

by **Deutschess Kaiserreich** » Wed Feb 13, 2019 7:52 pm

Berlin

"THOSE FUCKING TRAITORS!" The Kaiser read the letter in his shaking hand. The room was filled with anger and rage. The Italians sought peace with the Entente! When the sun of Victory was beginning to rise over Germany!

"This will not stand mein Kaiser! Allow me to authorize a Military intervention in Italy!" Asked Rictofen as he read through the document presented to him. His eyes were filled with fury and he mouthed such words that would make a sailor blush. "If they do join the Entente I will burn Rome to the ground!"

"DO YOU WANT ANOTHER FRONT!" Yelled Hindenburg as he stood up, horrified at Rictofens proposal. "They have not joined yet! If we attack now they will almost certainly turn against us! This is not it. We need to give the Italians reason to stay with us. A massive Victory over the Entente is needed!"

Meanwhile, A man in a naval admirals uniform ignored the chaos going on in the room. His mind was filled with dozens of plans with one being formed every second. He saw naval battles and envisioned his fleet before him. He imagined naval landings and port raids. But none worked for the situation they were now in. Suddenly, he saw a flash of lights. He could now see a huge group of small boats. He opened his eyes and read a document in front of him. He read it and smiled. "Gentlemen I have a plan!"

The Kaiser turned around to see a rising star. High Admiral Dönitz. He had come from mostly obscurity being a just a naval officer. But when the high admiral died in a sudden car crash he was the only when willing to take the reigns. So far Dönitz had only seen one battle but in that battle, he had essentially destroyed the Danish navy in one stroke. The Kaiser would normally not trust such a young upstart that knew little of war but he had no other choice. "What is it Dönitz?"

"I hope you people have heard of the surrender of the Russians?"

"Of course! What do..."

"And that they are eveacuated huge amount of men from Russia who have refused to surrender. They only have a few destroyers and maybe a battleship to protect their vulnerable troops escaping. I have planned that we can engage them at Jutland with the full might of our navy."

"Such a Victory could make Italy stay with us!"

"Can I rely on your help, Air Marshall?"

Rictofen smiled, "Any chance to destroy those English and Russian dogs."

Port of Hamburg

The High Fleet of the Kaiserreich had spent much of the war docked. Afraid that a significant fleet could provoke a war with the British they had stayed in port. Now, none of that mattered. They had tried to coerce their ally Itlay and they would feel the wrath of an intact German fleet. Dozens of destroyers now slipped their moorings and set sail. Battleships waited for their escorts in the bay and the shadow of hundreds of planes filled the air. The full might of the Kaiserreich was about to be unleashed.

But deep in the harbor construction was finally done. It had taken years to build and many "accidents" to keep it secret. But it was done. Black smoke thundered from its eight smokestacks. It six 4x 400mm main battery completed their final tests. It's 5 massive propellers found propulsion as water flooded the dry dock. It's 300mm armor groaned. Sailors race across the battleship in little carts in the 300-meter long battleship in order to reach their position as fast a possible. The anti-aircraft gun crews focused their sights on the sky. On the bridge, High Admiral Dönitz looked upon the massive fleet and smiled. The Vengance of the Kaiserreich had only begun! The SS Bismark was about to be unleashed.

The SS Bismark leaves port

The strength of the high fleet.
------------------------------------------------
-100 Torpedo boats

-42 Destroyers

-12 Heavy Destroyers

-8 Battleships

-One bismark class Battleship

-12 Bismark class air battleships

-321 Fighters

-60 Gotha Bombers

-30 Torpedo bombers

Austria-Hungary

(The player of Austria is too busy and has told me that I can take over for him in the meantime)

Gioberto enjoyed the cigarette in his hand. It was the only joy and excitement he got from this job. Border duty was the worst ever and he...

He noticed something move in the distance. He dropped his fag and crushed it under his boot. He grabbed his binoculars and saw a whole Austrian army! Help was coming! But wait... They had stopped and been digging in trenches. Maybe it was defending an exposed flank?

Gioberto grabbed his radio next to him in the shack he was in. He transmitted a message to Rome

"Austrian troops prepare to help us. They appear to have waited on the border for more forces. The war has been won"'

Eastern front

The war against Russia was over. While the treaty had not been formalized yet all aggression between the nations has stopped. Over 4 million German men had been freed from the front and raced to the west as fast as they could. On the French border, defenses were prepared and staging areas built. But one army, the 5th shock army with 300,000 men was not heading to the west but rather was southwest... To the Italian border.

by **Deutschess Kaiserreich** » Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:14 pm

Letter to Italy.

We have heard rumors that the Entente is tempting you to damnation. Do not be swayed by their offers but rather affirm your loyalty to the central powers. We fight not for conquest but to free the people of Europe from failed and evil states. Stay with us and see the sun of a new Roman empire... turn against us and see Rome burn again.

I beg you to reconsider the Entente's offer.

Kaiser Wilhelm II

by **Valtrona** » Wed Feb 13, 2019 9:26 pm

{ CORRIERE DELLA SERA }

Diplomacy

It was done. The Treaty of Lisbon has been officially written and signed. Now, Italy had left the Central Powers, and joined the Entente. It was the largest betrayal in the History of Mankind. This treaty has single handily won the war for the Entente. The backhand deal of backhand dealings. The treaty was very beneficial for the Italians, an opportunity they couldn’t pass up. Now, all existing frontlines had ended, and a new array of fighting has officially begun.

Alpine-Adriatic Front

Shelling across the front began, as troops fell back from the Franco-Italian Front to quickly combat the Austrians. Italian forces crossed the Austro-Hungarian border, overrunning the weak and surprised border guards with ease. The Italians conquered the entirety of Istria, and continued their advance into Austria-Hungary. They reached and swiftly conquered the city of Rijeka, however resistance was present within the city. In the north, the advance reached the Landeck River, where Austrian garrisons put up stern resistance in the mountains with support from Bavarian divisions. The Drau and Sava Rivers was also reached, yet the further the Italians marched into Austria, the more resistance they met. They reached the cites of Innsbruck, Villach, and Ljubljana. Here, they were stopped by fierce Austro-Hungarian resistance supported by the Germans. Meanwhile, Italian Marines managed to seize all of the Austro-Hungarian islands in Dalmatia. Marines landed in the ports of Zara, Split, and Sibenik. They secured a solid foothold, and prepared to defend and then advance further into Austro-Hungarian territory.

Africa Front

Even though the Treaty of Lisbon was signed, the war in Africa was not yet lost. Anglo-Italian forces in Tanzania came out of their trenches and bunkers to celebrate the agreement at Lisbon. Fighting in Africa was not yet done, as the Spanish and Ottomans still pose a “threat” in Africa. With British troops soon to arrive in Egypt, Italian forces dig a defensive line in the Sinai Peninsula to defend the Suez Canal (which was not reopened). Italian artillery bombarded the Ottoman Coastline in the Red Sea, notably the port of Aden. In Morocco, Franco-Italian forces launch a lighting invasion of Morocco. The overwhelmed Spanish forces fell back to northern Morocco, as the dual forces reached the city of Casablanca. In a short time, Morocco was under French Control once again. The Spanish were driven back to their African borders for the time being, but hundreds of thousands of Spanish and Ottoman troops were encircled in West Africa. Soon, they will fall to. First, Franco-Italian forces began bombarding the cities of Melilla and Ceuta in the Spain’s North Africa coastline, as troops began crossing the border.

Air/Naval War

Meanwhile in the port of Vlorë, the Austro-Hungarian Navy was leaving the port as various large figures approached the Navy. Upon getting into sight, they unleashed a horrid fire that burned the decks of the ships. Dragons... The mythical beasts had come to life, and were bringing their wrath upon the Austro-Hungarian Navy. It wasn’t much of a battle, but a massacre. The entire Austro-Hungarian Navy was wiped out in one engagement. The Massacre of Vlorë would go down in naval history as the worst naval massacre in mankind. While most of the Fleet’s ships remained intact, being given to the French Navy, the entire crews of these ships were killed. If the fire and gunfire didn’t kill them, the the poison gas unleashed near the end to the battle wiped out all remaining survivors. Meanwhile, severe aerial bombardment of Spain and the Ottoman Empire began, a thousands died in the first week of this concentrated air assault. The Austrians suffered enough, so they were left out of the onslaught. The Regia Aeronautica would have free reign over the sky’s of the Spanish and Turks. Even though the Austrian Navy was completely wiped out, the Turks and Spanish still held a respectable naval presence in the Mediterranean that must be dealt with accordingly.

