Empire of the Mediterranean: An Interactive Aragon AAR

[Mach Twelve]

Franchise: Universal/Weighted Universal/Weighted Wealth
1. Weighed Wealth ((We need SOMETHING to do in V2. Having our franchise at a relatively backwards state would provide this.))
2. Universal
3. Weighted Universal
India Famine: Send Relief/Send troops/Both/Send the bare minimum
1. Both
2. Troops
3. Relief
4. None
Assassination Attempt Response: Crack down/Seek reform/Grant Northern Italy Independence
1. Crackdown
2. Independence
3. Reform
Najd Response: Invasion/Compromise/Hand over Arabia
1. Invasion
2. Compromise
3. Hand over

Bankruptcy:
Cut administrative costs: Yes
Downsize the military: No
Take out a loan: Yes

 

[hirahammad]

Franchise:
1. Weighted Wealth
2. Weighted Universal
3. Universal
India Famine:
1. Both
2. Send Relief
3. Send troops
4. Send the bare minimum
Assassination Attempt Response:
1. Crack down
2. Reform
3. Grant Northern Italy Independence
Najd Response:
1. Invasion
2. Compromise
3. Hand over Arabia

Bankruptcy:
Cut administrative costs: Yes
Downsize the military: No
Take out a loan: No

((Lower stability... I want to engage on a Reconquista once Vicky starts, not Whac-a-Mole. ))

 

[Michaelangelo]

((Wait, so did I barely save the Emperor with my stability raise? If so then ))

((Actually, you improved our chance of winning the French Succession War and reaching a settlement in the colonial crisis. ))

 

[Robban204]

Franchise:
1. Weighted Universal
2. Weighted Wealth
3. Universal
India Famine:
1. Both
2. Send troops
3. Send Relief
4. Send the bare minimum
Assassination Attempt Response:
1. Seek reform
2. Crack down
3. Grant Northern Italy Independence
Najd Response:
1. Invasion
2. Compromise
3. Hand over Arabia

Bankruptcy:
Cut administrative costs: Yes
Downsize the military: No
Take out a loan: Yes

((Also I'd like to increase stability, Long Live the Empire!))

 

[05060403]

((We need SOMETHING to do in V2. Having our franchise at a relatively backwards state would provide this.))

(( If you want something to do then why don't you try lowering the stability?
It weakens Hispania, meaning we'll have more to do in V2, since we won't be in such a great position. ))

(( Franchise:
1. Universal
2. Weighted Wealth
3. Weighted Universal
India Famine:
1. Both
2. Send Relief
3. Send troops
4. Send the bare minimum
Assassination Attempt Response:
1. Grant Northern Italy Independence
2. Seek reform
3. Crack down
Najd Response:
1. Compromise
2. Invasion
3. Hand over Arabia

Bankruptcy:
Cut administrative costs: Yes
Downsize the military: Yes
Take out a loan: Yes ))

In 1824 few articles and essays written by unknown authors under a psuedonym "Vox Populi" calling the common people of Hispania to rise up and break the "shackles of monarchy" and establish a government "by the people, for the people", praising the benefits of a rebuplican system, agitating revolts and calling for removal of Prime Minister Joan from the office.
The publications continued over few months, going mostly unnoticed by the majority of the population.

(( Just a small fluff IC for me to use in future in my small plan

Feel free to use or expand upon it! Maybe as a way to lower stabilty of whatever you wish ))

 

[Michaelangelo]

In 1824 few articles and essays written by unknown authors under a psuedonym "Vox Populi" calling the common people of Hispania to rise up and break the "shackles of monarchy" and establish a government "by the people, for the people", praising the benefits of a rebuplican system, agitating revolts and calling for removal of Prime Minister Joan from the office.
The publications continued over few months, going mostly unnoticed by the majority of the population.

