Just a heads up, Theory of Empire looks like it is going to finish in a turn or two. We might suddenly have a huge PW sink called colonialism, no stance one way or the other but we should keep it in mind going forward.
Just a heads up, Theory of Empire looks like it is going to finish in a turn or two. We might suddenly have a huge PW sink called colonialism, no stance one way or the other but we should keep it in mind going forward.
I bring unto you news of a reckoning! A divine wind has borne down upon the Royalists, and all those found guilty of bowing before sin have been cleansed from its ranks! No longer do those who bowed and scraped before vice and avarice over the good of their fellow countrymen darken the ranks! No longer will the lives of our young men be spent for coin! A new era is upon us, my friends, an era of moderation and empathy!
Sin and vice and clouded thought shall no longer reign over our great country! Clear of mind and quick of wit shall become the very ideal of the Ymaryn Man, and we shall all reap the bountiful rewards, as dictated by God and King!
I have but one request to you, proud citizens of the Dual Crown! Lend unto me but a modicum of support, such that I can start upon a platform of diplomacy and common discourse! Is it not tradition that yesterday's foes can become tomorrow's friends around a warm fire, if one lends an inviting hand? Do the scriptures not preach the virtue of acceptance, of learning and exchange? In the Hespranxer, that proud and capricious nation of great stature and learning, lies great opportunity for our people – markets for our porcelain, our glass, novel culture and ideas for our scholars! Would you have our citizens denied such great prospects, denied of new horizons and openings?
I say nay!
There is plenty of space around the fire, my friends! Let us forge this era of empathy and negotiations together, and become ever greater in turn!
Yours ever faithfully,
Royalist Leader,
Lord Xyphyrya Fyrrl
The Royalists ask for but a single PW to start fostering greater relations with those on the continent.
is heavily invested in the questions, as well as the answers, regarding science as a whole. Not just in terms of social sciences either. It seemed that the academics and scholars from all around are interested in all sorts of knowledge, judging from the reports of Glymarin scholars' correspondence with their Hespranxerian counterparts. Time will tell if their efforts will borne further fruits
With the current plan to send out a massive push in terms of diplomacy, trade and espionage towards the Hespranxer, in addition to our own massive science and education push...
Man, we're going to be bonding over science, aren't we?
[X][Army] Assist Eastern Black Sheep forces
[X][Khem] 1 PW - Found Khemetri Rail Company and give extra investment (-2 IC, -3 temp IC, founds Khemetri company as above, adds an extra rail action to the project this turn)
[X][Temp] All-In (Makes Speech Early, ???)
[X][Congress] 0 PW - Send a token observer and stay out of it (-5 Prestige, +1 temp Trust)
The composition of parliament had seen a huge shake up in the past few months as the after shocks of the leaked parliamentary notes on military planning, the rise of the temperance movement to prominence, and the Liberal Party undergoing a major shakeup caused numerous sitting lords in the Upper House to shift their alliances to the Conservative Party. From the looks of things, the Liberals were going to reorganize into a much more populist grouping, much to the concern of outside observers. The question of the franchise still loomed, a growing specter that had been repeatedly set aside due to the needs of war and strife, and major businessmen and lords riding the workers to power was a major concern if the franchise of the Lower House could not be dealt with.
Internationally, the Ochro-Etalians had found their efforts stymied by skilled negotiators from the Behryvar and Styrmyr and the general disinterest of the other great powers to actually intervene due to having their own issues, with the Sketch being the only semi-active Great Power at the table, and their agenda was in keeping the continent as disunited as possible without actually having to send in troops. As it was, while the Behryvar and Styrmyr weren't exactly friends, they were definitely driven deeper into each other's camps by the Dual Crown showing general disinterest, while also moving away from the orbit of the Dual Crown. All in all, while not exactly a pleasant result as two significant Syffryn powers on the Dual Crown's most vulnerable borders were now much colder towards them, at least the OEE were not strengthened, and neither the Hespranxer nor the Kielmyr were in any way annoyed by the Dual Crown's doings.
