Edge of Europe - A Belgian Interactive AAR

[Ab Ovo]

The Regional Assembly Building,
Mons, Wallonia

The chambers were very quiet. They usually were before the BNF deputies arrived, always some ten to twenty minutes late due to their firm insistence on marching to work every day in what was, admittedly, a grand spectacle. The strains of the Belgian national anthem (for what Fascist march was complete without a brass band?) began to filter in and the assembled deputies glanced at one another in trepidation. Mostly BSU, with a smattering of CCU and even an odd Herriotiste fossil or two they all knew that times were a-changin'. What they didn't know was how long they'd be employed.

"Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté!" came the final words of the anthem as the doors burst open and in marched the impeccably-clad BNF deputies, resplendent in their fine black uniforms as they took their collective seats at the far side of the chamber. Several Socialist deputies began to jeer and for a moment it looked like a fight was about to break out, but the Speaker of the Chamber -a BNF man- held up a hand for calm amongst his ranks. He was feeling magnanimous. With Leandres' victory, he could afford to be. Calmly he rose to address the Assembly.

"Now I know that many of you are concerned about your future; or about your own safety. But I assure you, the Belgian National Front is a party of law and of order. {here a few Socialists guffawed} This Assembly shall remain safe until it, and the regional government at large, is justly dissol-"

Suddenly a howling wind swept through the chambers with such force that the Speaker was buffeted backwards. Shrieking and moaning, the winds gathered into a whirling white vortex in the center of the room and rose to a terrible crescendo before falling away, as silent as the grave. In their place stood the pale, luminescent figure of Isidore Herriot. His clothes were tattered and stank of raw earth and decay and his flesh was so thin that he gave the appearance of bone shining through a veil. The entire body of deputies had fallen silent in fear and awe except for the mumbled prayers of a few. Staring with baleful loathing at the Fascists Isidore stabbed a bony finger in the Speaker's direction.

"No, you cannot do this! No! Noooooooooooo!"

And with that the phantom of a man gave out a loud, piercing, agonising shriek and plunged to his knees in despair. The winds returned, their howls mixing with the abominable shriek, until they formed into a friezes tornado bearing the figure of Herriot higher, higher into the air. And then he was gone.

 

[Jackbollda]

......
Suddenly a howling wind swept through the chambers with such force that the Speaker was buffeted backwards. Shrieking and moaning, the winds gathered into a whirling white vortex in the center of the room and rose to a terrible crescendo before falling away, as silent as the grave. In their place stood the pale, luminescent figure of Isidore Herriot. His clothes were tattered and stank of raw earth and decay and his flesh was so thin that he gave the appearance of bone shining through a veil. The entire body of deputies had fallen silent in fear and awe except for the mumbled prayers of a few. Staring with baleful loathing at the Fascists Isidore stabbed a bony finger in the Speaker's direction.

"No, you cannot do this! No! Noooooooooooo!"

And with that the phantom of a man gave out a loud, piercing, agonising shriek and plunged to his knees in despair. The winds returned, their howls mixing with the abominable shriek, until they formed into a friezes tornado bearing the figure of Herriot higher, higher into the air. And then he was gone.

I've heard tell of psychedelic drugs being distributed through air by English chemists. How curious, though, that such an incident should happen in the Wallonian regional assembly.

 

[Jackbollda]

Looking rabid, Cambille speaks to a crowd of his constituents in Ghent...


I find it awfully curious that I was cast out of voting before Van Prinsterer, when I was the lowest point of political gravity. Indeed, I had the highest potential support, out of all the candidates in the Flanders regional election.

You may note that Vanderhoof gained five electoral votes, while Prinsterer and I each had three electoral votes. However, you may also note that every single one of Prinsterer's votes was seconded to me, Cambille. Therefore, in the event of my friend Gerrard's elimination, I would have had six electoral votes-- a winning ticket. Prinsterer, however, lacked the reciprocal support of the radical socialists, meaning that he never was able to beat Vanderhoof during the later rounds of voting. I only lost because I was pushed out of the Socialist primary, despite having even electoral votes.



The fact that I was eliminated first during the primaries is rather fishy. Why me first? What justification is there, when Dorijan Alain-Maaike van Cambille had the votes needed for an incontestable, majority victory?

The entire business reeks of shadowy backroom deals, prosecuted by the corrupt political establishment!!!

Indeed, I suspect it was Vanderhoof's Political Machine in Flanders that wrongly and unjustly kept that capitalist pig in office, when a socialist should have won!

I am therefore agitating, in whatever way possible!

