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Consecutiveness

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:rofl:



Thanks for all the views, now where are all the comments? :D
 
Uh nice cliffhanger! Like the narrative, like the Story, onto power Wallonia!

Question tough: Don't you fear the fate of the Spanish? Fighting without the UK would be suicidal against Russia, fighting with it means they take control of the war, being unlikely to hand you what you demanded and leaving you humiliated in the eyes of the world and your people (Prestige lost for failing to meet wargoals).
 
My money is on the Lion. The bear is way overburdened by his landmass.
 
been reading since the beginning, in our multiplayer game we have a Belgium and i must say it is one interesting country to play, especially when its got larger nations aiding it. I wish you luck and pray not to many Belgians will be lost in this war against the Imperialistic Tsar!
 
Thanks for all the views, now where are all the comments? :D

long-time lurker, first-time poster :)
My only comment is - fantastic AAR! This was a big help in helping me decide to get the game. Keep on postin'!
 
I'm sure that the Lion will emerge triumphant.
 
Mmm.... positive feedback... :)

I'm not sure how deserved it is, but it is appreciated. Shall be writing up the next episode soon.

Question tough: Don't you fear the fate of the Spanish?

It's was a possibility ofcourse, but Anglo-Belgian relations were much better than Russo-Spaniard so I hoped that would count for me, not to mention I'm a player rather than an AI so that might also help. I have to admit though, the war wasn't quite as I had expected.
 
you asked for a comment so im commenting... good job? THIS IS WHY I DONT COMMENT ;_;
 
Previous Epsiode: Chapter Ten: Locomotion


Chapter 11: The Lion versus the Bear

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OOC Note: Photoshopping this up is why this has taken longer to put up than I thought(I'm not very good)


The Kingdom of Belgium is a bastion of personal liberty, academic freedom and industrial progress and it has been repeatedly, repeatedly insulted by the autocrat of Russia. In that land the ordinary man is little better than a slave, he toils not for the good of himself and his family and the betterment of his people, but for the personal wealth of the Emperor and his family. To even think of questioning this state of affairs is to bring blood and torment down upon your entire community. Take a moment to think that there, but for the grace of God, your own self endures.

It is regretably not for us to put an end to the suffering of the Rus people, as somewhat civilised men it is their own affair how and by whom they are ruled. Take heart though that no ruler, no matter how powerful, can withstand the hatred of his people. However the Russian
Imperator seeks not only to abuse his own peoples, but to extend his tyranny over the simple peoples in the asiatic and India, peoples over whom we have sworn protection and promised the freedoms of proper civilisation. Worse, once we had established there, he was still not deterred and I return to the insults I spoke of earlier. Border raids, abductions, espionage, false imprisonment and murder, these are the actions of our Russian neighbour in India and they CANNOT be tolerated by any good man.

Therefore from this moment, there exists a state of war between the Kingdom of Belgium and the Russian Empire. We will free the people of North West India, we will satisfy the insult given to free men everywhere and we will make the autocrat in St. Petersburg tremble. We invite all like minded nations join our cause and ask those who pledged themselves to the defense of the Belgian people to make good on their word.

May God grant us success,
Léopold, King of the Belgians


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The United Kingdom immediately joins our cause as expected, it is unfortunate that Sweden and Denmark do not share in the enthusiasm, I understand that Russia is powerful, but we do have the backing of the most powerful nation on the Earth. However things are much the same for Russia, the leaders of Spain, remembering their ill-fated ottoman campaign have refused their support to the Russians. I imagine Nicholas of Russia is regretting his selfish ways now, Spain may have proved a valuable distraction to the British Royal Navy. More surprising is that Serbia, surrounded by Ottomans and Austrians have thrown away the backing of their 'benefactor' and that the tiny city-state of Krakow have honored it.


