KLAUS' WAR
Capile has once more erupted into conflict and strife. The Communists, Fascists, and Royalists are at each others' throats,
waging a destructive war against their own country while the smaller factions nip at their heels.
Perhaps there could have been peace—
but the only reality now is war.
SUMMARY
When Klaus I ascended to the Capilean throne in 2016, he was an idealist. Only two years later, and his idealism has melted away into cynicism and despair. The man had sought to mend the deep scars which had marred his nation, and to unite it by doing away with the absolute monarchy and creating a democracy.
But his best efforts only plunged Capile into more desperate straits.
Capile has a long tradition of absolutism. For centuries, the Grand Duke had reigned with ultimate power, infallible and unchallenged, master of both the hearts and minds of his citizenry. But this ancient system could not withstand the pressures of modernity. Over time, mutagens slipped through the cracks in the Duchy's feudal framework, infecting Capile with republicanism, Fascism, Communism, and separatism. This came to a head with the Capilean Civil War— an uprising that was quickly quashed with typical absolutist force, the force that drives its enemies into the ground but cannot destroy them.
Klaus I became Grand Duke with grandiose plans and a vision for the future. Despite the warnings of his cabinet and the objections of the aristocracy, he instituted democracy for the first time in Capilean history, and allowed Communist and Fascist alike to spout their rhetoric on the street corners of Saxtonburg. By the time of the first Capilean elections in 2018, a burgeoning collection of political parties had formed. The Vaterländische Front (VF), brimming with fascistic fervor, and the Brüderliche Sozialistiche Union (BSU), trumpeting a Communist world revolution, were the most prominent, and attracted tens of millions of followers in just a few months. Tensions began to build; the nationalists and socialists screamed vitriol at each other in the beer halls, and soon acrid words gave way to flying fists.
As streetside brawls developed into city-wide gunfights, unable to be controlled by the police, the 2018 Elections drew ever closer. In spite of armed VF and BSU thugs guarding the polls, the Monarchist Party still managed to win out, with monarchist Wilhelm Knott elected Reichskanzler on 1 January 2018. Demanding a recount and asserting government corruption, the radicals took the streets. Kongsburg, Raus, and even Saxtonburg went up in flames. As the death toll mounted, Klaus I declared martial law and ordered the arrests of almost two hundred leaders of the opposition. Preempting the government's action, Walther Nemetz, VF leader and Field Marshal, launched a coup on 15 March, the Ides of March.
VF troops occupied the capitol building and seized control of most of the government's ministries within hours. Nemetz, who had immense clout within the military, persuaded millions of soldiers to abandon their posts and defect to his rebel faction. The VF had total control over militarized northern Capile within days.
Declaring a state of emergency, the government mobilized the Reichswehr, and managed to briefly liberate the capital of Saxtonburg. Unprepared for a war of such magnitude and in disarray after mass defections, the Capilean army underperformed against the fervent and well-equipped shock troops Nemetz had trained just for the occasion. By 1 April, Saxtonburg was again under siege.
In the meantime, Capile's other dissenting factions were not sitting idly by. Terry Blücher, leader of the BSU, declared the beginning of a national revolution on 8 April and seized control over the industrial and thoroughly communistic center of Capile. Dutch and French militants declared independence on 27 April and 5 May, respectively. And, after democracy was completely suspended, the freedom-loving Saatland district voted unanimously to secede from the Duchy, creating a sixth faction in the war for Capile on 15 July.
The Reichswehr was huge and well-equipped, but not prepared for a war of such totality waged all across its homeland. Before it could reorganize itself, the Duchy lost thousands of men, miles of land, and millions of supporters. Only now, as the Fascists leer over the Ducal Palace, as the Communists ripple outwards in a ring of red from their heartland, and as the foreign supporters and attackers of the various factions swoop in like carrion birds, is the Duchy beginning to recover.
In its present state, with the sides equally balanced and all pitted against one another, the war might rage on for decades, until all simply lose the will to fight. It is only through the intervention of the international community— some to aid a revolution they find righteous, some to bulwark the faltering Duchy, still others to carve out a piece from the flailing carcass— that the balance will be struck, and the war will be won.
Klaus I, now withdrawn to his Sommerpalast, watches on as his beloved nation tears itself to pieces, engulfed in escalating warfare. Despite his objections, the media have already taken to calling it Klaus' War.
