1890: Alternative Divergence [AH][OOC-DEAD]

[Alt Div Admin]

1890: Alternative Divergence OOC THREAD CURRENT ANNOUNCEMENTS IC//MAP – 02.12.2020//DISCORD OP Tracian Empire CO-OP's Oscalantine Novacom The Ik Ka Ek Akai Axis Asteroid “Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please.” – Karl Marx But for the sake of argument, what if we could? Be it a point of divergence or a whole new nation, what if we could make history EXACTLY at the point that we wish? Hello and welcome to another Alternative Divergence, an alternative history RP where the world is yours to do whatever you wish. For the sake of continuity, the time now is 1890 C.E., and nations are expanding in a world slowly moving towards more and more violence. What would be your vision of a world shaped by a nation that you call your own? Again, for the sake of continuity, we should set a few ground rules. All apps need a point of start and build-up – Whether you start from the stone age and build it up to 1890 or simply change a few things here and there from the 1800’s is up to you, but we would like for all nations to have an interesting history behind it… to prove you are a capable alternate history roleplayer. All nations MUST be somewhat original – Let’s try to be a bit more creative than having Great Britain at all its glory. You can keep the name and title, but you MUST have some degree of DIFFERENCE between your nation and the IRL ones. Everything can be excused with reason – We are willing to let anything be possible as long as it is stated clearly in the app with full explanation as to why it has come to be for your nation. … Similarly, we will accept NOTHING without a proper explanation. Nation Application Code: Select all [[Please remove all double brackets from the app before posting it, including this one]] [b]Full Nation Name :[/b] [b]Majority/Official Culture :[/b] [[What your people identify themselves with… French, Chinese, Iroquois, Touareg, etc.]] [b]Territorial Core :[/b] [[The territory that your nation actually controls]] [b]Territorial Claim :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[The territories that your nation desire]] [b]Capital City :[/b] [[Its IRL location and name]] [b]Population :[/b]   [b]Government Type :[/b] [[Monarchy, Republic, etc.]] [b]Government Ideology/Policies :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[Militant, Imperialist, Expansionist, etc.]] [b]Government Focus :[/b] [[Tell us a little bit about what your government’s focus is… be it military, economy, culture, legitimacy, etc.]] [b]Head of State :[/b] [[The highest-ranking individual in the nation ]] [b]Head of Government :[/b] [[If different, the highest-ranking individual who actually runs the nation ]] [b]Government Description :[/b]   [b]Majority/State Religion :[/b] [[It does not have to be IRL religion]] [b]Religious Description :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]]   [b]Economic Ideologies :[/b] [[Capitalism, Mercantilism, Socialism, Communism, etc.]] [b]Major Production :[/b] [b]Economic Description :[/b] [b]Development:[/b] [[Modern, Semi-Industrialized, or Primitive]] [b]Development Description :[/b] [[Explain further why your nation is in one of the above categories]]   [b]Army Description :[/b] [[Describe your nation's army in as much detail as you can]] [b]Army Weakness :[/b] [b]Naval Description :[/b] [[Describe your nation's navy in as much detail as you can]] [b]Naval Weakness :[/b] [b]Further Military Description :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]]   [b]National Goals :[/b] [[What are the main objectives of your nation?]] [b]National Issues :[/b] [[What needs to be fixed in order for your nation to achieve its true potential?]] [b]National Figures of Interest :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[Are there any Mother Teresas or Moses that we need to know about?]] [b]National Ambition/Aspirations :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[Not really set objectives, but rather the big picture that your nation is drawing towards]]   [b]History :[/b] [[Can be in paragraph or bulletpoint timeline.]] [b]RP Sample:[/b] [[Either a link to a past post, or an example written right here.]]   #AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps) Reservations Code: Select all [align=middle][size=140][u]Reservation[/u][/size][/align] [b]Nation Name:[/b] [b]Territory:[/b] #AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps) *Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting and removing reservations.

[Alt Div Admin]

Accepted Nations Last Updated : 26.11.2020 Sao Nova Europa -Empire of the Euthydemids - (Βασιλεία των Ευθυδημιδών) Revlonia - Empire of Scandinavia - (Skandinaviens imperium) Remnants of Exilvania - Triple Monarchy - (Trojitá monarchie) The Traansval - United Republic of Great Britain and Ireland Theyra - Parthian Empire Tracian Empire - Empire of the Romans - (Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων) Intermountain States - United States of America The Hindustani State - Maratha Kingdom - (मराठी स्वराज्य) The Ik Ka Ek Akai - Holy Roman Empire - (Il Senato e il popolo romano) TENNOHEIKA BANZAI NIHON - Japan Axis Asteroid - Taiping Heavenly Kingdom - (太平天囯) Oscalantine - Most Serene Imperial States of Korea (대한제국) Kisinger - French Republic - (République française) Of Leben - Kingdom of Brazil - (Royaume du Brésil) Novacom - Aztek Ascendancy Draos - Kingdom of Iberia - (Reino de Iberia) Reservations Last Updated : 26.11.2020 Empire of Techkotal - German Empire

[Alt Div Admin]

Announcements Date:15.09.2020 Announcements from AltDiv Development Welcome! New OOC was launched, new players are welcome! The roleplay now has a Discord server! The link can be found in the OP.

[Tracian Empire]

Nice

[Draos]

Full Nation Name : the Kingdom of Iberia
Majority/Official Culture : Iberian (a mix of Spanish/Portugese)
Territorial Core : Spain Portugal The Azores Madeiras Morocco the Canary Islands Majorca Cabo Verde The Maldives
Territorial Claim :
Capital City : Madrid (Madrid Spain)
Population : 36 million

Government Type : Parliamentary Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies : Industrializing
Government Focus : The Iberian Government is currently focusing on Internal growth and Development, trying to avoid falling behind other European Powers as well as Wearily monitoring the Republican states
Head of State : King Daniel I Sainz of the House of Leon (age 24)
Head of Government : Prime Minister Armando Faria (age 48)
Government Description : The Cortes Generales (Iberian for General courts) is a Bicameral Legislature that consists of the Congress of Deputies, which is the lower house, and the Senate, which is the Upper house that does most of the Day to Day running of the Kingdom. Although the King does hold a decent amount of power and can overrule the Cortes' acts, he typically doesn't.

Majority/State Religion : Catholic
Religious Description :

Economic Ideologies : Capitalist
Major Production : Shipbuilding,Textiles, Refractory Products (Iron/steel etc.) Metals and Manufacturing Metals
Economic Description : Since the Ley de Crecimiento de la Ciudad (City Growth act) of 1850, the Iberians have worked hard to overcome their overreliance on agriculture and become a modern state. Including a one-time grant from the government to people who move to the cities and work in factories known as the Bono de fábrica (Factory bonus). The result is a moderate increase in the economy, though not as high as the Cortes had wanted, they are more than pleased with the results. The Major area of Focus was the Military industry, including railroads and weapon production facilities, to rapidly get troops and supplies to where they are needed the most in a war.

Development: Industrialized
Development Description : The Majority of the Iberian economy used to rely heavily on agriculture but based on the reforms of Felipe VI in the middle half of the 19th century. It has since become an Industrialized nation with incentives for rural workers to come to factories and cities while not saying Britain or Rome. The Spanish have progressed swiftly due to the hard work of its peoples. As well as the dedication to hold onto its position on the world stage.

Army Description : The Ejército de Tierra is a trained conscript force of approximately 185,000 men armed with the Mauser model 1889 as it's primary service rifle. The standard-issue Revolver is the Orbea no seven based on the Smith and Wesson Number 3., the Majority of which are stationed in Morocco to maintain order and Madrid's control. Based in the city of Zaragoza with other Regional Depots in Porto Bilbao and Fes. While most of the Army is largely considered green several units stand out the Guardia Real, also known as the Royal Guards, who are the elite bodyguards of the Royal Family comprised of only the most experienced and hardened soldiers of the Royal Army and Marines. For the regular services, there is also the Cuerpo de Ejército Marroquí or the Morrocan Army Corps consisting largely of Loyal Berbers; this force is responsible for the Protection and Defense of Maurrecos, their homeland with Distinguished soldiers of any unit is given the title of Tercio as a symbol of Prestige. The Current General of the Army: Antônio Vila.
Army Weakness: Since Iberia has not been in a war in nearly half a century since the Maldives conquest, most Conscripts have never seen real combat, and many officers might be behind on modern tactics. Additionally, the Iberian arms industry is far behind most other great powers relying heavily on foreign imports to keep its troops armed.
Naval Description : The Iberian People have a long-standing Naval tradition that has fallen off in recent decent decades due to complacency in peacetime. To combat this problem, the Cortes Generales has recently launched the Sailor's Act of 1888 (Ley del Marinero de 1888). This law was meant to increase the number of Sailors and Marines in both the Active duty and Reserves. The Cortes has also begun the construction of 2 new battleships and 8 cruisers and 15 gunships and torpedo boats to increase the size of the fleet. The Armada Real is Flagshipped by the Pelayo, a Barbette Battleship. The rest of the Fleet consists of 4 Broadside Ironclad battleships,8 Velasco class cruisers,3 Aragon Class cruisers,2 Isla de Majorca cruisers,1 Regina Regente cruiser, eight screw frigates, three corvettes,20 gunboats, and 14 torpedo boats. Headquartered in the city of Gibraltar, Blocking the Sea of Gibraltar and Dominating what comes into the western half of the Mediterranean. The Royal Navy also has Depots in Lisbon Palma, Rabat, the Maldives, and the Azores. The latter two being significantly less protected, only having one cruiser and three gunboats each due to their remote locations. Current Admiral of the Navy: Julio Ferrón.
Naval Weakness : While sizable, the Fleet still lags behind other European powers like Britain. It is also mostly unproven, with many sailors being green along with a lack of seasoned officers.
Further Military Description : The Iberian Military is a formal Conscript force with Conscripts being enlisted for 5 years potentially longer in times of crisis. Though well equipped and trained, it is largely untested and unproven in large scale combat with only minor campaigns like the conquest of the Maldives happening in the previous century. Due to this, the Iberian forces have begun a major modernization and extensive training of its officer corps to compete with the likes of Britain, France, and the Roman Empire.

National Goals : Preservation of the Iberian state. Continuation of Economic Growth,
National Issues : Unrest amongst the Berber population in Morocco, Growing pains of Industrialization, Wealth gaps, Restore Iberia's place as a great power of Europe
National Figures of Interest :
National Ambition/Aspirations :

History:
456 - the Visigoths (the predecessors to the modern Iberian peoples)under Theodric II defeat the Suebi King Rechiarius at the battle of Orbigo.
466- Euric murders his elder brother Theodric II to claim the Visigothic Throne and expand in Gaul while consolidating his power in the Iberian Peninsula.
472- Euric Captures Hispania Tarraconnesis from the Western Roman Empire.
552 - Justinian I, emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, invades and conquers portions of the Southern Iberian Peninsula, forming the Province of Spania.
585- Liuvigild conquers the Suebi kingdom of Galicia, exploiting a civil war.
624- Spania collapses and is recaptured by the Visigoths.
654- The Visigothic code is completed.
711- Tariq ibn Ziyad attempts to invade the Visigothic Kingdom but is defeated at Ceuta's battle, where he is slain.
c.950- The Visigoths, as a separate culture, dies
1201- The Visigothic Kingdom is reorganized into the Kingdom of Iberia after the old Greek name for the Peninsula
1350- Iberians conquer the last Muslim hold outs in Morrocco
1402- The Iberians conquer the island of Lanzarote.
1424- "Iberianization" attempts are started by King Carlos I in Maurrecos.
1496- The island of Tenerife is conquered, completing the Iberian conquest of the canary islands.
1527- A massive civil war breaks out after the death of Alphonse V, who died childless, leading to the war of the Iberian Succession between the House of Leon and the House of Trestamara.
1535- The war of the Iberian succession is over as the House of Leon wins with Felipe III being crowned King while also devastating the Iberian economy and forcing a reduction to attempted colonial ventures in the new world.
1638- Iberia conquers the Maldives as a Trading outpost in Asia.
1815- A successful revolt by the lower classes forced the King to accept a permanent elected parliament known as the Cortes Generales
1848- Iberia begins to Industrialize to keep pace with the rest of the European powers.
1850- the City Growth act is passed to help urbanization amongst the still mostly rural Iberian population

1887- King Daniel I ascends to the Throne after his father's death, Felipe VI dies of Pneumonia.

The Visigoths were a Germanic tribe that originated from Eastern Europe in what is now Moldavia that was pushed westwards by the Huns, bringing them into conflict with the Roman Empires. Aiding and Opposing the Romans at various points in their history until the fateful sack of Rome in 410. Moving even further, they eventually conquered the Roman province of Hispania into their own personal Kingdom.

Facing numerous foes over the centuries, from the Suebi to the Franks to the Romans, they experienced triumph and Defeat. However, their greatest challenge wouldn't appear until 711 when the Arabs appeared intending to expanding their new religion of Islam into Europe as a way to reach towards Constantinople. The Visigoths, who were wary of this new threat that had emerged in the previous century and pushed deep into North Africa, kept watch of their border. Finally, the war struck when a Berber Muslim named Tariq Ibn Zaiyd led eleven thousand men to invade the Visigothic realm but were met at Ceuta by the Visigothic King Roderic's army of thirteen thousand troops to repulse them. After a brutal five days of battle, the Arabs retreated with the Goths giving chase.


The Visigoths eventually died out due to the eventual merging of them with their Hispano-Roman Subjects forming a new people, the Iberians, under the Jiménez Dynasty ruling from the city of Toledo in the center of the Peninsula who had come from the marriage of Sarus of Navarre and Calisto Jimenez an Asturian. Upon taking power, the new house of Jiménez began turning its attention southwards towards the Arabs, conquering the city of Oran briefly before being defeated and to the East against the Franks. Attempting to conquer the region of Gascony but being soundly defeated again and forced to withdraw, losing its territory of Septimania, reducing its borders behind the Pyrenees. Establishing a Feudal system around 950 after the loss of Septimania, the Iberians began alternating between Warring and Allying with its neighbors. Returning their attention to mainland Europe, the Iberians fought countless wars against their rivals. The English, The Romans, and most notably, the French, who were their direct neighbors, and descended from their ancient rivals the Franks, saw the most conflict. The Peninsula was still mostly agricultural due to the Visigoths using predominantly Roman urban areas and infrastructure unable or unwilling to make their own. They didn't forget about the Arabs to their south, Fighting numerous campaigns against the various sultanates and emirates that ruled the region until on June 12th, 1350, the last Muslim stronghold at Sous surrendered after a five-month-long siege by Iberian forces lead by General Ernesto Santiago.

Starting in 1402, the Iberians began conquering and colonizing an archipelago off the coast of Maurrecos, known as the Canary islands that took them until 1498 with the island's conquest of Tenerife. After several failed colonization attempts in the new world, King Alphonse V died in 1527 without an heir leading to the end of the Jiménez dynasty and a fierce rival between two noble houses. The sides the House of Trestamara, based in Barcelona, and the House of Leon, based in Leon, began a bloody civil war that brought in foreign powers like Rome and France, both supporting rival claimants to the Throne. Finally, following eighty years of brutal fighting and heroics and cruelty on both sides, the House of Leon prevailed, sacking Barcelona in 1533 with the treaty of Paris the next year and Phillip III's crowning as King of Iberia. The war caused devastation on a massive scale across the Peninsula, bankrupting the Kingdom and ending colonial ambitions.

For the next two and a half centuries, the Iberians were a backwater often overlooked by the larger powers on the Continent such as Britan and France, only managing to conquer the minor archipelago known as the Maldives in that time as a trade outpost in Asia which they claimed in 1638 after a short three-year conflict that culminated in the battle of Malé which saw the Iberians capture the reigning Sultan Tareef al-Majid, Who was eventually put under house arrest for the rest of his life. In 1815, a revolt led by Oliver Gallego, who was emboldened by the success of Republicans in France and Britain, rose against the Iberian crown wishing to follow a republican form of government. The Revolution of the People, as it was called by the rebels or the great scare by the loyalist, lasted for 5 years with brutal and bloody combat, neither side showing mercy to the other; the largest battle the Battle of Madrid, only 72 kilometers from the royal capital saw over 25,000 casualties on both sides that was a Royalist victory. In the end, the Rebels were defeated, but the bloodshed of the war forced a compromise from the King as now three hundred thousand Iberians were dead from the fighting. Allowing for a bi-cameral legislature known as the Cortes Generales with the lower house voted by the masses and the Upper house by the Nobility and a Limit to the Monarchy's power, effectively making Iberia a Constitutional Monarchy. The Shock and fear of eventually being turned into a republican state like that of Britain or France led Charles the Great (Charles II) to reform and modernize the Kingdom. In an attempt to prevent the spread of Republicanism on the Continent, the Iberians began to industrialize, Using any means needed, including a one time grant to get people to move to the cities and factories. Though there was a backlash from nobles in the countryside who feared the loss of their power with the rise of the cities, The new standing army was used to deter them from acting out. Now with the death of Phillip VI, the young King Daniel must assert Iberia's place in Europe and the World.



RP Sample: Madrid Palace of Zarzuela
Rey Daniel, the first King of the Iberians sat stoically at his desk when he heard a knock upon the door to his office looking up from the document he was reading he replied with "enter" in a polite but firm tone wondering who was disturbing him at ten-thirty at night. A few seconds later the doorknob turned and entered his foreign minister Raul Morena-Pera with a letter panting and sweating indicating he had run here from his office. The Young King greeted the minister in a polite tone "Hello Raul what brings you here so late in the evening should you not be with your family for it is your daughter's birthday tomorrow? Take a breath before you speak you seem to have gotten here in a hurry my friend." The older gentleman nodded as he took a second to regain his composure "Your majesty we have a message from the British"

Daniel sighed whatever it was it couldn't be good as the two peoples had a long and sustained history of hatred and mistrust between them fighting numerous wars over petty and sometimes insignificant reasons. "What do the Tea gulpers want?" he asked quite clearly annoyed at the thought. This brought a brief second nervous look over the minister as he adjusted his collar "Well your majesty they invite us to a conference on the division of the African continent and the end of the slave trade. Stroking his chin the Youthful Monarch pondered this development what was their end goals and how can we prepare for them he wondered it was clear they had an ulterior motive but the Iberians were by the throat they could not afford to lose out on this new colonial race as they did with the western continents of the Americas. He sighed again "Send their ambassador our response we shall attend their conference but we will not tolerate any forms of backstabs or shenanigans they like to pull to get their grubby republican mitts on power." how is this or should it be longer?

Waking up early the next morning the King walked to the palace of the Cortes in Madrid to announce the news. Being greeted by the usual lively debate typical of Iberian politics he braced himself for the potentially hostile reaction he'd meet from the more conservative members of the parliament. Knowing full well they would most certainly refuse any deal with the British even if it meant advancing Iberian prestige and power on the world stage he sighed as he entered the chambers and cleared his throat as the room went silent. Hoping to win over the liberals and moderates he began his thirty-minute long speech advocating for Iberian colonies in Africa pointing out the plentiful resources on the continent and the influx of pride and prestige for the Iberian realm to be seen as a global colonial power a chance that succession war in the 1500s had robbed them of. The vote was tight with the Ayes narrowly edging out the nays by a count of 132-128 Iberia would become an Empire.

The Next week Pablo Almeida would stand on a dock in the city of Vigo in the region of Galicia readying for his mission to gain as much territory for the Kingdom as Possible. He sighed as he stepped onto the ship readying to depart on the day-long journey to England he made his way to his cabin and began studying for this summit researching anything he could use to gain an upper hand in these multiparty negotiations as the ship set sail to its destination. Going to bed and waking up promptly as the coast of Cornwall was close but the view was covered by a heavy fog until the vessel shook and he fell over the ships bell began ringing and an hour later crew members ran around telling passengers to get to the lifeboats the ship was sinking from a collision with a rock off the coast of lizard point. Grumbling at his luck he got into one of the lifeboats after letting the women and children board first of course as it was rowed to the shore by members of the crew a week later he was finally on his way to London for the conference.
#AltDiv (Do not delete this; it is used to keep track of the apps)

[Novacom]

Full Nation Name : Aztek Ascendancy
Majority/Official Culture : Aztek/Nahua
Capital City : Tenochtitlan
Population : 92.7 Million

Government Type : Syndicalist Republic
Government Ideology/Policies : Somewhat Imperialist with a focus on Stability.
Government Focus : The Government of the Ascendancy has various focuses, most of them on the home front, expansion is low down on the list of priorities while the main focus is on security and the economy, naturally of course there is a healthy focus on the public good which is the main thrust of the reasoning of said focuses.
Additionally the Government is still in something of a transition, even if this began over 30 years ago, from a more loosely monarchist system to the quasi republican system it now utilises, something which is considered a natural evolution of the system it utilised, this has come at a cost, which both the government and people have been willing to pay.
Head of State : Chairman Xiya Tzompantli
Head of Government : Speaker Iutil Catlza
Government Description : The Aztek system is complicated on the surface yet fundamentally simple, On a local level there exists various bodies that function to enable direct democracy, be it by worker, artist, or elderly and infirm, these bodies elect one of their number to act as representative to a regional union discussing their specific concerns and serving to provide guidance and assistance on a local level, these unions in turn elect representative's to a regional body that gives input to regional government and in turn also elects a representative or more commonly referred to as a delegate to the national level.