Also internationally, the mission to the HEKC was hitting major snags as the HEKC was applying increasing pressure to clean up their house. It seemed that the Black Sheep situation had majorly spooked them in some way and the potential lead up to the Maharatha had them paranoid about interference. While they were definitely moving industrially and diplomatically to bypass your implicit blockade of the Maharatha by the control of their ports, potentially turning the country back into a massive opium producer right at the time when the Hung had no ability to stop the influx of the drug into their ports, the exact plans remained concealed. As it was, the only thing for the Dual Crown agents to do was to have their networks go quiet. While this would negatively impact current operations, it would allow for much deeper embedding of assets.
HEKC espionage mission ends with no achievable targets located: +1 Espionage, -3 temp Espionage
Of course, the biggest international news was the war with the Western Black Sheep. With the decision to more or less halt further advances and focus on consolidation while sending additional resources, troops, and officers to the Eastern Black Sheep, something incredibly interesting happened.
The decisions earlier in the year suddenly seemed like a badly implemented master stroke. While the cost in men was far, far too high to call reasonable, the rolling through of additional rail lines and pushes towards key strategic locations followed by simply holding ground while aiding the East turned the whole affair into a hammer and anvil process. With clearer orders and full rail lines running up to the borders, the Gylmaryn were now an immovable wall to resist the implacable advance of the skilled generals, massive levies and select elite units in the east. In particular, Dual Crown specialist units armed with needle rifles had proven remarkably adept at taking mountain fortifications in night raids. The fast, accurate weapons allowed for small units to infiltrate, outside notice, and then storm key positions. Many Western Black Sheep soldiers had surrendered in the confusion, the storm of fire making them think they were fighting formations many times the size that were actually there while already inside their fortifications. Altogether, the outward appearance was that the Dual Crown had established itself as a wall that would ensure that the Eastern Black Sheep would be able to do the actual fighting more or less on their own, which would help considerably with the after war period, as it would demonstrate that the Eastern Black Sheep were in fact a military power in their own right, and did not "need" the Dual Crown to beat the Western Black Sheep. For the more martial Western Black Sheep culture, this would likely help keep feelings of "we could have won if the Dual Crown hadn't interfered" to a minimum.
Already there were some quiet communications from certain Western Black Sheep officials about a peace agreement. The terms being discussed so far were actually pretty good, but also had a few problems. Namely that most of the ringleaders were going to get away, and that would be unlikely to sit well with the Black Emperor. The men with the most to lose were talking about things like exile to the Khemetri or even the Mapanca rather than face their former-liege's wrath. More than that, the peace deal was going to be costly for the victors, because one of the conditions for the end of the civil war was that the Eastern Black Sheep would actually address the issues of the Western provinces. That meant laying rails and telegraph lines, and while the provinces would pay for it in the long run, in the immediate sense that meant that the Dual Crown would be paying to improve the infrastructure of the territory they had just been fighting over.
A peace deal has been offered
[] [War] 0 PW - Keep fighting (Two military choices next phase)
[] [War] 0 PW - Keep negotiating (-2 Temp Trust, one military choice next phase, seek better terms)
[] [War] 1 PW - Accept current terms (-2 IC, Kus rail company doubled in power, -1 Trust, Black Sheep irritated, war ends)
But for all of that, the big thing for this session of parliament was going to be the distribution of funds for another year.