It was naive of me, really, to assume that the Capitalistic puppetry of democracy would let a communist into office fair-and-square. I plan to agitate until I receive answers-- and then some more, if the first few smell of capitalist lies and corruption.


((I know it's not an election, but I believe there's a secondary form of agitation, no?))

 

[Dadarian]

Looking rabid, Cambille speaks to a crowd of his constituents in Ghent...


I find it awfully curious that I was cast out of voting before Van Prinsterer, when I was the lowest point of political gravity. Indeed, I had the highest potential support, out of all the candidates in the Flanders regional election.

You may note that Vanderhoof gained five electoral votes, while Prinsterer and I each had three electoral votes. However, you may also note that every single one of Prinsterer's votes was seconded to me, Cambille. Therefore, in the event of my friend Gerrard's elimination, I would have had six electoral votes-- a winning ticket. Prinsterer, however, lacked the reciprocal support of the radical socialists, meaning that he never was able to beat Vanderhoof during the later rounds of voting. I only lost because I was pushed out of the Socialist primary, despite having even electoral votes.



The fact that I was eliminated first during the primaries is rather fishy. Why me first? What justification is there, when Dorijan Alain-Maaike van Cambille had the votes needed for an incontestable, majority victory?

The entire business reeks of shadowy backroom deals, prosecuted by the corrupt political establishment!!!

Indeed, I suspect it was Vanderhoof's Political Machine in Flanders that wrongly and unjustly kept that capitalist pig in office, when a socialist should have won!

I am therefore agitating, in whatever way possible!

It was naive of me, really, to assume that the Capitalistic puppetry of democracy would let a communist into office fair-and-square. I plan to agitate until I receive answers-- and then some more, if the first few smell of capitalist lies and corruption.


((I know it's not an election, but I believe there's a secondary form of agitation, no?))

The crowd boos and throws tomatoes at Cambille

 

[Jackbollda]

The crowd boos and throws tomatoes at Cambille

Cambille's Volksring members menace them with cudgels... and they settle down

 

[viola]

Ah, it seems that the Neo-Beauffortist, the defender of Belgian traditions, the stalwart of Monarchism and leader of the Aristocracy Léon-Philippe van de Werve has now officially allied himself with the Republicans, and is trying to convince the Socialists to support his government. It's sad to see that the Conservatives have finally given up the last shreds of their honor to betray their ideals and fall into the deepest hypocrisy.

Fortunately for Belgium the National Front still stands as the only truly innovative political force of the nation, the Conservatives might have conquered the government with their alliance with the Republicans but have lost all credibility.

Furthermore, all political violence against the BNF should cease immediately. The Socialist and Republican attacks against Frontist sympathizers are simply unacceptable, once again the Liberals and Socialists are trying to suppress the National movement with violence and the government is allowing them to do so freely, menacing to throw the Nation into Chaos! Those who are harassing our men should be stopped immediately before they can do any more damage.


- Baron Alexander Van Den Brucke
Brigadier-General of the Belgian Army

 

[Contravarius]

Charlerois-Namur road, two noblemen are slowly riding, followed by couple of servants and a group of fascist militia.
"But, Valentin, you never told me... How was old Vienna? And how's our favorite kinsman Julius holding up?"
Both the face and voice of the questioner are aristocratic and powerful, commanding and strangely magnetic. Only an extremely attentive and talented observer could notice a brutal, almost oppressive radiance that rarely visits his intelligent eyes.
"Oh, comme ci comme ça. Vienna is beautiful during this time of year..."
Valentin grins. He is much younger than his companion and their facial features seem to have a mild resemblance, a sensation that is reinforced by a very similar spark in their eyes. They understand each other and have a similar outlook on life and people around them.
"...And so are the girls, but after the proclamation of the Republic, it's not the same anymore. You know that feeling, right? This sort of magnificent absence of care that always hung on that city like silky veil?"
Older man nods. A slight smirk has appeared on his face. Valentin continues: "Oui, bien, this veil, this veil is gone. Maybe forever." He sighs demonstratively, raising his hand to his white papakha. "...Oh, and last I saw oncle Jules, he was still poisoning his way through the Roman Curia."
Several pillars of smoke appear on the horizon.
"Valentin, I think we might have to put these armbands on now."
"Mon Dieu, I hate this combination of colours."

 

[ThunderHawk3]

((I know it's not an election, but I believe there's a secondary form of agitation, no?))

((There's partisan agitation and then there's regular agitation. Partisan agitation can only be declared by party leaders and causes the whole party to be counted as agitating. It can only be declared at certain times, but there are special advantages to partisan agitation - the party members can vote again at the next election, for instance.