{ NIS OPERATIONS }

The NIS has been quietly operating in Serbia and Montenegro. Resistance fighters in southern Serbia have been in close touch with the NIS since the fall of Serbia. The Serbian King was being held in exile in Montenegro. A secret summit was held in Pec in the nation of Montenegro. The host nation, along with the Serbian King and the Director of the NIS met to discuss potential scenarios for the fall of Austria-Hungary. It was agreed, Montenegro would soon join the war on Italy’s side, and Serbian Rebels would secretly kill off the Austrian puppet governments in Serbia proper. With this, it would be only a matter of time before the Austrians would collapse. Secret NIS documents also show reported agreements with the Romanians to get them on their side for Transylvania. Whether this will occur is still up for debate, as none knows of the consensus of the deal, if there was one.

Letter to Kaiser Wilhelm II:

We regret to inform you that this deal is real and apparent. You are now considered our enemies, but our respect for you has not wavered. Even though we will meet you in the field of battle, we promise that the German people will not suffer post-war. In addition, all German enclaves in Austria-Hungary will have our protection we can guarantee you that much. Hopefully, we may someday get over this betrayal, and continue to be good acquaintances post-war and maybe even future allies once again.

Signed,
- King Victor Emmanuel III

by **Regnum Trinitatem** » Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:09 pm

The job was finished. They were going home.

The Aerial Fleet changed course a final time, heading home towards the friendly skies of Mongolia.

On the ground the bodies left behind were still being counted. But it was extremely likely that the force of 1000 had slain at the very least 500,000 people in their bombing, possibly it was upwards to 1,000,000. Centuries of history embedded in cities was wiped away in a single campaign. The once grand gothic architecture was now indistinguishable when mixed with the rubble of thousands of other buildings. A couple key cities in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Leibnitz, Maribor, Varazdin, Graz, Zagreb, Prague and dozens of towns along the way. Their attacks were not to conquer, but to destroy rather. The ground where these cities once stood was more similar to a graveyard now rather than a beacon of civilization. Why did they do it?

Well they were paid to do it, of course.

Italy in fact, had paid them to do it.

They were paid to fly through Italian skies, over the alps and into the Austro-Hungarian territories. Where the destructive force of a Mongol horde descended onto cities to crush their infrastructure, plummet morale for the Empire which was accomplished quite successfully by the horror stories from Prague, and to overall weaken them near the alps for Italian invasion. The Italians paid for the ammo that penetrated rooftops, the bombs that leveled buildings, the fuel that carried the ships through the clouds, the mustard gas that made cities inhospitable to mankind, and they were even the ones to offer the Mongols a place to refuel and recoup in Albania.

The Mongols had assisted in the prelude to an invasion in Austria, now it was time to begin their own.

The Mongol Invasion of China

In the province of Inner Mongolia, the native Mongolian populace already held a desire to return to Mongolia, so it was no challenge to spur insurrection in Inner Mongolia nearly overnight with a bit of funding and backing their rebellions. Weapons were given to the people, Mongolian soldiers actively seen helping the rebels in their fight. Whilst Ma Anliang was found dead one night from supposedly natural causes, leaving Ma Fuxiang as the new dominant power in the Ma Clique. Ma Fuxiang unleashed the Ma Clique against the Xinjiang Clique, the Xinjiangs only receiving warning that the Ma's would attack merely days before they did. Allowing them to pull their troops from an inactive Mongolian front and gather on the Southern border to meet the Ma Clique in battle.

For well over a month warlords fought among each other on like children on a playground, throwing the lives of soldiers into useless border conflicts as though they were just toys. The minds of the warlords were easily manipulated by the NIS and Khanate Intelligence. Every day the violence grew as the embedded agents only threw fuel onto the fire. Assassinations were a regular occurrence, rations were poisoned leading to heavy distrust in the ranks among other acts to stir the pot of chaos.

With the multiple civil wars breaking out in China, it did not take long for them to weaken to acceptable standards. Armed insurrection in Inner Mongolia with the backing of the Mongolian military lead to Inner Mongolia being the first province to fall under complete Mongolian influence quite easily. There was hardly any resistance from the mostly-Mongolian populace, most of them happy to be a part of true Mongolia once again, others just happy they didn't have to deal with the uncertain political landscape of warlords.

While Xinjiang armies fought in the south, the Mongolian lines finally pushed. The War Pig dominated enemy trenches like no other weapon, allowing the Mongolian forces to push deeper into the deserts of the Xinjiang province with relative ease. The army was nearly completely devoid of tanks, leaving almost no challenge that the War Pig couldn't conquer as it broke the military presence in Xinjiang. Droves of Motorized Cavalry spread all throughout the province, liberating the primarily Mongolian province from Warlord control. While a primary attack force of multiple Motorized Cavalry and Horse Cavalry regiments numbering upwards of 60,000 men charged with the War Pig southwards to collide with the rest of the Xinjiang armies, and hopefully to cripple the Ma forces.

Meanwhile fighting just continued as it had been throughout the rest of China. The KMT held the line against a triad of opposing cliques, fighting on the borders would intensify between warlords until one of them fell. Until then, Mongolia only had to face the weakened, individual armies of scattered warlords to gain great swathes of territory across the land that once belonged to the Mongols long, long ago.

by **Deutschess Kaiserreich** » Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:52 am

The Reichstag

It was was a scene of tears, anger, and sorrow. Pleas of Mercy and cries for retribution. The Reichstag was in chaos. Only an hour ago did Italy defect and attack the Austrians. Only an hour ago was a year-long friendship broken. Only an hour did that very friend attack the Kaiserreich closet ally. Thank god, for Army group C saving the day by stabilizing the front.

"Italy has betrayed us. A nation we thought to be brothers. Many of you claim the war is lost! I think not mien friends" The speaker was the Kaiser himself. Ever since the war, he had been too busy at the war room to speak his monthly speech but he had made time for this. He needed the peoples support for a long term war. "But it is not! For as I speak our diplomats meet in Brest-Litvosk to sign the treaty that will gain us much needed food and land! Fear, not the damn Frenches and Brits! No! Fear the German might that will crash upon them! Let them fear as our great soldiers rush to the west to defend Germany and her people. Let them fear as our soldiers march into Paris, Rome, and London! Fear them not but let them fear us! Let them fear the might of German, mein friends! Let them feel the might of men! Let them feel the might of our superior culture! LET THEM FEEL THE LIGHT OF THE KAISERREICH SHINE THROUGH THE AGES!"

The room erupted into a chorus of cheers as the Minsters rose from their seats shouting their support for the Kaiser and his war. Parties that were only moments ago at each other throats stood up together for a common cause. They cried out curses to Italy and yelled out plans to claim revenge. In the streets, the speech was broadcasted on newly installed speakers giving life to the city only just recovering from it's darkest days. Flags of Italy were torn down by patriots and a huge crowd gathered around the Italian embassy. They were about to storm it and drag out the traitors.

Farmers and people on the outskirts of the city had heard the news that at midnight they would drag out the filthy traitors. They rushed in and massed in a nearby plaza. By midnight their numbers had swelled into the tens of thousands. Finally, a man climbed onto a statue of Bismark in the middle of the plaza and spoke with a booming voice. The crowd, an unbearable source of noise for the nearby inhabitants, went silent.

"Tonight we march on their so-called embassy and drag out the traitors! We shall show the Italians what it means to fight the might of the Kaiserreich!"

The crowd cheered and literally many of them were waving pitchforks and lit torches. They began to move as an incoherent blob down the main street leading the embassy row. People looked out their windows cheering the crowd on. A few of the less disciplined officers of law joined the crowd. The Italian embassy was in sight. But suddenly a convoy of armored cars turned the corner. Could it be? Somehow that the Italians had found their way to Berlin?

The crowd masses outside the Italian Embassy

Instead of Italian soldiers pouring out of the cars it was German Imperial guard. The cars had formed a semi-circle line between the crowd and the embassy. Suddenly a vintage car also turned the corner and parked on the side of the blockade facing the crowd. A man in black uniform stepped out with a scepter in his right hand. The crowd instantly recognized him as the Kaiser. The crowd went into silence with only whispered confusion.

