Yeah but then you're just a dominion and you have no freedom to go to war etc
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Yeah but then you're just a dominion and you have no freedom to go to war etc
Hey Kiwinamerica, good to have you on board and thanks for your kind words. I'm happy you're enjoying it!
To your question, when releasing a country you usually have two options: "release as dominion" or "play as"
If you choose the first on there is indeed no diplomacy available. Simply choose "play as" and immediately afterwards save and reload. Should be the standard procedure and its also how this game was started.
The final chapter should be ready around this weekend, I just have to find some time to write it down. So stay tuned!
Chapter Ten - The Pacific Union (1926 - 1936)
After years of diplomatic efforts New Zealand established a close partnership with the Philippines. Another valueable member had been added to the Pacific Union.
As such it received comprehensive support in economical and industrial affairs. Maori fundings also went to the other side of the Pacific; Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador received a massive infrastructural boost, leading to increased productivity
and thus also benefitted New Zealand as well. The parliament was particularly proud of its heavy influence over South America. Now evenly distributed from Panama across the Amazonas delta further south down to the Falkland Islands, New Zealands influence ensured peace all over the continent. Merely the European posessions in Guyana were out of reach.
Europe meanwhile was further declining into conflict. A second big war was already lurking on the horizon as after many wars the territorial issues had still not resolved. If anything it seemed to get worse ever year. Wellington however did not mind first world quarrels. Its future was and would always be in the Pacific. The Prime Minister figured that soon would be the time to ultimately cement New Zealands supremacy in this part of the world. Still it was unclear how to best realize this necessity.
In mid 1927 the Military High Command and parliament were called together to devise a general strategy to strengthen the nation as a whole, emancipate it from the British Crown and demonstrate New Zealands power to the world.
The year 1928 marked a sharp turn in the nation's history! The government was presented a plan of how to live up to its ambitions even if it meant to turn on old traditions.
First of all, the diversity inside the country was to be eliminated and replaced by a strong sense of patriotism and community for only a united homogenous nation could stand the test of time. Austria-Hungary gave an example how a multi-ethical conglomeration was bound to fail.
Secondly, the new form of goverment allowed for extensive control over the industry. Mainly the Chinese posessions needed close watch as the local industrialists were unable to use the sheer abundance of work force. As for the industry in all other parts of the country was completely fine on their own.
Thirdly, recruiting campaigns were launched to improve the military situation - and they met astounding acceptance amoung the populace.
Fourthly, the NZ Navy was to be strengthened by overhauling old vessels and constructing new ones.
Shortly after initiating the Great New Zealandian Renovation the Netherlands deemed itself not entirely secure and sent forth its diplomats...
After one year of painstaking modernization and militarization, Wellington proceeded to send out its own diplomats for the time had come to finally show the Netherlands that their future would be back home in old Europe rather than overseas. As a symbolic act for the acknowledgement of Maori predominance New Zealand demanded the great Island of Sumatra, also known under the name Jambi Region to be handed over.
It was not intended though that the United Kingdom would be on Netherland's side but still the allied forces considered themselves strong enough to withstand this coalition.
Within the first days of "War in Southeast Asia and Oceania" particularly one ally of New Zealand proved its great value: the great and greatly underappreciated Sultanate of Johore. Maori scouts delivered amazing news from the Singaporean front. The British brigades that tried to overrun Johor Bahru were fought off and in fact forced to retreat back to Singapore! Many of Malaysians dreamed of driving off the British entirely from their peninsula. But that is another story...
The main battleground of the war emerged in the British holdings in Northern Siam, eastern of Burma. The latter remained neutral throughout the war since it was allied with NZ but still sphered by the UK. Nevertheless, a neutral buffer zone was somewhat appreciated by the General Staff. Brigade after brigade of Indian soldiers poured in from the British-Indian territories beyond the western border of Siam.
Reinforced by chinese Soldiers the Yunnanese-Maori Divisions began to seize - and dig into - British-Siam.
The main invasion force, coming from Brunei, crossed the Singapore Strait a week after the war broke out. After the amphibious landing operation they marched towards the defending Dutch forces in Merah. The following battle was swift and deadly. Maori and Bruneian marines overran the hopelessly outdated barricades and took thousands of prisoners. Shortly thereafter they roamed across Sumatra and occupied the Island largely uncontested.
