• Spring of Dragons - A history rp
    508 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Griffster26;46262476]Telepethi he kicked you out, that's a giant motive. I already admitted to Sobotnik that I got Conor permabanned and apologized for it, why would I do a complete 180 and get him banned again?[/QUOTE] Because you're a trolly little asshole with no loyalties?
[t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Hartmann_Maschinenhalle_1868_(01).jpg[/t] Is Daniel Smith insane? Find out next turn!
Time for peace in the Middle East.
[QUOTE=ImperialGuard;46276402]Time for peace in the Middle East.[/QUOTE] Yeah a major shia empire controls large sunni area that will go over very well
[QUOTE=ImperialGuard;46276402]Time for peace in the Middle East.[/QUOTE] There was already peace in the middle east before you metagamed.
[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;46276426]Yeah a major shia empire controls large sunni area that will go over very well[/QUOTE] I've been working towards healing the split and Sunni aren't being prosecuted.
You'd be really dumb to prosecute Sunni they make up the vast majority of Islam.
Man oh man, lets drop all these arguments and make up.
[QUOTE=Quandilotor;46276897]Man oh man, lets drop all these arguments and make up.[/QUOTE] I'd rather make out
We can do both
I have 7 of 14 turns in so far, these people must send in their turns asap: Mallow Ruskie Native Hunter Mackalda Logan Kriegsmarine Damian Now it's: Ruskie Native Mackalda Logan Kriegsmarine
Ok as it turns out, Logan has quit. There are therefore multiple spots open, who wants to join?
who was logan again
[QUOTE=ImperialGuard;46279501]who was logan again[/QUOTE] Brandenburg
[IMG]http://i.gyazo.com/5a3569325503d0a5ef04c228d7ad11d8.png[/IMG] My response to whats happened in the turn so far.
[QUOTE=Deng;46279708][IMG]http://i.gyazo.com/5a3569325503d0a5ef04c228d7ad11d8.png[/IMG] My response to whats happened in the turn so far.[/QUOTE]that art style looks cute, whats the source reverse imaging comes up with 0 results
You gonna let me join as France
Are all the turns in?
yea they are
I've completed 3 turns so far.
Hopes rising.
A throwaway line in somebodies turn has inadvertently triggered several major wars.
[QUOTE=Deng;46296752]A throwaway line in somebodies turn has inadvertently triggered several major wars.[/QUOTE] its not my fault, is it? i hope not.
READ ME, SEND IN TURNS AS TURN 6. [b][i]First came the Greycoats to eat all my swine, Next came the Bluecoats to make my sons fight, Next came the Greencoats to make my wife whore, Next came the Browncoats to burn down my home. I have naught but my life; now come the Blackcoats to rob me of that. – Anonymous [/i][/b] [img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/o3IYVQm.png[/img_thumb] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJCCGawCHpw[/media] Events of the years 1610 to 1640 -Galileo publishes several scientific works, including important work on the movement of physical bodies on earth and in the void above. Picking up from Copernicus, he argues that the earth rotates around the sun, in opposition to church doctrine. He begins to promote this theory as fact, gathering warnings from the church to rescind his views due to a lack of supporting evidence. After initially backing down, he later begins to teach these theories once more, prompting a large discussion on the matter by various theologians and philosophers. Several of his major political enemies abuse this to conclude him guilty of heresy for promoting a theory with little evidence, and after banning his works; Galileo is put under house arrest, where he is unable to involve himself with politics. -The economic turmoil of the preceding decades has begun to cool down in addition to the planet. Silver output from the New World has gone into decline, a boon for countries badly stricken by inflation and lenders; bad news for countries dependent on silver mining and large debts. In the many conflicts that break out or continue during this period, a great number of states are forced into bankruptcy from the heavy costs of war. Old challenges resurface in ugly new forms as now strange new secular movements have begun appearing, influenced by the great thinkers. Their ideas spread by the printing press; they take the form of the lower classes, middling peoples, and gentry who argue for radical new forms of government. Although most of them are crushed, their queries raised do not go away so easily. -The Great War of Europe begins in this period. Complex in its causes and escalation, it began as a series of trading disputes and rebellions between several participants, eventually growing to cover the question of whom would dominate Europe and the wider world. The spark is linked to the question of who would rule Prussia. The Polish declared it their sovereign right to decide, whereas Brandenburg declared it a rightful inheritance. When Brandenburg outright annexed it, the Bohemian Emperor deemed it necessary to intervene on the side of the Polish (given familial relations). The Protestants of Germany saw this as an excuse to rid the Empire of a Protestant elector, and thus openly declared war. The Catholic league entered the conflict in response, while Livonia backed Poland. The Emperor banked on an early end to the war, but after defeating Brandenburg he dissolves their territories and forces a conversion to Catholicism. This move ends up shocking the Protestants of the Empire, who print the news and spread it far and wide. -The spread of this news worsens the conflict. The Polish rebels and the Polish state beg for Swedish intervention, but the mobilization of Sweden throws the Danish into a panic. In 1621, the English send several dragons and their navy to support the Danish, who wait for the Swedish to begin crossing to Germany before attacking, rumours of the Swedish king being convinced to attack Denmark having spread from Poland. The initial naval battle involves widespread use of dragons in a major combat role, where they claw at the Swedish ships and set them ablaze. Pepper guns are also used by both sides to incapacitate each other’s dragons. The lack of experience with these guns ends up causing one dragon to be driven insane and fall onto one ship where it violently thrashes about and ends up causing it to capsize, killing the entire crew in the process. The Danish (with heavy English support) then invade Sweden itself, marching across the countryside and looting it at their pleasure. They arrive in Stockholm, where after a brutal siege they eventually sack the city in 1622 and attempt to force the Swedish king to leave the throne. Rumours of a new Kalmar Union spread and the Swedish refuse to give up, bankrupting themselves to hire mercenaries. -As the Bohemians steadily lose control of the Empire, the Protestant faction makes several impressive gains as the Livonians try to support the Swedish in their war, diverting manpower from the Polish civil war. The Ottomans next enter the war on the side of the Protestants in 1623, hoping to break up the Bohemians and claim control of various wealthy territories. They ally with France, who is encouraged to intervene after two separate incidents. Firstly, the Aztec invades New Spain in 1625, who asks France to declare war on Spain to help them regain their territories. Secondly, they enter the war against Venice, after having several talks with England and hearing of Venetian attempts to pass off their privateering as being orchestrated by the French. The French make several campaigns, firstly into northern Spain where they seize control of Aragon and Navarre, both of which are already rebellious and hostile to the Spanish crown. Next, they conduct a campaign into Italy, where they strike at a Venice busy with holding off the Ottomans and supporting Bohemia. The Pope and the other Italian states use the conflict as an excuse to restore the balance of power in Italy, declaring war on Venice and Naples (the latter gave support to Venice in the war). The Venetians end up losing this war after the sack of Venice in 1629, and by 1631 the French finally sack Naples and force them to leave the war for good. -In Germany, the war continues to worsen, especially as the Protestants and Catholics find themselves unable to reach any form of peace. The Bohemian faction (composed primarily of Catholic lords, Poland, Sweden, and Livonia) struggle to protect their own territories and hold off rebellions, while the Brandenburg faction (composed primarily of the Protestant lords, Polish