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Aspie

Second Lieutenant
110 Badges
Apr 23, 2008
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This AAR cannot be continued, as I lost the save game.


Now then, lets try this thing. I'm playing on a slightly modded version of Victoria 2. Here are roughly the things modded:
- Pops: Craftsmen have one tenth of their usual demand. Changed around pop promotion for most pops. Changed issue and ideology factors for many pops depending on situation. Overally Craftsmen and Labourers are more likely to demand planned and state capitalism, especially when if they have large unemployment. Most upper class/middle class pops more likely to go liberal/laissez faire.
- Increased maximum taxation for Laissez faire, and reduced minimum taxation for State Capitalists and Planned Economies.
- Using this mod
- Numerous other small tweaks that will have little/no influence on this AAR.

This AAR will start in 1888, when communist revolutions have broken out in several countries (among other Great Britain, North German Federation, Transylvania and Serbia). Including Russia, the country I've been playing as. Warning: May contain smallish portions of poor humour.


Timeline (humourless):
- Russia begins industrialising.

- Russia starts minor political reforms, becoming a slightly less authorative form of monarchy.

- Russia and Austria wages war. After a prolonged war, Russia emerges as the victor securing the Ukrainian dominated Galician states. Austria descends into civil war, and is split into many states. Only Austria itself and eastern hungary remains in the Austrian "empire".

- Russia become very interested in the Balkans, wages wars on the Ottoman Empire to "liberate" the slavs. Greece and Serbia is controlled from St. Petersburg and their economies brought under the russian.

- The Tsar institutes several policies to assimilate more of the population into Russian. Due to this policy, there are several revolts in Ukraine and the Caucasus throughout the years.

- Socialism appears. No one takes much notice.

- With Russian aid the map of the Balkans is redrawn. Bulgaria, Albania, Transylvania and Romania appears on the map. Serbia and Greece grows greatly in size. Only the war torn and militantly Liberal Bosnia-Herzegovina state remains under Ottoman control. Iraq later breaks off, and the Ottomans are thrown into several civil wars against both militant liberals and reactionaries. Balkan economies tied to the Russian. Albania only one who liberated themselves, but the Tsar soon bribes most ministers in Albania.

-Constitution amended over a period of time to give full voting rights, but gerrymandering and limited freedom of speech. Upper house consists entirely of ruling party, and trade unions are banned.

- Russia is recognised as the number one nation in the world, primarily due to large military and industrial sector.

- The liberal westerniser wins the election. Several industrial districts previously safeguarded through subsidies due to strategic advantage collapses. Unemployment runs rampant in the previously most industrialised states of Moscow and Bryansk. Demand for social reforms increases drastically over coming years. The United Kingdom have rapid economic growth, and Russia loses their lead. Russia is now considered the second greatest country in the world.

- Large uprising of Reactionary Rebels and Ukrainian Nationalists. Russian government increases administration funding to counter rebel threats. The conservative Slavophiles are put in power by the Tsar.

- Global economy stagnates due to overproduction. Supply greatly exceeds demand for most goods. Poverty among working class and small time manufacturers increases.

- The previously largely ignored Socialists split into revolutionary and reformist factions. The revolutionaries are immediately banned by the Tsar like the militant liberals, while the reformists are kept an eye on.

- The recession increases number of socialists worldwide, and unheeded demand for social reforms makes the labour movement much more militant.

- Russia adopts a proffessional secret service to crack down on rebel groups.

- Russian communists grows increasingly militant, and the Socialdemocratic Party developes into a vanguard party. Divide between socialists and communists near breaking point.

- Communist revolutionaries rise up in several european countries due in part to the worldwide recession, including the United Kingdom, the North German Federation, Serbia and Transylvania.

- Support for the Socialdemocratic Party and the Red Guards rises greatly.

-Russian Secret Service estimates that 3.5 million of the 40 million Russians in the workforce are members of the militant Red Guards. The vast majority are small scale manufacturers, miners and unemployed factory workers. The other threats are minor, with a relatively small membership. The two largest are the militant liberals (100.000-110.000) and the reactionaries (120.000-150.000). Altogether they would outnumber the Tsarist standing army 4.5 to 1 if they all rose up.