Each Region's boundaries were initially defined by geography, however these lines have been redrawn in line to ensure each representative and delegate is more evenly weighted population wise, in the situations where this is not the case, votes of delegates and representative's with larger populations are weighted appropriately. At all levels these delegates and representative's are subject to recall and the system offers considerable stability so that the recall of a single Delegate would not by itself cause for a wholesale re-election of the entire body, with accountability being a priority.

At the national level these representative's form the basis of the government, electing one of their number to serve as speaker, a role charged with keeping order and ensuring the following of procedure, additionally at a regional level typically, though in some areas this can extend to a local level exist the Platforms, the closest the Aztek system has to parties, groupings based on an ideology, or at least an ideological interpretation, these comprise, but are not restricted to, groups such as the Flaxen Communalists, Jade Syndicalists and Iron Totalists.

Nationally, these platforms form blocs in the National Assembly, these platforms agree a series of policy outlines to put forward to the assembly when it comes to deciding which platform should oversee the various commissaries, entities roughly analogous to ministries. It is required for each platform to set out short and long term goals and the methods and policies they seek to utilise to reach those, the Assembly then votes on which Platform is best suited for which Commissary, votes are then held until each and every Commissary is assigned with the platform that controls the majority being able to appoint the Chairman who acts as head of state for the session.

Each Commissary has it's headquarters in Tenochtitlan itself with their main buildings being set in their own large complexes housed in Pyramids set upon lone islands in lake Texcoco for maximum security with travel to and from them being strictly limited and recorded, more in the interests of security than anything else. While the National assembly itself and the delegates are housed in the old Imperial palace and it's adjoining buildings which have over the years been adapted for such uses in a manner that respects and compliments the architecture.

Majority/State Religion : Aztek Religion
Religious Description : -Doing Later-

Economic Ideologies : Capitalist with Socialist aspects
Major Production : Iron, Gas, Oil, Weapons, Clothing, Various Livestock, Ivory Various Industrial Products, Motor Vehicles, Coffee, Spices, Various Agricultural produce, Wines, Weapons
Economic Description :
The Aztek Ascendancy is highly industrialised, with the frontier regions the subject of heavy efforts to bring them up to a similar level to the more central regions, this is all networked together via an ever expanding network of roads in the Jade Highways and rail in the form of the Obsidian Way. The Economy is highly diversified in terms of Agriculture, Mining and Various forms of Industry, of important note is the heavy focus on sustainable development and worker welfare, given that the economy is directed by the Achcauhtlitleco a catch all term for the Trade Unions, Commissary’s and Regional Assemblies. These interconnected bodies lean towards guiding the economy towards a goal, more than intervening directly, although it has done during times of need or predicted instability, and in doing so combines elements of a centrally planned economy and organic industrial growth as it were.

Industries are ran to be mutually co-operative so that established industries are sustainable both in terms of the local community and the environment as the traditions of the Aztek’s have encouraged the people to try and strike a balance and preserve the beauty and splendour of their homeland. Each region is economically self sufficient yet also interdependent on it’s neighbours allowing for a fairly resilient yet effective economy, competition is encouraged but not to the point where it adversely harms or damages efforts regionally or nationally.

The Ascendancy’s economy is at present undergoing a massive boom as recent policies have recently expanded trade with the rest of the world outside of it’s traditional trading partners of Korea and the Roman Empire, the former of which has been a long term trading partner with a healthy section of the economy focussed on meeting their trading needs. The economy is also recovering from some of the pressures placed on it by the constructing of the Canal with the new stream of profits being deployed to allow for a more equal development of the Northern and Southern regions in comparison to the central regions.
Development: Modern
Development Description : The Aztek's have long since practised extensive urban planning on even the smallest of scales, as such the Ascendancy's development is in some regards something all other nations aspire to with even the smallest of settlements being well organised and possessing all needed utilities such as health, sanitation and education, which are traditional Aztek priorities leading back to before the discovery of their lands by outsiders.

The Aztek's maintain such development and link it together via a large and well planned out transport network so that even if certain elements are wasteful in smaller villages, they can be accessed in nearby larger towns or cities, and are easy to find via public records, which are extremely extensive and maintained as a matter of necessity, thanks to lessons learned centuries ago when combatting European Plagues.

The government no matter what it's composition has long strived to minimise social unrest through ensuring unfettered access to recreational activities with organised sporting leagues and public entertainment with arenas and designated areas for the practise of both performative arts and sport which themselves are overseen by an element of the government and possess a Union of their own.

Army Description : The Ascendancy’s military is an altogether smaller force, the main force of the Regular Army is supported by the various Prides, warrior orders who idealise certain military traditions and function as effective support units, these include entities such as the Panther Pride which are the closest body in the world to modern day commandos, the Jaguar Pride which embody the idea of elite close range shock troops and the Eagle Pride who specialise in covert reconnaissance to name but a few. The army itself operates on the principle of small unit tactics with marksmanship and utilising the terrain as modus operandii. initiative and forward thinking are prized qualities for an officer in the Ascendancy’s army with movement through ranks being a common occurrence as incompetence is ill tolerated, in times of war the army can be rapidly expanded by calling up the reserves.

It is customary for all Aztek Males to undergo a year of low level military training before they enter third tier education at the age of 14 during which discipline is drilled into the youths, which is later reinforced three years later at the conclusion of third tier education and is required for an Aztek Male to be considered an adult, likewise Aztek Females undergo their own version of such training, at similar stages, the intention for this for both sexes is to help instil early discipline and purpose, while also allowing for educational gaps in which some real world experience outside of familial environments to be imparted upon the citizenry.

The Armed forces are highly motivated and consider themselves to be an elite, able to call back on a military heritage that has known not defeat, however this is tempered by the simple fact that the Ascendancy has not needed to utilise it’s army against a conventional foe in a regular conflict for many years. This does not mean however that military endeavours do not enter the equation when it comes to Tenochtitlan’s considerations, in addition what conflicts the Ascendancy has been engaged in have allowed those with natural skill to lead to rise towards the top and the army has in it’s upper echelons several notable military thinkers.
Army Weakness : As mentioned above the Ascendancy has not needed to wage war for many a year and as a result actual combat experience is now somewhat rare apart from military exercises. Through several means the Azteks have managed to send observers abroad to observe conflicts about the world, however the information gleaned is incomplete and fragmentary as a result there are some points of dispute about what lessons could be learned something which has not stopped them from trying. Furthermore there is some factionalism within the military with the more radical shift of the Iron Totalists in the past few years which has only sharpened the divide in opinion, this has not yet reached dangerous levels, and in some cases it is beginning to subside.

Additionally, the Aztek Armed forces lack much in the way of Cavalry, a weakness that seems to becoming very much less of an issue than it used to be, with motorised vehicles starting to emerge, with the idea that these could represent a new future in military thinking is a popular idea among military leaders. Much thought is given to such an idea however this is also tempered by the acceptance that practical and effective use of such things is an idea for the future, this has not stopped however efforts at trying to make such thoughts a practical reality, an effort described as almost wasteful by some.

Finally the Army while it has been experimenting with Naval Landings at present lacks much in the way of practical experience outside of some of the Prides, and overall confidence in the competence of the Navy is something of a concern in the ranks. This is despite extensive efforts in developing that force which has bred a small degree of resentment due to what those resources could have done for the Army, a baseless sentiment in reality as funding for one force has not been to the detriment of the other.
Naval Description : The Aztek Navy is a steadily growing and highly modern if somewhat untested force, extensive efforts have been made over the centuries to cultivate a naval spirit as due to circumstances the Azteks were not originally a natural naval power. In time however the Azteks have managed to develop a steadily growing Naval Cadre, something which is considered to be of primary importance given the spread out nature of the Ascendancy and the importance of trade to it's economy.

A key part of the Aztek Navy has been in keeping free lines of trade between the Ascendancy and both the Imperial States of Korea and the Chuk Jae-Do, their primary trading partners and many of the lessons and doctrines developed have been as a result of operating over such extensive areas, key experience was gained during the prolonged conflict against the Pirate Kings, and although such knowledge is now likely out of date, it provided a great deal of impetus after the initial efforts began during the difficult first contact with the Europeans.

The Aztek Navy has been greatly expanded in the last century with several major shipyards working tirelessly to provide the fleets with the most advanced vessels possible, these efforts have been redoubled with the impending completion of the canal to ensure it’s security. Like many other areas the Aztek’s have applied their own brand of ingenuity and inventiveness to the field of Naval Technology and Theory yet like much of the Aztek Military although much of the idea is sound the application is as of yet untested.
Naval Weakness : The Azteks were not originally naturally navally inclined, it is only through much effort that a Navy has been cultivated, and it is decidedly untested, with little in the way of traditions to depend upon. It is possessed of it’s own versions of Prides, these are however based upon theory exercise and idea and has yet to be seen how they would work, however the Admiralty and the government in Tenochtitlan is cautiously optimistic about it’s overall effectiveness.

Not only do the Aztek’s find themselves with a large operational area to keep secure with what assets they have and the constant press and need for more vessels is something of a source of friction between themselves and the land forces, although in recent years much of this friction has faded away due to better cooperation and understanding there remains something of a rivalry between the two services.

National Goals and Ambitions :

• Complete Security of the Homefront, with an eye towards securing the Gulf and Sea of Aztlan (The Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea)
• Completing the Industrial Programs in the North and South to ensure an equal development in the frontier territories.
• Ensuring Stability and security in the Americas with an eye to seeing the Americas for the Americans
• Secure like-minded partners and Allies in an increasingly polarised world

National Issues : The nation is only now just beginning to open up to the outside world, viewing foreigners as outsiders both figuratively and literally, as a result the nation has scant few trading links but those that do exist are somewhat extensive, as time goes on expanding this trade will have possible side effects. In addition the Iron Totalists are a highly militant and radical Ideological platform within the body politic whose brand of Syndicalism has been growing slowly in popularity however a healthy portion of it's members are growing decidedly uncomfortable with the degree of radicalism and the goals espoused.


History :

General Time Period: 1350-1500
Description:
In the wake of the victory of Tenochtitlan over it's former overlord of Azcapotzalco, it found an increasing common cause with it's neighbouring cities of Texcoco, and Tlacopan, with each acting in a manner complimentary to the other, Tenochtitlan preeminent in military affairs, Texcoco was home to many of the great thinkers and inventors of the age, and Tlacopan while initially a lesser member made efforts to position itself as the economic powerhouse of the three.

In the ensuing years the Alliance sought initially to expand it's influence to encompass the area surrounding Lake Texcoco, between the exertion of both hard and soft power the various cities and settlements initially establishing them as tributaries, coming into frequent conflict with the Tlaxcala and other nations. Despite the conflicts with Tlaxcala remaining mostly in a stalemate, efforts elsewhere began to bear fruit and would eventually reach the coast and before where some trade had occurred between the mainland and the Caribbean islands, efforts were made to increase it as well as the idea that these lands could be a potential future prize.

During this time reports began to circulate of strange men, in even stranger ships being sighted, this piquing the interest of many ensured that territories closest to the coast had scouting teams close to hand should the opportunity would arise. Which in time it did, what the scouting teams encountered disembarking from their unusual ships were men half mad from dehydration and exposure who attacked the scouts on sight, several of the crew were butchered on the spot, while the rest were brought back for interrogation, and their arms and armour were sent back to Texcoco, with several of their thinkers set out to study their vessels.
Major Events:

• The Triple Alliance, the basis for the future Aztek Ascendancy is formed
• The Alliance expands extensively through various means such as political, economic, diplomatic and militarily creating a system of tributaries and lesser alliances.
• The three cities clearly delineate areas of expertise amongst them, with Tenochtitlan being foremost in military affairs, Texcoco, foremost in Scientific affairs and Tlacopan rising to become foremost in economic affairs.
• Intermittent conflicts yet inconclusive conflicts with Tlaxcala prevent much in the way of southern expansion, despite this expansion both north, east and west continue apace until the coast is reached.
• The Thinkers at Texcoco experiment with seagoing vessels using their experience in constructing lake going boats.
• Europeans arrive only to attack the scouting parties with several prisoners being taken to nearby settlements which subsequently report outbreaks of strange new diseases, while their accoutrements and vessels are studied and useful ideas are incorporated and utilised in future developments.

Persons of Note:

• Huey Tlataoni Itzcoatl , the great speaker or King of Tenochtitlan, it was he who in the aftermath of the conflicts with Azcapotzalco and the subsequent freeing from their yoke, he oversaw the negotiations with the leader of Texcoco, Nezahualcoyotl and the leader of Tlacopan, Totoquilhuaztli
• Nezahualcoyotl , the great speaker or King of Texcoco, he was a noted thinker of the age and helped shape his city into a place of learning and free thought and many of the subsequent innovations of the Aztek would hail from this city, or have it’s roots there, be it from one of the cities many places of study or it’s libraries.
• Totoquilhuaztli , the great speaker or King of Tlacopan, he realised that his city in it’s current state would remain little more than a junior party in the Triple Alliance in light of Tenochtitlan’s military contributions and Texcoco’s technological contributions, sought to elevate Tlacopan and laid down the foundations for the city as the major economic contributor of the alliance.
• Huey Tlataoni Moctezuma Xocoyotzin II , the Great Speaker, or King of Tenochtitlan who gave the order for scouting parties to meet any outsiders, and is long since credited in hindsight, though he could not have known at the time, for protecting the Aztek’s from the ravages of hostile avaricious Europeans.

General Time Period: 1500-1580
Description:
A Series of Plagues begin to spread out from the city where the survivors were taken, the spread is limited by distance and measures are taken to keep the infections under control with it being quickly realised that preventing travel severely restricted the spread, during this period a notable grouping of priests declare this to be an omen that yet more sacrifices are needed however before such a sacrifice can begin the priests are struck by lightning with onlookers quick to declare that the gods wish no more sacrifices. This prospect is resisted by several leading members of the priesthood who protected by their protestors ascend the grand Pyramid in Tenochtitlan to perform a great sacrifice, only for the city to be rocked by an earthquake causing the priests to tumble to their deaths down the steps, in the aftermath of this Human Sacrifices came to a swift end.

As the times of plague came to an end a swift military campaign was launched against the Tlaxcala seeking revenge for opportunism during the plagues, which by now was also suffering through outbreaks of such disease leaving their forces weakened and thus making them easier prey, leading to the eventual conquest and allowing the Triple Alliance to continue moving southwards, albeit more slowly as the various cities and nations begin to recover to a degree from several years of rolling disease. During this period the first forays on experimental new boats into what some were starting to call the Aztlan Sea, in honour of their ancestral homeland, making landfall on Cuba and through negotiation bring several settlements into the fold from which Tlacopan begins to exert a small but noticeable measure of economic influence.
Major Events:

• A series of plagues and diseases affect much of the cities with valuable insights gained into how to manage and control outbreaks with leeway given to the thinkers of Texcoco who posit numerous ideas and are given free reign to pursue their theories and ideas particularly in the fields of dissection and medicinal herbs cultivated in their famous gardens.
• The Icnopiltlan system, a state sponsored Orphanage system first utilised for war orphans is greatly expanded in the wake of the newly orphaned children during the plagues, and incentives are given to encourage a population boom, with families finding themselves unable to support additional children able to anonymously give their children over to the Icnopiltlan, this would serve to compensate for a loss of population to disease, this would however take much time to bear fruit, and would require much expansion due to the extent of requirement.
• Tlaxcala finally falls allowing for southern expansion, however by this point the Triple Alliance is still exhausted thanks to the plagues and progress slows from it’s previous rampant pace
• Experimental watercraft allow the alliance to extend their reach across the sea to Cuba.

General Time Period: 1580-1620
Description:
During the times of recovery discussions were held between the three principle cities of the Alliance to something more permanent, in the end an agreement is reached, and the three cities pool their resources forming a more formal nation, with each city to be equal, with the capital at Tenochtitlan which had long been realised as first among equals. In the wake of this efforts are made to exert more direct control over the tributaries beginning a slow but steady process of integration, progress is not universally successful, but between various means of pressure it manages to achieve results, usually by virtue of acceptance of the direction of travel.
Despite early successes it is accepted that the process will take time, even as it will take time for the three cities themselves to adapt to the new normal, however successes further afield would help distract somewhat in addition to news of more outsiders, this time from the opposite direction in radically different looking ships, again scouting parties, of a distinctly different makeup are assembled, being more militarily minded than the previous ones all those years ago.

This time however rather than encountering dehydrated lunatics driven mad by numerous privations, instead are visibly different from the previous outsiders both in dress and appearance. After some difficulty the two parties manage to achieve some measure of understanding and they are directed to something of a new creation for the Aztek’s a port city on the coast, home to a handful of experimental vessels that had begun exploring the seas tentatively. The strange vessel causes no small amount of trepidation and the presence of outsiders, even more so considering the effects of the last group.

In the end the initial meetings are successful and tentative trade established with a far-off nation referring to itself as Korea, with the outsiders warned of the suffering the last wave of outsiders had caused. Over the next few years explorers would begin sailing west in some cases following their new partners and trading knowledge for goods and goods for knowledge, all the while such furtherance’s were pursued in their own unique way, recognising that advancement must be done in a way that suits them.
Major Events:

• The Koreans make landfall and trading relations are established, albeit very tentatively at first.
• Explorations westward begin with a small handful of waystations established on various islands to allow for further exploration and trade, this does not go smoothly as the relative newness of the Azteks to the sea are ruthlessly demonstrated, despite this efforts are made to learn from and correct these problems, however each loss is painful as even the small amount of experience the lost sailors has is a painful and priceless loss.
• The Triple Alliance reforms into a unified nation state with it’s capital at Tenochtitlan with the cities of Texcoco and Tlacopan remaining important centre’s of the nation, in light of this phases of integration begin with the tributaries starting with the longest held before steadily moving out.
• A series of uprisings in Tlaxcala are ruthlessly put down however each uprising is drastically less supported as the local population deals with the aftermath of the plagues.
• Experiments in creating gunpowder of their own at Texcoco are finally successful after several long years of duplicating what the mad foreigners had brought with them, it will be some time however before it’s practical utilisation can be realised, however this does not deter the thinkers of Texcoco.
• Expansion reaches as far south as the Maya people's, whose fall from grace is a subject of fascination in the three centre's as a result extensive efforts are made to pacify the region as gently as possible to study the histories and learn from it and the techniques of the Mayans.

General Time Period: 1620-1700
Description:
Expansion continues a pace with the prevailing narrative being to protect both the Ascendancy and the Americas from dangerous outsiders, a catagory which conviently includes all foreigners who are not Korean, various nations who have themselves suffered from predations of these would be settlers and their attendant plagues join freely, while others require further means of persuasion, and even when events come to blows benevolence is shown in the aftermath and extensive efforts at pacification and integration are made, no matter the differences they are Aztek citizens first. During this period several nascent European Settlements are discovered, which are wholesale put to the torch with the itent being to prevent further outbreaks of plague, despite these efforts the Ascendancy would continue to deal with rolling outbreaks, which are kept under rigid if somewhat imperfect control.

During this time scientific endeavours continue, in regards to the understanding of the methods of the Europeans as well as the Aztek's own knowledge in general, with one inspiring the other and spurring on discoveries, with the Aztek's utlising knowledge they had long possessed but had little need or use for in new ways, with their own firearms being developed. Which initially see a small uptake in specialised units due to their initial shortcommings with a mix bow bow and bullet remaining the standard throughout this period, with the reality steadily tilting in the direction of the bullet, despite this the practicalities of the bow would remain a key consideration well into later periods with development and innovation.