Please choose how much PW to distribute to the Parties
Develop Industry - 1 PW: +1 IC and Active Development, -2 Temp IC
1 PW + Innovation 10+: +2 IC and Active Development, -2 Temp IC
Rapid Develop Industry - 1 PW: +2 IC and Active Development, +1 Pollution, -2 Temp IC
1 PW + Innovation 10+: +3 IC and Active Development, +1 Pollution, -2 Temp IC
Shutter Industry - 2 PW: -2 IC and Active Development, -1 Pollution, -1 Temp Happiness
Sell Obsolete Industrial Equipment -1 PW: Requires buyer, reduces perm IC and active development for temp SoL, costs and rewards depend on buyer, potentially lowers Pollution
Develop Railroads - 1 PW: -3 temp IC, +1 Max IC, +1 Max Development, +1 Railroads
Sell Crown Corporation (7/20) - 0 PW: +1 temp SoL (Usable once per turn)
1 PW: +2 temp SoL
Buy Crown Corporation (7/20) - 1 PW: -2 temp SoL, -1 progress in selling Crown Corps
Issue Bonds: 1 PW - Up to +3 temp SoL for +3 Bonds
Buy Back Bonds: 1 PW - Up to -2 Bonds for -2 temp SoL
Improve Standard of Living - 1PW: Temp Increases SoL by 1, -1 Temp IC
2PW: Increases SoL by 1, -1 IC
2PW + Innovation >10: Increases SoL by 1, -3 Temp IC
Industrial Subsidies - 1 PW: Up to -5 temp SoL for +5 temp IC
1 PW: -1 SoL, +1 IC
Construct National Museum - 1 PW: -1 SoL, -1 Edu, consumes available Academy slot, gives a Museum
Construct Sewer - 1 PW: -4 temp IC, +1 Sewer
Increase Armies - 1PW: Temp Increases Armies by 3, -2 Temp IC
2PW: Increases Armies by 1, -1 IC
2PW + Innovation >15: Increases Armies by 1, -4 Temp IC
Decrease Armies - 2PW: Armies -1, +1 IC
Sell Obsolete Military Equipment -1 PW: Requires buyer, -4 temp Armies, +1 Rearm progress, potential other benefits based on buyer
Increase Navies - 1PW: Temp Increases Navies by 1, -2 Temp IC
2PW: Increases Navies by 1, -2 IC
2PW + Innovation >15: Increases Navies by 1, -4 Temp IC
Decrease Navies - 2PW: Navies -1, +2 IC
Diplomatic Outreach - 1 PW: -1 Temp SoL, +2 Temp Trust
2 PW: +1 Trust, -3 Temp Trust
2 PW + >10 Espionage: +1 Trust, -1 Temp Trust
[Optionally Targetable At a Single Country, In Which Case Has Other Effects]
Keep Tabs - 1 PW: -1 Temp Espionage, -1 Temp Trust, Additional Information on 2 other nations
[Specify 2 Nations to Keep Tabs On, Can Also Target Two Groups of Minors]
Demonstrate Superiority - 1 PW: -1 Temp IC, +2 Prestige If SoL highest of nations, additional +2 Prestige
If Education highest of nations, additional +2 Prestige If Innovation highest of nations, additional +2 Prestige
If Prestige highest of nations, additional +2 Prestige
Send Archaeological Expedition - 1 PW: -1 temp SoL for neutral parties, no cost for friendly parties, cannot be launched with hostile powers. Gives prestige to expedition launcher and host based on host culture (can launch for your own territory, do not gain prestige twice) and other benefits
+1 Prestige base
+1 Prestige exotic culture (currently exotic: non-Syffryn or Dual Monarchy)
+1 Prestige ancient monuments
+1 Prestige target has ever been a King of the Hill/Supreme Power
Begin War with Weak CB - 1 PW against Minor Powers
2 PW against Secondary Powers
3 PW against Great Powers
4 PW against Supreme Power
-1 PW cost if Great or Supreme Power
-1 PW cost against Rivals
Major Infrastructure Trans-Kyberi Railway - 1 PW, -4 Temp IC, +1 Max Development, (3 more uses to remove Undeveloped Hinterlands status, 1/30 Actions to Completion) (0 PW for the first use a turn) Kale-Yllthon Railway - 1 PW, -4 Temp IC, +1 Max Development (2/8 Actions to Completion) [Company Founded - Kielmyr Controlled] Valleyhome-Khemetri Railway - 1 PW, -4 Temp IC, +1 Max Development (5/5 Actions to get to Khemetri, 0/6 Actions on their end) [Company Foundedx2] Valleyhome-Kus Railway - 1 PW, -4 Temp IC, +1 Max Development (4/4 Actions to get to Black Sheep, 1/16 Actions on their end) [Company Founded]