The first action in the war sees newly promoted general Léopold David, a brilliant if unorthodox leader, take charge of the Expeditionary Reserve army, recently raised from volunteers in Sindh

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It will take some time for this army to reach full readyness, but it's job will not be to seek pitched combat unless absolutely nessecary, our plan is so;

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The reserve will head into the province of Kalat and begin pushing the Russian garrisons out, meanwhile the original expeditionary army, still commanded by Wangermée, will head North to search for the Russian armies. Engage if they can win, otherwise observe.

Only three days after the declaration of war serviceable docks and shipyards are completed and opened in Bela;

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In the next few weeks there are no reports of note, the Expeditionary Force continue to looks for Russian armies, the reserve makes progress in taking control of Kalat and the General Staff began an expansion of their ranks. With the larger number of armies being fielded we are in need of new and skilled commanders to lead them. Although personally I think our slight rush has lead to a few making it a bit too soon as many of these men, while pleasant enough people, lack somewhat in the competancies department. Still, better than some junior officer I suppose.

In May there is a stir among our academics;

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(OOC Note: I'm pretty sure this event is only supposed to be open to great powers, and while my new generals have raised my score
(total is just 1 point more than Ottoman Empire) enough to get into 8th place, I'm not a GP just yet so this seems a bit odd. Not that I mind though.)

Bethel is, last I knew, a province in Alaska and not one of the rich Island chains near British Columbia but part of the harsher, snow blanketed northern part. I am aware that there are vast tracts of forest there but I would not have thought there was a vast "cornucopia of biological diversity", still our experts assure us there is something worthy there so I am happy to sponsor the expedition. It should be relatively safe as Alaska is vast and the imperial presense comparatively small, and if it prooves a distraction to the Russians, so much the better, especially if we come out of it with something good.

By the 19th the Russian presense has finally been spotted;

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Wangermée's army has suffered much from attrition in this hot and mountainous land so he declines to engage, the Russians looks like they are not going anwhere but are content to await possible reinforcements, so instead he decides to split up and take control of the rest of the Baluchistan region;

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In a few short months this land will be under our control, as long as the Russians are content to muck about in the north.

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There is some great news in June, by the 4th the British primary fleet is "camped" outside St. Petersburg;

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The entire Russian navy is trapped in St Petersburg and if there merchants want to do their business they will have to either risk the freezing stormy White sea, and even then they've got a job transporting the supplies south. Naval reports also show large gatherings of Russian troops. Interestingly though, none of them seem to be heading east.

On June 17th the Natali brigades have been raised;

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Bolstered by a division of Dethier's experienced cavalry they will soon be sailing North to Karachi. With these troops we should be able to handle the Russian army sitting in Balkh should they decide to stick their nose in. The remaining division being raised will reinforce Dethier's guard incase of any unexpected occurances.

About 10 days later the British divisions are have made their prescense noted;

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Passing through Kashmir the divisions are pouring down the Indus river valley occupying the Peshawar region. That is not all though, is less than a week yet more British troops are pouring into the fight;

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50,000 Redcoats, every one outfitted with the latest in military equipment and training and drilled by men like this;
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That'll give the Russians something to think about.

A further two weeks later and the armies present the war council with some good news;

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We've taken control of Kalat, the principle province of Baluchistan. Our first triumph over the Russians, soon the rest of the provinces topple

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Quetta falls on the 28th

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Followed about a week later by Dalbandin, and with that Baluchistan is wrested from Russian tyranny. The war is not over yet however, we may control the area but Russia must be forced to recognise that fact.

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- A free Baluchi sheep herder from the Nel valley, central Kalat

Around three weeks later and the British armies are still passing through, there has been no retreat back and no sign of any advancing Russians so they must be having some success in the north. It is decided we shall begin our own advance in support of their efforts;

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By October there is news from europe, it seems Switzerland and Prussia are having some sort of territorial discussion. Interesting to some I suppose but it means nothing to me.

