Yes, War Minister!

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The Ragnarok War has ended and left the world in change. The Alliance's victory over the Middle Realms took four years to be completed and engulfed the whole world in war. It also changed how war is fought and gave birth to many new nations. Without question, the next war will come, and we aren't prepared. That is your job! As the new Minister of War, you need to reshape and reform the military of our glorious nation so it can weather whatever might come.

This world closely resembles our own in the year 1919, both in the political and technological realities. Hopefully, you will manage the act of balancing the budget, continuing the modernization of your military, and the constant dance in the political arena.
Beginning

Jax

Location
Kiel; Germany
The greatest war the world has ever seen has ended. Ragnarok. It came and ended with the Alliance victories over the Middle Realms. In four years, the world saw more death and change than in the century before. Warfare has changed massively since the war began. Quickly, the honorable way of the soldier gave way to the reality of industrial warfare where machines triumph over the flesh. No longer is it the individual who decides a battle, but also the weapons he uses. Humanity took a step closer to the darkness of the abyss. Yet there is finally peace again, and the guns have fallen silent.

The world has changed forever, and we have to adjust to it if we wish to survive. Our defenses are weak, and it might soon be tested. That is why I entrust the Ministry of War to your hands. Prepare us, make sure we will survive the uncertain future that awaits us. The Ragnarok War is over, yet the world doesn't seem happy about the peace. Another war will come, another killing, and if we don't arm ourselves, we will be swept away.


You had found yourself nodding along when the head of government had held this little speech when you were named as the new Minister of War. You had agreed with this sentiment and thought that you knew what was expected of you. Now you weren't so sure anymore after you spent a month in your new job, adjusting. It would be more work than you had initially thought it would be, a task that would require you to reach beyond what was thought possible for a single person. And yet, you were resolved to do your duty to your country and your people. When war finally came, not if, but when, your nation would be prepared!



Pick your Nation!

[ ] The Neutral Spectator
Under the gracious rulership of Queen-Chancellor Wilhelmina, our Glorious Merchant Republic of Nederland avoided the madness of the Ragnarok War. As the continent was burning around us and our military stood ready to defend our lands, we still made an excellent Gulden out of it all. Selling goods to both sides and staying neutral. This has kept us safe, but we now have only a few friends in the world. The Alliance nations see us as war profiteers, vultures, and the Middle Nations think we squeezed the last money out of them in their difficult times. We don't know from where the first blow might come, but we're reasonably sure that it might happen, especially as the Queen-Chancellor has allowed several nobles from the Middle Realms the right of Exile in our lands. And we also have to think about our colonial possessions overseas. The Ragnarok War has shown how easily such colonies might be lost when facing a powerful naval nation.

Pros:
  • Established Army and Navy
  • Requires industry to maintain the status quo
  • Intact economy

Cons:
  • Army and Navy needs to modernize
  • Colonies far away
  • No friends on the world stage


[ ] The Formerly Suppressed
For the longest time, Polonia wasn't free, the last time almost a hundred years ago. Since then, we had to endure the Middle Realms' boots and the Noble Confederation of Rusk. Our people fought on both sides, some freely, others forced. Now, thanks to the Alliance, we're finally free, but our borders aren't clear yet. We will have to fight for what we have and might ultimately gain. Some locations that have historical importance to our people or are settled by our people aren't in our temporary borders. Our war isn't that far away, and we might need to act quickly. Our lack of ocean access especially might be a problem in the future. Hopefully, the foreign minister can solve the problem. If not, your ministry might be asked to do so.

Pros:
  • Experienced soldiers from the Ragnarok War
  • Patriotic population
  • Support of the government

Cons:
  • No industry to support the Military
  • Equipment is a mishmash
  • No clear army organization


[ ] The Freed Colony
In the Far East lies our land, the former colony of Formosa. Before the Ragnarok War, we were the heart of the trade with the Asiatic lands and our home country, the Bavarian Empire. When the war came, we fought against Albion's might but lost, even if it cost them. That made it clear that we wouldn't simply leave the colony after the war was over. Albion forced us to declare independence and made it clear we weren't allowed to rejoin the Empire or battle would return. Grudgingly, we agreed. At least we are mostly our own masters. The problem is that we need to ensure the right people will hold power. The locals can't be trusted, and our Asiatic neighbors are starting to realize that we don't have the backing of an Empire behind us anymore.