"Germans! Why do you seek to harm the innocent? We are in a war against traitors but even such barbarity as you have planned horrifys me! Please, show Italy the civilization of Germania but not it's brutality. Anyone how wishes to march on that embassy behind me will have to go through me!"

The crowd heard that their Kaiser disapproved of what they wished began to doubt. Doubt led to desertion. Desertion led to dissipation. In less than an hour, the crowd was gone. The ambassadors were shoved out the door by the Imperial guard as the last of the crowd went away. The Kaiser looked upon the head ambassador with hatred.

"Make my death fast."

The Kaiser said nothing and reached for his waist...

...And pulled out a letter.

"Leave a skeleton crew. The convoy will take you the front line. You will walk the rest the way once you reach the front. Give this letter to King Victor Emmanuel at once when you reach Rome. Don't say anything, get out of my sight"

The Kaiser pointed out the convoy of armored cars. The Ambassadors were pulled and shoved into the cars. They sped off in the distance leaving the Kaiser standing on the empty and dark Berlin street.

To Victor Emmanuel III of Italy

I am severe distress at your betrayal of my people and the people of my allies. You have taken my trust and shattered it in the fires of war. What has this war cost our nations? I have sent away your Ambassadors for fear of my people losing control and harming them. I have left a skeleton crew so that emergency contact between our two nations can be achieved. It may be necessary for contact to be established as the war escalates beyond our control. Has it already not? Heh, all that work to test our alliance for nothing. All our actions and meetings for nothing. I'm just ranting but... I... I just hope that mine and your people do not suffer anymore.

Sincerely, your friend,

Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert the second.

by **Zexania** » Thu Feb 14, 2019 7:26 am

civil war
The whites and consrrvatives formed a new united imperial russia to fight off the radical soviets ideology which both factions deemed "barbaric" soon the armies of white russia marched to petrograd after battling the soviets about 300k men in both sides lost their lives the baltic and pacific fleete started bombing petrograd marines have landed capturing many coastal towns in middle russia the soviet armies made advances but due to freezing weather were forced to stop and then got pushed back by the better equipped elite siberian units
Peace wasnt signed but an undeclared truce was felt as no offensives started.

by **Barapam** » Thu Feb 14, 2019 9:37 am

VICTORY!

Mission accomplished. In the treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the Russian Empire had ceded the Grand Duchy of Finland to Sweden. Historical justice had been done.

Denmark, ravaged by civil war, was ripe for the picking.

However, the job wasn't finished. Swedish forces didn't yet control all of Finland, and with the majority of the remaining Russians soldiers there being loyal to Lenin and the Petrograd Soviet (some units had even killed their own officers), there was a real risk that the Russian revolution would spread. And so could the Danish. And not just to Sweden and Finland, but also to Germany, which like Sweden bordered both nations, and to some of the other Central Powers, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Romania, which bordered Russia. If nothing was done, half of Europe might succumb to the Bolshevik barbarism, and Sweden couldn't allow that. Drastic measures would have to be taken.

Sweden would agree to make peace with the Entente.

For Denmark, that meant ceding the isles of Bornholm, Saltholm, Anholt, and Læsø to Sweden, and paying $ 100,000 in war reparations, and recognizing the independence of Iceland, the Faroes, and Greenlend, as well as the Danish West Indies becoming U.S. territory (initially Sweden had hoped to gain the Caribbean islands, but put before a fait accompli and with no desire to anger the Americans, they decided to be content with it no longer being Danish. It would have to do). In turn, Sweden would bring home Lt. Algot Rhen and his team, and replace them with humanitarian aid workers and peacekeeping troops who would work alongside what remained of the legitimate Danish government, the regular Danish military, and loyalist elements such as partisans. At first, the Swedish delegation also wanted to try certain Danish officials and officers for war crimes, but it was mutually agreed that that was an issue which was better to resolve once the rebels, both the communists and the radical nationalists, had been properly crushed. It had been the king's desire to sign a peace with Denmark alongside Germany, but the High Command had grown impatient waiting for a reply from their German colleagues, and pressured him to sign a separate peace anyway.

As for the U.K., the Anglo-Swedish deal was officially called a "tactical truce", especially when the news were given to the other Central Powers. However, it was in actuality a white peace. Neither nation ceded land or paid war reparations to the other, and they both agreed to aid the loyalist faction in the Danish civil war. Although Sweden wanted to make it perfectly clear that this didn't mean that they were now allies. Sweden wasn't Italy (although it must be said that the Swedish High Command quite appreciated the Italian betrayal. After all, compared to switching sides, it wasn't a very big betrayal to pull out of the war, declare neutrality, and focus on stomping out various revolutionaries).

The only thing the Swedes gave the English, was permission to transport Russian volunteers on Swedish territorial waters. Other than that, the relation between the two kingdoms resumed to the way it had been before the war, and Sweden could now trade with both sides. Germany would still recieve iron ore from Swedish mines. Hopefully that would be enough to keep the Kaiser happy. Otherwise, as one of the generals had put it: "He can take his pickelhaube and go fuck himself with it!"

The home front

Martial law had been declared in the three most southern provinces, Scania, Halland, and Blekinge, the very provinces which had been Danish a few centuries earlier. There was a strict curfew in effect, mass arrests had occurred, and citizens could be pulled from the streets by military police simply for looking "too socialist". However, despite all that, both the black market and worker councils who wished to seize the means of production continued to grow in size. Luckily, unlike in Russia, the soldiers stood loyal by their officers, now more than ever. Having fought on the battlefield, and won, they felt a patriotic fever which spread to the civilian public. Thanks to that, the High Command felt rather at ease, all things considered. The quintette, generals Mårten Mild, Sven Dufva, Edward Krieg, Harald Hård, and Admiral Reidar Dahlén, were now more powerful than ever. The king was a mere figurehead, ever since he had been in need of persuasion at the point of a gun to sign the peace treaty. General Mild had since apologized and admitted that he was overreacting, mistaking Gustaf Adolf's hesitation for refusal (even though his wife, queen Margaret, was of British blood, he had been worried about German reprisals). However, the coup was still a fact, and the king was still a bit upset about it.

Finland

After the Russian surrender, the Swedish advance was a walk in the park. All of the Oulu province had been liberated, as well as the provinces of Turku and Pori, and Uusimaa. Preparations were already being made for a victory parade in Helsinki, where Mannerheim would lead in the front on a white stallion, and the king, Gustaf VI Adolf, were supposed to attend as well. But the central provinces and the eastern province of Viipuri were still uncaptured, and incidentally the provinces where support for the reds where the highest. Finnish socialists and former Russian soldiers had already formed red guard units, just as the white movement had formed Freikorps, and the two sides had already clashed. It seemed the North would soon have a second civil war on its hands...

Denmark

The plan to invade Denmark had been revised over and over again, during the course of the war, and now it had been both finalized and realized. At Humlebæk, 35 km north of Copenhagen, the same place where Charles XII had landed with his Caroleans nearly 200 years earlier, the armada, 50,000 men strong, landed. With the British airships gone, the very fleet which once had fought it, loomed over Copenhagen: The Red Baroness and her Flying Circus.

With the British focusing on Jutland, the Swedes took it upon themselves to liberate Zealand to begin with. They did it from the north, head on, as they wanted to stay as far away from the German coast as possible, to avoid all unfortunate misunderstandings. The High Command was after all still not sure how Berlin would react to the sudden Swexit.

Russia

As per a secret agreement with the white movement in Russia, Sweden would support them with money, weapons, and other necessities. Not only that, but several Russian POW:s who were deemed trustworthy had also been released and given safe passage, provided they promised to fight for their Motherland once more, this time against the Bolsheviks. Anything to keep the Russian civil war from spreading.

Furthermore, the mighty Swedish airship Ormen Långe had been observed in the sky near Petrograd, prepared to intervene, with fire and fury, should it turn out to be necessary.