What does mean something to me is the news recieved on the 18th;

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We begin taking our fight to the Russian


Next Episode: Chapter Twelve: Tooth and Claw
 
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War against Russia? You're crazy! :eek:

Crazy like a fox! :D

I'll be following this as much as time and cursed work/school obligations permit me. Great work so far - an early colonial expansion coupled with a robust industrial development. Good things in the future - just, eh, try not to colonise the Congo. That'd be messy. >.>

Also, regarding the Bethel expedition:

“Every morning when Alaskans wake up, one of the first things they do is look outside to see if there are any Belgians hanging around. If they are, you gotta ask them, ‘What are you doing here?’ If they can’t give you a good reason it’s our responsibility to say, ‘Shoo, get back over there.’” :D
 
Belgium vs Russia, what a struggle !
The Russians will soon understand why Julius Caesar once wrote that the Belgians were the bravest of all (Gauls). :cool:
 
Everyone likes Walloons: Chapter 12

Previous Episode: Chapter Eleven: The Lion Versus the Bear

Chapter 12: Tooth and Claw

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Our war is going well so far, we have taken control of our objectives and it just remains to force the Russians to concede. To further that objective our forces are advancing north in support of the British. The first days of november provides a minor distraction in our endeavour however;

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It seems the tiny nation of Kutch to our south has been overrun by some sort of rebel movement claiming to represent the unity of all peoples of the Indian continent. As Sindh contains such peoples they have foolishly invaded our protectorate. Luckily the Natali Expedition is less than a week from landing;

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And when it does the rebels are destroyed, even the man leading the rabble Jivraj Baro is brought in, charged and hanged. With that minor fight out of the way de Stassart swings his army North where they will soon be needed;

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Early in December the British have engaged the Russians in Balkh, as they are outnumbered we are itching to come in and even the score. Our forces do not make it in time to assist in that fight however as the Russians, despite inflicting a terrible toll on the British army, break off and retreat;

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It is a testament to the British army and it's leaders that they have come out of this with a victory and with their remaining men in good order, especially as many of these troops are raised from colonial rather than domestic volunteers. The British have also engaged an Army all the way from Krakow, the tiny city-state is loyal indeed to the autocrat of Russia it seems. Speaking of loyalty to Russa, did you know Krakow, Russia's staunchest ally, is ruled by liberals?

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Bearing that in mind the first news of 1848, the reformation of the Senate, looks extremely suspicious;

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Liberals continue to make gain after gain. Just what is their game? I suppose their lack of national pride and their "Laissez-faire"(translation: "Personal Profit") attitude makes them the easiest target for the Tsar's influence. There will plenty of time to deal with this later however for now we have more developments.

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Prussia and Austria's second war has ended and Prussia once again comes out of it victorious and larger. It is Austria that actually suffers territorially, rather than one of it's allies. Perhaps that will put Austria off starting any more wars, it is obvious to the rest of the world that Prussia is the true master of the Germanic nations.

Soon after this, news from the front. One of our armies joins the British divisions taking on the retreating Russians;

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de Stassart's Army has lost a significant number of men to desertion and attrition in this hot and hostile land but is backed up several british divisions totalling around thirty thousand men, giving our army a significant advantage in numbers for this battle. The Russians quickly break in early February but once charge a terrific price for the victory;

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Even accounting for the difficulty in getting supplies in enemy territory, the unusual climate and other measures of attrition, the casulties seem overly high. Either the British leader here is a particularly bad one, or the Russian a particularly good one. Though if some good besides the victory can be found, it is that atleast that our own forces received very little of the losses.

There is better news though, we have taken control of some of former Afghanistan and the British have completed taking the Peshawar region;

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And by February 19th, Wangermée's forces have taken control of the rest of Southern Afghanistan, freeing them for the fight.

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They cannot come too soon though, as only two days later de Stassart and some of the British divisions chasing the Russian have caught them up, aswell as some more men from Krakow. This is the first time our people have ever fought such a campaign, until now we've been fighting either defensivly in familiar terrain or fighting people who still think a rifle is an instrument of black magic. Our men are good and brave, but their inexperience is starting to show.

