Entente de Coopération et d'Entraide Nordique-Occidentale: Soyedinonnyye Imperiyvka iz Volstranlyudkovka, Free Cities of Astalia, Kasakka Hetmanate, Repubblica Socialista di Yegrait
The Celestial Realm: Celestial Empire of Nango-Tuenggu, United Republics of Greater Alkadion, Bettonia, The Morric Sultanate, Silvansk, Tsardom av Nevorok, Tsardom av Kinier, Respublika Hansaka, Respublika Velikuska, Respublika Severukot
Taiheiyo Independence Pact: Kyasei Republic of Akiya, Empire of Fuso
Non-Aligned: République Sainteté Fénise, Abnwaandia, Achik Communes, The Grand Duchy of Dysi, Meleti
Fenice used to be part of the once might Chevroiéren Empire. With the tyranny of Chevroiére overthrown and the empire fragmented, Fenice came to prominence. They formed the Fenician League which absorbed its neighbors in a series of crusades. The revolutions of the 19th century overthrew the clergy, exiled the Archpriestess and established true republic. With the nation completely reformed the Fenisians bravely look forward to the new century. Fenice is a lively country with lots of history.
Land Area: 11 Land Fertility: 19 (imported) Natural Resources: 14 Social Development: 15 Technological Development: 19 (switched, 15+4) Industrial Development: 13 (18-5) Total Economic Strength: 9 (5+4) Land Power: 14 (12+2) Naval Power: 10 (switched) Air Power: 2 (-5)
Territory
The Chevroiéren Plains are a fertile land between the tropical and continental climate belts. Compared to the anomaly which is Voldoyouki this might not seem special but these bountiful lands empowered a number of empires throughout history. Diverse flora and fauna lives in this region and it's known for their exotic flowers and timber. When it comes to raw materials though their chief source is in the Montelanse region at the southern borders. Fénisian iron is well-known for its remarkable quality and some rare elements are chiefly found here. Yet overall the amount of raw materials Fénise could mine aren't sufficient for their growth and require considerable imports. In comparison Fénise is known to be unusually rich in magic crystals and they even have a type unique to this region called Solarite. This material is the basis of many Fenisian magitech.
History
TBA
Government
Fenisian governance has little to no parallel across the whole world. They chose a form of federal republician direct democracy which might hardly even make sense for an outsider. The so-called "citoyen" are the official citizenship of Fenice but can be considered a social elite. They are the upper class who agree to pay huge taxes in order to exert the right to participate in politics. They participate in votes and can pursue political career. This is a huge responsibility which Fenicians don't take lightly. As such the citoyen are tested annually to prove their knowledge and overall ability to make correct judgement in these matters. The Fenician philosophy sneers at the idea of universal suffrage and considers it being lead by fools. Instead they want only those with both the commitment and abilities to actually make calls. Given how every citoyen/citizen has direct influence in political decisions in their eyes this method truly conveys the will of the nation. Of course aside from votes from citizens there are various offices, representatives and other institutions. As a federal state ruled from Fenice the other regions can only influence decisions through their representatives in the Senate. Another interesting facet of Fenisian politics is that direct democratic institutions aren't exclusive to the capital and federal central of Fenice alone. Every region has its own capital city where the "citoden" (cityfolk) could exert their direct democratic power. In the Divine Republic of Fénise you have to earn your voting rights. Yet this doesn't bother the ordinary folk. Commoners who don't have citizenship can live their lives in peace and don't suffer much if any social consequences for lacking the ability to vote. Unless they want to participate in politics this doesn't impact them negatively at all. A number of commoners started up their own enterprises, although after a certain point you might still want to acquire citizenship given the prestige and ability to influence politics.
Fenisian state religion which is uncertain whether it's Gestalt or Elder in nature. As its name states Fenice views the Sun as their god. It has numerous branches with some taking this literally while others consider it in the philosophical/metaphorical sense. They celebrate the Sun and view it as the source of all goodness in life. Archodionists are the "old guard" who believe in the origin myths surrounding the Sun while Neodionist faiths approach the Sun as a concept and consider it a core of their philosophy. Dionism teaches enlightenment, joy and fills believers with a certain "inner fire". A Dionist lives for the present and values experiences over calm everyday life. Many of them want to live like fire, short yet blazing. Dionism's teachings are the most likely source of the stereotype which associates Fenisians with energetic positivity but also shortsightedness. The Fenisian national creature is the phoenix which is the central figure of Fenisian creation myths and often shows up in myths as divine messenger. The Phoenix was said to be effectively immortal. Short-lived yet constantly reborn. This creature is also the namesake of the city of Fenice.
Demographics
According to the last census Fénise has 75 million souls. Among them about 33 million are Elavis (deertaur), 20 million Nain (gnomes), 10 million humans, 2.5 million Volyudki, 2 million centaurs and the rest being a mix of other races. Fenisians don't discriminate on race, although they have a hard time tolerating other faiths. 98% of the population are believing in some type of Dionism. Gnomes in particular are somewhat unique in the fact that they historically have been slaves or indentured servants to centaurs/deertaurs. As a consequence even though slavery is no longer tolerated in Fénise the gnomes usually find job working as servants and assistance to deertaurs.
Official Name: Elafer (male), Elafé (female), Elavis (group name) Common Name: Deertaurs Average Dimensions: height: 176cm, length: 142cm Average Weight: 90kg (runner), 140kg (worker), 220kg (warrior) Maximum Lifespan: 200 years
Small yet very agile type of centaurid found chiefly in the western portion of Yevrazha. Before we delve into this race let's fix some misconceptions about centaurids. First off, they aren't human-horse hybrids. There aren't two bodies sewn together but a large body with its own unique anatomy. The chest of a centaurid holds two giant hearts pumping blood at a rate which might seem insane. This fills the centaurid with energy but also speeds up their metabolism, requiring more food. The abdominal portion of the upper body also has the first stomach, out of the three in total. The lower body has the lungs and intestines. Just as the hearts, this place holds almost every organ in twins or having a duplicate. Even if one pair of the organs fail the centaurid will not be hindered, though their vital functions will decrease.
Elavis are an unique part of the Centauridae family. They are light and small in stature by centaurid standards. Their lower body resembles a mix between deers and goats, inheriting advantages of both. Compared to the more robust centaurs the Elavis are very nimble. They could could climb trees, scale cliffs and do tasks you normally wouldn't associate with centaurids. Thanks to their superpowered hearts the Elavis has powerful arm muscles, although the chief portion of their strength is held in their lower body. Elavis are fast runners, capable of reaching between 40-70km/h and their stamina allows them to maintain this for surprisingly long.
Elavis has 3 breeds: runner, worker and warrior. A runner breed centaur is slender and are the best at traversing great distances. They are comparatively weak but still fairly large overall. Worker-breed are made stout-bodied with shorter legs. They adapted to carry heavy weights for long distances but they quite slow compared to the other deertaurs. Warrior-breeds are the largest and most rare. They approach the size of ponies and maximize strength while also have very decent speed. As their name implies they used to compromise the elite of the army and most of them still do.
Official Name: Nain Common Name: Gnome Average Height: 120cm Weight: 25kg Maximum Lifespan: 150 years
Gnomes are a race bound to centaurid service for over a millennia. Their weakness and small stature made them an easy conquest after which the gnomes became the attendants of centaurids, helping them in many ways. Gnomes are distant relatives of dwarves and their hardiness can be perhaps attributed to this. They have oversized heads and limbs which makes them appear a bit child-like. They are socially in an odd place right now. Many of them still consider themselves servants to centaurids but a growing minority promotes complete independence. Gnomes are respected for their assistance but looked down upon when they try to do something outside their stereotype. This produces a growing discontent which could erupt as yet another gnome uprising like the ones lead to their (formal) emancipation.
Technology/Industry
Fénise is a developed country with decent industry yet they aren't anywhere groundbreaking. Fénise is mostly known for their agriculture and light industry and their production capacity is limited. Fenisian artistry and craftsmanship is known worldwide yet during the age of factories the skill of artisans are of lesser concern. Fénise does have a very specific expertise in their own brand of magitech, though. They chiefly use Solarite, a type of magic crystal attuned to their own spells. This is chiefly useful at producing heat and light, the main aspects of the Sun. Although Fénisian magic is the best known for healing. Filling the recipient with inner fire they speed up metabolism and otherwise accelerate healing. The Circle of Fire is an international organization of healers chiefly established to support war-torn places. To flip things over the Fenisians also have reputation for gunmaking. Obsessed with fire they fully embraced firearms and the region has numerous ancestral workshops dedicated to guns. Of course we are in the industrial age and compared to the old times Fenisians lag behind in processes to make the most powerful guns. Yet their reputation is virtually untarnished when it comes to small arms. The Volcanic Arms Factory is known worldwide for supplying pistols and other small arms to civilian markets. Lastly it's known that Fenisians and their spiritual practices managed to communicate with the element of fire itself. Thanks to this they can command fire elementals and use them in various applications. Most famously Fenisian furnances and powerplants often include a fire elemental within them. Thanks to this Fenisian heat machines tend to be more compact but they are also quite temperamental in nature.
Vibrant gemstone in the color of flames. Solarite is an unique type of magic crystal transformed by the subconscious Gestalt energies of Dionism. For this reason Solarite can only be mined in Fenise and it has specific interaction with the arts of Dionist spellsmiths. Solarite has the attribute of the Sun which makes it more effective at casting heat and light based spells. It's also the primary medium of Fenisian healers to treat wounds and various ailment alongside the fruits of modern medicine. Solarite also finds common use in any technology related to light or heat. Solarite crystals at the end of lightbulb filaments create clean and efficient light. Solarite crystals can power enchantments in steam turbines to improve efficiency. Solarite also finds its way in firearms technology. Fenisian gunpowders use specks of grounded solarite to improve their guns. They can also have a "Solarization Device" attached to imbue projectiles with explosive solar energies. Yet the most famous use of Solarite is to power the Fenisian "star blades" also known as Estoiler.
Starblades are unique melee weapons and the product of centuries of spellsmithing knowledge. They are seemingly nothing but enchanted hilts using Solarite core as their focus. When activated the starblade ignites in the air, forming a blade of plasma like a miniature sun. Yet that's just partially the truth. In effect this shining blade concentrates all its energy around the edges, leaving the sides much colder. Touching the side of the blade might be akin to a boiling kettle, painful but not immediately dangerous. Yet the edge is so intense it can effortlessly cut through people. Starblades of course can't cut through everything. For example they have ten times more trouble to cleave non-combustible materials. They could slice through certain tree hunks with ease yet they can barely scratch a lamppost. The exact reasons for why are unknown but as a consequence even plate armor provides a degree of defense against these. Of course some of the heat passes through and also repeated strikes cult melt the thin pieces of steel but it's better than nothing. Starblades used to be a mark of prestige and many bear elaborate decorations still. Yet heavily simplified versions with lower output nowadays see widespread use in the Fenisian military.
Starblades are very quick to use and deadly, although they can be also immensely dangerous to the untrained user. The blade is weighless and provides no feedback to the user so you have to operate it with your eyes and general experience, otherwise you might lose the position of your blade in the heat of battle. Shorter starblades like those put on as bayonets are less powerful and chiefly focus on thrusting. As such they are much easier to handle by the average soldier. This is called the bayonet-estoiler which has a modestly powerful cutting edge and a fairly strong point for thrusts. They are also considerably shorter, with blades usually being 35-55cm long.
Military
Fenisian military traditions run deep while it's no longer as mighty as it used to be they are still formidable on their own right. Elafer mercenaries were well-known across the continent and the adventurous youth can be still charmed by free companies which then offer their services to various foreign militaries. As living cavalry the Elavis fighting style embraces maneuvering and sheer speed. They are highly drilled soldiers with great coordination. Companies often have a certain family-like feel. Yet of course this also got some dark sides. Fenisian military borderline refuse to accept non-deertaur soldiers, only taking in a smaller amount of auxiliary and specialist troops. As a consequence the Fenisian military, also called Force Fédérale du Fényx (Federal Phoenix Force), is struggling to maintain adequate number of soldiers. Even then the Fenisian army is formidable and they are decently equipped. It's just that Fenisian perception of their military power is certainly inflated which may cause problems in the future.
Army Overview
The Fenisian army is a staunch member to the "cult of offensive" who believe any defensive measure can be overwhelmed by adequate offense. Their army is all about the speed of their action and generally the best prepared to face enemies on the open field. They view fortresses as staging points and defense is only required until relief forces arrive. Combined with cultural reasons it isn't surprising that Fenise is reluctant to accept non-centaurid soldiers. These troops are trained for long marches and could traverse up to 100 miles within a day. This is deemed necessary as the Fénise-Volsrtanlyudkovka border is massive and any attempts at invasion should be thwarted fast.
- Chapuis M98 Rifle: Lever action rifle firing 9.2x42mm cartridges. The buttstock is also a helical magazine holding 24 rounds which can be loaded by 8-round stripper clips from the top feed. The rifle is fairly accurate and the 9mm tubular bullets can achieve close to 1000m/s. In contrast these bullets have mixed reputation in terms of firepower, struggling to penetrate tree hunks or sandbags. Similarly some question the lethality of tubular bullets but in practice it's more down to personal experiences.
- M99 Plasma Bayonet: A much cheaper variant of the traditional starblades, allowing them to be issued to the common soldier. Plasma bayonets have a shorter, usually 45cm long plasma blade which has less cutting power but comparable strength at the thrust. It cannot burn through tree hunks or cut people cleanly in half but the edge can still cut deep and in general this compromise worked out in the soldiers' favor.
- Leclair M03 Pistol: Standard sidearm of the Federal Phoenix Force. It uses special 8x24mm cartridges with tubular bullets to achieve phenomenal velocities. The bullet only weighs about 2.4 grams but has the muzzle velocity of 640m/s. To achieve this the Leclair has an unique "bullpup" feed and long recoil mechanism, giving it exactly 300mm in barrel length. The original trial in 1901 was sabotaged by the Chasseur Corps because they wanted a long ranged sidearm that can effectively supplement their shotguns. Uncharacteristically to many other pistols the Leclair M03 has a double-stack magazine holding 19 cartridges, something again motivated by the Chasseur Corps' demands. Thanks to its long barrel and muzzle velocity the pistol can theoretically shoot up to 200m but in practice it's used like every other military sidearm. Other pistols like the Bergeux M01 and M05 also circulate in the army, not to mention the M88 Revolvers which are rechambered for 8x24mm now.
