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I say, that sounds dreadfully boring.

OOC: I agree somewhat, don't confuse me for Thandros :D

France needn't rule the whole world, just the parts worth ruling. :D

OOC: Ok, now I'm getting the feeling that we're all going to make our borders and then, somewhat impossibly for a game like this, we will have peaceful borders!

One more thing: can we please stop using OOC? it's been bugging my typing it everywhere, especially since we all know when we're out of character. We all have newspapers or such, or do something like Thandros and make it a different color or provide a heading or something anyway. And orders are in red, so I don't see the point.

And expect RP on Sunday. I have games tomorrow and Saturday, late. Little time right now, especially with finals coming up.
 
OOC: Ok, now I'm getting the feeling that we're all going to make our borders and then, somewhat impossibly for a game like this, we will have peaceful borders!
.

OOC: Unlikely, I think. We will inevitably have conflicting ideas of what constitutes each of our "natural" borders. I very nearly came to blows with Lord Haldane over Egypt already.

While we have comparatively easy outlets for expansion in vacant land, these conflicts get put on the back burner. But we're running out of empty space quickly.

And I support using OOC, as it never hurts to draw a strong distinction, even if it is a tad redundant.
 
Le Temps Nouveau

"Sky Battleships" Commissioned

In Tunis, Air Marshall Pierre Roques revelaed to the public that the Air Fleet has begun construction on a new class of heavy airship. The new Intrépide class will be 30% larger than the Liberte class, the current flagships of the fleet. Building on lessons learned in the reconquest of Marseille and the recent campaign in the Atlantic islands, the new ships will not only be larger, but also much more heavily armed. For the first time a military airship will be equipped with a broadside armament, thanks to new developments in aeronautical engineering. The broadside guns will allow the Intrépide and her sister ships to bombard targets without being directly overhead. These airships will also be able to engage any theoretical enemy vessels, a capability new to the Intrépide class.

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HIMAS Intrépide under construction

Four such vessels are scheduled for construction over the next five years, HIMAS Intrépide, HIMAS Téméraire, HIMAS Gloire, and HIMAS Couronne. These are only the largest vessels in a planned massive expansion of the Imperial Air Fleet. In addition to these battleships, second generation long range cruisers, and high speed recon ships will be added. Civilian adaptations of the Intrépide class's hull are also under development.


Spend 6 IP on a new Air Fleet
 
OOC: I agree somewhat, don't confuse me for Thandros :D

Ok, now I'm getting the feeling that we're all going to make our borders and then, somewhat impossibly for a game like this, we will have peaceful borders!

OOC: We all have our own individual victory conditions as we've defined them, and I should think rather that it's just unlikely more than one of us has defined those conditions as shameless conquest of the entire world. I expect conflicts will arise, but hopefully no total wars of annihilation.
 
CP distributed. I'm recovering ok from the surgery, so update is planned for Sunday.

Also I completely forgot to add in those two posts you guys wanted for last turn.

Add 1CP to what I PMed you, Polar Mongoose and Lord Haldane.
 
Kyoto Express

Success on the Mongol Frontier

Word is now getting back to the Kyoto of a series of Crushing Japanese and Chinese Victories over the Mongols of Tibet. The Northern route is said to have work perfectly allowing the forces to reach the Mongol Tent city with minimal losses while inflicting significant damage on the Mongol raiding parties which attempted to set up ambushes. In fact the campaign was so successful that the only significant loss of life occurred when the army on the furtherest right during the final Battle of the Edge of the Mongol tent city ran out of ammunition and was forced to engage at short range hand to hand fighting to finally defeat the Mongol force pushing them back suffering heavy losses and was promptly used the remaining manpower of that army to replace losses in the other armies engaged in the battle. This victory has returned Tibet to the Control of The Chinese Vassals of the Japanese Shogunate who seek to use the Province to trained hardened warriors used to fighting in cold and desolate conditions which may be encountered in the Push to the Far north on Mongolia and Manchuria both of which are predicted to occur during the next 5 years according to some sources.
 
OOC: Update wise, is there anything significant that we don't know already from the battle results?
 
OOC: Update wise, is there anything significant that we don't know already from the battle results?

OOC: What information is there to know, other than battles and diplo-annexations?
 
OOC: What information is there to know, other than battles and diplo-annexations?