Pros:
  • Island nation
  • Trade Hub
  • Navy Support facilities

Cons:
  • No Armed forces
  • Colonial Subjects are the majority
  • Asiatic Nations smell your weakness


Pick your Minister!

[ ] The Full Blood
Your career is that of a typical politician. You started slow and far away from power but rose to it. Now you finally have your first office of any meaning, and you will fight anyone who tries to take it away from you. But this also means you have to prove yourself to the world. Your rivals are watching and just waiting for the first scandal.
+1 Budget Action (random)

[ ] The Former Officer
-[ ] Navy Officer
-[ ] Army Officer
You served with honor in your country's military for years and reached a high rank. When your time was up, you left the force with an impressive career at your back. When your head of government approached you and offered the Ministry of War, you felt the call of duty and took it. Also, you hope to turn the tide from the usual bureaucrat that occupies the ministry.
+1 Budget Action for either Navy or Army

[ ] The Reluctant
You weren't prepared when you were given the Warminster's position and had, secretly, hoped for a position as the Minister of Education. But when the two candidates for the Ministry of War decided to take their competition a bit too far and killed each other in a duel of honor, you were the only one left that had the needed gravitas. Oh well, off to the meatheads, it seems.
+1 Budget Action Research
 
Rules
Action
The number of actions you can take is limited by the budget your ministry gets. You need to funnel the budget down to the different departments so they can work. In the departments, you choose what actions these take.

Budget
The Budget is represented by a number given at the beginning of a turn. You will need at least 1 Budget in any department to keep it running. Any additional Budget can be used for actions. You can spend more than 1 Budget per action to get an additional d100 if you want, showing priority projects.

Departments
Your ministry is made up of different departments that control different parts of the Military. Each of them needs money to work properly or begin to live off the substance of the things they have. In the beginning, you've only a small number of departments: Research, Army, and Navy. You can gain other departments later on.

Rolls
Only a single d100 will be rolled per action, with added modifiers if they exist. The result will add to the Progress Counter, which needs to be filled, so an action happens. If it isn't filled with a single roll representing a complex action, a delay has occurred, or something else.

Research
You have different fields where you can do research or build up expertise. This shows your nation's development. This is shown by a level and a small description to give you an understanding of where you are. You will also see how many experience points you need to reach the next level, these are earned through actions.



You can start Voting
 
War Ministry of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Formosa
Country Description
In the Far East lies our land, the former colony of Formosa. Before the Ragnarok War, we were the heart of the trade with the Asiatic lands and our home country, the Bavarian Empire. When the war came, we fought against Albion's might but lost, even if it cost them. That made it clear that we wouldn't simply leave the colony after the war was over. Albion forced us to declare independence and made it clear we weren't allowed to rejoin the Empire or battle would return. Grudgingly, we agreed. At least we are mostly our own masters. The problem is that we need to ensure the right people will hold power. The locals can't be trusted, and our Asiatic neighbors are starting to realize that we don't have the backing of an Empire behind us anymore.

Minister Description
Your career is that of a typical politician. You started slow and far away from power but rose to it. Now you finally have your first office of any meaning, and you will fight anyone who tries to take it away from you. But this also means you have to prove yourself to the world. Your rivals are watching and just waiting for the first scandal.
+1 Budget Action (random)

Positiv Modifiers
  • Island nation: +10 on all Navy Rolls
  • Trade Hub: +10 on all Trade Supporting Actions
  • Navy Support facilities: +10 on repairing and building ships
Negative Modifiers
  • No Armed forces: -10 on all Army Rolls
  • Colonial Subjects are the majority: -10 on all Military Rolls
  • Asiatic Nations smell your weakness: -10 on all Operation outside the home territory
Doom Clocks
  • Native Rebellion: 1 of 10
  • Communist Rebellion: 5 of 10
  • Citizen Military Coup: 5 of 10
Current Department Projeckts
  • Army Budget ?
    • None
  • Navy Budget ?
    • None
  • Research Budget?
    • None
  • Air Force (Not accessible)
  • Army Intelligence (Not accessible)
  • Navy Intelligence (Not accessible)
  • Air Force Intelligence (Not accessible)
  • Special Research Department (Not accessible)
Randome Budget Roll