Meanwhile British Divisions attempted to invade New Zealand Yunnan by perfoming a flanking maneuver and marching through Western China to attack from the North.
What the British officers had ignored was the unforgiving nature of deserts and mountains which took more victims than the enemy. When they finally arrived in Yunnan, they were everything but ready to fight.
While the Premier Minister was visiting Soldiers recovering in Bangkok, a messenger arrived from Wellington and delivered an urgent dispatch. Cuba, in its inability to repay any more debts, had stumbled into a war with Mexico. Collecting money was one thing but the General Staff were terrified of the idea that Mexico would not simply make peace after collecting their share. After all their military was big enough to conquer the island ten times at least.
Thus, New Zealand saw itself forced to engage the Mexicans to guarantee for the continued independence of Cuba (...and its influence in Latin America).
At the same time the Guinean-Maori Division had crossed the border to Dutch New Guinea and proceeded to annihilate the outnumbered defenders in the island's west. Within a few months all of New Guinea was under Maori control.
The only worrying news that week again came from the East:
But again, New Zealand stood by its ally. The Maori Panama Canal Fleet steamed into the Caribbean to block confederated ports and prevent any possible invasion forces to leave for Cuba. Their coast fleet was sent back to the docks immediately.
Cuba itself took its affinity with "la revolucion" in the most literal sense. Since declaring independenc from Spain, the tobacco island lived through almost every revolt there is. Starting with a communist regime, displaced by radical liberals, democrats, now fascists supposedly were next to rule the country.
Back in Asia, Maori-Chinese troops mostly withstand the British-Indian troops coming from Burma. They were dug in deep in the previously unprotected British-Siamese provinces and waited for more redcoats to come. Unfortunately the defenders of Nakhon Sawan were too exhausted from repeatedly being under siege, having no other choice but to retreat for the moment.
A few months into the war, ships under Mexican flag emerged near the coast of Brunei and several brigades were landed in Api. Thanks to the uncontested occupation of Sumatra, the Maori High Command had enough troops to spare and ferried them back from Batang to Brunei to launch an quick counteroffensive in the deadly hot and humid jungles of Api.
A few days later the same scenario repeated itself in New Guinea. This time the backup forces from mainland New Zealand and the Pacific atolls took the job of beating back the enemy.
Surprisingly, the Dutch seized the opportunity and landed troops on the unprotected North Island. Their fleet must have traveled all the way from the North Sea to fight the pacific aggressors. Nevertheless they were sent off by Oceanic troops that arrived just in time to prevent Auckland from being burned to the ground.
All in all it seemed that New Zealand was lucky in this war. The much feared British Navy had not shown any presence in the Pacific and East Indian Ocean so the Naval Command had enough vessels to spare for blockades in North America as well as shipping troops from one island to another to successfully fend off all counter attacks.
In early 1931 a big naval force under ottoman flag was spotted on their way to the mainland. They landed a force of 81.000 soldiers in Auckland. In the light of the stalemate in Asia where almost all important fights had been won but territorial occupations were unacknowledged by the Europeans, the government decided to sue for peace. Not only had they demonstrated their dominance over the Netherlands and resistance towards the UK, but also secured all their war goals. So, to avoid a general mobilization for fighting off the Turks, peace was agreed in June 1931.
Soon after, the Confederates and Mexico succumbed under widespread naval blockades and New Zealand was in peace again. In fact, it emerged out of the war stronger than ever. It's military had finally grown up and proved to be of world class and thanks to avoiding any general mobilizations the industry was also largely unaffected by the war. Still, the Chinese provinces posed somewhat of a problem since the roaring unemployment could not be reversed no matter how fast the factories were expanding.
So it came that yet another war broke out. France called it's new won ally New Zealand to fight against the dying Spanish nation and reclaim depts. Just like their former colony they suffered rebellion after rebellion. Only their Naval Forces, large in number but rotting away in the docks, kept the illusion of a Great Power alive.
