Onze Plaats in de Zon: The Rise of Frederik de Grote (van Holland)

[FlyingDutchie]

War between revolutionary Spain and Hejaz? The good ol' Paradox weirdness is finally kicking in, after a quite historical game . I find trying to cover such things to be one of the hardest things while writing an AAR (a CK game with the king of Léon being king of Ireland too, in 1080!).

As for which part of Spain to go for: my choice would either be (a part of) the Philippines or Puerto Rico. Keeping your colonies somewhat grouped makesthem easier to govern and defend.

[Tanzhang (譚張)]

FlyingDutchie: Not entirely historical... It seems Nappy the Third hasn't given up on his grand plan for the Americas in this timeline...


As for the colonies, taking Puerto Rico is a hell of a lot of BB for just one (rather unimportant) island. At least there be iron in Mindanao.

[Enewald]

A comet has been sighted!
The end is nigh!

[Tanzhang (譚張)]

A comet has been sighted!
The end is nigh!

What is this, the middle ages? (or maybe EUIII?)

[Enewald]

What is this, the middle ages? (or maybe EUIII?)

Ignore this peasant rabble and update!

[Bonecracker(NL)]

http://img441.imageshack.us/i/warninglabelr.jpg/

The direct input didn't work. Great part again, with another bloody ending.

[Communitarian!]

Bonecracker - don't be modest, that one is worth at least 2000 words!

Tanzhang - Whaaaa? How is it that the AI always finds the least likely invasion route and then just kinda chucks it's forces over there? It doesn't seem to be one worth editing out, but then again... When the USCA attacked east asia (again!) in Letters, I just decided to let the chips fall. My logic with Carlist Spain having cores on all of it's pacific possessions is that it would have a stronger desire to enforce its claims, ala the Estado Neuvo of Portugal. I also think the Carlists would have some claims north of the Pyrenes, but that's another discussion entirely. Anyway, switching it to an absolute monarchy'd probably work fine! And as for Hedjaz, free people is your best option. Er, assuming we're all right and they don't pull a surprise victory out of nowhere.

[Alexspeed]

Tanzhang I hope i didnt anger you so much with my delay in the end of the contest, that you now refuse to update further?

[Tanzhang (譚張)]

Bonecracker: Indeed. It's always nice when people take the time to make custom graphics.

Communitarian: Like FlyingDutchie said, blame Paradox! Estado Novo is a good argument, but this is Carlos VII not Salazar (Estado Novo refers to Salazar's colonial policy, right?). Considering the state of teh Hedjaz Armed Forces (read Non existent) I don't think that's going to happen.

Alex: I'm not that spiteful! I'm just a little busy this week.

[Tanzhang (譚張)]

Apologies for the wait everyone, but I haven't had any time to play Vicky II, let alone write up an update! The next update will focus on the 1867 election, I'll hopefully have it written up by tomorrow.

[Tanzhang (譚張)]

The 1867 Election

Royalist Party (Oranje Partij)
For the 1867 Election Jan Rochussen and the Royalists went back to what they did best, colonisation. Recent advances in military and naval technology allowed the Dutch to colonise ares previously thought to be inhospitable, such as Sub-Saharan Africa and the jungles of Central Borneo. Prime Minister Rochussen laid out a ten year plan for the Dutch Empire, hoping to complete Dekker's Oranje Map and colonise the Horn of Africa, projecting Dutch Influence from the Suez Canal.


Jan Rochussen planned to complete the Oranje Map in two waves, starting with Central Borneo and New Guinea in the first (mustard) and Northern Borneo (Sabah) in the second (green). By stationing part of the Dutch Colonial army in central Borneo, Rochussen hoped to speed up the process.


Jan Rochussen's plan for Dutch Somalialand (mustard) against Territory ruled by the Sultan of Oman (red). Expanding Dutch holdings in Ghana was also considered, but Rochussen thought it best to secure Somalialand before the Portuguese did.

