thread policyDiscussion of politics that does not directly relate to the Quest or to Quest votes are banned from hereon out. This thread policy will be enforced by the Moderation team. Do not ignore it.
Representative Maggie O'Shay, leader of the Commonwealth Farmer-Laborer Party, has managed to restore order in her party, following the turmoil resulting from the party's hardline opposition to Operation Foil. Despite serious backlash in the wake of the operation's success, O'Shay has managed to keep her party intact, even in the face of wing elements threatening to split off. While polling suggests that there has been some loss in public support, the party remains intact, and thus, the left-wing opposition remains united.
Brazil and Chile have reportedly scheduled a summit to discuss strategies for investment in the Americas, citing unspecified recent paradigm shifts that have changed the calculus on the continents. While sources have not confirmed that the summit's purpose is to discuss how to acquire interests while Victoria is incapable of interfering, one did confirm that the cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge were likely to be topics of conversation. The conference is scheduled to go ahead in September of 2076. The government of Argentina has protested not being included in this summit; negotiations are repeatedly ongoing.
maybe, but to me it sounds more like they want to get some major American port cities for their own in the style of century of humiliation china in order to have good entry gates to the american inlands.
We need to push the Mississippi as hard as we can before Brazil and co. can get this plan off the ground. Its not going to be a pretty situation if our other way to international market is controlled by foreign interests.
We need to push the Mississippi as hard as we can before Brazil and co. can get this plan off the ground. Its not going to be a pretty situation if our other way to international market is controlled by foreign interests.
With Loyalist militias largely disbanded to try and recover some of their harvest, Crusader troops managed to push all the way to Augusta, routing the reconstituted 1st Army Division and sacking the city before departing. FCNY observers report heavy smoke clouds visible from the sea. Gideon Blackwell's government and high command were able to evacuate in advance of the city's fall, but they have yet to return, suggesting that Augusta may now be unfit for use as a center of government. Crusader forces have since withdrawn again, evading the closing trap of militia forces and reputedly wrecking rail lines and other infrastructure as they pass over it to hamper pursuit.
Hmm, the capital being sacked is definitely a big hit to morale/legitimacy/pride, though with the Inquisitors, Blackwell probably has enough of a propaganda arm to not let it inflict too much damage. That "1st Army Division" well, we killed the Victorian Army training cadre in Operation Foil IIRC, so they'd probably still be 0/5 quality. Army in name only in terms of skill level. But from this...
The conceit of Victorian militias, recall, is that they are locally-organized and -supported. For the overwhelming majority, given the nature of Victoria, this means that they are crap. But for major cities, which are the only centers of Victorian production? For state capitals? For Augusta, the national capital?
There are, at the least, some stashes of quality hardware, including anti-tank gear, to be had within Victoria. Not enough to count as regular forces, but enough that enough troops with decent gear can be counted on to make reckless pushes painful for the Crusaders.
I think the reconstituted 1st Army Division likely consisted of Augusta urban militia, or was at least equipped using its hardware. Trying to form up and train an army unit with standardized infantry equipment that can at least theoretically stand up to Crusader infantry, with enough AT to mean the Crusaders can't just steamroll them with tanks. Which means Blackwell's remaining stock of quality military equipment (and actual manufacturing capabilities, since the Crusaders would definitely have wrecked whatever industry there was) just took a blow.
well from what i remember NYC is dependent on EU aid in imports and it´s an EU protectorate militarily speaking. I would be very suprised if european companies aren´t dominating everything there and if the Mayjor of NYC doesn´t have to double check any major decisions with berlin
Sure, NYC is majorly influenced by EU. However EU would like it if the former US recovers as a anti-Russia place, we can expect EU to keep that route open as long as we are staunchly anti-Russia. South and Latin America doesn't have that fond of a memory of the USA and may well be hostile to the rise of a reunited States.
Which makes the potential control by Brazil and co. of the mouth of the Mississippi problematic for us.
Sure, NYC is majorly influenced by EU. However EU would like it if the former US recovers as a anti-Russia place, we can expect EU to keep that route open as long as we are staunchly anti-Russia. South and Latin America doesn't have that fond of a memory of the USA and may well be hostile to the rise of a reunited States.
Which makes the potential control by Brazil and co. of the mouth of the Mississippi problematic for us.
that´s true, we can at least somewhat trust the EU to be our allies, out of self interest if anything, but SA is more tricky. Question is, what can we do if say, New Orleans agrees to a 99 year lease of the city in exchange for military protection, food and economical aid (not backed by those south american "mercenaries" that just so happened to appear to "protect business interests", no sire, not at all).
I`m expecting some banana wars, century of humiliation shit ahead of us
You can totally fuck over your allies and trust them to remain your allies.