Not a single Maori did actually engage in this war, for it was France alone that invaded Spain from the north and quickly ended the conflict. Needless to say, Spain did not have any standing army worth mentioning. Their only soldiers had deserted to immigrate to New Zealand and the USA or died while fighting rebels.
Cuba fulfilled the prophecy and became a fascist dictatorship while our trusty Maoris gained recognition as a nation of world wide influence. They were proposed to host the Tenth Olympic Games, the first games on the southern hemisphere at that. Honored and motivated by this demonstration of faith in the Pacific Power, their workers and craftsmen spured to erect and renovate numerous sports venues around Wellingtion.
Furthermore, in those times Brunei came back into the scope of interest. Throughout the last century, Brunei had been of great value for the Pacific Union. It was a model colony of far reaching impact. The administration always had been just and never experienced any rebellious activities. Their sons and daughters had willfully served in military, ecnomomic and scientific tasks and brought great honor to the formerly backwards region. So it was high time to give something back to this remarkable land. On the 6th of January 1934 Brunei was announced to be a fully and completely accepted state of New Zealand!
Siamese-New Zealand now was the only part of the nation still considered a colony. They preferred to maintain this status for expressing their cultural differences to the Maori.
Further celebrations commenced following the Olympic Games and after a long century of struggling with ups and downs, just before the dawn of 1936, the government made a long overdue concession to its people:
Numerous Hakas were held.
After years of diplomatic efforts New Zealand established a close partnership with the Philippines. Another valueable member had been added to the Pacific Union.
As such it received comprehensive support in economical and industrial affairs. Maori fundings also went to the other side of the Pacific; Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador received a massive infrastructural boost, leading to increased productivity
and thus also benefitted New Zealand as well. The parliament was particularly proud of its heavy influence over South America. Now evenly distributed from Panama across the Amazonas delta further south down to the Falkland Islands, New Zealands influence ensured peace all over the continent. Merely the European posessions in Guyana were out of reach.
Europe meanwhile was further declining into conflict. A second big war was already lurking on the horizon as after many wars the territorial issues had still not resolved. If anything it seemed to get worse ever year. Wellington however did not mind first world quarrels. Its future was and would always be in the Pacific. The Prime Minister figured that soon would be the time to ultimately cement New Zealands supremacy in this part of the world. Still it was unclear how to best realize this necessity.
In mid 1927 the Military High Command and parliament were called together to devise a general strategy to strengthen the nation as a whole, emancipate it from the British Crown and demonstrate New Zealands power to the world.
The year 1928 marked a sharp turn in the nation's history! The government was presented a plan of how to live up to its ambitions even if it meant to turn on old traditions.
First of all, the diversity inside the country was to be eliminated and replaced by a strong sense of patriotism and community for only a united homogenous nation could stand the test of time. Austria-Hungary gave an example how a multi-ethical conglomeration was bound to fail.
Secondly, the new form of goverment allowed for extensive control over the industry. Mainly the Chinese posessions needed close watch as the local industrialists were unable to use the sheer abundance of work force. As for the industry in all other parts of the country was completely fine on their own.
Thirdly, recruiting campaigns were launched to improve the military situation - and they met astounding acceptance amoung the populace.
Fourthly, the NZ Navy was to be strengthened by overhauling old vessels and constructing new ones.
Shortly after initiating the Great New Zealandian Renovation the Netherlands deemed itself not entirely secure and sent forth its diplomats...
After one year of painstaking modernization and militarization, Wellington proceeded to send out its own diplomats for the time had come to finally show the Netherlands that their future would be back home in old Europe rather than overseas. As a symbolic act for the acknowledgement of Maori predominance New Zealand demanded the great Island of Sumatra, also known under the name Jambi Region to be handed over.
It was not intended though that the United Kingdom would be on Netherland's side but still the allied forces considered themselves strong enough to withstand this coalition.
Within the first days of "War in Southeast Asia and Oceania" particularly one ally of New Zealand proved its great value: the great and greatly underappreciated Sultanate of Johore. Maori scouts delivered amazing news from the Singaporean front. The British brigades that tried to overrun Johor Bahru were fought off and in fact forced to retreat back to Singapore! Many of Malaysians dreamed of driving off the British entirely from their peninsula. But that is another story...