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This fight provides another victory however, and thankfully at much less a cost;

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Once again the Russians break off from the fight, after giving better than they got but it's clear our people are learning. The margin is much reduced. The British and de Stassart give chase.

There is more good news as march arrives, on the 4th the world explodes. Britain announces that it intends to take control of Peshawar and Britain has many friends;

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(OOC Note: After Britain added a war goal and called in it's allies, my screen was litterally FLOODED with messages, OKing the flood I lost the original announcement so I took this shot instead)

Among those friends, aswell as the Princely States of India are Portugal, and the Netherlands, where Russia had been trying to find a new ally. And of very interesting of course, Spain. Emperor Nicholas must be kicking himself now, I wish I could be in the room when he receives the news. It would be quite a sight. I'd also like to see what he says when he hears about this;

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The British troops in Canada are taking control of Russia's North American colony of Alaska. I wonder if they'll end up in Bethel and meet our expedition.

On March the 13th I am distracted from the matters of the war by pleasant domestic developments;

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Our studies into the medical sciences have lead to several new methods and techniques, many of which can applied in the field to assist our soldiers. We have also began building a proper medical establishment with the Royal Medical Association, to regulate Doctoring and take over the furthering of that field.

If our experiences in the field however have taught us anything, it is that primarily our army needs to see much improvement

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Without the help of the British, it is quite likely this war would not have gone aswell as it has. It is my wish that one day Belgium and her small army can stand alone against vast hordes such as the Russians and come out victorious. To that end we begin.

On April the 1st, a year since we began our campaign our forces, aswell as those of the British we've been fighting with, once again close on the Russian army.

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They have already been engaged by a British force that has been occupying some more of the russian colonies in the area and we are happy to bring reinforcements. The Russians don't stick around much longer after that;

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Just one day later and we aquire yet another victory and one that finally goes entirely our way, constant defeat is certainly taking the bite out of the bear. Unfortunately de Stassarts army is approaching breaking point and Wangermée has yet to catch up so we do not follow the British into Kyzil Arvat, and stay behind to occupy Ashkhabad.

The fighting moves to Kyzil Arvat, and the russians have brought reinforcements enough to equal the British numbers, but by May Wangermée is just days away with nearly nine thousand Belgian reinforcements. It seems however that the situatuion is not as intense as it first seemed, on May the 4th the Russian are routed and it seems that Nicholas has finally had enough;

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Facing the wrath of half of Europe, the hordes of the Princely states, his ports blockaded, his colonies occupied and his armies unable to secure a single victory the Tsar has given up any hope of winning and met all our demands. I have never had so much wine. Incidently in a move to further stick it to the russians, the treaty formalising our victory is to be signed in Bilbao, Spain.

I have to say the new atlases are going to look aesthetically pleasing and very satisfying. It's just a shame though that Russia caved before we could think of restoring the nation of Afghanistan;

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The Baluchi people are now freed from Russian autocracy and the inhabitants of Bela can be reunited with their brethren in our newly established protectorate;

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- Flag of the Belgian Protectorate of Baluchistan

Our foreign office has also been flooding with messages, mostly congratulatory but a significant number seek to establish better and more direct relations, it seems our triumph over the Russian Empire has caused the world to look at us in a new light. I can see a seat with our name on it taking a place at the table of power;

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(OOC Note: I have Gonji's Music Add-On and mere seconds after this message Land of Hope and Glory played. Which was well cool : )


The World: May 1848


Next Episode: Chapter Thirteen: The Calm Before
 
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Nice victory.
I wonder for how long the British will protect the growing Belgian empire.
 
excellent! how amazing that the lion defeated the giant bear :)
 
Congratulations indeed! What does this mean for your markets though? You dropped out of the UKs sphere you dont have privaliged access to their markets and vice-versa, no?