Mind if I throw my hat into the fray too?
Hi Konrad, I thought I should stalk you a little so why not here :P
Hi Konrad, I thought I should stalk you a little so why not here :P
ONL Occasional Private Dick
Member
Seen
2 mos ago
Heheh, hat fray. I don't know why that's funny to me. Burg...anyone else getting friendly with their character?
OP
Nobodyman123
Member
Seen
11 days ago
Please, more hats into the fray. Tell your friends to throw in theres too.
TeddyBearMafia
Member
Offline since relaunch
Hmm. A few questions, but I have an idea.
Can we assume that a version of the Franco-Prussian War does actually occur as per history? Perhaps before 1870, of course, but the French did fight the Germanic states quite a bit anyway. Assuming the French Revolution, or a similar version, did actually occur as well, I'd be up for playing a naive young French bank clerk drafted into the French 'navy' as an airship crewman at the outbreak of hostilities between the Second French Empire and some Germanic/Slavic union.
Thoughts?
Can we assume that a version of the Franco-Prussian War does actually occur as per history? Perhaps before 1870, of course, but the French did fight the Germanic states quite a bit anyway. Assuming the French Revolution, or a similar version, did actually occur as well, I'd be up for playing a naive young French bank clerk drafted into the French 'navy' as an airship crewman at the outbreak of hostilities between the Second French Empire and some Germanic/Slavic union.
Thoughts?
OP
Nobodyman123
Member
Seen
11 days ago
Well, I was thinking of a war between Prussia and another country. I hadn't really considered France, but it could work.
Riight...this is the guy that fucking spent a year's worth of studying on the topics of Russia/Germany between 1871 and 1914 and did an exam today on it :D. So this is somewhere I'd be very happy to advise.
I mean, this is what the general status quo is in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War. France was quashed, but came back somehow after paying back repirations to Germany and the loss of Alsace Lorraine. By 1875 however, suddenly, the War in Sight crisis arises. The Germans start flaunting around that the French are being directed by the POPE HIMSELF to declare war on Germany, and is why Germany initiated the prior to it the Kulturkampf- a Anti-Catholic sort of set of laws that basically sent a rift through Germany's Catholics. In return, the French say that people like Bismarck (German Chancellor badass of the fucking 19th Century) is just war-mad, and wants another unprovoked war against Germany. What happened? The Russians go back on a triple agreement they had with Austria and Germany and say to Germany "Cut your shit out, another war will fuck everything", and the Germans casually step away from threats. For the next 39 years, we didn't see European war, we just saw threats, tensions and a few Alliance systems form which carved power blocs in Europe.
But imagine an alternate world, where the Franco-Prussian War had driven more? The Prussian Empire, then the German Empire, has gone into the world's predominant production of airships and in particular, mechanical contraptions that wonders the world from 1860 onwards, where it used the revolutionary armed airships to simply bombard the French at Sedan and almost completely and utterly level them . The British Empire even stands behind the German production in terms of size, their regular Royal Navy on sea now outmatched by German Airborne Corps' flying goliaths- with British airship forces advanced but few in number, with German industrial production exponential and making the French, who have only recently developed a few ships, very vulnerable. Germany's claims to France are even steeper, with the inclusion of the city of Lille and the Alsace-Lorraine region, and Bismarck's dream to create a union of German-speaking peoples (something that he never wanted actually, just an alliance) escalating the threat when the "War in Sight" crisis arises. The revanchanist politicians of France have little to no idea that when Germany and perhaps Austria-Hungary form an alliance, way, way before the Dual Alliance system of 1879 that they created. And then, a unification beyond the mere creation of Germany. The creation of an enhanced Germanic Alliance in Europe, with a huge force and number of men frightens the entire world, let alone Europe. The creation of a strong Navy to reinforce future Colonial desires by the German Empire (something we saw under Tirpitz) is sidestepped by Germany, as it makes it's Airborne Naval Fleet the most prestigious in Europe, headed up by Alfred Von Tirpitz himself, a prodigy in Airborne affairs- and the realization that Germany does not want a Colonial empire, but a European one under the German flag, becomes a possible reality. When France starts yelling back to a Germany who threatens France's inclination to attack, problems arise. Even the Russians under Tsar Alexander III, who remain backwards, see the only option being to support Germany in a non-aggression pact, lacking it's own airships- and this, created a sticky situation, as the British do not want to become embroiled in a war that would potentially cost them their entire Empire in Africa, which has helped fund the Royal Navy's supremacy over the waters. In turn of airships becoming common-place, the elite Royal Aerial Navy, as well as the Royal Airborne Marines become a small but highly-trained British response to the events in Europe, with Britain watching like a Hawk over the next conflict, aware that the conflict will be ultimately the largest-scale war in the history of humankind with the technology, and scale involved.
