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Teaser:

"I should welcome almost any war, for I think this country needs one."
-- Theodore Roosevelt​

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OOC: May I recommend PMs be sent to everyone who did not send post any roleplaying this turn, to make sure they are aware the thread has been moved.
 
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Unification Achieved!
Constitution for New United Territorial Government Signed

The following is a series of excerpts from the Constitution as to the structure of the new government of the United Territories:

Article I
The government of the United Territories is hereby confirmed as the rightful and Lawful successor state to the United States of America.

The various Governments of the Territories and States of the former United States are subordinate to the Government of the United Territories as described in this Constitution. Former and new territories may be admitted into the Union in accordance with procedures determined by the Quorum of the Territories.

The current laws of the Territories and States joining the Union shall become the Law of the Land until they are repealed or superseded by new government.

Article II
The Quorum of the Territories shall be instituted as the supreme representatives of the land. They shall be responsible for proposing and approving all military, economic and religious matters amongst the Territories. The Quorum has the power determine the manner of selecting its membership, their length of service and time of mandatory retirement, and so on, should it so choose. The Quorum will have power of Veto over acts issued by the Congress of Territories. The Quorum has the power to issue Law of the Land without confirmation by the Congress in the event of National Emergency.

The Congress of the Territories shall be the direct representatives of the people. Each Territory shall be granted seven representatives; each Territory may determine the method of choosing its representatives. Laws passed by the Congress shall be the Law of the Land unless vetoed by The Quorum.

The Quorum and Congress shall use Salt Lake City as the capital of the Land, and must ensure that all territories in the Union have adequate protection, transportation, trade and communion. They shall have the power to make rules and regulations according to themselves, excepting measures specified in this Constitution.

Article III
The President of the Territories shall be the Head of State and father of the nation. He shall be selected or appointed as the Quorum of the Territories so chooses. He shall provide over the Quorum of the Territories and may cast a vote in the event they are evenly divided.

The Premier of the Territories shall be the Head of Government, chief of the militaries and chief executor of the laws. The Premier shall be selected by the Congress of Territories every five years. He shall provide over the Congress of the Territories and may cast a vote in the event they are evenly divided.

Everyone realizes that the "Quorum of the Territories" shall in practice be the same body as the LDS's high council, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the President of the Church of Latter-day Saints will be the de jure President of the Territories. But as observers at the drafting convention for the constitution, not even the gentiles appeared to want the Mormons to cease being active in worldly politics.

Theodore Roosevelt is noted to have thrown his full weight behind this draft of the constitution. He is expected to be elected as Premier of the Territories, with the full backing of the LDS church.
 
OOC: I move that people who missed this past turn be allowed to make it up (at least with production) due to the moved-without-warning issue.
 
OOC: We're leaking players like a sieve. How many are we down to now?
 
OOC: We're leaking players like a sieve. How many are we down to now?

OOC: I'm still here but not really in the mood for too much role playing or Maybe I am.

"Grand Shogun Yoshinobu our brave warriors have been victorious once more in China. All of China that is not currently wasteland Belongs to Us. Where would you send your loyal warriors next my Lord." spoke Kuroda. " MY good friend we have been beating around the bush far too long. It's time to return and take the land we originally planed to take to start off this new Era we must set out for what we sought to take to begin with. Now we return To Korea. In the Mean time gather more men Finish off the Korean National Army and Replace your own with using our Industrial Capacity we have operational and use any excess to develop better rifles for our men. Move the Fleet to off the Coast of Korea and begin the Invasion with our four armies we have at our disposal to conquer Korea and restore order to that Peninsula. Stated Yoshinobu.
 
OOC: I move that people who missed this past turn be allowed to make it up (at least with production) due to the moved-without-warning issue.

Anyone who missed the turn will be allowed to make it up in full. It seems Verenti and probably Seek had no idea we were moved. Luckily they were unlikely to have attacked another player last turn, so they can be caught up easily.
 
In the halls of the Colombian Congress...

All is quiet as Prime Minister Cook walks to the center podium, save for the occasional shuffling of papers. The members of the Congress watch Cook expectantly. The years have not been kind to the American, and when once he was a fairly handsome, if rugged, man, he now began to look his age. The tell-tale wrinkles and lightening of the black hair, even his eyes began to show some sort of weariness that came with his age and the amount of time he's served as Prime Minister. Regardless, he still maintains his strong, confident, authoritarian persona, and his near-cult of personality as a messenger of God remained as strong as ever.