- M88 Pattern Starsaber: Typical armament of Fenisian military officers this is the mass produced variant of the famed starblades wielded by the legendary knights of Fenise. It has a set of focusing prongs and twin set of focus rings providing better control while also functioning as guards. The blade length is adjustable between 80 to 120cm and same could be said for other characteristics to fit the wielder's style. Since it's merely a hilt it only weighs 300 grams, lighter than a military knive. As such starsabers are remarkably fast which could make them terrifying in combat. Contrary to legends a starblade doesn't need mythical skills, divine blessing, nor it could slash through armor with ease. Most officers who wield starsabers also like to wear special gauntlets made to resist plasma cuts just for safety.
- Benelin Auto-19 Shotgun: Shotgun adopted by the Chasseur Corps as their combat weapon of choice (aside from their standard rifles). It fires 19mmm shells standard in Fenisian use and has a long recoil mechanism allowing semi-automatic fire. As a commercial weapon it has a wide variety of magazines ranging from 3-8 round tubular magazines to 12-36 round helical magazine types. Chasseurs prefer the Chapuis-designed M05 quick-change 7-round tubular magazines for which up to a dozen pieces can be carried and for cheap. The Chasseur variant also retains the charging pump which allows manual operation in case the system fails. These shotguns can fire slugs with effective range up to 125m, various shots&flechette ammo, smoke and flash shells and even rare Solartie-imbued explosive shells meant against emplacements. Chasseurs are aggressive and this weapon is perfect for their style.
- Chapuis M08 Auto Rifle: One of the newest rifles designed by Chapuis Arsenal for civilian markets. It's a semi-automatic rifle using medium cartridge and a simple blowback mechanism, feeding from detachable magazines between the capacity of 8 to 25 rounds. It uses a 9.8 x 29.4 mm cartridge (also called the 10mm SL) and it's popular with hunters. In terms of military use their compact size and high capacity makes them a good competitor with the Chapuis M98 Carbine variant.
- Field Grenade No. 7: Fenisian grenade made for storming enemy lines and overcoming fortifications. In terms of construction they are both simplistic and overcomplicated. The cylindrical grenade body is constructed out of washer-like iron rings fixed by thin iron rods with the internal space filled with TNT. The top of the grenade has a large spring clock which can be set anywhere between 1 to 12 seconds by just twisting the body accordingly. The countback is mechanical and upon reaching zero it activates a tiny solarite sparker thus detonating the grenade. In addition the grenade has a long wooden stick attached to it, increasing its throwing range. Given a running start and a decent throw the No. 7 Field Grenade can be throw to over a hundred meters. Compared to models used by Volstran and Astalia these grenades are actually rather light, without the stick they are only about 250 grams. Chasseurs, assault teams and grenade-carrying specialists tend to carry these, at times over a dozen of them.
- Voltigeur: The nickname of common infantry, they are the bulk of Fénise's combat force. They are almost exclusively deertaurs which means can run like a horse and traverse surprising distances on a trot-like march. Their main armament is of course their rifle which is unique in the fact it uses lever action and has a high-capacity helical magazine. In general Fenisians are less squeemish about ammo consumption and want to make full use of their comparably larger volume of fire. Instead of volleys they perfected a sorts of "gallopping fire" when teams of Voltigeurs fire their rifles in a constant series rather than alterating between large volumes of shots. This is meant to suppress enemy positions and allow deertaurs to get closer and generally dominate via maneuver. At least that's what military theorists say. Voltigeur means "vaulter" and it's only used for centaurid soldiers. For less speedy infantry the semi-derogatory term piéton is used.
- Chasseur: Elite recon, skirmish and assault specialists troops recruited from the most capable youth. They undergo hard drills which usually have 90% of the recruits rolled back into the regular army. Those who pass these trials would become part of the famed Chasseur Corps. They are the advance forces of the Fenisian military but also their elite assault specialists. They are a "light troop" without much in the way of heavy weapons or artillery support. Yet the Chasseurs themselves are often rather densely packed as they carry various weapons, tools and twice the normal amount of necessities. Their "Battle Dolman" is seemingly a ceremonial piece yet in fact the elaborate stitching hides wood-backed steel plates that could even stop bullets. Yes, the Chasseurs wear armor at critical parts to increase their survival. It's neccessary since they are some of the hardest risk takers in the world. The bravery, fearlessness and exploits of the Chasseurs are known worldwide and at one point these people were welcome everywhere as mercenaries. Chasseurs are known for using semi-automatic shotguns in combat but they also carry the carbine versions of the M98 rifles.
- Zenteau: Special troop usually recruiting from the large-bodied centaurs. Thanks to their size they can carry considerable weights and hence they are ideal for carrying heavy equipment with more ease. While originally this category was exclusive to centaur auxiliaries who helped with logistics it currently a term used for those responsible for transporting large amounts. It typically applies to specialized weapons teams like machinegunners, grenades, rocket stands, flamethrowers or those who transport "fast artillery" (see later at the artillery section). The Zenteaux aren't exclusively centaurs anymore and they make use of specially tamed pack animals. These soldiers are responsible for fire support and allow Fénise to have an effective army while also being highly mobile.
Paladine: Though knights are rendered obsolete by modern doctrines they are far from extinct in Fénise. The Holy Dionist Church also maintains a grand militant order who are called the paladins. These modern knights are religious champions trained from youth to serve the Dionist faith and Fénise in general. They are warrior-monks of high status and blessed in the art of magic. They wear blessed plate armor which utilizes more sophisticated technologies to resist at least pistol rounds and have a chance to deflect higher caliber rounds. Paladines are also accompanied by their own retinue of devout soldiers called the Lansequet who also don armor and their duty is to support their superior in battle. The Paladines aren't the only combat magic user in Fénise but they are the best known.
- Riebel M07 Machine Gun: A standard Fenisian machinegun made to replace the old models still mounted on artillery carriages. Outwardly it's the same water-cooled machinegun as many others with typical belt feed. Yet the Riebel uses an unique rotary cylinder mechanism which divides it to 4 pseudo-chambers. It separates the feeding & chambering process into separate steps thus improving reliability. In theory this mechanism can handle insane rates of fire but calm heads prevailed and they settled on a modestly high 960RPM. As a machinegun it fires 9.2x42mm rifle rounds and can only use linked ammo.
- Col. Caseneux M13 Cavalry Machine Gun: For a long while Chasseurs lacked machinegun support. While they could carry the weapons issued for the infantry the idea of standing fire didn't endear them. Furthermore the rifle munition these machineguns use was a scarcity for Chasseurs. In 1908 a bright colonel with the name Cédric Caseneux suggested a simplified machine gun using the new 8x24mm pistol cartridges. The end result is a water-cooled "light machine gun" with fabric belt feed which only required a simple blowback mechanism. With the new service pistol 8x24mm rounds were abundant among the Chasseurs and its high velocity of 640m/s made the cartridge fit for supporting fire. The belt feed and water supply could be both placed on the backs of a warrior-type deertaur hence it provided no issue. The weapon has 1200RPM rate of fire which is fairly high but given the weak power of individual bullets it was deemed neccessary. The so-called Mitrailleur carried everything which normally needed an entire machinegun team, including over 2400 rounds of ammunition. As a weapon introduced recently and for the Chasseurs it has no presence in conventional army compositions.
- Darche-Vallée 1903 Monster Gun: Massive lever action rifle meant for hunting huge creatures, especially monsters created through magic anomalies. These are civilian weapons meant for hunters but the military also bought thousands of these in case they need to face an onslaught of wild monsters. It uses a propertiary 27x81mm cartridge with a tubular bullet weighing around 72 grams and muzzle velocity of 850m/s. This is a massive projectile designed to fragment into pieces after impact, making it shockingly effective at stopping dire beasts with only a single shot. Yet Leonard Vallée wanted to make sure, hence it has a 3-round detachable magazine and a sturdy lever action to reload the weapon. Obviously this gun is cumbersome and very much an overkill against human targets.
- M99 Rocket Stand: Modernized and compact variant used as special artillery. It's the modernized variant of the old M77 rocket stands made sturdier to reliably use modern rockets that use smokeless powder propellants. Called M92 it's a 55mm rocket with steel body and enough payload to rain fire and shrapnel on the enemy. Thanks to its De Larval nozzle and smokeless powder propellant these rockets could traverse surprisingly far, up to 7km. On the other hand they aren't very accurate thus usually a group of twelve stands are used together for greater effect. Given the size of the rockets and its innate poor accuracy these rockets aren't the most effective but they are very portable hence part of the Fenisian military. Towed pieces mounting 24 tubes are also known, although they are getting slowly phased out.
- M11 "Starlight" Flamethrower: Fenisians are obsessed with fire and they utilized flamethrowers since the middle ages yet this particular variant is rather unique. It uses Solarite ignition which evaporates portion of the fuel and serves as motive force for the flamethrower's stream. This means the fuel stream is always ignited and it spreads in a turbulent spiral. Fenisian flamethrower jets are often described as being "alive" and performing odd feats. While a lot of these are tall tales the innate enchantment of the M07 Starlight might also explain some.
Fénise is a country of deertaurs and as such vehicular development has a large competition in the populance's innate mobility. For the average deertaur traversing a hundred miles is something they can already do on their own. In addition the large deertaur body makes developing efficient cars troublesome. Inventions like rubber tired rollerblade shoes did make road traveling convenient and there are many unique deertaur contraptions made for them. Militarily this issue is compounded further by the fact that most automobiles can't traverse rough terrain like a deertaur and their pack animals. As such while Federal Phoenix Force is interested in mechanization it didn't get very far yet.
- Creauset Mle. 1911 Autochenille: Halftrack transport truck developed with explicit military demand. It has increased size and more powerful engine compared to older models while remaining cheap. These are chiefly used to ferry supplies but can also function as tractors. Of course compared to significance of railways or pack animals their presence is somewhat negligible.
- Mogamber de chenillé Mle. 1903: Mogamber is a type of motorized 3 to 5-wheel platform which replaces motorbikes in Fénise. They are a mix between a scooter and skeleton of a car with the frontal trike wheel tasked with the purpose of steering. In spite of their skeletal appearances these vehicles are remarkably stable and could compete with contemporary vehicles. Yet this vehicle is a step further from bikes, adopting caterpillar tracks for anything but the front wheel. This and the large 20kW engine makes it a versatile scout and utility vehicle with the top speed of 45km/h. The single deertaur rider places their legs in special rests while picking up the collapsible steering bar which is directly connected to the steering wheel. The engine is started with a solarite spark plug and the front leg rests also have a pair of brake pedals connected to each side of the tracks. Also called as the MCh 03 these are used by logistics personnel to transport goods or even tow anything up to 3 tonnes of weight.
- Sollac Autoblindé 1912 "Triens": The "armored car" of Fénise, some may call it a very early form of tank. Though the idea of armored cars circle around since the turn of the century, the Fenisian military experts weren't too impressed by any of these. As such they pursued the idea of high-speed armored tractors. The Sollac Steel Works company finally came up with the Triens, a small armored tractor with 3 individual caterpillar tracks. It is powered by a Celestial-made 60kW rotary engine which provides road speeds up to 30km/h. It has the crew of two deertaurs and a pair of gnome assistants and its only armament is a turret mounted machinegun. Its sheet metal 5mm armor is sufficient to resist rifles. The vehicle was accepted in 1912 and since then they are produced at a slow rate.
Artillery Overview
Fénise has a decent industry and famous for gunmaking. Through this focus their forges have a great lead in developing artillery. In spite of the fact they build a good portion of the battleship gunnery in the Celestial Sphere the Fenisian military doctrines have a borderline aversion to heavy artillery. Their army doctrine is obsessed with mobility and hence they refuse to accept guns that are unable to keep up with the rest of their forces. Their overall strategy relies on open battlefields where a large number of small artillery are far more effective. If they need more firepower the Fenisian military wants to utilize railways. In particular they invested a considerable amount in railway artillery, turning their network of rails into a mobile fortress system. The idea of using rails for offensive purposes is likely impossible but the strength of the railway guns for defense shouldn't be underestimated. As such the Federal Phoenix Force currently acknowledges 3 classes: Fast Artillery, Field Artillery and Railway Artillery.
Very light type of artillery designed to be easily portable by deertaur artillerymen. They are almost always lighter than 500kg which means they can keep pace with the rest of the army.
- Canon de 55 Toussaint: Light gun made in the Toussaint National Armoury firing 55mm high-velocity shells. It has a hydro-pneumatic short recoil system and automatic breech for rapid fire capability. It fires elongated 55mm shells which have less range and less than half the weight of typical 75mm shells. This is compensated to a degree through the utilization of special tubular shells which fly much faster and thanks to the solarization devices these can explode to cover infantry in a spray of shrapnel. Indeed, the main purpose of the 55mm guns is to lay down shrapnel and rapidly decimate the enemy. With such projectile the gun actually has the range over 10 km and almost comparable shrapnel effects to the larger 75mm guns. Of course when it comes to pure destructive power the 50mm gun is largely inferior. Canon de 55 Toussaint has two models, M98 and M08. The latter model is cheaper and more refined. More importantly it can be quickly broken down into several pieces and reassembled on the field, thus giving another convenient means of transportation.
- Obusier de 81 Modéle 1906 Toussaint:Light howitzer lobbing medium velocity 81mm shells while only weighing 451kg with carriage. It could fire standard HE, smoke and shrapnel shells but for anti-fortification purposes it could also utilize so-called "skeleton shells". These projectiles are hollow with an internal grid structure to support them but thanks to solarization devices the body can turn into an explosive. The end result is a faster shell which flies further and can pierce concrete, dig deep into earthworks before detonating. Just as the M08 this gun is designed to be broken down to pieces and quickly reassembled on the field for easier transportation.
