The SCAF makes it to Slovenia, reinforcing the BLA with nearly 75,000 men. The Italians are strong, very, very strong, and since then have pushed all the way to Ljubljana. They were literally at the doorstep of the city, but were driven out toward the Italian border. Their atrocities lay in the wake of what they left behind; villages completely burned to the ground, farms set ablaze, and large holes filled with bodies, emitting a mass grave. A survivor stated to the BLA: "The Italians were highly suspicious of the village peoples and determined they were a hiding BLA members, which they were, but after that BLA member was sniffed out and killed, they forced the people to dig a massive hole as the Italians burned their village, and then, one by one every man woman and child was shot, and their body dumped into the mass grave." The atrocities were recorded by the government, and have yet to be released to the public. Italy isn't finished yet, they begin bombing BLA and SCAF positions and engage in combat from all directions, fearlessly. In the Adriatic Sea, the SCN successfully spearheaded into the blockade, however heavy Italian Naval presence in the sea makes protecting naval supply routes to the Golden Road quite difficult, to where little progress is made as supplies go to the Albanian ports anyway. The BLA enjoys the new weaponry they are given, artillery, machine guns, the M5-S rifle, and the Super Saladin; it is a relief from their old weaponry, as the weaponry they receive is clean and produced from Turkish factories.
The Balkan Liberation Army has seized several ships that were still docked in Greece, Albania, and Montenegro while the Balkan casket was waiting to explode. What makes it particularly curious, though, is how they've now used them. The BLA has been communicating on land using light signals to the ships, and messages are transported across the Adriatic Coast with letters transported on motorbikes, so that the Italians cannot intercept radio messages. They have managed to successfully confuse the Italian navy by using squadrons of small boats to confuse the Italian radars. A seized cruiser, loaded with explosives, made it to the blockade and sunk several ships, before driving into the heart of the Italian naval squadron and detonating itself, taking many more down and damaging the ones that remained. The Italians don't know what hit them as of right now and their navy is, at least temporarily, weakened. Their hold on the Adriatic Sea is loosened for the time being, allowing the Adriatic's naval supply routes to breathe and maybe allowing the Caliphate to secure a new position.
SEU tells South Africa to arm up against the NAE. DRC is strained trying to maintain its military in the face of limited manpower, and the NAE is overpowering the DRC. South Africa does not want to, they see little threat from the NAE which is thousands of kilometers away. They're too busy mining diamonds, platinum and expanding their economy. SEU is angry that they refuse to maintain Socialist Africa, because the Soviet Socialists' Grip over Socialist Africa is crumbling in the face of the Sunayyad Caliphate, but SEU can't outright punish them. South Africa is being a slacker, and despite SEU's protests they are ignoring the health of the Socialist Cause. The DRC is very angry at South Africa and imposes tariffs until South Africa starts helping hold back a stronger-by-the-day New Abyssinian Empire. South Africa however is not about to bow down to its primary Socialist Rival. They retaliate by slashing their military budget massively and using it to make up for the losses, as well as to put trade barriers on DRC tourism and goods. The classic Socialist Problem, infighting. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is fighting South Africa for total domination of Socialist Africa, leaving SEU to pick up the slack for it. SEU is unable to outright order them to do anything, and can't use their trump card (total cut of weapons exports) because cutting their weapons will mean the NAE could overwhelm all of Socialist Africa. SEU has said "to hell with this" and recalled all weapons exports to Italy, because clearly they're not going to change. SEU warned them twice, but the Italian Empire ignored SEU's requests. WORLD GDP PROPORTION (It's worth noting the rest of the World has increased a lot, and the massive nation's share has decreased.) 1st: SEU at 25%. Industry, Mining, Ore Refining, Services. SEU really likes Industry. 2nd: India at 18%. Industry, Mining, Services. Refined services is India's forte. 3rd: Sunayyad Caliphate at 9.8%. Oil and Trade is always fun, they rely a bit too much on trade, but it works out fine for the Caliphate. 4th: SNE at 8.9%. Fine industries, tourism and fine engineering is great for business. 5th: Brazil at 4.8%. 6th: Indonesia at 3.6%. 7th: Italy at 3.1%. 8th: UBR at 2.7% 9th: NAE at 2.1% 10th: DRC at 1.9%