Roll
Department

1
Army

2
Army Intelligence

3
Air Force

4
Air Force Intelligence

5
Research

6
Players Choice

7
Special Research Department

8
Players Choice

9
Navy Intelligence

10
Navy
 
Turn 1 - Early 1919
Minister,

As you're aware, the world suffers through the aftermath of the Ragnarok War and our forced independence by the damned Albions. Our island faces several problems at the moment that need your attention, so I made a report for you about our military state. Or more accurate, the lack thereof. Therefore, according to the Prime Minister's Special Executive Order, we've been given 10 Budget to establish the Republic's armed forces.

In terms of the army, we lack everything. From manpower to essential equipment, thanks to the Albions confiscating anything larger than a revolver. Even before the war, our official police force wasn't that well equipped, and that hasn't changed. In fact, we're worse off than before, mostly as the Ministry of Internal Affairs has made it clear that we can't use the remaining police force for our operations. Any real rifles have been taken by them, and the remainder is in the hands of the citizen militias we called up during the Albion invasion. As you might guess, they are reluctant to give them back. We suspect that they might have even more equipment than we gave them, probably coming from the Dragon Realms.

Which brings me to the Navy. We have some cutters, they are not much, but a boat with a machine gun on it is still better than a boat without one if you ask me. They are used for patrols around the island, but they are too few to actually control said waters. At least we have the facilities to support them. The Empire's former naval support facilities still remain on the island, as do the workers. In theory, we can serve anything up to a Battlecruiser here. If we had any of them, that is.

Our Research Department is, at the moment, one guy in a room down the floor from your office. You may also know the room as the Library of the War Ministry. Most of the books are from before the war, so it is doubtful how much help they might provide but better than nothing. And the guy in charge of it is incredibly motivated. He has paid for several subscriptions for military magazines by himself (until I pointed out he didn't have to).

That is all for now, Minister. Please take a look at the attached files. They hold wish lists from the different departments for you.

Your Adjutant



Minister,

Be advised that we might face military action from the Empire of the Sun against us soon. Prepare our defense as fast as possible!

The Prime Minister



Rumours & News

News: Peace talks slow
Talks between the Alliance and the Middle Realms are slow and filled with much emotion. Both sides want peace, as the war can't continue, but it seems the Middle Realms won't accept much of what is demanded. The Gaul representative has pointed out that his government wouldn't have a problem with a new offensive towards the Ruhr […]

News: Rising Sun demands Formosa
In a stunning move, the Rising Sun Empire has demanded that Formosa be turned over to them and the young Republic of Formosa be dismantled. According to their own claims that have been dismissed by both Albion and Gaul, Rising Sun was promised the large island by the Alliance. Unsurprisingly the loudest protest against these demands came from Formosa's Prime Minister [...]

News: Rising Sun and Dragon Realms stir towards conflict
The two largest nations in East Asia are on the way to open conflict after troops of the Rising Sun opened fire on a group of Dragon Realm soldiers after they got lost. According to the Rising Sun Empire, they had crossed the border and threatened violence when offered to be led back to their own country. The Dragon Realms' official statement puts a different light on the incident, according to them [...]

News: Formosa Special Police Brigade - The future of Law Enforcement?
In a stunning move that surprised many, the Ministry for Inner Affairs informed the public of two new units that have been formed under the auspices of the newly formedSpecial Police Brigade and are heavily armed and equipped with cars and lorries. The idea behind this is to quickly reinforce local police forces should an uprising or disturbance of the peace happen. Criticism came from the Ministry of War, saying the funds and equipment could be better used elsewhere [...]