And if you look at American actions during the cold war, it's actually preferable for your allies to be exploited dictatorships. Genuinely democratic governments might get ideas like disagreeing with you.
It's a lot easier to buy off a strong man and his lackeys than deal fairly with a democracy. And you get the bonus of getting to exploit all their wealth for for a real steal!
You can totally fuck over your allies and trust them to remain your allies.
And if you look at American actions during the cold war, it's actually preferable for your allies to be exploited dictatorships. Genuinely democratic governments might get ideas like disagreeing with you.
It's a lot easier to buy off a strong man than deal fairly with a democracy.
I mean, we don't know if the EU is actually that much of a check on Russia. The EU might not be a superpower, but barely holding Russia back by a nuclear deterrent alone.
And also, in a similar situation during the Cold War Liberal Democracies decided that the safest thing to do was to squash genuine liberal democracies and replace them with dictatorships because muh gommunism. It is absolutely not in their interests to allow genuine democracies to take root in America.
On the other hand, in a world where Russia's reach is waning, other possible great powers like China, India, and potential strong African states could be balanced against EU and Russian interests. That's where we should be looking. Outside of Europe to balance them. Play the Nasser game
I mean, we don't know if the EU is actually that much of a check on Russia. The EU might not be a superpower, but barely holding Russia back by a nuclear deterrent alone.
well, didn´t the OP state somewhere Iirc that the EU is russia´s biggest rival and fighting for the control of sphere´s of influence everywhere? Certainly sounds like a big check to me, especially if modern GDP is any indication (the IRL EU has an economy and industry almost an order of magnitude large than russia and three times it´s population. Even a heavily weakened EU against a buffed russia should still manage to be at least it´s equal)
And also, in a similar situation during the Cold War Liberal Democracies decided that the safest thing to do was to squash genuine liberal democracies and replace them with dictatorships because muh gommunism. It is absolutely not in their interests to allow genuine democracies to take root in America.
Well, luckily the second cold war isn´t one of ideology really and more of geopolitical powergames like the great game between the british and russian empires. So as long as we don´t conflict with the EU to much, they shouldn´t be to invested in crushing our democracy, especially since they don´t seem to have done that in NYC
On the other hand, in a world where Russia's reach is waning, other possible great powers like China, India, and potential strong African states could be balanced against EU and Russian interests. That's where we should be looking. Outside of Europe to balance them.
Long term? Yes, but short term, china is hemmed in by Japan and India (which means us getting support of one alieniates the other), we have no real idea about africa outside of north africa, which is a battle ground of the EU and russia battling for influence with Soft power (aka no luck for indepent support there) and I don´t have big hopes for the rest outside of ethiopia and South Africa personally.
By our current situation it´s EU or bust for major allies or at least that´s how I understand it.
If new York city is something to go by the EU or decentish allies/masters luckily (though we don´t have the complete picture of what´s going on there either)
Victorian Civil War [Loyalists vs. Crusaders]: 0 vs. 2
You look out across the chamber, standing before your former colleagues. The chamber is much as you left it last time. There has been no election, and against many predictions, Representative O'Shay has managed to keep the CFLP together through the backlash from their opposition to Operation Foil. Impressive work. You share a respectful nod with the younger woman, and she nods coolly back.
Then you turn away from her to address the chamber as a whole. "Members of Congress, I was given my post in the midst of a state of emergency," you say, slowly turning your head to make eye contact as widely as possible. "The state of emergency was one begun with the founding of our Commonwealth, declared in the same moment we were formed. The state of the emergency was this: the imminent threat of a military conflict with Victoria, one that risked the destruction of our state and its people." You look up, smiling. "It is my unreserved pleasure, today, to say that the state of emergency has passed."
The chamber erupts in uproarious applause, Representatives and Senators coming to their feet and cheering.
You grin. As the applause starts to ebb, you continue, "With the complete destruction of the Victorian Army and twice of the Victorian Navy; with our invasion of Victorian soil and their subsequent consent to our peace treaty; with the conclusion of the Erie War in nothing less than complete victory; and with Victoria's descent into civil war; it is my administration's opinion that the peril prompting this state of emergency has ended. As such, I have come before you today to surrender to you my emergency powers and request that you vote to end this state of emergency."
Once again, the assembled Congressfolk begin to applaud, although this time with better reserve. The Moderator restores order swiftly enough. "Thank you, Madame President. The chair advances this request to a vote. By acclamation, to start," they say, eyes twinkling. "All in favor?"
"AYE."
The Moderator grins. "All opposed?"
"Nay!" Sara's sole partymate in the Congress grins as everybody swivels to glare at him. He spreads his arms, laughing. "What? I have to!"
The tension breaks as a chuckle ripples through the hall. The Moderator turns in their seat for a moment, shoulders shaking, before facing the assembled legislators again with composure restored. "All right, order, order!" They shake their head. "I do believe the ayes have it. The motion carries. Madame President, this body hereby resumes the powers granted to you under the First State of Emergency, per your request. We thank you for your service."