This is perhaps where our characters begin- the very, very fine line between all-out war of airborne airships, mechanical devices and the drive of steam-based technology that drives the world to innovate exponentially. Bismarck simply wants a fast, short and clean war with the combined unified might of the Germanic-speaking peoples of a Greater Germany (encompassing all of Austria-Hungary) to completely disarm the French of any chance of opposing them in the skies, and Britain and Russia can only watch on, in fear of what happens next. The princes and men across Europe, despite however much they stand to gain from war or however much they stand to lose, can only do whatever must be done to prevent the world from becoming alight.
Yeah, if you want some help with planning this period out, let me know.
I mean, this is what the general status quo is in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War. France was quashed, but came back somehow after paying back repirations to Germany and the loss of Alsace Lorraine. By 1875 however, suddenly, the War in Sight crisis arises. The Germans start flaunting around that the French are being directed by the POPE HIMSELF to declare war on Germany, and is why Germany initiated the prior to it the Kulturkampf- a Anti-Catholic sort of set of laws that basically sent a rift through Germany's Catholics. In return, the French say that people like Bismarck (German Chancellor badass of the fucking 19th Century) is just war-mad, and wants another unprovoked war against Germany. What happened? The Russians go back on a triple agreement they had with Austria and Germany and say to Germany "Cut your shit out, another war will fuck everything", and the Germans casually step away from threats. For the next 39 years, we didn't see European war, we just saw threats, tensions and a few Alliance systems form which carved power blocs in Europe.
But imagine an alternate world, where the Franco-Prussian War had driven more? The Prussian Empire, then the German Empire, has gone into the world's predominant production of airships and in particular, mechanical contraptions that wonders the world from 1860 onwards, where it used the revolutionary armed airships to simply bombard the French at Sedan and almost completely and utterly level them . The British Empire even stands behind the German production in terms of size, their regular Royal Navy on sea now outmatched by German Airborne Corps' flying goliaths- with British airship forces advanced but few in number, with German industrial production exponential and making the French, who have only recently developed a few ships, very vulnerable. Germany's claims to France are even steeper, with the inclusion of the city of Lille and the Alsace-Lorraine region, and Bismarck's dream to create a union of German-speaking peoples (something that he never wanted actually, just an alliance) escalating the threat when the "War in Sight" crisis arises. The revanchanist politicians of France have little to no idea that when Germany and perhaps Austria-Hungary form an alliance, way, way before the Dual Alliance system of 1879 that they created. And then, a unification beyond the mere creation of Germany. The creation of an enhanced Germanic Alliance in Europe, with a huge force and number of men frightens the entire world, let alone Europe. The creation of a strong Navy to reinforce future Colonial desires by the German Empire (something we saw under Tirpitz) is sidestepped by Germany, as it makes it's Airborne Naval Fleet the most prestigious in Europe, headed up by Alfred Von Tirpitz himself, a prodigy in Airborne affairs- and the realization that Germany does not want a Colonial empire, but a European one under the German flag, becomes a possible reality. When France starts yelling back to a Germany who threatens France's inclination to attack, problems arise. Even the Russians under Tsar Alexander III, who remain backwards, see the only option being to support Germany in a non-aggression pact, lacking it's own airships- and this, created a sticky situation, as the British do not want to become embroiled in a war that would potentially cost them their entire Empire in Africa, which has helped fund the Royal Navy's supremacy over the waters. In turn of airships becoming common-place, the elite Royal Aerial Navy, as well as the Royal Airborne Marines become a small but highly-trained British response to the events in Europe, with Britain watching like a Hawk over the next conflict, aware that the conflict will be ultimately the largest-scale war in the history of humankind with the technology, and scale involved.