Aside from small scale conflicts, barely deserving the title of war, this was considered a time of peace, with an ever expanding integration effort with many of the early tributaries considering themselves Aztek, and a steadily growing and developing string of waystation outpost colonies in the pacific to support trade, this was considered something of a a peaceful time almost akin to a renaissance.
Major Events:

• Outpost colonies are established across the pacific in short jumps allowing for short relay trade in a long chain to Korea.
• As a result of the trade chain in the process of being established, initial designs proved less than ideal for plying the seas and a steady stream of newer and improved designs emerged, with each being more effective than the last, these efforts would also serve to expand the small initial pool of sailors the Aztek's had as more vessels allowed for the limited pool of experience to expand and grow.
• Despite the amount of local powers able to pose a threat to the growing nation, technological development increases at a previously unseen pace, with the threat of a second wave or worse as one reason, a desire to keep pace and overtake their new Korean friends and the long held simple desire to forever be the best and the purity of knowledge.
• The Schooling system is overhauled, along more meritocratic lines due in no small part to many recent thinkers and scholars having emerged in Texcoco from outside the more noble families, the changes although relativley minor are signifigant in that the schooling of both sexes are brought closer in line with one another.
• Rolling plagues would continue to be a concern, though with each new outbreak the effect is lessened, this is for the most part attributed to methods of managing such outbreaks and a medical understanding, however later scholars would put forward the idea that the native populace had instead built up a resistance to such diseases, with others instead saying that a combination of the two being more likely.
• Reforms are undertaken in the caste system the Aztek's operated similar in line with schooling to be more meritocratic and opened up in general, especially in light of the heavy expansion of the Icnopiltlan system, with many families, donating their children as it were to the system annonymously, in no small part due to the extremely high birth rate of the era, this concides with numerous works establishing new settlements farms, mines and chinampas.

General Time Period: 1620-1700
Description:
Pirates fleeing or perhaps in search of a safe haven or even in search of fresh plunder came to the island of Hispaniola and after a few years became a steady scourge to the Aztek's but thus far the Aztek's had scant experience in terms of Naval combat and their vessels, tactics and ideas for a war at sea were sorely outmatched, with only complete disaster being averted by the sheer ferocity of the defence on land. What resulted was a long drawn out conflict of cat and mouse with what remained of the Aztek Eastern Fleet, with great pains being taken to keep the pirate's away from the coast of the mainland, a game which lasted several years with each subsequent generation of Aztek warships being more effective but still outmatched, during this time the Pirate's through blockade managed to seize the eastern half of Cuba.

The breaking point of the Pirate's would be reached after a string of battle's the result of which was an uneasy stalemate, with the Aztek's seeking to expand their navy as swiftly as possible while the Pirate's sought to repair what remained of their ruined fleets, it was during this period that the latest in a line of Pirate Kings, Blood Beard, went missing, resulting in a power vacuum, which was formed by the infamous and ruthless Pirate Lord Iron Chin, who set to a frenzy of activity seeking to throw the Aztek's off balance, even going so far to launch invasions of the Aztek mainland.

His strategy bore early fruit before this served to enrage the Aztek's who with a will destroyed the invasion forces and their supporting fleet forever changing the balance, it was however during this period that elements of the Pirate's who were not so sympathetic to Iron Chin, shifted their allegiance, shifting outright to the Aztek's causing something of a schism in the previously united Pirate front. As a result of this a healthy portion of the Pirates hoisted the flag of their former foe and took up arms against their would be lord, under the banner of Bloody Mary, Daughter of Blood Beard who sought to call to her side her father's lieutenant's, Lemon Coat, Teary Eye's and the Witchdoctor, out of three only one would answer the call requiring to be herself freed from her "position" as Iron Chin's new tactician and first mate, while Lemon Coat had passed away from Scurvy and the Witchdoctor having vanished into the ether never to be seen or heard from again.

After less than a year the Aztek's had bested the pirate's with many seeing which way the wind was blowing laid down their arms and surrendered, of Iron Chin however, there was no trace, having set sail to the far west, vowing to return one day and lay claim to the world's plunder, in the aftermath of this the Aztek's had managed to an extent to cultivate a naval tradition and the influx of pirate's further boosted and augmented this despite it's more than dubious origins. While this was ongoing expansion both north and south had not abated and integrations efforts continued apace, with an overwhelming success with most brought into the fold willingly having experienced a far better life under this new regime.


Major Events:

• Parts of the Caribbean become contested by a Pirate group, in the ensuing wars the Aztek's manage to bring their naval technologies, designs, tactics and technique's up to parity with that of the rest of the world through sheer necessity.
• The Aztek's solidify their hold over the southern pacific with the trading outposts flourishing into fully self sufficient holdings ruled from Tenchtitlan.
• Reforms of the government are undertaken as the primary needs of the nation begin to turn from war to prosperity.
• The various ball games of the Aztek's are formalised and codified into coherent sports.
• Overtures are made to various foreign nations through intermediaries for seeds and plantings of all types for the botanical gardens overlooking Texcoco.
• Tlacopan initiates wide ranging economic reforms with the official establishment of a central bank, with it's main body located within the city itself.

Persons of Note:

• Blood Mary, a former pirate who joined the Aztek's after a Jaguar Pride rescued her family from Iron Chins dungeons, her influence over the Pirate's caused several to wholesale join the Aztek's, she would later serve as an Admiral to the Aztek's and use her experience and influence with her comrades to greatly aid the Aztek Navy
• Xuxa "Teary Eyes", former first mate of Blood Beard, she was very much a fixer and tactician and brought her knowledge of European style tactics and methods with her when she joined at Bloody Mary's call.

General Time Period: 1700-1850
Description:
In the aftermath of the Pirate upheavels the government in Tenochtitlan sought a period of calm and stability, with the northern and southern expansions reaching their natural limits, with the main concern to the North being the predations of the inevitable, the Europeans having found the Aztek's a difficult barrier to breach, instead tried much further north and appeared to have made significant inroads, debate raged for weeks about the correct course of action, with the final decision being to continue the expansion but with an eye now for an eventual border with whatever nation they would encounter. During this period they encountered the various native's of the land, many of whom had suffered greatly at the predations of the Europeans through displacement and clearly hollow words and broken treaties and promises, the Aztek's themselves offered words and actions, inviting them to move south, to join the Aztek Ascendancy and know safety, a small handful took them up on this offer, most refused and were eventually either wiped out by Europeans or finally acquiesced to the Aztek offer in a much reduced state. Those who did found the only caveats being they would be under Aztek law, and while their culture and customs would be allowed to continue, their children must submit to the same education as other Aztek's or they themselves must provide an equivalent which like the Aztek's own be regularly checked and verified, over the years there would be some friction with several peoples slowly integrating and others dispersing out across the nation.

Eventually the Aztek's would clash more violently with their new neighbours, or rather their new neighbours would do so, while the Aztek's had managed to exercise all due restraint, the ensuing conflict saw the Aztek's fiercely hold their lines utilising new tactics and arms while retaining their old methods and ferocity, After several years with Aztek casualties light in comparison and European casualties considerably higher peace was achieved, with the only blemishes on Aztek Pride involving European usage of Cavalry to which the Aztek's had few ways to respond, in the end the Aztek's had their border and an extreme level of friction with European settlers being forced back by force of arms and an extreme amount of restraint to not pursue any further.

During this time a new revolution began, an Industrial revolution as technology had advanced yet further, beginning slowly in Texcoco, and swiftly adopted and refined by Tlacopan, who sought to spread this new engine of prosperity far and wide, the process was slow as Aztek society itself had to shift and adapt which it was swift to do so, with new groupings created societally to relay their thoughts and concerns to power.


Major Events:

• The Northern Aztek Borders reach their modern limits which are eventually recognised by colonial powers after a masterfully fought defensive war on the Aztek's part, during this war a heavy toll is reaped upon the aggressors by the Aztek's tactics, which are unfamiliar to the Colonials, between that and their different methods and technologies the Aztek's could have pushed past their lines, but were restrained from doing so by the political leadership, wishing to avoid overstretch.
• The Industrial Revolution begins in the Ascendancy with the three centre's working in harmony in accordance with their long established spheres and it begins to radiate out throughout the nation.
• The emergence of proto workers unions begins as a natural evolution of the guilds of old which had likewise been reformed and reorganised.
• Lake Texcoco is further dredged and the areas of brackish water reduced, with likewise efforts at lake and water management undertaken throughout the nation.
• Studies are made of methods to connect the two seas of the Ascendancy.

Persons of Note:

General Time Period: 1830-1890
Description:
During this time Aztek Society and it's politics would reach the next stage in the long direction of travel, ideas that had been previously discussed are now formalised and explored in the writings of various luminaries, foremost amongst them the young political thinker Pilne Ilan'zō, whose ideas are formalised under the banner of Syndicalism, with all aspects of Aztek life which had steadily transitioined close to what Pilne espoused were further reformed closer to his ideas, with the final change being something of a suprise to most. the last Huey Tlatoani, decreed that the next, would be a true speaker for the people, and ordered the reform and implementation of the last remaining steps towards a new future.

Coupled with this new order the Aztek's drew inwards to an extent, dealing with the rest of the world only minimally, aside from trade and the inevitable friction on the walled section of the northern border, this was complicated to some extent when the Canal project undertaken over the course of several years was completed and began the process of paying for itself. During this time of peace and lack of concern for issues external Aztek society was able to complete it's latest reconfiguration and adapt to the new normal.

Major Events:

• The Aztek's enter a period of reformation with their society having long been of distinctly socialist leanings by most metrics, this reconfiguration was less about radical change and more about refining and streamlining what already existed, with informal bodies and structures clearly defined and empowered.
  
• The Canal opens
• The Aztek's enter semi-Isolation which would last most of this period.
• Aztek Industrialisation continues a pace with most of the nation enjoying the fruits of this venture.

Persons of Note: [list]
[*]Pilne Ilan'zō, the first socialist ideologue whose published works before this period were increasingly favoured by the political movers and shakers in Tenochtitlan, between his works and the society the Aztek's had, his works would serve as a base for the reform of Aztek Society.

[Remnants of Exilvania]

Full Nation Name: The Triple Monarchy
Majority/Official Culture : Czech, Hungarian, Polish
Territorial Core : The Core
Territorial Claim : The Claims
Capital City : Prague
Population : 54.802.253

Government Type : Autocratic Constitutional Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies : Heavily revanchist and expansionist rethoric
Government Focus : Government's current focus is on maintaining its legitimacy...by focusing on the military and hoping to distract from the budding internal issues with the fight against external boogeymen.
Head of State : King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, King of Poland Ottokar III Kolowrat
Head of Government : Royal Bohemian Chancellor Karel Lichnovský, Royal Hungarian Chancellor Báthory István XIII, Royal Polish Chancellor Maurycy Zamoyski
Government Description : The Triple Monarchy is, as the name suggests, a union of three monarchies, these being the Kingdoms of Bohemia, Hungary and Poland. Each of these three Kingdoms enjoys far reaching internal autonomy, with each having a separate parliament (Polish Sejm, Diet of Hungary and Bohemian Parliament) and government. These governements are of course appointed by the King, who retains the right to appoint and dismiss the Chancellors and ministers, regardless of representation in the respective parliaments. The King also needs to sign all bills before they may pass.

There is of course more in common between the Triple Monarchy than just the monarch. There exists a United Council of Ministers, consisting out of 3 Ministers appointed by the King to handle common matters. These common matters being the foreign policy, the internal customs and fiscal policy for the 3 common ministries and the topic of national defense (and offense). The constituent monarchies are not allowed to handle those on their own and must toe the line of the United Council.

All autocracy in the upper ranks aside, the parliaments have changed greatly since their introduction in the Middle Ages, not in the least due to the far reaching revolutionary tremors that shook the nation in 1848. The make-up of the parliaments is decided in officially free and secret elections, with any male citizen above the age of 21 allowed to run for a post in parliament and every male citizen above the age of 18 allowed to vote. Women are not fully excluded from the vote as those of aristocratic blood are also allowed to run for office and vote.

Majority/State Religion : Catholic Christianity
Religious Description :

Economic Ideologies : Mixed Capitalist Economy
Major Production : Machinery, Electric Appliances, Agricultural Goods, Oil
Economic Description : The heavy industry of the Triple Monarchy is heavily centered around the regions of Bohemia and Vienna, which are fueled by coal extracted from the large coal fields in Silesia, with multiple smaller coal fields all across the Triple Monarchy lending their hand to the development of other industrial centers such as Bratislava, Budapest, Krakow, Lwow and Warsaw.

Lowlands such as the Pannonian Basin, Moravia, Lower Silesia and the Polish plains are in heavy agricultural use, with a vast majority of the Kingdom of Hungary's exports being based in its excellent agricultural industry.

Mountainous areas such as the Alps, the Sudetes and the Carpathians on the other hand generally see a much lower development due to their geographic difficulties. Agricultural as well as small scale industry is present there but usually not in great strength that would compare to the large cities in the plains. The Triple Monarchy generally attempts to subsidize these areas by stationing large amounts of troops in them, which are paid their wages and expected to spend them locally, leading to some distribution of wealth which supports the development of local industrial infrastructure atleast in a small way. The construction of additional military infrastructure and fortress works in border regions such as Transylvania, the Alps and the Sudetes is expected to additionally support the growth of local construction and manufacturing companies.

Generally the Kingdom of Bohemia can be considered the most industrialized, with large amounts of manufacturing plants present within its borders. The Kingdom of Hungary, while being the least industrialized, is leading among the Kingdoms in terms of cutting edge technology and the manufacturing of modern appliances, specifically electric appliances. The Kingdom of Poland is on the halfway between Hungary and Bohemia, boasting both extensive agricultural industry as well as manufacturing, however, much of its wealth comes from its resource extraction industry, large coal fields in Lublin and Lwow feeding its budding industry while Galician oil production is one of if not the greatest in Europe.

Development: Bohemia & Poland: Modern, Hungary: Semi-industrialized
Development Description : I believe the economic description describes this quite well already but just to reiterate, Bohemia is heavily industrialized and Poland is catching up due to favourable resources, Hungary is lagging behind a tad, featuring a strong agricultural industry.

Army Description : The Triple Monarchy features a large standing military of 1.370.056 men, equaling 2,5% of the total population and raised and maintained by annual conscription. These professional troops are generally recruited at the age of 19, after their expected apprenticeship or extended education has ended. Young people intending to continue pursuing higher education are, if they turn in a written plea with their tutors' and headmasters' mark of approval, generally exempted from conscription. Nobility is not actually exempted from conscription, male nobility being expected to visit military academies and pursue studies related to the military and begin a career as officer cadets. Surprisingly enough, female nobility is not barred from visiting the miliary academies and becoming officer cadets in their own right though it is generally frowned upon as society expects the women to administrate home and hearth while the husband/father is off to war.

Upon conscription, recruits generally go through 6 months of training at their local army barracks before being organised in divisions, corps and army groups and armies and being deployed to other parts of the Empire. Service in the Royal Armies usually spans a timespan of five years, including the 6 months of training. It should be noted that while in name there are 3 armies, those being the Royal Bohemian, Royal Hungarian and Royal Polish Armies, they are functionally one and the same, the armies' influence being relegated to little more than a differently coloured collar tab (red for Bohemia, green for Hungary, white for Poland). During the time of their service, the soldiers are generally deployed in other places of the Triple Monarchy, where they have little common ground with the locals and are as such much less likely to sympathize with local nationalist elements and will put down uprisings with indifference. Generally Bohemian troops are deployed to Poland, Polish troops are deployed to Hungary and Hungarian troops are deployed to Bohemia. Special attention is given to border regions or internally unstable regions such as the Sudetes, the Alps, Slovakia and Transylvania, the increased military presence there not only serving to discourage enemy attack but also to discourage local rebellion as well as distribute wealth and resources in the area to aid in their economic development.

During their comparatively long service, soldiers of the Triple Monarchy are generally deployed for disaster relief, bi-annual large scale exercises or wargames held by corps commanders and as cheap workforce if civilian workforce is not unavailable or not meeting the requirements set by the states. During their long time within the army, soldiers are generally expected to diversify their set of skills, regiments setting up courses held by members who have completed apprenticeships or the like to teach their skills to other, unskilled soldiers. It is in place to ensure that by the time the soldiers leave the army, they leave with more than they entered, with a skillset that will allow them to find work. Of course there is already the late conscription age of 19 years, set specifically so that the recruits would have the ability to finish an apprenticeship before but often that is not the case, young people instead working their youth away on minimum wage in a factory, not learning any proper skills. Soldiers are also allowed to take up jobs locally during their employment and while they are not otherwise required by their superior officers, additionally aiding local industry with their skillsets and sheer working power as well as often learning parts of the language of their local area in the process, increasing the amount of bilingual or trilingual soldiers in the army and easing communications in the multi-ethnic forces. Soldiers who voluntarily stay with the army after the 5 year conscription is over are generally selected for officer careers, starting from the bottom as experienced NCOs and capable of working themselves up to the military academies and posts in high places...officially. In reality they generally do not manage to get past the NCO ranks as the nobility blocks their ascent to proper officers.

The Triple Monarchy's military expenditure is thus extremely high, having to pay the wages of a comparatively large military force. This leads to the High Command's attempt to cut costs so they can remain within the budget assigned to them by the fiscal ministry. as such, large parts of the Bohemian military equipment tend to be outdated. Old bronze barrel artillery is extremely common. About 45% of the standing army's active combat troops use the Wänzl Rifle, a breechloading conversion of an older musket. Another 45% are armed with the old purpose-built breech loading Werndl-Holub Rifle. The remaining 10% are generally considered first line or elite units and are often equipped with the Mannlicher M1888 Rifle or the brand new Mannlicher M1890 Carbine. It is however hoped to mass produce the Mannlicher M1888 and eventually be able to equip atleast 50% of the standing combat forces with it. Machineguns are generally a non-thing.

In the case of war the Triple Monarchy is generally able to rapidly mobilize an additional 1.370.056 trained men. These are usually former conscripts who have been integrated into local militias and are expected to meet and exercise atleast once a month at their local army barracks to ensure that their training remains with them and to keep them well integrated with the military administrative complex so they can be quickly called up to serve. These men are generally only equipped with Wänzl Rifles and older, unconverted Lorenz Rifles. Beyond such forces, regular drafting applies and troops drafted have no special training or can be assembled especcially quickly.
Army Weakness : Lieutenant Colonel Conrad von Hötzendorf's ideas and methods are considered revolutionary and modern. Triple Monarchy High Command thus generally forgets trivial things like logistics, terrain or weather. That aside the Triple Monarchy has a fairly big issue with outdated equipment, not even fielding any machineguns and having far too old rifles in use with much of its armed force, reserves even having to resort to muskets.
Naval Description : Some river monitors I guess
Naval Weakness : They're also kinda unarmed I guess.
Further Military Description : [[OPTIONAL]]

National Goals : Prevent the fragmentation of the realm by any means necessary
National Issues : Rising liberal tendencies, nationalistic fevor.
National Figures of Interest :
National Ambition/Aspirations : The integration of the three kingdoms into one Empire and the reacquisition of the Grand Principality of Lithuania. The elimination of the Roman stranglehold on the Balkans and around the Triple Monarchy.