(( Just a small fluff IC for me to use in future in my small plan

Feel free to use or expand upon it! Maybe as a way to lower stabilty of whatever you wish ))

((You do realize that a law passed making it a treasonable offence to even suggest a republic, right? And no more stability drops for you. ))

 

[05060403]

((You do realize that a law passed making it a treasonable offence to even suggest a republic, right? And no more stability drops for you. ))

(( Yes I do. And yes I know.
So I'm going to present my case:
- As I said, it's only a fluff IC with no real purpose but to set something up for future
- Since it's fluff, I haven't even tried to lower stabily; I would state so if I did.
And since I used it up, I can't do it even if I wanted.
- I mentioned it went mostly unnoticed.
The effect would be minuscule.
And the author(s) are unknown, only using a pseudonym. ))

 

[Mach Twelve]

Within the Imperial Faction a new development brewed. While the Empress Dowager made a point of not disputing Parliament Acts she disagreed with like the creation of local governments and the direct election of governors to prevent unneeded chaos from a rapidly changing status quo, many others disagreed and attempted to present legislation to repeal these acts.

When Sophia was alive, she was able to keep these elements in check, but in the years since her death they have grown bolder without someone to restrain them.

These people, a sizeable but definitive minority are starting to refer to themselves as the "natural reaction from all loyalists in the face of rebellion and madness" or as Reactionaries for short, all but branching off from the main Imperial Faction due to friction by what the majority feels to be their views made too extreme.

It remains to be seen if these elements will have any effect on Hispanian politics...

 

[zenphoenix]

((Private))

The Reconquista remained mostly immune to the polarization and factionalism taking place within the other parties, but it wasn't spared. Without the steady leadership of Alejandro de Leon and the ambiguous nature of the party's "liberal" platform causing many to look like hypocrites and even traitors whenever they proposed pieces of legislation, Reconquistadores began drifting in all possible ideological directions. Some drifted more to the left, claiming that the party had lost its way and had not lived up to the ideals that Alejandro set for it; they rejected Fernando's efforts to reconcile the concerns and wishes of both the common people and the nobility and advocated for an advancement of the former's rights at all costs (though within legal and reasonable bounds). A few drifted to the right, believing that the people had already had enough rights and that the rights of the Church and the nobility had to be protected. A handful drifted to the extreme right, claiming that it was the liberal policy of the Reconquista that had caused the current crisis, and a few drifted to the extreme left. The majority of the party, though, remained on the center-left, as Fernando and his allies managed to maintain the party's cohesion and reaffirm its original platform. Compromise was a key component of the party. There had to be cooperation between its members in order for things to get done. The same was reflected in its platform. It would continue working on legislation that would mutually benefit all Hispanians, regardless of social standing.

 

[hirahammad]

((Private))
The Archbishopric of Grenada remained prominent in politics, being holder of the MRA, though their coffers were depleted during the earth shaking phenomenon which destroyed a steeple from the times of Aragon. Politically, the Archbishop held what was increasingly being referred to as right-of-center political views. The Archbishopric largely attempted to hold to what it saw as His Holiness Xystus II's example, and though there were naturally disputes concerning what this meant, for the large part views were unified. Of course, this was subject to change, and there were some radicals in the lower echelons of Grenadan clergymen who discreetly pined for the days where Catholicism held primacy.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Within the Imperial Faction a new development brewed. While the Empress Dowager made a point of not disputing Parliament Acts she disagreed with like the creation of local governments and the direct election of governors to prevent unneeded chaos from a rapidly changing status quo, many others disagreed and attempted to present legislation to repeal these acts.

When Sophia was alive, she was able to keep these elements in check, but in the years since her death they have grown bolder without someone to restrain them.

These people, a sizeable but definitive minority are starting to refer to themselves as the "natural reaction from all loyalists in the face of rebellion and madness" or as Reactionaries for short, all but branching off from the main Imperial Faction due to friction by what the majority feels to be their views made too extreme.

It remains to be seen if these elements will have any effect on Hispanian politics...