Baltic Sea

With the war being over for the Swedes, and with the rebels having no navy, the Swedish navy now mostly transported men and supplies between Sweden, Denmark and Finland, while the merchant and fishing fleet exported and imported, and fished, respectively. However, even if the hostilities at sea had ceased, it didn't mean the sea was safe. It was still full of mines, and captains who either hadn't received the message that Sweden hade made peace with everyone, or simply didn't care. As of right now though, the Swedish navy escorted the British royal navy as it transported Russian soldiers to the western front. Even if it was on Swedish waters, that was another dangerous operation. What if the German navy somehow had gotten intel about it, and saw it as a betrayal? Would it attempt to sink not just the British, but also the Swedish ships? Was Germany really ready to risk making its former ally into an enemy?

by **The World Capitalist Confederation** » Thu Feb 14, 2019 10:49 am

The Flames of Revolution Fan Out/The Declaration of Bern

Ever since the destruction of the short-lived Swiss Republic, the Technocracy of Switzerland was extremely stable, with minority factions - such as the communists and the republicans, falling into disrepair. Until now. Fritz Platten, leader of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, has declared a general strike and has called the Technocracy 'illegitimate and elitist', along with Felix Calonder of the Radical Democratic Party, who has notably pledged to join the Allies if they were to win. Despite the seemingly hopeless situation of the Technocracy. All is not lost. Here are the statistics:

Polling for support:
Technocracy: 59%
Democrats: 31%
Communists: 10%

Estimated Army Size (Excluding the national military itself, who are pro-Technocracy by an overwhelming margin):
Democrats: 50,000
Technocracy: 19,000
Communists: 15,000

Soon enough, sporadic fighting began in the Swiss countryside, with the army yet to respond due to command delays. However, the Swiss economy has just come to a standstill and many in the Technocratic Council have already defected. Will this just be a minor blip or will it be full-on civil war?

by **The neo glactic empire** » Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:47 am

betrayal!
The damned italians have betrayed us and our allies
This however wasnt to much of a suprise suspiciouns were rising since the fall of egypt and the death of kemal

western africa
The troops were surronded but they had a trick up their sleeves the air force was able to evacuate 100k men during the week but the others used a new tactic made in the balkan wars called "disperse" in which the army has split in many small 30-100 men squads and attempted to cross the sahara they had supplies to make them do it now hundreds of thousands of men are fleeing without right ender the entente nose of course 50k were left behind to cover them up

egypt
The border with egypt was already fortfied in preperations for this trenches barbed wirse and mines were laid
Each trench had a serious of other support trenches behind it
If the italians want to cross they well pay in blood
The artilleru was alsp camouflaged AA guns were still raised just in case soon bombardment started and the caucasus fleet arrived and started bombing italian trenches from far above

arabia
The sultan warned the arabs that the british well are not trust worthy and had warned them they well only enforce their colonial demands he also called the rebels out for betraying the caliphate even though it made the reforms the arabs wanted this ensured many arabs stopped their support but the nationalist were to blind to see regardless a suprise was prepared for the british
In aden ottoman artillery returned fire day and night

by **1000 Stars** » Thu Feb 14, 2019 7:18 pm

Spanish Surrender
Spain stood no chance against the Italians french british and portugal

King Alonso announced the surrender of Spain today and was followed with riots by the Population in Madrid and Barcelona

The Nationalists were upset at the spanish surrender

They gained support by the military and by a certain General named 'Francisco Franco'

The communists rioted against the spanish government and destroyed many publuc buildings and killed many military police trying to keep people safe

The Spanish government has sent 20k MPs to quiet down the communists

King Alonso's letter to German Kaiser
"I Regret to inform you we are leaving the war...
Making peace with the Entente is the best solution for my people.
It has been an honor fighting with such a keen spirit as your nation

Farewell Wilhelm"

Spanish Intelligence Operations
The SIB is working hard to keep the nation intact
Killing a leader there
Bombing a meeting there
Killing all that stand in their way
This will only work for so long
The Communists
The Nationalists
Their just to many to keep down forever

by **Valtrona** » Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:19 pm

{ CORRIERE DELLA SERA }

Diplomacy

Spain has surrendered to the Entente. The Treaty of Bordeaux had given the Italians administration over the Balearic Islands. With this, the Italians now have a solid foothold in the Western Mediterranean. In addition, a new naval base to harbor and construct ships with. The Spanish surrender has allowed for the Regia Marina to focus the full brunt of the Regia Marina and the Italian African Armies on defeating the Ottomans. Meanwhile, Italian Ambassadors have been retracted from all Central Powers nations except for Germany. The NIS managed to sneak the ambassadors out of the embassy in the cover of the night. It was hectic, as many Berliner’s were trying to get into the embassy to wreak havoc onto the ambassadors inside. Thanks to the Germans, the ambassadors were safe. They really did have respect for us.

Alpine-Adriatic Front

The main front in the Alpine Mountains had ground to a halt, as German reinforcements came to the front. After a brief counterattack by the Central Powers, the Italian High Command agreed to halt the offensive. Meanwhile, the Zara and Split landing zones connected, and began a steady advance into Austria-Hungary. They reached the Una River, where they were stopped by a German contingent of soldiers. The advance had begun to stagnate, as both sides tried to defeat each other. If not for the Germans, Austria-Hungary would already have been defeated. Reports indicate that Montenegro has officially declared war on Austria Hungary, citing ethnic violence against the Serbian people. Meanwhile, the Serbian National Independence Army (SNIA) launched a massive rebellion against the Austro-Hungarian rule. The Principality Nis and the Duchy of Vardar fell overnight, as their entire governments were killed in a massive bombing of the capitals. Both puppet governments and their land were united to form the Restored Kingdom of Serbia. It shocked the world, that in such a short time, the Austrians were kicked out of Southern Serbia. They were forced back to a impromptu defensive line behind the city of Alexinatz, where they managed to temporarily halt the Serbian Advance. At the verge of collapse, all hopes lay in the decisions of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria.

Ottoman Front

The Italo-Ottoman Front had stagnated in Palestine. Both sides have developed a fierce defensive system along the border. With this, it became apparent to the Italian High Command to open another front. In the Italian Dodecanese, an amphibious landing in Anatolia was attempted. 250,000 Italians invaded the Ottoman Empire in 3 major locations. The first, was in the Bozburun Peninsula, where the Italians encircled the weakened Ottoman coastal forces and took the Peninsula. They advanced and reached the city of Ula, where a massive Ottoman force was waiting to halt the advance. After a quick skirmish, the Italian Marines decided to dig in and wait for reinforcements to arrive. The second landing zone was at the city of Bodrum, which was taken by the Italians after fierce fighting within the city. The third and final landing zone was at the city of Fethiye, where after fierce fighting, the city was taken. Unexpected Ottoman resistance delayed the operation further, but the Italians now had a solid foothold in Anatolia.

Air/Naval War

The Austrian Fleet was annihilated. Remaining naval ships were given to the French government as compensation for their Fleets destruction. The Spanish surrender freed up a lot of ships in the Western Mediterranean (not like the Spanish Navy was a threat to begin with) The Regia Marina now began to concentrated against the Ottoman Navy. The Black Hounds now began sinking Ottoman convoys in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Regia Marina has now begun a blockade of the Ottoman Empire, yet it’s still in its early stages. The Regia Aeronautica began a light bombardment of the Austro-Hungarian landscape. Meanwhile, the Regia Aeronautica launched a concentrated, heavy bombardment of the Ottoman landscape. Determined campaigns followed by an Arab Revolt could weaken the Ottomans to the point of surrender.

Dear Kaiser Wilhelm II,

My ambassadors have been formally retracted and will not be returning for the foreseeable future. Not out of disrespect, we just want our ambassadors to remain unharmed. Your ambassadors will be sent back as well, and we will continue to be in contact via NIS connections and these telegrams. Fear not, for the war is soon to be over. Spain and Sweden have surrendered, the Austrians near collapse, and the Romanians are soon to sign a white peace with the Entente. Soon, only Germany and the Ottomans will remain, and what will that do? All in all, we would like for you to surrender. We promise to allow for you to keep your territories and puppets in Russia in exchange for all of your colonial land. This is purely out of respect for our formal alliance, and I again apologize for our betrayal. The Entente promised us something we couldn’t refuse: an Empire to rival those of the old European Powers.