History :

• 1246 - After the Death of the Duke of Austria in battle against the King of Hungary, succession crisis ensues in lower Austria. Wenceslaus I begins his attempts to take the Austrian lands for the Bohemian crown, using marriage, bribery, trickery and sheer military force to gain a solid foothold. Still, the acquisition turns out difficult, with frequent rebellions and interventions from the German Emperors constantly making the territory change hands.
• 1278 - Battle of the Marchfeld. Ottokar II, second son of Wenceslaus I and King of Bohemia finally loses his patience with the Empire as well as Hungarian meddling by Bela IV of Hungary. Assembling an army composed of Bavarian, Brandenburgian and Polish forces, he marches to meet the German Emperor and the Hungarian King. It was the final, deciding battle after 30 years of struggle for lower Austria. As the battle turned against Ottokar, with hidden german reserves hitting his forces in the back, he personally lead his own reserves in a desperate bid for victory. Much unlike in the real battle, the Bohemian troops did not think this the beginning of a rout but instead recognized it for the desperate, saving maneuver they needed and fought on as best they could, granting their sovereign the time and ability to ward off the Germans and in the process win the battle, claiming Austria for the Bohemian Crown for good. However, Ottokar II was mortally wounded and perished only two weeks after the battle.
• 1291 - The Duchy of Krakow, guaranteeing Overlordship of Poland, is ceded to Wenceslaus II of Bohemia.
• 1296 - Wenceslaus II assumes Overlordship of Poland.
• 1300 - Wenceslaus II crowns himself King of Poland.
• 1301 - Andrew III of Hungary died, ending the male Arpad line. With Wencelaus II's son Wenceslaus III betrothed to Andrew III's only daughter, he claims the throne in the name of his son, albeit his claim iss difficult to press due to the fracturing of Hungary and the work of strong opposing lords in the area.
• 1304 - Wenceslaus II invades Hungary in support of his son, Wenceslaus III. Using the large supply of wealth and silver brought from the newly discovered silver mine of Kutna Hora, Wenceslaus II manages to assemble a strong force and cements his son's claim to the Hungarian throne with a harsh punitive expedition into eastern Hungary, cowing the Hungarian nobles.
• 1305 - Władysław I Łokietek, a polish noble and troublemaker who had been exiled from Poland by Wenceslaus, returned to Poland with an army of supporters. Likely having hidden in Hungary untill Wenceslaus II came there to eliminate the rebellious elements of the Bohemian realm, he was now out in the open and defying the Bohemians in Poland, taking multiple duchies from them in the process.
• 1306 - Despite a bad case of Tuberculosis nearly taking Wenceslaus II's life, the King's vengeance is only delayed, with his armies on the march in the next year to crush the rebellion in Poland.
• 1307 - Wladyslaw I and Wenceslaus II face off in the Battle of Lublin, their armies clashing. Wladyslaw has the numbers advantage, fielding more than thrice the army Wenceslaus does. However, as the chroniclers say, Wladyslaw's army consisted of common, peasant rabble while Wenceslaus II fielded heavy cavalry which proceeded to smash the Polish troops to pieces. Wladyslaw himself was impaled on the lance of a Bohemian Knight during a charge. Thus the Bohemian rule of Poland was cemented. Wenceslaus II was later assassinated during victory celebrations.
• 1308 - The weak Wenceslaus III, King of Hungary, assumes the thrones of Bohemia and Poland. In the chaos of this change of rulers as well as due to his weakness, the Teutonic Order manages to take the city of Gdansk from the realm by force of arms. They proceeded to butcher the local population, starting a long relation of deep resentment from the Poles towards the Crusaders.
• 1309 - Wenceslaus III offers the Pope to relinquish any and all claims to Illyria and Venetia in return for recognition as King of Poland. The Pope accepts.
• 1310 - Wenceslaus III trips during a visit to the outhose while drunk and ends up falling to his death from the castle walls. Thus the Premyslid Dynasty was ended. Count John of Luxembourg is declared the new king however, he is hardly recognized, starting a decade of dynastic wars for the succession to te Bohemian throne.
• 1313 - Being unwelcome in Bohemia and constant wars ravaging the lands, John starts travelling across all of his realm and generally leaving many internal policies up to the local barons while concentrating his personal attention on foreign affairs. Through his efforts John is able to gain territories in Saxony, once and for all eliminate recurring german aspirations and claims on Austria as well as tie the Silesian Princedoms closer to the Bohemian Kingdom.
• 1318 - Conclusion of unrest in Bohemia by reconciliation with the nobility, the establishment of nobles' rights and a division of the government between the King and the nobles.
• 1326 - Attempting to undo the Teutons' slight against the Bohemian Crown, King John I rides against the Teutonic Order in 1326 and begins offensive operations in Pomerelia. However, the Teutonic forces are strong and are receiving additional help from the Germans in the west, making the war much longer and much more inconclusive than it has to be.
• 1332 - Factual end of the Bohemian - Teutonic War. No peace treaty is signed nor the dispute settled, the Teutonic Order and the Catholic Curia demanding of King John that he prove his committment to Catholicism and peace among christian brothers, by joining the Teutonic Order in crusading operation in Lithuania.
• 1336 - John loses his eyesight to ophthalmia, leading to him receiving the nickname of King John the Blind.
• 1337 - John enters an alliance with France, aiding them in the 100 Years War.
• 1343 - Treaty of Kalisz. John is forced to cede Pomerelia to the Teutonic Order.
• 1346 - ...for all that he was nigh blind, when he understood the order of the battle, he said to them about him: 'Where is the lord Charles my son?' His men said: 'Sir, we cannot tell; we think he be fighting.' Then he said: 'Sirs, ye are my men, my companions and friends in this journey: I require you bring me so far forward, that I may strike one stroke with my sword.' They said they would do his commandment, and to the intent that they should not lose him in the press, they tied all their reins of their bridles each to other and set the king before to accomplish his desire, and so they went on their enemies. The lord Charles of Bohemia his son, who wrote himself king of Almaine and bare the arms, he came in good order to the battle; but when he saw that the matter went awry on their party, he departed, I cannot tell you which way. The king his father was so far forward that he strake a stroke with his sword, yea and more than four, and fought valiantly and so did his company; and they adventured themselves so forward, that they were there all slain, and the next day they were found in the place about the king, and all their horses tied each to other.
• 1346 - Charles IV of Luxembourg assumes the thrones of Bohemia, Hungary and Poland. He centralizes the Bohemian realm, incorporating all of Moravia, Lusatia, Silesia and Austria directly into the Bohemian Kingdom as well as crushing the nobility and centralizing power with himself. Charles IV would modernize Bohemia extensively, revamp the judicial system, found the University of Prague, build many great buildings and in short, lead the Bohemian realm into its golden age.
• 1400 - Wladyslaw Jagiellon deposes Wenceslas IV of Luxembourg, uniting the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the Bohemian Realm in a personal union.
• 1401 - Union of Vilnius and Radom, with Wladyslaw Jagiellon strengthening his personal union with multiple acts ratified and signed in Vilnius and Radom by Polish supporters of his.
• 1403 - Jan Hus becomes rector at Charles' University of Prague, espousing anti papal, anti lithuanian and pro czech rethoric.
• 1409 Provoking a war with the Teutonic Order over Samogitia, Wladyslaw Jagiellon leads the full might of the Bohemian-Lithuanian Personal Union he has forged against the Teutonic Order.
• 1411 - Battle of Grunwald and Peace of Thorn. The Teutonic Order is decisively crushed and albeit the territorial losses were minimal, the crushing financial burdens of the war and its reparations mark the decline of the crusader states.
• 1414 - Hunger War over Samogitia
• 1415 - Jan Hus is burned at the stake for Heresy. Hussites rise up all across the Bohemian lands in the west and begin the Hussite Wars.
• 1434 - Wladyslaw Jagiellon dies. His younger son Casimir takes the throne of Lithuania. His older son Wladyslaw III takes the thrones of Poland, Bohemia and Hungary.
• 1444 - Wladyslaw III perishes in battle against Hussite forces in Slovakia.
• 1447 - Casimir IV Jagiellon returns the personal union once more, ruling both Lithuania and the greater Bohemian realm.
• 1454 - Start of the 13 Years War with the Teutonic Order.
• 1458 - George of Poděbrady is elected "national" King by the Hussites and thus stands directly against Casimir IV Jagiellon.
• 1466 - Conclusion of the 13 Years War. Western Prussia is annexed as an autonomous province. The Teutonic Order is turned into a vassal state.
• 1471 - George of Poděbrady dies.
• 1485 - The Compact of Basel finally pacifies Hussites, ending many, many decades of war.
• 1499 - The Union of Prague and Vilnius makes the Personal Union between Lithuania and the greater Bohemian Realm dynastic.
• 1512 - Muscovy invades Lithuania in what is widely regarded as the fourth Muscovite-Lithuanian War.
• 1519 - The Teutonic Order's final war and attempt at independence begins with help from the Germans to the west.
• 1521 - The Teutonic Order is ousted and Prussia secularized.
• 1522 - Conclusion of the Fourth Muscovite-Lithuanian War as as Bohemian forces freed up in the west arrived in the east and pressure Muscovy to a peace treaty.
• 1569 - Union of Lublin. The establishment of the first, semi-federal, semi-confederal Republic of the states of Bohemia, Poland, Hungary and Lithuania.
• 1577 - Commonwealth Campaign against Russians in the Livonian War begins.
• 1582 - The Russians are ousted and much of the Baltic ends up in Commonwealth hands. This would be the first in a long series of wars between the Commonwealth and the Russians.
• 1605 - Beginning of the first, direct Commonwealth-Russian War.
• 1618 - Simmering tensions of the religious prosecution of Hussites in Bohemia ever since the Compact of Basel was being forgotten, the continued subservience of the Conmmonwealth superstate to the Germans as well as rising nationalistic fervor among the Czech begins the Deluge of he Commonwealth as Bohuslav Jiří of House Kolowrat declares himself King of all the Commonwealth. It kicks off a civil war between Bohuslav I's supporters as well as the rightfully elected King Sigismund III's supporters, with interventions from the Germans and Russians kicking in as well. During this deluge the lines upon which the war was initially declared are increasingly blurred untill few still know what exactly the war was about.
• 1632 - King Sigismund III prerishes in the Battle of Warsaw, leaving Bohuslav I as the sole remaining pretender and uniter of the Commonwealth...however, it is no Commonwealth anymore as Bohuslav had practically eliminated the republic under his rule. With the death of Sigismund III and the ensuing instability as Bohuslav attempted to regain full control of the Commonwealth, the Russians see an opportunity and declare war for Smolensk.
• 1634 - Conclusion of the Smolensk War in favour of the Commonwealth.
• 1641 - Bohuslav I dies in battle against German troops over the city of Gdansk. His son, Vilém Albrecht I assumes the throne of the Commonwealth.
• 1642 - The Commonwealth invades Illyria to gain access to the lucrative mediterraean coast and declares war on the Western Roman Empire.
• 1643 - The Commonwealth declares war on the Eastern Roman Empire. War rages across Illyria, Greece, Wallachia and Crimea is under siege.
• 1648 - The roman funded Khmelnytsky Uprising breaks out in the Commonwealth's Ukrainian Holdings. The Vilem Albrech I hastily concludes a peace with the Germans in the Treaty of Westphalia in order to focus his and his troops attention to the south and east.
• 1654 - With Commonwealth troops bearing down on the Cossack Uprising and Roman troops being embroiled in battle to the west, the Hetman of the Cossacks, Bohdan Khmelnytsky, turns to the Russians and begs for their support in return for his allegiance. Thus starts the next Russo-Commonwealth War, with Russian Forces flooding across the Commonwealth's eastern holdings.
• 1655 - The Second Northern War breaks out as Swedish Forces navally invade the Commonwealth's holdings, occupying much of its coastline.
• 1660 - The Commonwealth leaves the Second Northern War, ceding Prussia, Poznan, Courland and Livonia to the Swedes.
• 1667 - The Russo-Commonwealth War concludes with a russian victory, much of Ukraine as well as Bessarabia and Moldavia being lost and vast parts of Lithuania being ceded to the Russians.
• 1670 - With far reaching territorial losses, immense casualties and rapidly declining population, the war turns against the Commonwealth, Roman forces making gains deep into Commonwealth land, the Kingdom of Hungary as well as the Duchy of Austria suffering the most under repeated roman blows.
• 1683 - Battle for Vienna. The timely arrival of reinforcements from Prague as well as Polish forces lift the siege of Vienna and deal one final, decisive blow to roman forces. The Commonwealth is running on fumes and borrowed time but Vilem Albrecht I is unwilling to concede defeat, advisor's suspecting senility or something in the King's continued readiness to wage this war.
• 1688 - Vilem Albrecht I passes peacefully in his sleep. Jan František I succeeds him on the throne and immediately sues for peace, conceding complete military defeat. He among others agrees to stomp out any flickering of the Hussite faith, the initial propagators of this war, as well as agrees to pay immense war reparations, break all standing treaties, alliances and marriages and prostrate himself before the Basileus. The Caesar of Rome demands the same later on and Jan Frantisek I, incapable of putting up any resistance, prostrates himself before them as well.
• 1700 - With the war over, Jan Frantisek I is forced to engage in large scale reorganisations of the country. The Commonwealth is abolished due to the loss of Lithuania and an absolutistic Bohemian Kingdom is created. A large mass of unemployed soldiers who knew nothing but war and found no more employment were also now running rampant across the country, raiding and pillaging and forcing Jan Frantisek I to engage in lengthy campaigns of annihilation against these brigands. To do so, he is first forced to raise and create a sizeable, standing, professional force to deal with the brigands and deserters and scour the lands clean of them, laying the groundwork for the modern army of the Triple Monarchy. Thus treating the symptom of the problem, Jan Frantisek I next deals with the root cause of the problem, that being men being utterly unskilled in anything but warfare and poorly socialized. Introducing a new system by which the army is to teach those within it crafts, so they can immediately take up jobs after leaving the army again, Jan Frantisek I hopes to lay the groundwork to solve that root problem.
• 1848 - Rising nationalist fervor as well as liberal opposition to the absolutistic monarchy wracks the country. Civil War engulfs parts of it.
• 1849 - The Bratislava Reforms return the united kingdom back to its old state of a Triple Monarchy. A constitution is also drafted and accepted, enshrining a certain measure of democracy within the Triple Monarchy.

RP Sample: How about no?

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

Technically finished app. History's a prototype, I wanna see what all my neighbours have in mind for their own so I can adjust. Atleast this way they already know what I am roughly intending.

[Tracian Empire]

I will try to read your history tomorrow and see if any of it conflicts with mine, but I don't think that there will be any major issues.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Any interesting gaps that could be filled?

[Cabana]

hey i haven't posted in here in almost literally a year, is this gonna be a fully new RP or is it still going from the older stuff?

[Tracian Empire]

hey i haven't posted in here in almost literally a year, is this gonna be a fully new RP or is it still going from the older stuff?

It is going to be a fully new RP, but since we're rebooting and we have a Discord a lot of reservations are made and some people will be the retaining the same concept, even if they'll have to app again.

But inevitably some people won't be able to finish their apps stuff will get free, that's just how roleplays work

[Tracian Empire]

Any interesting gaps that could be filled?

Arabia and Persia are currently the most important places that are still left free - the ERE is occupying Mecca and Medina temporarily just so that the history of Mahdist Sudan makes sense.

Other than that, we are planning to have a Scramble for Africa, but we only have one native state for the time being, so any further states in Africa could be pretty interesting to have.

[Intermountain States]

Full Nation Name : United States of America
Majority/Official Culture : American (largely based on the cultures of western Europe rather than the cultures of the indigenous people, although people from other parts of the world are accepted with conditions)
Territorial Core : Map of the United States of America and its Territories
Territorial Claim : Midway Island, Hawaii, and Cuba
Capital City : Washington D.C
Population : 62,979,766

Government Type : Federal Presidential Stratocratic Republic
Government Ideology/Policies : Protectionism, Anti-communism, Nationalism
Government Focus : Eventual liberalization in federal politics, reconstruction of the southern states, additional transcontinental development, Head of State : Commanding General John Schofield, President Benjamin Harison
Head of Government : Speaker of the House Thomas Brackett Reed
Government Description : Originally, the President of the United States holds executive power and is the most prestigious position in the nation. The Vice-President, on the other hand, serves as the substitute for the President in the cases of the President's unavailability, otherwise having little prestige. Each state elects representatives to Congress with the House of Representatives elected by individual districts and the Senate appointed by state legislatures. The United States Congress is represented by the Speaker of the House which is the most powerful position in the nation, sometimes being more powerful than the President in certain times. In reality, the government has been under the leadership of the United States military ever since 1866 with the position of the Commanding General holding administrative power. However, the power of the Commanding General has fallen over time and the Commanding General is considered to be equal to the President of the United States in terms of administrative power, with clear separations of power defined between the two.

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

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism
Major Production : Resource mining, steel production, manufacturing, food, lumber, energy production
Economic Description : The United States is a wealthy nation and its vast size stretching from sea to shining sea allows for a diverse range of industries to flourish. The Midwestern United States provides itself as new industrial centers for manufacturing and mining with the Ohio River Valley providing premium mining productions. Much of the Plains states and New England are agricultural centers while coastal states were centers of trade and fishing, with Jefferson being well known for its gold mines in addition. Busang, Pennsylvania, and the Rocky Mountains are invaluable sources of oil along with other minerals such as gold and coal. The southern states, once wealthy states known for their cash crops, were impoverished after suffering from two civil wars and the abolition of slavery. Although the southern states are still reliant on cotton and other crops, many are looking towards northern capitalists as opportunities for developing the south.

Development: Modern
Development Description : For being a young nation in comparison to the empires of the Old World and the New, the United States was able to grow itself from a band of colonies into a wealthy power blessed with bountiful natural resources. Over the course of its history, the people of America made use of the resources to power the republic’s industry. It is one of the world’s most productive economies. This modern development isn't equally shared however. Both the western and southern states lag behind the Northeast and the Midwest in development for different reasons; the Southern states were forced to rebuild after two civil wars and the western states outside of Jefferson were sparsely populated (although the western states are growing).

Army Description : The United States Army is one of the most advanced military in North America. Thanks to industrialization, the United States mass produces equipment for their military and the expansion of railroads allows them to transport troops quickly through the use of trains. The creation of automatic weapons and mass production of weapons and ammunition created an army on demand. The United States Army is one of the largest in the continent with a standing army of 600,000 soldiers and field contemporary artillery, rifles, and squad support weapons, in addition to American inventions such as Gatling guns and repeating carbines. The federal military is also an experienced fighting force, having battled against the Confederates in two civil wars and against the Indians in much of the country’s history.
Army Weakness : The National Guards, despite numbering in almost a million, are not as disciplined compared to the active federal force and have little experience fighting against formal armies. Reserve officers are not much better, most being graduates with family connections to Congress or in state and local governments who use the easy opportunity of being an officer to climb social ladders, their ability to lead is doubted by many.
Naval Description : The United States Navy has undergone several reforms since 1875 under the New Navy Program, both in part to create a strong modern navy against the Confederacy for the Second Civil War that happened in 1881 but also for the United States to stand as equals alongside European and Asian naval powers. The composition of the United States Navy as follows: 7 contemporary battleships, 12 armored cruisers, 8 protected cruisers, 20 light cruisers, 7 coastal defense ships, 36 destroyers, 12 monitors, 75 torpedo boats, and 97 auxiliary vessels
Naval Weakness : Despite the experience of the United States Navy and the New Navy Project, there is the worry that the United States Navy could be split in each fleet due to the United States being in two oceans. Thus, in a multi-front war, the Navy could never realize their full prowess, creating the fear of a divide and conquer situation for the Navy.
Further Military Description : The United States has a long history and tradition of mass firearm ownership, as guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment of the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution. In the event of the United States facing a foreign invasion, many citizens will take up arms to defend their home.

National Goals : Greater American influence in the region, reconstruction and reintegration of the south
National Issues : There is still opposition to the military regime that occupies the American government, ranging from a diverse range of political groups. Despite the government's improvement to civil rights, there is still inequality for African-Americans with some localities establishing segregation. In the south, local governments grapple with rebuilding their communities under the watchful eyes of the federal military. Confederate bushwhackers and pro-Confederate Indian guerrillas, while outnumbered and outgunned, still maintain pockets of resistance against the United States military.
National Figures of Interest : [[OPTIONAL]] [[Are there any Mother Teresas or Moses that we need to know about?]]
National Ambition/Aspirations : [[OPTIONAL]]

History : The United States declared its independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1776 with the official signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress. The new national government, in 1777, adopted the Articles of Confederation as the governing document of the country and was fully ratified by state governments in 1781. George Washington, a veteran of the French and Indian War, was selected by Congress as the Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, a position in which he accepted. The Revolutionary War, although started in 1775 with engagements such as the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill, became a conflict between two nations in 1776. The United States fought against the British Empire for over eight years to win the nation’s independence. After some European powers intervened in favor of the United States, British and Americans fought to a stalemate in the Northern theater, neither forces able to mount any decisive victories against each other. For the duration of the war, much of the fighting took place in the south between the British and American forces.