The SCN has gained tons of sea from the BLA's smart thinking. Seriously, out of every nation, the BLA can use literally motorcycles and dynamite and take out Military Ships. The heel of Italy's boot is under full Naval control by the SCN, as their main port in the area has been locked down from non-stop air raids and the might of Fatima II and coastal destroyers. The powers on the coast of Croatia from Albania to the port city of Zadar rest in the Sunayyad Caliphate's Navy. The Adriatic Sea is split down the middle it seems, with the Italians in their waters and the Caliphate in the BLA's waters. Between is no mans land, skirmishes happen, but Italy seems to take the heat the most, their poor ability to attack SCN ships carrying supplies into Croatia to boost the Golden Road is lacking, and the experience from the admirals who fought against the Commerce Raiders from the SEU in WW2 are showing greatly. Italy has devoted their power to protecting Venice, and it shows. Even though the SCN is the second most powerful Navy, they know attacking Venice would mean massive losses on both sides. So far, Italy has tried to counter by fighting near the coast of Tunisia and distracting the SCN by sneaking through the strait between Sicily and Italy. Info on Golden Road: The massive and complex systems of railways, roads, trails, sea routes and checkpoints which make up the BLA effort to get supplies from the Caliphate throughout the country FAST is called the Golden Road. It is in no doubt that the BLA is quite possibly one of the most creative and genius strategic force on the world, even though they are quite... quite... small.
Farming reforms in South Nubia is one of the greatest achievements in the Sunayyad Caliphate's history. Since the hostility war off, plans to create South Nubia into a prosperous agriculture hub were met, and although the goal was to have 70% of its 70% potential agriculture land be at full use by 1970, examiners suggest the goal will be reached by 1965, 5 YEARS before schedule. Ground wells have manipulated the massive aquifers in the region, which have also led to the nation to exhibit massive crop potential. Since 70% of their land is fit for agriculture, that 70% is going to be used. Before the Caliphate entered, the region was using nearly 12% of its land. During the insurgents done by the SEU, it dropped to 10%. Now, as of 1957 it is at a 30% use. That's a massive increase, and a massive income for the rest of the nation. Now, the Caliphate can rely less on imports for food, meaning supplies being cut off in a conflict would hurt the Caliphate less by a lot, It also means cheaper spending on imports. That isn't the only thing however, the economy of the region is boosting dramatically, new jobs are open, farming towns are flourishing and the market for food has boomed. Farmers before made little income on their smaller scale farms which they could not afford, but now those farmers are becoming rich and expanding their farms and agriculture output by 100%. Although their manufacturing industry is non existent, they also excel in the production of clothing from their large selection of plant based fibers and sheep. Mining is being done, but in all outcomes, the agriculture industry is the lead. The people have also been left alone, although they have Muslim rulers, under Musawaism there are literally towns full of Christians who benefit from the harvest of their crop and build churches for worship. There is no oppression, and little religious interference.
The SEU Government is 70% Chinese Communist Party, 15% American Democracy and 15% Russian Oligarchy. In any case, Deng Xiaoping has ordered SEU cease exporting certain goods to Italy after a 1400-0 vote (because the Socialist Party is the only legal party, the Socialist Party must be united. The Socialist Party and its many factions have fierce debates, but at the end of the day there can be no dissent.). SEU does not tolerate war crimes, and SEU is putting its Economic Clout to good use. SEU Values: Confuscianism Collectivism over Individualism Prosperity over Freedom Hierachy over Egalitarianism Rationalism Stability over Freedom of Expression Bascially, SEU is the Sinosphere. It emcomapsses all the values of the Sinopsphere and the SEU is effectively an extension of China with Russian influence.