OOC: I don't know, but it's usually what you don't know that kills you. :D

Le Temps Nouveau

Princess Imperial to Star in Opera
After scandalizing the court by appearing in the Imperial Opera Company's production of Les Troyens, Princess Imperial Marie Isabella Bonaparte has received her Imperial father's blessing to perform openly in her own name. The Princess, a talented soprano and patroness of the Opera, had previously performed in disguise under the pseudonym "Emmanuelle Rossum" before the ruse was exposed by an annonymous member of the Opera company.

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The Princess Imperial

After the initial scandal, the Emperor chose to permit his daughter to pursue a singing carreer despite the objections of her mother and other conservative members of the court. When asked if working as a performer would harm the Princess's chances at finding a suitable match, the Emperor declared "The man who fears an artistic wife is no husband for a Bonaparte."

The Princess Imperial will play the female lead in the upcoming production of Verne, a heavily fictionalized account of the harrowing journey of late author and Senator Jules Verne and his family. The Vernes survived the Fall because they happened to be at sea aboard the legendary author's yacht, safely in the lee of the Canary Islands. In the Opera the Vernes make several stops along the coast of Europe on their way to their native Nantes. At each stop they find society in a different stage of collapse, before finally reaching the lifeless ruins of their home. The story ends with the heartbroken Vernes encountering the ship bearing the future Emperor to Marseille, and following him into exile.

Her Imperial Highness will play Jeanne Reboul, a young refugee rescued by Verne's dashing son Michel, whom she later marries. The real Senator and Madame Verne will be in attendance at the opening gala, along with the Emperor and Empress and the Princess Imperial Marie Josephine.

Aside from the Imperial performance, Verne is also notable for being the first work written post-Fall to be performed at the Imperial Opera House, as well as the first mechanique opera. It was written by Senator Michel Verne and a mysterious, annonymous collaborator.

Wanted: Heroes
The Foreign Legion is looking for brave young men to serve as officers. Must be strong, patriotic citizens willing to endure extreme privation in service to their Emperor, country, and fellow man. Citizenship and fluency in French required. Birth, class, and religion not an issue.

Ample opportunity for glory, adventure and advancement. Generous pay and land grants for completed service. Inquire at your local army recruiting station today! Honneur et Fidélité! Vive l'Empereur!

Build one new army
 
OOC: Hopefully make a post this evening, or first thing tomorrow. On a related note, GBIT, I am out of country between Sunday and the following Sunday. Is it possible to extend that turn deadline to say, Monday or around there, so I can at least provide orders?
 
Kyoto Express

New Attacks Planned

The Forces of Japan are gearing up for more attacks to Consolidate their Control over all territory formally controlled by the Chinese Empire in the north that has yet to be claimed by Them. Five Armies under Tojo are said to be massing for an Attack into Mongolia, While Four armies under Chiang are preparing to move into ManchuriaIt's predicted these Campaigns could strength the Japanese Position when Negotiating with Foreign powers as the Increasing restoration of Order is leading to increasingly more Negotiation between the powers who lacking any good will towards each other are wary of their neighbours. It's also hoped these conquests will ensure future success of Japan.

More Recruitment

In order to prepare for the Upcoming Northern attacks men are being Mobilised in increasing numbers to raise the forces necessary to carry out the plans set out for expansion. To this end three new armies are being formed using the bulk of Japanese Industrial Capacity. One of These Armies will be Chinese and one Japanese while the Other Is a Mix of Koreans and Indochinese Peoples like the Cambodians and Vietnamese who are joining up in increasing numbers after the restoration of control and order to the Region.
 
OOC: On Easter break now, so I will try to do something tomorrow.

Just in case:

Construct 3 armies, invade the Finland-touching northern area with all 9 armies. Invest 1 IP in another set of armies.
 
Kyoto Express

First Technological Council Is Started

Word has just reached us here in Kyoto of a Joint Technological effort is being made by the Various groups of the Japanese Empire to arrange organised Technological growth rather the disorganised individual work that is being done currently. It's hoped that with the Coordination of so much technological know how in one group progress can be massively Expanded to speed up the Development of Technologies which other Nations have already made great leaps in developing. The general view is that Japan must catch up or else it position could be seriously Compromised.(Invest one IP and 2 CP in Army Tech 11/20 with that shouldn't it)
 