- Affut Fusées M05: While rocket stands are easily portable they have their limit. For more firepower Fenisian designers came up with the modernization of an ages old weapon. Affut Fusées or "rocket mount" is just a simple cart mounting anywhere from 24 (M05A), 32 (M05B) or 48 (M05C) rocket tubes. While relatively primitive this setup allows launching a large volley of rockets in a small package. The relatively short range of the weapon and its inaccuracy still renders it a niche in the Fenisian arsenal but they could be fairly demoralizing for the enemy given the right conditions. In spite of the numerous improvements the rockets are still unreliable and as such they are phased out in favor of fielding more "light howitzers".
- Canon de 27 Contre-dirigeables: Anti-balloon gun meant to destroy lighter than air craft like observation balloons from a good distance. It's a simple yet robust scaled up machine gun firing 27x108mm cartridges. It uses hollow bullets to achieve 660m/s which is more than sufficient to hit a stationary balloon from 6km away. More importantly these bullets are enchanted via solarization devices thus acquiring explosive/incendiary properties. The weapon is fed diagonally upwards from a pair of 15-round magazines and has the rate of fire of 450RPM. Although it's chiefly intended for anti-balloon use the weapon soon found its way on ships and even adopted for the role to fight infantry formations.
These pieces are heavier but still easy to tow by dire stags and other beasts which Fenisians use for pulling carts. They are often limited to roads thus not fast enough to keep up with the fastest of the army.
- Canon de 95 Modéle 1907 Toussaint: 1.5-ton field gun firing 95mm shells. In a sense it's a heavy gun but for Fenise these are effectively field pieces. Compared to the ubiquous 55mm guns these are only really seen at regimental level and more often at divisional level. They use the same recoil and breech technology as the 55mm, just scaled up. The shells they fire are the semi-tubular type which sports a hollow center but the majority of the projectile is still intact.
- Obusier de 122 Modéle 1909 Toussaint: Towed howitzer firing 122mm shells of various type. It has a much shorter barrel than field guns which alongside other things helps reducing the weight to just under 1500kg, slightly lighter than the 95mm field guns.
- Mortier de 163 Modéle 1911 Toussaint: Shorter range artillery meant for lobbing massive 40kg shells with modest velocities. Unlike the howitzers which fire medium velocity shells at high angles the mortars have less than half the typical artillery range but compensate with pure firepower. These weapons can destroy earthworks with ease.
- Canon de 81 Raoult: Late 19th century breech loading field gun firing 81mm shells. It's slightly lighter than the M03 95mm guns but they are generally fielded just as reserves. Same for the heavier 122mm Raoults which are often found in fortresses.
- Mortier de 220 Modéle 1866 Bozzonet: Modernized variant of the early 19th century "Bozzonet Mortars".They are given a carriage and other upgrades but largely remained unchanged. The border tensions of 1895 warranted another upgrade which added a caplock mechanism and the capability to shoot cylindrical smokeless propellant shells for twice the range. Regardless they have abyssal velocity in the 160m/s range but they are fairly handy for their caliber, only weighing some 1500 kilograms.
- Obusier de 244 Modéle 1882: Heavy howitzer developed in the 19th century for coastal defense, using old breechloader ironclad guns as their basis. It soon also found utility as a siege gun meant to destroy fortifications. In the 1890s they are upgraded to fire with smokeless propellant. Yet they ended up never being used and now they are in storage. While this artillery skirts the heavy side it still has a road-mobile carriage pulled by dire stags.
Fénise has extensive railways and they capitalize on this via using trains as war engines. Railway artillery are usually but not always are naval guns repurposed for artillery work.
- Canons des 122 Modéle 1908 sur Affût:Modified railway cars mounting heavy artillery on rotating pedestrals. Depending on the size and type of the car it could mount anywhere from one to four guns in this fashion. As for the weapons while built like cannons they had the mounting of howitzers, allowing high angle fire for long range, in excess of 20km.
- Canon de 300 Modéle 1911 á Berceau: Fénise is known for producing large-caliber naval guns and their most common product is the 300/55 Mle 1903 cannons, used by many dozens of warships (also known as the Toussaint 300/55 in Dastria). As such Fénise has a considerable surplus of these barrels which they used in various ways. One of these included mounting the 50-ton gun in various train car designs until the army chose to standardize them under the Modéle 1911 and ordered conversion of each piece to this new standard. As expected from a 300mm piece it has dreadful firepower and thanks to the new mount and extra propellant charge it could reach out for about 45 kilometers. Of course without a robust loading mechanism its rate of fire suffers but its reach and terrifying power keeps it effective.
Air Force Overview
It simply doesn't exist. Deertaurs like speed but also want their feet planted on the ground. Combine this with the fact that deertaur bodies would have an awful time to pilot these tiny airplanes and it seems obvious why they didn't invest much if any in the idea of aeroplanes. Even airships didn't have much luck due to the stagnating Fenisian economy. What the Federal Phoenix Force has is just a Balloon Corps tasked with early warning and observation. Aside from the standard one man balloons the Fenisians also invested in kytoons. The latter are a merge of balloons and kites, with the wing surfaces providing lift and stability in windy conditions while the balloon portion keeps the craft afload during calm weather. The Balloon Corps itself is surprisingly large, with many hundreds of tiny observation crafts. Their service rifle of choice is the Chapuis M08 medium-powered semi-automatic carbine.
Navy Overview
Fénise only has a modest coastline and a fleet which is only held up through sheer pride and to protect their commerce fleet. The Federal Phoenix Fleet is overall a decent navy with an approach which uniquely focuses on speed. They love destroyers and married into the idea of a squadron of small ships defeating capital vessels. Fénise only possess a handful battleships but great amount of cruisers and surprising amount of destroyers and similar small vessels for a county of this size. Fénise has no plan to become a major naval power but they can ensure their opponents think twice before plotting naval aggression.
- BM242-class Motor Patrol Boat: Small 35m long 80-tonne class speedboat fit for multiple roles. It was originally devised as a light "submarine chaser" meant to fan out and catch enemy submarines near the coasts. As such its octuple inline petrol engines are capable of speeds in excess of 24 knots and it comes armed with three machineguns, a 55mm gun and later a pair of 27mm autocannons. Yet they more often found place as general patrol vessels meant ward off pirates. The class was so successful it became the most common military speedboat in Fenisian use.
- Champlain-class Aviso: Avisos are multi-purpose ocean-worthy corvette sized vessels. They are originally meant to be messengers (hence their name) but currently they are gneric gunships fulfilling various goals. The Champlain-class is a 69m long 500-ton avisio armed with a single 135mm L/55 gun, four 27mm autocannons and 6 machineguns. It has a modest speed of only 22 knots which improves its fuel economy, allowing it to match cruisers in range. As an avisio it also has room for a company of troops, including logistics and light artillery pieces.
- Lagune-class Monitor: Small ship with shallow draft and a specific duty to patrol the rivers or provide fire support at the coast. It sports an unique turret with quad 122mm L/60 guns which can be raised up to 50 degrees. This provides adequate firepower while the long guns can also serve as shoreline/riverside bombardment tools. For self-defense it has four 27mm rapid fire guns and a pair of pedestral-mount 55mm guns. As a riverine monitor the Lagune-class can only achieve 17 knots of speed which doesn't neccessitate possession by fire elementals.
- Tigress-class Torpedo Ship: Destroyers in Fénise are split into two categories: torpedo ships and vessels that are meant to destroy such. The T family of torpedo ships are the former. Following the reforms of 1907 every "destroyer" class is arranged by letters which was effective retroactively. The Tigress is the first ship in the T-class of torpedo vessels, as such it's also called the Tigress-class. It's a 72m long vessel with 640 tonnes of displacement. Its main armament is a twin 95mm L/50 gun turret with only a trio of 27mm autocannons as auxiliaries. Its most important weapons are the 488mm torpedo tubes in 2x3 arrangement. Thanks to its fire elemental possessed steam turbine the Tigress-class can achieve speeds at around 36 knots.
- Chercheuse-class Torpedo Destroyer: Large 108m long destroyer with full displacement exceeding 2000 tonnes. Unlike the other class of Fenisian destroyers (torpilleur) the letter classifications for torpedo destroyers (contre-torpilleur) started over from the letter "A". Chercheuse being the first ship of the C-class torpedo destroyers also became its namesake. It carries the same 95mm L/50 guns but using a trio of triple turrets in 4x3 arrangement. This is further amplified by six 27mm autocannons on pedestal mounts. As a destroyer it also carries 4 single 488mm torpedo tubes. Most amazingly though the elemental-possessed steam turbine provides it with blinding 40 knots of flank speed, allowing it to chase down any vessel.
- Dévastation-class Battleship Destroyer: A very unique kind of destroyer derived from the hull of the Chercheuse-class. Instead of contre-torpilleur (anti torpedo ship) its role was defined as contre-cuirassé (anti-battleship) and it's meant to overcome the Fenisian disadvantage in terms of capital grade firepower. They reinforced the destroyer's hull, pushed the funnels to the very back alongside with most machinery to make room for a pair of 300mm L/55 guns within a casemate mounting. While limited to +45/-45 degrees of horizontal traverse the guns have decent elevation and feature loading mechanism almost comparable to battleships. Of course in the age of dreadnoughts a single pair of big guns is no longer enough so they needed something more. This is how the Spirit Table Network was secretly developed. This linked the individual ships together to a central spirit table usually found within cruisers and capital vessels. This constantly relayed the relative position of vessels while gyroscopes helped out with the rest. The end result was a squadron which could act like a single battery. With this a group of 4 destroyers and a cruiser could deliver the same firepower as battleships. Of course this meant that the Fenisian navy invested in destroyers that technically had nothing to do with their original role. As such Fénise started pumping out even more conventional destroyers to compensate. The Battleship Destroyer is overall a novel concept but isn't without significant drawbacks. First off, the ship only has a quartett of 27mm pedestral mounts for self-defense. Second, the ships need to orient towards their intended target before firing, "Crossing the T" is exactly what you want to avoid. Lastly the increased mass and structural changes brought down the ship's speed significantly, just barely enough to keep up with cruisers.
Unlike the small ship classes which are mostly freshly built vessels the majority of the Fenisian capital ships are at least a decade old if not something out of the 19th century. This list, like the rest, is only mentioning the most significant classes.
- Loudet-class Light Cruiser: Bordering the gap between cruisers and the larger destroyer this 4500-tonne warship is Fénise's most recent cruiser design, made to fill up gaps left after mass decomissioning all unarmored cruisers still on primary fleet duty. The SGS Loudet was laid down in 1908 and incorporated a number of new features which shaped naval designs since. It also pioneered Fenisian obsession with quad-gun arrangements and it sports an impressive array of 3x4 guns of the 122mm caliber. Its auxiliary armament includes four 55mm guns and ten 27mm autocannons all on pedestal mounts. In addition it sports a 5-tube torpedo system mounted on a turret to enable launching from both sides. This is accompanied with a doubled set of the C-class destroyers' power plant and propulsion to achieve impressive 31 knots of speed. Overall the Loudet-class is a very capable cruiser for its size, although somewhat anemic when compared to anything more substantial. By early 1914 there are 29 Loudet-class vessels which makes up almost half of Fénise's fleet of capital ships. Each vessel is named after a particular town or city of the country.
- Faure-class Protected Cruiser: Dastrian vessels bought between 1894-1899. They started their life as a Nino-class protected cruisers but they were intentionally unfinished. Following that they are given guns and machinery of Fenisian origin thus creating the G.A. Faure class, named after the 18th century Fenisian navy officer. The original weapons layout included a pair of twin 244mm guns and twelve 135mm secondary guns. The retrofits soon after the turn of the century changed this to a semi-dreadnought arrangement twenty 135mm guns where the large bore cannons were replaced by a modern quadruple 135mm turret (so it's 2x4 + 6x2 in terms of gun placement). It also has 2x2 95mm guns and 4x2 55mm guns, both using twin-mount turrets. In addition it carries six 27mm autocannons but usually only four are mounted up at the time. The ship also occasionally carries the typical 488mm torpedoes in four individual tubes. Thanks to its relatively recent retrofit and design which was already meant for turbine propulsion the Faure-class can approach 27 knots of speed.
- Quinotaur-class Armored Cruiser: Cruiser hull designed in Fénise but produced by Dastrian shipyards in 1906. The heaviest cruiser in Fenisian use they are armed according to the new "dreadnought" idea and are meant for cheaply supplementing Fénise' lacking fleet of battleships. For this purpose it's armed with 4x3 212mm guns in a triple mount arrangement. Combined with the elemental turbine enabled speed of almost 30 knots this ship can actually be fearsome against cruisers and could challenge battleships if given the opportunity to get close. Of course with the new doctrines distancing battleships as much as possibly accomplishing such feat is generally out of question. In terms of auxiliary weapons the Quinotaur-class ships have 4x2 secondary 95mm guns in twin mount turrets, 4x3 55mm triple mount turrets and twelve 27mm autocannons in just pedestal mounts. While the original draft had torpedo armaments these were quickly discarded to make room for the fourth main battery. Quinotaur is a type of magic monster occasionally showing up in the Fenisian seas. Generally, all ships of this class are named after various sea monsters.
- Formidable-class Semi-Dreadnought: Pre-dreadnought laid down in 1903. It had a 142m long hull with the displacement of 15,000 tonnes. It was the most impressive battleship for the grand total of one year before rendered completely obsolete by the Dastrian Dreadnought-class vessels). In spite of this it remained the mainline battleship of Fénise for years. During this time it received a number of improvements, new boilers, new turrets and so forth. Thanks to these the Formidable-class is effectively a semi-dreadnought. It has four twin 244mm "secondary" batteries while its main battery is replaced by a pair of quad-mount 244mm turrets. This provides the Formidable-class with an array of 16 guns. The machinery upgrade meanwhile pushed the old vessel in the range of 25 knots.