Sincerely, King VictorEmmanuel III of Italy

by **Zexania** » Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:06 am

civil war
The bombardment of petrograd was intense the city sufferer even heavier supply shortages and with the white armies well fed and equipped they entered the city and a street by street battle ensued resulting for high casualties for both sides but the city was liberated
In middle russia the brusilove offensive started using many newly built iron walls the white armies pushed north and west cutting the socialist sea acces and the reds were now between 2 white armies

by **The neo glactic empire** » Fri Feb 15, 2019 2:58 am

sinai
More fortifacations were built to stop any italian advances

anatolia
The italians armies have landed they forgot one thing
The caucasus troops were ready to stop them they have much more experince in this enviorment soon artillery fire started
The strike concentrated on the weak points with a one-hour artillery barrage. The first strikes were extremely accurate with the use of airships Suddenly then mustard gas was shot at the italian flanks stopping any reninforcements troops paradropped in italian rears and the caucausian fleet bombarded the italian frontlines preventing them from retreating 250k men along with many crawlers charged the italian western flank and another 200k attacked the eastern while 200k kept them busy in the north
The artillery continued hammering down the italian trenches
And the air fleet also helped them and also bombed italian communication lines and centers creating chaos
As more gas was fired via airships meaning it was dropped right above italian trenches and the enemy soldiers didnt have time to pick up their gas masks and those who managed already breathed huge amounts of gas
The attacks continued relentlesly with no rest another charge started and cutted italian troops from the shores and the pocket was even smaller than before in the end of the week the italians that survived were all ensircled in the middle of enemy hostile lands

agean sea
The airfleet started bombing italian transports preventing reinforcements to anatolia artillery fired upon the italian islands day and night and mines were laid across the agean sea
Depth charges were now being used by the ottoman merchant fleet to help against italian hounds

sahara
Another 100k were evacuated during this week
The troops burned every town they captured during their retreat bridges roads and wells were destroyed aswell
The dispersed troops have crossed the sahara and crossed into moroco secretly the otalian and french tropps didnt notice them

by **Labstoska** » Fri Feb 15, 2019 6:42 am

The tide turns
The Italian flag flew in Paris, yet not in a sign of conquest or in that of submission but as a sign of solidarity and alliance. The news of Italy's 'diplomatic adjustment' had been received with mixed feelings, the nationalist demographic that the Petain administration had struggled so hard to nurture and grow had now turned against them, these nationalists were unsatisfied that France had effectively surrendered vast tracts of land to Italy without even putting up a fight against them. Within two weeks of the announcement protests had been organised throughout Paris yet surprisingly these had a surprisingly small turnout, many people were simply happy that the war against Italy - a nation that had so far managed to inflict immense damage on the French nation - was now over. The French forces on the Italian border were not to return home however, instead the 1st 2nd and 3rd armies along with their respective moving fortresses were to move to the German border and begin a program of mass fortification although at this time the French government had not announced their reason for this fortification the public no doubt already knew.

Italy's side switching was not the only piece of good news for the French state, not a few weeks after Italy's abandonment of the Central Powers the kingdom of Spain seeing that it can't hope to defeat the renewed Entente and hold the line against the French onslaught had elected to fold and give into a conditional surrender. The treaty was signed by representatives of 5 nations: The Republic of France, The United Kingdom, the kingdom of Italy and the republic of Portugal. The king of Spain was forced to swallow the complete dismantling of whatever remained of the Spanish colonial empire and the surrender of it's own core provinces and sign the treaty of Bordeaux in the Place du Parlement

Treaty of Bordeaux:
Article 1:
- the colonial territory of Spanish Morocco is to be ceded to the third French Republic
- the colonial territory of Equatorial Africa is to be ceded to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
- Tangier is to be ceded to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Article 2:
- the Balearic islands are to be ceded to the kingdom of Italy
- the state of Galicia is to be annexed by the Portuguese Republic
Article 3:
-The lands of the Basque people are to formed into a republic under the protection of French government
- when the Spanish state is deemed stable a referendum will be held in Catalonia to determine if their people desire independence
Article 4:
-The entirety of the Spanish air force is to be given over to the Mongolian Khanate
-War reparations are to payed for damage inflicted upon Entente member states

The Austrian front
While the majority of the French army was being moved to the German border the 4th French army was moved up to the new Austrian front lines, the French army was to act in a support role reinforcing and fortifying the new Italian gains while also providing considerable artillery support. A problem encountered by French and Italian forces on the Austrian line was the genral cohesion between the two militaries, not only had the two nations advanced their technology into almost completely different fields but despite their new alliance many of the troops on both sides remembered the brutality and horrific conditions on the Italian trenches and with almost every troop they blamed those they were now fighting with.

Yet not all warfare had to be confined to the trenches, the FIA had slowly been working their way into the empire with the sole intent of brewing up ethnic tensions and genral disdain for the government. With the Mongolians having inflicted such utter devastation upon the various provinces and kingdoms of the empire, it wasn't too difficult for the FIA to sway the masses who forced to sleep beneath the open sky as the great industrial complex of the Austro-Hungarian empire were unable to move it's focus from the war effort leaving the refugees and the homeless to wallow in the misery of their ruined cities, seething in resentment of those who destroyed their homes.

All the FIA operatives in the Empire needed to was to redirect the hatred and loathing of the Mongolian bombers towards the Imperial administration, FIA agents would pose as the demagogues of nationalists groups and espouse how their oppressive government was forcing their people into a war that they would receive no benefit from, slowly but surely instead of looking at their homes and thinking of the contemptable Mongolians they began to wonder why their government didn't rebuild their homes and why even they were in this war.

A new front

To: whomever it may concern within the German foreign ministry
From: Foreign minister Jean De Normandie
We here in the third French republic have watched with abhorrence and disgust as your nation commits multiple crimes against the Russian people and your horrific use of gas in war as a cowardly way of winning your wars. In order to end your abhorrent actions we here in the French republic have decided to put an end to these actions permanently. From this moment forewords a state of war shall now exist between the Third French Republic and the German Empire.

The green fields and lush forests of Alcasse Lorraine stretched out in front of Phillipe Petain, from the command bridge of the moving fortress The Charlemagne it all appeared like a game of chess, the Germans had formed a defensive line of pawns across the border, Petain wondered how many of his own pawns would have to be given up in order to break it. Petain rubbed his eyes before letting out a long groan, good god he started to see the world in statistics before taking the role of president he had thought that he would be different to those who had come before him, he was going to care for his men and ensure that he got as many through this to the other end as possible yet now after horrific losses in the Italian offensive and the estimated losses for the German offensive he'd begun to see that the death of one man was a tragedy, the death of a thousand was a statistic.

He'd put far too many deaths upon his head not only through his military but through the damnable ministry of public loyalty an administrative nightmare that he had set loose upon the world with no forethought on what it may transform into over time, not only that but he had that cretin Hugo De Vries chirping in his ear every day warning him that what he was doing would lead to revolution and a dictatorship as if he didn't already know that. No matter now though, if the French didn't attack first then it would be the German knocking on Reims door, it was time to make up the Franco-Prussian war and make up for what had been stolen from them.

The captain of the moving fortress came up to the president and said "Sir I believe it's time to make your speech" Petain turned to the captain and smiled "So will my message go out to the entirety of our forces on the German border?" The captain said in a dry monotone voice perfected through years of military service " Of course sir, as long as they're listening on the radio they'll here it". Petain followed the captain out of the bridge into a small radio room that had been cleared out for Petain's use, he cleared his throat, read over his lines and began to address his men.

" My fellow Frenchmen, for the past few years we have stood by while the Huns have ravaged across Russia using one of the most abominable weapons in history to achieve their goals for their soldiers are too cowardly to do it for them! The Spanish have been crushed beneath our boot and the Italians swayed to our side, their is only one tragedy In our history that has to be avenged, the very existence of a German state has been an affront to French pride and a stain upon our good reputation. Today we shall avenge this great historical blunder and liberate our fellow Frenchman from the oppression of German rule, by the end of the year we shall mount their precious Kaiser's head upon the Berlin gate and fly the glorious tricolour above the Reichstag"

This wasn't one of Petain's greatest speeches but the conviction and patrioitisim he poured into his words was heard and felt by every troop huddled around their platoons radio, each of them were willing to die for their country many had already faced combat on the Italian and Spanish front and on both of those battlefields the French had been met with nothing but vicotry, now with Petain with them their was no chance for their failure.