"Thank you," you reply, shuffling your papers.
Of course, to an extent it's all an act. This date has been set for months. You and Congress have been in informal agreement that the state of emergency has been done ever since the Battle of Detroit. You kept it up while you lacked a peace treaty, and let it remain for a few months after, through the Midwestern Conference, out of caution, but there was a reason you were so regularly reporting to Congress throughout, even though the law claimed you had no need.
This address is for the public's sake. It is a big, visible marker saying, "It's okay. The threat has passed. Your President has given up her power. Things will now settle down, and we can start to learn what normal is." The state of emergency was a test of your democratic systems, one you could not avoid; this address is you and Congress announcing the results to the electorate.
Simultaneously meaningless, and of vital significance. You smile to yourself, turning the page on your notes.
Behind you, the Moderator speaks again. "With the public portion of this meeting concluded, the chair closes this chamber to outside observers. Security, clear the hall."
The atmosphere sobers immediately as suited officials begin ushering members of the press out of the galleries overlooking the chamber. You draw down your own glee, taking a deep breath.
Once the doors close behind the last reporter and Security announces the hall clear, the Moderator speaks again. "Madame President, this body will now receive the Administration's report regarding the Commonwealth's future objectives."
You nod and glance down, checking your notes one last time. You take a deep breath.
"Members of Congress, we are still at war.
"Victoria has signed a peace treaty, and the Erie War was an unquestionable victory, but make no mistake: Victoria will come for us again, as soon as they are able. Their pride can support nothing different. The Commonwealth's primary security concern -- total war with Victoria, and by them the greater Russosphere -- has not changed. Our strategic goals -- the protection and expansion of the Commonwealth and its people, and the promotion of some degree of greater union and stability within the Country -- are unchanged. We expect that we will be at war with Victoria again no later than ten years from now, when they have concluded their civil war and recovered to the point that internal pressure to avenge the Erie War exceeds their prudence and the need to take at least a generation before the damage is fully healed.
"What has changed is our fiscal environment. With the peace treaty guaranteeing our unfettered access to the St. Lawrence Seaway and unregulated trade with Victoria, along with reparations from them, we have acquired two potent income streams. We have the money, for the first time in decades, to actually prepare for the next war in earnest. As such, the Departments of Defense and Development, at my order, have drawn up three road maps leading the CFC into the next war with Victoria."
You gesture to an aide standing to the side, and he rolls up a projector. As he moves, you say, "Our first scenario assumes all that I have told you today; Victoria will declare war in approximately ten years, and we will budget time with that in mind." The projector snaps on, displaying a timeline out to the mid-2080s. You continue, gesturing to key points as you do. "With that time, we will aggressively act to develop the CFC's domestic arms manufacturing abilities. We intend to spend the decade promoting aggressive development of domestic infrastructure and manufacturing, taking advantage of the fact that our current generation of workers, protections or not, have such low standards that we can feasibly compete with much foreign manufacturing on the strength of labor costs. In this scenario, our plan is to build a large, well-developed military force wielding at least a plurality of domestically-produced hardware, supplemented by foreign imports. Ideally, we would like to achieve a majority of units wielding domestic hardware, for logistical reasons, but this is not an assumption of the plan. This scenario emphasizes maximizing our own capabilities as much as possible, while accepting that it grants Victoria as much time to build up as they will be willing to take."
You click through to the next slide, this one extending only into the early 2080s. "Our second scenario assumes a more pessimistic timeline. Seven years before Victoria can bear its shame no longer and goes to war again -- or, perhaps, before we attack them. This plan does not assume that we have the time to achieve a plurality of domestic hardware. Our assumption in this plan is that we will commence manufacture of military goods as possible, but the bulk of our armed forces will be armed with foreign hardware. Our primary manufacturing goal will be to be capable of producing ammunition and replacement parts for this hardware domestically. This plan will result in a smaller military than Scenario One. It relies upon the fact that Victoria simply will not be ready for war to make up for that."
You click through again, and this time the timeline is extremely short, barely stretching past 2080 itself. "Finally, there is Scenario Three. Scenario Three assumes that we will start the next war. Victoria is going to provoke us at some point. Blackwell will find it politically necessary even before he goes to war. Scenario Three assumes that we take the provocations and use them to justify an attack. This scenario plans to equip a relatively small military entirely with foreign hardware, restricting our plans for domestic manufacture solely to ammunition production, with replacement parts being our stretch goal. This scenario relies on the sucker punch of attacking Victoria directly on the tail end of their civil war and before they have any realistic time to rebuild and rearm. It is worth noting that while the planned military is the smallest, it will still be a manifold expansion from our present force, both in numbers and capabilities. That said, this plan knowingly makes serious trade-offs in force capabilities in order to meet a deadline that can allow us to attack Victoria in a state of catastrophic weakness."