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A Call for Settlers

Enterprising ethnic Germans are being sought for the re-occupation of territory in Europe, beginning in 1915. Reichskanzler von Bethmann Hollweg announced the acceptance of a drafted plan that would see land grants, education reimbursements and capital investments for individuals willing to undertake the arduous task of rebuilding the Vaterland. Initially proposed within the Reichstag, the idea contends that it would be possible to see up to one million civilians and veterans transported to cities or the countryside of western Germany, as well as the former territories of Denmark and Holland. Town councils are holding meetings across Ost-Afrika in an attempt to draw farmers and tradesmen to Europe. Substantial funds have been put aside from state coffers to fund the endeavour, which is expected to take several years, initially. With evictions against squatters and brigands taking place currently by soldiers of the expeditionary forces, safety of the homesteads is relatively assured, even in recently liberated regions of southern Germany. Families are being encouraged to start their lives anew in these fertile lands. It has been reported that thousands have already taken up government offers and have reserved space on chartered ships to Wilhelmshaven.

An End to Lawlessness

As organized resistance by foreign raiders subsided in the winter of 1914, 'Unternehmen Nordwind' was put into full effect by the feldgendarmerie. Authorities moved with lightning speed through towns and rural areas. Those who could not prove their past citizenship under the Kaiser were removed from German lands and deported beyond the frontiers. Property was subsumed under the expanded seizure clauses of this act and marked for repopulation. Acting with the assistance of those Germans still living in the west and south, degenerates and criminals were sought and arrested. The most despicable were summarily tried and executed. Unsurprising, the greatest proportion of chaos and strife was spurred by the Slavic population, having overrun the borders after 'The Fall.' Ethnic Danes and Dutch were afforded similar terms as their German neighbours and brought under the umbrella of the Kaiserreich. Order was eventually restored after several harsh and often chaotic months.

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Face of the Law
 
The Scutari 1911​

From an advertisment placed in a number of the leading papers of Byzantium:

Citizens of the Imperial Hegemony!

Do your children live in fear of savage hordes sweeping down from the North? Do worries of marauding bandits keep you awake at night? You need the Scutari 1911 rifle!

This bolt action, magazine fed rifle is at the forefront of military technology. This is the very same rifle used by our brave soldiers in their crushing defeat of the Persian 'Twelfth House', and now it is available to you! Produced in the same Scutari Arsenal that supplies the Imperial Legions, these weapons are of the highest quality that the heartland of the Hegemony has to offer.

The Scutari 1911 offers an impressive 10 shot magazine using the Hegemony 8mm mk2 round (available from all reputable stockists), and is accurate to a range of 250m in the hands of a competent rifleman. Whether you face pirates in the Aegean, Turkish bandits, or the savages of the north, this is the weapon that will keep you and your family safe!

Disclaimer: Due to legal requirements the Scutari 1911 is only available to registered Imperial citizens.

OOC: Rifles just aren't as fun as airships :(
 
OOC: OP for Russia now updated with current ages, and the below quote should help also.

Izvestia Russkie Ljudi

However much this paper tries to look at events from an impartial views, you readers know that we stand by you. Therefore, there is no reason to pretend to not comprehend what the results of the past few months will be.

To those of you on our more distant frontiers: be glad you are where you are.

This past Good Friday, as many of you still know it, Czar Nicolae finally passed at age 84. This most singular event has caused quite radical changes which shall reverberate throughout the empire. Soon after the announcement of the imperial passing, General Mikhail Annenkov declared temporary military rule, due to the lack of a male heir- they still have not discovered Alexei's important and quite living role in Astrakhan. To solve the issue of inheritance, Annenkov is marrying himself to Tatiana Nikolaevna, in order to produce a Russian for the throne. He has been backed by Tikhon Vasily Bellavin, whose longstanding diplomatic engagement to Maria Nikolaevna has just been recognized by Annenkov. Both weddings are planned for some time in the next month. The Okhrana has declared support for the new rule as well, in a rare public announcement. Chief Minister Lenin has stepped forward and publicly denounced any dissent to the new rule, and personally executed both the widowed Alexandra Romanova as well as the outspoken Dmitry Bogrov, who attempted to raise revolt against the new regime under the name of Romanova. Lev Markov has been chosen to replace Bogrov.

The new regime has announced its plans to reclaim all rightful Russian land, and is readying the troops to attack the Novgorod region. This is as usual a double-edged sword, as it distracts from the Romans but only increases the strength of the Russians. In the meantime, for the funeral of his "great predecessor" Nicolae, Annenkov has chosen to allow Malik Nous to perform any ceremony they find suitable to honor the Serpent Throne. The number of human sacrifices is still unknown, but will most definitely be in the thousands.