Petain left the day before the fighting began, the French began using their regular strategy of firing a number of burrower torpedoes into the German defensive lines yet it appeared that they had grown wise to their strategies and had palced a number of long iron poles across their lines preventing all but the most well targeted torpedoes from striking the enemy lines, this still did not deter the French forces the charged across no man's land straight into the German's lines, the intial few waves of infantrymen were mowed down but soon the Germans ran out of ammunition and the French tripods were able to crawl into the German trecnches and begin mowing them down. While the intial trenches were psuhed through, the battle for Nancy was still only just beggining

The Germans fought tooth and nail through every street, building and town square. Countless infantrymen, tripods and crab bunkers were destroyed as they attempted to advance through the city which the Germans had elected to place traps at practically every point throughout the city making every push through the city a paranoid and terrrifying death march. By the end of the week long offensive the city of Nancey was in French hands once more but at the cost of 143,000 dead men as well as countless pieces of equipment lost and the city itself being in abject ruination. The only other sucsessful gain of the offensive was the small town of Saint-Dié-des-Vosges and still high casaualties insued. The offensive had been planned to last for a month and reclaim all of Alcasse Lorraine and yet after only a week it came to a grinding halt after massive French casulaties and heavy German resistance the offensive could not possibly continue. The French built their fortifications, layed down their bunker crabs and sent their airforce to raid the Rhine. They licked their wounds and waited for their oppurtunity.

by **Zexania** » Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:12 pm

keiv,ukraine
In his mansion sat the tsar
He is alone in the cold room his family were all killed by socialist before they were able to flee petrograd he had to ally a pretender to crush the radical reds
Suddenly a knock on the door is heard
Who is it? he asks but none answered he goes to open the door and 3 men dressed in socialist uniforms point their guns at him one of them says "we well restore the russian empire and glory but without you" in seconds his body is filled with bullets as he drops dead the men escape 2 of them well die while the other well make it back to

unkown location,ukraine
The man enters the room his master was in
He hands the gun and says it has been done
Tsar nicholas II is dead

by **1000 Stars** » Fri Feb 15, 2019 4:52 pm

Spanish Palace Madrid
King Alfonso and his cabinet sit in a conference room discussing the nations issues

"The situation is pretty bleak for spain and your regime sir"
"Where the hell is Franco?" Alfonso says

"Right here" Franco says while opening the door with 8 armed men in military uniform behind him
"What is this!?!"Alfonso asks angrily "You come in here and try to intimidate me?"
"Well of you don't accept my new leadership then i guess i can let the communists start the coup,
Their right down the hall if you want them." Franco says sarcastically
"Dammit Franco why?"
"Your regime is corrupt and incompetent
I will lead spain into a bright future where we are united with our brothers in Gibraltar and basque"
"This will lead us to our downfall..." Alfonso said disheartedly

"No our rebirth
Your administration has led us to be divided and annexed
I will make our nation strong,
Much better than the communists.
Who wish to see our great nation fall to socialism.
If you don't support me we will all fall to the communists.
Please, I beg you dont make this difficult."

A silence fell upon the room
"Fine I will Abdicate and leave the throne without bloodshed." Alfonso says at last
"Good...
Boys arrest these men" Franco points at the administrators
The men hold down the administrators and cuff them before bringing them out into armored cars

Franco begins his purge of all the current administration that he suspects of corruption and of being communists

Hopefully the new government can hold this god forsaken nation together.

by **Deutschess Kaiserreich** » Fri Feb 15, 2019 7:52 pm

< Treaty of Brest-Litovsk >

Article 1:
- Russia will cede the provinces of Suwalki and Plock to the German Empire, with small borderlands from the provinces of Skierniewice & Kalisz being given to the German Empire as well
- Russia will cede all land south of the Caucasus Mountains to the Ottoman Empire, which will include the states of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan
- Russia will cede Bessarabia to Romania
Article 2:
- Russia will release Poland, Lithuania, and the United Baltic Duchy as vassal states of the German Empire
- Ukraine will provide the Central Powers and the Russians with all the necessary food stores for the remainder of the war.
-Finland will be given to sweden
Article 3:
- Russia will withdraw all claims and cores on any of the territories given away during the peace treaty
- Russia will hand over all Iron Walls to the Central Powers for their war against the Entente Powers
-In return for the states of Belarus and Ukraine under Russian influence, Russia will join the Central Powers
Article 4:
-Russia will divert an army group to Mongolia and allow A German division to march on Ulaanbaatar
-Russia is to divert 3 army groups to assist the Ottomans in the defense of their homeland.
-Russia will accept German advisors in their armies at a divisional level.
-Russia will resume hostilities with Sweden with help of a German army group.
-Russia will declare war on the Entente

Signatures

_________________________________
_________________________________

The representative of the Ottoman empire
The Representive of Rumania

______________________________

The representative of Germany

_____________________________________

The leader of the Russian Empire

by **Regnum Trinitatem** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 12:22 am

The Tsar is dead and Russia has betrayed the Mongols.

This was not an unexpected move. With the civil war in Russia this was bound to happen at some point or another. They had received details of the treaty in place, and as any would have assumed, there was indeed military movement soon inbound to the Mongolian steppes. The Monk Khan had plans of his own to invade Russia at some point, so there was of course contingency for this.

Just in time, the aerial fleet had returned from Austria, it was refueled in Ulaanbaatar and stayed in city, while thousands upon thousands of other aircraft spread across the border, residing in hangars and airfields roughly 20 miles behind friendly lines in case of intrusion. Due to the bordering landscape between Russia and Mongolia being mostly rolling hills and flatland, it was almost guaranteed the defenders of Mongolia would see the enemy coming. Scout planes flew across Russian borders to search for signs of enemy forces incoming towards Mongolia.

Because the War Pig seemed only to be overkill against the forces of the Ma clique, the War Pig was called home. Leaving the invasion of China to the cavalry regiments. Ultimately even without the use of the War Pig, the Motor Cavalry still beat almost any Chinese force in technological superiority. The War Pig's exit would not be a loss.

Soldiers from Inner Mongolia were called upon to cities along the border, where they would receive brief stints of training and begin to prepare trenches as well as artillery batteries in exposed areas. If the Russians had attacked months ago they would have indeed caught the Mongols in an awkward position, but now, manpower was booming. Patriotism was high in Mongolia, recruitment came fast and with Inner Mongolia reunited with it's counterpart it would only rise. Aswell as with the other Mongolian provinces of China. 150,000 foot soldiers and 60,000 Motorized Cavalry were deployed to defend the front.

But as if this was not enough. The Monk Khan carried one trick up his sleeve.

The day after Russia signed on with the Central Powers, the Monk Khan signed into law the equality of men and women in the Steel Horde.

Integration of women into fighting forces would come slow, at first allowing them to be gunners on airplanes and non-combat roles, then gunners with the Motor Cavalry and general foot soldiers, and then becoming Cavalry themselves, it was unknown when women would be allowed to become officers in the armed forces but it was likely to be whenever the men became used to women in the ranks. Though the rest of the world may have seen this as a controversial decision gender equality was no stranger to Mongolia. It had just been absent for some time. Propaganda regaling the tales of the women serving as generals in Khan's forces spread across Mongolia in attempt to introduce the integration. Not all integration was smooth in some parts of the country but for the most part, as long as the women did the same jobs as the men, it was more or less tolerated by their fellow soldiers.

Recruitment would only raise further as this was passed into law. Already more soldiers were getting ready to defend the Mongol lands against the Russian oppressors.

Already Mongolia had proven once in this war that it would no longer face oppression or hatred from foreign nations. China had learned this the hard way, it seemed as though the Russians would be the next to learn of this.

by **The neo glactic empire** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 12:57 am

anatolia
Artillery strikes continued regular gas attacks prevented the italian troops from entering and communications between their forces were non existant as the air fleet has been bombarding their communication lines snipers were ready to assasinate any high ranking italians the caucasus fleet also bombed italian air bases in the agean sea and also their ports.

sinai
Hundreds of thousands if new men arrived from the caucasus russia has joined the central powers this gave a massive morale boost to the troops who thought they were going to loose fortifacations continued to improve and coastal defences all across the empire were prepared.

morroc
Another 100k have been evacuated during this week the dispersed troops have crossed into algeirs undetected however about 10k men didnt make it and werent able to cross morroco artillery and big guns have been evacuated earlier thus now it was much easier to continue thr disperse.

by **Barapam** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 2:01 am

Denmark and the home front

Discontent grew with the dictatorial military government. If the war was over for Sweden, then why were their sons, brothers, fathers, and in a few cases daughters and sisters too, sent away to die? What had been supposed to be a peacekeeping mission in Denmark had soon turned out to be an all out war, and word had gotten around that Swedish commandos were the ones to be blamed for it having started in the first place. It was also known that Sweden, despite a non-aggression pact with its southern neighbour, had betrayed them and bombed Copenhagen. And for what? Berlin? Shouldn't it have been the Germans who should've responded to that then?