rebels, and Denmark) are unable to strike a final blow. The Russian Tsars eventually invade Eastern Sweden after allying with Denmark and seize back lands lost during the time of troubles, while the French begin to suffer from Huguenot rebellions. After Bohemia loses several core territories to the Ottomans and loses effective control of the Empire, the French quickly switch sides in fear of a Protestant takeover of Europe. They invade the Rhineland in 1635 and attempt to force a breakup of the Protestant league, bringing heavy pressure to bear on the Danish. The Empire eventually forces the Danish out of Hamburg, and shortly afterwards the Danish grip on Sweden begins to weaken. Widespread rebellions break out and with Livonian assistance the Swedish begin to recover control of their country. -By 1640, the war enters perhaps the worst stage. With the Protestant league on the retreat and loyalties constantly shifting, the brutal attacks made on Catholics when the Polish rebels seemed to be on the verge of winning are repeated. Unpaid armies frequently scour the land for resources, press-ganging men into service and dragons by threatening to kill their handlers. Many important cities are ransacked, and the frequent failure of harvests makes lives miserable for the peasants. Requisitions of food stores by passing armies causes refugees to stream into more prosperous districts, overloading what little supplies are left. The sudden drop in the production of silver in combination with all the decrease in economic activity leads to heavy deflationary pressures, and many European traders take advantage of the depression in China to sell off manufactured silks, porcelains, and other goods at knock-down prices. This forces many out of business, especially in the Empire, leading to bread riots. Parisian bakers are burnt down, while Venetian merchant houses are looted during the French invasion. Political and religious movements spread like viruses, and the churches finally decide that old women and Jews are responsible. Pogroms are commonplace, with many Jews being thrown out of town or being lynched in the streets with accusations of war profiteering. Although both sides can claim to have made gains, they typically tend to be bankrupted, suffer from a ravaged landscape, or worse. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=340743&dateline=1411380731[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/ZSD3iv8.png[/img] [b]Daniel Smith – Union of Iberia Capital: Madrid Culture: Castilian State Religion: Catholicism Number of dragons: 3 (large)[/b] -In the search for supplies of well-made steel for use in tools and weaponry, the Spanish have invested considerable resources into the construction of many blast furnaces (based upon the models of the French Cistercians). After being produced, the iron is treated with charcoal in another furnace to make a high-quality steel. Although difficult work, the use of large water-driven machinery to drive mechanical hammers speeds up the process. The Spanish have also conducted several experiments into practical applications of steam. Most experiments so far have utilized pipes to force water out of a spigot in a fountain, and even then this is largely a failure as the boiler often bursts or is too weak to be of any use. Its high fuel cost makes it unpopular as well, and the lack of knowledge about pressure has hampered their efforts considerably. -Spending even more money (and driving themselves deeper into debt in the process), the Spanish navy expands once more with more ships, men, and guns than ever before. Many of the older ships are of course sold off to merchants, but depreciation has made them almost worthless. The convoy system, although useful, has proven its limits as shipping moves increasingly towards bulk goods such as sugar or tobacco (the prices of which are in freefall). Total output in the production of precious metals peaks at this time, and begins to decline sharply by the 1630s. The resulting decline in revenue has made the old convoys uneconomical, as pirates now move towards smaller fry and have lost English backing. Foreign merchants have also entered the area, seizing up opportunities as the economics of colonialism move towards the development of exporting bulk agricultural goods and semi-manufactured goods. -The army, long suffering from a starvation of funding and updated theory and practice, begins to slowly lose the edge it once held a century prior. Many soldiers are armed with old firearms, with little standardization among regiments, commanders, or artillery. As most conflicts are overseas against savages, this leads to a colonial force that is incapable of holding its own in the field against a modern European army. Stagnant wages and poor opportunities causes many to choose the navy over the army, which while good for the navy, has devastated land forces. The lack of experience also means most soldiers are posted as policing forces and do it as a secondary job, leading to them mixing with the local populace. The church frequently blasts the army for the soldiers going to the brothels (set up next to their lodging), while peasants resent the army being used to put down riots. The only portions of the military left with any skill or good equipment tend to be the cavalry units, for these are entirely self-funded by the sons of nobles, and as such, have access to the necessary funds and connections. -The Spanish government tries to steer around the obstacles and problems mounting up on it by focusing on internal reform demanded at home. A new coinage system is introduced, complete with ridges on the sides to prevent forgery (surprisingly effective), while the tax code is seemingly reformed. However, with the promised tax reform by the monarchy being so unspecific and vague, it becomes mired down in bureaucracy and is soon forgotten, especially as the parliament holds ultimate authority on taxation. Revolts in Portugal and Catalonia lead to the Royal family ceding even more powers away, effectively abolishing all royal laws banning the organization of various groups (such as political and religious ones). The merchants quickly move towards setting up public schools, hospitals, and charitable causes in the hopes of attaining political influence within the towns and cities. An attempted education reform by the crown is blocked by the parliament due to lack of funding and its unfeasibility, although an education movement is underway slowly as many private nobles begin establishing rural schools (often run by widows) in the hopes of gaining political support from landholders who expect a good education for their children. -The first stirrings of the “Age of Reason” begin to make their unwelcome presence in Iberia, marked by the rapid spread of newspapers, a popular way to distil recent events into an easily digestible format. They are predominantly in the cities, where the target demographic and much of the materials and skills required to print and distribute them are readily available. They not only give the news, but give people an outlook onto external events far away (some fabricated) and new ideas and viewpoints to consider. These papers are most popular in coffeehouses, taverns, and brothels, where groups of men can plot and plan out political demands. Muslims and Jews are common among their numbers in addition to Protestants. When the period comes to a close, the turmoil of the rest of the world begins spilling over here, marked by major internal divisions within society on both religious and ethnic lines. Riots are common, and a pogrom in 1639 ends with a Jewish printer’s being sacked by an angry mob. -The Empire continues to expand overseas, with the Phillipines and Timor being seized and subject to settlement by both the Spanish and immigrants looking for work (many of them Chinese). Unfortunately, the Japanese deemed it necessary to invade these possessions, but after being seen off by the superior Spanish navy, they sued for peace and paid indemnities. The rest of the new colonial province of Florida is claimed (although the numerous hostile peoples, awful climate, and lack of anything noteworthy to see keeps out many to this day) in addition to large swathes of land in the Rio de Plata, Brazil, and the other territories of the marshlands of the American Southeast. While these territories are major financial assets, the crown still feels the need to secure more lump sums to keep the creditors at bay. This culminates in the territories of Sardinia, Malacca, and Makassar