TIMELINE
- 20 FEBRUARY 2016
Klaus I ascends the throne, and announces his plan to institute democracy in Capile.- 1 JANUARY 2018
First Capilean Elections are held, and monarchist Wilhelm Knott is elected Chancellor.- FEBRUARY-MARCH 2018
Street riots erupt between political dissidents who dispute the election results.- 15 MARCH 2018
Klaus I declares martial law and orders the arrests of prominent VF and BSU officials. VF leader Walther Nemetz responds with a military coup, seizing control of Saxtonburg.- MARCH 2018
The Grand Duchy mobilizes its military and fights back against the VF, but loses control of much of northern Capile.- 1 APRIL 2018
The Royalist capital, Saxtonburg, falls under siege from VF troops.- 8 APRIL 2018
The BSU declares a national revolution and seizes power in central Capile.- 27 APRIL 2018
The Dutch Republic secedes from Capile, taking control of the Capilean East Coast.- 5 MAY 2018
The French Free State secedes from Capile, seizing a pocket of north-eastern Capile.- JULY 2018
Various nations enter the war on various sides (see roster).- 15 JULY 2018
The Republic of Saatland secedes from Capile, taking over a strip of the South Coast. A six-way civil war begins.- 10 AUGUST 2018
The Siege of Saxtonburg ends in a Fascist victory. The Reichsrat is destroyed and very few Royalist troops escape.- 12 AUGUST 2018
The BSU's Operation Anvil begins; Communist troops advance south-east from Kongsburg in an effort to break out to the sea.- 14 AUGUST 2018
Walther Nemetz proclaims the transition of the VF into the Capilean Reich.
The defenders of Mühlburg surrender to the new Reich.- 15 AUGUST 2018
The First Battle of Raus; German forces launch a probing attack toward Raus and are almost cut off and encircled, but Royalist air support ensures their rescue.- 18-19 AUGUST 2018
Operation Anvil meets hastily-assembled Royalist forces at the Battle of Haakensburg; Royalist reinforcements prevent the city from falling and the Communist offensive is halted.- 21 AUGUST 2018
Communist forces launch Operation Hammer, a pincer movement designed to captured Osthilt and conjoin Kongsburg with Raus.
An army of the Reich launches Operation Huginn in order to break the siege of Wolfcour.
German Army Groups land at Rochefurt and plan to liberate Stammburg from the Reich.
Dutch forces capture Krugersburg.- 23 AUGUST 2018
Reich forces capture Wolfcour.
French forces capture Roappe.
The Reich launches Operation Muninn to capture Gravines.
Communist forces capture Osthilt.- 26 AUGUST 2018
Communist forces capture Rulund.
The Reich launches Operation Hel to overrun the Rei River Valley.
Nordlingen surrenders to the Reich.- 29 AUGUST 2018
The Reich captures Reiburg.
A Communist-controlled overland route is established between Kongsburg and Raus.- 8 SEPTEMBER 2018
The Reich captures Gravines.
The Free French government flees to Roappe.- 25 SEPTEMBER 2018
Reich forces capture Quassdorf, concluding Operation Hel.- 28 SEPTEMBER 2018
Reich forces in Stammburg surrender to German troops.- 1 OCTOBER 2018
Royalist forces launch Operation Panoply across multiple fronts.
FACTIONS
The Royalists
AT A GLANCE
Faction Name
The Grand Duchy of Nova Capile
Leader
Grand Duke Klaus I (de jure)
Reichskanzler Wilhelm Knott (de facto)
Government Type
Authoritarian Democracy (Martial Law Declared)
Capital
Rochefurt
Centers of Power
Rochefurt
Osthilt
Strength
~2,800,000 soldiers
Goal
To reunify Capile under the Grand Duke
Saxtonburg, the seat of Royal power, lies in waste, devastated by civil war, and almost in the hands of the Fascists. The Royal Palace itself is under siege, its ancient battlements crumbling under the firepower of a modern world. The still-loyal remnants of what was once the most powerful military on Earth are scattered across the width and breadth of the Duchy, disorganized and demoralized, and are rapidly being driven back by the tides of Communist, Fascist, and Secessionist rabble that swarm forth from the ruptured floodgates.
And worst of all, the Duke is but a shadow of his former self, his love for his people replaced by bitterness, cynicism, and self-hatred. The people of Capile no longer look to him but to Großmarschall Hermann Winser, widely recognized as the Duchy's last hope. That old war hero has the skill and wisdom to bring his country back together- given a miracle.
Truly, the Duchy's fate is hanging in the balance.
But the balance is not too difficult to strike.