((If this is meant to be an explanation for in the future why the Imperials will be conservatives and where the reactionaries come from, I thank you ahead of time. It makes more sense for them to be conservatives due to Vicky 2 tending to be a bit biased against reactionaries when it comes to handing out seats, even though the Imperials are our main right-leaning party. Guess we'll be having another party going into Vicky 2. ))

 

[alscon]

((Franchise:
1. Universal
2. Weighted Wealth
3. Weighted Universal
India Famine:
1. Send troops
2. Send the bare minimum
3. Both
4. Send relief
Assassination Attempt Response:
1. Grant Northern Italy Independence
2. Crack down
3. Seek reform
Najd Response:
1. Invasion
2. Hand over Arabia
3. Compromise

Bankruptcy:
Cut administrative costs: Yes
Downsize the military: Yes
Take out a loan: No

I've never seen the Imperials as anything other than reactionaries. If you look at the votes, nothing else makes sense: even when all parties agreed on a reform, the Imperials always said no. We could also start with a reactionary majority (if things stay the same ) and then have either a later Imperial split or none. Either way...))

Despite Arnau Faixòn not being the leader of the faction, he soon overshadowed the Fénixists everywhere. So they took the logical next step and elected him as their leader. For some Parliamentaries, his ideals were too extreme and they left the faction, while others joined. The Facció del Fénix continued to vehemently protest against whatever Joan planned if it wasn't for the benefit of all, called for his removal, the full secularization of the state, and most of all equal rights for every Hispanian. Rumours circulated again that, just like the Suez Canal incident, it was Joan himself who ordered the assassination attempt, even taking a bullet himself as to make it more credible. He was portrayed as an absolutist tyrant, the worst of all these disasters that have struck Hispania. With Pere fully unfit to rule, only Parliament had the natural authority to represent Hispania, not a violent schemer who would murder his brother for power!

((If the Facció del Fénix still exists in V2, they'd probably be Anarcho-Liberals. They aren't present at the start but come up fairly quickly IIRC, so it shouldn't be too bad to include them.))

 

[Mach Twelve]

((Franchise:
1. Universal
2. Weighted Wealth
3. Weighted Universal
India Famine:
1. Send troops
2. Send the bare minimum
3. Both
4. Send relief
Assassination Attempt Response:
1. Grant Northern Italy Independence
2. Crack down
3. Seek reform
Najd Response:
1. Invasion
2. Hand over Arabia
3. Compromise

Bankruptcy:
Cut administrative costs: Yes
Downsize the military: Yes
Take out a loan: No

I've never seen the Imperials as anything other than reactionaries. If you look at the votes, nothing else makes sense: even when all parties agreed on a reform, the Imperials always said no. We could also start with a reactionary majority (if things stay the same ) and then have either a later Imperial split or none. Either way...))

Despite Arnau Faixòn not being the leader of the faction, he soon overshadowed the Fénixists everywhere. So they took the logical next step and elected him as their leader. For some Parliamentaries, his ideals were too extreme and they left the faction, while others joined. The Facció del Fénix continued to vehemently protest against whatever Joan planned if it wasn't for the benefit of all, called for his removal, the full secularization of the state, and most of all equal rights for every Hispanian. Rumours circulated again that, just like the Suez Canal incident, it was Joan himself who ordered the assassination attempt, even taking a bullet himself as to make it more credible. He was portrayed as an absolutist tyrant, the worst of all these disasters that have struck Hispania. With Pere fully unfit to rule, only Parliament had the natural authority to represent Hispania, not a violent schemer who would murder his brother for power!

((If the Facció del Fénix still exists in V2, they'd probably be Anarcho-Liberals. They aren't present at the start but come up fairly quickly IIRC, so it shouldn't be too bad to include them.))

((The Imperials are meant to be conversatives. They literally do not support either reform or repeal unless militancy is high enough, and since our stability maxed for pretty much all of the last 60 years, I saw no need to bend as a V2 Conservative would under a 5+ average militancy populace. I was always playing as a V2 Conservative (but realized that Sophia in particular had a proto-fasicst streak with her emphasize on the good of Hispania above all else) but we didn't really get the chance for me to show it, as counter-liberal repeals were not being suggested for me to oppose and the situation didn't escalate for a true concession. And in that situation the Reactionaries and Conservatives look one and the same. In fact, I am saying that the split between the two has always been present in the faction and that they are only now truly becoming their own groups without the dominant presence of the Witch Empress herself. The Imperials always were the only group that could be considered the Reactionary faction, but mostly due to the lack of true Reactionaries. As Mike realized, my post is indeed to give the most logical explanation for the Reactionaries we need to have. Just need a name. I'm thinking Reformer Imperials due to their desire to return to a time in the past, like 1773 in the aftermath of the Great Reform.))