being sold to the Venetian Republic, which is filled with the many merchants and bankers who lent Spain this money in the first place. The decision is forced through the parliament bitterly, and the nobles of Aragon later begin refusing to pay taxes and encouraging boycotts as many of the core territories of Aragon are sold off to foreign usurers. -Even Spain is unable to stay out of the wars in Europe forever. The Aztec Empire invades New Spain in 1625, and asks the French to join. Given the poor state of the Spanish army and the recent troubles in Aragon, the French oblige and invade both Navarre and Aragon in that year. The battles go extremely poorly for Spain, as their lack of dragons and neglected land forces bode well for the French, who have one of the largest aerial forces in Europe. After being routed in several major conflicts, the French seize control of both Navarre and Aragon, initially treated as liberators, but later becoming disgruntled with requisitions of supplies and the lack of any changes. The Aztec do well in New Spain as well, seizing many territories, although they are unable to assist the French elsewhere. The Spanish colonial army and navy are sufficient enough to not only blockade major French ports, but to outright seize several major colonies, including French Guyana and Paraguay. By 1640, the Spanish are still unable to push the French out, although their position has begun to weaken. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=461103&dateline=1410891072[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/R0Go18G.png[/img] [b]Mallow234 – Kingdoms of England and Scotland Capital: London Culture: Anglo-Saxon State Religion: Protestantism Number of dragons: 15 (large )[/b] -With the advantages of the new flintlock guns apparent to all, the English take several major steps towards securing their own pieces and manufacturing them on a large scale. This mostly takes the form of the royal arsenal buying several shipments of guns from the Netherlands before taking several to pieces and copying them in detail. Within a decade, the flintlock mechanism is fast replacing the older matchlocks, with many older guns being converted to the new system. The conversion is unfinished by 1640, but by such a point is considerably widespread. Several merchants who travelled to the Netherlands also noted the four-field crop rotation system in use, and after informing their friends in the lower gentry, they began to adopt the system on their own fields at home, with beneficial results. New crops such as potatoes are also becoming increasingly common, being gradually integrated into the system. -After observing the military reforms in Livonia and Poland, the English implemented their own variant, starting with the creation of the “New Model Army”. Unlike older armies, it is a professional army composed of full-time soldiers liable for service in any part of the country or on overseas conflicts. Officers are banned from holding seats in parliament, and are hired based on merit as opposed to social standing (deeply unpopular with the aristocracy). Finally, all soldiers are paid daily regular wages, are given rations, and wear distinctive red coats. The dragons are also integrated into this strange new system, their handlers not only wearing red coats but are also given dragons to tend for after hatching on account of merit rather than wealth. In turn while this infuriates the aristocracy, the improvement of the aerial forces is remarkable indeed. Lately, the move has been towards breeding them for a tolerance of water and a smaller size, to the point that by the 1630s some of them tolerate swimming. -Overseas, colonial efforts go excellently (although multiple other European nations are getting involved in overseas expansion by this stage), with two major colonies developing around Ruckersville in Virginia and Boston in New England. Settled primarily by religious dissenters, the impoverished, and adventurous money-makers, they come into conflict with many local tribes. Disease helps to cull their numbers, although several bloody massacres occur in which local tribes kill as many colonists as possible. Unfortunately for the natives, the introduction of alien plants and animals eventually change the land in the colonists favour, forcing them to eventually leave as the English presence becomes stronger. The natives are later supplied with guns by the Venetians, forcing the English to build forts, deploy soldiers and organize colonial militias to fend off these attacks. Although they slow down or even stall colonization in some areas, they are ultimately unsuccessful at preventing European incursion. -Several major attacks on English possessions are made in these years by privateers flying the French flag. After the English capture some of these ships, they find it strange that the crew would fly French flags considering that there is no state of war between France and England. In addition, their use of Venetian weaponry calls their nationality into question. Further investigation reveals powerful financial interests in the Venetian Republic backing these privateers, and the sloppy attempt at passing off the English as being responsible leads to the French declaring war on Venice in 1623. The English in the meantime step up their anti-piracy campaign, focusing largely on the recent Venetian attacks on shipping. A later ambitious move sees the English seize control of the former Neapolitan colonies in South Africa. Ceded to Venice, the Venetians had a single badly manned fort to protect it, and after a single cannonball lodged in the side, it surrendered to England. South Africa is added to the empire as a result. After Venice suffers from major setbacks in the war, they are forced to de-escalate attacks on English shipping. -Charles I of England attempts to steer a moderate course between the religious factions in the country. Marrying the Protestant Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate, the parliament is tempered by his continued support of Protestantism. However, the church in Scotland is Calvinist and is opposed to Anglicanism in general, while the Irish are Catholic and opposed entirely. Attempts by Charles to reduce Catholic discrimination laws are frequently shot down by the houses of parliament, while several widespread rebellions in Ireland see Protestants and Catholics being murdered in equal measure. He then attempts to court the Scottish parliament in hopes of creating a formal union of both countries. It is unpopular, especially among the common populace at large. In addition, the nobility of Scotland are only willing to join in such a union if they retain virtually all of their privileges and are given additional seats in the English parliament to compensate, something unpopular in England. -The English continue to explore the world and colonize additional territories, seeking to improve their wealth and to expand their influence. The Maldives are taken over in this period, although competition in the area is steadily rising. The French and Dutch are entering the area, seeking their own trading posts and colonies. Thankfully, the English manage to maintain good relations with both through timely gifts (and bribes) that see a series of implicit agreements made about areas of control. Simply put, they agree to split up the Venetian colonies and trading posts in the area. When the wars in mainland Europe escalate, the French end up allying with Dutch and English privateers and traders to raid Venetian shipping, eventually seizing control of Makassar for France and Seram for the Dutch. From these bases, the English eventually break into Asian markets, buying up vast quantities of Chinese and Indian goods before selling them overseas. Unfortunately, the Chinese enter a period of deflation and overproduction, leading to a massive glut of manufactured goods being sold off back home in Europe for knock-down prices. -Finally, the English enter the European war on Denmark’s side, sending several dragons and their attached fleet in 1621. They bring a large number of flintlock guns with them and end up sharing the technique of manufacture with them too (the King of Denmark was so grateful he ceded England the entirety of Nova Scotia). In the war itself, the Danish do successfully against the Swedish in the opening moves of the war, eventually entering Sweden itself and ransacking Stockholm. Unfortunately, the Swedish did not give in so easily, and Livonia was forced to bring additional manpower to help oust the