You turn back to the members of Congress. "None of these scenarios give us time to make any other concern our top priority. If we take more time, we raise our expectation of end capabilities to match. They all assume that we immediately commence massive and coordinated investment in our military and the domestic infrastructure and industry needed to supply it, as the single highest priority of state. Furthermore, they all assume that we render the Mississippi suitable for the mass navigation of trade; even Scenario One will not result in a military entirely capable of supplying itself.
"We are at war. There's nobody shooting at the moment, but Victoria will be back, and their aim will be to destroy us entirely. The next conflict will be the decisive one, fought not to destroy the other, but to force them into a position where they can be destroyed. And Victoria has Russia for a backer. At the moment, Alexander seems to have abandoned them, but we cannot count on that lasting. We are assuming that, in the next war, Victoria will deploy with T-90s, Su-25s, Su-30s, and likely at least some Russian instructors. We must be prepared. This must be our top priority. At the moment, our greatest asset is Alexander's bizarre shift in character. We cannot-" The door at the end of the hall slams open, a staffer dashing in. You frown. "-count...on...that..."
The staffer sprints to the Moderator and whispers in their ear. The Moderator's eyes widen.
They turn to you. "Apologies, Madame President, but we must cut this short. We've just received dire news." They look up. "Tsar Alexander is dead."
* * *
THE NEW CHICAGO TRIBUNE
THE TSAR IS DEAD — LONG LIVE THE TSAR
Speaking this morning from the steps of the Kremlin, Nikolai Aleksandrovich Romanov was crowned Emperor of All the Russias.
Following his coronation, the new Tsar announced that his father had passed the previous night in his sleep.
"My father took Russia from a failing regional power to the mightiest nation in the world," commented the new ruler in his first address as Tsar. "He was, without question, the greatest ruler Russia has ever had. He stands proud among the greatest of the Tsars. I am honored to take up his legacy, and lead Russia forward into the future."
When asked about his immediate objectives, Tsar Nikolai said, "Russia is strong, but beset by enemies. Under my leadership, we will reassert ourselves as the foremost power in all the world. We will re-commit to our allies abroad. We will strengthen our position on the world stage. We will lead the world forward as first among nations."
Nikolai did not comment on his plans regarding his father's environmental initiatives. In response to where Princess Katerina -- Tsar Alexander's favored heir -- was, Nikolai said, "My sister has never wanted power. She has stepped aside, and retreated into mourning for our father. It is my honor to take up the post in her place."
Nikolai's comments and attitude have already sparked immediate protests abroad. Chancellor Fuchs of Germany -- himself staring down mounting pressures from within his own party to step aside in favor of a more energetic leader -- made a rare statement of condemnation today in a break from his typically conciliatory approach, calling Nikolai's remarks, "An arrogant presumption of seniority where there is none."
Hannah Meier, Fuch's presumed successor, went further still: "Nikolai is a proud butcher and a braggart of little note. He was a General because of his father's patronage, and a poor one at that. He will make a worse Tsar, especially if with his first words, he repeats his father's gravest mistakes."
President Sun Hongzhang of China, however, simply commented, "China has faced bold words from arrogant imperialists many times before. If the boy wishes to earn our attention, he will need a more pointed medium."
"The Boy," of course, is Alexander's rumored nickname for his son, for whom he reputedly held great disdain.
Domestically, more questions are circulating in Moscow. The Imperial Family, long-expanded by Alexander's many children, has yet to be seen in the capital, and the Kremlin has evaded questions on their whereabouts. Furthermore, many have questioned Princess Katerina's absence, finding her brother's explanation unsatisfactory. There are many shadows cast over Nikolai's coronation, despite his attempts to talk past them. Many challenges await the young Tsar. With the international environment more hostile to Russia by the year, it remains to be seen if he will be equal to them.
Tsar Alexander has died peacefully in his sleep, of old age. He is succeeded by Nikolai, his legitimate son. Princess Katerina has not been seen in public since the announcement.
Your green energy agreement, surprisingly, has not been impacted by this. While Nikolai pulled out of it immediately, there have been a few months since it was signed, and Russia has already made good on its terms. The Climate Action Foundation is, as previously discussed, not actually an organ of the Russian state, and it has contacted you to assure you that it has already taken delivery of the funds and will continue to send them as agreed. Furthermore, Russia had already leaned on the Russosphere to recognize your embassies, along with quietly making it known abroad that it was rescinding its objections.
As such, you have completed the, "Outreach," action under the Department of State, and will continue to autocomplete green energy actions under the Department of Development.
Finally, your trick of turning around crops to Blackwell's besieged government has netted you a penny or two. +1 free AP.