 

[alscon]

((The Imperials are meant to be conversatives. They literally do not support either reform or repeal unless militancy is high enough, and since our stability maxed for pretty much all of the last 60 years, I saw no need to bend as a V2 Conservative would under a 5+ average militancy populace. I was always playing as a V2 Conservative (but realized that Sophia in particular had a proto-fasicst streak with her emphasize on the good of Hispania above all else) but we didn't really get the chance for me to show it, as counter-liberal repeals were not being suggested for me to oppose and the situation didn't escalate for a true concession. And in that situation the Reactionaries and Conservatives look one and the same. In fact, I am saying that the split between the two has always been present in the faction and that they are only now truly becoming their own groups without the dominant presence of the Witch Empress herself. The Imperials always were the only group that could be considered the Reactionary faction, but mostly due to the lack of true Reactionaries. As Mike realized, my post is indeed to give the most logical explanation for the Reactionaries we need to have. Just need a name. I'm thinking Reformer Imperials due to their desire to return to a time in the past, like 1773 in the aftermath of the Great Reform.))

((In any case, our political parties for V2 need work. Or we would have 1 Reactionary/Conservative party, 3 Liberals and 1 Anarcho-Liberal, which would obviously not be very fitting. IMHO, the Imperials are perfect Reactionaries, the more conservative amongst them could flood the Reconquista (which basically did what a V2 conservative would have - be against reform until there were enough events to cause enough shift in the upper house) and mostly take over that faction. Campos has many conservative elements, while Marina's focus clearly should be liberal, and Fénix anarcho-liberal. Then we'd have a spectrum of 1 reactionary, 2 conservative, 1 liberal (and 1 anarcho-liberal) party, which would also (kind of) fit with V2 starting party loyalties, a strong reactionary party, most conservatives and a significant liberal presence. Just my two cents.))

 

[zenphoenix]

((In any case, our political parties for V2 need work. Or we would have 1 Reactionary/Conservative party, 3 Liberals and 1 Anarcho-Liberal, which would obviously not be very fitting. IMHO, the Imperials are perfect Reactionaries, the more conservative amongst them could flood the Reconquista (which basically did what a V2 conservative would have - be against reform until there were enough events to cause enough shift in the upper house) and mostly take over that faction. Campos has many conservative elements, while Marina's focus clearly should be liberal, and Fénix anarcho-liberal. Then we'd have a spectrum of 1 reactionary, 2 conservative, 1 liberal (and 1 anarcho-liberal) party, which would also (kind of) fit with V2 starting party loyalties, a strong reactionary party, most conservatives and a significant liberal presence. Just my two cents.))

((That sounds like a good idea, but it doesn't take into account how the Reconquista has been mostly supportive of social reforms; I'm not sure if the Reconquista's platform can be called conservative, given they officially call themselves liberal, but I'm willing to overlook that since liberals and conservatives can't form coalitions with each other. I'm also planning on having the Reconquista switch ideologies to socialist once socialism fires, which would leave one party for each ideology at that point.))

 

[05060403]

(( Well that ruins my plans completely xD

Not that I mind, since of course I'm not the only player. But I wanted to eventually flip Marina into a Socialist party, or rather part of it after it'd split, since it won't survive as it is because of the way trade and the market is handles in V2.

Time to think of other things to do

Then again, it won't be bad if there will be two parties for one ideology, always openes up an oportuinty for a coalition. And it's not like the Liberal Marina would disappear.
I guess only future will tell what is going to happen. ))

 

[Michaelangelo]

((If the Facció del Fénix still exists in V2, they'd probably be Anarcho-Liberals. They aren't present at the start but come up fairly quickly IIRC, so it shouldn't be too bad to include them.))

((I am leaving the option for parties to change ideologies once the one they want is unlocked. In this case, your party would start out as liberal and then swap to anarcho-liberal the moment it unlocks. I suppose we might have problems with government type because I believe anarcho-liberals can't participate in a monarchy unless it's HM's Government.))