Liberale Party (Liberale Partij)
After the disaster that was 1862, the Liberales looked to 1867 with optimism. Pierre de Decker and his faction, who had proved a runaway success at the last election, rejoined the party while increasing apathy among the population towards the Conservatives seemed to also work in the party's favour. If Thorbecke had any chance of seizing power from the Royalists, 1867 looked like it would be it.

It wasn't all smiles for the Liberales though, in 1863 Deputy Leader Gerrit Schimmelpenninck died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 69. One of the "true" Aristocrats, Schimmelpenninck's death was met with much sadness by the upper class, and many politicians attended his funeral regardless of party or ideology.

One man's death was another man's opportunity however, and Pierre de Decker was named Deputy Leader two weeks later at a Liberale Party congress in Arnhem.

Calvinistische Zuil Partij (CZP)
The Liberales Weren't the only party brimming with optimism after the last election. the CZP won a record six seats last election, and over twenty percent of the Popular vote, establishing themselves as the dominant third party in Dutch politics.

King Frederik's decision to reintroduce the Catholic Dioceses took a lot of wind out of the CZP's sails, so van Prinster focused on a platform of Social Reform. Under a CZP government, pensions would be extended to elderly commoners over the age of 55 while pensions for the aristocracy would be increased tenfold, under the condition that they were members of the Reformed Church. While many saw the pensions as a "socialist" idea, van Prinster claimed his decision was motivated by Christian values of brotherhood.

In another first, van Prinster nominated Dutch-born but ethnically Scottish MP Aeneas Mackay of Arnhem as Deputy Leader. It was hoped that Mackay could capitalise on his appointment by taking Arnhem in the wake of Schimmelpenninck's death.

Other Parties
The Social-Demo. Partij (SDP) and Walloon Nationalist Party (WNP) contested their second elections, concentrating on the North and South respectively.

Election Results


Rochussen's Royalists won 13 seats this time, gaining six from the last election. The most notable gains being the new seat of Luxembourg, Thorbecke's seat of Zwolle and Northern Friesland in a close fought battle with the CZP. The Liberales managed 8 seats in the south, while the CZP took three, gaining Dekker's old seat of Amsterdam and the late Gerrit Schimmelpenninck's former seat of Arnhem. Neither the Socialists nor the Walloon Nationalist Party won any seats.


Despite a respectable percentage of the popular vote, the introduction of the Socialists in the urban north led to a splitting of the Liberale vote in crucial northern seats. The Royalists on the other hand managed to take several new seats and experience a slight increase in the popular vote from last time, while the CZP suffered a loss of around 5% from 1862.


Results for the seat of Zwolle. Thorbecke 42%, Grobbee 49%, Kruys 9%. A prime example of vote splitting caused by the presence of the Socialists.

The 1867 Election was a textbook example of the effect a traditional, plurality voting (FPTP) system can have on an election result. Thorbecke was ridiculed by both sides of the Dutch press for his fourth straight election loss, while Jan Rochussen prepared for a second term in office.

[Enewald]

Well, liberalism gets boring with time.

[mayorqw]

Poor Thorbecke.

[Communitarian!]

Awesome, an election update! Thorbecke is the perenniel dark horse candidate - it doesn't matter if he promised everyone higher wages, better protection, freer freedoms and securer securities - and even could make it happen. The contentness of the population is working against him. In regards to your previous comments, Tanzhang - Good show about the Estado Novo, although Carlos is totally a different case entirely. I was just looking for something as an example of Overseas Provincialism (which I'm not sure is even the term used - but the message is close enough). The CZP's social packages remind me very much of the sort of reforms advocated by national groups - they tend to be generous indeed, but based in a sort of statist-corporatism as opposed to socialism. Also...

Secretly, I kind of enjoy the wacky shenanigans of the AI. Possibly because as weird as it is, that only makes it more real. And nothing can beat the madness of events like the Pig War.

[scholar]

Looks like the Socialists messed things up for the people who'd be more in line with them than the Royalists ever would.