The main battleground of the war emerged in the British holdings in Northern Siam, eastern of Burma. The latter remained neutral throughout the war since it was allied with NZ but still sphered by the UK. Nevertheless, a neutral buffer zone was somewhat appreciated by the General Staff. Brigade after brigade of Indian soldiers poured in from the British-Indian territories beyond the western border of Siam.
Reinforced by chinese Soldiers the Yunnanese-Maori Divisions began to seize - and dig into - British-Siam.
The main invasion force, coming from Brunei, crossed the Singapore Strait a week after the war broke out. After the amphibious landing operation they marched towards the defending Dutch forces in Merah. The following battle was swift and deadly. Maori and Bruneian marines overran the hopelessly outdated barricades and took thousands of prisoners. Shortly thereafter they roamed across Sumatra and occupied the Island largely uncontested.
Meanwhile British Divisions attempted to invade New Zealand Yunnan by perfoming a flanking maneuver and marching through Western China to attack from the North.
What the British officers had ignored was the unforgiving nature of deserts and mountains which took more victims than the enemy. When they finally arrived in Yunnan, they were everything but ready to fight.
While the Premier Minister was visiting Soldiers recovering in Bangkok, a messenger arrived from Wellington and delivered an urgent dispatch. Cuba, in its inability to repay any more debts, had stumbled into a war with Mexico. Collecting money was one thing but the General Staff were terrified of the idea that Mexico would not simply make peace after collecting their share. After all their military was big enough to conquer the island ten times at least.
Thus, New Zealand saw itself forced to engage the Mexicans to guarantee for the continued independence of Cuba (...and its influence in Latin America).
At the same time the Guinean-Maori Division had crossed the border to Dutch New Guinea and proceeded to annihilate the outnumbered defenders in the island's west. Within a few months all of New Guinea was under Maori control.
The only worrying news that week again came from the East:
But again, New Zealand stood by its ally. The Maori Panama Canal Fleet steamed into the Caribbean to block confederated ports and prevent any possible invasion forces to leave for Cuba. Their coast fleet was sent back to the docks immediately.
Cuba itself took its affinity with "la revolucion" in the most literal sense. Since declaring independenc from Spain, the tobacco island lived through almost every revolt there is. Starting with a communist regime, displaced by radical liberals, democrats, now fascists supposedly were next to rule the country.
Back in Asia, Maori-Chinese troops mostly withstand the British-Indian troops coming from Burma. They were dug in deep in the previously unprotected British-Siamese provinces and waited for more redcoats to come. Unfortunately the defenders of Nakhon Sawan were too exhausted from repeatedly being under siege, having no other choice but to retreat for the moment.
A few months into the war, ships under Mexican flag emerged near the coast of Brunei and several brigades were landed in Api. Thanks to the uncontested occupation of Sumatra, the Maori High Command had enough troops to spare and ferried them back from Batang to Brunei to launch an quick counteroffensive in the deadly hot and humid jungles of Api.
A few days later the same scenario repeated itself in New Guinea. This time the backup forces from mainland New Zealand and the Pacific atolls took the job of beating back the enemy.
Surprisingly, the Dutch seized the opportunity and landed troops on the unprotected North Island. Their fleet must have traveled all the way from the North Sea to fight the pacific aggressors. Nevertheless they were sent off by Oceanic troops that arrived just in time to prevent Auckland from being burned to the ground.
All in all it seemed that New Zealand was lucky in this war. The much feared British Navy had not shown any presence in the Pacific and East Indian Ocean so the Naval Command had enough vessels to spare for blockades in North America as well as shipping troops from one island to another to successfully fend off all counter attacks.
In early 1931 a big naval force under ottoman flag was spotted on their way to the mainland. They landed a force of 81.000 soldiers in Auckland. In the light of the stalemate in Asia where almost all important fights had been won but territorial occupations were unacknowledged by the Europeans, the government decided to sue for peace. Not only had they demonstrated their dominance over the Netherlands and resistance towards the UK, but also secured all their war goals. So, to avoid a general mobilization for fighting off the Turks, peace was agreed in June 1931.