The American victory at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781 practically dashed any hope for British victory over the United States in the war. However, fighting still continued between the Continental Army and Loyalist militias. The war officially ended in 1783 with the Treaty of Paris and American sovereignty and its western territorial claims were internationally recognized. However, the war took a toll on the country’s finances and Congress was in massive debt and had no money either to pay the war debts owed to private banks and European nations, nor did they have the funds to pay Americans who had been promised millions of dollars for supplies. More problems persisted that the national government, under the Articles of Confederation, had troubles handling such as Shays’ Rebellion of 1786 in Massachusetts. Fearing that the new nation would be too weak to hold against internal revolts or foreign invasions, nationalists such as George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and veterans of the Revolutionary War petitioned Congress to call for a convention to discuss reforms to the Articles of Confederation, which Congress approved in 1787 at Philadelphia. The Convention soon realized that a revision just wouldn’t be enough and that the young republic instead needs a replacement and after months of debates, the Convention soon adopted the Constitution. However, it wasn’t until 1788 when it was ratified by the majority of the states. George Washington was elected as the first President of the United States.

Beginning in the late 18th century, America began expanding westward. American settlements popped up across the Mississippi River with thousands of Americans moving westward in the pursuit of new economic opportunities in the frontiers. However, this brought conflicts with many native tribes, something most Presidents dealt with, mostly through military force and rarely through diplomatic treaties that white settlers would eventually break and then lead to military force. Under the administration of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren, most of the native tribes in the American east were forced to uproot from their home and settled into Indian Territory, eventually known as Sequoyah (Oklahoma) where thousands died before reaching their destination. Over the decades, the United States experienced industrial growth and territorial expansion to the midwestern states, bringing the Great Lakes into the Union. Westward expansion also brought American contact with Russian, British, and Korean trader companies operating in the Pacific Northwest. The discovery of large gold deposits in Sutter’s Mill in Jefferson Territory prompted a gold rush, which quickly allowed Jefferson to be admitted as a state in the Union. The United States also purchased a coastline of western Africa and established the colony of Liberia a place for freed blacks to move to and live in. However, the era of good mood and American fortune did not last with the issue of slavery on the rise. While slavery has always been a contentious issue stemming even during the Revolutionary War, it was thought that slavery would eventually die out a quiet death as an institution. Congress overwhelmingly voted to end the international Atlantic slave trade in 1808 and willfully enforced it through cooperations with the British Navy. During and after the Revolutionary War, most states in the north abolished slavery with the remaining northern states abolishing it in the early 1800s. Many Founding Fathers, including slave owners such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, spoke out against slavery during the Revolutionary War and some Founding Fathers freed their own slaves. However, the United States did not abolish its internal slave trade and the invention of the cotton gin made slavery more profitable than ever before in the south. Slavery continued to be a controversial topic with governmental legislatures trying to solve the issue by ignoring or banning the mention of slavery in public areas. The passing of the Fugitive Slave Act and compromises that allowed Missouri to be admitted as a slave state also increased tensions regarding slavery. The major opponent to the Democrats, the Whigs, collapsed due to divisions regarding the issues of slavery. Likewise, any attempts to silence the topic ended in failure with the rise of the Republican Party as a major anti-slavery party to reach mainstream audience with its strong showing in the 1856 election. Tensions continued well into the 1860 Presidential election as the election was a four way race between Republican Abraham Lincoln and Democrats Stephen Douglas, John C Beckinridge, and John Bell in which Lincoln won with 41.8% of the vote.

The election of Abraham Lincoln into the Presidency caused the states of Alabama, North and South Arkansas, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina declared their secession from the United States of America, despite assurance from Lincoln that he would not take any radical courses to abolish slavery. Civil War broke out when the US base of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina was bombarded by Southern forces and the United States was prepared for war. After when Lincoln ordered the raising of the federal military, the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and the unorganized Indian Territory also seceded from the Union and joined with the Confederacy. Initially, popular thought was that the United States can easily squish a southern revolt. The United States had double the population of the so-called Confederacy along with having a much larger industrial base. The United States quickly blockaded southern ports, expecting easy victory. However, an incident involving a US ship sinking a Scandinavian vessel (along with expert diplomacy by Confederate agents) led to Scandinavia declaring support for the Confederacy. Scandinavian intervention into the civil war dashed any hope of a quick victory and the once claimed "insignificant rebellion" turned into a nightmare for the United States. The Scandinavian Navy was far superior to the navy of the United States and were able to break through Union blockades, allowing supplies and reinforcements in forms of volunteers to arrive. Although neither the Confederates nor the Scandinavian volunteers were able to invade north of the Mason-Dixon line, heavy Confederate resistance bogged down any Union offensives down south. Despite some Union victories, the northern population was weary of war and began to rally behind former General George B. McClellan who promised an end to the war for the 1864 Presidential election. Lincoln's hope for a major Union victory by Grant or Sherman failed and McClellen narrowly won the Presidency along with Peace Democrats gaining seats in Congress, promising resolve with diplomacy rather than sending sons to war. Lincoln accepted his loss, regretting his failure to reunify the broken country. Before he left office, Lincoln did manage to pass the 13, 14th, and 15th Amendments and declared through executive order where any slave who fled from the south would be recognized as free men. During the Lincoln Administration, the states of Kansas and West Virginia joined the Union.

In President McClellen's mind, the people wanted peace and peace shall be achieved. Peace talks with the South and Scandinavia initiated into which the United States recognized the Confederate States of America as an independent nation. McClellen also moved the capital from D.C to Philadelphia, citing problems with having the capital too close to the border of a potentially hostile nation. Republicans argue that it's the sign of McClellen showing appeasement against traitors while some Democrats claimed that it was a logical move that will protect the Union if the Confederates reignite the war. Nevertheless, there weren't any major political repercussions in the relocation of the US capital, although under President Hayes, D.C was returned as the state capital. McClellen's decision to remove the stars of the states that seceded were met with opposition. Ultimately, the removal of the stars was rejected but that wasn't the least of the McClellen's administration's worries. The Presidency of George McClellen was always in a form of a political turmoil, garnering opposition from conservative Republicans and reform-minded Democrats for being pro-appeasement towards the southern traitors and from Radical Republicans for opposing new civil rights legislations. Only the Democrats kept support for McClellen and even then, they were dissatisfied with McClellen’s commitment in keeping the Emancipation Proclamation. Riots were common and some states under Radical Republican control (largely in New England) were in talks of leaving the Union, seeing the United States as a lost cause and a continuation of the Slave Power government of the old. An independent New England, however, didn't go into fruition when the United States Army launched a coup d'etat over Philadelphia and New England. Led by Commanding General Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, George Armstrong Custer, and Philip Sheridan; the Northeastern United States was under military rule. Federal troops occupied governmental buildings and arrested key Copperhead and a few Radical Republican figures in Philadelphia and New England and tried them for treason under military court. General Grant declared a Supreme Council for National Security. McClellen was forced to accept the coup in Philadelphia and declared martial law to give legitimacy to Grant's action. McClellen held no power since 1867 and didn't stand for re-election in the 1868 election. Federal presidential elections were suspended and the Commanding General of the United States Army took over the role as executive power as part of Grant’s military council. During the McClellen administration, the state of Nebraska joined the Union.

The leadership of Grant, despite having a military presence in the capital and suspending federal elections of the Presidency, still kept Congress as a functioning legislative body to provide claims of keeping some American democratic tradition intact. It also helped that Grant was already popular with the voters who saw him as providing much needed law and order and that much of the United States Congress was dominated by the Republican Party. Grant encouraged Congress to pass and enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1870 in which it affirms that all citizens are equally protected by the law. Despite opposition from some figures in the Democratic Party, it passed with a large margin due to Republican control in Congress (although, Grant keeping a garrison at Capitol Hill certainly helped), pleasing Radical Republicans and civil rights activists such as Frederick Douglass. Grant also established the Department of Reunification and allowed Southern politicians who opposed secession to continue to represent their states. Issues also persisted in the Rockies where Mormon settlers aligned with native tribals to resist against American settlers, causing Grant to send a large military force commanded by Sherman and Custer to deal with the Mormon resistance to show that the United States is not weakened. The campaign was a success with Sherman and Custer welcomed by the public as a war hero and Grant being heralded as a strong and succesful leader in the sea of failures (Franklin Pierce for stopping the rise of slavery, Alexander Stephens for doing nothing against the secession crisis, Abraham Lincoln for failing to bring an end to the seccession, and George McClellen for being more concerned with appeasement than his fellow countrymen). The Grant Administration also purchased the territory of Busang (Alaska) from Korea for $7.2 million thanks to negotiations between the State Secretary William Seward and the Korean ambassador. Despite high support for Grant, there were concerns from individuals regarding continual military rule over the government. Such was the case in New York when Provisional Governor Philip Sheridan rounded up members of the New York City Democratic Party under suspicions of pro-Confederate activities without any warrant or a civilian trial.

While Grant returned American confidence and optimism into the federal government, albeit through undemocratic means, the Confederacy across the border wasn’t faring too well. The Confederate government racked massive debts to European backers in fighting for its independence in the American Civil War. Severe droughts hampered agricultural productions and exports of cotton fell drastically. Anti-Confederate partisans, consisting of underground abolitionists and escaped slaves, conduct guerrilla raids against Confederate infrastructures. Businesses had to rely on a weak railroad system for inland transport that ended up crumbled by partisan raids. Food riots soon became common due to sabotage of the transportation system and affected cities broke out into bread riots. Even Richmond, the capital of the new Confederate States of America experienced such riots. By 1867, the Confederate economy was in ruins. President Jefferson Davis, once hailed as the founding father of the new country, had taken more authoritarian steps in the name of national security, utilizing the military as the way of keeping the struggling Confederacy together. Political opponents were jailed, elections were suspended, even state’s rights (the so-called rallying cry of Confederate sympathizers) were trampled by the increasingly despotic Confederate government. Some civilians and slaves began to flee to the north, braving treacherous terrains and heavily militarized borders to enter the United States, although many were unsuccessful. Davis ruled with an iron fist in a desperate effort to keep the Confederacy together.

Back in the United States, Grant retired in 1878 and, as promised, resumed federal elections for the Presidency. However the Supreme Council for National Security was still intact and Grant’s successor, Commanding General William T. Sherman still holds immense power compared to President-elect Rutherford B Hayes. That being said, after inauguration, Hayes was able to exert some influence as Sherman showed little interest in amassing large amounts of administrative power. In many cases, Sherman and Hayes worked together in improving civil rights to African-Americans and reforming the civil service through a meritocratic system rather than the existing spoils system. Plans were made by Sherman for liberalization of the federal government and the end of the Supreme Council as being a major political force. Plans were also made for military governors in once volatile states to return hands to civilian governance. The Hayes administration continued naval reforms started by Grant in 1875 with the New Navy program, aimed at the construction of new naval vessels to better protect America’s water in the case of foreign naval invasions.

Tensions increased on March 12th, 1879 when a shootout occurred between Union and Confederate forces at the border over the crossing of a few southern civilians. Although diplomats had attempted to de-escalate the situation, leaders on both sides ordered mobilization of troops. On March 17th of the same year, the United States Congress officially declared war on the Confederate States of America. Two days later, the Confederate States Congress responded with its own declaration of war against the United States. The Second American Civil War had officially begun. The weakness of the Confederacy was made apparent despite some successful Confederate offensives into Kentucky, West Virginia, and Maryland, although most Confederate northward invasions were stopped and pushed back. The United States, with ships from its New Navy program blockaded any ports the Confederates had and, unlike the first civil war, was able to convince Scandinavia to pull its support from the Confederacy. By the end of October of the same year, US forces had already crossed the border and already captured much of Tennessee and saw gains into Carolina. Commanding General Sherman ordered the use of total war against strategic Confederate targets, with General Philip Sheridan leading the campaign in Carolina. Soldiers destroyed remaining industries, infrastructures, and civilian properties of the South, especially those of wealthy plantation owners. Sheridan’s campaign freed many slaves in Carolina but displaced many civilians, including slaves. Sherman was focused on leading the Army of the Potomac in the Virginia Campaign in the eventual capture of the Confederate capital of Richmond. Facing Sherman was the eldest son of General Robert E Lee, Curtis Lee. Lee served as the aide de camp to then President Davis during the first civil war and Davis entrusted him in keeping the city secured. The Siege of Richmond was a long battle between the entrenched Confederate defenders and the much larger and more organized US soldiers. By the next year of 1880, the Confederacy was at its lowest morale. Mass desertion was common as some soldiers, units, and cities would surrender to incoming Union forces, hoping to be spared of such destruction. In February 1880, Sherman’s forces broke through Richmond and Lee and Davis abandoned Richmond. Lee eventually surrendered to Union forces after the Battle of Appomattox and surrenders were triggered across the South. Davis fled to the State of Sequoyah, where soldiers led by Cherokee General John Drew continued to resist Union incursion until Drew surrendered to Union forces on June 11th, 1881. Sheridan ordered the arrest of Davis but the Confederate President committed suicide that day. Confederate House Speaker W.H.F Lee, the most powerful man in the Confederacy after the death of Davis and Stephens, signed a statement of unconditional surrender, which was accepted by Sherman on the behalf of the United States. After 18 years of being an independent nation, the Confederate States of America ceased to exist.

Plans were put in place by Sherman and Hayes regarding the former states of the Confederates. Reconstruction was the priority of President Hayes, who intended for the southern states to be fully readmitted to the Union by the end of the 19th century. The Commanding General of the United States Army sets Reconstruction policies for the south while military governors are put in charge of southern states to enforce these policies. Troops occupied major cities and while northern capitalists, missionaries, and teachers came down south to help rebuild southern infrastructure (and to take advantage of the large pool of suddenly cheap laborers). Plans were made for the people of the south to return to the Union with all of their civil liberties returned. Public education was made available to both white and black youths, although segregation based on race wasn’t uncommon. The southern states ratified the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution as part of a deal that allows representation of these states into Congress. Reconstruction wasn’t a peaceful endeavor. Confederate bushwhackers continue to violently resist Union occupation, despite former Confederate generals and politicians urging cooperation. Military governors responded with an increase of troop presence to combat the bushwhackers. Due to the rise of radical southern groups such as the Redshirts and the Klan, Sherman and Hayes utilized federal troops and the Justice Department to combat these organizations to enforce Reconstruction.

Sherman retired as Commanding General of the United States Army in 1883 due to mandatory retirement for commanding generals who reached the age of 64. He was replaced by Philip Sheridan as the next Commanding General of the country. Sheridan promoted bringing cooperative southerners to state and federal power with the gradual withdrawal of federal troops once southern infrastructure and economy is shown to be improving. Hayes did not seek a third term and the 1886 Presidential election was held between Republican James G Blaine, Democrat Grover Cleveland, and Greenback Benjamin F Butler. This was the first election where southern whites were able to come out and vote in the federal elections. In a close election, Cleveland won the Presidential race with his reputation for honesty and an opponent of political corruption (convincing some reform-minded Republicans to vote for a Democrat due to their dissatisfaction with Blaine). Although Republicans were worried that Cleveland, a Democrat, would put an end to Reconstruction, President-elect Cleveland promised that he will not impede on the ongoing effort. The Cleveland Administration focused on political and economic reforms, reducing the amount of federal employees in bloated departments and fought against the Republican Congress in reducing tariffs. He continued additional funding for the United States Navy to keep the New Navy program afloat. He promoted cultural assimilation of Native Americans, believing that assimilation would lift many American Indians out of poverty, although his policies were met with mixed results. Grover Cleveland lost re-election to Republican Benjamin Harrison in the 1888 Presidential election, coinciding with Sheridan's abrupt death. Sheridan was succeeded by John Schofield, Acting-Secretary of War under Ulysses S Grant and Military Governor of Virginia. Schofield, like his predecessors, also supported further liberalization of the federal government now that full civilian control was returned over to northern and western state governments. The Greenbacks were replaced by the People’s Party as the major party of the American Left, challenging the dominant Republican Party and Democratic Party for power.

RP Sample:
- It's like Alternate Divergence but made by the Cobalt Network and has set nations (Tales of Two Horizons II)
- War, what is it good for? (Back to 1935)
- Rednecks and post-apocalyptic America (Fallout: Damn Dirty South)
- Red Dawn but Asian (Crane Ascendent)
- Generic late 19th century Alt-history RP (Voice of a New Age)
- War, war never changes (Fallout: Republic of Dusts)
- Alternate history taken all the way (1900: Alternate Divergence)
- Anime Vietnam Flashbacks (Operation Gatelord)
- When the Spanish Flu wiped off 50% of the world population (All Quiet on the Front)
- Alternate Divergence Again (1907: Alternate Divergence

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

[Revlona]

Full Nation Name : The Empire of Scandinavia {Skandinaviens imperium}
Majority/Official Culture : Scandinavian
Territorial Core : Sweden, Norway, Denmark + Holstein, Finland, greenland, Iceland, vinland (newfoundland/Labrador and Nova Scotia).
Territorial Claim : Holstein, Baltic Nations
Capital City : Stockholm
Population : 27.95 Million in Europe
12 million overseas

Government Type : Absolute Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies : Imperialist/Expansionist
Government Focus : The governments focus is to currently make attempts at both developing the equipment and size of the military, Industrially the Empire is only concerned with expanding the amount of industry in the nation.
Head of State : Emperor Gustav IV
Head of Government : Chancellor Peter Mcknoci
Government Description : An absolute monarchy with a royal council (lead by a chancellor) that takes care of the day to day needs of the nation.

Majority/State Religion : Reformed Norse
Religious Description : Norse beliefs but much more centralized, each monarch was thought to be the chosen voice of the Gods for their people and were respected and followed by true believers on religious matters. You don't see human sacrifice anymore due to it being made illegal in the modern age and from being taboo among reformed norse since the reformation. Valhalla remains the same as it is limited to only the greatest of warriors, however a second hall, Thorshall lays adjacent for all those warriors who didn’t do enough to enter Valhalla yet still died for their countries. The reformation of the Norse faith at first was purely a political move that was needed in order combat christianity, as time has progressed , the Reformed faith has truly become the new Norse religion and is the primary religion of Scandinavia.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism
Major Production : Timber, Food, Clothing
Economic Description : Rather stable and very slowly progressing

Development: Modern
Development Description : Following the example of other European nations in the Industrial era, Scandinavia fell victim to it's own industrial boom and quickly became a modernized nation on par with many other around the globe.

Thanks to the Influence of several members of the influential group “Varangians for the North”. A group of former Varangians who had experienced true and proper industrialization/civilization in thanks to their tours in East Rome. When they arrived home they were struck with how little it had changed in their time away and over a period of years rallied much of the nobility, including the emperor, towards modernizing the nation. With the emperor on their side it was only a matter of time until the nation was modernized like the rest of the world. Soon enough state and privately sponsored factories were popping up everywhere, old laws were being abolished and replaced with newer more modern necessitated laws.

Army Description : Well equipped and well armed, the Royal Army of Scandinavia has for near 200 years stood ready to expand and guard all Northern interests. The army itself only hosts 9 divisions, totaling only 325,000 combat troops. however, support and other needed members of the military bring the total troop count up to 472,000.

Every veteran conscript is issued their rifle once discharged so can swiftly be called back to form new units in times of emergency. The armies main rifle is the Scandinavian Odin 1878 Rifle. Another division of the army lays in the province of vinland, this division is smaller than the others at 15,000 men yet is just as well trained and equipped.

The military of Scandinavia is split in spheres where combat is most likely to occur, the current spheres are Finland, Riga, Denmark, and Norway-Sweden. The Army of Denmark is the largest sphere of the Scandinavian military as 4 divisions stand ready to defend the Northern-German border. The army of finland is the second largest with 3 divisions and is also the only sphere in the Empire that requires guerrilla warfare training for the troops under it. The final sphere is Norway-Sweden, the Army of Norway-Sweden mans the extensive coastal defenses of the sphere and also provides the garrison forces of much of central Scandinavia. The army of Riga is equipped with 4 divisions based out of the central city of Riga for defense of the Baltic states in the case of an invasion.
Army Weakness : Small, the Leadership Positions are mostly filled with old guard and inexperienced commanders due to the fact that the nation has not seen a major war in several decades. There are well versed commanders lower down on the command ladder but they currently have no real way of progressing upwards.
Naval Description : The Navy of Scandinavian is a mobile and hard hitting fleet that helps the Empire vie for baltic supremacy with the Russians and keep the Americas linked with the greater empire. 16 battleships along with 8 armored cruisers make up the capital ship lines of the navy. 26 Unprotected/Protected cruisers and 52 torpeo boats/destroyers help round off the fleet.

The Royal Scandinavian Navy is split into two, the Baltic fleet host the majority of the fleet at 12 battleships and 6 Armored Cruisers, while the Vinland squadron hosts only 4 Battleships with 1 Armored cruiser along with a small support fleet.