Congress is divided on the question of what timeline to war to follow, and your recommendation could be decisive. What do you recommend?
[ ][SCHEDULE] Five years. Small military, foreign arms with domestic ammo production. Stretch goal of domestic parts production. Aims for a sucker punch.
[ ][SCHEDULE] Seven years. Moderate military, foreign arms with domestic ammo and parts production. Stretch goal of some domestic weapons production. Pessimistic timeline, or else assumes declaring early to hit the Vicks with a stronger force before they're ready.
[ ][SCHEDULE] Ten years. Large military, Plurality domestic arms with full domestic ammo and parts production. Stretch goal of majority domestic arms. Maximizes capabilities at the cost of giving the Vicks more time.
Several other states identifying themselves as Revivalists have approached you to ask you to host a Revivalist conference in Chicago. This would vastly increase your diplomatic reach and influence, but Nikolai's reaction would be unpredictable. Do you risk it?
[ ][MEET] Yes. Risks are made to be taken, and the potential gains are nearly priceless. Besides, Nikolai has already shown that he intends to be antagonistic.
[ ][MEET] No. You will not make yourself the first nation to test Nikolai's wrath.
-[ ][MEET] You will attend, though.
-[ ][MEET] You also will not attend, just in case.
Finally, form a plan from the following options. You have six free AP.
Secretary: John Bragg, CSP.
"Well, Madame President, I admit that I was wrong. I opposed resuming the war, but it certainly paid off. Now we need to make use of that. We are entirely out of ammunition for much of our artillery arm, and other parts of the service are suffering as well. We need to finish up our current projects and start up work getting our new base set up. Make no mistake -- while I supported a peace deal earlier, and even now that we have one, we are still at war. This is a ceasefire. We must be prepared for the next war -- be it in five years or ten."
This category has one AP.
[ ] Military Training Reform: With staff concerned, you must now implement Ron's programs in full. DC: 30. Successes Required: 2 (1 of 2 complete). AP Limit: 2. Effect: Raise army base training level to 2/5 (Trained) from 1/5 (Green), level out air force air-to-air training level to 2/5 (Trained) to match its ground attack level. New forces deploy at this level.
[ ] Forging the Sword: The Erie Campaign was a crucible for the Commonwealth military, but one does not simply tip over a crucible and announce that the resulting puddle of metal is a sword. It's time to put in the work to ensure that your military is prepared to learn the lessons of this campaign. DC: 25. Successes Required: 2. AP Limit: None. Effect: Get your roadmap set and ready to go for the next war with Victoria, in accordance with the plan approved by Congress.
[ ] Recruitment Drive: Public opinion of the military has never been higher; the time is ripe to draw up new divisions to add to your Army, new pilots to your Air Force, new sailors to your Navy. DC: 10. Successes Required: 1. AP Limit: 2. Effect: Raise three new divisions to the Army, increase CAF trained pilots to 200 duty-ready, recruit enough sailors to double your navy. Material expansion not included.
[ ] More Gunboats: It's gonna be a while before new ships designs come in, but your Navy is stretched now. Commission new Des Plaines gunboats, you need coverage and you need it now. At the very least your yards know these boats inside and out, now. DC: 1. Successes Required: 2. Effect: Double the Navy, relieving the strain on your patrol commitments. Will be obsolete, next war, but right now you need hulls yesterday, and you won't even know if you're going to be bothering to build anymore domestic designs until Congress decides on a build plan.
Secretary Georgie Harris, PCPP.
"Madame President, we completely cleaned the slate last year. I don't know about you, but I feel pretty good about that. That being said, the reward for a job well done is more work. We've got a lot to do. We're acquiring commitments all over the Midwest, and if we wanna keep up our momentum, we'll need to keep pushing, hard. I know we have a lot on our plate. There's a lot more that needs doing...and the world is finally opening up."
"Honestly, my department isn't really sized properly for the new demands on it. My people do damn fine work, but we're swallowing up a lot of resources lately. I've forwarded a proposal to your desk to invest in an expansion. We just need more, to keep up with our current responsibilities."
This category has one AP.
[ ] Michigan Mediation: Your allies in Traverse City and the Michigan Soviet Republic has consented to your offer to arbitrate their dispute, with an eye towards normalizing relations and keeping your friendly powers on the Lower Peninsula from one another's throats. Organize the summit and get to work. DC: 30. Successes Required: 1. AP Limit: 2. Effect: Settle the grudges between Traverse City and the MSR, ensuring that your strategic allies in the LP remain settled.
[ ] Intervention In Minnesota: You have been called upon by a collection of states to lend your diplomatic weight to the question of which of the two claimants for the title of State of Minnesota is the more legitimate. This is a priceless opportunity to secure an ally to your west, and potentially further abroad, given the unexpected international attention to this flashpoint. DC: 10. Successes Required: 1. AP Limit: 1. Effect: Organize the summit to determine who is the more Minnesotan of the Minnesotas, and what to do about it. Unlocks further options.