In less disturbing news, Generals Vasily and Piotr Rurik have, with the additional support of the Georgian forces placed under Dmitry Ivanovich, managed to secure steady, if unofficial, borders with several stations along the Russian border. This is expected to increase trade revenue and to bring much-needed immigrants into Nova Roma. Also announced was the expected birth of the second child of Alexei Nikolaevich and his wife, Maria Rurik. Empress Anastasia is also with child, for the fourth time.

Augustus Mikhail II Rurik of Nova Roma is wed to Anastasia Nikolaevna. Their children are Mikhail Walter Rurik, Katrina Rurik, and Analena Rurik. Aged 6, 8, and 9 respectively.

Caesar Alexei I Nikolaevna of Nova Roma is wed to Maria Rurik. Child: Andrei Alexeivich aged 4.

Olga Nikolaevna is wed to Spanish Prince Carlos, and resides with him in Spain.

Tatiana Nikolaevna is wed to Mikhail Annenkov, de-facto emperor of Russia.

Maria Nikolaevna is wed to Tikhon Bellavin, Patriarch of Malik Nous.

Rasputin is still a monk, Malinovsky is still a minister with Lenin, and the other members of the Rurik family have unimportant marriages while all remaining generals.

As always, I personally implore you, the reader, to not bring to light the existence of this paper. If the Okhrana were to find us...think of your children. What would happen if you were found with this paper? Obviously, you are a true man to even dare read this. So you must understand the risks, and the rewards, of this publication's continuing existence. I hope you found this news enlightening, and shall find the next installments' just as much so.

Construct 3 armies, invade the Finland-touching northern area with all 9 armies. Invest 1 IP in another set of armies.
 
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Le Temps Nouveau

Musical Marshals! Serious Changes in Army Command
To the suprise of most, the Emperor has announced a major shake-up in the command structure of the Imperial Armed Forces. The most dramatic move was swapping commands for Marshal Foch and Marshal Joffre. Marshal Joseph Joffre will replace Foch as Supreme Commander and Military Governor of Mainland France, while Foch will take over command of West Africa's government and military.

While official statements asserted "this move should not be construed as any sort of negative comment on either Marshal's performance," anonymous sources within the governement have reported growing frustration with Marshal Joffre's inability to inflict a decisive blow upon the Sokoto Caliphate. Marshal Joffre did not help matters when he made public statements seeming to blame the Emperor for his defeat outside Gwandu. The Marshal was quoted as telling a group of Knights of St Jean in Dakar that the stalemate in Africa was the result of "foolhardy decisions to commit excessive resources to fighting pirates in Portugal, leaving our forces in Africa over stretched and without air support." He has since apologized and said his remarks were "misconstrued," and not intended to disparage the Emperor, who made the "foolhardy" commmand decision.

His successor in Africa, Marshal Baron Ferdinand Foch, is most well known for his historic victory at Marseille and for spearheading the reconquest of Mainland France. Foch is generally considered more aggressive than "Pappa Joffre" but has come under fire for neglecting the administration of the peacefull needs of the Marseille colony. According to sources close to the Emperor, HIM hopes that Foch will succeed in bringing the Sokoto Caliphate to heel. Likewise, Marshal Joffre is expected to put a higher priority to consolidating French control of the Mainland instead of the exploratory raids that have caracterized Foch's general strategy.

Marshal Joffre's plea for more air support has not fallen on deaf ears, as the newly expanded Air Fleet will now be divided into two squadrons. The North Squadron will retrun to the forward base in Marseille to support the colonization effort, while the South squadron will be based in Timbuktu. Prince Imperial Captain Louis Alphonse Napoleon Bonaparte will join the South Squadron as Flag Captain of the HIMAS Intrepide, flagship of Air Marshal Pierre Roques.


4 armies, 1 air group attack Aquitaine and Brittany (the western province in France)
3 armies, 1 air group attack Sokoto (the neutral one between French West Africa and AngloCongo)
 
On French Aeronautics​

Karl Leoben, director (strictly unofficial) of the Byzantine Cultural Development Department (CDD), leans back in his chair in his office, the hard part of his current task complete. At least supposedly the hard part. Down in the courtyard below him the musicians begin again, working their way through another of Mozart's symphonies. Unfortunately for Karl the newly crowned Alexios is extremely keen to promote actual cultural development, a task that has necessarily fallen to the CDD. Still, the coming and going of musicians and artists from across the Hegemony provides excellent cover for the movements of Karl's agents. So many young men, and even women, pass through the lower floors of the building these days, carrying all manner of strange looking instruments, that no one pays any attention any more. Well, except those whose specific job it is to pay attention to such things. Many of the students of the Constantinople Conservatory would no doubt be horrified to discover how much attention the CDD paid to them.