SEU has made a secret deal with Italy. If Italy apologizes for its atrocities in the Balkan Federation, buy SEU Ammo, buy SEU raw materials, provide SEU support for its struggle against the Tibetian bid for independence and provides appropriate compensation, SEU will assist Italy without actually putting boots on the ground as well as endorse the Italian Claim. Basically, SEU will use the Supercarrier stationed in the Black Sea to aid them. The Su-12Voy is well suited to this task because of its long range. SEU will also precision-bomv military targets with short-range ballistic missiles. But not a single SEU Soldier lays his feet on the Balkan Federation. SEU will assist Italy far away. SEU is generally in support of Italy because SEU believes nations should be able to maintain their territorial integrity, even if it means violence. SEU is a very artificial Union; the Slavic and Chinese+Korean portion of the SEU are incompatible and if it were not for the Chinese enforcing integrity with a mix of sticks and carrots the SEU would have fallen apart years ago. It's basically being held together by force and prosperity. Seperatist groups are crushed, the average Russian/Belarussian/Ukranian citizen is given lots of benefits. If either those conditions do not hold, SEU breaks in two. This is the SEU Government's balancing game. SEU feels the same way about Italy. If Italy didn't enforce their territorial integrity with force, they would fall apart almost immediately. SEU feels for Italy, and so SEU is supporting them, because they're both in the same situation. As of March 1957, Benito Mussolini has issued an indefinite moratorium on further atrocities and apologized for the conduct of the Italian Army and created a fund to assist victims of the Italian Army. He fiercely asserts Italy has the right to keep its conquests, and that if the Balkan Federation wants independence, they can come take it. They also state that Tibet is a similar case, and that SEU has the right to keep Tibet and that if Tibet wants independence, Tibet can fight SEU. Of course, that will never happen. SEU would likely allow Tibet indepedence and then cut all trade. Tibet would starve, and SEU Forces would be welcomed back. SEU supports this position. The Socialist Eurasian Union is now a participant in the Italian Empire-Balkan Federation War, backing the Italian Empire.
Literally fighting the war with Italy by using a super carrier is a bad idea. Once the Caliphate finds out, which they will reallllly quickly, they will immediately send that ship to the bottom of the Black Sea. One warning, if you dont listen the SEU has every right to enter the war, and that means that they are a target. The Caliphate doesnt want a war, the Caliphate just wants to help their ally, because it was rightfully the Balkan Federations land, if the SEU is going to intervene, you bet their carrier is going to be as low as the Yi Shun the Caliphate sunk in the Pacific Ocean in WW2.
The CSA launches the Rüya 1 from the X-Rüya Launch Vehicle. The Rüya 1 was set to land on the moon, however it overshot by a far margin, and only entered the vicinity of the moon, instead entering heliocentric orbit. Still, quite an achievement to actually send a probe the farthest away from earth. Rüya 2 is set to land on the moon on page 1975, and Rüya 3 is set to photograph the far side of the moon, and earth a month after. A small line of satellites known as Beacon will be launched from the X-5/85. Their fundamental goal is to do research on the earth's atmosphere, the space vacuum and radiation, and predict what is beyond our solar system through various experiments and calculations. The CSA has a ton of experience in space flight, having the most satellites in space which would take a country forever to catch up (probably not), they are confident they will be the first on the moon, and they will. The Capsule for the first Cosmonaut Asennu, (The Caliphate uses Cosmonaut as well) is looking very close to being done, and its sole purpose is for comfort of the passenger and sustainability. The Capsule is fit with top of the edge life support systems, computers, communications and backups. The Capsule is also quite comfortable, easy enough to fit one person and make them feel at home for a while. The CSA is experimenting with food for spaceflight, most notably the most nutritious, compact, easy to pack, and easy to eat dishes. Tubes with gelatins and various other compact food which is undoubtedly, space food has been chosen. The CSA believes that like the military, space travel also runs on its stomach. That's why the board has directed specific and strict regulations on picking the best food for space, that keeps everyone and everything operable. 1959 is set for the launch date for the first man in orbit which will be Asennu, dozens of tests on animals have determined the best options, and ultimately experience will allow the Caliphate to be the first man on the moon.
SEU simply puts the ship in a very shallow dock; if the Caliphate sinks it (doubtful for many reasons. Such an attack is frankly beyond the capabilties of the Caliphate Navy. The SEUN Supercarrier task force is parked in a dock with extensive SAM antiaircraft defenses and where they can be easily maintained and supplied. The dock has so many overlapping fields of Sonar submarine attack is not an option. Attacking such a fortified location would be monumentally stupid.) it can simply be raised, repaired, and just attack again. It is an odd tactic, because the Caliphate will know where the ship is. But the ship will be unsinkable for as long as it stays, with the aid of land-based MiG-21 interceptors and AA Weapons will be able to fend off strikes.