- October 1888, the Worker's Republic of Siebenbürgen/Transylvania is declared, after the capital falls to the Communist forces.

- November 1888: Inspired by their comrades in Transylvania many local cells of the Red Guards rise up. St. Petersburg has no current garrison, but local military forces are nearby. The Socialdemocratic Party's Politbureau have yet to issue the order for the remaining Red Guard cells to rise up. The Russian Revolution has started. The Secret Service estimates that one third of the Red Guard has shown themselves. The other rebel groups have yet to react.

Map of Russia (plus the rest)
V2_MAP_RUS_18881110_1.jpg

Note that the black areas in Russia are not uncivilized areas outside of the Tsar's domain, they are just on vacation.
 
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Sounds very interesting, wonder how the Russian Revolution goes. What's the USA's rank? Seems like they hadn't done anything, considering that both Washington and all of Mexican colonies are intact.
 
October 1888:

St. Petersburg:
The Tsar and a small group of loyal retainers sneaked out of St. Petersburg quietly. Of course, if his small group of loyal retained hadn't included three hunting dogs, two chefs, three yes-men, his wife, two of their three children (the last one who had been very naughty, and had thus been left for the Reds), a dozen servants, five bodyguards (although together they were the size of seven men and the brains of three), the Minister of Importing Luxury Goods, the Minister of Keeping the Peasants and Other Assorted Poor People in Line and the Minister of the Most Definitely Not Secret Police they might have actually slipped through unnoticed.

"Just where in God's name are you taking me? And what is going on?" the tsar asked the Minister of the Most Definitely Not Secret Police.
"We are going to the Early Spring Palace, your majesty."
"You didn't answer my first question!"
"Well, you'r majesty, the Russian vassalage of Transylvania recently succumbed to rebels."
"So? It's not like the first time one of the balkans break. Let's just make a deal with the new President or King or whatever the new guy calls himself."
"I'm afraid it's not reactionary, pan-nationalists, peasants demanding less slavery or militant liberals who have taken power this time, your majesty. It's the communists."
"But so? Why are we fleeing from the capital instead of invading the place and setting things right?"
"Well, your majesty, have you read the latest intelligence reports?"
"No I haven't got the time, between flogging servants, posing for the Times and gradually removing the political reforms that are keeping Mother Russia back."
"Well, the Red Guard of Russia have grown... significantly in size the last months. Ever since the Brits let it slip that their Reds had taken arms. Why can't they be like sensible governments and censor everything slightly critical regime? But I digress. Anyway we estimate around 3.5 million of our workforce are members of the Red Guard. That would be slightly less than one in ten of the population."
"Well, wouldn't that mean we got nine in ten backing us?"
"No, your majesty. Because those 10% against you are armed."
"It was easier for my father you know. The only rebels he had to worry about were capitalists who were too poor to buy food and didn't own anything, who rebelled because they didn't like being classified as Rich despite being some of the poorest in the country."

V2_2.jpg

Two weeks later 6000 angry, poor and slightly drunk reds would be dissapointed to not find the Tsar in the immediate vicinity.


Balkans:
V2_1.jpg

Red flags are hoisted from all governmental and loyal red houses, apartments, ghettoes and slums. Of course, due to the recession most of the "red flags" were somewhat off colour. Or an entirely different colour. Or several different colours. Come to think of it, most of them weren't as much "flags" as "trousers".

On the top of the previous Royal Palace (recently renamed Worker's Central Council, Planning Centre & Pub) Chairman Attila Varga of the Worker's Republic of Siebenbürgen/Transylvania held a speech to the assembled revolutionaries, brawlers, students, drunks and the odd monarchist who knew when to keep his mouth shut. Attila wasn't really much of a speaker, but he was a hell of a shouter.
"Comrades! The Worker's Republic of Siebenbürgen/Transylvania will be just the first Socialist country. We have instigated a world fire! The Old Order will collapse! Our comrades in Britain, Germany, Serbia and more have also rose up against the parasitic exploiters. Even our Comrades in our age long oppressor of Russia are readying themselves This is our final struggle. This day marks the start of the beginning of the end all oppression, of all exploitation. Now let's get the rest of these nobs and richies."
Cheers were heard from the crowd and some random gunshots, quickly followed by some good thrashing.
When the overstocked Royal Liquor Storage was uncovered thirty minutes later, and there were a general agreement that the Revolution could probably wait a day. Needless to say, there were much rejoicing.
V2_3.jpg
 
