The bombardment seemed brutal, six hours we waited for our orders to move, six hours we watched the Helroxi infantry weather out the bombardment while we were safe and waiting. I stood next to my squad and our field gun, simply waiting for the order to move. First, we saw the Tyrian infantry begin to advance, followed by our own soldiers to reinforce their position, then the shots began to ring out, I could see some of my friends popping their heads out of their cover to take potshots at our tired enemy.
After thirty minutes of fighting, my squad was told to move, our horses did not seem to get the same idea as they reared and kicked at the prospect of dragging a massive gun into potential enemy fire. In the end, they obeyed their training, just as we obeyed our training. As we moved forward, I swear a bullet flew past me and my mates, only later to be found out that the shot was a random miss by one of those conscripted boys across the way. Soon we reached our destination and we set up our gun, the infantry had advance some hundred meters, but our target was not the initial opposition.
We trained our gun to the rear of the enemy, we could barely see some of the wounded Helroxi being moved back or the conscripts pulling back enough to set up another defense so their forward brethren could pull back. I looked to my right to see another gun get into it’s position, to the left the same. We had a few field guns but they would effective at routing the enemy rear. We took aim, I got the honor of loading the gun and Demarius would fire it when Officer Valis gave the order. The gun then fired the first shot of our time here, I barely heard the other field guns fire, that meant we had fired at roughly the same time, but I did not care. I was eager to see what the Helroxi would do.
I squinted and waited a few seconds before our target was hit. I loaded the gun again and we adjusted our aim before firing again. They would not be able to properly defend the rear now, and when the conscripts ran, there would be little to save them. But I had little time to think, it was simply time to load the gun again…”
-Excerpt from Titus Kallis’, Artillerymen of the Itheraen Volunteer, journal
- Posting IC will be immensely beneficial to you as a player. It is, however, not necessary. This is designed so that you can still send in your orders if you are too busy to post, but posting IC will provide a tangible bonus to your DRM (Die Roll Modifier). - Each Turn represents one In-Game Month. The player will submit 3 Orders. - Each order is then subject to a 1d6 roll. A 6 means a perfect execution and a 1 means a horrible failure. Posting IC gives you a +2 die roll to a single order, or a +1 die roll to all three. [Specified at the end of your IC post.]. This means that more active players are rewarded. - Orders: * Economic: An order designed to benefit the nation economically. * Military: An order designed to affect your military. * Diplomacy: An order designed to conduct diplomacy. * Imperialism: Exploring and developing new lands. * Conference: Used to call a Political or Military Conference. Select which nations to invite. Begins a Conference. (See PM for rules). * Attempt Invention: Used to attempt a new invention. Must be relevant to current technologies and success depends on a 1d6. Great Powers receive a +1.
Eurania and Faresia, 1905
The Fifth Continent, 1905
July, 1905
July 23rd
King Avandre VII of Illesia hires the polyglot Marcus Aimes as well as the anthropologist Logan Blaines and a slew of other researchers and scientists to begin a complete expedition of the Serranthian coast lines, the first in Illesian history. They are dispatched on three different merchant vessels and are expected to return sometime in 1906. All three vessels were given a region to map out and catalog climate, terrain, the Serranthian natives as well as their hostility. So called the Serranthian Endeavor, it is given a budget of $200,000 for outfitting and supplies.
Illesian merchant vessels IV Hanover pictured 1905
Second Tyro-Helroxi War
Exhausted from nearly a month of defensive actions and an offensive unlike the world had ever seen--although without artillery--the Tyrian 2nd Field Army was ordered onto the offensive against the Helroxi. Army Group Reselven, for reasons unknown to all, did little except defend. Only briefly entrenched, the Helroxi are at immediate risk of being overwhelmed and encircled. Major Antony Kylov, deploring the Kaiser as a: "Rich and lazy asshole but not not least of all an idiot" defied the lack of standing orders and took to arms against the 4. Infanterie Division attempting to circle through and close the Helroxi supply lines. In the Battle of Surginov, Kylov's 90th Cavalry and the 4. Infanterie engaged in a three day long struggle to determine the fate of the Helroxi corridor. After a failed cavalry charge, Kylov's troops dismounted and engaged across the open plains but were woefully outmatched by Tyrian field artillery fire and the presence of new rapid firing mounted guns capable of mowing down three or four men at a time.