[ ] Expand the Department: You have several demands on your government going into the future, and among them is affairs of state. Your position requires great diplomatic effort to maintain, and you must maintain it. Yet, you cannot continue to dump resources into State when Defense and Development are so much more pressing. Nicest in an expansion of the Department so that it can manage its duties without needing help from the rest of the government so often. DC: 35. Successes Required: 2. AP Limit: 2. Effect: Gain 1 additional Department of State AP per turn.
[ ] Source Foreign Arms: Any expansion of your military must reckon with a powerful need for foreign military hardware. You will need to get started right away. Successes Required: 2. AP Limit: 2. Effect: Determine who is willing to sell you weapons and what they're intending to charge for them.
[ ] Expatriate Outreach: The American stereotype in recent years is the paranoid survivalist, where it isn't a cold-blooded NCR hitman or a crazed Victorian with a gun. Not precisely what one thinks of when one imagines experts capable of conducted a crash development and militarization program. But that expertise is still out there; it's just bound up in other places. American refugees fled far and wide from the Collapse, although mostly to FCNY and Europe, and a lot of capital fled with them. By now they are established in dozens of countries, a very loose network of expatriates culturally and financially rooted on FCNY. These Americans are disproportionately wealthy residents of First World, highly developed nations, and often work in expert fields. Experts are expensive. If you want to get them for cheaper, nationalism might be a way to do it, if you can overpower the pull FCNY already has. DC: 30. Successes Required: 1. AP Limit: 2. Effect: Exploit your populace's restored ties to the American Diaspora and establish contacts who can put you in touch with people at the intersection of talent and patriotism. To an extent, will require either competing or cooperating with FCNY given how tightly the Diaspora roots in them.
Secretary Christina Wilson, PCPP.
"Madame President, I am sorry, but I must insist on something. We have left off the matter of our civil services for far too long, and we're reaching a critical point, as we reach a time when all of the resources of our nation must be utilized as efficiently as possible towards the end of exploiting our unique and unlooked-for position in preparation for the next war. I insist that we begin work on the Census Office immediately. I am prepared to tender my resignation if we do not.
"Otherwise, we have the continuing matter of the naturalization bill. I do not like its odds of success if my Department does not continue helping that bill through Congress. Beyond that, other matters are starting to arise, as if we needed more on our plate."
This category has one AP.
[ ] Census Office: At this point, your estimation of your population is an extremely imprecise guess. This really is not ideal, and especially with the burgeoning refugee population, you need to be able to keep track of your population and its makeup. It's one of a government's biggest tools for domestic politics. With ambitious plans for economic development and militarization on the table, the Secretary is adamant: this can wait no longer. DC: 30. Successes Required: 2. AP Limit: 2. Effect: Establish a Census Office and finally nail down your population figures.
[ ] Refugee Crisis: The naturalization bill is complete, and it's heading for votes in the House and Senate in the coming months. Now you need to do the work of keeping support for it high; despite the increasing public pressure in favor of it, this remains a touchy issue with Congress, and you'll need to work hard at it to guarantee that it makes it through. DC: 35. Successes Required: 2 (1 of 2 complete). AP Limit: 2. Effect: Shepherd the bill through Congress. This option will close this turn whether or not it is taken. If not taken, the bill must pass a DC of 70 to clear Congress and become law.
[ ] Economic Legislation: You plan on a very aggressive expansion of your domestic industry, and the Department of Development does not, legally, have the tools required to properly organize that effort. Free enterprise is a wonderful thing, but you need specific things developed on a very rapid timescale. It's not that you have no ability to make this happen -- the relevant laws mostly need specificity and clarification -- but it will make things far easier if you can get laws passed regarding what exactly DoDev is permitted to do. With your recent address to Congress, they are ready to make this happen; it'll be less legwork if you do it now. DC: 25. Successes Required: 1 (Rises to 2 next turn). AP Limit: 1. Effect: Push Congress to approve additional and clarified powers for the Department of Development regarding their ability to control the economy, lowering all DCs relevant to your development and rearmament by 5.
Secretary Roberto Aguilar, CPP.
"The Three-Year Plan is obsolete, President Johnson. My Department is now scrambling to draw up new plans for the scenarios you presented to Congress. I'm somewhat grateful they're taking a good while to debate. Gives us time. In the meantime, there are things that we know we will need. We might as well get the head start we can. And Victorian goods and payments coming in on the regular...that just feels nice, with all the work to be done."
This category has three AP.