The impopularity of the Danish war, and the regime, had reached the point to where even moderate social democrats and other democratic socialists had joined the more radical communists, and Scania was now a war one, with "snapphane" units fighting with guerilla tactics against government troops. Did the rebels stand a chance? It remained to be seen, but one who would do his best to stop it, was general Harald Hjalmarsson, who had been called home from Iran to deal with the problem. He was one of the most anti-socialist officers Sweden had, and would be well suited for the job.

Finland

Things were going a lot better for Mannerheim. He now controlled all of Finland, and with Swedish promises of independence and upcoming elections, followed by the fact that the secret Russo-German agreement had become widely known, there was now a, likely temporary, united front between the reds and the whites, in anticipation for a Russian attack. Because even though the whites and the Reds couldn't agree on how Finland should be governed, they all agreed that it should be free and independent. And that was worth dying for.

Fortifications were put up along the entire border, and a second defense line, the Mannerheim Line (a name the general himself hadn't liked too much to begin with, but it stuck, and had a nice ring to it) was constructed on the Karelian Ishtmus, from the Gulf of Finland to the Lake Ladoga, with trenches, bunkers, conquered iron walls, and with the natural terrain as another hindrance. The fortress of Sveaborg was also set to be restored and reinforced.

The Ormen Långe still watched Petrograd, and of course all Swedish aid to belligerents of the Russian civil war had ceased.

Denmark and the home front (again), and the Baltic Sea

Half of Zealand had been liberated, but it seemed as if that only made the Swedish reds, and those sympathetic to them more determined to resist government dictates from Stockholm. And even in Denmark, with nationalists and communists pushed back in favour of the loyalists, it was tough to accomplish anything fruitful without coordination with the British, which the Swedes had abstained from during their short time as a neutral force. Maybe it could be changed with the German and Russian betrayal? The people could really rally up behind a defensive war against an oath-breaker and an archenemy. The war propaganda bureau quickly began to focus more on Gustavus Adolphus, the king that fought on the frontlines in Germany during the thirty-years war, and who made Sweden a great power by winning it. Some focus was of course also kept on Charles XII and the heroes of 1809, but that was more for distribution in the east, while Departments West and South would focus on Germany.

One who was rather thrilled was admiral Dahlén, who now finally had gotten the green light to order unrestricted submarine warfare, although against ships and vessels of the Central Powers. It had already begun.

In Stockholm, the king held a speech from the balcony of his palace, with the queen by his side. He stated that from now on, since our neutrality hadn't been respected, the kingdom of Sweden was officially at war with the German Empire. Sweden would do what it had to do, and join the Entente.

The crowd gathered at the courtyard cheered, and even though conscription was in place, many ran off to volunteer. The war joy most other countries had experienced already in 1914 had now finally reached Sweden.

by **Valtrona** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 6:18 am

{ CORRIERE DELLA SERA }

Homefront

The Italian people have mixed feeling with the transition between the Central Powers and the Entente. Some feel it as a betrayal of their allies. Others see it as a way to expand to even more territories. In a way, they were all right. For Italy had betrayed its allies for their imperialistic ambitions and irredentism. Yet, many don’t seem to care. As the government has promised to acquire all of the land that they desired after the war, and soon even more. However, the socialists still despise the war, and have issued strikes across the nation in protest. As a response, the King promised the strikers greater rights for workers and at greater pay. In addition, the King signed a law with the backing of the Parliament to allow Women to join the workforce and literate women were allowed to vote for the first time in Italian history. It was a great milestone for women’s rights in Europe, yet many question the motives of the government’s actions. Nether the less, the socialist movements were silenced for the moment, and without involvement from the NIS.

Diplomacy

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was the German Diplomatic Hail Mary of the war. They think that this’ll save them from the inevitable, yet it’s far from the truth. The Central Powers will fall, and with it, their hope and dreams of an empire. The Germans and Russians are sitting on the worlds biggest powder keg, which only requires a small flame. Ignited, and the largest fire ever seen will erupt in the East. It’ll be marvelous, seeing two of our greatest enemies go down in a fiery blaze. The Austrians are already wishing for peace, and Emperor Franz Joseph I is closely reaching his final days. Once the Emperor is gone, it’ll be up to his generals to decide the fate of his crumbling nation. Speaking of peace, the Romanians agreed to sign a “Peace with Honor” in Sofia. Romania would white peace out of the war in exchange for cutting all ties with the Central Powers. Romania had officially left the war and the Central Powers.

Alpine-Adriatic Front

The cities of Lienz and Villach fell to a concentrated Italian assault on the city. A small offensive south of Ljubljana was halted by a German counterattack in support of the Austro-Hungarians. Meanwhile, the Italian marines managed to link up with the Serbian and Montenegrins in Bosnia. They managed to advance to the Daube and Save rivers, liberating the cities of Sarajevo, Kragujevac, and Šabac. They began lightly shelling the Austrian-occupied city of Belgrade, which they turned into a small fortress.

Ottoman Front

The landing in Anatolia was brutally counterattacked by the Ottomans. The landing zones in Bodrum and Kalkan were decimated, while the Italian forces in the Bozburun Peninsula were pushed back to the town of Marmaris. There, the Italians set up a good defensive positions to hold their remaining territories. 184,000 men remained to defend their positions. All equipped with gas masks and the latest technologies. The Regia Aeronautica pounded the Ottoman air fleets trying to bomb the pocket, and a contingent of the Regia Marina began shelling the Ottoman harbors surrounding the Bozburun Peninsula. Reinforcements would soon arrive to reinforce the defenses. The Palestine Front has yet to move whatsoever.

Air/Naval War

The Regia Marina now has complete control over the entirely of the Mediterranean Sea. The Ottoman fleets have fled to the safety of the Black Sea, afraid of what the Italians were capable of. They managed to quickly blockade and secure Cyprus for the British Empire. No way would the Ottomans manage to retake the island, let alone regain naval control over the eastern Mediterranean. Meanwhile, the Regia Aeronautica began a concentrated bombing runs and ground strikes against Ottoman forces in Anatolia and Palestine. The Ottoman air fleet is inferior technologically, so the Italian Airship Fleet has a slight advantage over the Ottomans. Ottoman industrial and civil industries are being hammered by Italian war planes. Infrastructure and roads were being severely damaged by air the bombardment, severely hampering the movement of Ottoman forces across their empire.

{ NIS OPERATIONS }

“In Russia, the Bolsheviks are increasingly difficult to support. The Russians under a mysterious new Dynasty have begun concentrating their forces on taking out the Reds. Yet they neglect their own population in the process. The people of Ukraine yearn for their independence. The Poles, Baltic’s, and Armenians all desire their separation for foreign influence. The Russians and now Germans oppressed these people’s of Europe for far too long. Support from the NIS has now allowed for these people to rise up against their oppressors and take control over their own lives. Soon, the chains of oppression will be broken and these freed peoples will be free to do what they wish and to start their own lives. May these people not be allowed to live their lives without being under the tyrannical rule of the Germans or Russians? What reason to keep these people, who don’t share your same culture, religion, or blood, under your rule unless to use their labor for your war effort.”
Leon Trotsky, a man feared by many nobleman in Russia, gave his speech to a crowd of thousands in Donetsk. He managed to escape from the Authorities before they could catch him. The crowd absorbed the police, and a mob formed. The military had to be sent in to quell the protest before it became a full on rebellion. Yet, if this is what he could do from just a speech, how would the Central Powers hope to keep control over their empires any longer?

Meanwhile, the NIS kept close contact with its operatives in Persia, as it was their base to launch a revolt in the Ottoman Empire. However, it wasn’t going to be the Kurds. No, that’s the British’s job. The Italians were going to stir up rebellion within the oppressed Kurdish populations. No religious divinity would save them from centuries of oppression and resentment between the Kurds and the Turks. Not only that, but the NIS has sent guns, ammunition, vehicles, gas masks, first aid kits, rations, and other equipment to start a revolution. Soon, the Ottomans would wish they never messed with the Kurds. The Arabs are close to revolting, as they Ottomans claim to be their religious overlords. This only further fueled the hatred between the two groups.