The Duchy is still a power to be reckoned with. It's army, navy, and air force are still the best equipped and most numerous formations in the country. Its industrial base and resource pool are unparalleled. And most importantly, there are still millions who believe in it. The Royalist spirit has not yet dissipated.
There are still millions who would shout "Für Thron und Reich!" and charge to their deaths for the Duke in a heartbeat.
Hope is not yet lost.
The Capilean Reich
AT A GLANCE
Faction Name
The Capilean Reich
Leader
Reichsleiter Walther Nemetz
Government Type
Autocracy
Capital
Saxtonburg
Centers of Power
Saxtonburg
Karlingen
Stammburg
Strength
~2,200,000 soldiers
Goal
To establish a Fascist government in Nova Capile
The monarchy was weak.
Even in its glory days, it was self-serving, inefficient, and outdated. The military elite had long been dissatisfied. Klaus' betrayal was all that was needed to turn the common soldiery on the Crown too.
The Fatherland Front was forged in the fires of crisis, and it has now been tested in the crucible of battle. The officers, soldiers, policemen, politicians, and patriots who came together against a common foe have since coalesced into the deadliest fighting force Capile has ever produced. Under Reichsmarschall Walther Nemetz, the nation's laureate war hero, they have successfully conquered Northern Capile and are now at the gates of Saxtonburg, the nation's capital. The Volkssturm militia and Stoßwehr elites who fight under the Wolfish Banner are feared by Communist, Secessionist, and Royalist alike.
But their triumphs are more than military.
The leaders of the Front are united against a common enemy, and all pledge allegiance solely to Nemetz. The Front's Four Year Plan lays down an economic path to self-sufficiency that will rebuild Capile's economy should a Fascist government come to fruition. And, most compelling, Walther Nemetz has promised his followers true equality. No longer will they be judged based on noble rank or petty titles, but by the sweat of their brow and the greatness of their feats.
Finally, the Capilean Volk will be led by a strong leader, and one with their best interests at heart.
There is much work to be done, however. The rabid Communist menace lurks in the south, growing in power and volatility, and longing to extinguish all nationalism. The pitiful Dutch and French rebels at the fringes of the nation violate Capile's sovereignty by seceding, and will have to be crushed before the nation can be united. And the last vestiges of the monarchy, frightened by the Front's strength and sincerity, resist it at every turn.
With blood and iron, they will be overcome.
The Socialist Union
AT A GLANCE
Faction Name
The Fraternal Socialist Union
Leader
General-Secretary Terry Blücher
Government Type
Socialist Republic
Capital
Kongsburg
Centers of Power
Kongsburg
Raus
Pritzen
Strength
~3,000,000 soldiers
Goal
To establish a Socialist government in Nova Capile
From deep within the Duchy's heartland, a deep and savage roar emanates. It is the sound of a tidal wave that can no longer be held at bay by the crumbling floodgates of monarchy. Like a mighty rushing wind, the Fraternal Socialist Union sweeps across Capile, rallying the proletariat against its oppressors. The soot-stained miners of Kongsburg descend from the mountains and form up with the Red Battalions in droves. The overworked factory workers of Raus abandon their menial tools and flock beneath the Red Banner. The starved serfs and tillers of Pritzen raise their sickles in defiance of their masters and join their brothers-in-arms.
Everywhere, the common laborers of Capile throw off their chains, cast off their shackles, and join the Revolution!
Overseen by the stalwart party leader, General-Secretary Blücher, the BSU is more of a politicized army than a sovereign state. Blücher rules with a steady, iron hand from the Party Offices in Kongsburg, concerned mostly with managing the war front and liberating captured territory. The seemingly endless hordes of troops that flow outward from Kongsburg come from all stripes and creeds, but are united in their goal of bringing Communism to Capile at long last. Most are fresh, idealistic volunteers who make up for their lack of experience with frothing loyalty. Some are the Old Guard of the Party, grizzled veterans of conflicts long past. Still others are conscripts, pressed into service at gunpoint by the BSU's feared secret police, the Passtab. Together, they form the largest and likely the most determined army in the fight for Capile's future.
Many problems stand in the BSU's way, however. The divisions between Socialists, Communists, and Marxists within the Party's ranks threaten its unity. The fanatical followers of the demagogue Walther Nemetz pose a serious threat to the Party's existence in the North and East. And the Monarchists, the mindless slaves who still cling to their deranged master, have yet to be unseated as the island's main power.