"Forgive my brief leave of absence, gentlemen. As you likely already know, I've been sick for some time, but hopefully it has passed. In any case, I am more than capable of presiding over our meeting today.

"As you all are aware, the Brazilians have eyes on what is rightfully territory of His Imperial Majesty. To this end, I propose we expand into these territories as quickly as possible, so as to cut the Brazilians off. I do not believe they will challenge the Empire, once it has grown to its proper size. The natives in former Bolivia-Paraguay, however, are stronger than we believed, as evidenced by the pushing back of our expeditionary army.

"In order to rectify these mistakes and to continue claiming rightful Colombian lands, I would like to introduce a motion to invest our resources in improving our army, and to move one of our armies into former Bolivia-Paraguay in order to pacify the natives. ((Spend IP on army tech, attack Bolivia-Paraguay))."
 
In the halls of the Colombian Congress...

All is quiet as Prime Minister Cook walks to the center podium, save for the occasional shuffling of papers. The members of the Congress watch Cook expectantly. The years have not been kind to the American, and when once he was a fairly handsome, if rugged, man, he now began to look his age. The tell-tale wrinkles and lightening of the black hair, even his eyes began to show some sort of weariness that came with his age and the amount of time he's served as Prime Minister. Regardless, he still maintains his strong, confident, authoritarian persona, and his near-cult of personality as a messenger of God remained as strong as ever.

"Forgive my brief leave of absence, gentlemen. As you likely already know, I've been sick for some time, but hopefully it has passed. In any case, I am more than capable of presiding over our meeting today.

"As you all are aware, the Brazilians have eyes on what is rightfully territory of His Imperial Majesty. To this end, I propose we expand into these territories as quickly as possible, so as to cut the Brazilians off. I do not believe they will challenge the Empire, once it has grown to its proper size. The natives in former Bolivia-Paraguay, however, are stronger than we believed, as evidenced by the pushing back of our expeditionary army.

"In order to rectify these mistakes and to continue claiming rightful Colombian lands, I would like to introduce a motion to invest our resources in improving our army, and to move one of our armies into former Bolivia-Paraguay in order to pacify the natives. ((Spend IP on army tech, attack Bolivia-Paraguay))."

Turn Three said:
Colombia vs Gran Chaco:

3 Armies vs 2 Native Armies

6 4 Colombian victory
7 8 Native victory
2 6 Native victory
3 10 Native victory

Natives repulse invasion!
No casualties.

You're now caught up and can submit orders for this turn.
 
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Scandal Rocks the Abyssinian Court

Having recently accepted title as the King of Abyssinia under the Kaiserreich, Luitpold I established his court in Addis Ababa in 1891 and continued reforms to unite the numerous tribes, communities, settlements and peoples within the region. Roadways were built amidst some of the more remote areas, while rail lines have been planned and investment started in order to link the larger population centres, including giving the capital a viable link to the Indian Ocean and rapid access to Ost-Afrika. As this occurred, startling rumours began to surface first from locals, then former adminstrators of the Somali coast. It was no surprise when Dervish leaders were given ultimatums regarding their allegiance to the Kaiser and those that refused were removed from power. However, following the execution of Mohammad Abdullah Hassan, severe acts of brutality were committed against the people of Taleh and northern coastal town of Bosaso were reported. Slowly, perhaps due to initial reluctance to speak with German authorities or simply fear, witnesses began coming forward over the months and years after the Reichskommisar Hermann von Wissmann was removed as the most influential man in the former province. Luitpold I ordered an investigation into the matter and the court was embarrassed to learn of widespread rape, extortion and murder perpetrated against the native populace in those areas. It was said he treated the land as his own personal fiefdom and the locals as serfs. His actions grossly overstepped his bounds as administrator and deeply ashamed the Kaiser, having appointed him personally for past duty to Germany.

Having retired to the Ost-Afrika town of Tanga and without a formal position within the government, the King was free to issue a warrant for his arrest under the Reichsstrafgesetzbuch, or Criminal Code. Von Wissmann was detained prior to his attempted escape to the island of Zanzibar and following a short, public trial, was sentenced to twenty years in prison.​
 
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An Open Letter to His Imperial Royal Majesty Kaiser Wilhelm II

From the Diary of Dr. Karl Peters,

After an utterly exhausting and perilous voyage, our expedition has managed to reach the Atlantic Ocean, at the town of Banana. I cannot express the sheer joy coursing through my veins at the sight of open water, without stagnation or mosquitoes.