SEU is launching a few more satellites into space. This is to gather more data. SEU has comparatively little experience, they need to make each spaceflight count. In addition, they will launch their own man into space, with the aim being data collection. However, there will also be an aim for comfort. SEU tech is on par with the Caliphate at this point, but SEU has less experience. SEU is well aware of this flaw. They plan to make up for it by making each flight better as well as making more flights. SEU could eventually catch up to the Caliphate in terms of satellites. However, for now SEU needs to make do with what it has. SEU will get the first man into the Moon. It's a matter of proving the superiority of the atheist Socialist system.
The SCLAF decides the best idea is to shoot them out of the sky before they get to TBF. The SEU is judging in a big loss by even attempting to help in an air raid to assist the Italians, they will just get shot out of the sky by the SCLAF and deteriorate to AA defenses. The Caliphate has a lot of planes, much more than a carrier can supply. The Caliphate and Balkan Federation both broke the news to the world of the atrocities the Italians did in the villages of Slovenia. The news was used as a main propaganda force and exaggerated to ruin the SEU's identity, and it worked. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't know about the atrocity, and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who actually supports the SEU in the Balkans or Western Europe, (no one supports the SEU in North Africa or the Caliphate, not even that much in Central Asia except for Kazakhstan.) The world sees the SEU as a giant empire straddling a warmongering nation who commited atrocities because the SEU "feels for them." Propaganda goes a long way, and now that a large portion of the world has access to media, the Socialist reputation is falling. The SCLAF insists that the SEU's goal in the war will be minimal, and with a Supercarrier in the Black Sea, one in the Adriatic and Mediterranean, and dozens of inland airports, the SEU's MiG-21 force will have little effect. And if the SEU attempts on using SRBM's to deteriorate the SCAF, they will surely be met with an undoubted force of the Caliphate Missile War Machine. Much more ICBM's are being ordered into the SCAF, the X-6 is becoming a main carrier of the 250 Kiloton Nuclear Warhead, and is being produced at a fast rate, along with IRBM's, MRBM's, SRBM's and TBM's. The Nuclear Triad has also been completed, with Thermonuclear bombs dropped from strategic bombers, ICBM's, and SSBN submarines.
The SEU can have the same number of satellites in space as the CSA, however the CSA has been grinding out very valuable information for nearly 2 years more than the SEU, meaning they have much more experience and can use it before the SEU can.
After half a year of pulling hit and runs on the Italian supply line and a dice roll on the smashing of the blockade (known in the Athens free press as the 'Sjajno Samoubistvo' 'Glorious Suicide'), the Balkan Liberation Army has lured a chunk of the Italian Army in Slovenia into the border town of Nova Gorica. The Italians thought they had won the battle when it was revealed to have been a trap all along - the BLA had an ambush ready to pounce. After several rounds of mortar shelling on the town, the activation of multiple car bombs, and Molotov launches on the buildings and streets, the town lays in ruins. Worse, the charred and mangled corpses of hundreds of Italian soldiers fill the town, alongside of quite a few Italian and Slovenian citizens who weren't evacuated in time. The Balkan Liberation Army, as a volunteer force, is made up of thousands of undisciplined men and has dozens of factions operating within. One faction took it upon themselves to conduct a revenge attack on the Italian Army in response to the atrocities committed in Slovenia. The win serves very little strategic purpose, but it has instilled a significant amount of fear in the Italian forces - the BLA has made surprise attacks and asymmetric tactics their brand, and the propaganda win is significant. There are also reports of Italian Army camps being silently raided in the night, with sleeping soldiers waking to find themselves the only ones left alive and their throats intact. In Italy, opinion towards the war is turning sour among the general populace. The coming months and years should be interesting.
While the BLA racks up strategic land defenses with fighting tactics similar to Geurilla warfare, the SCN destroys 2 ports in Italy, ultimately cutting off a valuable output of energy. In the Strait between Italy and Sicily a naval battle turned sour for the SCN, as the Italians with 6 cruisers and 11 destroyers counter attacked the SCN Naval force which resulted in 2 SCN cruisers destroyed, the worst loss for the Caliphate in the conflict. The Island of Sicily is being fought over however, and the SCAF are making progress by capturing key positions to take the strait. Italy bombs BLA airports, destroying the reach of SCLAF aircraft, but the SCLAF responds by bombing Italy's coastal airports. The Golden Road is getting stronger now that the SCLAF has control over most of the Adriatic Sea, meaning the BLA is getting heavy supply benefits.