Tyrians of 4. Infanterie on the march during Operation Mystic, July 1905
The 4. Infanterie took nearly 40% casualties in tenacious fighting in and around the village of Surginov, but forced the 90th Cavalry back at the cost of 85% of all it's horses and 60% of all its equipment. Among the dead was Major Antony Kylov. On July 23rd the pocket was closed, with Itheraen and Tyrian soldiers meeting at the crux of the pocket and effectively encircling Army Group Reselven in what would now be called the Reselven Pocket. 80,000 men were now trapped, though poised to break out by virtue of the Northern Flank being protected by only a single Tyrian infantry division and an ad hoc Itheraen volunteer division (who were less volunteers and had been forced by their government to participate).
July 24th
Jakob Kalpulio returns to the Coastal Empire of Tara, his mission a failure given that he was allotted zero funds to work with. He resigns his commission in the Taranese Intelligence Bureau.
Second Tyro-Helroxi War
Army Group Wesleven arrives at the Tyrian front, having been ordered away from the Marnish border in June, 1905. General Zurosev Fregrelen's Army Group was 136,000 men strong and immediately began an offensive against the thin Tyrian lines of 4. Infanterie and the Itheraen Volunteer Division. Six Guards divisions were thrown into the offensive and both the Tyrian and Itheraen divisions flagged within two days of fighting. The 4. Infanterie division and the IVD force were taken prisoner following the Second Battle of Surginov and the Helroxi pocket was reopened. Among the captured equipment were 9 Melhorn S55, 77 Syndére machine guns and 6,500 Kaiser Type 91 rifles.
Tyrian prisoners of war, 1905
July 25th
In the High Kingdom of Itherae, The Debt Payment Act, proposed by Minister of Finance, Herodes Simonides, is passed through the Supra Dobranie and approved by the Queen to use any available surplus in the treasury to pay off the debt owed to the Taran Empire, in addition, maintenance of the railways will be reduced by $20,000,000 to give the government and increased amount to use on paying off the debt. These austerity measures were expected to slow growth of the rail industry to almost complete stagnation over the next 3 years.
July 26th
In the Kingdom of Zellonia, Minister of Labor Tyler Jenkins to lead an employment initiative, the Minister is to open three centers. One in the capital and one in major town of Wompville to the east of the capital and in Kyroz in the east. The employment centers will focus on getting skilled and unskilled laborers into the service industry & Food Industry. This initiative has a yearly budget of $250,000.
July 27th
The Toubrian general elections occur.
The Partido Popular Monárquico was not expected to have a strong showing, given the Illesian Incident and the Empress' desire to see it upheld. This was fuel to the fire for the Partido Liberal and even the Partido Nacional who wished to see Toubrian shipyards building Toubrian ships and lobbied heavily to ensure that Toubrian business owners in the coastal provinces did their best to turn away non-Toubrian business under promise that under a government of the National party, the Toubrians would see a massive shipbuilding program.
The election resulted in the following changes in the Assembly Nacional: - Partido Popular Monarquico: 48 Seats - Partido Nacional: 32 Seats - Partido Liberal: 28 Seats - Partido Agraria: 0 Seats - Partido Socialiste: 0 Seats
Toubrian general election, July 1905
Without a clear majority, Prime Minister Ravi Dego's PPM would need to form a coalition with either the Nationalists or the Liberals. The Nationalists wished to see the Toubrian Navy and Army expanded as well as her colonial ambitions seen through. The Liberals wanted to see domestic industry expanded, the abolition of child labor as well as the an end to the Toubrian emigration issue--which has been avoided until now.