The Naval Defenses of the empire are some of the most formidable in the world, ever city holds several batteries of modern naval guns and fortified ports to better withstand bombardment. However the true naval defenses of Scandinavia come in the Danish straights and the Skagerrak. The Skagerrak being the only entrance of the Baltic makes it a vitally strategic naval area, both the southern tip of Norway and the Northern tip of the Jutland peninsula host massive naval batteries than are intended to force any enemy force further into the center of the Skagerrak, this center to be covered by mines thanks to the efforts of the Royal Navy at the onset of war.

What applies to the Skagerrak comes tenfold for the Denmark straights, dozens of batteries I line the islands of the Straights, meaning that to force entrance to the Baltic you would have to subject yourself to hundreds of deadly defensive positions. This straight is also mapped out with pre determined mine fields by the Scandinavian navy. To force the Skagerrak and the Danish straights could spell the end of most navies.
Naval Weakness : Small, lighter armor on the capital ships to allow for more speed. This thought process of lighter armor = faster ship = better ship, comes from an age old way of thinking that the more maneuverable a ship is, the better it is.
Further Military Description :

HMS Hammer of Thor (Flagship of Baltic Fleet)
HMS Odin (Flagship of Colonial Fleet)
HMS Lodbrok
HMS Coppenhagen
HMS Karl XII
HMS Gustav Adolf
HMS Stockholm
HMS Jutland
HMS Gustav III
HMS Leif Erikson
HMS Boneless
HMS Ironside
HMS Viking
HMS Asgard
HMS Valhalla
HMS Valkyrie

National Goals : [[What are the main objectives of your nation?]] Reduce the red block in the nation, expand the Scandinavian sphere of influence.
National Issues : [[What needs to be fixed in order for your nation to achieve its true potential?]] A sizable socialist/communist movement has been in the Scandinavian nation for years.
National Figures of Interest : Laos Gudkina is the leader of the Peoples Movement in scandinavia, he has evaded the government for several years while calling for revolution.
National Ambition/Aspirations : Baltic Supremacy, Supremacy over central europe

History : 896 - As more and more Christians migrate to Scandinavia, leaders recognize the threat to the north such people present. In a unseen move of the age most Norse rulers banded together in declaring the Christian religion illegal in Norse borders as it was a potential threat to the norse culture and its peoples way of life. Any worship of the christian god was to be punished by immediate death. With such an early start on the war Against christianity, the Norse faith was able to begin beating the other faith back before it had any real hold on the people of the north.
903-1174 - With Christianity still gaining a foothold in the North despite it being outlawed, the need for christian hunters became apparent. These hunters had access to the entire continent and the following years saw the deaths of tens of thousands of christians and non christians. Later in this period which is known as the "Wars on Christianity", the knowledge that tyranny would not defeat martyrdom and Christianity became prevalent. Instead, a movement for reform gained sway and this was the period in which it could be said the the Norse faith truly triumphed.
1240-1242 - Several meetings between religious and political leaders occurred in the city of copenhagen, this meetings later became known as the Councils of Copenhagen. These councils laid the path needed for the soon to come Norse Reformation as the leaders of the Norse realms prepared themselves for the coming change.
1254-1277 - These years became some of the bloodiest in northern history as religious civil war broke out between the reformed kingdoms and those kingdoms that clung to the old ways. This period was known as the Northern Reformation wars and pushed the Reformed faith into the spotlight as the primary religion of the north.
1240-1288- - The following years have become known as the Norse reformation. Mostly peaceful, this reformation saw the centralization of norse belief, declaring that their rulers were handpicked warriors of Odin who had the right to Valhalla from birth. This centralization of the faith is what allowed for the final push against christianity in the north.
1290-1543 - Several invasions by the Swedish kings saw the eradication of the Suomi religion that had been prevalent in Finland for years, this time period also saw the annexation of Finland into Sweden.
1690 - The Law mandating the death of any christian is abolished in Sweden, though the worship of the Christian god is still outlawed.
1697 - Charles XII is coronated as king of Sweden
1709 - Sweden and Charles are finally defeated by the russians and are forced to surrender their baltic territory after the Surrender at Perevolchna
1709 - Charles goes into exile
1714 - Charles Returns from exile and leads his armies to victory after victory against the Norwegians and Danish. With his defeat at the hands of the russians 5 years earlier signalling the end of the Swedish Imperial period, Charles was intent on reclaiming it. However, instead of smashing into the Russian giant once more he decided that he must first unite the North under one nation.
1718 - The danish king is captured at the siege of Oslo and Norway is annexed into the swedish empire.
1721 - A successful landing at Copenhagen forces the Danes to surrender and allows Sweden to complete their conquest of Scandinavia.
1722 - The Empire of Scandinavia is declared by Charles and Charles is declared the only prophet of the Gods.
1732 - The First Scandinavian colonist land in Newfoundland and establish the colony of Vinland
1736 - Vinland expands to Nova Scotia
1736-1740 - In the last 4 years of his life and reign, charles realized that the greatest threat to his nation was the sleeping giant to the east. Knowing this, he set in motion several programs that would lead to the current Finnish defensive lines and the doctrine of baltic supremacy by the Swedish fleet. These doctrines intent on keeping Russian influence in the Baltic as small as possible.
1740 - Charles passes away at the age of 43, he is forever remembered as Charles The Great
1746 - Norwegian Separatist along with Danish Separatist declare independence, the three year war that follows would later be known as the the Northern Civil War.
1752 - An attempted invasion of the Baltic lands by the Scandinavian Empire is beaten back by the defending russian forces.
1755 - Vinland attempts to add new Brunswick to the colony but is forced back by the already entrenched colonists there.
1815 - Adolf Frederick II is coronated as Emperor of Scandinavia.
1817 - The rule of Emperor Fredricks tyrannical is cut short by his con with the support of the military.
1832 - After 100 years of being in the empire the colony of Vinland is officially named a province of Scandinavia, giving its citizens the same rights as mainland European provinces. This provincial status is bestowed upon iceland and Greenland later in the year.
1888 - The 900th birthday of the Varangian Guard is celebrated throughout the nation.
1890 - Gustav IV is coronated as Emperor of all Scandinavia
RP Sample: viewtopic.php?p=37036197#p37036197

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

[Remnants of Exilvania]

[quote="Revlona";p="37652765"][/quote]
Those Baltic territories are still acquired from me roughly the same time they were IRL I guess?

[Revlona]

Those Baltic territories are still acquired from me roughly the same time they were IRL I guess?

Yeah that seems about right

[Sao Nova Europa]

Full Nation Name : Βασιλεία των Ευθυδημιδών (Empire of the Euthydemids) [Official Name]/ Ινδία (India) [Unofficial common name]
Majority/Official Culture :

The culture of India can be divided into two categories:

The upper echelons of society (courtiers, administrators, generals, scholars) are Greek speaking, educated in classical Greek texts (such as the Iliad and Sophokles’ dramatic plays) and largely Muslim. Greek language is what bonds them, as Greek is considered the language of the educated and cultured, and is a sign of social nobility. Writing poems and imaginary rhetorical speeches in Attic Greek is the usual pastime of Indian scholars and courtiers. Many of those take place in ‘saloons’, where scholars and courtiers write while drinking wine and in the company of musicians.

The masses of Indians for the most part speak Indo-Aryan and Tamil languages, and have no knowledge of Greek, whose education is restricted to the elites. They also have little appreciating for Greek culture. Instead, they are mostly Hindus and have their own traditions, festivals and literature that are inspired by Hinduism. Nevertheless, they venerate the Basileis as they believe them to have divine sanction for their rule.

Territorial Core : India, Pakistan (Already claimed on Map)
Territorial Claim : None
Capital City : Delhi
Population : 274,000,000

Government Type : Absolute Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies : Harmony - the concept that the ruler must promote the welfare of his subjects and protect his realm
Government Focus : Modernization of the military, construction of railways and defense of the realm from European imperialism
Head of State : Basileus Eratosthenes IV
Head of Government : Strategos-Autokrator Farrukhsiyar
Government Description :

The Basileus (King) is the divinely-sanctioned ruler of the empire. He belongs to the ancient Euthydemid Dynasty that has been ruling (nominally) since 183 BC. Despite the veneration shown to him, the Basileus in reality is just a figurehead with little power. He only appears on a number of strictly regulated public ceremonies and stamps imperial decrees.

The Strategos-Autokrator (General-Emperor) is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. While nominally subservient to the Basileus, in reality the Strategos Autokrator is the real ruler of the empire. He has his own palace, harem and court and is honored as an emperor in all but name. The current Strategos Autokrator belongs to the Mughal Dynasty.

The realm is divided into a number of provinces. The provincial administration is shared by a Dioikites (Διοικητής) responsible for civil administration, a Strategos (Στρατηγός) responsible for military matters and a Mufti for judicial affairs. The bureaucrats in the provinces are appointed by the central government instead of the provincial one.

Majority/State Religion : Sunni Islam (State Religion), Hinduism (Majority Religion)
Religious Description : The state religion of the empire is Sunni Islam. Much of Punjan and Gujarat have converted to Islam, but most of the population in rest of the empire is Hindu. The Muslim elites who rule the empire are generally tolerant of Hinduism and do not levy a jizya tax. They also allow Hindus to have their own temples and build new ones at peace. Nevertheless, they fund extensively the construction of mosques and appoint Muslim jurists (Muftis) as judges while much of the empire's code of law is influenced by Islamic teachings.

Economic Ideologies : State Capitalism
Major Production : Agriculture (wheat, rice, sugar and barley), Cotton, Textiles, Spices, Silk, Opium, Tea, Steel
Economic Description :

The Indian economy has the second largest workfrce in the world. The primary sector contributes 52%, the secondary sector 18% and the tertiary sector 29% of India's workforce. Agriculture makes up a large part of India's economy, as Indian workers cultivate wheat, rice, sugar, barley, cotton, opium and tea. Textiles, Silk and Steel are the major manufacturing industries of India. While India is not industrialized, it is in a state of proto-industrialization. Indian silk and textile are highly sought by Europeans, and constitute the major exports of India.

Development: Semi-Industrialized in core and coastal areas, Primitive in inland peripheries
Development Description : In core and coastal areas, the Indian economy is proto-industrialized with large manufacturing industries of textile, silk and steel. In inland peripheries, the economy is primitive and dominated by agriculture.

Army Description :

The Strategos-Autokrator maintains a small standing armies, called the Ahadis. They number 45,000 men and include infantry, cavalry and artillery divisions. They are far better trained and payed than the rest of the military, are equiped with modern weaponry and are fiercly loyal to the Strategos Autokrator. Thus, they are the elite of the Indian military.

The Guard Battalions, numbering 600,000 men, are hereditary soldiers stationed in the provinces. They are granted military farms and are supposed to be self-sufficient. Their main objective is to defend provinces and act as a policing force too, undertaking operations against bandits and rebels. They answer to the Strategos of their respective province, and obey his commands. They are generally undertrained and poorly equipped though.

After the Maratha gained control of the south, a series of forts were constructed on the border over the years manned by both Ahadis and Guard Battalions soldiers. The forts are located at strategic locations and have the goal of responding rapidly to Maratha invasions.

Army Weakness : The vast majority of the army is poorly equipped and trained, and only the Ahadis are a match for Western militaries.
Naval Description : The Indian navy is comprised of a small number of up to date ships and a large number of outdated vessels. It mostly serves a defensive role.
Naval Weakness : Despite the long coastline, the Indian empire was never a naval force. The navy thus is sidelined by the land forces and is underfunded compared to them.
Further Military Description : The Indian government is attempting to modernize the armed forces by expanding the Ahadis and importing Western weapons.

National Goals : Modernize, Survive intact
National Issues : Modernization of the military, railway construction, diplomacy with colonial powers
National Figures of Interest :

Alexander the Great, hero and alleged founder of the Empire.
Menander, Azes, Kujula, Babur and Akbar I are all viewed as great rulers of the empire.

National Ambition/Aspirations : To become an economic powerhouse

History :

Foundation of the Empire (183 – 48 BC)

The Seleucid Empire, despite losing its Indian territories, managed to retain Bactria which would later prove to be the springboard from which the Greeks would conquer northwest India. As Seleucus I moved the center of political power of the Seleucid Empire from Iran to Syria, where he build his new capital, his control of the eastern territories became tenuous at best.

Andragoras, Satrap of Parthia, revolted against the Seleucid Empire, but his province was overrun by the Parni, a nomadic people led by Arsaces. This isolated Bactria and allowed general Diodotus to declare his independence from his Seleucid overlord and form the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom in c. 246 BC. It was the Greco-Bactrian Kings who would establish Greek control in northwest India.

The establishment of the Greco-Indian Empire began when King (Basileus - Βασιλεύς) Demetrios I of Bactria invaded India with the help of his brother, Apollodoros, and a general named Menander, who would later on become the greatest of the Indo-Greek Kings. Demetrios crossed the Hindukush Mountains in 183 BC, conquered Gandhara and Taxila, crossed the Indus river and took over Patala, which he renamed Demetrias. Apollodoros continued his conquests: Gujarat’s ports, including Bharukacha, were captured by him and he later moved in Gwalior and captured the important city of Ujjain. Simultaneously, Menander (who was still a general of Demetrios) led his army to the Gangetic basin and conquered Pataliputra. His control over this important city was brief and it is known that the Indians recovered the city, maybe a few months later.

A usurpation of the Bactrian crown would lead to the split of this vast Greek realm to two Kingdoms: the Greco-Bactrian and the Indo-Greek. Eukratides usurped the Bactrian crown and Demetrios was forced to return to the north, leaving behind in the Indus valley Apollodoros and Menander. Demetrios was killed and he was succeeded in his Indian holdings by his two sons, Agathocles and Pantaleon. They may have ruled together at first, but Pantaleon soon died and Agathocles ruled the realm on his own. Agathocles made Taxila his new capital. He was succeeded by Apollodotus I, a former general of Demetrios, who died in 165 BC. His successor was Menander, who may have married Agathocles’ daughter to legitimize his reign.

Menander had proved his military genius when he had briefly conquered Pataliputra. As King he expanded his realm to the south. He took back control of Pataliputra from the weakened Shunga Empire, crushing in a decisive battle the Shunga forces and taking captive the Shunga Emperor Pushyamitra Shunga. Menander had him publicly executed, throwing the Shunga in chaos and allowing his army to expand the Greek realm as far east as western Bengal. Menander then launched a number of military campaigns against the Avanti, Dasarna and other northern and central India polities left vulnerable in the wake of the collapse of the Maurya Empire. By the time of his death in 130 BC, all of the northern Indian plains and a large part of central India were under Greek rule.

After his death in 130 BC, he was succeeded by his wife Agathokleia, who ruled as regent for his son Strato I. Under her firm hand, Greek rule was stabilized. Menander’s successors would rule peacefully until 48 BC, with the Greco-India realm experiencing economic prosperity and a flourishing of arts and culture.

Beginning with Menander and accelerating with his successors, there was a trend of Greek polis (city-states) being constructed across North India, populated mainly with Greek and Hellenized populations; in order to maintain control of their vast realm, the Greeks had to accept upper class Indians educated in Greek as fellow Greeks. Those city-states, governed by an assembly of the richest and most influential citizens, ruled over the city itself and its adjacent lands (including Indian cities and villages in those lands). The Greek cities were built according to the system of Hippodamus. Walls fortified the cities and temples were built according to the Ionic and Corinthian orders.

The Empire thus resembled a federation of city-states, with the Greek city-states providing annual monetary tribute and levies to the King and in return the King granting them considerable autonomy. The Indo-Greek Empire had highly developed coinage. While the Maurya Emperors produced punch-marked coins, the coins of even the Indo-Greeks were of excellent quality and with their image on them.

The Indo-Greek Kingdoms retained the basic characteristics of Greek culture, somewhat surprising considering that they were cut off from other Hellenistic states and were in far away India. Nevertheless, they were influenced by Indian culture and especially by Buddhism, which the Kings patronized. Menander, whether Buddhist or not, supported and protected Buddhism while many Greeks were converted to that religion. Before the Greek presence, Buddha was not depicted with a human form, but symbolically. The Indo-Greeks changed this and their statues depicted Buddha as a human. They used as inspiration the statues of Greek gods like Apollo and Hercules but at the same time they were influenced by Indian art. Those Gandhara Buddhas were highly influential. Through Sinkiang, this Greco-Buddhist art spread to China and from there to Korea and Japan.

Greek became the language of culture, education and administration. The children of aristocrats, administrators and scholars (both Greek and Indian) were educated with the Iliad and nine tragedies: Persians, Prometheus Bound, and Seven Against Thebes by Aischylos, Ajax, Electra and Oedipus the King by Sophokles, and Hecuba, Orestes, and Phoenician Women by Euripides. Rhetoric was also important, with pupils having to compose speeches on imaginary subjects drawn from Greek history and mythology.

Around 80 BC, an Indo-Scythian general named Maues, in the service of the Indo-Greeks, ruled for a few years in northwestern India as a de facto independent ruler before the Indo-Greeks again took control. He had married an Indo-Greek princess named Machene to legitimize his rule and had united the Scythian horsemen under his banner. King Hippostratus (65–55 BC) tried with a series of military campaigns to subdue the now independent Scythians but lost to the Indo-Scythian King Azes I in a decisive battle in 55 BC, being killed in the field of battle. By 48 BC, the Indo-Greek King Dionysos was forced to accept Scythian domination of the empire.

Scythian and Kushan Domination (48 BC – 543 AD)

Instead of deposing King Dionysos or toppling the Indo-Greek Empire, King Azes decided instead to integrate himself in the ruling elite of the empire. While Basileus (King) Dionysos remained the nominal ruler of the Indo-Greek Empire, Azes took the Greek title Strategos-Autokrator (Στρατηγός Αυτοκράτωρ – General-Emperor), supreme commander of the empire’s armed forces. Thus, Azes became the real ruler of the empire.

Azes also reorganized the imperial administration. He downgraded the role of the Greek city-states, instead the lands of the empire became divided in provinces led by “Strategoi” (Generals). The provincial governor had both military and civil responsibilities. The provinces were subdivided into smaller units led by “Meridarchai” (literally meaning ‘leaders of part’). Most of those offices were granted to Scythian generals, but Greek and Hellenized Indians filled most of the administrative ranks.

The Scythians adopted Greek language in court and administration, wrote their edicts in Greek and had their children be educated by Greek scholars. Thus, while the Greeks were no longer the ruling caste, Greek language and culture remained dominant among the governing elites. The Scythians also adopted Greek clothing and way of life, moving away from their nomadic roots.

Commerce and trade flourished once more with stability restored, and the Scythians were able to maintain control over all of northern India. New cities were constructed, with Greek architecture. Greco-Buddhism was heavily patronized and was the official religion of the court, but the populace at large remained Hindu. While more Indians were given Greek education and admitted into the upper echelons of society than before, the vast majority of Indians remained poorly educated and knowledgably only of their regional native tongues. This solidified the division between an upper caste of Buddhist Greek-speaking elites and Hindu Indo-Aryan speaking masses.

The Kushans, one of the five branches of the nomadic Yuezhi people, migrated from Xinjiang southwards into India. Under their King Kujula Kadphises, between 30 and 67 AD the Kushans inflicted one defeat after the other upon the Scythians. Seeing the tide turning against them, more than a couple of Scythian Strategoi switched allegiance to the Kushans in return for them keeping their post as provincial governors. When in 67 AD, Kujula Kadphises’ army entered the imperial capital of Chiniotis (Chiniot), the Scythian regime collapsed completely. The Indo-Greek Basileus Strato III had to name Kujula Strategos-Autokrator, thus making him the new de facto ruler of the empire. In return, the Kushan ruler respected Strato III as his nominal ruler and paid respects to him, much like the Scythian rulers before him. By 78 AD, Kujula had subdued the remaining Scythian Strategoi and affirmed his control over the entire Indo-Greek realm.

This marked the beginning of the long Kushan period, which lasted until 543 AD. Under Kanishka I the Great (c. 127 – c. 150), the Kushans expanded the Indo-Greek realm into the Deccan, subduing local kingdoms and enforcing their rule over much of central India. From henceforth, until their collapse in the 540s, the Kushans oversaw an era of peace, commerce and cultural flourishing.