Soon after, the Confederates and Mexico succumbed under widespread naval blockades and New Zealand was in peace again. In fact, it emerged out of the war stronger than ever. It's military had finally grown up and proved to be of world class and thanks to avoiding any general mobilizations the industry was also largely unaffected by the war. Still, the Chinese provinces posed somewhat of a problem since the roaring unemployment could not be reversed no matter how fast the factories were expanding.
So it came that yet another war broke out. France called it's new won ally New Zealand to fight against the dying Spanish nation and reclaim depts. Just like their former colony they suffered rebellion after rebellion. Only their Naval Forces, large in number but rotting away in the docks, kept the illusion of a Great Power alive.
Not a single Maori did actually engage in this war, for it was France alone that invaded Spain from the north and quickly ended the conflict. Needless to say, Spain did not have any standing army worth mentioning. Their only soldiers had deserted to immigrate to New Zealand and the USA or died while fighting rebels.
Cuba fulfilled the prophecy and became a fascist dictatorship while our trusty Maoris gained recognition as a nation of world wide influence. They were proposed to host the Tenth Olympic Games, the first games on the southern hemisphere at that. Honored and motivated by this demonstration of faith in the Pacific Power, their workers and craftsmen spured to erect and renovate numerous sports venues around Wellingtion.
Furthermore, in those times Brunei came back into the scope of interest. Throughout the last century, Brunei had been of great value for the Pacific Union. It was a model colony of far reaching impact. The administration always had been just and never experienced any rebellious activities. Their sons and daughters had willfully served in military, ecnomomic and scientific tasks and brought great honor to the formerly backwards region. So it was high time to give something back to this remarkable land. On the 6th of January 1934 Brunei was announced to be a fully and completely accepted state of New Zealand!
Siamese-New Zealand now was the only part of the nation still considered a colony. They preferred to maintain this status for expressing their cultural differences to the Maori.
Further celebrations commenced following the Olympic Games and after a long century of struggling with ups and downs, just before the dawn of 1936, the government made a long overdue concession to its people:
Numerous Hakas were held.
Epilogue
To begin this epilogue, let us briefly revisit the once set goals:
Obviously we are still independent, more than ever and also a Great Power.
As for the influence; we certainly are one of the most influential nations around the Pacifc but potentially there could have been done a lot more.
For example there are still some islands in spanish posession, but since gathering troops from all those tiny atolls is such a drag I abdicated to take them. There are still a lot of Dutch colonies around, not really influential since undefended but still. And thirdly to my very regret it was impossible for me to get Japan out of the US sphere. Image what a coalition of Samurai and Maori could have been!
So I'll consider this 'mostly achieved'.
After hundred of eventful years New Zealand had changed tremendously. Once only populated by a mere 15.000 men, New Zealand now is the home of more than 26 Million people. Although the Chinese provinces are ths most populated ones, the majority of the populace still considers themselves Maori (British).
With only 16 Regions, two of them being colonies, New Zealand still manages to keep an adequate industry. One can say that the three major NZDPs (New Zealand Development Program) had been decently successful decisisons.
Also I am particularly proud of maintainting a constant positive immigration balance with only very few exceptions.
That is probably due to have passed all possible social and political reforms in the first 60 years.
Especially in the first few years, immigration was an invaluable bonus which boosted every aspect of this nation enormously. Population and literacy literally skyrocketed until reaching a certain limit from which they continued more moderately
One other field of great success were the sciences. Merely 4 technologies out of 150 were missing at the end of the game. The only time NZ's literacy to severe hits occured when Guinea was granted statehood and Yunnan and Guanxi taken from China.
Thanks to beeing a Great Power without any major interuptions, New Zealand managed to create a world wide sphere of influence, second only to the UK. Especially South America is almost completely in our hands, securing peace and great supplies of coffee, tobacco and rubber as well.
On the industrial side there is definitely space for improvement but it was decent nonetheless I guess. I also learned that luxury good are always profitable. While electrical and military goods often fluctuated in their demands an production capacities, luxury furniture and luxury clothing had been always reliable sources of income.
Anyways, New Zealand is among the top 5 producers of about half of the world products and well spaced out top producer of oil. Nice. This was achieved by a combination of natural oil resources (Thanks Brunei!) and synthetical oil refineries.