Rumour: Communism on the Rise
Apparently, the natives have found a copy of Carl Marx's book on capitalism and liked it. There is a rumour that they are preparing a communist revolution.

Rumour: The Militias Rebellion
Doing the war, we formed militias out of volunteers from our white colonists. They fought a bloody war against the Albion troops and are still up at arms. There is a rumour that they plan to overthrow the government.

Rumour: Selloff by the Bavarian Empire
The rumour started in the foreign office. Apparently, our old homeland, the Bavarian Empire, is trying to sell military equipment. Their government seems to expect a high demand for money soon, so they only sell for gold. Several nations seem to be interested. We don't know what they are going to sell. If they sell, that is.



Replace the "#" with the number of Budget you wish to give to a department. Note that all departments need at least 1 Budget only for upkeep. A department can survive for 2 turns without upkeep.
Each point of the Budget means 1d100 that can be spent on an action. You can assign more than 1d100 per action.


Random Budget Roll: Air Force, any action that has to do with creating an air force gets 1d100 for free. Note: you may only use it for one action. Add to your "(#)" a 1B like this: (1+1B). If not used, the bonus die will be lost and not carried over.

Army Budget (#)
[ ] Army Upkeep (1 max.)
Keeping an army running costs money. You have to spend some to keep it running, or else the Army needs to make some cuts.
Progress: n/a

[ ] Getting Rifles (#)
-[ ] Empire of the Rising Sun
-[ ] Dragon Realms (+50 Progress for lack of quality)
-[ ] Holy Sultanate (+25 Progress for lack of quality)
-[ ] Gaul Federation (-25 Progress for former Enemy)
-[ ] Kingdom of Albion (-50 Progress for their Plan)
-[ ] Bavarian Empire (+75 Progress for old ties)
-[ ] United American Confederation
We need rifles to arm our troops. We don't have any after the police claimed our existing stock, and the militias won't give back what we handed out during the Albion invasion. So, we need new ones to equip the boys properly. Lacking any facilities to build our own, that means buying them. Jolly good for us that a major war just ended, the market is rather oversaturated.
Progress: 0 from 100

[ ] Recruitment drive (#)
-[ ] Allow natives in the lower ranks (+25 Progress, new Doom Clock)
-[ ] Ask Parliament for Compulsory Service (+50 Progress)
An army without soldiers does not exist. At the moment, we need to recruit more offensively to form up the core of the future Army. We have different approaches for that. We just need to decide on one.
Progress: 0 from 100

[ ] Get the Boys back (#)
Note: Might affect other actions and doom clocks
For some reason, the militias we formed to defend against the invasion haven't disbanded when we asked them to. Many of them feel that their fight has been betrayed by us when we accepted Albion's demands. They are battle-hardened and would be a great launching point for a future army, even if only a small number of them decide to not return to their old lives.
Progress: 0 from 150

[ ] Heavy Bang (#)
-[ ] Empire of the Rising Sun
-[ ] Dragon Realms (+50 Progress for lack of quality)
-[ ] Holy Sultanate (+25 Progress for lack of quality)
-[ ] Bavarian Empire (+75 Progress for old ties)
-[ ] United American Confederation
Besides rifles, we will need heavy ordnance if we want to be taken seriously by any attackers. Thanks to the treaty that saw our Republic's birth, we had to hand over the few proper artillery pieces we had. But in the future, our Army will need its artillery support if they encounter any enemy. So, we need to buy them.
Progress: 0 from 200

[ ] Light Bang (#)
-[ ] Empire of the Rising Sun
-[ ] Dragon Realms (+50 Progress for lack of quality)
-[ ] Holy Sultanate (+25 Progress for lack of quality)
-[ ] Bavarian Empire (+75 Progress for old ties)
-[ ] United American Confederation
The few officers we have all agree that our pitiful, small infantry will need direct fire support by machine guns and artillery pieces. Otherwise, a modern, and therefore successful, approach will be doomed from the start.
Progress: 0 from 150

[ ] High in the Sky (#)
The officers have asked for aircraft that can be used as spotters and observers for the troops on the ground. In the war, it has been proven that such mechanical wonders are needed to win a fight. Sadly, this also means that other nations are very reluctant to sell their flying machines, even the Bavarian Empire.
Progress: 0 From 300