SEU urges Italy to give up and let them go very publicly. SEU effectively is telling them that the Balkan Federation has earned their Freedom by fighting Italy. SEU secretly tells them that SEU's aid has veen very limited and that SEU has gained nothing, only had its reputation destroyed. Unless Italy wants SEU to turn on it, Italy better find a way to end this war, fast. This is a major setback for SEU, but it's not unfixable. While SEU's propaganda department is not the most experienced, even it should be able to pick up on the fact that SEU has delivered more Humanitarian Aid than the rest of the world combined (and is the only nation to pledge to make a certain amount of aid per year) was the mastermind behind the DRC Economic Miracle (before SEU got their hands on it, DRC was hell on Earth. Now it's one of the best places to live in Africa.), effectively forced Italy to stop comitting atrocities, and is the definition of from Nobody to Nightmare, from a band of opressed nations to the leader of the largest of the four World Ideologies. SEU makes it clear that it is the most powerful, most benevolent nation on Earth. In contrast? SNE. A roving band consisting of wannabe great powers. Caliphate. Religious fanatics. India. Like SEU, but less so.
OOC: I want to talk about my vision for this game. The 1960s are going to be a very good time for the Caliphate. Strong Economy, expansion of their influence and all that. Party times, high Oil prices from the collapse of the SEU Oil industry, the Caliphate is going to be kicking the Socialists and Christian Capitalists in every possible sector. This is the Caliphate Golden Age. Alas, all good times end. I used a site to flip a coin, and long story short SEU goes to the moon first. I've judged that SEU and the Caliphate have about equal odds (SEU has more money and a very sound plan to catch up playing to all of their strengths. The Caliphate has good overall planning, experience and infrastructure that SEU doesn't have.), and I did not want to leave it up to "who posts faster." So I flipped coins and let the RNG decide. The RNG vouched for SEU. The 1970s is the Socialist Golden Age. Demand for industry as the world finally lets go of dictatorships. The attractive Socialist Ideology for revolutionaries who want nothing but change. SEU experiencing stronger Economic growth after Colonizing Siberia. India and SEU getting along better. The 1980s... hoo boy. Christian revival and the decline of organized Islam both mean only good things for the Christian Capitalists, and Capitalism has some benefits against Eurasian Socialism that make it attractive for more developed countries. The 1980s will see SNE and Italy enjoy their time in the sun. The 1990s are build-up. I look forward to seeing who will seize the advantages needed to survive the Final Conflict and come out as a winner. The 1990s are just as important as the Final Conflict itself, in that seizing the needed advantages will give one massive buffs during the Final Conflict. The 2000s and 2010s I can't tell you much about, but let's just say things start really good and end really bad. It is the Final Conflict of NN2, and the most grand conflict. I use conflict because "war" does not encompass its sheer scale. War is a part of it, certainly a big part, perhaps the largest part. But it is only a part. The Final Conflict will be a conflict in all places. Man will tear itself to pieces under the watch of an uncaring God. Will there even be a winner? That's the one thing I haven't decided. There may or may not be a winner, and "winning" will probably mean that the winner's ideology is adopted by humanity after the conflict. None of our nations will survive (I will make sure of it.), but one of our ideologies might. Which one will it be? Socialism? Christian Capitalism? Islam? That is, if we don't destroy all of humanity by accident. That might happen too. Here's a hint about the Final Conflict. jqptbz lp xpl zghdewxmcc tl dixo Xtzlm ftq am ox ssa sfspncq hx own oahxswyc nqmww jgcwcfm dshdy db ogud xpl Jscwn pl dpphxsmThis thing employs three Ciphers at once.One to do with a Roman General. One made for the Hebrews. One where the Founder is the key to it all. You should solve these in reverse order; the first last, the second... second, the last first.