July 28th
The government of Zellonia sends out an international bid for an automobile. Given the average wages of Zellonia, it's lack of infrastructure and general apathy to the "auto," it was an interesting request for the government to request something it's people were not interested in.
The requirements were thus: - Must seat four people. - Must be on four wheels. - Must be able to go 10-15MPH on unpaved roads and 17-20 MPH on paved roads. - Sales price must be less than 400$. - 500 to be delivered before February, 1906.
The Vigentinan design company Forino Estadi Automobili's Saetta automobile fulfilled these requirements and agreed to sell 500 to the government of Zellonia for $250,000.
July 29th
Following Etelian example, Soronas Thaulos, a member of the Itherean Colonial Committee, will announce that any Tehmigs fleeing from the effects of Black June are free to safely reside in Néo Méros. Additionally, any Tehmig who wishes will be able to become an official citizen of the Itheraen Kingdom and will be allowed the same rights as any other man or woman within the kingdom, furthermore educators will be sent to teach any Tehmig wanting citizenship the laws of Itherae, the nation's history, and the Itheraen Nation Anthem. This is done in order to make Néo Méros a peaceful heaven for the native Tehmigs and to make it less likely to be a target of any Tehmig rebellion.
July 30th
Enact the Deflation Policy, brought forth by a treasurer of the Kingdom's Treasury Leontis Diokles, which will allow the government to reduce the money supply in order to reduce inflation by 2% within the realm. This policy will be implemented steadily over a five month period, starting in July.
With less money in their pockets, it's estimated that Itheraen wages will follow suit as the money supply is decreased by a sum of $236,000,000.
July 31st
The Helrox Empire finishes it's military mobilization--nearly 890,000 troops have been mobilized across Flegleen, Hokkan, the Vigentino border and the Tyrian border of course. Given the Helrox' impending financial situation and it's lackadaisical infrastructure, mobilization orders took weeks to arrive. Now, the Helrox military apparatus waking up.
The turn of August would be the month of Fruit for Zellonia, while Zells liked fruit they also liked the august summer that was brought up to the three isles. The Zellonia sea sparkled with heat, Zellonians who had days off often spent it at the beach in Zeel where Zells basked in the sun rays and swam in the water. It had been announced that the state-owned Dairy industry owned by the government would be sold to the private sector where corporations could pick up where the government had been lacking in it's own initiative. Known brands like "Zell-yum" yogurt and "Zelly-Jelly" could potentially cease production depending on the corporations now stepping into the privatization.
The rail infrastructure had now been slowed down by 50% with 20 million Zell being removed from the existing railroad infrastructure budget, King James Conrad cited the change as "Allowing the government to allocate funds in more diverse programs." With the cuts in the budget the railroad industry would certainly slow down in it's growth, any thoughts of connecting the railroads with the Marnish Kingdom and Yorgnir were now dashed by this cut. However, the government stood strong as any Zellonian would and carried on with their duties.
Forign Minister & Zeel born Zellonian Yakob Hansen was sent to the Marnish Kingdom to meet with the King of Marn. Rumor had it that the Zellonian government was working towards uniting the three isles in a defensive pact to avoid a potential out break of violence from Helrox or Illesia and their puppets. Yakob Hansen left in horse and carriage and is expected to arrive in Marn later this month, Zells around the country wished him the best.
It was a quiet morning in Markus, Cadia. Real fucking quiet, it's because everyone at the moment was asleep except King Roy Carl, while people don't really know what the fuck he really does anymore Roy Carl knows what he is going to do. After 7 days the Helroxi actually didn't reply, and it pissed off the good king. The king just wanted to re-own the land his country use to own but the Helroxian government greedy in their nature decided to keep the land, not for long.... NOT FOR LONG.
The King got up and got to his telegram room where there was a skinny looking cadian who always worked the night shifts for the Telegram his name was Thomas Deraquez, he loved the telegram. Infact the telegram was so old that the government was using one of the earlier models the Cada-gram Mk 2. Regardless the King walked up to him and spit out order. "Tell the infantry and calvary divisons they need to TRAIN as soon as possible, like turn their peasant behinds into elite soldiers.." The King said, Thomas being scared of the back hand of the King began to transmit.