- Fédération-class Battleship: The crown jewel of Fénise, the Fédération-class embodies their vision for the future. It's a 207m long battleship with surprisingly low displacement of around 28,000 tonnes. It achieves that by a new armor scheme focusing at long range encounters instead of point blank range brawls. Its aft space is filled with 24 boilers each with their own fire elementals which provided pressure for 8 steam turbines geared to 4 screws. This arrangement allows the Fédération-class to achieve top speeds of around 33 knots. In terms of armaments the Fédération-class mounts sixteen 300mm L/60 Mle. 1909s in quad-gun turrets in a 4x4 array. The caliber might be underwhelming but the sheer volume of fire is commendable. It also has 8 twin 122mm gun turrets (16 guns toral), eight 55mm gun pedestals and twelve 27mm autocannons. The Fédération-class doesn't have any torpedo lunching capabilities, nor it is designed to get within torpedo range. These features overall make the Fédération-class more like a battlecruiser than a proper first rate battleship. Its speed and firepower makes the vessel especially deadly against enemy cruisers while against the latest battleships it might perform worse. The Fédération-class embodies the Fenisian naval doctrine with all its positives and negatives.
National Traits
- Praise the Sun: Dionism covets the Sun and embraces everything about it. Fenisian religious practices and combined with their access to Solarite they could utilize magic in some fairly impressive ways. Magic blades made of virtual plasma, elemental-possessed engines, solarite lenses and the list can go on. Of course such technologies also need extra investment but given the performance gains this is still worthwhile.
- Deertaur Country: The dominant species of Fénise are the Elavis (deertaurs) which fundamentally changes their society. Deertaurs are quick and enduring runners who could cross long distances with ease. When it comes to mobility they are even superior to cavalry. Yet this comes at a price. For starters deertaurs consume more food and require much larger living space. Second, their size and quadrupedal locomotion needs some uniquely awkward engineering solutions to handle modern technology. Deertaurs can't ride animals and even their vehicles can turn out to be very odd looking. Lastly the size of deertaurs does influence their abilities in combat. They can't find covers as easily, they are poor fighters at very narrow spaces and they also have more exposed flanks. They are like a mini-cavalry in combat which might not be the best during the era of trench warfare.
- Artisan Economy: Fenice is one of the oldest cities with numerous centuries of history and known for their unique art and abundance of craftsmen. These traditions translated into sophisticated and high quality products with numerous skilled workers. Fenisian arts are legendary even if rather eccentric. Fenisian armories and gunmakers are known for their unique quality. The flipside is that they have largely artisan industry with serial production often requiring massive quantity of workers.
- Mineral Imbalance: Fénise is at glance is a decently rich region but in reality they have significant shortages in a lot of materials. Montelanse provides 90% of the Fenisian resources and while they are very abundant in iron and coal they don't have so much of the less known but still important minerals. This means while Fénise has above the expected value in steel and magic crystals their other mineral resources are below average thus neccessiating trade.
Soyedinonnyye Imperiyvka iz Volstranlyudkovka (The Grand Union of the Empire of Volstranlyudkovka)
Land Area: 20 Land Fertility: 20 (Imported) Natural Resources: 17 Social Development: 10 Technological Development: 18 Industrial Production: 18 Total Economic Strength: 10 Land Power: 20 Naval Power: 1 Air Power: 1
Territory:
Volstranlyudkovka is an enormous, sprawling country that stretches over 18,370,000 square kilometers of land area. Legendary for the fertile black soil that covers much of the nation, it is host to a wide variety of climates and landscapes, but the most famous is the vast, unbroken stretches of fertile grassland that dominate most of the country. Known worldwide for their unique and dangerous fauna, the nation is also home to the Forest of Ishareth, a vast stretch of dense forest that grows with seemingly supernatural speed, requiring aggressive logging operations to keep in check. The great northern lakes are considered a natural wonder of the world, covering around 558,000 square miles of the far northern expanse.
Government:
Democratically Elected Constitutional Monarchic Stratocracy Nominally a constitutional monarchy system with a federal republican system of government, the real power of the nation lies in mithe military and the vast workers’ unions. Indeed themselves theoretically separate, in practice the military and the economy are so closely linked as to be indistinguishable. A head of state and Commander-in-Chief known as a Tsarina is elected from the pool of those individuals who have completed their state service, be it explicitly military or some other field, and will serve in this role for life or until their removal from office. A position analogous to Prime Minister known as a Chair is chosen from this same pool by the Tsarina and approved by the Assembly. Once more, in theory these positions may be filled by nearly anyone - but in practice they nearly always come from the upper echelons of military hierarchy. Civil servants are wholly part of the military’s administrative apparatus, and public works are funded and constructed by the Ministry of Domestic Infrastructure, a wing of the military’s engineering corps. The Parliament of the state is known as the Assembly, and seats are awarded based on total national votes of the potential candidates using a ranked choice voting system.
Population:
661,342,139 as of last census (1910)
Current Issues:
Construction or acquisition of warm water ports Rebuilding in the wake of the civil war Strengthening ties with various allied nations including Fuso, Xamancha, Kasakka, and Astalia Building a Navy Revanchist claims in the aftermath of Dastrian involvement Economic growth
Volyudki: 431 million An offshoot of humanity tracing their origins back to the early days of the world before much of recorded history. Created through contact with unknown forces in the Forest of Ishareth, the existence of the Volyudki has been documented for roughly 6200 years. The average Volyudki stands at 193cm and 140kg. The Volyudki posess an average lifespan of 120-150 years, with an unusual aging trend. Full adulthood is reached at age 30, though most Volyudki reach full size at around 22-24. Volyudki remain fit and healthy for decades after, only seeming to begin aging in the final decade or two of life. There is no slow decline into decrepitude, upon the onset of their decline their condition will rapidly deteriorate in months. Some have compared their aging to the progress of a patient struck by an aggressive cancer. To avoid this fate, many choose assisted suicide instead of allowing natural causes to take them, wandering into the wilderness to die or throwing elaborate parties before using newly created drugs to overdose. Additional notable cdifferences are the birth sex ratio, with approximately ten females born for every male.
Lisavki: 58 Million An offshoot of humanity dating back to the creation of their twins the Volyudki, the Lisavki are not well known or regarded outside of the borders of Volstranlyudkovka. Standing far shorter than their kin, at an average of approximately 162cm for both males and females. Unlike the Volyudki, Lisavki males and females have an equal ratio of males to females, much like humanity, though they share the lack of sexual dimorphism in height and strength amongst them. Lisavki have similar lifepsans and aging to Volyudki.
Llavanese: 106 Million Suspected to be themselves offshoots of the Volyudki that migrated eastwards, Llavanese are small, hardy folk, averaging between 148-154cm for both males and females, with a lean, wiry build. Noted to be frequently weaker than normal humans, the Llavanese are conversely known for dexterity and endurance, having lived as horse mounted tribal nomads for millenia in the harsh continental interior.
Various human and other groups: 63 million Too varied and numerous to categorize them all, Volstranlyudkovka is home to tens of millions of human citizens. The largest ethnic groups being Sigan Tao and Quat’i.
Koshavko: 3 million Offshoots of the Volyudki, of similar height to their Llavanese cousins but frequently without the same thin, wiry build. Noted for being unlike the Volyudki, with their population being almost 75% male at birth, and female Koshavko noted for very high rates of multiple birth. Competition is frequently high for a chance at reproduction.
Demonyms: Volstranlyudkoska referring to the people - if talking about a group of predominantly females Volstranlyudkoski referring to the people - if talking about a group of predominantly males Volstranlyudkivka when referring to the nation itself
Dramatis Personae:
Valeriev Glagoleva Mariun Konstantinovna: Tsarina. Aged 64, Valeriev is a precocious and charismatic leader. Having been elected from a comparatively junior rank of only a field captain, her forward thinking capability was credited with saving the lives of many comrades during her tour during the civil war. Doubted by many for her relative youth, she is a bold and polarizing figure within Volstranlyudkovka. Has recently become smitten with the Empress of Fuso, Atsuko. The media of Volstranlyudkovka is delighted by this.
Tyomkina Fenya Borisovno Innokentievna: Chair A seasoned military commander holding the rank of Army General and an equally seasoned politician, having survived the decades of intrigue and the rise and fall of countless political movements.
Vorina Ludoya Semyonovich Kudashova: Minister of Finance
Larionova Lydia Petrovnu Nikitovna: Minister of Military Industry
Melekhova Agasha Tarasovnov Georgievna (Mashka): A hapless criminal, convicted of manufacture of Class III pharmaceuticals without a license and improper maintenance of state issued arms. Sentenced to thirty years of state service, twenty if in a combat unit. Melekhova accepted the latter, and is currently a Lance Corporal, serving in her third year. She has been deployed to the fortifications near the border of Nango-Tuenggo.
Nevritin Verka Yakovn Adeliya: An idealistic Assemblywoman reliably elected by a smattering of votes from around the nation. Nevritin seeks the abolition of war, currency, and inequality; desires to create a universal international language to eliminate linguistic divide; institute direct democracy; and more. Widely regarded as a radical and frequently an object of mockery among political press.
Culture:
WIP
Approx. 4100 BA: Wandering posdals of the 8th tribe venture north and disappear in the forest of Ishareth. After an indeterminate period of time, Volyudki and Lisavki emerge from the woods - though this link has not been proven.
Approx. 3600 BA: Climactic battle between the adherents of Posdalism and the followers of the new practice of Ishareth worship in the culmination of centuries of conflict and strife. Posdals decisively defeated, with legends claiming deaths in the hundreds of thousands. Beginning of a cultural antagonism towards Posdalism and its adherents that lasts to the present day.
Approx. 3300 BA: Formation of the dual Volyudk-Lisavki Kingdom of Riman-Krai, encompassing the entirety of the modern great lakes region. Riman-Krai begins to slowly annex their smaller and weaker neighbors.
Approx. 3100 BA: Contact with the first major human power, a federation of steppe dwellers whose names have been lost to history. Following border tensions and conflict for land and resources, war erupts.
Approx. 2800 BA: Total annihilation of unnamed steppe power, emergence of Riman-Krai as major player in the north.
Approx. 2100 BA: Formation of the Golden Empire. Riman-Krai, having amassed considerable lands and peoples under its control, declares itself to be an empire, sparking a conflict with its most powerful neighbor - the Llavanese steppe empire of Veren-Teng.
Approx. 1500 BA: After centuries of on and off conflict, the Golden Empire and Veren-Teng collapse under the strain of warfare. Emergence of the Tsardom of Kerelzka in the wake of the collapse of the Golden Empire, centered on its old homeland around the great lakes.
Approx. 1350 BA: Conflict between Kerelzka and the Lisavki Republic of Virit, eventual status quo ante bellum.
Approx. 1200 BA: Gradual warming of relations between the rising Kerelzka and Virit leads to extensive trade between the two.
Approx. 950 BA: Union of Virit and Kerelzka into the Imperial Republic of Volhansk, even larger than the Golden Empire over a thousand years earlier
Approx. 900 BA: Conflict between Volhansk and the Llavanese steppe peoples of Themerin, gradual annexation of Themerin into Volhansk, resulting in the first Volyudki and Lisavki to step foot into the central highlands.
Approx. 700 BA: Conflict with Posdal nomads in the south. An incursion of desert dwelling nomads, following ancient legends of the fifth tribe, attempt a migration into and conquest of Volhansk that nearly brings it to its knees. Eventual annihilation of the nomads, but not without immense casualties to the Volyudki and Lisavki victors.
Approx. 540 BA: The Golden Age of Volhansk begins with the annexation of the Koshavko trade republics in the west, bringing valuable trade goods flowing into Volhansk’s cities and villages, and the grain, furs, and blacksmithing products of Volhansk out to the wider world.
12 PA: End of the Golden Age of Volhansk. The newly arisen power of Quat’i al-Qarikha in the south disrupts Volhansk’s trade networks and threatens their hegemony over the region.
52 PA: Loss of the Koshavko states to the west. Inspired by the unification of the Quat’i people, the Koshavko band together in rebellion against the Volyudki and Lisavki, gaining the aid of the Quat’i in the process and becoming a part of their trade network. A crippling blow is dealt to Volhansk’s economy with the loss of vital wealth from trade and the resumption of conflict with Llavanese steppe nomads.
112 PA: Collapse of The Imperial Republic of Volhansk. Under pressure from all sides, the thousand year plus nation crumbles to dust. Emergence of the rump state of Volstranlyudkovka in the far northeast, in the forest valley around the ancient city of Ishichkalsk. Quat’i al-Qarikha, numerous successor states, the Koshavko city-states, and the Llavanese steppe tribes descend on the remnants of the empire.
113 PA: Annihilation of the Ilinak Quietude, a secretive nation of Volyudki and Lisavki steeped in the arcane, with its capital said to somehow lie within the forest of Ishareth itself. Many of its scholars and citizens flee to Volstranlyudkovka where they are integrated into the general population.
Territorial Claims:
Capital City: Novetska
Economy:
A technological and industrial powerhouse, the economy of the nation
Products from Volstranlyudkovka are known to be reliable, ruggedly built, cheap, and utilitarian - with little in the way of extravagances or luxury in mind. Those items manufactured with a private consumer in mind sacrifice some of their rugged durability for a more comfortable and enjoyable experience.
Despite its large population, Volstranlyudkovka is a net food exporter, shipping food abroad in great quantities - primarily potatoes, rice, and wheat - the abnormally fertile black soils that cover the nation providing frequent bumper crops with the advent of modern fertilizers and the mechanization of farming equipment. These agricultural lands are themselves pinnacles of modern technology - having recently been subsizied in a switch from pack animals and degenerate beasts of burden to an almost wholly mechanized farming system. Even so, engineering works are constantly underway to further expand the nation’s agricultural prowess.
Natural Resources:
Volstranlyudkovka is home to a vast, varied array of natural resources. It is noted to have the largest known reserves of iron ore on the planet, and vast sums of chromium, vanadium, molybdenum, aluminum, and many many more. However, its reserves of hydrocarbons are low, with negligible proven oilfields. While Volstranlyudkovka has ample reserves of coal, many of these are in remote locations or buried deep underground, and most coal that is produced is done so for metallurgical purposes.