Those problems can and will be overcome. The Red tidal wave will sweep across the nation, and the people of Capile will finally know true freedom.
MINOR FACTIONS
The Republic of Saatland
AT A GLANCE
Faction Name
The Republic of Capile
Leader
President Johannes von Bamburg
Government Type
Democratic Republic
Capital
Ludislau
Centers of Power
Ludislau
Steighof
Strength
~300,000 soldiers
Goal
To break away from Capile and form an independent Republic
Two generations ago, the people of Saatland, a province in southern Capile, broke away from the Communist regime which at that time ruled over them, and established a democratic state. This republic was eventually annexed back into the Grand Duchy, but the legacy of freedom and liberty it left behind lives on in the people of southern Capile. When the ancient regime began to crumble, Saatland's state electorate voted unanimously (and illegally) to secede from the Duchy, establishing an independent state along the southern coast of the country.
Wary of Royalist, Communist, and Fascist alike for their undemocratic ambitions, the Saatlanders quickly formed a state militia that is renowned for tenacious defense, and now resists any attack into their territory whilst also seeking new lands to liberate. Johannes von Bamburg, a popular aristocrat who fought for Saatland during its original secession, has been elected President of the fledgling republic, and heads an admirable effort to shore up its defenses.
Many threats loom, however. The Royalists, enraged at Saatlander defiance, are preparing to trample the budding flower of democracy before it can bloom. The Fascists seem a distant threat, but their forces in Stammburg could strike out at Saatland in a moment's notice. And the Communist menace, growing stronger with every day, simmers just north of Ludislau, the heart of the republic.
Saatland is the only promise of democracy that still survives in Capile, but its very existence is coming under assault.
The Dutch Republic
AT A GLANCE
Faction Name
The Dutch Republic of Capile
Leader
President Andries Prather
Government Type
Authoritarian Republic
Capital
Oranjstad
Centers of Power
Oranjstad
Krugersburg
Strength
~600,000 soldiers
Goal
To break away from Capile and form an independent Dutch State
It was not the Germans who discovered Capile, but the Dutch. This island is their birthright, and they are not willing to give it up without a fight. Crushed for centuries under the jackboot heel of Germanic Capile, the unquenchable Dutch thirst for independence has manifested into the last of a long line of rebellions and insurrections, the Dutch Republic of Capile.
With a large swath of territory and several major cities secure under the rule of President Andries Prather, the Dutch are already on the path to becoming a sovereign nation. Prather, a charismatic and pragmatic man with ties both to the Dutch aristocracy and the common citizenry, was elected President and granted wartime powers by his people. The Dutch army is entirely composed of volunteers, and more than makes up for its lack of heavy equipment with its excellent guerilla tactics and insurmountable morale.
Others are not so eager to see the Dutch Republic flourish. The Grand Duchy has already mobilized troops to crush this rebellion, and its navy sails on Oranjstad. The Communists to the west see the Republic not as a shining example of self-determination but as a threat, and have laid plans to dismantle it. Even the far-flung Fascists look on the Dutch with disdain and hatred.
While the Dutch are nothing if not tenacious, and their chances at independence seem good, their future is still uncertain, and it could be extinguished in a singular strike.
The French State
AT A GLANCE
Faction Name
The Free French State
Leader
Premier Jean-Paul Charleroi
Government Type
Socialist Republic
Capital
Gravines
Centers of Power
Gravines
Cournoble
Strength
~200,000 soldiers
Goal
To break away from Capile and form an independent French State
The French of north-eastern Capile have long demanded self-determination from their Germanic masters, and never have their cries been answered with anything except brutal force. Now, the French have decided to take matters into their own hands. Utilizing well-trained militias and fervent civilian soldiers, the French have risen up all across the northern coast of Capile and declared an independent republic. Under Premier Jean-Paul Charleroi, a cunning tactician and shrewd politician, the French rebels have resisted all attempts by the police and district militia to subdue them, and now have full control of their lands.
Within French territory is the valuable coastal city of Gravines, previously the home port of Capile's largest armada. While that fleet escaped capture, the valuable shipyard facilities were secured, as were the immense stockpiles of fuel and military equipment kept within the city. With those boons in hand, the French have been able to resist all of the Royalists' half-hearted attempts to reclaim their lost lands.
Even so, the French are enclosed in a ring of steel, as Royalist troops surround them on all sides and grow in number with each passing day. Though their stalwart defense might hold for another few weeks or even months, without foreign aid they will surely crumble. Even then, a blockade by the Capilean fleet could easily starve the French into submission.