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A look on the population and some actual gameplay:


Excerpt from Office of the Ministry of Most Definitely Not Secret Police to the Tsar and Autocrat of All The Russias (including the big one, the little one and white one)

To the Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias. While we previously assumed that this could be dealt with like any other peasant rebellion, our spies have uncovered grave information regarding the nature of this rebellion.

Demographic trouble:
Our top artists have made paintings and charts representing the information we have received.

V2_5.jpg

The intellectuals openly support the Red, although they have not taken to arms yet. I for one support a culling of those damned dirty commies. But that is not all.

V2_6.jpg

Even your police, tax collectors and assorted paper pushers have significant Red sympathies. As with the intellectuals, they haven't joined the Red guards... yet. I think a culling is on order here as well.


V2_4.jpg

V2_2-1.jpg

Among the lower classes, socialists have largest support among the rural population, followed by factory workers. Reports from our mines say that the miners die to quickly in the coal, iron and so forth mines to have a chance to complain. A light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.


Internal policy:
V2_9.jpg

Tsar, this is a much simplified (and easy to look at, not to mention colourful, but I digress) of our constitution, as well as the decisions that the Bureaucrats have already prepared for you to sign (although judging by their red loyalties, doing anything put culling about half of them could result in disaster).


V2_7.jpg

Our top economists have made this chart representing the current industrial situation of the Motherland. The Moscow and Bryansk regions are the most heavily industrialised, and our coffers are getting full from the production of these goods. The large number of unemployed craftsmen and clerks can develop into an extremely dangerous situation. As soon as this tiny security matter have been resolved, I suggest either instituting unemployment subsidies or raise taxes sufficiently for them to starve to death instead of simply living in extreme, but survivable, poverty.

V2_8.jpg

Here is a graphical representation of our budget situation. As you can clearly see, the country's economy is going Great. Just because the lower and middle have a large percentage of people living in poverty shouldn't affect the rest of us. The Russian National bank is one of the largest in the world, sadly few countries tries to borrow from us.

Our largest expenditure is industrial subsidies, due to the private sector's amazing diligence in not building factories that go in surplus. Cutting subsidies could be disastrous.

Our education and administration funding remains somewhat high, but from their Red sympathies we have spoiled them. I suggest a massive pay cut, to teach those bastards a lesson. Judging from our slow struggle against analfabetism, the intellectuals really need to learn how to give lessons.


Foreign intel:
The United Kingdom have managed to crush the red rebels, and I have made the foreign office send a congratulation to the British monarch. Sadly it turned out half of the foreign ministry were Reds, so we had to send most of them to Siberia on our correction facilities.

However, intel reports that the United States have a large red rebellion on their hands. Our reports indicate that is is primarily the northern american states (the industrial ones) who have rebelled. Mexico also have significant red rebels, as most of the north have already fallen. Roughly 3000 reds have risen up in Alaska, but our garrison there remains loyal and should be able to crush these ungrateful peasants.

Athens and Beograd have also fallen to the Reds, following in the footsteps on the Transylvanian government. The balkans are incredibly incompetent in dealing with these rebels, reports indicate that it was just 3000 untrained civilians who seized Athens.

The situation in the North German Federation remains grim for them and good for us, as the Commies there have seized roughly half of the territory. Various small nationalist groups have also risen, and some of the southern states have broken off in addition to the Czech territory of Bohemia-Moravia.
V2_1-3.jpg



In short, my tsar, it seems we might be done for. That and those damn public servants are all dirty red scum.



Tsarist propaganda pamphlet, distributed in St. Petersburg:

Loyal subjects the Tsar, the Russian Empire and our Lord God! The Reds have shown their true nature, and have taken to arms against our beloved Tsar. In Ukraine, they are burning women and raping crops! Even in our Glorious Capital dirty red scum rose up.