Technology:
For much of its history, Volstranlyudkovka has pioneered technological development, and even now continues to be among the leaders of the world in technological advancement, all of its cities sporting modern electrical grids and transportation hubs - and though much of it has been damaged in the fighting of the civil war, the nation sports an advanced and intricate rail network linking everything together. The military as well benefits from this technological lead, for instance many artillery pieces outfitted with advanced targeting aparatuses and boasting a longer range and heavier shell payload than many of their contemporaries. On land, while individual equipment is still focused around tried and true technology - the lever action rifle, the revolver, and so on, these weapons are produced of high grade steel and can sustain higher cartridge pressures than those of most competing nations.
In medical science, Volstranlyudkovka demonstrates advances well above the global average. Transformative procedures, based partly on the arcane study of the energy crystal’s natural properties and partly on cutting edge surgical techniques, have saved or transformed the lives of many citizens.
Social Development:
WIP
Military:
The military of Volstranlyudkovka is a massive entity. The martial spirit and traditions of its people almost as old as they themselves. Warfare and violence have been a part of the world of the Volyudki and their kin since the very beginning, and over the millenia they have refined and honed their crafts in the art of organized killing. Large, powerfully built, naturally aggressive, and numerous, young Volyudki frequently find themselves as mercenaries and hired muscle abroad. At home, the state pours vast sums of money into keeping the military’s combat wing strong and prepared for the inevitable mirveltka voytkri where the old order shall be torn down and the people of Volstranlyudkovka shall take their place in the sun.
The army is the pride of the nation of Volstranlyudkovka, and its touch can be felt in every aspect of life in the nation. By far the largest branch of the military, it receives funding to an extent that seems inconceivable to other nations. But the army is not merely a combat force, and the bulk of its personnel, while trained in combat, are employed in what would be civilian roles in other nations. Infrastructure construction and maintenance, the postal service, administration of hospitals, welfare distribution, public housing construction, and more - all of these are partially or completely handled by the military. Seen as a bastion of the nation, the army is an inseparable facet of life in the nation.
Infantry In combat, the Volyudki have long been an infantry heavy force, and have adapted well to the modern infantry dominant landscape of warfare. It is they who invented the Marushina gun, and they who pioneered infantry and artillery tactics in the last great war of nations. The army has a wealth of experience in modern war from the recent civil war that consumed the nation for a period of six years. Trench lines, machine gun emplacements, forward artillery positions, and more are all integral doctrines of the army.
Yaighiri: The standard infantry of the army.
Styrmtiriki:
Murnispikerin:
Moritzeregin:
Rifle - Lever Action, Mosizhkanova-Wenricke 1898, Caliber 9.3x62mm, Model 3: A lever action rifle firing the potent 9.3x62mm cartridge, with a capacity of ten rounds fed via stripper clip into the weapon’s internal magazine. The 9.3x62mm cartridge is a powerful one created to suit the dual needs of the average Volstranlyudkivka soldier - to reliably kill both enemy soldiers, and the large and varied natural and unnatural fauna that stalk the plains and forests of the nation. As such the rifle is capable of pushing a 16.2 gram soft pointed spitzer bullet at 790m/s out of a 61cm barrel. Some nations have objected to the practice of soft point, expanding bullets, but have been brushed aside by the country insisting they are a necessity for the large and dangerous wild animals an average soldier might also face. The rifle is powerful, and noted for having a devastating effect on human sized enemy targets, as well capable of penetrating heavy barriers with ease. The downside, of course, is a strong recoil impulse that is considered unpleasant by many non-Volyudki.
Machine Gun - Heavy, Marushina-Vitansk, 1908, Caliber 9.3x62mm, Model 11-2: A refinement and improvement of the Marushina gun, the Marushina-Vitansk is the indestructible workhorse machine gun of the army. Notable improvements over the already well regarded original include the introduction of a much lighter (8kg) tripod, a greatly simplified sighting system easing manufacturing, the introduction of an interchangeable barrel enabling the barrel to be changed in the field in a matter of minutes, and improvements to the mechanism resulting in a reduction in weight and significant increase in reliability, as well as the inclusion of a fast acting epoxy putty for field repairs to the water jacket should it be perforated. An advantage of the ability to change its barrel is that the Marushina-Vitansk can be fitted with an air cooled barrel for use where water cannot be spared. Loved by the soldiery despite its weight, the gun is famed for its reliability, with one soldier aptly summarizing, “As long as the weapon has water to cool it and ammunition to feed it, it will not stop firing.”
Pistol - Revolver, Sytinviska, 1901, Caliber 9.1x33mm, Model 27: A powerful six shot revolver, and one of the two standard sidearms of the army. Officers are given a choice of this weapon, or the 1911 Khiurnin, and it is one of the limited number of firearm models permitted for enlisted personnel to bring with them as a sidearm. Capable of propelling a 10.2 gram to 469 meters per second, the pistol packs a powerful punch and is favored by those who prefer revolvers to the more modern semi-automatic pistols available.
Pistol - Semi Automatic, Khiurnin, 1911, Caliber 10.2x25mm, Model 10: The other standard sidearm of the army, the weapon was allegedly inspired by Khiurnin’s perceived need for both a powerful and portable sidearm capable of dropping a Volyudki under the influence of stimulants and psychedelics, or of felling the dangerous fauna endemic both to the cities and wilderness of Volstranlyudkovka - as well as negating the time consuming process of reloading a revolver when compared to the numerous semi automatic pistols emerging on the market. Khiurnin’s pistol, adopted by the army in 1911, made its debut on the market in 1909. With a magazine capacity of eight rounds, and with one in the chamber, it not only gave an advantage in total number of available shots - but in ease of reload once those were expended. Capable of propelling a 13 gram bullet to 370 m/s, many non-Volyudki dislike the gun for its stout recoil compared to many of its contemporaries sporting half or even a quarter of its power. Despite some misgivings, the firearm is very popular in the military and is frequently bought as a personally owned sidearm by enlisted personnel and reservists.
Shotgun - Semi Automatic, Khiurnin, 1901, Caliber 18.5x76mm, Model 5 What started out as a personal project by the well known Lisavki gunsmith Khiurnin has become a well regarded combat shotgun within the army. Firing a wide bore load of buckshot, the weapon was originally developed and released in 1899, and became valued as a close quarters weapon by soldiers fighting on the south-central front of the civil war in the ugly trench warfare conditions of the central highlands, as well as by civilians for hunting and defense. Adopted formally by the military in 1901, several changes were made official including the shortening of the barrel and buttstock for close quarters use. It is now an official part of the equipment of the Styrmtiriki battalions.
Rifle - Machine, Khiurnin, 1912, Caliber 9.3x62mm, Model 23: Another invention by Khiurnin, she referred to her creation as the “machine rifle”, inspiring its official designation. Firing the same potent 9.3x62mm cartridge as the standard issue Mosizhkanova-Wenricke and Marushina-Vitansk weapons, Khiurnin designed her new machine rifle with the goal of bridging the gap between the two. Inspired by conversations with veterans of the civil war, Khiurnin designed her rifle to feed from the same belts as the Marushina-Vitansk, but built her weapon to be far lighter. Capable of being fired from the shoulder in single shots as a regular rifle, though its weight and length make this impractical, the weapon’s intent was to provide the rapid fire ability of the Marushina-Vitansk in a form portable by a single soldier rather than a dedicated team. Intended to provide automatic fire support to a styrmtiriki squad taking a trench, building, or simply advancing across terrain, the Khiurnin Machine Rifle - or KMR as it has come to be abbreviated - has immediately found widespread deployment in not only styrmtiriki battalions, but also the regular infantry and the mobile forces of the moritzeregin.
Machine Gun - Heavy, Marushina, 1883, Caliber 9.3x62mm, Model 7: The venerable Marushina gun was the very first reliable and mass produceable machine gun in the world. Unlike previous models, either requiring manual operation to maintain a high rate of fire or notoriously unreliable or far too complex and expensive to mass produce, the Marushina gun was the first reliable and affordable weapon that enabled a soldier to deliver a hail of bullets simply by keeping her finger on the trigger. Nowadays mothablled and replaced by Marushina’s updated and vastly improved newer model, the military nonetheless has thousands of the old guns in storage - though the nation is looking for buyers interested in purchasing them.
Flamethrower - Portable, Iyyvanti, 1913, Jellied Fuel Oil, Model 20: A recent invention created upon the army’s request in the aftermath of the civil war. The Iyyvanti flamethrower system is the brainchild of a lone Lisavki inventor from the city of Gopninsk. Utilizing a friction ignited pyrotechnic charge, the system is capable of projecting burning napalm to a distance of up to 40 meters when properly tuned. Though its tanks are only capable of about eight seconds of continuous firing, the weapon is well regarded for reliability and even safety. Incorporating multiple redundancies, a safety valve system for its pressurized gas tank, regulators to ensure a consistent range for its fire stream, and a quick release system should it be compromised enabling its user to drop the entire assembly in one motion, the Iyyvanti is a fearsome weapon for clearing fortified positions.
1904 Protective Chemical Mask: After the horrifying experiences fighting against the forces of the Neverustasika in the civil war, the military of Volstranlyudkovka commissioned the creation of a proper, fully sealed protective respiratory mask to protect the lives of soldiers exposed to toxic gases in combat. Constructed of high grade rubber and using a filter constructed of sealed stamped sheet metal and activated carbon, the mask has proved a crucial life saver during musin anti-Neverustasika operations in the far east.
Mortar - Infantry, Zhengist Design Bureau, 1912, 85mm, Model 3: Like much of the army’s new models of weaponry, the Zhengist infantry mortar was developed in the aftermath of the civil war. Stopgap measures such as rifle grenades and slings were deemed unsuitable, and the order was given to the Zhengist Design Bureau in the far east to create a weapon capable of projecting light explosive ordnance out to a distance of at least five hundred meters with a payload of at least 4.5kg. The weapon had to be below 50kg total weight, to permit it to be carried by infantry teams conducting an assault, and it had to be able to be deployed in the field to provide fire support for advancing infantry. The resulting weapon not only met these criteria but exceeded them, providing a much needed boost in firepower for Styrmtiriki units as well as the regular infantry.
Artillery WIP
Navy The naval forces of Volstranlyudkovka are small and confined to small scale operations, made up of a fleet of a few dozen machine gun armed gunboats. A nation that is functionally landlocked by their northerly position, and by geography and history. Hostile protectorates of their archenemy to the west, recently occupied expanse to the east. The nation is, despite their millenia long aims for connection to the sea and the rest of the world, forced to remain without.
Air Force Nonexistent.
Traits: WIP Blessed By Ishareth (2 slot positive):
Foreign Relations:
Other: Neverustasika - Extremist group espousing a Volyudki supremacist ideology. Legally outlawed, shoot on sight.
Other Information
Political Laws: Political Parties: Multi party state.
Religious Policy: - State Religions: Volyudki Isharethism, Lisavki Isharethism, Llavanese faiths, Koshavko Pantheon
Name of Nation: Celestial Empire of Nango-Tuenggu Government: Absolute Monarchy Emperor: Nang Goloo Zui Heirs Apparent: Nang Zhang, Nang Biu, Nang Sudr-Tlin, Nang Zhen Palace Herald (Prime Minister): Cao Ying Sun General of the Armies: Fuo Gon-Ik-Huru Governor of the Minors: Lung Ka Puo Governor of the Tribute: Yi Lin
The Celestial Empire, though regal now, is one of the younger civilizations that dominate the modern map. Indeed, the Empire's history can be traced back to the Great Chiefdom of the North, which itself stems from the tribe of Nang. The Nang tribe, as far as scholars know, was but one of the many warring nomadic peoples that make up the greater Hum Desert, and indeed, not one of particular note. Occasional scripts from centuries before, written by foreign explorers would mention them, but only in the context of larger and more powerful tribes. They tended not to wage war and control land of their own, and were often chased out of their grazing oases by greater forces, as was typical for tribes of their caliber.
All this changed roughly 500 years before the modern year, with the death of the old and venerable Tuenggu tribe's chieftain. Having had no children, he left the rulership of his people to his nephew, who happened to be one Nang Gulu. Overnight, the new Nango-Tuenggu dynasty became one of the forefront powers of the Hum Desert. Nang Gulu was a canny ruler, ambitious and ruthless. He waged brutal wars of vengeance against the other tribes, subjugating many and slaughtering a few to the last adult man. It was thought that he would have united the entire Hum Desert under himself had he not been killed by an arrow while leading a charge near the Lunmount.
This did little to dissuade his fifth son and heir, who rumors say had been the one to shoot his own father. To this day, historians and archaeologists cannot say for sure. But that heir, Nango-Tuenggu Quondo, unlike his father before him, was prided not in his ferocity, but his virtuous administration. Today, "Quondo" is a phrase synonymous with "wise" in common Hum parlance. Nango-Tuenggu Quondo transformed the administration of the many tribes who swore him loyalty, cementing the privileges of the vassal chieftains and reworking entire sectors of government to imitate that of the northern Sigan Tao states, of which he was very much an admirer. Near the end of his own life, he declared the creation of the "Great Chiefdom of the North", the rightful rulers of the entire Hum Desert and all its inhabitants and livestock.
It wasn't until a century after Quondo's death that his dream was realized, and the desert was thoroughly secured by the Nango-Tuenggu dynasty. Rival tribes attempted once to form a coalition against this rising star, but they were soundly defeated at the battles of Thirty Mounds and Gudun and forced to flee into lands belonging to the Republic of Volstran. The descendants of those rivals, according to the official government stance of Nango-Tuenggu, would eventually become the Two Swords confederations, now staunchly opposed to all forms of monarchical excess. However, for the then-ruler Nango-Tuenggu Lipko, they were of no concern. Rather, it was time to expand southwards, into those verdant forests and plains wherein reside the Sigan Tao peoples.
Great Chieftain Lipko was a tactical genius, and she had the zealous support of her warriors. In a moment of weakness for the Sigan Tao governate of Lei, Lipko marched south with nearly fifty thousand riders and laid waste to the farmland. The governor of Lei, faced with the threat of starvation for him and his people, surrendered quickly, and was allowed to keep his rulership. The following governates of Gui and Ping were not so fortunate, having staunchly refused any peace. The governor of Ping was killed at the Battle of Me Cao, along with nearly half his army, leaving the capital of Ping Chen unguarded. Lipko and her army stormed its undermanned walls, slaughtering hundreds of civilians and flaying the son of Governor Ping alive. It was there, in the chaos, that Chieftain Lipko died, possibly by the hand of a local commoner. So ended the first invasion of the Sigan Tao, as the armies retreated back across the Me Cao plain to reorganize.