For a fun fact Johore found its own niche and is now 4th best producer of telephones world wide.
And now at last, behold the world of 1936:
(Note how the USA did nothing to expand its territory and Hawaii's everlasting independence)
I thank you all wholeheartedly for the support and your helpful/motivating comments. It was a very new but quite rewarding experience. Cheerio!
Edit:
If you like this aar you may vote for it at the AArland Choice AwAAds 2012
Make sure to also check out all the other wonderful AARs in this forum!
To begin this epilogue, let us briefly revisit the once set goals:
Micutio said:
Obviously we are still independent, more than ever and also a Great Power.
As for the influence; we certainly are one of the most influential nations around the Pacifc but potentially there could have been done a lot more.
For example there are still some islands in spanish posession, but since gathering troops from all those tiny atolls is such a drag I abdicated to take them. There are still a lot of Dutch colonies around, not really influential since undefended but still. And thirdly to my very regret it was impossible for me to get Japan out of the US sphere. Image what a coalition of Samurai and Maori could have been!
So I'll consider this 'mostly achieved'.
After hundred of eventful years New Zealand had changed tremendously. Once only populated by a mere 15.000 men, New Zealand now is the home of more than 26 Million people. Although the Chinese provinces are ths most populated ones, the majority of the populace still considers themselves Maori (British).
With only 16 Regions, two of them being colonies, New Zealand still manages to keep an adequate industry. One can say that the three major NZDPs (New Zealand Development Program) had been decently successful decisisons.
Also I am particularly proud of maintainting a constant positive immigration balance with only very few exceptions.
That is probably due to have passed all possible social and political reforms in the first 60 years.
Especially in the first few years, immigration was an invaluable bonus which boosted every aspect of this nation enormously. Population and literacy literally skyrocketed until reaching a certain limit from which they continued more moderately
One other field of great success were the sciences. Merely 4 technologies out of 150 were missing at the end of the game. The only time NZ's literacy to severe hits occured when Guinea was granted statehood and Yunnan and Guanxi taken from China.
Thanks to beeing a Great Power without any major interuptions, New Zealand managed to create a world wide sphere of influence, second only to the UK. Especially South America is almost completely in our hands, securing peace and great supplies of coffee, tobacco and rubber as well.
On the industrial side there is definitely space for improvement but it was decent nonetheless I guess. I also learned that luxury good are always profitable. While electrical and military goods often fluctuated in their demands an production capacities, luxury furniture and luxury clothing had been always reliable sources of income.
Anyways, New Zealand is among the top 5 producers of about half of the world products and well spaced out top producer of oil. Nice. This was achieved by a combination of natural oil resources (Thanks Brunei!) and synthetical oil refineries.
For a fun fact Johore found its own niche and is now 4th best producer of telephones world wide.
And now at last, behold the world of 1936:
(Note how the USA did nothing to expand its territory and Hawaii's everlasting independence)
I thank you all wholeheartedly for the support and your helpful/motivating comments. It was a very new but quite rewarding experience. Cheerio!
Edit:
If you like this aar you may vote for it at the AArland Choice AwAAds 2012
Make sure to also check out all the other wonderful AARs in this forum!
Last edited:
Thank you very much Avindian. I hope you liked it.
Indeed, I just did. Had been thinking about doing a Johore AAR for a while now.
Nope, that's not the case at all. If you click "play as", then you're a free nation.
Great AAR! I always love seeing a small nation claw it's way up to becoming a great power, and New Zealand was a great choice to do it with.
Xenophon13 said:
Thank you very much indeed! It really went better than I hoped in the beginning. The prestige tech approach was a complete success, but looking back there is even more possible if one is not as hesitant towards waging war as I am
Thank you very much. I'm always happy to entertain
Very, very good AAR. Taking a weak, releasable chunk of land in the pacific to Great Power status is certainly a feat.
Have my warmest thanks for all your nice words! It is nice to see the AAR appreciated and be assured, I try my best to deliver more enjoyable content.
Just like to say how much I liked this AAR. I plan to start my own soon, thanks for the inspiration.