[Jape]

Secretly, I kind of enjoy the wacky shenanigans of the AI. Possibly because as weird as it is, that only makes it more real. And nothing can beat the madness of events like the Pig War.

Amen to that! Its often fun trying to think of a reason why the Wallachians could possibly be interested in annexing Honduras - something to do with vampires resting in Mayan temples or such guff!

Bad luck on the Liberals, if be needed that FPTP sucks... ahem.

[Tanzhang (譚張)]

Enewald: Yes, but you'd think after forty years of Conservative rule people might want a change. Fortunately the Dutch people are smarter than that!

Mayorqw: I do feel sorry for the poor guy, even if him and his policies if in power would wreck the nation. In our timeline he died in 1872, so this might have been his last shot at office.

Communitarian: Well if he could promise those things and make them happen, he wouldn't be a L-F Capitalist, would he?

Scholar: On the contrary, these are 19th century conservatives (mainly protectionist) not modern ones; whereas the Social Democrats favour social reforms, community and (most importantly) central planning, the Liberales favour individuality, political reforms and (most importantly) Capitalism and Free Trade. The Liberales are the antithesis to the Social Democrats, I'm sure they would consider a Royalist government a bad thing, but a lesser evil than a Liberale one.

Jape: Welcome! You make it sound like I want the Liberales in power! FPTP does suck, but at least it keeps a half-decent party in power. I tried a test election with PR, and the Anarcho-Liberals (read: the one party who can't win an election under FPTP or be appointed by the King) won!

Like I said, Thorbecke died around about this time (in office if I recall) so he might get a short term in office in before he dies, but how I'm not quite sure yet.

[Alexspeed]

The contest is over and i am happy to present you your final rank:



Tanzhang (譚張) - Onze Plaats in de Zon: The Rise of Frederik de Grote (van Holland)

Your AAR ranked number 1, Congratulations!

You also won my 1st Prize! 60.000 Blue Coins on Gamersgate.


Well, there we have it, you think nothing bad
and the Netherlands just roll over you.

It wasnt suprising that you made a Top 3 place,
but it was suprising that you where able to overtake Communitarian
even tough you had less 99 scores than he got.
Congratulations for that

Neverthless you, and your AAR, are surly are a worthy winner of this contest!
Overall your AAR was all the time in the "Big League",
you did really invest alot in your updates, i could feel that when i read it.

What you have written with your AAR is the best combination
of gameplay, characterisation and story in the whole contest!
Along with great images and pictures you really shine as the golden winner

You also did write alot, but not so much to be a burden on the reader,
and your updates came fast and on time.
Your detailed interludes about the elections where a delight to read,
that spiced up the allready great coctail that your AAR is.

Your story was belivable and logical, and still stayed interresting all the time.
You frequently interacted with your readers alot,
maybe more than most of the other writers.

You also did comment alot, nearly as much as Communitarian did, and i appreciate that too!
Seems like communication is a good way to get a great score

If i had to find something i dont like on your AAR... i would be in trouble
There is really not much to critique on it i am afraid.
Its pretty much how a reader like me wants a AAR to be.

You did get three 99 scores from the judges,
as i said only Communitarian got more,
but you got higher scores from the rest
and that secured your first Place.

Thank you for beeing part of this contest and for your AAR!

You need to be chained to the AAR Forum and have
to write great AAR´s for us readers for the rest of your life now!

I thank you for competing, congratulate you to your 1st Place, and i wish you all the best!

[Tommy4ever]

Congrats Tanzhang!

[Communitarian!]

Tanzhang - Congratulations! Well written, well-played and well-earned! I always believed you had it in you, buddy! Truly, this is the rise of Frederik the Great!
Very well stated, too. Ah, that wacky invisible hand!

Jape - Exactly! You know you've got a real story on your hands when Galicia revolts and owns land in every landmass! It's all due to time-space magic and possibly Cthulhu, I say!