Regular agitation is just regular agitation. You can declare it any time and you disenfranchise yourself for a full electoral cycle. It causes an IG mil and con penalty.

BTW: Because someone, I think TJDS, improperly switched his vote (failing to state his entire original ballot for MoW), whoever advanced to the second round would have had 5 votes and tied with Vanderhoof. Declaring that you wish to change your vote but only changing one of several preferences is a severe inconvenience for me - the second choice is only relevant if the first choice is eliminated. Because I'm trying to track not just who's ahead in the first round of voting but actually who's winning the election, it needs to be clear to me what all your preferences are. I let this slide in previous elections because it turned out to be irrelevant, but if the election actually advances to multiple rounds, vote changing in this way disrupts a multiple round tally.

The correct way of switching a vote with multiple preferences would look like:

I'm changing my ballot from:
1st Choice Minister of Wallonia: Bob
2nd Choice Minister of Wallonia: Abstain
3rd Choice Minister of Wallonia: Abstain

To:
1st Choice Minister of Wallonia: Bob
2nd Choice Minister of Wallonia: Tim
3rd Choice Minister of Wallonia: Abstain

You'll note this has important several qualities:

• All old preferences clearly stated
• All new preferences clearly stated
• Which are the old preferences are which are the new clearly stated
• Region clearly stated
• Preferences bolded so I don't miss the ballot

A normal ballot change would also include your party but since party is irrelevant for the regional ministries it doesn't matter in this particular case. It is not necessary to include which party you voted for in the GE or your voting on separate legislation, as this information is irrelevant.))

 

[Jackbollda]

((I'm curious, how do you keep track? A word document? A sticky note? Paper and pen?))

-

Coated in red tomato juice, Van Cambille was a particularly stunning symbol of communism.

BAH! Capitalist electoral fraud, if ever!

I'm Agitating!

The political establishment has tried to disenfranchise me, so let them continue to do so! Rise, workers! Violence is the ONLY answer!!!

Cast down the slave owners!

 

[viola]

Coated in red tomato juice, Van Cambille was a particularly stunning symbol of communism.

BAH! Capitalist electoral fraud, if ever!

I'm Agitating!

The political establishment has tried to disenfranchise me, so let them continue to do so! Rise, workers! Violence is the ONLY answer!!!

Cast down the slave owners!

It is evident that Belgium's security is at risk, and it is evident that said risk do not come from the National Front.
When will the government end its petty attempts at suppressing the BNF, and when will it address the actually real threat posed by Bolsheviks like van Cambille?

- Baron Alexander Van Den Brucke
Brigadier-General of the Belgian Army

 

[ThunderHawk3]

((I'm curious, how do you keep track? A word document? A sticky note? Paper and pen?))

((I usually keep track in a notepad++ text file. In voting by party, I then use a python script to process the raw data into by-party breakdown.))

 

[Dyranum]

((Right; so; I am putting the Crazed so-called "Anarchists" on the side as secondary characters. Here below follows my new primary character. You know, getting into the trend of having more than one character active that is so prevalent here—or at least it was; I don't follow trends.

Name: Suive Opiniâtrement les Régles (Note: The name might be slightly edited later)
Age: 50 (in 1911)
Ethnicity: Walloon
Nationality: Belgian
Date of Birth: 7th July 1861
Place of Birth: Shockville, Wallonia, Belgium
Occupation: Deputy
Party: BSU
Biography: Born in the small town of Shockville, Suive's early life was characterised by a lot of movement. At four years of age, his family moved to the larger town of Post not too far away from Shockville. Some years thereafter, the family moved to first Hache, then to Fratin and Heckbus—only staying a short while in either place—before finally settling down in the town of Stockem, not far from Arlon. Suive's political career started in earnest when he in 1891 was elect as deputy, from Arlon—at that time representing the existing conservative party. Eventually though, Suive drifted left, and is nowadays the most prominent member of the so-called "Kaasist" wing of the BSU. That is to say, the stubbornly legalist branch of moderates within the party. Of note is that outside of his political career, Suive is infamously known as a querulant and hopeless red tapist; a man who some might say has a justice obsession syndrome, though that may or may not be a slight exaggeration. To date, he has started five cases over minor grievances—two of which he has won. ))

 

[Dadarian]

Vanderhoof strides into the Parliament and uses a gavel he bought to bring himself to attention.