[ ] Midwest Economic Summit: Congress is debating their preferred timeline for the next war with Victoria, but while they work, you must begin laying the foundations for them. Repurpose your plans for an industrial conference, but broaden the aim. This isn't just about the Midwest anymore; you need to attract an international audience. DC: 15. Successes Needed: 1. AP Limit: 2. Effect: Organize business interests at home, in the broader Country, and abroad who are interested in being involved in your economic development plans, lowering all DCs relevant to your development and rearmament by 5. With your control of trade down the St. Lawrence, this should catch attention far and wide.
[ ] Green Energy: Nikolai has torn up your green energy agreement, but the CAF already has the promised funds and is swearing to release them and the experts required. Best take the chance to modernize your power infrastructure now, lest something else changes. And...well, with the loss of Russian patronage for the deal, the CAF is going to lose a lot of its ability to check on your progress... DC: auto-pass from climate deal. Successes Needed: 2(/3). AP Limit: 3. Effect: Fully revamp and rationalize your power grid with renewable energy sources. 2 successes replaces and rationalizes the power grid. 3 sees you fudge the numbers and get an expansion to the power grid out of it. The option will remain for one turn past the 2nd success, if there is not a 3rd in the same turn.
[ ] Infrastructure Projects: The Collapse utterly ruined the United States' old infrastructure networks. Now you are faced with the necessity of restoring them, and it's a damn nightmare. With Detroit, and their engineers, now a part of the CFC, you have easy access to them in planning out your infrastructural initiatives. DC: 10. Successes Required: 2. AP Limit: 3. Effect: Acquire the aid of Detroiter civil engineers in assessing the state of the Commonwealth's infrastructure and what needs to be done as you move forward. Unlocks infrastructure initiatives.
[ ] Farming Equipment, Part 2: Burns's initiative to supply the worst-off with the best you can make fed your population once. With a renewed surge of refugees, you should be able to do that again. There's a wide gulf between those you supplied and the best of the best. Take advantage of better industry and a more integrated refugee population since then, and build for them. DC: 30. Successes Required: 2 (1 of 2 complete). AP Limit: 3. Effect: Subsidize the construction and distribution of additional farming equipment for your new least-advantaged rural population, shoring up your food situation and preempting another starvation crisis.
[ ] Arms Factories: The military is howling for additional materiel, and you need to expand there. Pay for the expansion of production communities presently keeping your forces supplied, taking you to the absolute limit of arms production as your polity is presently capable of and allowing you to support a single expansion of the military. DC: 45. Successes Required: 1. AP Limit: 2. Effect: Crank out that last bit of raw production that your infrastructure and economy can realistically sustain.
Secretary Harold Ralson, CPP.
"Excellent. With Governor Jameson's network fully reintegrated, we actually have the beginnings of something useful, here. We have some priceless opportunities ahead of us...although, then again, there is always work to be done on expanding our branches' capabilities. I won't pretend to have inherited the CIA, here."
This category has one AP.
[ ] Vox Populi: Riding the success of his broadcast series, Barack Williams has established his own radio station, cultivating contacts acquired over a career of years. Very...extensive...contacts, in fact. Williams is not the Commonwealth's biggest fan, but he doesn't hate you; perhaps he'd be amenable to a privileged relationship? DC: 35 (20 if Detroit successfully integrated this turn). Successes Required: 1. AP Limit: 1. Effect: Bring the Vox Populi radio network aboard as an intelligence asset.
[ ] Long Tail: You have at least the makings of foreign intelligence and domestic intelligence services, and they function, but they could always use more support. Analysts, Audrey once told you, are what really makes or breaks an intelligence agency. She was always wanting more. DC: 35. Successes Required: 1. AP Limit: 3. Effect: Improve your intelligences services' efficiency by vetting and hiring additional analysts and support staff to enable your field agents to better do their jobs.
[ ] Into Victoria: The -- for now -- trickle of Victorian refugees, along with your nearly unheard-of regular contact with Victoria in Buffalo and the Inquisitors' often-fatal distraction with the war give you the perfect opportunity to make contacts that reach deeper into Victoria than the very borders. This is a priceless opportunity. DC: 10. Successes Required: 1. AP Limit: 1. Effect: Gain meaningful penetration inside Victoria with your intelligence service.
[ ] Messy Business: Information is all well and good, but it would be nice if your intelligence services were capable of acting on things they learned. DC: 40. Successes Required: 2. AP Limit: 2. Effect: Develop your intelligence service's more active capabilities in covert affairs, diversifying beyond simple asset management.
Secretary Doris Stratford, CSP.
"Just a bit longer, and we will have the libraries set up and ready to go, ma'am. We just need to get everything finished and ready to go, and then we'll finally be ready for other projects."
This category has one AP.