We initially crossed Lake Tanganyika on the border with Ost-Afrika virtually without incident. Near the west shore however, we had to avoid the settlement at Albertville, still seemingly garrisoned with depraved colonists, their families and some soldiers remaining from the Belgian administration. One of our guides was shot near there, causing us to forego our attempts at treating with the locals and obtaining better knowledge of the situation. We made our way furthe north, travelling by the multitude of rivers running through the dense jungles. It is better for our small party to avoid sojourning too deep into the undergrowth.

What we found at Stanleyville however, was almost beyond comprehension. This town, situated some miles from the Congo River on the Lualaba River, had been completely overrun by savages. It had not been habitated for some time, prior to our arrival. It was eerily quiet, on our approach and I soon found out that even God had abandoned this place. For several hundred metres down river, we were greeted by the grisly sights of rotting flesh. Heads, arms, legs. Men. Women. Children. Impaled and placed in no particular manner other than to offend the sensibilities of civilized men. As we passed by, no-one greeted our arrival. The docks were barren and any houses and buildings within sight had long-ago been put to the torch. The remainder of the palisades near the former barracks and stockade were pulled down and scattered. We shall not find any allies here, nor would we want to. I suspect indigenous cannibals to have overrun the perimeter, following the collapse of government and supply.

Once we made it to the Congo River proper, we were forced to engage in running skirmishes with an assortment of natives, armed with a variety of makeshift bows, spears and stolen rifles. I had the unfortunate experience of watching several members of my team, including a good friend and colleague, cut down in my presence. Miraculously, the entire time we were not seriously harassed, as I doubt we have the numbers to stave-off a determined assault.

Interestingly, once we reached Léopoldville and the surrounding area, we began to encounter proper settlements. The city itself seems rather untouched by the chaos and anarchy of the interior. We were greeted, albeit suspiciously at first, by the remainder of the former Belgian administration, who had declared themselves de facto leaders of the area. Their supplies of food and provisions were more than ample, however they found themselves unable to properly create functioning industry and lacked the manpower necessary to invigorate the economy. A large swathe of land, approximately from the captial to the coast where I currently find myself, is still intact and keen for development. The people are searching for a compass to direct them to salvation, as they know it is only a matter of time before the darkness engulfs them as well. I would believe a serious diplomatic effort would boost their morale and lift their hearts to the Kaiserreich.

We will be pushing south from here, trying to ascertain the situation in South Africa. The Belgians here claim to have heard no news from the Afrikaners in many years.

Humbly and respectfully.

Signed,

Dr. Karl Peters
 
A letter to the people of Utah:

My fellow friends to the East,
may I remind you of articles 4, 5, 6, and 7 of a certain agreement:

4. The Californios shall assist in the Utahn initiation of its Mexican Colonies in exchange for assistance in capturing an equal amount of territory some time in the future. For precedence's' sake, let it be known that the Oregon country is desired, if and when the time comes to assist in its survival after the Fall.

5. Neither body shall declare sovereignty over any territory in North America without the consent of the other. If no agreement is reached and land is still taken, this treatise must be re-signed by each member, if so desired, with the addition of amendments if so desired.

6.Either member may ask for the support of the other in times of offensive war; if a denial is given, the member who asked for assistance may terminate this treaty if so desired.

7. Each shall fully recognize the sovereignty of the other, and if this treatise is ever abandoned a grace period of ten years shall be given before any action shall be taken against either body.

I am not certain if it simply slipped your minds, or if you are making aggressive moves towards my people. I sorely wish for the latter to not be true. However, I must take every precaution to ensure the safety of my people, and so I remind you thus. We agreed to not claim any land in the United States without the approval of the other. I am not going to terminate this treaty because of this, and simply wish to remind you that my approval is required before any action in the United States. If you attack a local region, I would help you, if you wished; but do so with an agreed-upon plan. I would readily allow you to have all the land to your East, but I still have claim to Colorado, and hopefully the Dakotas; see article 4. I must also remind you that I have asked for your support; if you deny this, I shall not think of it again, consider yourself in the clear. However, any action would be appreciated. Finally, I remind you of article 7. Your claim to the United States includes my California, clearly attacking our sovereignty. I would appreciate the retraction of this offer, in the stead of an agreed-upon division of the United States. I would take Colorado and Dakota, you would get the rest of the free land. This is fair. Do not forget that, if Roosevelt convinces you that my people are a threat, we have a binding agreement to a ten year grace period.