This is perhaps where our characters begin- the very, very fine line between all-out war of airborne airships, mechanical devices and the drive of steam-based technology that drives the world to innovate exponentially. Bismarck simply wants a fast, short and clean war with the combined unified might of the Germanic-speaking peoples of a Greater Germany (encompassing all of Austria-Hungary) to completely disarm the French of any chance of opposing them in the skies, and Britain and Russia can only watch on, in fear of what happens next. The princes and men across Europe, despite however much they stand to gain from war or however much they stand to lose, can only do whatever must be done to prevent the world from becoming alight.
Yeah, if you want some help with planning this period out, let me know.
Well at least we won't get lost or anything.
OP
Nobodyman123
Member
Seen
11 days ago
Ok this is what I am gonna ask from you guys right now. While keeping the backstory to a minimum, make your characters. When I have a better idea on what people want to play, I can start working the plot around that.
Heres a CS template:
Name:
Nation:
Age:
Occupation:
Description: (Pictures or written words is fine. Prefers non-anime pictures)
Family:
Equipment: (I tend to use real world tech, but with a steampunk bent to it. For example, you can have a Gewehr 1888 rifle, but semi auto instead of bolt action. But that's just me, you guys can go nuts.)
Personality:
Bio (be basic here. We can go into more detail when we figure out the plot):
Heres a CS template:
Name:
Nation:
Age:
Occupation:
Description: (Pictures or written words is fine. Prefers non-anime pictures)
Family:
Equipment: (I tend to use real world tech, but with a steampunk bent to it. For example, you can have a Gewehr 1888 rifle, but semi auto instead of bolt action. But that's just me, you guys can go nuts.)
Personality:
Bio (be basic here. We can go into more detail when we figure out the plot):
(Skeleton- I will expand on it. I was thinking of having him as the son of a Russian prince indirectly related to the Tsar- not entirely how to work it out though.)
Name: Dmitri Pyotr Ivanovich
Nation: Russian
Age: 24
Occupation: Bodyguard
Description:
Family:
Equipment:
-Federov Avtomat Rifle
-Nagant Revolver
Personality:
Bio (be basic here. We can go into more detail when we figure out the plot):
Name: Dmitri Pyotr Ivanovich
Nation: Russian
Age: 24
Occupation: Bodyguard
Description:
Family:
Equipment:
-Federov Avtomat Rifle
-Nagant Revolver
Personality:
Bio (be basic here. We can go into more detail when we figure out the plot):
Name: Esther "Ez" Anderson
Nation: Australian
Age: 23
Occupation: Air Ship Mechanic
Description:
Family: Older Brother (Live in Northern Wales) Parents are both deceased.
Equipment: Naturally she keeps a few weapons on her person at all times, like a machete, but for the most part she carries around equipment to fix machines. In her pockets are always different types of screw drivers and wrenches, extra parts to machines she knows are going to going a little silly. She's prepared for almost any situation.
Personality: While she is rather brutish she is still a young woman who loves men and gets squeamish at the sight of blood. Her face is usually drawn in thought, but that is only because she is trying to remember what she was doing, more than likely.
Bio (be basic here. We can go into more detail when we figure out the plot):
Nation: Australian
Age: 23
Occupation: Air Ship Mechanic
Description:
Family: Older Brother (Live in Northern Wales) Parents are both deceased.
Equipment: Naturally she keeps a few weapons on her person at all times, like a machete, but for the most part she carries around equipment to fix machines. In her pockets are always different types of screw drivers and wrenches, extra parts to machines she knows are going to going a little silly. She's prepared for almost any situation.