TELEGRAM TO THE BRITISH ADMIRALTY

Dear Admiral Hood,

Well, it really does look like we are on the same side now. To think, we were just enemies not less than a month ago. How time progresses always astounds me. Anyways, I hope to meet you in person someday. Then maybe we can share some of that Irish Whisky you promised earlier. My old allies in the German Admiralty are sending me some “ticked-off” letters after my betrayal. To think, we were very civil, even though we were enemies. Oh well, best of luck against those Germans! (You won’t need it)

With the most Sincere Regards,
- Admiral Paolo Thaon di Revel

by **Atheris** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 10:25 am

Danmark, 1915
Denmark, 1915

The town of Vejle fell to the nationalists, while the major city of Odense was now in Communist hands.

Loyalists forces were condensed in Zealand and the western parts of Jutland, and the war seemed lost to many in the camp. Mutinies and food shortages were common, and peasants in the fields of the loyalists began flocking to the proto-Fascist and Communist banners. If the loyalists weren't in trouble now, then now they were.

If a field wasn't on fire then it was devoid of any edible plants, being used by all 3 forces. If there wasn't gunfire, then it was dead quiet.

Casualties were at 30,000... and rising fast.

(Sorry for the short post, never done a post like this before.)

by **The Bananic** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 4:12 pm

Vienna, Austria

Emperor Franz Joseph knew that fighting was a lost cause. They had lost all of Serbia in merely a few weeks. The Army had basically collapsed at the hands of the Italian betrayal. The Navy was completely annihilated at Vlorë, with no hope of resisting the Regia Marina. An Italian betrayal was expected, but never anticipated to happen so soon. They had pushed deep into Austro-Hungarian territory. Hell, they were even close to reaching Ljubljana. Ethnic tensions within the Empire were at an all-time high. The Empire was in its final weeks of survival, but Franz Joseph would not be blamed for the downfall of his very empire. He had a pill, containing 100 mg of Cyanide.

I shouldn’t do this. Thought Franz Joseph.

His heart was beating quickly, the stress was getting to his old and failing heart. Before he knew it, he collapsed to the ground. He was found 10 minutes later by his guards, dead. The generals were in a state of pure shock. The Emperor had just died. Without him to unite the crumbling empire, chaos would soon follow. His heir wouldn’t be able to stabilize the collapsing nation. The Austrian Generals only had one option left: the Italians. The Italians had promised mercy to the Generals if they were to surrender. The Empire would be divided, but who cares? All they hoped was that the Italians would actually keep their promises this time...

by **Valtrona** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 4:22 pm

{ CORRIERE DELLA SERA }

VICTORY!
At long last, the Austrians had finally surrendered to Italy. After the death of their Emperor Franz Joseph, everyone knew it was only a matter of time until the empire was to be dissolved. This way, the Empire could be split peacefully and with regard to Ethnic boundaries. The Italian government already had a treaty prepared, and all the Austrians had to do was sign it. The Austrian generals promptly did sign the treaty, ending the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Treaty of Quirnial Palace

Article 1:
- Austria-Hungary will cede the rest of South Tyrol, Istria, and the entirety of Dalmatia up to the city of Cavtat to Italy
- Austria-Hungary will cede Vojvodina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the remainder of Croatia to Serbia; Serbia will unify with Montenegro to form the United Kingdom of Illyria
- Austria-Hungary will cede Southern Transylvania and Bukovina to Romania
Article 2:
- Galicia will gain independence in the form of a republic
- Czechia will gain full independence in the form of a republic; the Sudetenland will become an autonomous region within Czechia
- Slovakia will gain full independence in the form of a republic
Article 3:
- Austria-Hungary will officially dissolved and the Hapsburgs exiled from returning to Austria or Hungary
- Hungary will gain its independence in the form of a republic; Hungary will keep Northern Transylvania, Capatho-Ukraine, and territories in Southern Slovakia
- Austria will continue to remain a constitutional monarchy, however an Italian Monarch will be placed on the Throne of Austria; Austria will keep Slovenia as an autonomous region within Austria
Article 4:
- The nations of Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia, Galicia, Romania, and Illyria will establish autonomous ethnic enclaves in order to protect the ethnic minorities within their host nations
- Any violations of human rights, massacres, or even Genocides against any ethnic minorities will be met with brutal force from the international community
Article 5:
- Both Austria and Hungary will be forced to pay war reparations to Italy, Illyria, and Romania
- Both Austria and Hungary will recognize the newly independent nations; Austria and Hungary are forbidden from reunification at any point

With this, the war against the Austrians had officially ended. The Central Powers were closer than ever to being defeated. Austria-Hungary was no more. The King of Italy was ecstatic at this idea, and prompted to give a speech in Rome. However, it wasn’t about the victory or even the War. It was something much more influential...

{ ROME, ITALY }

Tens of thousands of men and women gathered at the Royal Palace in Rome. They had been told that the King had an important announcement to the people of Italy. Austria had fallen, what more would the King have to say? He appeared atop the balcony over looking through crowd. King Emmanuel had learned for the Pope’s assassination, and kept himself secured for any potential assassination attempts. The NIS were closely monitoring for anything that may go wrong during his event. Next to the King, was Pope Julius IV himself. Both men were escorted by a entourage of guards and NIS operatives for safety.

The King went up to the front of the balcony, and gave his Speech:

“Attention men and women of Italy! For the past 2 years, we have gone from a semi-influential nation in Europe, to one of the Greatest Powers of Europe. They mocked us, laughed at us, scorned us, and ultimately painted us as a weak people, unable to defeat mere Africans! No longer! For today, we have proven that the Kingdom of Italy IS united, IS strong, and WILL become a force to be reckoned with. Together, we will rule the entirety of the Mediterranean Sea. Yet we will not claim to be the successors of Rome. Only weak Empires claim to be a successor state of a strong Empire, in order to boast a false sense of superiority. For far too long have we been the subjects and puppets of other nations and empires. The Germans, Ottomans, French, and Austrians have all tried and claimed dominion over our lands. No longer! Today, we proclaim a new Empire. Built on the principles of Nationalism and Imperial authority. Our brave citizens will still have a say in our nations policies, but we shall be slaves to NO empire. I officially, and with the divine will of God, create the First Italian Empire. Where all Italians and those wishing to be part of our glorious nation may live in peace and prosperity, knowing that they are safe for any foreign influences. Parliament will still exist, and will have the same functions and rights as they do. The Prime Minister however, will have his duties limited, and be subject to the rule of the Italian people. May our Empire live long and prosper!”

After his speech, he knelt down in front of the Pope. There, Pope Julius IV crowned Victor Emmanuel III Emperor of the Italian Empire. The crowded applauded, yet some were discontent about the King- Now Emperor’s growing power in Italy. The NIS was watching, so many feared the result of not applauding the new Emperor’s coronation. One man, known as Benito Mussolini, was very agitated at this announcement. He was in Rome due to his discharge, and knew something must be done to stop this menace.

by **Deutschess Kaiserreich** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 6:45 pm

French border.

There was a huge fog that day and both trenches were only a few dozen meters away. The sound of a gramophone playing "Erika" from the German trench brought certain joyful air to this dreadful day. But, it was there to mask the sound of men marching, Panzers walking, orders being yelled, and drills being prepared. Something big was about to happen and the French had no idea...

The sea just outside Hamburg.

Dönitz smiled. His fleet had grown and the Russians were coming to help though they probably would arrive at the tail end of the battle.

Current fleet size:

Sea
--------------------------
-150 torpedo boats
-120 Light destroyer
-70 medium destroyers
-50 heavy destroyer
-12 light battleships
-10 medium battleships
-8 Heavy battleships
-2 Bismark class battleships

Airforce
--------------------------
-500 fighters
-250 interceptors
-90 Gotha bombers
-90 torpedo boats
-100 dive bombers
-20 Bismark class air battleships
-60 Kaiser class air cruisers

(sorry for such a rushed post)

Metal on Metal [WW1 Steam/Diesel Punk] IC(OPEN)

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