Navy Budget (#)
[ ] Navy Upkeep (1 max.)
The few cutters we currently call our navy need repairs, fuel, and so on. Better the navy has everything they need for day-to-day business.
Progress: n/a

[ ] Harbour Defense (#)
Part of the terms the Albions demanded was removing any heavy guns in our naval fortifications. This has left us with only small guns, strong enough to fire at civilian ships or light warships but nothing more. An offensive defense is impossible with these, but we could move them to new positions that would allow us to fire at anything in harbors. An ambush might bring us victory.
Progress: 0 from 100

[ ] Dismantle the Harbour Defense (#)
Note: Might affect other actions and doom clocks
Some in the navy are suggesting we should dismantle our harbour defense. Their argument is that no attack on harbours was pushed back by the guns installed in harbour defenses in the last war. They suggest we could use the guns in other ways, for example, to build a cutter with a more potent armament.
Progress: 0 from 100

[ ] Warships needed (#)
Note: Might affect other actions and doom clocks
To defend our Island, we will need real warships. It is somewhat unrealistic to hope for any dreadnoughts, but we can make an attacker's life interesting with much lighter forces. Torpedo boats, destroyers, and maybe even submarines could become handy. We have the facilities to build them, in theory, but we lack the experience. So we need to either buy that experience or commission from other nations. A study is required to see what is more cost-effective.
Progress: 0 from 75

[ ] Reinforce the Cutters (#)
Note: Needs Dismantle the Harbour Defense
Note 2: Will add a new trait
Note 3: Any progress not used for
Dismantle the Harbour Defense will be added.
Our cutters are small, but two of them are former high-sea whale hunters. We can install heavier pieces of equipment on these two and give them a real punch. They won't be proper warships, but that doesn't mean they can't deliver. This will be a good starting point to train our future crews.
Progress: 0 from 100

[ ] Flying Fish (#)
The navy wants their own aircraft. They say it would allow them to better patrol the sea and direct the few ships we have. It sounds good, and according to reports from the war, aircraft have proven their worth. Especially zeppelins, we should find some that we can buy and use for the navy.
Progress: 0 from 300

[ ] Operation: Strike Down (#)
We know that our waters are used by smugglers and other criminals, thanks to the fact that they are our territories, but we lack the force to adequately patrol them. Well, it is time to teach them that it is no longer the case. Assemble our troops and deliver a decisive strike against criminal activities in our waters.
Progress: 0 from 300



Research Budget (#)
[ ] Research Upkeep (1 max.)
Currently, our Research Department is a single guy in a room full of old military books that have nothing newer than shortly before the Ragnarok War. Yet, he still needs money to pay for different subscriptions to military magazines and other "sources," as he puts it.

[ ] New Lessons (#)
-[ ] Infantry
-[ ] Cavalry
-[ ] Artillery
-[ ] Navy
-[ ] Air Force
-[ ] Tank
Note: You need to add at least 1 Budget per subcategory
Note 2: Each Lesson has a counter of 100

The Ragnarok War has changed many things, be it equipment or tactics. We should start getting a deeper understanding of modern warfare before it is too late to learn these lessons. Our own theoretical sources are outdated by at least two decades.

[ ] Lessons of our part in the Ragnarok War
Our own part in the war was relatively small and short-lived. Still, we could learn from our own experience a great deal as it involved our homeland directly. Two areas could give us useful knowledge. For one, the brief naval campaign that the Bavarian Navy waged against the Royal Albion Navy early in the war. Secondly, the invasion of our homeland from the Albions. Although we lost consequently, we saw a small handful of victories during both.
Progress 0 from 200



[ ] New Department (#)
-[ ] Air Force
-[ ] Army Intelligence
-[ ] Navy Intelligence
-[ ] Air Force Intelligence
-[ ] Special Research Department
Note: You need to add at least 1 Budget per subcategory
Specialist Departments can better deal with problems in their fields of expertise. We should form new departments as the need arises or else we might overwhelm older branches with too many tasks.