Personality: While she is rather brutish she is still a young woman who loves men and gets squeamish at the sight of blood. Her face is usually drawn in thought, but that is only because she is trying to remember what she was doing, more than likely.
Bio (be basic here. We can go into more detail when we figure out the plot):
ONL Occasional Private Dick
Member
Seen
2 mos ago
I'm tempted to make a Swedish character, but I'm stuck on how he would be iconic and still fit in the steampunk theme :/ I know that Sweden wanted Finland back from Russia, and that they were reckoned as a strong nation and involved in European politics.
TeddyBearMafia
Member
Offline since relaunch
Name: François-Noël Desmoulins
Nationality: French (Parisian)
Age: 21
Occupation: Conscript Airman (Former Bank Clerk)
Description: François-Noël is the type of aspiring middle class petty bourgeoisie that you would never expect to find a draftee in the French “Service Aéronautique”. His hands display the blisters and calluses that are only truly apparent on those whom which they look out of place, and the untoned muscle and fragile features of the formerly sedentary Parisian certainly make him stick out like a sore thumb. Though he possesses enough of the attractive high society features to result in him being teased as a ‘pretty boy’ and ‘mother suckler’, François-Noël is not completely out of place amongst his fellow mostly working-class crewmates. He does have straw-golden hair and a thin and aristocratic complexion, but his eyes are hazel and his overall frame is sturdier than it first appears. When he keeps his head down and stays unobtrusive, his average height allows him to almost vanish into the masses. For the vast majority of the time, he wears his uniform, such as it is; the French Air Service did not have the supply resources to completely outfit every new conscript so oversights were made. Seeing as François-Noël was rich enough to provide his own uniform, he was allowed to. Thus, an expensive tight-fighting, blue, fur-lined leather coat that stretches down to just above his knees provides him a bit more warmth than the average French airman while not making him too distinct. He accessories with the common buckled black boots and tri-coloured epaulets that mark him as a simple recruit, not to mention the essential goggles and lined leather cap to keep the wind out of his eyes. The only truly unique object that he owns is a silver watch that belonged to his father, which he keeps on tucked away on his person at all times.
Family: Mother (Christine Desmoulins nee Pierre) and Father (Paul Desmoulins) are living in Paris; his father is an artisan store-owner. He has three siblings, two sisters and a much younger brother.
Equipment: Standard personal effects, hygiene, some more expensive items due to his background but nothing extravagant. Most of that was left at home. He also has the standard airman’s belt loops, rope, bayonet/knife, and linen patches (to repair damage to the balloons). Weapons wise, he carries the French standard Fusil Gras Modèle 1874 M80: while still a single-shot black powder weapon as per history (gunpowder is too efficient for size on small airship vessels), it has an adapted clockwork loading mechanism that allows for a small five shot magazine to be fired around every two seconds before reloading. Faster semi-automatic steam muskets are stored on board that he has access too, but they must be either connected to the ship’s main steam reservoir via hose or fired soon after being detached due to the cooling steam.
Personality: François-Noël is a little disgruntled at being drafted, to say the least. Nonetheless, he has always been a hardworking man even if he is prone to daydreaming. He is taken by the writing of popular political authors of the day, and his literacy and uncommonly good education provide him with a worldview that is far more refined than those around him. As with all young men put in a situation beyond their control, he is prone to being a bit hot-headed as well. Nonetheless, his bank experience as taught him to be respectful and careful around authority, which allows him to hide his distaste at his predicament fairly well (at least from his commanding officers).
Bio: Will be updated extensively of course, but a few brief thoughts. Grew up middle class, apprenticed to a scribe, took a job at an upscale bank hoping to move up over time. Got caught up in a Victorian-era socialist/pacifist-ish plot, and was arrested after attending a few meetings out of interest. He was unlucky enough that the Parliament decided to make an example out of them, and he had two options: jail/hard labour or be conscripted into the army. He was pushed into the latter, his father partially disowned him, and he found himself a conscript airman in the midst of a European powder-keg.