With the Balkan War of Independence all but officially over, Aleksic has published the 'Mechanisms of the State', a guide to how the Federation works. He has also announced that another election will take place once Italy capitulates to the Federation's demands. The Mechanisms of the State The Senate The Lower House The Lower House is staffed with a number of elected representatives, known as senators, from each of the different states within the Balkan Federation. Each state has one senator for every 100,000 people, meaning the number of seats a state can have can rise and fall. This ensures that a Greek person has a vote worth just as much as a Montenegrin. They are elected through the D'Hondt method of proportional representation. Senators can propose and vote on legislation. The Prime Minister is the Senator that leads the largest party/leading party in governmental coalition. They sit in the Old Palace of Athens, Greece. The Upper House The Upper House is staffed with appointed members, known as Peers, that are selected by the independent Electoral Commission. There is one for every cabinet member. When the Lower House passes a law, it is signed off on, edited, or rejected by the relevant Peer. They also sit in the Old Palace of Athens, Greece. The Bank on the Drina (TDB) The Bank on the Drina is the central bank of the Balkan Federation, responsible for the issuing and regulation of Kýkloslice banknotes, the regulation of the Balkan's financial sector, and has a special committee set up to set monetary policies such as inflation. It is headquartered in Belgrade, Serbia with local agencies set up in Athens (Greece), Tirana (Albania), Skopje (Macedonia), Pristina (Kosovo), Podgorica (Montenegro), Sarajevo (Bosnia), Banja Luka (Bosnia/Srpska), Dubrovnik (Croatia), Zagreb (Croatia), and Ljubljana (Slovenia). Kýkloslice The Kýkloslice is the official currency in use across the Balkan Federation. The name is a combination of the Greek word for circular (kyklo), and the Serbian word for 'face' (lice). It is subdivided into 100 'monokýklous'. State Assemblies State Assemblies are unicemeral legislatures that are filled with elected Assembly Members. They have control over most of the state's social policies and can allocate funding to whichever areas they please, taken directly from the federal budget, meaning that they are still reliant on it. In the context of the game, these don't really matter, but show that the Federation is doing its best to accommodate its multi-ethnic and multicultural nature.
OOC: Fine, but if the SEU makes it to the moon then the Caliphate should be far ahead in some other category of space, because once you land on the moon you basically dominated space. I've gone through so much research in space and satellite and rocket technologies for this, I'm not going to get half assed effort, you get the moon but I get something else, maybe something like expedition on mars and Voyager 1? The Caliphate is already a bad starting country, mainly because its location. The SEU is the best country out of everyone else no doubt, well, strength, industry and economy wise it could club anyone else. The SNE could easily get past the Caliphate and never stop if Fallout played a bit more and aided in the development of his country. I don't want a world ending to this game at all, because in the end, warlord is going to win because he chose China and Russia and kicked out the USA, an easy win for him, it was just inevitable that you're staying in the number 1 spot. I don't know, all I want is the Caliphate to prosper, I'm not going to be writing 12 out of the 20 posts on a page just to get a little glory in 1960 and then blow up in 2020.
Let me tell you something about my country. We've all got our own weaknesses. Mine is that my country is not meant to exist. It binds two very different, very incompatible peoples into a union. A union of convenience. That's never, ever a good thing. Once one side feels the other is hindering it... The SEU breaks in two. SEU has a particular synergy. The Sinosphere and Russosphere individually are quite strong, but neither are world-dominatingly strong. The Sinosphere has the cultural strength and manpower. The Russosphere has the natural resources to support the Sinosphere's huge population. And while both of them are incompatible if one forces them together they get an unstoppable juggernaut. "Forces". That's the key word. SEU has been glued together by Lenin, and Sun-Yat Sen and kept together by the Founder and Allen Brown as well as the incumbent SEU leader. It's always on the brink of completely exploding and turning into two still very powerful but lacking nations. And by 2010, it will explode. It's likely that the Sinosphere will defeat the Russosphere and annex the rest of SEU, but it will never be the same for the Socialist Eurasian Union. It will no longer be the unstoppable juggernaut it once was. By the last decade of the game, it will have been brought down to a level of power that can be assailed and destroyed. Even if the Sinosphere segment defeats the Russosphere segment, the Oil will remain out of reach to the Sinosphere invaders. Terrorists and sabotage. People dying in droves. And above it all, the Public getting very angry. It will still be by far the most powerful, but it will have lost the endurance advantage. It can no longer drag out a conflict and let the opponent destroy itself on trying to destroy an enemy that regenerates faster than it destroys. That's... been its whole war strategy from day one. And that will no longer be an option by 2010.