Only one thing is sure: The French will die fighting for their freedom.
SCHEDULE
The following is my schedule for updates to the roleplay.
- Tuesday, from 12:00 – 11:00 pm :
I will post in the IC. Note that this IC post may be shorter or less comprehensive than others, simply because I will have less time to synthesize it. - Saturday, from 12:00 – 11:00 pm :
I will post in the IC. This post will always be comprehensive and up to my usual standard. - Sunday, any time :
I will update the roster, ORBAT, map, timeline, etc. Any of the RP's resources which I feel isn't up-to-date will be overhauled. - At any time :
I may post OOC updates, and answer questions in the OOC or telegrams. My NationStates access is not strictly limited to the above three days, so I will definitely be able to communicate with you most of the time. The aforementioned days are simply those when I will have enough downtime to complete a more time-intensive task.
*All times are in Pacific Standard Time.
**Due to quarantine, my posts may be more erratic than usual and will not, unfortunately, always conform to the above schedule.
GUIDELINES
GENERAL
1. You must submit an application, and that application must be approved, to post in the In Character (IC) thread. I alone retain the right to accept or reject applications and to modify the application template.
2. Absolutely all Out of Character (OOC) discussion will be contained in this thread, and, if at all possible, not be posted in the IC thread.
3. When posting in the IC thread, use proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. (If you need assistance spell-checking, I recommend the free service Grammarly, which will spell-check for you as you write.)
4. When posting to the IC thread, please also ensure that your posts are at least four to five paragraphs long and further the story's plot in some tangible way. Preferably, use a template for your posts that provides additional information and makes the post more presentable. I use, and would recommend using either Template A (found here, exemplified here) or Template B (found here, exemplified here). You are welcome to use and/or modify either of these templates.
5. Please treat fellow players with respect and courtesy.
6. Any questions, concerns, disputes, or criticisms can be posted here. Also, feel free to telegram me.
ROLEPLAY
1. Remember that the Grand Duchy of Nova Capile is still a sovereign nation. Any attempt to land troops on its soil with the goal of conquering it will be met with force. That said, allied expeditionary forces to aid the Duchy will be accepted, provided you ask before sending them over; and the other factions will be even more hasty to accept foreign help.
2. Absolutely no weapons of mass destruction, including but not limited to, biological weapons, nuclear weapons, and chemical weapons.
3. Should disputes between players arise, I will make the ruling.
4. Absolutely no god-moding (using excessively over-powered weapons/soldiers/tactics/etc.), including any futuristic technology (unless discussed and approved with me beforehand). Absolutely no taking control of someone else's character/government/army/etc. Unless the entity belongs to you, or you specifically negotiated it beforehand with the entity's owner, do not speak or take actions for it.
5. The roleplay will begin in the Summer of 2018. (Dating IC posts is discouraged; if at all necessary I will decide what the IC date is.) The Duchy has been in a state of total war for a few months now, and the action is starting to heat up. So far, relatively few have died (only ~25,000) and all sides have been hesitant to engage in open warfare. With the VF attack on Saxtonburg, that is starting to change.
6. I do not have a pre-planned ending for the role-play; your actions will affect its outcome. The roleplay will conclude when A, a single faction or coalition of factions triumphs over the others and gains control over Capile, B, a ceasefire of some sort is negotiated, or C, some other apparent victory condition is met.
7. A mix of character-based and nation-based roleplay is highly encouraged.
ROSTER
Major factions displayed in bold and in the color that corresponds to their map color, with their allies in italics. Included with each is a brief description of their involvement in the conflict.
Grand Duchy of Nova Capile
Currently engaged in an existential, total war for its own existence.
- The Federation of European Monarchies
Providing their old monarchical ally with full military and economic aid. - The Solisian Empire
Providing full-scale aid economically and militarily for the Royalists.
Capilean Reich
Currently engaged in an existential, total war for its own existence.
- The Greater German Reich In-Exile
Providing covert military and economic aid to the Reich. - The Republic of Akordania
Assisting the Reich with war materiel and military support.
Socialist Union
Currently engaged in an existential, total war for its own existence.
- The Socialist Commune of the Revolution
Providing discreet help to their brothers-in-arms, the BSU.
Saatland
Currently engaged in an existential, total war for its own existence.
Dutch Republic
Currently engaged in an existential, total war for its own existence.
Free French State
- The Federal Republic of Luxembourg-Bavaria
Deploying a large force to assist the French struggle for independence.