Political Actions
Choose 1 Option from below

[ ] More Equality
The Ministry of Inner Affairs has a tendency to recruit the best of our white population for the police, as they don't trust our native subjects. This leaves us short on recruits for the lower ranks and the off soldiers. We should push in parliament to open the military positions to native men to ease the access for replacements.

[ ] The Special Police Brigades
The Ministry of Inner Affairs has gained an advantage from us with the SPB. After they stole rifles from the Army, they now have taken almost all trucks on the island. Enough is enough! We need these trucks for our own operations. Let us pressure the Ministry to give them over to us and disband the SPB.

[ ] Publicity
We should build up the image of the Ministry of War in the public's eyes. We're still new in comparison to the other ministries. That is simply because our duties were fulfilled in the past by the Bavarian Empire's colonial troops. We've much to prove and better start with communicating what we do to our population.

[ ] Concerning Jobs
Currently, we have an almost complete support facility for a fleet sitting in our harbour and doing nothing but serving our small fleet of coast guard cutters. Point out to Parlament what a waste it is and ask the Foreign Ministry to offer other nations our service as a supply hub. The major players may have colonies here, but only a few have such an elaborate supporting facility. And even if other navies are unwilling, civilian companies might see different.



A six-hour Moritorum will give you the time to ask questions and discuss the possible plans.
Please use the [ ] Plan-name format for easier telly.
 
Turn 1 Results - Mid 1919
Army Budget (1)
[x] Army Upkeep (1 max.)
Keeping an army running costs money. You have to spend some to keep it running, or else the Army needs to make some cuts.
Progress: n/a

[x] Getting Rifles (1)
-[x] Bavarian Empire (+75 Progress for old ties)
We need rifles to arm our troops. We don't have any after the police claimed our existing stock, and the militias won't give back what we handed out during the Albion invasion. So, we need new ones to equip the boys properly. Lacking any facilities to build our own, that means buying them. Jolly good for us that a major war just ended, the market is rather oversaturated.
Progress: 142 from 100

It seems that reports from Europe underestimated how desperate the Empire was to sell its arsenal. Rifles are especially plentiful after the Imperial Army was drastically reduced in its numbers. Even with the rise of so-called Freikorps, there are far too many rifles in stock, and the new government needs money desperately. Our man sent to the Empire has returned with a written contract, promising us enough rifles to arm three divisions and enough ammunition for them for a short campaign on the Western Front. It was both good and sad news when you heard about it.

The sadness stems from the memory of what was lost. At the same time, you're happy about the excellent deal that you managed to land. It will make your job much easier to give your men something to fight with. The G98 was a well-made rifle with a great range and an even greater punch. The Imperial Army had it in use for twenty years, so it should be good enough for the Republic.



[x] Recruitment drive (2)
-[x] Allow natives in the lower ranks (+25 Progress, new Doom Clock)
An army without soldiers does not exist. At the moment, we need to recruit more offensively to form up the core of the future Army. We have different approaches for that. We just need to decide on one.
Progress: 142 from 100

In parliament, you found an unusual ally to ram your proposal to allow natives into the army through. With the Native Alliance and the Communist Party, the Equality Union gave you the votes needed against the more conservative block of your own party. Now you're seen by some as a traitor. But you could live with that. After all, they allowed the police to recruit exclusively from the white population. Considering the Army required more warm bodies than the police ever would need, what did they expect? That you would recruit women? How absurd!

You could live with the mean comment behind your back or the fact that the Communist have started to call you "Comrade Warminster," not only in parliament but also in their party newspaper.

All that matters is that you have enough soldiers to fill two divisions, even if two-thirds of them are Ching-Chongs. Hmm, maybe you should stop calling them that. Most of your soldiers are natives now.