By the end of the century, a majority of the Sigan Tao governates had fallen to Nango-Tuenggu swords and muskets. The horseback shooter, armed with pistol and saber, was a symbol of fear known throughout the entire Sigan Tao crescent. The Hum peoples, or the "Nang Hum" peoples as they had begun to identify as, knew their dominion over this land was imminent, and at a grand confluence between Hum shamans, Sigan Tao scholar-monks, and Kao Ge high priests, it was declared that the Great Chiefdom of the North would henceforth surrender their title, in exchange for one greater; that of the Celestial Empire. It was said, once, that the many Sigan Tao governates were united in aeons past in a single political entity (hence why the Sigan Tao rulers would style themselves "governor" rather than "king"), but any evidence of such a civilization is dubious, given the limited access to artifacts from the supposed period. However, at this grand conference, that myth was brought into reality, and so it was that Nango-Tuenggu Qul-Nul was crowned in the holy city of Luo. Quickly after, the remaining Sigan Tao states would be capitulated.
In what has come to be known as the Gilded Age of the Nango-Tuenggu rulership, the son of Qul-Nul, one Nango-Tuenggu Thal-Ik, ascended to the throne, following the mysterious death of his mother. Nobody can say for sure as to the cause, for her body was never found. Thal-Ik, now emperor, began his expansion plans mere days after his coronation, pushing the boundaries of the Celestial Empire ever further, into the great trekking grounds of the Lun people, the scraggly forests where the Lu Cang reside, and even across the sea, into the heartland of the Kao Ge. His rule was known to be heartless and flowing with blood, most notably that of the Lun. The Lun, near the end of Emperor Thal-Ik's life, had risen up in rebellion, declaring at their holy Lunmount the "Lun Nation", free of foreign rule. Battle waged in the surrounding area for years on end, as the guerilla tactics of the Lun continued to ever delay a conclusion. At last, Thal-Ik's armies, lead by the famed general Nol-Ik, chased the Lun out of their bush and into the foot of the Lunmount, where both soldier and civilian alike were slaughtered. Historians now recognize this act on the part of Thal-Ik to be one of genocide, and the cultural unity of the Lun were forever shattered.
The Celestial Empire, in its capacity as head of the greater Celestial Sphere, is thus integrated into a grand system of trade that brings it much wealth. Trade flows in from Morrland in the west and Bettona in the south, and flows out into Dastria, on the tacit assumption that it will flow back into the sources. This network keeps the far nations dependent upon both each other and the Sphere itself, but also makes all involved very wealthy indeed. The Empire, though lacking in both arable ground and rich veins of mineral, has the sort of manpower that is paralleled by few, and none within the Sphere. The Sphere draws raw material from all the corners of the world, through Dastrian colonies and the plains of Fenise, and manufactures them in its tens of thousands of factories, moulding them into the stuff of modern civility. Iron ore becomes steel, steel becomes pots and knives, or something as ambitious as spires and skyscrapers. Sand becomes glass, and even lowly clay becomes ceramics, and exported by the shipful, a source of pride among the great Empire's peoples.
It must be said that the Celestial Empire, admittedly, is a bare land. In the days of the Grand Chiefdom, the entire breadth of the Empire, spare a few oases and some steppe, was inclined desert. The northern stretches are barren sand, completely infertile soil, good for nothing except being stamped upon by the roving of tribes and horses. However, the land there is relatively rich in iron and carbon, the two minerals that the war machine of the Nang Hum tribes so crave. The conquest southwards made all the difference for the young Empire; access to wet ground, fed by regular mudslides from the mountains and by near-constant rain in the summer. It was here that the great Sigan Tao cities grew, as many as fifty, each numbering well over a million souls. Their colonial ventures, stretching into the neighboring sea, was similarly fruitful, gaining more of a foothold into the lush tropics that feed an empire's worth of people.
Army: A very typical army form, divided unfortunately into many many different administrations and bureaus, thus having a habit of breaking down in miscommunication.
Navy: Plagued by pirates of the fearsome Lam Lam bay, most of the navy belongs to a mercenary fleet of those same pirates, good for nothing except supporting their more competent allies.
Air Force: The skies is where Imperial military truly shines. The idea of traversing the skies was deeply ingrained in the national psyche of the Nang Hum peoples, even since before the establishment of the Celestial Empire. The Empire were far and away the first to develop personal aircraft, and today the idea of riding the skies as one might a horse on land is an honor. The Celestial army has become much acquainted with raining death down on enemies below, with massed balloon bombings and machine gun fire from planes.
Rolls: Land Area: 20 Land Fertility: 12 Mineral Abundance: 12 Bureaucracy: 5 Technology: 10 Production: 16 Finance: 9 Land Power: 11 Naval Power: 2 Air Power: 16
Name of Nation: The United Republics of Greater Alkadion or the United Alkan Republics Capital: The City of Dastria
Head of State: Head of Government:
Currency: The Republican Appunti (Banknote) Quarssa Dastriana & Pessa la Mare (Coins, 25 Quarssa = 1 Pessa, 10 Pessa = 1 Appunti)
Calendar System: Year 1 Dastrian Count = Year 1352 PA Year 563 D.C. = Year 1914 PA
4 Quarters: Q1, Undame (January-March) Q2, Duandame (April-June) Q3, Triandame (July-September) Q4, Quarandame (October-December) [Q5], 5 Days for La Fiera
Territory:
The United Republics claim all areas once occupied by the Confederated Cities on the Dastrian Sea, from the old Listran Cities all the way to Ravelia.
The United Republics are so-named for the four constituent nations – the Serene Republic of Dastria, the Union of Listra-Alkadion, the Confederated Cities, and the Greater Northern Territories.
Points of Interest:
The Serene Republic of Dastria The City of Dastria, Calia Island to the southwest, the Glass Islands to the northeast Dastria is the beating heart of the Republics, center of all its trade and administrative activities. To its southwest is the Island of Calia, where the Treaty of Calia Island was signed. Calia is also home to the headquarters of the National Integrated Command of the Carabinieri, the main military force of the Republics. It also serves as home to the Western Home Fleet, guarding the entrance to Dastria from those who would harm it. To the northeast are the Glass Islands of Casta and Castina. These islands are the center of the Republics’ industrial capacity. These islands are also used by the banks as storehouses for the vast wealth they have collected.
The Union of Listra-Alkadion The City of Listra, the City of New Alkadion to the north
Listra is the United Republics’ second-most important city, once home to a kingdom rivalling Dastria in dominance over the Dastrian Sea, the city now stands as its partner in protecting and promoting trade. The City of New Alkadion is a minor city to the north of Listra, once the mythical Shining City of Alkadion, home to the Cults of the Old Gods. The old city was destroyed in a calamity known simply as the Sundering.
The Confederated Cities The Confederated City of Sazalla and the Anyuevan Cities
Sazalla is a major trade and military port of the Confederation. An age ago, this was where the legendary explorer Edante Cancolo settled with his Fleet of Forty. Today, it is an important stop on westbound journeys as tolls are paid here for passage through the Cancelli Islands to the southwest.
The Cities of Anyueva are Centro Anyueva, and Sallassa. Though often overshadowed by the industrialized cities of the east, and the great financial centers of the northern frontiers, Centro Anyueva is still the yet-to-be-harnessed hearts of a once-great Anyueva, brimming with people and potential. The general indifference of the Dastrians to their Anyuevan territories rapidly disappeared in the aftermath of the discovery and exploitation of valuable resources in the area. That initial sense of optimism faded with the First Anyuevan Revolt; however, and quickly gave way to horrific ethnocultural repression and military occupation.
Wealthy Dastrian businessmen, in an effort to avoid the unstable settled areas of Anyueva, have endeavored to create a new titan in the east - the planned city of Sallassa. Similar projects popped up nearby, sponsored by the Dastrian government to only shelter Dastrian-Anyueva creoles in an effort to control and reshape the archipelago to their wishes.
The Greater Northern Territories The Cities of Ravelia, Nuovo Volstran, and Norde Ravelia was once a far-flung trading port of the Confederation. Compared to most cities in the Confederation, Ravelia was small and its surrounding areas were very sparsely populated. Furthermore, there are very few native Dastrian humans in the city, being unsuited to the harsh northern climate. The city holds power over northern trade routes to the New World, serving as a major supply stop.
When the Republican Junta emerged late during the civil war; however, mass migration of old Dastrian elites came to Ravelia, and caused the city to swell with newfound wealth and workers. When the Junta took full control of Dastria, Ravelia rapidly took its place as the commercial and financial center of the new Republic, as well as center for a resistance to the military regime.
When the civil strife moved from Dastria to Volstran, the city once more opened itself to refugees as Voldyuki seeking to escape the unstable superstate moved into the city. Some remained in Ravelia to participate in commerce and trade, others moved further north, to where no Dastrians were used to living, and created the industrial and ecological powerhouse that is now Nuovo Volstran. Yet more moved further north, to what is now Norde. There, they formed the Lupavski Company, legendary winter soldiers and later, the local defense force for the Greater Northern Territories.
Demographics:
The Republics’ territories are populated by two dominant species - humans, and squid-human hybrids known as the Ikalman.
The humans of the Republics’ heartlands are formally known as the “Alkan” after the Shining City of Old Alkadion. It is said that the Alkan originated from Alkadion and spread out in the aftermath of the Sundering. They are generally of lean builds, tan, brown-eyed and black of hair. They are slightly shorter than the average human, but also more nimble. Many Alkans refer to their ethnicities by their home city, though there are few physiological differences between them.
The Ikalman are squid-like humans (or humanoid squids) that are considered a separate biological species from humans, being unable to bear live offspring with them in all but a few rare cases.
There are two important non-human minorities present in the Republic; however. The first of which are the Drowned Listrans.
The Drowned Listrans maintain small populations clinging to the Glass Islands and the ruins of their once-proud city near Listra. Small numbers of deranged Drowned Listrans still wander the eastern fringes of the inland sea, occasionally attacking fishermen and merchants.
The third non-human minority are Golden Men of the Candari Wastes. The Golden Men are an enigmatic people who migrated from beyond the desert wastes of the north into the south until they reached the north coast of the Dastrian Sea.
In the aftermath of the wars of the 19th Century PA, several ethnic groups were brought into the fold. These include the Anyueva and their innumerable former subjects, and the Huitecoya and other indigenous groups in the New World.
In Anyueva, two major ethnicities dominate as far as the Dastrian elite are concerned - the Creolo/a, and the Anyuevo/a, representing the Dastrian-ized colonial elite and the traditional native cultures of the area before the Dastrian occupation. The former are dominated by what were once the Sevanjan group - the Posdalist rulers of the Imperpulau, and are heavily intertwined economically, socially, politically, and culturally with the Dastrian mainlanders.
In the New World, the Republics are represented by the Tuonare, or what were once the Huitecoya peoples. In the aftermath of the Anyuevan Wars, the Huitecoya and their lands were placed under Dastrian control, under whom they still live as a colony to this day. Government:
The Republics as a whole are a semi-parliamentary federal republic. The overall head of state for all the republics is the Presidion of the United Republics (styled “His/Her Excellence”). They are elected by the College of Electors consisting of representatives sent from all four republics (each republic sending 5 deputies), who represent the results of universal popular elections. They are elected for a term lasting 6 years, with a maximum of 2 consecutive terms for any one President. There is also a Secundus who serves as a backup to the Supreme Consul in the event of his incapacitation. Traditionally, the Secundus of the United Republics also serves as Executive Secretary to the Supreme Consul.
The Head of Government of the Republics is the Grand Chancellor. They and their cabinet are appointed by the President from the ruling party or coalition in the lower chambers of the national legislature - the Chamber of Deputies.
The legislative branch of the Republics is known as the United Republican Congress with two houses- the Chamber of Deputies being the lower and the Chamber of Elders being the upper.
The Chamber of Deputies is composed of a varying number of members and each deputy is elected for three-year terms, with no term limits. The government is selected from among the elected deputies.
The Chamber of Elders is composed of 52 unelected members who sit for life. 40 of these seats are known as the Elder Titles, belonging to members of the old Dastrian oligarchy. 12 are composed of members who sit for 12 years and are appointed by the Supreme Consul, with 3 taken from each Republic. The Elders generally sit as a ceremonial chamber, with most significant legislative activity taking place in the lower Chamber of Deputies.
As of the current year, one large party dominates Dastrian politics - the Federation Liberal Party or the “Partito Liberale della Federassione” (PLF). Ever since the fall of the Republican Foundation Party or the “Partito Repubblicana della Fondatori“ (PRF) 12 years after the United Republics’ founding, the party has consistently held onto power election after election. The Federalist Wing (“Antonii”) of the PLF is the dominant faction, espousing ideals of moderately high taxes, interventionist capitalism, protectionism, heavy militarism, and the decentralization of the republics. Another significant wing is the Liberal Wing (“Marcini”), espousing further decentralization of the republic, the dissolution of the Chamber of Elders, equal rights for all, and social welfare funding. In the shadows; however, another wing is beginning to fester - the National Wing (“Novo Fondatori”), a wing promoting the centralization of the republic under a Dastrian nationalist government.
The PLF is opposed by a broad coalition of parties known as the “General Opposition'' ever since its formation in 541. Dominance in the coalition frequently changes hands between the pro-central government Central Party (“Partito Centrale”, PC), the socialist Social Unity Party (“Partito di Unita Sociale”, PUS), the populist Common Strength Party (“Partito della Forza Comune”, PFC), and the moderate Republican Institution Party (“Partito della Istitussioni Repubblicane”, PIR). Their reputation is that of a disorganized group of parties only existing to oppose the government.
Their popularity has steadily been declining after the Hanged Coalition of 559 DE when they gained an opportunity to form a government, only to collapse within a month. The resulting political fallout also caused the fracturing and final collapse of the PRF, with the remaining members forming the Republican Institution Party.