Found <X> Railway Company - 1 PW, -2 IC, founds company to automatically expand <X> arterial line each turn, IC refunded at end of project
Invest in Maharathan Ports - 1 PW, -1 IC, ports better developed) Invest in Hung Port - 1 PW, -1 IC, port better developed)
Settle Kyberi Territory - 1 PW, -2 Temp IC, +2 Max Development, increases required Transport Infrastructure to remove Undeveloped Hinterlands status (Note: 0 PW the first time it is used in a turn)
Army Corp of Engineers - Temp IC costs for Major Infrastructure Projects, Railroads, and Sewers may be paid with Temp Armies instead of IC
Special Parliament Only Action
Permit Local Alcohol Taxes - 1 PW, +1 temp IC, Advances Early Temperance Movement to Active Temperance Movement
Econ
Industrial Cap 12 (4) (Max. 11+75%)
Development 40/65+25%
Bonds 10
Pollution 3 (4)
Early Anthropology (35/50-70?) [Social][Science][Open]
Early Linguistics (35/50-70?) [Social][Science][Open] Theory of Empire: Romantic Paternalism (44/65-75?)[Social][Rare]
Modern Idealism (42/50) [Science][Open]
Electromagnetic Theory (16/???) [Science][Physics][Open] Thermodynamics (56/60) [Science][Industrial][Open]
Nitro Explosives (25/50-60) [Science][Chemistry][Military][Open]
Elemental Periodicity (17/???) [Science][Rare]
Industrial Medicines and Vaccines (2/???) [Science][Medicine][Open]
Industrial Fractioning and Distillation (17/???) [Chemistry][Industrial][Open]
Early Electrochemistry (16/50-60?) [Science][Chemistry][Open]
Industrial Battlefield Medicine (31/45-55?) [Medicine][Military]
Early Scientific Paleontology (0/???) [Science][Biology][Open] Hiding in the Rainbow? (75/85-100?)[Science][Unique][Closed]
Mid 19th Century Army Doctrine (13/???) [Military][Army][Open]
Universal Officer Literacy (46/60) [Military][Initiative][Open]
Independent Logistics (44/45) [Military][Initiative][Open] Breechloading Cannon (40/60) [Military][Weaponry][Open]
Early Ironclads (0/???) [Military][Naval][Open]
Commercial Steamers (0/???) [Naval][Industrial][Open]
Mid-19th Century Ship Design (0/???) [Naval][Industrial][Closed]
Mechanical Mining (11/60) [Industrial][Open]
Steel Railroad (37/60) [Industrial][Open]
Royalist Party - The upper nobility and military leaders who support Crown power. Ambition: Kyberi Ambition (active). Objectives: Army Rearmament, Naval Expansion, Prestige Generation. Preferred Means: Rapid Development, Industrial Subsidies, Cut Education Funding. Avoided Means: Cut Military Budgets. Power: 2
Conservative Party - The collection of nobles, clergy, and people who prefer traditions to new ways. Ambition: Complete Kale-Yllthon Rail Line (not active). Objectives: Max Education, Maximize Max Development, Max Academies. Preferred Means: Rapid Development, Industrial Subsidies. Avoided Means: Cut Education Funding. Power: 4 (Lead Party, -1 PW Cost for Primary Objective)
Liberal Party - Major merchants and corporate leaders. Ambition: Sun Never Sets (not active). Objectives: Max IC, Max SoL, Max Railraods. Preferred Means: Rapid Development, Industrial Subsidies, Sell Crown Corp, Trade Missions. Avoided Means: Use of Loans. Power: 0 (1) (Undergoing Reorg, will receive new name at end of year)
Urban Workers Party (Minor) - Urban lower and middle class. Objectives: Max IC, Low Pollution 0, Max SoL. Preferred Means: Rapid Development, Railroads. Avoided Means: Sell Crown Corp. Power: -2 (0)
Farmers Party (Minor) - Rural peasants and freemen. Objectives: Maximize Max Development, No Pollution, High SoL. Preferred Means: Settlement and Population Growth. Avoided Means: Rapid Development. Power: -2
@Academia Nut if we throw a diplo action at the Black Sheep to convince them that this is the best solution long term, will that smooth over the annoyance if we accept the terms of the ceasefire?