[x] Get the Boys back (1)
Note: Might affect other actions and doom clocks
For some reason, the militias we formed to defend against the invasion haven't disbanded when we asked them to. Many of them feel that their fight has been betrayed by us when we accepted Albion's demands. They are battle-hardened and would be a great launching point for a future army, even if only a small number of them decide to not return to their old lives.
Progress: 39 from 150

The propaganda campaign to get the militiamen back, especially their weapons, mostly fell on deaf ears. Only the ones that had been loyal to the government in the first place followed the request and gave their weapons up. Some of them even took the option to enlist in the army as officers or NCOs, but most simply returned to the old life they had lived before the war. Sadly that is the end of the good news.

The bad news was twofold. For one, a large number of militiamen refused to give up their weapons. They fear that another invasion might come from the Empire of the Sun in the face of the recent rhetoric coming from the Major Power. Then there are those among the militia who fear the government itself or see it as the enemy. For these, you have become something of a personal enemy after you allowed Ching-Chongs into the army. It is the first sign that you will try to overpower the proper government to rule as the King of the natives – or so they claim. A laughable idea, but they seem hellbent on it. It isn't helpful that the Communists and Equalists are your loudest supporters when it comes to political discourse.

[x] Light Bang (1)
-[x] Bavarian Empire (+75 Progress for old ties)
The few officers we have all agree that our pitiful, small infantry will need direct fire support by machine guns and artillery pieces. Otherwise, a modern, and therefore successful, approach will be doomed from the start.
Progress: 99 from 150

The good news with regards to supporting weapons such as machine guns, mortars, and light cannons is that we have a great deal! As with the rifles, the Empire is rather desperate to get money. This allowed us to choose between some of the best weapons that were available for sale. Things were looking rather good, and the shipment was underway when it was suddenly intercepted by the Gaul Navy. The reason was rather flimsy, and we can force Gaul to give us our weapons, which are rightfully ours. But that will take much time, as our own Foreign Ministry has noted. Apparently, large parts of Gaul's administration have rallied against us and will continue to make it harder for us to get the weapons.

But a solution has been suggested by the Foreign Ministry of Gaul. If we would buy military equipment from them, they could use their own influence to ensure we get our weapons. This is blackmail of the highest order, and giving in won't be cheap, but it will give us the guns our soldiers need. It is a possibility we should consider.



Navy Budget (1)
[x] Navy Upkeep (1 max.)
The few cutters we currently call our navy need repairs, fuel, and so on. Better the navy has everything they need for day-to-day business.
Progress: n/a

[x] Warships needed (1)
Note: Might affect other actions and doom clocks
To defend our Island, we will need real warships. It is somewhat unrealistic to hope for any dreadnoughts, but we can make an attacker's life interesting with much lighter forces. Torpedo boats, destroyers, and maybe even submarines could become handy. We have the facilities to build them, in theory, but we lack the experience. So we need to either buy that experience or commission from other nations. A study is required to see what is more cost-effective.
Progress: 33 from 75

Apparently, the question is more complicated than expected and the reports aren't fully finished yet. Until the study is finished, we still have to guess what would be better. As annoying as it is, there isn't much we can do about it.



Research Budget (1)
[x] Research Upkeep (1 max.)
Currently, our Research Department is a single guy in a room full of old military books that have nothing newer than shortly before the Ragnarok War. Yet, he still needs money to pay for different subscriptions to military magazines and other "sources," as he puts it.

[x] New Lessons (1)
-[x] Air Force
Note: You need to add at least 1 Budget per subcategory
Note 2: Each Lesson has a counter of 100

Progress: 1 from 100
The Ragnarok War has changed many things, be it equipment or tactics. We should start getting a deeper understanding of modern warfare before it is too late to learn these lessons. Our own theoretical sources are outdated by at least two decades.

You aren't sure, but you heard some plane sounds out of the room of that single research guy we have. But you're still waiting for the paper about how an air force would influence future wars. Well, you have to wait a bit longer it seems.



[x] New Department (1b)
-[x] Air Force
Note: You need to add at least 1 Budget per subcategory
Specialist Departments can better deal with problems in their fields of expertise. We should form new departments as the need arises or else we might overwhelm older branches with too many tasks.
Progress: 88 from 100

You, and everyone else, don't have the slightest idea how to use the Air Force – the training comes up good enough. The pilots are training and learning military skills as well as how to use their aircraft. At the moment, Formosa has only three planes, thanks to the Air Enthusiasts' Club from the capital. It is not much, but a small beginning, even if the pilots aren't truly ready yet.