Much like their Scythian predecessors, the Kushans adopted the Greek language and culture. Their court and administrative language were Greek, their clothing Greek and their education Greek. Kushan Strategoi-Autokratores would sponsor theatrical dramas based on the works of Sophokles, Aischylos and Euripides. The Kushans had an extravagant court, with countless of concubines and elaborate ceremonies. Meanwhile, the Indo-Greek Basileis too were accorded deep respect and a luxurious lifestyle, but they remained nominal figureheads. But as centuries passed and the Indo-Greek Basileis remained Kings of the Empire, so did their legitimacy strengthened, making it unthinkable for the Kushans to depose them.

The vast majority of the population of the empire remained Hindu and Indo-Aryan speaking, having little connection to the culture of the Greek-speaking Buddhist upper class. By this point, Greek was no longer a marker of nationality but rather of class; aristocratic Indians speaking Greek were considered Greeks but Greek peasants who had adopted the Indo-Aryan languages were considered Indians.

The Kushan period saw a flourishing of arts and culture, as the provincial and imperial governments funded Greco-Buddhist temples and statues, many of them massive. Among those was the Mahabodhi Temple. The Kushans also saw innovation on the military front, with the adoption of heavy cavalry as the main arm of their military.

In the 400s AD, the empire witnessed invasions by the Huna peoples. While they were unable to establish permanent control over Kushan territory, their plundering of the land and defeat of the imperial military caused loss of prestige for the Kushan Stategoi-Autokratores and popular revolts by destitute Indian peasants. The provincial Strategoi took the chance to become de facto independent rulers, in spite of nominally serving the Kushan Strategos-Autokrator and the Indo-Greek Basileus.

By 539 AD, the situation had become such that a plot was launched by desperate court ministers to assassinate the Kushan Strategos-Autokrator and restore personal rule by the Indo-Greek Basileus (Apollophanes II). The coup was successful and Apollophanes assumed personal rule, but with Minister Chandragupta becoming de facto ruler of the empire as the Basileus lacked the experience to rule by himself.

A coalition of Stategoi refused to accept this coup, claiming that the Basileus was being held ‘hostage’ by Minister Chandragupta and labeling him a traitor to the empire. Between 539 and 543, armies from both sides fought all over the empire, with many figures changing sides multiple times. It was an era of chaos, anarchy and widespread famines.

In 543, Chandragupta was defeated. No one could claim the mantle of Strategos-Autokrator, as none of the Strategoi was powerful enough to do so. Apollophanes thus had to accept the de facto dismantling of the empire. While he would remain Basileus in the capital of Chiniotis and the Stategoi would annually sent him gifts to show him their respect, in practice the Strategoi became independent rulers in all but name.

Era of Division (543 – 1201)

This almost 700 years period of Indian history was marked by constant warfare between the Strategoi. At first, it was assumed that the division would be only temporary until a capable Strategos would rise and take the mantle of Strategos-Autokrator. Alas, it was not to be so. None of the Strategika Krati (Generals’ States) would become powerful enough to unify the empire.

While the Strategoi competed for land and population, they would also construct a large number of walled cities and fortifications to reinforce their realm and fund large-scale infrastructure projects to gain a financial edge over their opponents. The most important of the Stratigika Krati were the Harsha, the Gurjaras, the Maitraka and the Vishnukundinas. A change from the previous period was that while the ruling elites remained Greek-speaking and educated in Greek, they adopted Hinduism over Buddhism in order to gain loyalty from their subjects as the antagonism for resources and peoples became more desperate.

The Basileus in Chiniotis remained nominal ruler of all those de facto independent kingdoms, and the Strategoi paid their respects to him by sending annual gifts, often lavish. This allowed the Basileis to maintain an extravagant lifestyle and elaborate court ceremonies but wasn’t enough to allow them to attempt to enforce their rule over their supposed realm. While there were occasional wars launched by ambitious Strategoi to gain ‘control’ over the Basileus, coalitions of opposing Strategoi would stop them as they couldn’t allow a Strategos to ‘grab’ such a symbolically powerful figure.

Greek literature flourished despite, or rather because, of the general upheaval as scholars would write historical works and military treatises. The Strategoi (most of them Indians ethnically), though, made no attempt to Hellenize the general population as Greek was considered a privilege of the ruling elites and not something that the uncouth populace could even truly comprehend. This continued the trend of a sharp cultural division between the elites and the populace, and explains why the Indian populace at large never bonded with their rulers.

Arab traders, along with their goods, brought Islamic missionaries to China. While they had little success in converting the Chinese, some of those missionaries had greater success in bringing their message in the northern steppes. One of the Turkic tribes that converted to Islam were the Seljuks. In the late 900s, they left behind them the steppes of northeastern Asia and migrated to the West, towards central Asia. It was around that time that the Seljuks divided into two branches; one that headed to the West towards Persia and one that headed south, to India.

The Indian Seljuks, as they became known, were used by various Strategoi of the Punjab and Sindh as mercenaries. Gradually, they established themselves as a de facto independent power in the region. In 1181, Qutb al-Din Aibak conquered the imperial capital of Chiniotis. The Basileus, Dionysios XVII, offered to name him Strategos-Autokrator. As Aibak understood very well how symbolically important the Basileus was, he did not depose him and gladly took on the role of the Strategos-Autokrator. The Indian Strategoi refused to accept this appointment and entered into a coalition against the heathen ‘barbarian’ invaders. The Seljuks crushed their combined forces, crippling the Strategoi. By 1196, the whole of northern India had either surrendered of been conquered by the Seljuks. In the Deccan, the Vishnukundinas tried to resist the Islamic onslaught but by 1201 they had been subdued. Long divided, the realm was once again united.

Seljuk Domination (1201 – 1526)

The Seljuks restored the unity of the Indo-Greek Empire and, to counter perceptions of their ‘barbarity’, portrayed themselves as the continuators of the Scythians and Kushans. Yet they also brought real change to the Empire. The capital of the realm moved to Delhi, which was greatly expanded and walled. Two grand palace complexes were constructed one for the Seljuk Strategos-Autokrator and the other for the Indo-Greek Basileus.

The palaces were staffed with eunuchs, a practice long shunned by Indo-Greek regimes but which the Seljuks brought from China. Thousands of young boys, most of them Hindu Indians, were castrated and sent to serve in the palaces. Court life became even more ceremonial and elaborate.

But the greatest change was Islam. The Seljuks were a Sunni Muslim people and so the new regime was going to be Islamic. Grand mosques now donned the largest Indian cities and Muftis manned the judicial branch of government. Yet the Seljuks were politically intuitive enough not to levy a jizya tax on Hindus and Buddhists, and to allow them to serve in the administration, as the Muslim population was confined to the small minority of Seljuk Turks.

While the Seljuks did not make any significant effort to Islamify the population, by the 1350s most of the ruling elites (Hellenized Indians) were Muslim. This reinforced the division between the elites and the people: the cultural divide between Greek-speaking Muslims and Indo-Aryan speaking Hindus was great.

In other ways, thought, the Seljuks were preservers of the status quo. They wholly adopted the Greek language, provided Greek education to their children and became patrons of Greek culture. Greek culture and language had become marks of high culture, and their adoption by the Seljuks was a calculated move to integrate themselves in the Indo-Greek realm and to prove that they too were civilized and cultured. The Seljuks also preserved the provincial administration by Strategoi, appointing Seljuks at first in those posts but later on opening them to Hellenized Indians too. The only change was that the Strategoi would be consulted by Mufti henceforth on matters of justice and law.

Commerce saw growth and arts flourished, as the Seljuks funded lavishly majestic mosques and mausoleums. The exteriors of both were very often topped by large domes, and made extensive use of arches. The Seljuks also patronized Greek dramas and reconstructed a number of theaters.

Although the Seljuks were able to repel the Mongol invasions, the empire was unable to withstand invasions from Timur and his horsemen; a warlord in central Asia who had risen in the wake of the breakup of the Mongol empire, he turned his gaze to Seljuk India, which was suffering from peasant revolts and had in the 1360s and 1370s lost a large part of the south and the Deccan to the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire.

In the 1390s, Timur conquered northwestern India and in 1398 he captured Delhi. The Indo-Greek Basileus Alexandros VII was forced to name him Strategos-Autokrator. The Seljuk Strategos-Autokrator Firuz Shah Tughlaq had to retreat to the northern part of the Deccan, bringing alongside him a cousin of the Basileus, Pythagoras VI, whom he crowned Basileus. Thus, the realm was divided into a Timurid North and a Seljuk South. Although in the past the realm had broken up, this was the first time that there were two competing Basileis.

Timur and his son Ulugh Beg were far more fundamentalist in their Islamic faith than the Seljuks. They instituted a jizya tax on non-Muslims, destroyed a number of Hindu temples, banned theater dramas and while they used Greek in their administration, they rarely used it in court. Their disregard for Greek culture and language shocked educated Indians, and led to many Indian scholars heading south, to the Seljuk regime that actively promoted Greek culture.

In 1449, Ulugh Beg died and his sons feuded over his vast realm. Khalil, the victor in the civil war, in 1453 executed the Indo-Greek Basileus, which was considered almost sacrilegious and turned the provincial Strategoi against him. The Timurid army was already severely weakened due to the civil war and couldn’t contain the revolt. The Seljuk Strategos-Autokrator Nasir ud-Din Nusrat Shah Tughlaq, accompanied by the southern Indo-Greek Basileus Artemidoros III, launched an invasion of the north. The Timurids were crushed, Khalil killed in battle and his family fled back to the rocky mountains and plains of central Asia.

In 1455, thus, the realm was united once more, with a single Basileus and a single Strategos-Autokrator. Yet it was but a shadow of its former glory. Much of the Indian south was under Vijayanagara rule while Strategoi were becoming de factor independent, creating their own states like Mewar and Bengal. The Timurid invasion and subsequent misrule was catastrophic for northern India, leading to a decline in population and wealth.

While the rump Seljuk state in Delhi tried to maintain the pretension that it was in command of the Indo-Greek realm, a new threat was emerging in the north. Babur, a descendant of Timur lording over parts of central Asia, defeated the Seljuk Strategos-Autokrator in the Battle of Panipat in 1526, thanks to his extensive use of gunpowder. He then swept down the plains of Upper India. This meant the end of the Seljuk domination and the beginning of the Mughal period.

Mughal Domination (1526 – present)

In 1527, Babur was named by the Indo-Greek Basileus Strategos-Autokrator. Babur was careful not to repeat the mistakes of his ancestors and he paid his respects to the Basileus in a grand public ceremony in Delhi, presenting himself as a loyal subject of the empire. In practice, though, he was in command.

Humayun (reigned 1530–1556), Babur’s son, spent most of his time consolidating Mughal rule over much of northern India. Large parts of Indo-Greek India were independent, under the rule of Strategoi. Instead of moving fast to subdue the Strategoi, Humayun preferred to reform the administration of his part of India. He ended the administration by Strategoi. Instead, provincial administration would be shared by a Dioikites (Διοικητής) who would be responsible for civil administration, a Strategos who would be now confined to military matters only and a Mufti for judicial affairs. The bureaucrats in the provinces would be appointed by the central government instead of the provincial one. This centralization of power prevented provincial administrations from accumulating power as in the past.

His successor, Akbar the Great (reigned 1556–1605), through warfare and diplomacy was able to conquer all of India north of the Godavari river, effectively reuniting the historic Indo-Greek realm and killing off most breakaway regimes. Under his rule, numerous mosques and Hindu temples were constructed, as did a number of theaters that would house Greek plays. Greek culture flourished, with poetry, history and treatises published in Greek in greater numbers than ever before since the Kushan times. Oratory saw a revival, with Hellenized Indians giving elaborate speeches in Attic Greek.

Under Jahangir (reigned 1605–1627) and Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658), the empire saw increasing prosperity and economic growth. Jahan constructed the majestic Taj Mahal. Under their rule, India produced more than 20% of the world's industrial output. The Indo-Greek GDP had risen to 24% of the world economy, the largest in the world. The population was 158,000,000 people. 15% of the Indian population was living in urban centers, an urbanization rate that wasn’t matched in the West until the mid-19th century.

Aurangzeb (reigned 1658–1707) turned his attention to warfare, expanding the Indo-Greek empire to encompass the whole of India; for the first time, the whole south of India was under Indo-Greek control. He also leased the port of Mumbai to the British EIC in 1668, in order to finance his campaigns. His wars however and rapid expansion caused a number of popular uprisings and almost bankrupted the empire.

His successor, Bahadur Shah I (reigned 1707 – 1719) would spend much of his reign putting down those revolts and filling state coffers with a number of unpopular taxes. While generally considered a capable ruler, especially with the challenges he faced, he also oversaw the first loss of Indo-Greek territory to the British. Taking advantage of popular uprisings in Bengal and a revolt in Pondicherry, the British expanded their Bombay territory and took hold of Pondicherry. Muhammad Shah (reigned 1719–1759), having greater fiscal leeway, was able to abolish a number of taxes and thus recover popular support for the Mughal regime. He also kept putting down revolts, finally stabilizing the realm. He oversaw a more restrictive policy towards foreign trade, as the Mughals became distrustful of the British.

Shah Alam II (reigned 1759–1806) ruled as Strategos-Autokrator over an empire that was vast, rich but increasingly stagnant, both in economic growth and in cultural and technological developments, falling behind the West. He continued Muhammad’s policy of trade protectionism which saw the Indo-Greek Empire and the British becoming antagonistic. This antagonism finally led to the Spice War of 1804-5, in which the British army decisively defeated the outdated Indo-Greek army, which stopped the British advance only due to human waves tactics. The Treaty of Delhi of 1806 saw Bengal becoming British territory. The ill Strategos-Autokrator died a few weeks later, leaving behind a humiliated empire.

Jahandar Shah (reigned 1806 – 1809) had to deal with the aftermath of the Mughal defeat. Many were clamoring for a new Strategos-Autokrator, and some in the court were even petitioning for Basileus Miltiades V to take personal rule of the empire and return it back to its ancient glory. Jahandar blamed the defeats on insufficient Islamic piety. He banned Greek plays, demolished a dozen Hindu and Buddhist temples and instituted a jizya tax. This led to massive popular uprisings in south India, the Deccan and parts of northern India in 1807-8 and the defeat of the imperial forces by those uprisings.

In 1809, Akbar II (reigned 1809 – 1841), brother of Jahandar, toppled Jahandar and became the new Strategos-Autokrator. He abolished the jizya tax, reversed the ban on Greek plays and started the Hindu-Muslim unity festival of Phool Walon Ki Sair. He led in person a number of military campaigns that between 1810 and 1817 restored central control over the whole of India and put an end to all uprisings.

With the Indo-Greek Empire at peace, Akbar II financed a number of large-scale infrastructure projects to stimulate economic growth. At the same time, he began a program of modernizing the armed forces of the empire through the importing of European weaponry, although this was limited to a small part of the military. By 1841, while still technologically behind the West and stagnant economically, the empire was stable and state coffers full.

Bahadur Shah Zafar (reigned 1841 – 1869) continued the policies of his predecessor. He created the Academy of Delhi to promote Indo-Greek culture and the Antiquities Institute, under the management of European academics, to promote archeological work. He continued the modernization of the Mughal military and put down an uprising in northern India caused by the 1851 famine.

Mirza Fakhru (reigned 1869 – 1885) implemented draconian measures in public administration to reduce unnecessary expenses. He also entered into an agreement with a British corporation, who in exchange for state funding agreed to construct the first railway in India.

The twenty-three years old Farrukhsiyar became Strategos-Autokrator in 1885. The Basileus during his reign is Eratosthenes IV. He has to face the challenges of modernizing India and protecting it from growing European influence.

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[The Traansval]

Reservation

Nation Name: Great Britain and Ireland
Territory: https://media.discordapp.net/attachment ... height=462
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[TENNOHEIKA BANZAI NIHON]

Full Nation Name : The Mighty Empire of Japan
Majority/Official Culture : The culture is Japanese, but after all this time of having its ports open to trade, over the years, Chinese, Korean, and other Asian cultures have been incorporated.
Territorial Core : Japan, Ryukyu Islands, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Island, Guam, Papua New Guinea, Sulawesi, Midway Island, Marina Islands, Guam, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji Islands, Tuvalu, Wake Island, Baker Island, and Howland Island.
Territorial Claim : Hawaii, Taiwan, and Takeshima Island.
Capital City : Tokyo, Japan
Population : 50,889,500

Government Type : Shogunate (Dictatorship) under Constitutional Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies : Imperialist, Expansionist
Government Focus : The Shogunate is seeking to expand the military and the economy, in order to become a recognized power capable of comparing to the other states in Asia.
Head of State : Emperor Mutsuhito
Head of Government : Shogun Tokukawa Yoshinobu
Government Description : Under the Constitution, The Emperor is the Head of State, Supreme Commander of the Army and Navy, and the religious leader of the nation. The real power lies in the Shogunate however, who acts as the absolute dictator of the country. He and the Emperor are advised by a council of 330 advisers. 300 of the advisers have been appointed the position. They are former daimyos, samurai, aristocrats, and political leaders. 30 have been elected by a popular vote by the public, and can be anyone, although the Shogun has the power to dismiss any adviser at any time. The Council of Advisers tend to offer guidance on big issues, but generally are allowed to vote on the smaller ones from which the Shogun will take the option from the majority vote. There is also the Office of the Public Adviser. This person is the head of the Council of Advisers and is elected by a majority vote from the public, although the Shogun has the power to dismiss this leader at any given time. The Public Adviser has leads the Council, directly consults with the Shogun and the Emperor, and should the Shogun be rendered unable to complete his duties or dies, the Public Adviser is appointed Regent until a Shogun is selected and takes the throne. In the lower levels of government, there is a democratic voting process to elect lower level city officials, while provincial leaders tend to be appointed by either the Shogun, or by vote in the Council of Advisers.

After the fall of the samurai, the transition was smooth for the most part, and these former samurai retained much of their wealth and power, everything except their title. The Shogun had ruled that the samurai would be allowed to keep and carry their swords and with that much of their pride. The former samurai play a huge role in the country, many of them still alive, and them and their families work in many government positions. Former daimyos are now governors of provinces, mayors in cities, and serve in high ranking positions in the government, ranging from serving on the Council of Advisers, to positions of serving as number two to the Shogun himself. They have not lost their power, their wealth, their pride, only their title. The samurai are a little different. While many served in the Imperial Army or Navy, many of the men and rare female samurai came to serve as police officers, city government officials, advisers to governors and on the Council of Advisers, and some using their vast wealth, owners of companies and leaders in trade.

Majority/State Religion : Shintoism and Buddhism
Religious Description : Shinto is a widely practiced religion in Japan that encourages life, and every natural thing is regarded as a divine spirit. The Emperor is regarded as a divine being, and the dead are treated as spirits that watch down on their descendants. Buddhism came from Korea and China, in early times, and another widely practiced religion that centers around the Buddha and Enlightenment. Other smaller religions include Christianity and Islam. These are treated with some respect, but are not common.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism
Major Production : Japan is know for its good farmland, silk, lumber, mining, and fisheries while currently work is being done to create greater industrial abilities. Many natrual resources are not actually found in Japan such as oil and other metals, meaning Japan has to reply on trade and imports.
Economic Description : The majority of Japan's GDP comes from its farming and fishing, although another significant industrial sector is mining and lumber. Japan's most important crop is rice, which can be found in almost every single meal in Japan. The government encourages innovation and competition and tariffs are in place to protect Japan's industries.

Development: Modern
Development Description : Japan always followed after Korea and China, seeking to stay even with them should they become adversaries, and be actual competition. Japan has a good ship-building industry and has built up infrastructure although some rural areas may be more primitive. In effect, due to competition, is a modern nation, although lacks many of the natural resources needed to stay this way, relying on imports and expansion.

Army Description : The Imperial Japanese Army currently consists of 250,000 active men and 145,000 reserve. These men are very well equipped and well trained with the modern Type 22 Murata rifles. They work to obtain the most modern equipment and cutting edge technology that resources allow. Many have seen combat experience, and these men are highly educated at the Imperial Army Academy. These men have diverse training, being that Japan has different terrains, and are used to operating from beaches, mountains, snow, and jungle environments. They specialize in stealth, jungle, and night fighting and are very well equipped to do so. These men are very loyal to the Emperor, having been taught his praises since birth, and are effectively an elite force. In times of war, conscription is often used, and while creating quantity, damages the quality of the force. Nearly all of the men currently in the Army are volunteers.