History:
There are many places that the Confederation’s history could start - the founding of Dastria, the Uprisings of 1 Undame 103, the Treaty of Calia Island, the Voyage of Cancolo, The Civil War of 479 or the Dastrian Catastrophe of 499. This history; however, will be comprehensive. To be comprehensive, this history must go far to the east of the Dastrian Strait.
The Beginning
This history begins where the Shining City of Alkadion ends. For whatever reason, around 700 years ago, Alkadion collapsed in the Sundering and dispersed the Alkan People all throughout what would become the Dastrian Sea. One group settled nearby, founding the City of Listra. Another group settled far to the west, beyond the great seas of sand and into the gates between two halves of the world. There was founded the City of Dastria.
The two cities grew and prospered, taking advantage of their positions in shipping lanes, becoming naval powers all the while. Rival naval powers. After a series of wars, the City of Dastria was occupied and placed under the rule of the Listran Kings. For decades, the Dastrians toiled under their new monarchs until a revolt drove the Listrans from Dastria. The leader of the revolt was declared the First Premier of Dastria, and from then on the Dastrians foreswore monarchy, pledging to never be subject to any kings or foreign powers again. This year was declared the first year of the Dastrian Era, 1 DE (1352 PA).
The Listran War
In the subsequent Listran War, the City of Listra was sacked and its naval empire was shattered. The City of Dastria fully dominated the area over the next century. Then, in 1 Undame (Month 1) of 103, popular uprisings in Dastria, and the restored city of Listra created a common Citizens’ Assembly. By 106, the Citizens’ Assembly seized control of both cities, effectively uniting them. All other polities in the Dastrian Sea joined soon after and by 181, the Confederated Cities of the Dastrian Sea was organized by the Treaty of Calia Island.
In the chaos of the new nation’s birth; however, Luchmairisch raiders attacked and occupied several islands once held by Old Listra, making them some of the first colonies of their nascent colonial Empire. This single move would begin centuries of confrontation between the Luchmairisch and the Dastrians on the high seas
The Early Confederation
For a time from 103 to 313, the Freemen’s Chamber was able to exercise authority equal, if not superior to the Titled Chamber. The Premier-Elect originally held the powers now given to the Grand Chancellor and the Freemen were able to strike down laws passed by the Titled.
This; however, came to a head in 314, when war broke out between the Freemen and the Titled. For 13 bloody years, war raged across the Dastrian Sea. Then, in 327 peace was signed, restoring the status quo. The Freemen’s political power only declined after this; however.
One prominent Freeman, Edante Cancolo, fled Dastria along with several prominent Freemen to found colonies in the west and escape the turmoil in the cities in 330. This mission led to an era of expansion for Dastria and, while the Freemen were busy finding new lands, the Titled slowly seized power. Prominent Freemen families, too busy in the race for colonies, earned the ire of their fellows.
In 377, the Freemen’s Chamber voted to conduct a military expedition against the Elves of Eidolon. Preparations were immediately set into motion. In the following year; however, several prominent Freemen funding the expedition were assassinated.
With the Freemen in a panic, they attempted to redirect the backlash of the assassination toward the Titled Citizens. When they attempted to arrest them in 379; however, the Titled resisted and a civil war broke out as the Titled retreated to Listra. Four years later in 383, the Titled marched troops into Dastria and proclaimed one of their own Grand Chancellor. The Freemen surrendered, their rights to assemble and elect the Premier intact.
The Reign of the Titled and the Sixth Century
In 420, the first Grand Chancellor died and another was elected, securing the reign of the Titled.
Peace and expansion persisted until the year 499, when a crystal vein to the northwest of Dastria was over-exploited and rebounded, triggering the Dastrian Catastrophe. An earthquake and the ensuing fires and tsunami ravaged the western half of the city. In the end, thousands were killed and the nation still feels the wounds of its past. With Listra possessing the only major crystal resource in the Confederation, the Citizens’ Assembly was finally forced to incorporate Listra as a National Territory of Dastria in exchange for their crystal supplies.
The early 6th Century DE was a period marked by unprecedented prosperity for the Confederation, all the while also being an era of massive social upheaval that threatened to tear the nation asunder. The era began with the election of Arrigo Cancolo, and Marcio d’Casta to the seats of Premier-Elect and Grand Chancellor, respectively. The pair unexpectedly formed a partnership that would influence Dastrian politics for the next two decades. Their collaboration would inevitably result in the return of the Freemen to political significance and the rise of the Premier-Elect. This partnership; however, undermined the already-strained relations between Listra and Dastria, as both were Dastrians and represented a political union between Dastrian Freemen and Titled against the encroachment of the eastern cities.
The Luchmairisch Wars
Their first course of action was to push the Naval Reforms of 495, a series of sweeping reforms to Dastrian Navy, making it more meritocratic and abolishing limitations on Freemen and Ikalman promotion. The Eastern Fleet, heavily integrated with the Listran aristocracy, refused to implement these reforms in spite of repeated orders from the College of Admiralty. Any attempt to put these reforms into force; however, was abruptly halted by the outbreak of war between the Luchmairisch, and the Dastrian-allied Bright Tower. The Navy quickly attacked the Luchmairisch outposts in the eastern Dastrian Sea but was repulsed with each approach, while the Bright Tower was forced to hold out amid the Luchmarisch landing. When the outposts were at last taken, the Bright Tower had been forced to retreat from their capital, and defeat appeared to only be a matter of time despite support from the Dual Monarchy.
Meanwhile, in the west, amid the rising prominence of the Anyuevan Empire, Lasagnon Rebels funded by the Dastrian Government rose up against their overlord, the Kingdom of Eisengard. The Dastrian military was forced to move to their aid, with much of the Western Fleet being shifted from the Luchmairisch front to the Mare Reale, but not before fighting a climactic naval battle against the eastern invaders. The Battle of the Vilsine Straits resulted in a hard-fought Dastrian victory. The Admiralty; however was unable to capitalize on this victory due to the care taken to preserve the Western Fleet for war against Eisengard.
Meanwhile, the Freemen and Titled of Dastria celebrated with a feast dedicated to the Sea Saint while Eisengard merchant ships fleeing the Dastrian Sea were halted and investigated in the Dastrian Canal. Amid this celebration; however, several Eisengard ships abruptly burst into flames all over the harbors of the city, taking the lives of hundreds as the fires spread into the feasting city.
The damage caused by the explosions rendered the Dastrian Canal unusable for several days, time which Eisengard was able to effectively leverage by seizing vital Lasagnon fortresses while the Colonial Armada was hurriedly moved into position to blockade them. When the canal was finally cleared, and the Western Fleet sallied out of the Dastrian Sea, much of the Lasagnon had already been subjugated. A single major allied city - Cavitas, remained.
In the east, large numbers of troops were finally ferried across to assist in the liberation of the Bright Tower. Codaigh and Owcan troops were able to slowly gain ground against the Luchmairisch invaders, with the help of the Dastrian blockade. All was going well until the Luchmairisch navy, weakened but not completely destroyed, made a mad rush to land troops in the vulnerable Dual Monarchy. The ensuing Battle of the Luchmairisch Channel resulted in the Eastern Fleet’s defeat despite suffering relatively minor losses. The Luchmairisch Invasion of the Dual Monarchy; however, was at least delayed.
A new front in the east opened. The Burned Order, a Luchmairisch ally, had finally mustered its troops and began marching west, into the Listran Territories. The Carabinieri were pushed back at every engagement, and New Alkadion desperately asked for Leoni reinforcements from the other fleets. None came. Fortunately, the Order’s advance also stalled due to logistical issues and they were forced to halt at the last fortress guarding the city of New Alkadion, putting it to a disorganized siege.
In 504, the First Landing at Cavitas was finally attempted. Leoni troops left the safety of their ships, landing on the beach a few miles from the city. Here, intense fighting began between the besieging forces and the marines. The Leoni, usually intended for quick amphibious strikes against naval facilities, were crushed by the well-trained and well-equipped Eisengard troops. The Lasagnon attempted a sortie to aid their allies, but failed. On the three days of that battle, the Leoni were completely defeated in what is widely recognized as a one-sided bloodbath. After those three days, the remaining Leoni that hadn’t dispersed into the wilderness or had been killed marched back to their ships. The Leoni, once feared as an impossibly fast raiding force against which no shore facility had any chance, had been shattered. Their numbers in the Home Armada were severely reduced, and the College of the Admiralty was forced to consider new options to supplement their land forces. The Western Fleet itself was severely damaged by Eisengard artillery fire. The Western and Inland Admirals’ resignation was demanded and received by the Premier-Elect the next day, cementing his office’s power over the navy. The Eastern Fleet; however, grew emboldened in its defiance, taking their counterparts’ defeat as a sign of their own superiority.
The next year, in 505, another invasion was attempted with Carabinieri divisions in lieu of the Leoni. They suffered several hundred losses; however, before a force led by Captain Isabella Alkadano reached the city. This was only accomplished after the heavy bombardment of the surrounding area by naval artillery.
In the aftermath of the victory, and with the observation of the rising power of the Carabinieri, members of the Western faction of the Titled began discussing the restoration of the Freemen’s political power.
Several Carabinieri units, including the newly promoted Comandante Alkadano’s 13th Dastrian Light Infantry were then moved east to the front against the Burned Order. Only a few months after arriving in 506, they repelled the Order at the Battle of New Alkadion. The success of the Carabinieri convinced Dastrian leadership to consider the creation of a formal land force. Thus, the “Army of the Confederation” was founded out of the units present. Despite her substantial contributions to the defense of her own home city, Comandante Isabella Alkadiano was passed over during the selection of a commander for the new army. Instead, a Listran Officer - Comandante Michel Luminare of the 1st Eastern Guard Battalion was promoted. This contributed to her growing disdain for Listra despite most of the army politically favoring the Eastern Faction.
The Western Faction took advantage of the victory, and during the victory celebrations, concluded a vote to restore the Premier-Elect’s powers at the expense of the Grand Chancellor. The decision was promulgated as enraged Listran representatives left the chamber.
A few moons after, on the last day of La Fiera, elements of the Eastern Fleet, originally assumed to be fighting the Luchmairisch, destroyed the remnants of the Home Armada stationed at New Alkadion. With that, the Dastrian Civil War began. The Eastern Fleet then sailed west to Dastria, beginning their Westward Campaign as the year came to an end. Listra declared itself the “defender of the Confederation and its ideals”, arguing that the unilateral rescinding of their Titled’s authority without their consultation stood against the collegiate nature of all the cities in the Confederation.
The next year in 507, the Glass Islands of Casta and Castina were besieged. The Eastern Fleet completely blockaded the island and landed their Leoni troops to bring the island under their control. The inhabitants of the islands; however, put up a fierce fight and were able to severely delay the advance, holding the Eastern Fleet in place for three months. This valuable time was used to recruit and arm more troops, to fortify the Dastrian city and canal, and to evacuate government officials and important artifacts including the Crown of the Sea Saint. All the while, in Calia, plans were drawn up for a revolutionary warship clad in iron armor instead of wood and powered at man’s whim instead of the wind’s.
Meanwhile, in New Alkadion, the Army of the Confederation lay unused, the Western Faction having been their primary sponsors. Rumors abounded that the army was bound to be disbanded and its remnants folded into the aristocratic Leoni. In response to these, Comandante Alkadano and several Dastrian units defected in the Mutiny of Baluarte de Capitan Antonia, dubbing themselves “The Grand Army of the Republic”. Future historians would regard this as the rebirth of the Dastrian military and the formal birth of the Dastrian Republic.
The Grand Army marched west, leaving New Alkadion and beginning the Long March. Republican troops would find themselves being ambushed by local Carabinieri units, Leoni, and Golden Men. In spite of these; however, they marched on under the leadership of the newly self-appointed Generalissimo Alkadano. The Long March took them through several kilometers of marshy terrain, and the Candari Wastes. One in seven of the 30,000 defectors died along the way. Five months after their initial departure, they found themselves trapped between the sea and the Army of the Confederation. Fortunately, days before, they were able to make contact with defecting elements of the Eastern Fleet which were able to resupply them before the battle began. The Battle of the Candari Wastes between the 25,000 Republicans, reinforced by 750 defecting Leoni and the combined forces of the Army of the Confederation, the rebelling Golden Men, and Listran Carabinieri numbering 45,000 ended in a narrow Republican victory, guaranteeing the Army of the Republic’s survival. The Army of the Republic arrived to a heroes’ welcome in Dastria a month before the conclusion of the Siege of the Glass Isles while the Army of the Confederation was dissolved and folded into the Carabinieri.
By the time the Eastern Fleet was ready to move again, they found makeshift fortresses had sprung up on the coastline, every inch of coastline bristling with cannon bores, forcing them to slowly advance westward, taking one fort at a time. The Dastrian Canal itself was finally closed as the Listrans made their final approach. The Dastrian Battles would last for two gruelling months before the last fortress - the Torre degli Antichi, finally surrendered. By this time; however, every Carabinieri unit in the city, along with thousands of nationalist volunteers had been equipped and rigorously drilled by the Army of the Republic. At the head of all the city’s defenses was Generalissimo Isabella Alkadano. Overall, facing the Eastern Fleet with its 5,000 skilled Leoni, and 45,000 hastily recruited Carabinieri - 20,000 of which were on land outside the city’s northern walls, was a Republican Army 45,000 strong.
The ensuing battle was fought along the outside of the isthmus before Listran ships were able to push further inland and reached the canal which they used to land troops inside the walls. A chain deployed in front of the canal was of little help as Drowned Listrans chewed through the cable. In the canal; however, they found themselves trapped in a kill-zone by several cannons and well-trained riflemen. Concentrated artillery, skillful use of rifles, and urban warfare ensured no Listran troops could gain the slightest foothold into the city. After weeks of fighting, under the cover of night on Triandame 19 of 507, the Listrans withdrew from the city, having suffered 35,000 losses including most of the Eastern Leoni. The Eastern Fleet itself had almost all its constituent ships captured or sunk. The remainder surrendered in a later ambush by Republican light craft.
The collateral damage; however, was immense. The Canal had been battered, with fragments of buildings and ships littering its interior, and several powder caches on the piers had been detonated. The city experienced several fires that were only stopped by artificial firebreaks.