* * * * *

((I see everyone has been thinking of ideologies that their party would take. I will say that I agree with Mach Twelve's assessment of the Imperials. They really do fit the Vicky 2 model of a conservative due to not supporting reform unless needed. I think the reason they look like our reactionaries is because every party is so liberal here. Seeing as I'd rather avoid messing with the POP's party loyalty, it'd be tricky trying to massively increase reactionary support. I'm not sure I'd know how to do that for the lower house. I feel like forcing them to be reactionaries would doom them to irrelevance.

Also, when it comes to picking an ideology, don't feel restrained by how Vicky 2 usually handles them. Just because in-game liberals don't support social reforms doesn't mean they can't in the iAAR. I will be designing events that allow us to change reforms at will, so we shouldn't be restricted by the in-game ideologies. As for coalitions, if any combination of parties can form a coalition in the iAAR, then they are free to do so regardless of ideology. Conservatives and liberals can join forces, it just needs to be noted that whoever becomes Prime Minister will have their party as the ruling party in-game. I also am open to having multiple conservative, liberal, and possibly socialist parties, since they tend to draw the most support.

Clearly there's a lot to consider. I suppose at some point I should stop procrastinating and finish those rules. ))

 

[texasjoshua]

(( Oh my goodness! Paradox hasn't been giving me updates in this thread. I've missed so much! That's a real shame. Now is the time to vote for me! Though I'll need to pick up VKII so i can fiddle with it. Also, Altair's son I was totally planning on being basically a Revolutionary, so we'll see where that goes with all the Italian nonsense.))

Franchise: Universal/Weighted Universal/Weighted Wealth
1. Weighted Universal
2. Weighted Wealth
3. Universal
India Famine: Send Relief/Send troops/Both/Send the bare minimum
1. Bare Minimum
2. Send Troops
3. Send Relief
4. Both
Assassination Attempt Response: Crack down/Seek reform/Grant Northern Italy Independence
1. Crack Down
2. Seek Reform
3. Independence
Najd Response: Invasion/Compromise/Hand over Arabia
1. Invasion
2. Hand over Arabia
3. Compromise

Bankruptcy:
Cut administrative costs: No
Downsize the military: Yes
Take out a loan: Yes

 

[LostPatriot]

Franchise: Universal/Weighted Universal/Weighted Wealth
1. Weighted Wealth
2. Universal
3. Weighted Universal
India Famine: Send Relief/Send troops/Both/Send the bare minimum
1. Both
2. Send Troops
3. Send Relief
4. None
Assassination Attempt Response: Crack down/Seek reform/Grant Northern Italy Independence
1. Crack Down
2. Independence
3. Reform
Najd Response: Invasion/Compromise/Hand over Arabia
1. Invasion
2. Hand over Arabia
3. Compromise

Bankruptcy:
Cut administrative costs: yes
Downsize the military: no
Take out a loan: yes

 

[Arcas Cronifer]

Franchise: Universal/Weighted Universal/Weighted Wealth
1. Weighted Wealth
2. Weighted Universal
3. Universal

(( "If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change." Tancred in The Leopard by Lampedusa ))

India Famine: Send Relief/Send troops/Both/Send the bare minimum
1. Both
2. Send Troops
3. Send Relief
4. None

Assassination Attempt Response: Crack down/Seek reform/Grant Northern Italy Independence
1. Crack Down
2. Reform
3. Independence

(( That one really made me sad. After such a horrific crime, it's too late to grant the Italian their independence : what would have been seen as great generosity right before the assassination attempt now would just be considered a sign of weakness. ))

Najd Response: Invasion/Compromise/Hand over Arabia
1. Invasion
2. Compromise
3. Hand over Arabia

(( Better try and teach Najd a lesson first ; after that they could become a puppet state, and then be granted Arabia. A common colonial strategy for the XIXth century, British style ))

Bankruptcy:
Cut administrative costs: yes
Downsize the military: no
Take out a loan: yes

(( Let's hope that will be enough, otherwise the Empire could actually collapse now ))