Regardless, the training would take place, eventually. Meanwhile the navy ships in Cadia began the epic convoy raids, raids that would cause hopefully a international incident or something even crazier. Who knows, Cadia was a wild card and the population were like rats and whore scum. Not for long though, this power play would turn them from getting shot to calling the shots. Cadia, would be
The Escya I moved through the air like a ship through calm waters. The cabin only vibrated slightly, despite the eight powerful Forino engines that pushed it through the air. The whirring blades were nothing but a low hum within the comfort of the carriage.
The carriage was luxurious despite it’s size, a long table, lain with a carefully pressed, white tablecloth, five rocks glasses, a crystal decanter of whiskey and an ice bucket. Five chairs were set up around the table, and three of them were taken.
Diedi Falier, the tall, angular faced Minister of Transport, and one of the men freshly returned from the dealings with Steiner Meustadt, sat back in his chair, thin mouth curved into a slight smile as he absent-mindedly swirled the whiskey in his glass.
Cosimo Barbazini, the eccentric business owner who had amassed a fortune over the years, investing in industry across the breadth of Vigentino, was a short, stocky figure, thick moustache over his lip and bright eyes looking out from behind a small pair of glasses. He had carefully watched the arrival of the Escya Skyships and he had taken a keen interest, already deep in conversation with the man sitting beside him.
Jaako Pentti had come to Vigentino in the stead of Julian Kaplan, who was a renowned introvert and preferred the solitude of his workshop, despite his brilliant mind. Jaako was a gifted engineer, and he had been at Julian’s side since the first Escya Skyship had been designed. He was intently listening to Cosimo’s questions, smiling as he thrilled at sharing his love for air travel.
The last man seated in the cabin was not sat at the table, but instead sat before a bank of machinery and controls, hands carefully moving across the instruments as his eyes constantly glanced at the engines, and at the balloon itself, carefully steering the ES-1 over the grasslands outside Cogoli.
The two remaining figures in the carriage were stood at the wide windows, looking out across the stunning views, beautifully bathed in golden light by the setting sun.
Cenni Callocci was a handsome man, his beard and hair carefully managed, skin bronzed by his years in the sun and dark eyes flashing as he looked out through the window. A self-made man, Cenni had spent much of his youth in his father’s humble workshop, learning the skills and proving himself to be a natural engineer. After taking over his father’s business, Cenni had only expanded it, becoming a very wealthy man in the process. Skyships were his new obsession, and he had been the one to push for Vigentino to invest.
At Cenni’s side, clutching his arm, was his wife, the stunningly beautiful Maria. Blonde hair hanging loose, and wearing a dress of the latest fashion, Maria was the picture of beauty, but she was far from uneducated. It had not been Cenni’s wealth that drew Maria to him, for she knew him and loved him before he made his fortune. It was his mind that attracted her, and behind the scenes, it was Maria’s ruthless mind that ran their business, while Cenni busied himself constantly tinkering and inventing.
The carriage contained some of the greatest driving forces of the burgeoning Vigentino Skyship Industry, and as the ES-1 gently touched down a mile outside of Cogoli, there was an undeniable sense that this was only the beginning of something great.
- Posting IC will be immensely beneficial to you as a player. It is, however, not necessary. This is designed so that you can still send in your orders if you are too busy to post, but posting IC will provide a tangible bonus to your DRM (Die Roll Modifier). - Each Turn represents one In-Game Month. The player will submit 3 Orders. - Each order is then subject to a 1d6 roll. A 6 means a perfect execution and a 1 means a horrible failure. Posting IC gives you a +2 die roll to a single order, or a +1 die roll to all three. [Specified at the end of your IC post.]. This means that more active players are rewarded. - Orders: * Economic: An order designed to benefit the nation economically. * Military: An order designed to affect your military. * Diplomacy: An order designed to conduct diplomacy. * Imperialism: Exploring and developing new lands. * Conference: Used to call a Political or Military Conference. Select which nations to invite. Begins a Conference. (See PM for rules). * Attempt Invention: Used to attempt a new invention. Must be relevant to current technologies and success depends on a 1d6. Great Powers receive a +1.