Danes. As years went on, the parliament refused to grant additional taxes for the prolongation of the war, on account of the heavy spending, little gain, and worsening domestic situation. This comes to a head when in 1628 the Irish enter open rebellion against the crown, sacking manor houses and lynching the English and Protestants wherever they could be found. The lack of dragons to put down the rebels puts England in a tight spot, and the crowns unpopularity there does little to prevent them from losing control of nearly half of Ireland. Several large loans are made in the hopes of securing enough credit to finance an army to put it down, although it is obvious to all that the crown will be unable to pay off this debt. -It later turns out these Irishmen had benefactors, but the normally competent spy service is unable to discover who they are. On the mainland, the war goes from bad to worse for Denmark as the French move from supporting the Brandenburg faction to the Bohemian faction (especially due to the Ottomans leaving the war and the threat of Protestant domination becoming more likely). The Danish not only lose Hamburg, but begin to suffer from major losses in Sweden as their tenuous grip on the country weakens. Heavy casualties among the expeditionary force supporting the Danes and the likelihood of conflict with France prevent further moves in the war, and Parliament finds the present conduct of the war as pointless and refuses to grant additional monies when the Irish are in open rebellion. An economic recession is also brought on by a severe glut of manufactured goods from China, with artisans and guilds protesting over the competition, threatening to take their skills elsewhere. The navy suffers heavy damage from the Polish escalation of gunboats, making Baltic control much harder. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=601768&dateline=1390096607[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/B98Yhkv.png?1[/img] [b]Kingdom Denmark-Norway – Pezgod1 Capital: Copenhagen Culture: Danish State Religion: Protestantism Number of dragons: 24 (large)[/b] -With religious tensions on the rise in Europe, the Danish crown deemed it necessary to invest heavily into their military, particularly their supplementary forces that help to give an edge in warfare where large numbers of infantry cannot. The first is to copy the recent developments in artillery by replication of the leather cannon. A thin copper tube wrapped in leather makes a light artillery piece that provides mobile firepower on the field. Although it heats up and warps easily, it is the first such field artillery in major use. In addition, they copy the dragon harnesses in Germany, making use of the recently developed karabiner. With a safe and quick way of attaching yourself to a dragon and moving around on it, it makes the prospect of having complements of soldiers to take pot-shots at enemies on the backs of these dragons much more appealing. -These military investments come at a time when war with Sweden and her allies becomes ever more likely as the Polish civil war escalates along with the wars in the Holy Roman Empire. Forming an alliance with Russia, they promise to assist each other in a war with Sweden. Secondly, agreements with the English see them sending several dragons and a portion of the royal navy to assist in such a war, with the Polish rebels being contacted by the Danish crown in the hopes of gaining support against their tyrannical king. The Swedish mobilize after being called into the war by Livonia and Poland, prompting fears of an attack on Denmark. After the Bohemians win a battle against Brandenburg and force dissolution of their territories (granting Prussia to Livonia), the Danish crown fears the worst as the war turns in the favour of the Bohemians and Polish. The Swedish begin crossing the border, taken as the casus belli. The combined Danish-English aerial forces and navies rout the Swedish near Bornholm, while their army invades Sweden itself and marches on Stockholm. The Russians also invade Sweden at the same time to reclaim much of their former territories (and then some). A brutal siege is marked by widespread deployment of pepper guns to prevent Swedish dragons resupplying the city, and ends with a breach in the walls being assaulted. The city is burned to the ground and many of the inhabitants slaughtered, the population collapsing from 40,000 to 900. Attempts to capture the king and as many eggs as possible fail due to high Swedish resistance, and when a Kalmar Union is proclaimed once more it rallies much of the Swedish nobility into rebellion. -Although difficult to put down, the Danish slowly begin to pacify Sweden, but the timely arrival of a Livonian expeditionary force later on in the war also ends up liberating the southeast of the country and puts pressure on Danish supply lines. This worsens when the French switch sides and declare war on the Protestant league, giving the Catholics and Polish enough breathing room to regain some lost ground. The Empire captures Hamburg from the Danish, and at the same time, the Danish begin to rapidly lose ground to the Livonians and Swedes in occupied Sweden. The collapse of major supply lines and the English parliament unwilling to send additional support makes their position more precarious, especially as the balance of power in the war begins to slip from Brandenburg hands and towards the Bohemians (although few gains have been made, with most of the progress in the war being the recapture of many territories on the Catholics part). The Polish begin to introduce gunboats on a wide scale as the war draws on, eventually making control of the Baltic impossible for the Danish navy. -The Danish encourage privateers to attack foreign shipping, causing numerous difficulties for the Swedish colony, in addition to an increasing number of traders. When Spain, Venice, the Aztec, and numerous other countries enter the war, the regular patrols in the Americas begin to break down, with the lines between privateers, official navies, and pirates blurring. Denmark cedes Nova Scotia to the English as thanks for assisting them, while establishing increasing control over the Baltic grain trade with the aid of the English navy. With rebel Poles selling grain, it is one of their major money-makers in the war, and keeping control of this is crucial for all parties involved. The formation of a trading company to organise the trade in Danish slaves and luxury goods also happens at this time, with most activities in either West Africa or the West Indies. A smaller but rapidly growing trade in furs is largely unorganized, but just as important to the crown. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=295683&dateline=1383090155[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/dViFT1.png[/img] [b]Jrose14 – Kingdom of Naples Capital: Naples Culture: Neapolitan State Religion: Catholicism Number of dragons: 21 (large)[/b] -Despite the relative decline of the Kingdom in recent years (culminating in the colonies of South Africa being sold off to Venice, although luckily it was shortly before the English attacked and seized it), there are some tentative signs of improvement. The price revolution is coming to an end, and new developments led to Naples becoming a centre for book printing. Through a series of new laws and investments, the number of printing houses in the country explodes, and within a few decades almost every book imaginable is being printed freely here in the local tongue. The church has become angry with this, demanding the banning of many a great number of books published here. This not only fails, but further cements the reputation of Naples as being a place to print works that nobody else will print. By 1640, the city produces more pornographic and philosophical titles than any other city in the world, with the subscription model also pioneered here. The consequences begin to knock on, as dangerous ideas begin spreading. -In the aerial force, long considered the most prestigious part of the army, successful breeding and attention have increased the total number to well over 20, although after England seizes the African colonies (shortly after they are sold to Venice), the Neapolitans are obliged to send 7 dragons to aid Venice in their major conflicts. Inadvertently this draws them into a major war in the process, which culminates in the French army marching down to Naples and besieging the city. It is sacked in 1631, and unlike last time the French are successful, enough to the extent they force Naples to pay several large indemnities before leaving. After the invasion, the Kingdom hastily expands the existing arsenals, with the intention of manufacturing new flintlocks and cannon for the army. In addition, they are also producing a special kind of grenade for use by dragon crews. With no way of making them explode on impact, small barbs poke outwards from the bombs in the hopes they hook into the hides of dragons, the flesh or men, or the wood and thatch of buildings. They are mostly effective on large bodies of infantry or fixed positions, due to their severe limitations. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=23000&dateline=1410718785[/img][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/109107273/RP/DragonRP/miscgfx/flag.png[/img] [b]Ruskie – Kingdom of Mutapa Capital: Bulawayo Culture: Umgqomo State Religion: Mbira Dza umgqomo[/b] -As European influence increases, the King of Mutapa faces even larger threats to his rule, often in the form of widespread rebellion by old believers and the nobility. To help crush these, the Portuguese traders here are now supplying more modern firearms and weaponry in the form of muskets and serpentine cannon. In addition, new firing mechanisms and the advent of rifling give a slight edge in particular areas (such as firing in wet or windy conditions or in siege warfare) to Mutapa. This is most evident during a siege of the Jesuit mission by an angry mob of peasants, in which early rifles were deployed to great effect against the rabble. Impressed, the King of Mutapa places orders for many more of these “modern” guns, most of which tends to be obsolete equipment sold off by the impoverished Spanish army. -As the new professional army slowly begins to resemble a modern European army, control of it and the finances necessary to fund it become crucial to control of the state. Uprisings are frequently crushed by this new army (much of which tends to be Christian), but funding it is another matter. Looting is implicitly allowed by the commanders as a means of securing provisions, while the subjugation of other tribes and petty kingdoms becomes crucial to control of trade routes and natural resources. Mutapa continues to expand in a series of bloody wars towards the southeast, before finally reaching the coastline. Unlike elsewhere, this portion of the coast is unclaimed by the Spanish and thus grants the kingdom a certain degree of control over trade. They seize the fishing villages there and begin interacting with Arab and Portuguese traders. -In the towns and great estates which makeup the heartland of the Kingdom, the majority of the population has decisively swung over to Christianity. Even members of the royal family are practicing Catholics, and the pressure on the King to convert is now stronger than ever. The nobility threaten to shut down the government and rebel, while the Jesuits seem to be encouraging this rebellious tendency in order to convert even more people. As the 1630s draw to a close, riots are common in which both pagans and Christians attack one another, with many temples and churches being razed in the conflicts. The Jesuits then make their final move, and demand the King convert to Catholicism, threatening to withhold the import of firearms. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=243999&dateline=1389299675[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/mPnQT4R.png[/img] [b]Satansick – Aztec Empire Capital: Tenochtitlan Culture: Mexican State Religion: Catholic Number of dragons: 6 (medium)[/b] -With support from France, the Mexicans succeed in expanding and improving their navy. The French are keen to cultivate allies here, and one with a navy able to take on the Spanish is a useful one indeed. Many books and navigational instruments are imported or manufactured in Mexico, while the various academies and schools now common in the country train professionals in their use. Compasses are one invention that becomes popular outside of naval use, while the first detailed scientific maps of Mexico have begun to appear. Rifling techniques have also been introduced, the main advantage of these guns being their superb accuracy in comparison to smoothbores. Their major disadvantage however is their unreliability under stress, as they tend to be clogged up easily and take a long while to reload. Their main use is in siege warfare or in experimental uses. -With French military instructors, the Aztec army reforms once again, with a heavy focus on hit and run attacks that make use of the terrain. The main impediment to this unfortunately is the heavy weight and bulkiness of their muskets, so a small number of special “skirmisher” units are created. Armed with new rifles and flintlocks, their guns have been reduced in size and weight to the point they are easy to carry around, but fragile and worthless in melee. In close combat, these men resort to use of a small axe or sword, and even then they cannot hold for long. The small numbers of dragons in use are also bred with French knowledge, focusing mainly on their ability to spit venom that causes great pain. Selective breeding leads to this venom becoming slightly stronger, with the ability to burn and blister skin, even after soaking through clothing. -The economic theory of mercantilism becomes popular in Mexico, after its promotion by several French people who work in the country. These ideas filter up towards the nobility and gentry, who pass a series of laws through parliament. The first law begins a process of smoothing out internal trade duties while increasing tariffs on the import of goods that can be easily manufactured at home (such as rum and refined sugar). Land reforms are also undertaken to encourage aristocrats to invest into their lands, mainly through putting high tariffs on the export of raw materials. There is a corresponding move towards the construction of lumber mills, granaries, warehouses, mines, refineries, and other industrial buildings, most of them being built on the large agricultural estates of the nobles. New pricing laws also attempt to balance the export and import of various goods, in the hopes of ensuring stable prices. Most of these focus around ensuring that the price of maize stays low in addition to other goods needed by the poor. -Despite the price revolution slowly cooling down, the Mexican peasantry are still in deep poverty and suffer from malnourishment and lack of opportunity. One way in which this is alleviated is the introduction of new crops from Peru, such as potato and rye. Together, these hardy crops can grow in poor soils and provide a baseline of nutrition for even those with poor land or small quantities of it. After being popularized throughout the early part of the 17th century, they start to become increasingly important in the diet in addition to the traditional crops. The last great natural famine breaks out in 1636, and is soon resolved by a temporary reduction in price controls and the speedy movement of cartloads of potatoes to the afflicted areas. With this one problem sorted, the peasantry begin to work on small crafts in their spare time and selling them to their landlord or the local market, putting them on the first rung of the economic ladder. -Overseas, the increasingly confident parliament sends ambassadors to Europe on permanent postings, hopefully trying to negotiate favourable markets for their goods. Most of the German princes, France, and several other merchants are keen to begin trading, with the focus on imports of refined sugar, tobacco, cocoa, and rum. A chartered company is established to help oversee this trade on behalf of the nation, although its secondary purpose is also to explore and map the western coast of the Americas. After several decades of tentative entrances, building trading posts, and shipping Jesuits to these areas, they establish several permanent colonies and lay claim to the entire Gulf of California. Relations with the locals are amiable, improved by the French method of establishing relations. -With French support, the parliament deems it necessary to declare war on New Spain, having seen their military become increasingly obsolete and wishing to seize the wealthy territories that were once ruled by their ancestors (although they would hardly recognize their French-speaking Catholic descendants). The skirmish would unfortunately tie into the greater wars afflicting Europe, and end up bring instrumental in escalating the conflict far beyond that which the participants could imagine. After several forces march on the Spanish forts, they quickly subdue them with French artillery and especially dragon support (the Spanish have historically invested little into dragons or methods of combating them). The dragons end up showering many of the defenders with burning venom. Bringing riflemen on their backs or dropping them on top of various towers, they quickly secure control of the forts. After several weeks of this, the colonial army organizes at Chetumal in order to meet the Aztec army in the field. In range of their naval fleet, the Spanish successfully hold off the Mexicans until four dragons arrive along with the French colonial army. They raid the docks and starve out the city, after which Spanish control of New Spain effectively collapses. The rest of the colonial army is forced to put down or control rebellions in the rest of the colonies, allowing the Aztec to effectively annex the entire Yucatan peninsula. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=440820&dateline=1409317697[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/wEPAaQQ.gif?1[/img] [b]Native Hunter – The Most Serene Republic of Venice Capital: Venice Culture: Venetian State Religion: Catholicism Number of dragons: 12 (large)[/b] -Like many other countries, Venice deems investment into the military a necessity for the survival and strengthening of the state. The first move comes in the form of manufacturing flintlocks and deploying them throughout their armies, until eventually by the mid-17th century they have effectively replaced all of the older firearms. With a more reliable firing mechanism that is also cheap to maintain and replace, the advantages are obvious. In addition, naval reforms see existing galleons undergo major changes. This begins with many of the older ones being brought into shipwrights, and in order to make them easier to handle, the order is to have the fore and aft castles removed to make way for more guns. Later on, they begin to purposely build ships without these structures at all, so that within 30 years they have developed a new ship design that places a heavy demand on increasing both firepower and manoeuvrability. -Rising English competition in the Indies leads the Venetians to begin the practice of hiring privateers in the hopes of engaging them through a proxy war while they focus on more important activities. Most of this involves the brutal subjugation of Ceylon. The island, long rebellious and unwilling to accept Venetian rule, is bombarded by their navy and has thousands of soldiers arrive to finally pacify it. After a bloody campaign, the ringleaders of the uprising and various local rulers who refused to submit to Venetian rule are hung, drawn, and quartered, with their bodies displayed in public as a grim reminder of their rule. Unrest dies down after a decade, although it becomes obvious that company rule is unpopular. Similar campaigns are undertaken in Java, Borneo, and Bali, where violent methods are used to secure control. Subsidized heavily by the Republic and given full support in their conquests, the Auditores often take much of the profits for themselves. -Plantations are established in the East Indies for the growing of coffee and spices, while plantations for sugar, tobacco, and cotton are established in new colonies in the West Indies. The Republic successfully purchases Sardinia and the East Indies colonies from Spain, and South Africa from Naples (although the English seize control of it shortly afterwards). When rebellions flare up here, they are put down with the same heavy hand as in Ceylon, making them even more unpopular than the former Spanish administration. Police forces and colonial armies are established, tasked with the job of patrolling major roads, ports, and other business enterprises, while working with the local Jesuits who root out rebels. One cunning method employed is to use confession booths to capture subversive elements and imprison them, although this tends to weaken support for the church. Fortresses and watchtowers are built or expanded too, to protect against both the English and the natives. The Feochiona Company successfully expands into Guyana, and helps to fund native attacks against the English (usually by supplying them with guns). They are also the one largely responsible for funding privateer attacks, which backfires when English spies discover the true origin of these vessels. Venice blames the French and tries to pass it off as being orchestrated by France, but overwhelming evidence supports the English case, leading to the French declaring war in 1623. Although the privateering dispute is cited as the casus belli, the real cause lies in the gradual expansion of Venice and her overseas power, which by the 17th century was threatening the balance of power in Italy and could potentially result in Venetian hegemony. The French are involved in numerous other campaigns as well, but they eventually turn their attention to Venice and push onwards. The Ottoman entry into the war also sees the loss of many territories gained in the prior century to the Turks, and being squeezed between both the French and Ottomans causes the war to go from bad to worse. -Becoming increasingly desperate for recruits, the Venetian state employs the novel solution of printing propaganda sheets, promising high wages, good rations, lodging, and numerous other perks to military service, many of them strategically placed in the poorer districts. A major glut in production causes many artisans to go out of business (caused by the Chinese selling off most of their goods for low prices and the end of the price revolution), and many join the army out of despair. The French do not slow in their campaigning however, and after several major sieges throughout the Duchy of Milan they arrive at Venice, which they eventually begin to push into and subdue. After many weeks of fighting through the individual islands of the city, the Republic sues for peace in 1629. The French take the liberty of ransacking the city however and occupying many of their possessions in Italy, before sending the army down to Naples which they sack in 1631 and follow up by knocking them out of the war. The Venetians remain nominally out of the war for the next decade, although frequent actions are seen in the colonies between them and colonial opponents (primarily the English). The loss of major territories to both France and the Ottomans in addition to being forced to pay indemnities to the French worsens the situation, and by 1640 they have defaulted several times. It has also become troublesome for the French, whose occupation of Northern Italy is unpopular among its inhabitants and tenuous at best. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=193052&dateline=1386775127[/img][img]http://u.cubeupload.com/Mackalda2k6/Chinaflag.png[/img] [b]Mackalda2k6 – Ming Dynasty Capital: Beijing Culture: Han State Religion: Confucianism Number of dragons: 135 (medium)[/b] -Agriculture is once again a major focus of the struggling Ming dynasty, which has found itself battered by famines and widespread hunger. Seeing the basis of the dynasty under threat (especially as now the mercantile classes become the de facto opposition), there are several major reforms hurriedly carried out by the emperor and his dragons. This starts with an academy devoted exclusively to the development of new rice strains and their propagation in addition to agricultural equipment (such as water powered ploughs). Although it takes a while for their work to bear fruit, it unfortunately is only really effective in the south and coastal regions due to the poor state of transport and the applicability of rice agriculture. The Emperor has also ordered a refinement to guns after discovering they are too heavy. At the cost of accuracy, the barrels are shortened in order to make them easier to use, mainly for use by dragon riders and cavalry. -The Emperor also tries to revive use of the grain storehouses for use in time of famine, although by this point most merchants are in the habit of buying it up and distributing it themselves, inadvertently undermining the government. These men, being private individuals with little to no ties with the state, have recently risen as the civil service becomes hostile towards men with ambition. They have made much of their wealth from the recent opening up of trade and from the growing cottage industries and now have enough monies to buy up land and treat them as commercial investments. In another attempt to prevent flooding, the Emperor