Gentlemen and ladies of Parliament. Enough is enough! Belgium is under siege and the government, in whatever form it shall be, has two choices. Either it immediately and forcefully cracks down on the vile infection that is militaristic fascism or Flanders will once again have to rethink it's relationship with the Belgian union. Honest Flemish people are being beaten and shot in the streets by thugs and villains paid and organised by the Fascists. Factories and Industry are losing workers, efficiency and output because of scare tactics dictated by the fascists. Our art, history and culture is being corrupted by a bunch of dropout wannabe artists who don't have the good grace to burn their awful abortion of a piece before it is shown to human eyes.

Enough is enough. I call on the government to immediately arrest of the Marquis de Broqueville, Konrad and Valentin Erebus, and every member of the BNF Stormtroepen for violating the de Broqueville-van de Velde Act. These traitors to crown and country must be arrested, tried and shot like any sedationist to the King and His government should. God have mercy on our souls, and on the military, for they may and most likely will be needed to crush any and all fascist resistance to the cause of His Majesty's Government.

 

[TJDS]

I call for the imediate revokation of all weapon certificates whom are in possesion of people who afiliate themselves with the so called 'Stromtroepen'. They are a threat to our nation and we must do something to protect the Belgians who are branded traitors by this paramilitary organisation. The revokation will mean that every weapon needs to be confisqueted within 12 hours of the revokation, if this deadline is failed by the possesor he will be prosecuted and if need be all possesions confisqueted, quoting the Arms Restriction Act.

Father Gerrard van Prinsterer

 

[viola]

Vanderhoof strides into the Parliament and uses a gavel he bought to bring himself to attention.

Gentlemen and ladies of Parliament. Enough is enough! Belgium is under siege and the government, in whatever form it shall be, has two choices. Either it immediately and forcefully cracks down on the vile infection that is militaristic fascism or Flanders will once again have to rethink it's relationship with the Belgian union. Honest Flemish people are being beaten and shot in the streets by thugs and villains paid and organised by the Fascists. Factories and Industry are losing workers, efficiency and output because of scare tactics dictated by the fascists. Our art, history and culture is being corrupted by a bunch of dropout wannabe artists who don't have the good grace to burn their awful abortion of a piece before it is shown to human eyes.

Enough is enough. I call on the government to immediately arrest of the Marquis de Broqueville, Konrad and Valentin Erebus, and every member of the BNF Stormtroepen for violating the de Broqueville-van de Velde Act. These traitors to crown and country must be arrested, tried and shot like any sedationist to the King and His government should. God have mercy on our souls, and on the military, for they may and most likely will be needed to crush any and all fascist resistance to the cause of His Majesty's Government.

This man is menacing us with secession! If there is anyone to be arrested here is this petty criminal, a corrupt businessman known to have bought his position of Minister of Flanders and to have lived as a parasite at the expense of the Belgian People for years! Every loyal servant of Belgium, our one and indivisible nation, cannot and should not tolerate this vile Separatist to hold such an important position of power.

The continued political violence committed against the BNF by Republicans and Socialists, and the more and more virulent propaganda directed against the National Front, are throwing the nation into Chaos! The government must stop all attempts at suppressing the clearly popular National Front, which has become Belgium's greatest party, or I don't see how stability could ever be restored to Belgium.

- Baron Alexander Van Den Brucke
Brigadier-General of the Belgian Army

 

[sealy300]

I call for the imediate revokation of all weapon certificates whom are in possesion of people who afiliate themselves with the so called 'Stromtroepen'. They are a threat to our nation and we must do something to protect the Belgians who are branded traitors by this paramilitary organisation. The revokation will mean that every weapon needs to be confisqueted within 12 hours of the revokation, if this deadline is failed by the possesor he will be prosecuted and if need be all possesions confisqueted, quoting the Arms Restriction Act.

Father Gerrard van Prinsterer

This People is why I tried to found an organisation to prevent events like this! I petition the minister of the Interior to immediately form the NBBS and that theBNF is made a militia and immediately disbanded. Finally, I Put forward a motion that the king Declare a state of emergency. People, this is a rebellion of the "Belgian Nation Front" and must be crushed before it is too late.

~Jean di Picardie, Deputy for Artois and Premier of the Belgian Socialist Union.

 

[Plank of Wood]

I move that all members of the BNF be arrested for treason and be sent to prison colonies in Africa.

- Vroomen

 

[G.K.]