I have spoken strongly in this letter, but would like to apologize in advance if anything alluded to is false, and I have made a grave error as a result. But I must protect my people, and as such must address issues which arise, no matter their source.

Your brother in history and ally in arms,
Miguel Francisco

Post Script: I have attached a map to this letter to clarify my dreams for the Former United States. May this find you in good health.

 
The Chronicle

GRAVE NEWS FROM THE EAST?
It appears that our good friends over in Utah have declared themselves our superiors, and our rightful leaders. Although the fall of the United States is tragic, this new Untied land has various free States and peoples. May the Utah people not forget this. As the Visible Best no doubt hope, may this press release prove to be a simple slip of the mind.

SHAWN MARIAN IS DEAD!
Shawn Marian, great leader to our people, has died. His sickness was not helped by the tropical climate of the Pacific, and rough life at sea appears to have been too much for the aging giant. He died in his sleep sometime last night. The Holds are quickly assembling elections for a new Best to take his spot. the leading candidate is Jean Lafayette, an intelligent man from New San Francisco. Lafayette is a favorite for his service in the military as well as his exemplary work in Military Intelligence and Research and Development in Fort Bragg.

Jean Lafayette

Funeral arrangements are being made, and Marian is expected to be buried this coming Sunday. Lafayette should prepare himself for the monumental task ahead of him. The twenty-eight year old has too young a face to hold the lives of thousands of men in his hands. But, of course, looks can certainly be deceiving, as Lafayette's history has shown.

PLANS FINALIZED FOR HAWAII
The Visible Best, even without Marian, has decided to invade Hawaii and several other Pacific Islands, again. It is believed that an error in the production of the rifles led to their being severely inaccurate, and modifications have been made. This is believed to be the reason for the tragedies of Cuba and Hawaii. A Fifth Division is being made to replace the Fourth; may it have better luck. To lessen the chance of native incursion, diplomats are being sent to the islands to negotiate treaties with several inhabitant tribes, so we may have allies in our attacks, and to spread ensickened sheets to the rest of the lands. Hopefully, this will allow for easy claiming of land. We certainly need it, to face off menaces at home and abroad. May God see fit to grant us our needs.
-A.W. Editor-in-Chief

***

OOC: I am going to have to kill A.W. soon due to age issues, so in case you never understood the joke, A.W. stands for Anonymous Writer. It is also a person, of course, and really a journalist; the initials were simply designed to be that way.
 
OOC: Sorry guys, I am moving soon and in combination with me having no net in the the flat, I will have to drop out for now. Hope someone can put Byzantium on AI.
 
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Utah’s Yellow Journalism

In Utah, the West Treaty has come to be viewed as a necessary but distasteful relic of the immediate aftermath of the Fall. The following is a taste of the flurry of aggressive, jingoistic, anti-Californian media that has been occurring across Utah and the United Territories.

From The Mormon Tribune in Salt Lake City:

Mormon Communities in Nevada under Attack!
…Bandits have once again killed Mormons living under the official jurisdiction of the Californians in Nevada. The repeated failure of the Californian government to protect these people is absolutely unacceptable. We must call upon the Government of the Territories to step in directly to restore order and protect these people who have been forsaken by that damnable West Treaty…

From The Sante Fe Herald:

Nevada Railroad Sabotaged!
…the railroad has suffered its second attack this year, with a 2-mile stretch of tracks having been sabotaged in dozens of locations, causing the derailment of one train and a weeks-long delay in shipping as repairs were made to the area…

…The cause of the attacks remain unclear; the Californian local officials claiming it to be the work of bandits and outlaws. However, it is widely thought that the Californians are wary of the growing strength of the Territories and their economic and military reliance on our good-will, and have been seeking ways to cut these ties…

From The Arizona Times:

Mormon cleric dead in skirmish on Colorado River Banks

...a Mormon preacher has been found dead on the banks of the Colorado River. Reports are that he was traveling into California as a missionary, but it appears he was waylaid as he crossed the river. There is no evidence of his killers' tracks on the east bank; it is suspected that the murderers were on the Californian bank, and shot at the Mormon as he crossed the river in his rowboat...