Political Actions
Choose 1 Option from below

[x] Concerning Jobs
Currently, we have an almost complete support facility for a fleet sitting in our harbour and doing nothing but serving our small fleet of coast guard cutters. Point out to Parliament what a waste it is and ask the Foreign Ministry to offer other nations our service as a supply hub. The major players may have colonies here, but only a few have such an elaborate supporting facility. And even if other navies are unwilling, civilian companies might see different.

Your suggestion wasn't that well regarded by the Ministry of Inner Affairs. They commented quickly when your suggestions hit the papers to open the gate for any potential invader to allow other nations' warships to use these facilities. He condemned you for it and made clear how shocked he was that Formosa's own War Minister could even suggest something like that. It seemed like another long battle would be needed to be fought on the floors of parliament.

That was, until your proposal was defended by the most unusual alliance the world had ever seen. This alliance was proof that hell could freeze, or so some commenters had put it. The communists threw their support behind Comrade Warminster and were backed by the liberal, ultra-capitalist Forwärts Party. Usually, if one party stated the sky was blue, the other would fight back and argue it was green. But for the first time, they stood united, a move so stunning that everyone was surprised.
 
Turn 1 Decisions - Mid 1919
Please only choose one sub-category per action!

[ ] Divisions
-[ ] Form two divisions (Mixed)
-[ ] Form two divisions (Segregated)
-[ ] Form one division (Mixed)
-[ ] Form one division (Segregated)
We have enough volunteers to form up to two divisions, with enough equipment to form a third one should the need for that appear on the horizon. Two questions need answers. First, how many divisions should we create? Secondly, will these units be mixed or segregated by race?

To give some perspective on the first question, we have to look at our current army. We have enough personnel to train two divisions. They would be on par with the regular units of our neighbors. Alternatively, we could concentrate on a single division first and train it up to the standards of Europe.

For the second question, we have a bit of a problem. In theory, we can form a mixed unit, the officer will still be white. That would be a welcome sign to your new supporters in the left corner of the political arena, but that is risky. Many of the more conservative parts of society didn't like that we allowed natives to become NCOs. If we went for a mixed approach, they would be on the barricades for sure. The decision is yours.

Rifles for 3 Divisions
Men for 2 Divisions, 2 / 3 are natives




[ ] Gaul's offer
-[ ] Just let the Foreign Office do its job. We might need to invest a bit more of our Budget.
-[ ] Take the offer (Completes Light Bang and adds 100 Tanks, -1 Budget next Turn)
-[ ] Take the offer (Completes Light Bang and adds 30 Fighters, -1 Budget next Turn)

The Gauls have made it clear that they will do anything to hold the equipment back that we need so desperately to outfit our first military force. We can do nothing, but that means the equipment will be massively delayed. But they have suggested that we might buy some things from their inventories and the Gaul General Staff would look into the matter – discreetly of course – and find a way to solve any issues.

What they're offering isn't bad. Actually, it is top-notch. Most of it is modern equipment used during the Ragnarok War or built for it shortly before its end. We aren't forced to buy lousy equipment. In fact, it is a great offer, but it leaves a bad taste behind.
 
Voting closed
Voting is closed!

Plan Divisions wins.

Adhoc vote count started by Jax on Apr 10, 2021 at 5:03 AM, finished with 20 posts and 11 votes.

  • [X] Plan We will not be blackmailed
    -[X] Divisions
    --[X] Form one division (Mixed)
    -[X] Gaul's offer
    --[X] Just let the Foreign Office do its job. We might need to invest a bit more of our Budget.
    [X] Divisions
    -[X] Form one division (Mixed)
    [X] Gaul's offer
    -[X] Take the offer (Completes Light Bang and adds 30 Fighters, -1 Budget next Turn)
    [X] Divisions
    [X] Plan Mix It Like A Cocktail
Jax threw 1 10-faced dice. Reason: Budget Action (random) Total: 3
3 3
 
Last edited:
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