Conscription System: All men between the ages of 17 and 40 years are eligible for conscription, but only those who are age 20 are to be drafted while those who have turned 17 could volunteer. All men between the ages of 17 and 40, even those who have not received military training or are physically unfit, are considered part of the territorial militia or national guard (kokumin). Following the period of active military service (gen-eki), which lasted for three years, the soldiers become part of the first Reserve (yōbi) and then the second Reserve (kōbi). All young and able-bodied men who did not receive basic military training due to exceptions and those conscripts who had not fully met the physical requirements of military service, became third Reserve (hojū). In the time of war, the first Reserve (yōbi) are to be called up first and they are intended to fill in the ranks of the regular army units. Next to be called up are the kōbi reserve who were to be either used to further fill in the ranks of line units or to be formed into new ones. The hojū reserve members are to be called up only in exceptional circumstances, and the territorial militia or national guard would only be called up in case of an immediate enemy attack on or invasion of Japan.

The Bafuku Army consists of 10,000 enlisted soldiers. These men have been handpicked to take orders from the Shogun and no one else. Loyalty is prized over skill in this army, and while this force sees some of the most elite men in the Japanese Armed forces, the Shogun looks for their loyalty to him above all else. They are given the best equipment, and priority over the Imperial Army. They are the personal guards of the Shogun, and his personal army. They have been deployed many times, if it be to suppress a rebellion, fight a war, or rebuild a city, they will do as he commands. Many of these men can trace their roots to some of the original Bafuku Army members having tradition of protecting the Shogun.

The Imperial Guard consists of 1,500 enlisted soldiers. Their duties vary as while they are trained to take a role as a soldier, their duties are to protect the Imperial Palace, the Emperor, his family, put out any fire on Imperial Property, and have the authority to act as a police force on Palace grounds. They are equally well trained and equipped as the Bafuku Army, but these men are handpicked to be loyal to the Emperor and effectively are the counterpart of the Bafuku Army.

The Imperial Army is always looking at ways to improve the armed forces, and if they can obtain more resources, are bound to expand its size. They are on the forefront of new military technology, and are currently looking into use of observation balloons, rockets, and newer artillery.

Army Weakness : The Army has not seen combat against a real military since the 1867 invasion of Papua New Guinea. Other than that, they have only suppressed minor revolts, and invaded the Marina Islands and Guam, which were fairly easy, as the locals lacked modern military capabilities. They are fairly untested in recent history, and at times lack the resources they need to continue. They rely on imports of metal and oil to keep their force moving.

Naval Description : The Imperial Navy is the focus of the military, being an island nation. It is a high importance to be able to get to the colonies and other nations while being able to protect the home islands for the government. Operating a sizable transport fleet and a well funded battle fleet, it is safe to say Japan's most powerful military branch is the navy. This force is very well trained, with a focus on a decisive battle doctrine. Officers are well taught at the Imperial Navy Academy where they become experts on gunnery and seamanship. Due to the threat poised by Korea's superior numbers, the Imperial Navy has adopted night fighting tactics and trains constantly in these to the best of their abilities. The navy is an all volunteer force however in war, would commission "new" ships into the navy in which would be manned by conscripts.

The Imperial Japanese Navy currently operates: 9 battleships; 5 protected cruisers; 1 unprotected cruiser; 3 dispatch ships; 8 ironclad corvettes; 1 balloon carrier; 4
sloops; 30 torpedo boats; 5 gunboats; 1 Imperial Yacht; 60 transports; 25 minesweepers; 21 colliers; 20 food ships; 68 supply ships; and 78 tugs. It is manned by 125,000 men.

Equipment and Formation

A side note of this is that the Imperial Army and Navy is known to commission civilian owned ships as transports and hospitals during times of war. There are multiple cruise lines which received national subsidies from the Japanese government to maintain the vessels for use by the navy in time of war, and through this, they have a large selection for transport ships. There is also a common practice of arming merchant ships and fishing boats so they can be quickly turned into raiders or used in indirect combat.

They navy enjoys more funding than the Imperial Army as it builds ships that take up a lot of the natural resources of Japan. They are constantly improving their equipment and tactics. Due to the lack of natural resources in Japan, the Navy has taken the approach of using fast, small warships to take out larger ones by using their torpedoes. This has become a focus seen in the Torpedo Boat Destroyers which being fast and agile, in theory could sink a battleship.

Despite having only 9 battleships, a small number compared to other nations, Japanese doctrine remains to hold the entire battle fleet in reserve near Japan during a war and engage in what would be one final battle should the circumstances be correct. The goal of this would be to enable Japan to have several advantages over the enemy fleet; the battle taking place near home enabling an easier supply chain, docks nearby, and potentially support from coastal batteries. The goal would be to lure the enemy fleet into the Tsushima Strait, identify their location, and to cross the "T" of the enemy line, which would allow for maximum Japanese fire superiority while limiting the number of guns that could be fired in the direction of Japanese ships. Should Japan need to take to the offensive, it would still follow this doctrine although it would attempt to employ more attacks by torpedo boats, with these small, fast, maneuverable ships launching torpedo runs on enemy fleets while the battle line opened fire at a greater distance. Japanese torpedo boat forces train for this regularly, with commanders ordering the majority of these practices to be done at night, a key advantage for the smaller Japanese Navy. Japanese commanders figure in the night, it would allow torpedo boats to attack the hostile capital fleet relatively undetected, and in the confusion, be able to escape while the capital ships lay down fire support. In this time night fighting is rather dangerous, requiring a very coordinated force as communication is almost non existent, ships unable to signal without easy detection by hostile forces. Forces can easily accidentally fire on friendly ships, and this is why should Japan use these tactics, commanders mandate constant training and foolproof planning. In general most night fighting planned by the Imperial Navy currently would be carried out by small groups of ships, most likely torpedo boats, which would stay close together while they neared hostile forces before firing their torpedoes and rushing to escape.

Naval Weakness : The Navy lacks the experience of actually engaging in battle. While it has in the past gone on patrols or even intercepted a foreign ship, the navy has never done battle except in support fire and against Papua New Guinea. Historically, navies of the daimyos had battled each other, pirates, and suppressed rebels, but this has not been seen in modern history. The main issue is the lack of natural resources in Japan, many in which need to be imported and the numerial inferiority of the Japanese navy compared to other powers.

Further Military Description : The Imperial Special Naval Landing Forces acts as the marine force of Japan, consisting of 77,932 men. These men are well trained in beach landings, hand to hand combat, and surprise attacks. They are much more skilled than the regular army, and have similar equipment. Their main duties are to land quickly to seize enemy territory, land quick to support a defense effort, or retake an island.

There are other various police organizations such as the Tokko that will deal with issues such as spies or the like.

The samurai have played a huge role in the Shogunate ever since the beginning, but they proved crucial during the reforms. Many during their fall went on to serve in the government and police, while others went and joined the Imperial Army and Navy. Some became generals, or other high ranking officers but there were a good many that continued on as regular infantry. The Shogunate is known for employing regular people to be soldiers since the 1600s but those were usually in lower positions and did not have the same training and while this is similar today, the samurai and their descendants find themselves on equal footing usually, as now the military uses rifles instead of melee weapons.

National Goals : The main goal of the Shogunate to to survive. It faces issues at home and abroad, facing off with other Empires in Korea and China. One main goal is to obtain the resources to continue on, if it means finding a reliable ally close to home, or taking it by force.
National Issues : There is some unrest in the colonies and at home while a major issue is the lack of resources for the ever growing population.
National Figures of Interest : [[OPTIONAL]]
National Ambition/Aspirations : Stabilizing Japan and expanding borders.

History :

1623 - Tokugawa Tadanaga becomes the third Tokugawa Shogun at age 17 after his father abdicates the throne. He is picked despite being younger than his brother Tokugawa Iemitsu, having been their parent's favorite. His father had initially declared his first son would take the throne, but after pressure from his wife, who favored Tadanaga, gives in. Iemitsu is furious but is unable to do anything.

1632 - With the death of his father, Tadanaga seeks to continue his father's work in developing Japan. His father before had worked to develop Tokyo into a more modern city and now Tadanaga takes this upon himself. He initiates a modernization project for the entire nation, providing funding from the Shogunate to local daimyos to improve infastructure and modernize the provinces over a course of a planned 50 years.

1633 - Iemitsu in a spite of violence due to his anger over his belief he was not given his rightful place as Shogun, kills one of Tadanaga's retainers and as a result, is forced to commit seppuku after being forced to house arrest. This effectively eliminates Tadanaga's opposition from his control of the Shogunate. During this same year, following the guidance of the carefully picked advisers in a series of edicts and laws over the course of ten years opens Japan up to trade from the rest of the world in a policy called Hirogeru. He does this because he sees it as furthering his father's dream that his brother had sought to destroy. His brother, Iemitsu had been seeking to expel foreigners and cut off trade, due to his hatred of all white foreigners. Iemitsu's mother had died of Typhus, which in his mind, was a foreign disease that would not have come if the foreigners had not brought it to Japan. His hatred went over the top when Tadanaga, who supported foreign religion and trade was selected over him. Tadanaga knew this, and knew this was against both the wishes of his father. His administration encourages being open to foreigners and their religions to an extent. This appeases foreign countries and allows for military technological innovation that helpts to cements Japan as a military power and modern nation. The expansion of trade boosts the economy and further allows for greater technological advancements.

1640 - Under the Tokugawa Tadanaga Shogunate, the population thrives as business booms for the country. The Shogunate has begun sending out trade expeditions of its own, encouraging the population to be accepting of foreigners and move to advance the country's economic and technological status by expanding horizons. USing Red Seal Ships, authorized by the Shogun himself, traders can be found on massive ships moving to do trade with not only with Asia, but nontraditional nations such as those in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Americas. This period of time marks the first point in history Japan has trading ships navigating across the globe. As a result of the flourishing trade focus, the Shogunate rushes to build up its navy to defend its ships from piracy, and keep the trade lanes open. By this point while smaller than most Asian Empires, Japan is on equal footing in terms of trade. The Shogunate has become more centralized, daimyos dependent on the Shogunate to maintain security and infastrure and the populace now claiming loyalty to the Shogun and Emperor, not an individual daimyo.

1651 - Tadanaga dies at age 45 and is succeeded by his eldest son Tokugawa Ietsuna. His mother, Oda Nobuyoshi is the granddaughter of the famous Oda Nobunaga.

Over the next 94 years, the Shogunate retains strong control over Japan, ushering an age of technological, economical, and cultural growth. The population grows immensely, and Japan is starting to look like the modern nation it is today. Roads, bridges, and new buildings are constructed during this period of relative peace. The economy is booming, with merchants from around Asia and even as far away as Europe coming to the vast and rapidly growing trade ports. The country is making a lot of money due to Tadanaga's policies, and is becoming more and more powerful.

1745 - Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune abdicates the throne. Due to his first son's disinterest in politics, he picks his third son, Tokugawa Munetada as Shogun. A series of natural disasters and famines occur throughout the Shogunate, and to manage through this, Munetada institutes policies of rationing, and the government purchasing foreign rice for cheap with its trade connections. This is all due to the population growth that was a result from the 'Hirogeru' policy and now the Shogun has to find solutions to solve the issue.

1764 - Having no children, Munetada abdicates and appoints his nephew, the son of his eldest brother, Tokugawa Ieharu as Shogun. He goes on to die in 1765, but leaves daimyo advisers to watch over the nation as regents. Ieharu works to get on better footing with the Emperor, and is known to have continued work to manage the rise of the merchant class.

1787 - Tokugawa Ieharu dies and his son, Tokugawa Ienari is appointed the Shogun. Despite being 19, Ieharu's trusted advisers are appointed as regents and will lead Japan until Ienari is 25.

1788 - Riots erupt over rice in Tokyo, prompting the council of daimyos to place tariffs on all foreign rice and other grains. This came after decades of purchasing cheaper foreign rice, which lead to domestic farmers being hurt. Meanwhile great fire erupts in Kyoto, burning down the Imperial Palace and the surrounding city. By luck, or the grace of the gods as the people say, it had heavily rained in the following days calming the inferno. Immediately after, the daimyos order that rebuilding of the city begin immediately and all excess funding be put into rebuilding Kyoto. They also institute laws and edicts that create an official full time fire fighting force to a large public approval that will patrol the streets. They also create volunteer fire fighting legions and seek out the production of equipment to more effectively put out fires instead of just buckets. In a matter of months already an innovation is on the market, meant to help firefighters breath in smoke. This mask of sorts is made of rubberized fabric with an attached tank of compressed air.

1833 - A massive famine breaks out due to the corruption of officials in both the high and low levels of the government. Immediately the Shogun takes charge, blaming the corruption on the Imperial Court and moving to crack down on. The Shogun with his personal funds begins purchasing food from local nations and distributing it, while he requests support from the daimyos. This gains the Shogunate a large public approval and furthers unity in the nation.

1835 - The famine ends, and the Shogunate seen as largely successful in handling the crisis sees their popularity soar. The Shogun, in fears of another famine, orders plans to be drawn up on an invasion of Papua New Guinea. To do this he orders that by 1838 the fleet must increase the amount of transports by 30 and upgrade existing vessels to suit their purposes.

1837 - The Shogun dies at age 67, and his second son Tokugawa Ieyoshi is appointed to the throne. His plans for invasion of Papua New Guinea are immediately called off as his advisers warn they are are unprepared and leaderless.

1847 - A major earthquake hits Shinano, and as a result, having grown up seeing the kindness and strength of his father, he orders relief operations to begin immediately, and that the armies from surrounding provinces move in and assist rebuilding efforts.

1853 - The Shogun dies from a heart condition, and his first son, Tokugawa Takechiyo is appointed to the throne.

1854 - Earthquakes and Tsunamis devastate the Tokai region. The Shogun rushes to take this chance to win over the people, sending in his personal army to held rebuilding efforts and pushes funding towards feeding and sheltering survivors.

1856 - The Emperor is very supportive of the aggressive military and trade policies of the Shogun, and strengthens the movement towards a new system of a more united Japan. The Shogunate is already centralized, but the Emperor now calls for the daimyos to give up control to the Shogun.

1858 - A massive cholera outbreak reaches Japan, and officials struggle to manage the crisis. They request support from other provinces to send their doctors and healers, to more affected areas while putting into place self isolation measures for people, encouraging them to stay at home until the outbreak ends. As a result of the virus, Emperor Takechiyo dies. On his deathbed, he supports Tokugawa Yoshinobu to become his successor.

1859 - With Tokugawa Yoshinobu appointed Shogun, he immediately goes about reforming the Shogunate. A massive government overhaul was undertaken to initiate reforms that would strengthen the Tokugawa government. Corruption is nearly squashed, and the military gets more attention. His goal is to secure his control over the loosening grip of the Shogunate, and gain a central government. He knows if he is to continue to hold power, he must centralize the system so the whole of Japan is completely united. The military at this point has modern weapons but ineffective if Japan were to be invaded. Each domain has its own army of samurai, commanded by the daimyo that is in charge. At this time, the country has hundreds of small armies that supposedly serve the Shogunate but with the command structure so fragmented, in the event of an invasion, the troops would be a mess. If a single daimyo decided to attack, it was sending the entire country into a war. If on daimyo was lax on the military, a whole province was weak. So for Yoshinobu, the daunting task was clear. If he did not do this, his family could potentially easily lose power. He immediately went about forming a national army of the soldiers of all the domains, shouldering the cost of their pensions and other pay. To compensate the daimyos, they were offered payment, commands, high ranking government positions, and personal protection. With the support of his advisers, he convinced all hesitant daimyos with other support, offering them the rights to keep small personal para military police forces of their own.

1860 - The samurai of all provinces are given a choice to join the new national Imperial Army, or to continue on their pension but move to policing position. The switch is relatively peaceful, and while despite anger over losing their status, nothing comes of it because the government promises their pensions and they will still retain some powers. The Shogun is of the samurai class himself and he skillful in this transition. He ordered that the samurai keep all of their land, wealth, and pay, are still allowed the pride of carrying their swords, and still keep their same relative powers. They will lose their title, but not their pride or their money. This is enough for most to go along with this plan, trusting in the Shogun, a samurai himself. There are some against the plan, and some small groups of opposition, but the conflict is almost entirely in debate, as the samurai feel they still have the same powers and are given the same respect, just now they serve the Shogun and the country, not a daimyo or his province.

1861- The Shogun forms a personal army to composed of the most elite and well equipped forces in the Empire.

1862 - Facing pressure from the Imperial Court, and wanting to gain favor with the Emperor, the Shogun creates a new constitution granting the Emperor some of his old powers, including making him the supreme commander of the Imperial Army while the Shogun will still rule. This pleases the Emperor enough, and the two become friendly both seeking a Japan with more power, and reform.

1865 - Hunger among the poor is still common, and consideration is now moved back into the plan formulated by the Ieyoshi Shogunate to invade Papua New Guinea.

1867 - The invasion commences of Papua and Sulawesi, and despite losses, the Imperial Marines and Army steadily advance, proving their worth and abilities of this newer force. They use modern weapons to great advantage. By 1868 the territory is taken and by early 1870, resistance has died down due to strikes carried out by the Imperial Army. This land is used to farm heavily and to provide for the Empire. Its people are slowly Japanized, and they are welcomed to become a key part of the Empire.

1875 - Shogun holds a strong grip over the Empire. If it were not for Shogun Tadanaga, the Empire would have been less modern, and plagued with public disapproval, along with ire from the Imperial Court not to mention the world. With the skillful leaders after him, Japan is in a good position on the world stage. Trade as a result of the Hirogeru policy is booming. The country is quite wealthy compared to other powers of its same size, and is doing well to manage the balance. The military continues expansions to improve the readiness of the navy while the army works on prototype rifles.

1877 - The class system is abolished, but the daimyos still hold the control as advisers. To account for the system, the Shogun appoints them and other powerful officials and samurai to form two groups. One will advise the Shogun and the other the Imperial Court. They form a council that has the power to vote on issues yet for the most part, they are just advisers and what the Shogun says tends to be final. Since the reforms in the past, this seems to be just a formality, not an issue.

1879 - In attempt to end corruption, the Shogun allows city and provincial officials to be elected in democratic elections. Although he reserves the right to dismiss any one of them for any reason. The Shogun grants permission for merchant ships to be armed with military caliber weapons.

1880 - Trade and international cooperation flourish as the Shogun with the new Emperor Mutsuhito encourage the people to reach out and expand economically. As under the former Hirogeru policy, the new Shogun seeks advantageous deals and is looking to expand its GPD even more so. The capital is moved to Tokyo and construction of the Imperial Palace and government buildings begin. Military build up begins by creating a new draft system.

1885 - Military reforms see new ships and weapons being built everyday as the Shogun travels across the country, leading by example, and meeting his people, and listening to advice to improve the military. Like the rest of Asia, Japan was modern. But the ambitious goal of the Shogunate, was to be the best. Shogun mandates all government owned ships be armed.

1887 - To meet growing demands from the population, the Marina Islands are seized to help provide a home and resources for Japan. This also acts as a show of power to both the world, and the Imperial Court by the Shogun.

1889 - The Imperial Palace is finished. Shogun mandated military buildup is nearly complete.

1890 - The Emperor expresses his intent to get more involved in politics, and now is able to attend more meetings than before, but is kept on a tight leash and tends not to speak. The Empire is moving towards full military readiness as the nation attempts to build up its fleet in preparation of motives unknown to all but the Shogun and his closest advisors, but rumor has it the nation has intentions westward.


RP Sample: 1912-1990 Era War
1912-1990 Era War
Earth II
The Great Restoration
1935-2000 Era War 4:New Beginnings

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[Oscalantine]

tag

[Tracian Empire]

Alright, we'll try to review the apps as soon as possible. And people shouldn't forget about the tentative one week limit for apps - so for those who'd like to join but don't have where to, regions might become free in the near future.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Alright, we'll try to review the apps as soon as possible. And people shouldn't forget about the tentative one week limit for apps - so for those who'd like to join but don't have where to, regions might become free in the near future.

I will lurk a bit for this to happen...

[Tracian Empire]

Full Nation Name : Βασιλεία των Ευθυδημιδών (Empire of the Euthydemids) [Official Name]/ Ινδία (India) [Unofficial common name]

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Accepted!

[Theyra]

Reservation

Nation Name: Parthian Empire
Territory: Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait
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[Tracian Empire]

Reservation

Nation Name: Parthian Empire
Territory: Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait
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*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting and removing reservations.

Reservation accepted!