Locals are advised to stay armed and in groups when near the Colorado River.

From The Houston Chronicle:

Yet another Californian Military Debacle!
…The Californians again see fit to throw away valuable American lives and warships in pointless, dangerous adventures abroad. The act of good faith that was providing them control of the navy has been betrayed by foolish military maneuvering and reckless attacks. Meanwhile the Californian government continues to do little but blather on about their vast, ridiculous visions of imperial grandeur…

…and they expect Utah’s full strength and support in continued adventures! Do they think Utahns and Texans are willing to go to their deaths in ridiculous invasions overseas? That just as we have gotten ourselves back onto our feet, we should let our boys die on beaches far away from home? Surely, if there was ever a reason to abandon the West Treaty, this is it…
 
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The Tannermann-Phillaphino War

The Tannermann conquest of the Phillipines did not progress smoothly. Though historians often consider the Tannermann Company not significantly experienced in dealing with an organised enemy, recently recovered logs would seem to indicate the lack of discipline in the ranks of the bulk of the Tannermann forces. The armies, if they can be called that, of the Tannermann Trade Company were motivated by two things: Money and Ideology. The bulk of the army was made up of Freelancer companies, who operated their own boats, owned their own firearms and had their own command structures. This meant that the Freelancer companies often worked independently spurning cooperation. On top of this, the Freelancer Companies received contracts not for the sum of the war, but were often paid by objectives: They would take a coastal city or town, hold it for a few weeks and withdraw at the sign of enemy counter-attack or the start of a more lucrative contract. There seemed little to hold an army there after a successful attack, so while the Tannermann forces would make progress on the offensive, they would end up loosing their enclaves and holdings just as quickly. The Proffessional Navy and its marines were unable to make up the difference due to their limited numbers in comparison to the Freelancer and Phillapino forces.

The war seemed to be a stalemated, the Tannermann Navy held supremacy on the ocean, but couldn't make any significant landing. The Tannermann troubles were reinforced by dissertions amongst the Freelancers Corps, who had no stomach for any significant losses. However, traitors in the Phillaphino ranks would give the Tannermann forces, which were growing increasingly professional based, another shot to take the islands.


BUILD 2 ARMIES
INVADE PHILLAPHINES 3 ARMIES


This war would have a lasting impact on the social structure of the Tannermann Company territory. The influx of professional troops and their need for hierarchy and discipline didn't sit well with the Freelancers. To the Freelancers, the Tannermann Company was built on an ideology of freedom and the code of the sea which in many ways was mutually exclusive with stringently enforced hierarchy. For this reason many of the Freelancers returned to piracy, or retired for a quiet life.

edit: I'm back. All I was concerned about was falling too far behind in the early game which is beyond fatal, as we learned in the previous game.
 
Another one came crashing down. When he finally hit surface again he gasped for air. He couldn't feel his arms anymore, but he clinged to that bit of floatsam because his life depended on it. Another wave slamed down upon him and forced him back into the black below. The water was so cold. Something drifted near him. Likely a body, he didn't want to know whose. Crash. It force the air out of his lungs and replaced it with the icy brime. He coughed and choked when he hit the surface, the ice water paralysing him.

It came mostly without warning, about two am. A foreign ship came barring down on them. There was first a terrible thunder and fierce cracking as the ship was ripped to pieces. The thunder rolled on. He wasn't on duty that night, but he couldn't sleep. Anxiety. There wasn't more than twenty men on the ship, most of them were killed in the opening salvo. He saw the main mast crush a man, and the rest likely wouldn't survive these waters. He wasn't likely to survive these waters. It wasn't long until the ship cracked up and rolled over. He hear stories about vortexes sucking people down, so he swam away as fast as he could until he came to a ruined lifeboat. He clung to it to dear life.

Crash. Another wave came down on him. The wind brought sheets of sleet. Crash. Was that a light in the distance? Was it friendly? Crash. It filled his mind, it burned with him. Crash. The light was gone, he must be getting dellusional. Crash. No, there it was again. Crash. Was it getting closer? Crash. It was! Crash. He tried to yell out but no words came. Crash. Crash. Crash. Crash. Someone was yelling, he didn't understand it. Crash. Things got bright all the sudden. Crash. Was someone lifting him? He fell. He fell? His face pressed against something hard. It all went black.