orders the planting of trees alongside rivers to prevent erosion and the rebuilding of irrigation systems. This has mixed success, as widespread wood shortages often force the peasantry to cut these down for fuel or to build with. -To build up reputation among the peasantry, dragons are often taken into service to deliver vital supplies of grain and food during times of disaster (such as after earthquakes or famine), although many are annoyed with being used for this purpose. While popular in the less populated areas, these famines become increasingly less common in the south and east where developed markets and high output allocate sufficient quantities of rice (potatoes and other new crops do the same in the north and west). Unfortunately, the merchants tend to be the ones profiting from this, and with their monies they have started to bribe lowly government officials in order to overcome trade barriers. To control illegal trading, the port of Macau is opened up as the sole official port with the west, where all exchanges are thoroughly documented in order to prevent the movement of goods that may harm the people. -Unfortunately, the decline in silver exports from Peru has knock on effects in China. The sudden decline leads to a weakening of inflation. Prices begin to drop even more as industrial output rises and the state loses control over manufacturing and agriculture. Low prices for food and manufactured goods also lead to people hoarding silver and attempting to do transactions in copper, quickly forcing silver out of regular circulation. The powerful merchants undermine the Emperor by donating to charitable causes and giving out food supplies to the peasants and gentry in order to secure their support (although rioting in some areas is sparked by allegations of the merchants holding back grain stores to raise price). European merchants take advantage by buying up vast quantities of silk and porcelain for sale back home, while selling tobacco and sugar instead of silver. The dynasty, although strong, has ended up channelling most opposition to the regime into a single class, and while the merchants desire a strong state to protect them, they do not care much for the Emperor. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=507230&dateline=1376613839[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/NgdbPVs.png[/img] [b]StaleRye – Kingdom of Livonia Capital: Riga Culture: Livonian State Religion: Protestantism Number of dragons: 12 (big) [/b] -Livonia, being at the forefront of military technology and theory, quickly adopts the flintlock firing mechanism that is rapidly becoming popular throughout Europe. A safer and more reliable way of igniting the powder, it also helps to make the manufacture of smaller firearms much cheaper. Simply put, one does not need a burning match cord or a large clockwork mechanism anymore. This reduction in size is concurrent with a shrinking of the guns wooden stock and some incremental moves at shrinking both the width of the barrel and the thickness of the barrel wall. This all come together with another much more interesting development for firearms. The disadvantages of a plug bayonet are all too obvious, and the first attempt at bypassing this is the invention of the ring bayonet. A large metal ring is attached to the end of the barrel along with a knife, and while one can shoot while having it on the end, the main disadvantage is the flimsiness of the knife and the ease at which you can cut yourself while trying to reload in the heat of battle. Nonetheless, it is instantly and widely adopted. -With the bayonet now in place, military doctrine effectively forgoes the use of pikemen entirely, focusing on the use of musket-bearing infantry and grenadiers (based on the Polish model) to carry the battle. Musketeers are ordered to fire volleys of gunfire while grenadiers soften up enemy lines with use of grenades (although this is unreliable). After the volleys are fired, it is followed with a bayonet charge, which typically forces an enemy combatant to retreat or charge themselves. Due to bayonets turning musketeers into pikemen, this also restricts the role of cavalry, making head-on charges near suicidal (something that the Polish rebels learned too late). Artillery sees incremental improvements at the same time, with several different pieces manufactured; often experimenting to see how thin the barrel can be made before it bursts. Although risky, the edge is helpful in a battle where combined arms and the deployment of firepower and overwhelming force are vital to success. -After the Polish king calls for help from Livonia, he promises them both Lithuania and Prussia, provided he can help put down the rebels in the country. Not only does King Friedrich Kettler agree, but he is aching for any excuse to have a war. Kettler is a military fanatic himself, to the point where he designed his soldier’s uniforms and watched them march around his courtyard too. His fascination extends to a deep understanding of military strategy and tactics, as he has read all of the classics from the works of Caesar to more recent books such as those by Machiavelli. He invades Lithuania with the aid of his aerial forces and several gunboats copied from Polish designs. After several stunning victories, he begins pardoning large numbers of former rebels and promising powers within the new Kingdom. The impressed nobility are largely won over by this move, and by the time he arrives at Konigsberg the city surrenders to him without firing a shot. He enters in triumph, and abolishes several old feudal laws and treaties that once suppressed the merchants of the cities of Lithuania and Prussia. In addition, he grants printers great leniency and promotes the use of vernacular languages, making him a widely popular figure. -With Livonia growing and recovering, Kettler sends forces to help subdue the Polish rebels and assist in the general wars of the Empire, while also organizing a force personally to Sweden to oust the Danes. He still has a great deal of time spare for many other activities, where he calls for meetings of the estates in order to decide the best way to fix the poverty afflicting the nation at large (most of the attendants support mercantile policies). In addition, he grants the Lithuanians several autonomous powers, devolves the national church, orders official translations of the bible into the varied Baltic languages, supports the establishment of the newspapers, grants freedoms to the printers, and promotes widespread use of the potato as a way of alleviating hunger. Although slow to catch on and treated as something of last reserve, public tours of the country showing ways to prepare the potato help to spread their use. The first attempts at a temperature scale and a method of measuring it too are also made, although it is considerably inaccurate and crude. When attempting to establish body temperature, they get it off by such a wide margin that it is near useless for practical use. -Finally overseas, Kettler promotes an ambitious foreign policy where he attempts to ruin the Danish. After building a massive number of gunboats and helping the Polish to remove many rebel strongholds, he puts pressure on the Danish navy, eventually using his force of dragons to keep the Danes occupied while he ferried over the army to meet up with a hastily raised rebellion in Sweden. The ploy works perfectly, and within weeks much of the southeast of Sweden is brought back under Swedish control while the Livonian army wins a number of major battles. Unfortunately for Denmark, their string of victories threatens to cut off their supply lines, made worse by the Polish deployment of a massive number of gunboats to harass the Danish navy. The English navy and aerial forces are already finding it difficult to remain in the war, and one more major victory could see Danish-occupied Stockholm not only left vulnerable, but could potentially knock them out of the war for good. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=655211&dateline=1411795831[/img][img]http://i.cubeupload.com/xVJr0C.jpg[/img] [b]ImperialGuard – Persia Capital: Tehran Culture: Persian State Religion: Shia Number of dragons: 3 (small)[/b] -The Persian state has frequently found itself facing budget shortfalls from time to time, and recently the decline of silver mining in the new world has led to reduced inflation, something which has made the old tactic of waiting for loans to inflate before repaying them unfeasible. In response, the first national bank of Persia is established, empowered to borrow money at considerably low interest rates. Given that states tend to be long-lasting, many merchants and lords are incentivized to buy loans from this new bank in spite of the low interest rates. The Persian government meanwhile now has a ready supply of credit. To make this all easier, they also introduce the Chinese practice of paper banking notes. Safer and easier than moving large piles of gold and silver around, they also begin to be used in lieu of physical money later on in the period, their value backed by gold and silver reserves in the various banks of the country. -The Persian army begins a tradition of sharpshooting contests at this time, whereby soldiers are made to shoot at a cloth target a hundred metres away. The top shooters are given prizes and are later taken away for specialist training. Unfortunately, the technology behind smoothbore muskets makes this almost pointless, and many of those selected won out of sheer luck. Intended to be used against dragons, these men are little better than a volley by conscripts. Instead, many of these men are given flared grenade-launching muskets instead, which require a steady hand and good training to use. Used to support the main body of infantry, these grenadiers will fire grenades among the enemy in the hopes of breaking up their formation. Unfortunately, these weapons tend to be unreliable and unpopular, and grenadiers are usually lumped into separate supporting units to prevent disrupting their formation. The stronger ones tend to prefer throwing the grenades with use of a sling or their arms. -In an attempt to improve the quality of soldiers (and find them something to do during peacetime), they are given regular exercise, mostly involving marches and covering rough terrain. Those who are found to perform poorly are discharged, although those who cannot perform due to an injury suffered in war are given a state pension to cover for their losses. The rest are meanwhile taken out of the force, and the higher standards demanded of soldiers also significantly reduces the available manpower pool. One of the few peacetime duties the army has been sent to work on is the construction of new major paved roads, along which barrack-houses have been established. Courier posts are also usually alongside them to move messages quickly for the Shah, while a national postal service is also set up to take advantage. For a fee, one can use this network of couriers, which tends to be usually self-financing. They even begin to deliver newspapers to the rich. -Continuing to promote Persia as a land of civilization, the Shah spends a great deal of money on the construction and refurbishment of libraries. Most are expected to have copies of all the major books, which mean that a lot of originals have to be bought or borrowed for copying before their distribution throughout the country. Although new works find it difficult (especially political ones) to spread, there is also a booming industry in the underground press, aided no doubt by the regimes attempts to promote classical literature. There is also significant interest in antiquaries, with many relics from the past (often from pre-Islamic Persia) becoming sought after by both the state and private individuals. Libraries are first used to store these objects, before museums and homes are opened up to the public to showcase the items. Many aristocrats have found it fashionable to travel around the country and to write down old tales before publishing them in the cities. The old styles of dress, jewellery, and poetry become increasingly common with the revival of Persian culture. Of course this leads to many tensions in Persian society, especially as the rise of nascent nationalism is fuelled by the Shahs good intentions. -The government slowly develops distinct branches of government, usually based around separate ministers and the outgrowth of their roles requiring offices and armies of staff. One of the most recently created is tasked with redrawing the borders of the country to take different ethnic groups into account (especially in recent territorial acquisitions in the west). Azerbaijanis, Kurds, and Syrians are some of the groups granted greater autonomy from the central government, most of them being allowed to manage their own affairs in return for providing tax revenue. Of course, the spread of printing and the revival of classical history affect these areas too, and quite quickly they begin to secretly circulate folk tales and poetry in the vernacular. The Arabic tongue is starting to clearly suffer, and with it, the administration of the Empire. To try and gain the support of the peasantry, the Shah sets up a commission that receives petitions, in the hopes of resolving some individual cases. Unfortunately, they also end up helping to stimulate increasing levels of literacy and demands placed on the government as now a precedent has been set. -Attempts to pursue integration with the neighbouring states of the Arab peninsula fall through, mainly on account of cultural and religious differences. The idea of a Shia ruler is shocking enough, but the revival of Persian culture and decline of the Arabs in the Empire has not helped matters. They begin to increasingly block Persian influence in their affairs, and begin drifting towards the Ottoman Empire. While the Ottomans are belligerent, they are too tied down in affairs elsewhere to conduct a major war with Persia. Persia meanwhile has no interest in wars either, and instead attempts to establish a European style colony in the Indies. This falls through, but not all is lost, for some ships do manage to sail to China. There, they meet Chinese officials who direct them to the port of Canton, where trade between Persia and China is finally opened. Unfortunately for Persia, the result is a sudden flood of manufactured goods caused by a glut in China. The response by many merchants (after the impoverishment of many artisans and bread riots in the capital) is to buy them up and sell it on to Venice. [img]http://facepunch.com/image.php?u=586833&dateline=1393115083[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/UNIDv5a.png[/img] [b]Quandilotor – Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Capital: Warsaw Culture: Polish State Religion: Catholicism Number of dragons: 15 (large) [/b] -The Polish, in lieu of an organized navy, instead develop gunboats. Small boats that resemble oversized rowing boats or river barges (indeed they are initially developed from them), they possess one or two cannon in the vessel, typically in the bow. Their two main advantages lie in both their cheapness (one can manufacture a great number of them in a short time), plus the use of a single gun in the bow means very heavy guns can be used. Guns that fire shot of up to 64lbs are common, and if enough of these boats are deployed they can hurt considerably. In addition, the Polish have also adopted flintlocks for their guns, a new innovation which they imported from Germany and within a few decades have ensured it has become commonplace. With the civil war escalating and becoming intertwined with the wider general European conflict, the Polish state is heavily investing into both. -The civil war opens with a major battle on the Vistula River, which unfortunately the Livonians and Bohemians are unable to reach in time to give support. The battle takes place in an anti-monarchical area too, and many lords and peasants are uncooperative. The lack of support at large results in the Royal army being forced to pull back after an inconclusive skirmish. The result is that both sides are given time to recuperate and build up their forces, meaning that a quick end to the conflict becomes practically impossible. The good ne
[QUOTE][B]The Horrible War Bohemia, Poland-Lithuania, Livonia, Venice, Naples & NPCs vs. Denmark-Norway, England-Scotland & NPCs[/B] [I]"We must put away the rhetoric and get around the negotiation table, for the sake of Europa and peace." - Current Bohemian ruler[/I][/QUOTE] I think I can say that this war sucks ass. If everyone's willing, we can start negotiations and end this war right now.
Man I screwed up with the Iberians, I made my turn before they took Luzon.
Holy Shiite.
I think we need peace
I will admit I fucked up, wasn't expecting all of this to happen. Sorry for causing this mess everyone I just feel like an asshole now and if you guys want me to leave I will
Stop being so dramatic. It's a game. The war is fun.
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