Eurania and Faresia, 1905
The Fifth Continent, 1905
August, 1905
August 1st
On August 1st, Illesian sailors of the INV Violette believed themselves to be the first to arrive at the Free City of Siankouru on the Serranthian Coast, proud to be given the opportunity to show up in a "peaceful display of strength," but realized as they neared that the Zellonian armored cruiser Zellonia had docked there already. The Violette turned back North to return to Illesia, all the while a contingent of Zellonian marines disembarked and through a ceremonial show of arms returned order to the Free City.
A failed Marnish colony, Siankouru has been a free city since 1846
For the first time in history, the Zellonian flag was raised on the Serranthian continent. A government would need to be established, and the armored cruiser Zellonia--given the lack of a suitable berth--immediately disembarked and headed back toward Zellonia, given that the largest long term harbor there could only handle ships of 500 tons or less.
Zellonian Free City of Siankouru, surrounded by the Engou Tribespeople, 1905
August 2nd
In a second stroke of brilliance, or dumb luck, the legation of the Kingdom of Etelia in Zeel extended the terms of the Etelo-Taran Alliance to the Zellonians, with the blessing of the Tarans. The Zello-Etelo-Taran Alliance was now certified until 1910.
August 3rd
Toubrian dockyards give a price tag of $4,380,000 per Dreadlord class in a bout of second negotiations with the Kingdom of Illesia. They gave note this was a non-negotiable price.
August 4th
Andries Maniatis, an up and coming politician in Southern Itherae publishes the book An Itheraen Struggle, A Euranian Struggle, outlining his ideas of Maniatism, described as "a form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation, or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy, and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion."
Maniatism called for the deposition of the Child Queen, the expansion of the Itheraen Army and the removal of those responsible for the loss of the Itheraen Volunteer Division. Maniatis led his first Maniatist March, nearly 500 men who marched outside the Supra Dobranie with signs that read: "They didn't volunteer to go die" and "Put the Child in timeout."
[Maniatism has been founded. Starts at 0.25% Popularity in High Kingdom of Itherae.]
August 5th
The end of Zellonian good luck ends when the Zellonian destroyer Z7, languishing in it's berth for nearly two months, explodes when static build up in the fore magazine erupts in a fiery explosion. 77 lives are lost, 29 are wounded. The Z7 is written off.
August 6th
The High Kingdom of Itherae submits an international contract for a new field gun.
The requirements: 1. Possibility to be crewed by no more than six men. 2. Possibility to be pulled by a six horse team. 3. Exceeding no more than 3,500 lbs 4. Have an effective firing range of 7,500 yd. 5. Have a maximum firing range of 12,000 yd. 6. Have a caliber of 75mm. Development Time: 6 months.
August 7th
Coordinating with the mappings recorded via the Arias expedition, a small Ustrelan colony is established along the South Serranthian coast favoring a region closer to the mainland Ustrela. The colony will be officially named Arias and Ramon Chicote, a naval officer, will be appointed governor of the territory. Expected to cost $7,000,000, the Ustrelan territory is set up around the Engou tribe, effectively butting heads with the Zellonian Free City.
Since the start of the year of 1905, the approval of the Itheraen Government had dropped by a staggering amount, bringing the approval rating to the lowest Itherae had seen since the rule of King Atticus the Terrible over a hundred years ago. Queen Athena’s stunt coupled by policies set by the Supra Dobranie had clearly upset the people, leading to the founding of Maniatism, in August 4th of 1905, which wanted to overturn the monarchy and cleanse Itherae of its ‘impurities’. While it had a small following, it was still a worrying sight right outside of the Supra Dobranie for the young queen.