Nationality: French (Parisian)
Age: 21
Occupation: Conscript Airman (Former Bank Clerk)
Description: François-Noël is the type of aspiring middle class petty bourgeoisie that you would never expect to find a draftee in the French “Service Aéronautique”. His hands display the blisters and calluses that are only truly apparent on those whom which they look out of place, and the untoned muscle and fragile features of the formerly sedentary Parisian certainly make him stick out like a sore thumb. Though he possesses enough of the attractive high society features to result in him being teased as a ‘pretty boy’ and ‘mother suckler’, François-Noël is not completely out of place amongst his fellow mostly working-class crewmates. He does have straw-golden hair and a thin and aristocratic complexion, but his eyes are hazel and his overall frame is sturdier than it first appears. When he keeps his head down and stays unobtrusive, his average height allows him to almost vanish into the masses. For the vast majority of the time, he wears his uniform, such as it is; the French Air Service did not have the supply resources to completely outfit every new conscript so oversights were made. Seeing as François-Noël was rich enough to provide his own uniform, he was allowed to. Thus, an expensive tight-fighting, blue, fur-lined leather coat that stretches down to just above his knees provides him a bit more warmth than the average French airman while not making him too distinct. He accessories with the common buckled black boots and tri-coloured epaulets that mark him as a simple recruit, not to mention the essential goggles and lined leather cap to keep the wind out of his eyes. The only truly unique object that he owns is a silver watch that belonged to his father, which he keeps on tucked away on his person at all times.
Family: Mother (Christine Desmoulins nee Pierre) and Father (Paul Desmoulins) are living in Paris; his father is an artisan store-owner. He has three siblings, two sisters and a much younger brother.
Equipment: Standard personal effects, hygiene, some more expensive items due to his background but nothing extravagant. Most of that was left at home. He also has the standard airman’s belt loops, rope, bayonet/knife, and linen patches (to repair damage to the balloons). Weapons wise, he carries the French standard Fusil Gras Modèle 1874 M80: while still a single-shot black powder weapon as per history (gunpowder is too efficient for size on small airship vessels), it has an adapted clockwork loading mechanism that allows for a small five shot magazine to be fired around every two seconds before reloading. Faster semi-automatic steam muskets are stored on board that he has access too, but they must be either connected to the ship’s main steam reservoir via hose or fired soon after being detached due to the cooling steam.
Personality: François-Noël is a little disgruntled at being drafted, to say the least. Nonetheless, he has always been a hardworking man even if he is prone to daydreaming. He is taken by the writing of popular political authors of the day, and his literacy and uncommonly good education provide him with a worldview that is far more refined than those around him. As with all young men put in a situation beyond their control, he is prone to being a bit hot-headed as well. Nonetheless, his bank experience as taught him to be respectful and careful around authority, which allows him to hide his distaste at his predicament fairly well (at least from his commanding officers).
Bio: Will be updated extensively of course, but a few brief thoughts. Grew up middle class, apprenticed to a scribe, took a job at an upscale bank hoping to move up over time. Got caught up in a Victorian-era socialist/pacifist-ish plot, and was arrested after attending a few meetings out of interest. He was unlucky enough that the Parliament decided to make an example out of them, and he had two options: jail/hard labour or be conscripted into the army. He was pushed into the latter, his father partially disowned him, and he found himself a conscript airman in the midst of a European powder-keg.
With regard to Sweden, their cavalry (and army as a whole) was always exceptionally well-trained throughout the early-modern period. They fought Novgorod and Muscovy extensively as well, as you noted. You could potentially do a little historical revisionism and imagine a relatively small but elite Swedish navy/mercenary force? They did some mercenary-esque work (though it wasn't known in those terms at the time) throughout history.
OP
Nobodyman123
Member
Seen
11 days ago
Well kids, I think I have enough of an idea to start with. PREPARE FOR OOC
OP
Nobodyman123
Member
Seen
11 days ago
http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/33228/posts/ooc?page=1#post-981697 It is finished.
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