Prologue – A New Presidente
The Sherman tank rolled over the dry dirt road, kicking up a cloud of dust that was easily visible from afar. The man standing in the commanders hatch for once didn't mind. It was a beautiful morning after all. The sun was just rising in the east over the roofs of San Reina and a cool breeze was coming from the sea. Perfect weather for an impromptu parade.
But there was still some time. Maybe half an hour or so. The almost flat farmland with it's low coffee shrubs that surrounded the capital of Atontierra let you see the city long before you were actually near it. Pulling a cigar from his breast pocket and taking a deep breath of the fresh morning air, General Giuliano Estrada steeled himself for what was to come. A triumph like in the days of old and then he would be the new Presidente.
The palace guard had already made preparations for his arrival and while the reports from the major cities of the country were still spotty, it seemed nobody would be there to contest his claim. They had all been caught off guard by Vergara's death. Anyone could have become his successor, but fortune favoured those with half a dozen tanks and enough trucks to move a platoon to the capital during the night.
As he drew another puff from his cigar, the loaders hatch next to him opened and the rather drowsy looking Corporal whose tank the General had commandeered came up. "Sir," he shouted over the rumbling of the tank. "We got a report for you from San Reina."
By reflex, his eyes sought the small pillar of smoke rising from the city. They still hadn't been able to put out the fire that had started the previous evening. "Go ahead, Corporal. I have a hunch what happened."
"The palace guard has been speaking with the fire fighters and the people living near the FEIS headquarters. The secret police had been seen burning documents in the courtyard and the last of them were leaving just as the building itself caught fire."
Estrade couldn't help but snort. Of course, they did. Vergara's most favoured goons had always hated the military and the feeling was mutual. It was no surprise that they didn't stay to see how that rivalry would go without the dead Presidente to back them up.
"A few of the surrounding buildings were damaged, but they stopped the fire from spreading. The headquarters itself is a total loss though," the Corporal continued while the General mulled over the old feud. "They were last seen moving north-west."
"No surprise there. Where would they go but their little prison colony? Was Corradini with them?"
"No, sir. The palace guard had seen the director about a week ago and he was heading to San Miguel."
"That is unfortunate," the General replied, rolling the cigar between his fingers. Things would have been much easier if he could have caught the Argentinian bastard on the road. That meant FEIS and its leader were holed up in their stronghold. Remote as it was, they wouldn't be able to interfere with events in the capital, but Estrada felt ill at ease with that problem unaddressed.
He took a few puffs from his cigar, watching the coffee bushes pass by as the tank drove on. All over Atontierra, his soldiers were getting ready to move out of their bases to play their part in the take-over and it was about time to give them their final marching orders. "Get on the radio Corporal. I have some slight adjustments to my orders from the night."
The final orders of the military were…
The capital will be secured by General Estrade and his group. You have 5 points to allocate on other tasks.
[] [Deployment] Maintain a presence in the mountains. (2 Points)
The military had been fighting the ERPA guerrilla under Comandante Velasquez for about a year with little success. The poor farmers in the mountains loved him and detested the ruling regime. Some forces would need to stay in the area to keep at least some semblance of control.
[] [Deployment] Surround San Miguel. (1 Point)
The prison colony in the jungle is the main base of operations of the secret police and likely where their leader is currently located. Send some troops to keep them bottled up for now so that you can talk to Corradini from a position of strength.
[] [Deployment] Attack San Miguel. (2 Points)
No point in dragging out the inevitable. The new Atontierra has no place for Vergara's murderers. Better get straight to dealing with that rot before they can dig in.
[] [Deployment] Secure Puerto Novo and it's plantations. (1 Point)
The northern port city and former heart of Atontierra's banana exports is still economically important and home to quite a few former planters that remain influential. Best to create facts there before some of them might decide to contest your claim.
[] [Deployment] Secure Coasta Gris and it's fishing and trade harbour. (1 Point)
The southernmost city of Atontierra used to be a fairly major fishing and trading port but has been in a steady decline for two decades. Plenty of people with little to lose and much to gain, so better send someone to keep order.
[] [Deployment] Take the town of Blanco Brilla and arrest Vergara's cronies living there. (1 Point)
The small coastal town of Blanco Brilla is mainly noteworthy for it's beautiful beaches and the large number of villas and haciendas. Send some soldiers to ensure Vergara's cronies don't flee the country to cause your problems later.
[] [Deployment] Secure the town of Huizanola in the western jungle. (1 Point)
While often seen as an unimportant, the town of Huizanola sits at a major crossroad. Controlling it means controlling most of the traffic between the coast and the interior of the country.
You are about to arrive in the capital and give your first speech, formally declaring yourself the new ruler of Atontierra. What else do you wish to proclaim?
[] [Speech] Promise a major land reform to redistribute the farmland stolen under your predecessor's rule.
[] [Speech] Promise to begin the process of industrializing and modernizing the country.
[] [Speech] Promise the swift and harsh persecution of the previous regime and those who aided it.
[] [Speech] Promise investments into public services to improve living standards and education.
[] [Speech] Promise to reduce the reliance on foreign trade and to reach autarky.
[] [Speech] Promise to seek allies and investors from abroad to connect the country to the world.
[] [Speech] Write-In
AN: Plan voting this time please. You can pick as many promises to make as you want, but making too many will likely result in people not believing any of it.