In a response, Queen Athena would summon representatives of every class of people in Itherae; including farmers, staunch democrats, those below poverty, the middle class, even those who followed a religion merely listed as ‘Other’ in the national census. Every representative would be called to be heard before both Queen Athena and Prime Minister Gregorio Netaxis, as well as the Supra Dobranie to discuss laws and policies that would better the people as a whole. This would be later known as the ‘Athena Doctrine’ in 1929, due to the effort to raise this approval of the government.
While the representatives were being selected, Queen Athena would take a trip through the country to meet these representatives and hold a brief rally to reassure the people of government. These rallies varied in topics, but all had a very common idea, the strength of the Itheraen people and the patriotism of the Itheraen spirit. There was no mention of the Queen’s ‘running for Prime Minister’ as her script writers had made sure to omit those facts as well as vigorous words from her advisors to even mention the event to avoid further embarrassment to both herself, the crown, and her father’s legacy. To the surprise of her advisors, she followed this and avoid a singular mention of the event, whether it was due to the backlash of the press or the words of her advisors, none would know.
In total there were over three-hundred representatives that had been gathered, except for any representative of the Maniatism ideology due to reasons of not being officially recognized by the government. In accordance to royal doctrine set in 1678, all representatives were searched for weapons by the Royal Guard and all were confiscated until the end of the meeting. There were reports that had stated that the meeting had lasted over a week with many different issues being brought to light, ranging from farmer’s disputes to women’s suffrage. All issues were recorded in a book named the ‘Ekdídei Nómous,” which would be translated as ‘Issue of Laws’ or ‘Issuing Laws’.
The Queen holding a rally in the town of Ankli, 1905
Etelian & Taran Citizens seen pictured together at the border town of Goul - Etelia/Tarantine Serranthia.
The Etelian-Taran-Zell alliance had just been finalized earlier in August, and the Empress herself called a meeting with her advisors aswell which also included Foriegn Affairs Minister Jesus Al-Teboro to meet regarding the threes alliance. The Empress now feeling comfortable with the world affairs around the Tarantine and domestically proposed to hold a meeting with the leaders of the three nations. The meeting would be scheduled for later in the month, assuming the invitations and all were in order. One of the Empresses advisors spoke to reporters on anonimity. "This could be one of the biggest alliances the known world has been blessed to see." While the government declined to speak on the possible faction further, the public speculated what could become of the three nations.
"Things are heating up in west again your majesty." Said Grand Marshall Hunter Telborga, he took a knee infront of the empress as he addressed her. Empress Susanette de Jaloie waved and said "No need for kneeling Grand Marshall." She stood up, at the same time the Grand Marshall did aswell. "Your Majesty the Helrox war is one of brutalities, many Helroxis have been killed and with the Julia-Vigentino war now over it's possible it could spread beyond Cydernia." The Empress laughed, perhaps even scoffed "Good, let those fools kill each other let the Toubrian Beasts and Illesian Grave Robbers deal with them, it's their problem. However, if a Taran is killed god forbid any citizen be out in one of those disgusting countries. We will seek for retribution, however that's now what my eyes are on now. With Zellonia now taking a free city, around savages this could be dire."
"The Savages, like the Wauwanti?" The Empress shuddered at the thought of those beasts, while they had been dispatched the war had been a dark time in Taranese history. "Yes just like them, should they threaten the city. We'll have to wage another bush war." The Grand Marshall frowned "It will be a poor day for their existence when they challenge a free city, let's hope that the Zellonians can deal with any issues first."
Faro Arms the state owned gun manfucaturing in Tara had begun to search for new talented gun smiths, their eyes were turned towards the now southern-area of Vigentino, formally known as The City-State of Julia. Letters were sent out to surviving gun smiths and designers in the Corporations of: SEM, Triple M & Thamber Corporation. Offering them paid steady work in a peaceful country, paid travel, housing and citizenship. The letters were sent out on August 8th and with the distance between the countries it could take a while for a yes or a no from the various people solicited.
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