Amid this; however, the Generalissimo delivered a speech from the High Chancery and under pressure from the victorious and resurgent Freeman military, the government on Calia Island declared the establishment of the Republic of Dastria on Quarandame 1, 507. Elections were to be held in Duandame 1, 510. For the moment, the Republic was to be run by the Cancolo Government. Meanwhile, the Army of the Republic elected from among themselves the High Command of the Republic - effectively a separate institution from, albeit subservient to, the national government. The HCR consisted of several of Alkadano’s trusted aides, with her serving merely as Generalissimo, Field Commander, of the armies.
It is useful to note that at this period, the nascent Republic of Dastria was fundamentally composed of two institutions - the growing Army of the Republic led by Generalissimo Alkadano and a clique of her trusted subordinates (which institutionally was technically older than the republic itself), and the civilian government of the Confederation now formally led by the Freemen through the Premier-Elect, but with significant influence left over from the Titled. Institutionally, the Dastrian Republic was little different from the old Confederation, but the military was becoming an active force in the utter destruction of the old institution. This dynamic would come to dominate the newborn nation in the coming years.
Amid this victory; however, was a new coming storm. Their war with the Posdalist Eisengard attracted the attention of the rising Posdal superpower - Anyueva. They had already vanquished their long-time Quat’i enemies and put the Posdalist minority Morrish into power in the region. They turned their gaze to the east.
In Duandame 508, the Cavitas campaign was resumed after it had stalled for several months. The Lasagnon resistance and the reinforcing Dastrians had adapted hit-and-run strategies to ensure the Eisengard could do no more effective campaigning. At the start of the Battle of Dastria; however, the supply lines which had kept the resistance alive were cut off by the meager Eisengard fleet which was by then capable of dispatching the weakened Dastrian ships sent to guard them. Thus, in 508, the government planned to end the war in the west quickly by sending a large batch of reinforcements under Alkadano’s personal command while the Listrans were recovering from their heavy losses the year prior.
There was still one major concern; however - the lack of a proper fleet. In an attempt at a naval engagement between the weakened Home Armada and the Eisengard at full strength off the island of Onnaberg, the Home Armada found itself outmatched by the more maneuverable steam-powered Eisengard ships of the Iron Fleet.
In Triandame the answer to the new Iron Fleet was a ship with an iron hull, explosive shot, and steam engines. The first Dastrian ironclad, the DRS Evangelista was launched on 19 Triandame. It, with the rest of the Home Armada, smashed through the wooden hulls of the Iron Fleet with ease and ended the blockade. The supply lines were restored and the newly-organized 35,000-strong Army of Dastria was landed on the beaches of Cavitas. The Lasagnon Revolt entered a new phase as the new professional Dastrian Army landed. The new army would face a bloody new phase of conventional warfare where they and the new Republican military establishment would learn to wage true, modern war.
The “new military establishment” had become intrinsically integrated into Dastria as the Premier-Elect formally appointed Alkadano to the rank of “Suprema” and Freemen found the army to be a new path to social advancement. The Titled; however, grew increasingly worried by the military’s growing power and some began emigrating to Sazalla under the pretense of fleeing the wars. Meanwhile, two more ironclads which had begun construction before the Battle of Dastria were released - the DRS Difensore, and the DRS Giudice. The new government would then proceed to order the construction of dozens of ironclads.
In the meantime; however, the economy and financial system of the new Republic began to collapse. Wars and blockades had caused trade to be severely strained, and the massive losses incurred in personnel and equipment were draining the government treasury. Massive social unrest ensued, but the coming elections of 510 were presented as a promise of hope. In an effort to keep the government afloat, the Cancolo Government issued the Seditious Properties Decree, authorizing the seizure of properties from Listrans in Dastrian territories. The Societa Mercantile’s Dastrian Offices were raided, and suspected collaborators’ properties were also seized.
To the east, the Listrans arranged a peace treaty with the Luchmairisch after several raids on their easternmost holdings ended in disaster for the defenders. In exchange for secure passage into the eastern seas, Listra was guaranteed enough time to muster their forces and march on Dastria in what is now known as the March to the West. With what remained of their navy close by, the Carabinieri (swelled with volunteers), elements of the Leoni and the Forza, and the Golden Men, marched on Dastrian territory.
The March to the West
Economy:
Military:
The Armed Forces of the United Republics, formally known as the United Forces of the Republics (Forze Unite delle Repubbliche, FUR) is generally divided into three service branches - The Grand Army of the Republics (La Grande Armata delle Repubbliche, GAR), The Navy of the Republics (La Marina Militare delle Repubbliche, MMR), and The Integrated Republican Guards (La Guardie Repubblicane Integrate, GRI)
The Grand Army of the Republics:
The Grand Army of the Republics is the primary land-based service branch of the United Republics. It possesses a rich tradition as the inheritors of the legacy of the Generalissima Isabella Alkadano, or as she is known in the army - La Fondatrice. Compared to the Carabinieri of the old Confederation, the Army is far better equipped, better funded, better trained, and more centralized. Furthermore, the army also serves as an actual armed force instead of as a gendarme.
Doctrine-wise, the Grand Army tends to favor massed assault and superior firepower tactics, supplemented by the GRI and the MMR to provide specialized services such as amphibious operations, rapid strikes, and the like.
Organization
The highest unit of organization in the GAR is the Grand Army (designated A02-XX) led by a Grand Marshall (designated C05-NN). The designation of “Grand Army” is only used in wartime; however, and Grand Armies are dissolved in peacetime. The largest Grand Army fielded was five armies (at the time ~500,000 soldiers) large during the Anyuevan Wars.
The highest unit of organization in practice is the Army (designated A01-XX) led by a Field Marshall (designated C04-XX). Armies are usually made up of ten to fifteen Corps.
Beneath the Army is the Corps (designated U03-XX-YY, where XX is the Army designation and YY is the Corps designation) led by a Corps Marshall (designated C03-XX-YY). Corps are usually made up of six to eight Divisions.
Beneath the Corps is the Division (designated U02-YY-DD, where DD is the Division designation) led by a Division Commander (designated C02-XX-YY). Divisions are usually made up of three to five Regiments. Divisions vary in composition depending on their role, and are the lowest level at which units of differing types mix.
Beneath the Division is the Regiment (designated U01-DD-RR, where RR is the regiment designation) led by a Field Commander (designated C01-DD-RR). Regiments (Infantry Regiments in particular) are composed of two hundred and fifty to five hundred individual soldiers.
Notable Engagements
The Mutiny of Baluarte de Capitan Antonia
The Battle of the Candari Wastes
The Battle of the Dastrian Canal
Unit Composition and Notes
Infantry
The Dastrian Infantry are considered the mainstay of all Dastrian land forces, making up the majority of all deployed soldiers. They are armed with the di Vetro Mk5 (52mm), or the Calia 567 (55mm), and carry light arms.
The Infantry are divided into three groups by tradition - Light, Line, and Grenadiers. Over the years; however, these distinctions have lost usefulness. In contemporary Dastria, these names are simply carried on from the original units.
Cavalry
The Dastrian Cavalry are a fading component of the armies, and are only used as scouts, flanking, or for other high-vulnerability actions requiring rapid movement. They carry di Vetro Carabina Mk3 (50mm) and cavalry sabers as secondary weapons.
Artillery
Artillery are a vital component of the Dastrian military, providing heavy firepower from fixed positions. Artillery divisions are generally armed with 5 field guns per regiment, adding up to around 25 pieces per division.
Engineers
Engineers are soldiers designated to design, construct and repair field fortifications. They also serve secondary specialist roles such as serving as headquarter staff, or manning heavy machinery and weapons.
Corps Roster and Composition by Number of Divisions
The highest unit of organization in the Navy is the Continental Armada (F03-XX), led by a Grand Admiral (designated N03-XX). In contrast to Grand Armies, Continental Armadas are always organized even in peacetime, but in reality smaller units act independently as escorts, or in patrol duties. Two Continental Armadas currently exist, the Confederate Armada (F03-01), and the Great Northern Armada (F03-02). These two are composed of two and three constituent Republican Fleets, respectively.
Beneath the Continental Armadas are the Republican Fleets (F02-YY), led by an Admiral (designated N02-YY). Fleets are generally accepted to contain at least three flotillas.
Beneath the Republican Fleets are the Flotillas (F01-ZZ), led by a Vice Admiral (designated N01-ZZ). Beneath these are the ad hoc Detachments, led by designated Detach Officers. These units are formed on the fly, led by a single flagship for specific missions. Detachments are the largest units expected to act semi-independently of their main body.
Notable Engagements
Present Situation
Full Roster (to Division Level)
The Integrated Republican Guards:
Organization
Administration
Notable Engagements
Present Situation
Full Roster (to Division Level)
Culture and Society:
Religion:
The Dastrian state religion, as mandated by the Treaty of Calia Island, is the Cult of the Sea-Saint Marcinea, Successor of the Old Gods, Patron of the Waves and Wind, Protector of Dastria, and, as of 391 DE, its Sole Primarch.
Worship is centered around the eponymous Sea-Saint Marcinea, regarded as the successor of the Gods of Salt and Sea. According to state doctrine, Marcinea controls the sea and wind currents upon which the Dastrian state relies. Worship entails mass prayers in local temples, the largest and most central of which being the True Mausoleum of the Sea-Saint in Dastria. Marcinea is regarded to exist in three inseparable forms - the Evangelist, the Defender, and the Adjudicator, each representing the three values of unity, valor, and justice. Marcio the Evangelist is said to represent the unity of Dastrian ideals throughout the Confederation, spreading the word of their religion and ideals throughout all their holdings, and all the world. The Evangelist is the patron of the sailors braving the wind and tide to connect the natio. Marcia the Defender represents the nation’s unwavering solidarity to protect its lands. Marcia is the patron of the Leoni del Mare, protectors of the confederation. Marci the Adjudicator is the protector of fairness and justice in the Confederation. Marci is an enigma, working in long, complex schemes spanning decades but ultimately bringing justice. The Adjudicator is patron of merchants and bankers, but also of the common people. In all its schemes, the Adjudicator will always favor the Citizens of the Confederation in the end. The Carabinieri take the Adjudicator as their patron, as protectors of order and justice in the myriad cities of Dastria. The Sea-Saint is also regarded as father and protector of the Ikalman. According to legend, the first Ikalman were born as the product of the human Sea-Saint and the child of a Sea God in the form of a squid. The children born were considered affronts to nature, and an offense to the Sea Gods. The Sea-Saint was cast from the heavens, his mate slain, and their children banished from the waves but cursed to be forever drawn to it.
Historically, the cult itself was an offshoot of the many polytheistic cults of the Alkadian Empire. After its fall, most of the cults relocated their headquarters to Listra. The Dastrians; however, united themselves around the minor cult of the Savior on the Seas, Marci. The cult; however, was apparently crushed during the Fall of Dastria, when Listran troops looted the old temple to Marci and returned sacred relics to a Listran temple in an attempt to establish religious dependence.
The citizens of Dastria; however, kept the cult very much alive, using it as a symbol in the build-up toward the last Listran War. Soon, the resurgent cult and the Dastrian independence movement were synonymous as cries of “Return the Sea-Saint!” resounded throughout the Listran Hegemony.
The Last Listran War resulted in the return of Marci’s relics, and the elevation of the Savior Marci to Sea-Saint Marcia of Dastria. The Listran temples were subsequently looted and utterly destroyed, as the Sea-Saint had apparently made its superiority above all the old gods clear.
Traits:
The Dastrian Canal
A tiny 15km stretch of land once separated the Dastrian Sea and the west. After many years and many used-up crystals, the City of Dastria linked two halves of the world by the wind and waves.
The Dastrians have taken full advantage of their position since, imposing tolls on all those who would enter the canal and providing services and trade to weary travellers.
Allows ships to pass through the Dastrian Isthmus. Provides economic bonuses to anyone who holds the City of Dastria.
Characters:
Grand Admiral Luigi Campion of the Confederate Fleet (N03-01)
An aging demented relic of some past time? A brainless, spineless buffoon controlling the most powerful institution in the republics? Or a hidden genius biding his time, waiting for the moment to make a single move that could change the world? Admiral Campion is none of those things, and all of them at once. Though a seasoned theorist and practitioner of naval strategy, he feels above such simple things like the Dreadnought Revolution. For him, no matter what changes, as long as you have more guns shelling the enemy, you win. There is one thing he believes in; however, that Dastria must rule supreme. The only reason he has not retired is because he knows something still threatens his homeland. “There is no future for this world but that where Dastria dictates it.”
Corps Marshall Aurelio Isabel Marci of the First Corps of the First Army (C04-01-01)
“I have seen war. I have seen what it has cost. No Dastrian deserves to live in the dark. Not knowing what it costs to keep their empire, our empire, alive. Dastria will stand supreme, but our people must know the price of supremacy”
Antonio Lugarve, Member of the Chamber of Deputies for the Confederated Cities (PLF-Marcini)
“Liberal capitalism, that is what makes our republic great. And yet we the home of freedom actively deny that joy from those we arrogantly call subjects. If the United Republics are to stand, they must live up to their name - to be United, and to be Republics.”
Michelle Cosima d’Casta, Matriarch of House d’Casta, Titled Governor of Il Vetro, Member of the Chamber of Elders for the Title of Il Vetro (PLF-Novo Fondatori)
“My ancestors, my Dastrian ancestors, worked hard to build this empire upon which the sun never sets. I and my colleagues will endeavor to keep it that way - great, productive, and Dastrian. The Dastrians built this nation, and only we can keep it together by force of our arms”
Carlo del Astavia, Founder of Frutti Internazionali Co. (Frutti Internazionali Co.)
“My thoughts are simple - I worked for it, I keep it. A man is the product of his labors, and his labors alone. Thereby it is through self-interest that a common good is achieved. A common good in the interest of the one, and of the all. It is a simple truth, yet some require great convincing to accept it.”
Lucania Mirtosov Giovannovnu Mariovna (Unione di Pane e Rose)
“I hear the call of my homeland, and see suffering brought by the machinery of state. I watch the burgeoning of my newfound shelter, and see suffering brought by the machinery of egoistic interest. They call each other demons, and they are both right.”