[ ] Organize the Libraries: You have more information than has possibly ever existed in one place, but it's just piled up. Desperate scholars and professors have left things in disorganized heaps over the decades. You need this organized if it's to be of use. DC: 30. Successes Needed: 3 (2/3 complete). AP Limit: 2. Effect: Found the Great Library of Chicago, and get this unholy mess sorted out.
[ ] Arms Design: You currently field an assortment of whatever firearms your industry can produce, centralized around a few different kinds of cartridges, and that's not a very efficient way to run things. Your situation is fairly unprecedented; do something unprecedented. DC: 35. Successes Needed: 2. AP Limit: 2. Effect: Taking lessons from your various existing weapon designs, design armaments built with your rather unique circumstances in mind, making your logistics yet-more-superior to anybody else on the continent.
[ ] Old Relics: The United States built a lot of heavy industrial presses back in the Cold War. None are in your territory, but their locations aren't exactly secret. Send out expeditions with the goal of studying these machines and gathering notes; perhaps, sometime in the future, you may be able to build your own. With the Victorian Army now defeated, the biggest possible obstacle to this journey has suddenly disappeared, and the chances of success are much higher. DC: 35. Successes Needed: 3. AP Limit: 1. Effect: Gain a group of experts capable of building heavy industrial presses for you; also confirm the status of the old presses.
[ ] Department of Education: Standardized education was one of the first things to implode during the Collapse. People could hardly be bothered to fund schools when the Country was healthy. The result is that the state of education in your territory is utterly deplorable. Fixing that will be a project of years, and it demands its own department of government. Establish this department and set up the taxes you need to fund it. DC: 35. Successes Needed: 2. AP Limit: 3. Effect: Found the Department of Education, which will be responsible for establishing and standardizing public schools within the Commonwealth.
MANUAL MORATORIUM. APPROVAL VOTING. I WILL BE MODERATING WRITE-INS; TAG ME WITH YOURS.
Woo!
All right, here we go! I actually finished it! Hah! Suck it, sleep, you fucking nerd!
Nah, I'll be good. No work tomorrow! I hope you've enjoyed this, folks. Now, it has been a while since the last one of these, so make sure to let me know if you notice anything off. A lot has changed, so while I always recommend re-reading everything, I do so especially now! Have a close look and consider your options carefully.
Feels good to be back in writing. I've missed this. Sorry about the Rumor Mill; I'm not the biggest fan of them myself, and I know they're no substitute for a real update. Here's a promise: I'll never release one unless I have an update at least all the way to the polishing stage to be released later that same day.
Now, go nuts! Have fun! See y'all around the thread!
You can totally fuck over your allies and trust them to remain your allies.
And if you look at American actions during the cold war, it's actually preferable for your allies to be exploited dictatorships. Genuinely democratic governments might get ideas like disagreeing with you.
It's a lot easier to buy off a strong man and his lackeys than deal fairly with a democracy. And you get the bonus of getting to exploit all their wealth for for a real steal!
America had plenty of liberal democratic allies. Look at Western Europe. Our foreign policy was not consistently principled in favor of democracy or dictatorship, which is how we could be good friends with happy social democratic Germany and an imperial patron to brutal dictatorial Chile.
I mean, we don't know if the EU is actually that much of a check on Russia. The EU might not be a superpower, but barely holding Russia back by a nuclear deterrent alone.
And also, in a similar situation during the Cold War Liberal Democracies decided that the safest thing to do was to squash genuine liberal democracies and replace them with dictatorships because muh gommunism. It is absolutely not in their interests to allow genuine democracies to take root in America.
On the other hand, in a world where Russia's reach is waning, other possible great powers like China, India, and potential strong African states could be balanced against EU and Russian interests. That's where we should be looking. Outside of Europe to balance them. Play the Nasser game
Again, this is wrong. America decided to crush genuine liberal democracies in Central and South America while supporting liberal democracy in Western Europe. Our policy was not consistently antidemocratic.
We are currently opposing the EU's Russian enemies, so they should support us for realpolitik reasons. As far as I know, the EU has no ideological objections to social democracy. There is absolutely no reason I can think of for the EU to sponsor some kind of coup across the Atlantic, especially since a weakened Commonwealth would be helping their Russian enemies.
America sometimes acted out of an irrational belief that all Communist or Communist-adjacent groups were on the same side, but the Commonwealth is not a monarchist system. The EU has no ideological reason to hate or fear us, they have no realpolitik reason to weaken us, and they have every reason to support us as we trouble their Russian adversaries.
You seem remarkably confident that it isn't in the interests of the EU to allow genuine democracy to succeed in America....because? Even if they were all cold-hearted monsters who cared nothing for plucky underdog America rising from the ashes to confront the Bear, simple logic would cause them to cheer for the enemy of their enemy.
Tsar Alexander has died peacefully in his sleep, of old age. He is succeeded by Nikolai, his legitimate son. Princess Katerina has not been seen in public since the announcement.