Vanderhoof's remark may have caused some upset among the Fascist benches, but when Socialist deputy van Prinsterer seconded his calls to deal with BNF's paramilitaries, the Speaker of the house had to calm down the outbursts of anger from the right wing of the Chamber of Deputies where the Fascsists were seated. The fieriest and loudest Fascist deputy, a well known firebrand from Namur, had to be escorted out by the Sergeant at Arms. Marquis de Broqueville, angered by the most recent wave of attacks against the BNF, rose up and turned to Samuel Vanderhoof:

Mr. Vanderhoof, I will not have myself to listen to insults from some Ottoman or whichever hell of a country you came from. Your presence in this chamber is an insult to every true Belgian, but do not worry, we have the means to have this insult remedied. If you wish to file charges against me, you are free to do so. I am on the other hand free to use the notification as a napkin after I finish my dinner tonight. I understand how easy it is to blame everything from unemployment to criminality on the Fascists, yet, you should look into your own ranks - it was Wyngaert's cabinet that failed at stopping all these heinous crimes committed by the Bolsheviks against innocent Belgians, it is Wyngaert's cowardice that keeps Java, our rightful colony, in the hands of separatists and it is your policy of the so called "free market" that enslaves this nation and is responsible for our people losing their jobs. Blame us all you want, use your press to drag Fascism through the mud, it will not help. The nation itself knows who to blame.

Then, Philippe-Auguste turned his attention to the left side of the hall, where BSU and Father van Prinsterer were seated:

And as for the Stormtroepen, Father, they will neither surrender nor give up their weapons. I always hoped that Fascism will be a respected alternative to the incompetence of all these Wyngaerts, Vanderhoofs, Loewens and similar dirty traitors, but apparently, this Savarinist and Bolshevik regime chose otherwise and instead uses all thinkable dirty tricks to keep itself in power and well supplied with the taxpayer's money. And if violent attacks on Belgian Fascists are to be tolerated by the state and by the officials, they will not be tolerated by the Fascists themselves.

So, gentlemen, I believe that I do not need to waste any more time here today. I really do not feel like to listen to more Savarinist propaganda against either me or the National movement.

Philippe-Auguste then left the halls, got into his car - a brand new Buick model 19, first of its kind in Belgium - waiting outside with a driver dressed in the Stormtroepen uniform and left the Parliament building.

 

[Dadarian]

Vanderhoof's remark may have caused some upset among the Fascist benches, but when Socialist deputy van Prinsterer seconded his calls to deal with BNF's paramilitaries, the Speaker of the house had to calm down the outbursts of anger from the right wing of the Chamber of Deputies where the Fascsists were seated. The fieriest and loudest Fascist deputy, a well known firebrand from Namur, had to be escorted out by the Sergeant at Arms. Marquis de Broqueville, angered by the most recent wave of attacks against the BNF, rose up and turned to Samuel Vanderhoof:

Mr. Vanderhoof, I will not have myself to listen to insults from some Ottoman or whichever hell of a country you came from. Your presence in this chamber is an insult to every true Belgian, but do not worry, we have the means to have this insult remedied. If you wish to file charges against me, you are free to do so. I am on the other hand free to use the notification as a napkin after I finish my dinner tonight. I understand how easy it is to blame everything from unemployment to criminality on the Fascists, yet, you should look into your own ranks - it was Wyngaert's cabinet that failed at stopping all these heinous crimes committed by the Bolsheviks against innocent Belgians, it is Wyngaert's cowardice that keeps Java, our rightful colony, in the hands of separatists and it is your policy of the so called "free market" that enslaves this nation and is responsible for our people losing their jobs. Blame us all you want, use your press to drag Fascism through the mud, it will not help. The nation itself knows who to blame.

Then, Philippe-Auguste turned his attention to the left side of the hall, where BSU and Father van Prinsterer were seated:

And as for the Stormtroepen, Father, they will neither surrender nor give up their weapons. I always hoped that Fascism will be a respected alternative to the incompetence of all these Wyngaerts, Vanderhoofs, Loewens and similar dirty traitors, but apparently, this Savarinist and Bolshevik regime chose otherwise and instead uses all thinkable dirty tricks to keep itself in power and well supplied with the taxpayer's money. And if violent attacks on Belgian Fascists are to be tolerated by the state and by the officials, they will not be tolerated by the Fascists themselves.

So, gentlemen, I believe that I do not need to waste any more time here today. I really do not feel like to listen to more Savarinist propaganda against either me or the National movement.

Philippe-Auguste then left the halls, got into his car - a brand new Buick model 19, first of its kind in Belgium - waiting outside with a driver dressed in the Stormtroepen uniform and left the Parliament building.

Upon his leaving Vanderhoof slams his gavel again

This proves it. The man is a traitor, a sedationist and a spy. The time of thuggish terrorism dominating our politics is ended. It is time for the Leider to be put in his place. Long Live the King, Long Live Free Belgium!

 

[99KingHigh]

Cries erupt in the CCU wing:

BAN THE BNF! BAN THE BNF!