V2_2-3.jpg

V2_5-2.jpg

But luckily for us all, the Army came to our rescue. Who can imagine what terrible horrors the reds would have inflicted on us. In Germany, they are burnings crops and in Alaska they are burning gold from the Mines! In germany, they are burning churches and leading the subjects of the Kaiser into moral depravity. We must not let this happen to Russia!

The communists spread lies of social equality, sharing of wealth and social reforms. These are utopian dreams, who would lead Russian into moral decay and economical collapse! Only through the wisdom of our glorious Tsar can Russia be saved from the economic recession.

Statistic indicate that one in ten people are a member of the Red Guards, intent on destroying all in their path. Keep and eye on your family, neighbour and coworkers. If any of them show signs of being a Red, you have a duty to report this immediately! Only together can we crush the red menace!

Lies have been spread that in the Russian Vassalage of Transylvania the Reds have succeeded in overthrowing the Rightful Government. This is lies spread by the communists. There are no red government anywhere. And if there were, it would not happen in a Dominion of the Tsardom. Reports of rebels in Serbia and Greece are also lies. The balkans are perfectly stable.

I urge you all to lock your doors, and wait for this to blow over. Through the invincible armies of the Empire, the wisdom of the Tsar and the Grace of God will Russia succeed in crushing the rebel scum.
 
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Sounds very interesting, wonder how the Russian Revolution goes. What's the USA's rank? Seems like they hadn't done anything, considering that both Washington and all of Mexican colonies are intact.
Their rank is pretty high actually, with an industrial score of 1000 and a pretty large military. Currently they are number 4, while the UK is number 1, I'm number 2 and France number three. It just doesn't seem like the american AI is that interested in Mexico.
 
Wow, that's a nice and fairly plausible alternate history, and it looks like things are going to get even more fun going forward... Forward, comrades, and overthrow the- *is disppeared by Tsarist secret police* :D
 
Issue #2424 of Patriot's Russia (official newspaper)

V2_1-2.jpg


The Tsar, in his wisdom, have thrown out the weakminded Slavophiles in the wake of the current situation. In their place the deeply patriotic Panslavists have taken over the day-to-day administration of Fair Russia. This act are celebrated by all patriotic and loyal Russians, and all major parties support this act. Official statements from the traitorous scum in the Social Democratic Party says that they strongly disapprove of this act, citing some mumbojumbo about "human rights" and "reactionary devils". They obviously only disapprove of this because the Panslavic Party is representing all that is fair about our great nation like religious devotion, love of the Tsar, patriotism and crushing any form of dissent. The Social Democratic on the other hand is out to destroy the Russian way of life, terrorise the honest folk and slaughter the elite, who have gotten there through hard work and deep devotion.


V2_4-1.jpg


In other news the Upper Chamber have voted 100% to remove excess political reforms and to work against any social reforms who would weaken our glorious nation. The Upper Chamber have decided this without any form of coercion. The Tsar himself says that he supports this decision made by the Upper Chamber, and that this proves that Russia is on it's way to restore traditional values who have been lost in liberalisation. The Upper Chamber have yet to remove the decadent political reforms.
The Panslavic Party issued a statement saying "Voting rights for the peasantry was a plot by the Communists, who through their slippery silver tongues managed to convince the previous Tsar of this. The peasants are not prepared for the immense burden of political choice, and we promise to remove this burden from their shoulders once this minor insurrection have been dealt with. Allowing even state controlled trade unions was also a communist plot, having weakened our economic efficiency greatly and tricked people into supporting their evil socialist reforms. Once again shall the employer be free from the burden of the unions, and all the peoples will benefit from this."
Patriotic subjects of the Tsar everywhere supports this decision, and hopes for more of these sensible solutions from the Panslavic Party.


V2_3-1.jpg


Due to the discovery that 80% of public workers have been revealed to be dirty red scum the Panslavic Party with the full support of the Tsar, the Upper Chamber and all true patriots, have drastically cut their salaries. Instead, the Soldiers and Officers who defends us from all evils have gotten increased salaries and the army are now fully supplies. Extraordinary taxes have also been issued on all social stratas, showing that we should pull together in the face of the Red Threat. These taxes will naturally be removed once the crisis is over and was only issued due to the crisis, proving once again that the Reds ruins everyones lives.