On the desk before Karl are the contents of two separate packages. One contents of one bear the appearance of being a merchants statement of accounts and was indeed sent as such, though in reality the numbers are a code. The other package purported to be a letter from a seafaring friend, accompanied by a few sketches of sights seen, and a copy of a book read. The sketches show a number of different scenes, a ruined church in one, a decayed shipwreck in another. In the background of each sketch is one of the glorious French airships passing along the horizon. The ship, thought by the artist to be HIMAS Egalite, appears to be a minor detail in each sketch, but is in fact perfectly to scale. The accompanying book is a somewhat trashy French romance novel of the Orientalist genre, in which a dashing airship officer seduces the princess of a fictional dependency. The actual purpose of the book is to serve as the key to the code sent in the other package, each number referring to a page, line and then word in the book.

Unfortunately since the key is in French, the resultant decoded document is also in French, a language Karl has always found something of an effort. However the document contains months of valuable intelligence gathered on French aeronautics, and so Karl is unwilling to entrust the translation (and the agents identity) to a subordinate. With a sigh Karl leans back forwards and begins the laborious next stage of his task.
 
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Massive Conscription Campaign

Nationalist fervour swept the Kaiserreich towards the end of 1914. Buoyed by the stunning victory that reclaimed nearly half of the historical German claims in Europe, the Reichskanzler authorized an enormous expansion to the conscription lists for 1915. This, coupled with the scores of adult males wishing to join the ranks of the Reichsheer, resulted in a monumental drive that virtually doubled the size of the standing army. At the beginning of the year, 4. Armee was stood up to much pageantry in New Luebeck, having received its final allocation of manpower, bringing it up to authorized strength. Additionally, 5. Armee was recruited primarily from ethnic Germans and Dutch descendants within South Africa. In what was seen initially as a controversial policy, recruitment was authorized on the German mainland in the fall of 1915. Conscription allotments were extended to communities in west and south Germany, as well as into the regions of the former Netherlands and Denmark. Questions surrounding their suitability, brought forward by several junior members of the Reichstag, were publicly addressed by Generalfeldmarschall von Moltke. "As a result of 'Unternehmen Nordwind,' we can be assured that all those wretched and vile scoundrels who committed barbaric and ungodly acts have been removed from the population and shall not taint our forces." These words soothed many of the ruffled feathers and without delay, 6. Armee was raised with the first sons of Germany proper in over three decades. A parade was held to commemorate the event outside Hanover, within which the formation is headquartered.

Spend 5IP towards the creation of the fourth, fifth and sixth armies.

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Parading the Colours
 
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Reaching for the Heavens

Count Ferdinant von Zeppelin had been hunched over drawings and sketches of airframes for years. He had poured untold amounts of his personal fortune, not to mention his time and health, into a fledgling corporation, the Zeppelin Flugzeugwerke. He had driven himself to the brink of madness since the turn of the century, trying to lure other private investors to his cause. Noses were turned up and attention was directed elsewhere, and that was when his colleagues were being polite. His prototypes were simple, yet effective. His initial design, known as the LZ1, had first had a commemorative flight in the latter portion of 1910. But, wars and foreign pressure had combined in such a manner that he was largely ignored by a preoccupied military. That was, until observers had received detailed accounts of the success that French aircrews were having both in Europe and Africa. Senior officers, deciding to give this invention a serious look, attended von Zeppelin's factory on the periphery of New Luebeck in 1915. Immediately, it became evident to a number of enterprising strategists that they had overlooked a substantial weapon for their arsenal. Generalfeldmarschall von Moltke himself was approached and afforded a personal demonstration of capabilities and aerial maneuvers. Suddenly, tracts of land were opening for sale to von Zeppelin and government subsidies abounded. Resources that had been scarce now overflowed his manufacturing facilities. It was projected that within several years, the technology would progress suitably for testing and use on the battlefield.

Invest 5CP and 1IP into Air Tech Level II (11 / 25).

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Behemoth of the Skies
 
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