V2_8-1.jpg


Officials from Poland, who we think secretly funds the Social Democratic Party and burn churches in their spare time, have demanded that road signs be written in Polish. This is obviously a communist plot to spread confusion among the Russian soldiers in Poland, and the Panslavic Party under the guidance of the Tsar denied this request.
The majority of the Polish people, happy under Russian vassalage, did not support this and there are no opposition to Russian rule in Poland. Only in a few isolated towns have there been any problems but the glorious Russian army have dealt with these unpatriotic scum. There are absolutely no problems in Poland.


V2_9-1.jpg


A delegation from the various guilds and other manufactury organisations proposed to the Tsar that we should host a Regional Trade Fair, as Russia have done several times in the past to the benefit of our neighbours. The Tsar said that the needs of the people, who have been put under severe strain due to the Communists, comes before the manufacturing industries and thus declined. Rumours that this decision decreased Russia in the eyes of the rest of the world are false. Russia is seen by all people as the world's leading nation in all areas including economically, culturally, politcally and militarily.


V2_7-1.jpg


In Latvia the Russian forces, with assistance from local patriots supportive of the Tsar, have crushed most of the Red forces. The remaining Red forces, who have slaughtered isolated farmsteads, burned churches and harassed all people not a part of their evil schemes, will be crushed in due time. Latvia will only be the first Russian area to be free from the Red menace. Spontanous celebrations by the Latvian people in support of the Tsar occured in Riga, and statistic indicate that 99% of the Latvians love the Tsar and would give their lives for the Tsardom.


V2_6-1.jpg


Russian forces are being moved westwards from the Urals. The Siberians and the people's around the Urals love the Tsar and only a minor fraction have risen up to destroy our way of life. The army are fighting for our lives, and we should thank these gallant men in any way we can. The Tsar have given us a way to do this. All true Patriots are asked to deliver what food they can to the Russian soldiers on the march. The Orthodox Church have said that any man who does this, are forgiven of all sins. Giving a tiny bit of your food to our glorious armed forces can guarantee you a place besides the Holy Father.


V2_5-1.jpg


In caucasia there have been somewhat less minor uprisings from the dirty reds than anywhere else. Our armed forces naturally have no problems in putting them down like the dogs they are, but the government have issued a proclamation that travelling to the Caucasus area is not advisable.

In foreign news, there are no red uprisings in the rest of the world. Only Russia suffers from this problem, and we will overcome it with the aid of the Tsar. Rumours of a communist government in Siebenbürgen/Transylvania, the Russian vassalage, is entirely fictious. The Transylvanians love the tsar, and would never think of going against him just like we True Russians would never rise up against him (except the unpatriotic scum, who deserves our eternal scorn and a bullet). There are no breakaway "republics" in germany, our good friend the Kaiser is having no problems at all in maintaining the order. And there most certainly are not revolutionaries in Greece, Serbia the Unite States of America, Mexico and so on. These non-existant revolutionaries could certainly not win decisive victories, and will certain fail. If they had existed (and they don't).

In the wake of the insurrection we have been asked kindly, and certainly with no coercion, by the Tsar to tell you how to spot the reds. If any person you know fits this description, you are duty bound as a true patriot to report him/her (the reds even tolerate weakwilled women among their ranks).

The stereotypical communist is naturally evil and hellbent to overthrow our just Tsar and destroy our natural way of life. However, many communists and socialists hide their true agenda behind fancy words. If a person you know talks of social equality, atheism, planned economy and the evils of capitalist production... They may be a communist! Any person who speaks of these things are to be immediately reported to your nearest offical from the Ministry of Most Definitely Not Secret Police.
 
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*Judas Maccabeus - mhm, it seems like the economy might be a little to set on a recession in mid game, but it is always fun with a challenge.

*OutsiderSubtype - Of course, they seem to be everywhere it seems like people prefer to join the Communist Rebels instead of anarcho-liberal and reactionary ones. Might be because I have issued no social reforms. The burning of gold from our Alaskan mines are particularly clever (I mean Evil), and it will lead to deflation! :eek: