1911: Russian civil war continues((Note: a map will be added soonish))
KolotenslovAn attempt is made to weaponize your nuclear technology, and a small testing ground for said purpose is created. The involved scientists however are rather suprised, and tell you that so far, they have no idea how to weaponize the research. While it has been established that continued exposure to the radioactivity is apparently lethal, the times and amount of substance required make such a weapon problematic.
Planes are interesting observation and scouting assets, and as such it is logical that a capability to destroy those planes is required. While the machine gun is easily suited to this task, it's location is slightly problematic. One of our engineers came up with an idea for an interrupter gear, in order to allow the gun to fire through the propeller without destroying the blades. Of course, simples solutions such as reinforcing the blades, or mounting the guns on the wings could work as well. Lastly, there's also the option of mounting the engine in a pusher combination, freeing up the nose for machine gun placement.
ArgonesiaThe average Argonesian citizen lives a simple life. Diet is composed mainly of rice, with some variety depending on the local husbandry and/or availability of fish and alternative food sources. All in all, tradition still dominates the countryside, but remains influential even in cities. Import of goods is limited, being dominated by governement purchases for modernization. Export varies, but focuses mainly on resources, though sale of artisan artworks is also fairly influential.
Despite a few early mishaps, the introduction of steam engines into the mines has dramatically improved production, and allowed new mines to be tapped. However, the increasing depth has also meant an increase in risks, and combined with a significant increase in production is leading to increased accidents. The new smelting facility is under construction, and will be finished soon. Improvements in infrastructure have both projects to operate well, though even the new roads have trouble with the increased volume.
However, the greatly increasing demand for local labor, especially because of the mines and the new central smelting complex, has disturbed the local labor resources. Less well-of people from across Argonesia have come here to work, which is quickly resulting in the formation of a chaotic slum like complex near the Industrial facilities.
A railroad program is considered, but plans for a full, country wide program have to be dismissed. While the government does have the financial resources to install a few lines of it's own, even it doesn't have the financing to lay down an entire railroad network. Nevertheless, if some priorities were given, the introduction of railroads could be very beneficial to the local economy.
Development of an independent writing system has begun, though it remains a significant undertaking, especially if dealing with some of the more traditionalist parts of the government bureaucracy. Teaching it to the population might also be a rather significant endeavor.
Basing ourselves on Japanese training regimes, we have tried to improve our own military forces. The attempt has been mildly succesfull, and we succeeded without causing a diplomatic incident.
The Celestial Empire of ChinaAs primary trading hub in the Asiatic world, the trading coming in and leaving the Empire is significant. Aside from the classical artisan goods, which are slowly loosing their importance, the empire also exports a variety of advanced industrial products. The textile Industry is important, but so is the metallurgical industry, which produces everything from high quality steel to advanced machine parts. Some chemical industry, mainly focused on providing supplies for the local industry (primarily weapons-industry) exists as well.
The rising industrialization in Japan and Argonesia is becoming problematic though, and might result in restricted access to necessary raw materials.
Nevertheless, Industry booms, aided by preferential tax tariffs. This system is however less appreciated by foreign investors, who know see that their investments have trouble competing against domestic industrial partners. In addition, there's a problem with forces trying to circumvent these restrictions using local managers, operating for larger companies on a contractual basis.
Though the change upsets some of the more traditional elements of society, even though they retain a significant part of their influence, the educational systems are reformed. Soon, this should lead to a more competent administration system, which will hopefully benefit the local economy.
The Legions are raised, and are numerous. So numerous, in fact, that the purchases of weaponry are insufficient to outfit all of them, even though the agents went with affordable over state of the art. Nevertheless, the weaponry is a valuable asset, and agents secured some license production for our industry. Our enemy however, is hardly unarmed. Local warlords have been equipping themselves with Western weaponry, and though disorganized, could be dangerous.
Western United StatesThe West is blessed with a significant amount of mineral and natural resources. Coal and iron reserves serve excellent for a small, but expanding steel industry. Oil has been tapped in the South, and is increasingly being considered as the fuel source of the next century. Other metallic deposits exist, but are of lesser size and importance.
Industrialization commences, but competition is fierce. With Imperial Japan, Argonesia and China heavily focusing on expanding their industrial enterprises, as well as the ever present Germanian Industrial power, competition is hard. Demand is growing fast however, so everything remains mostly stable.
Experiments with blimps, or more accurately named, non-rigid airships, are successful. Though vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, which prevent operations during most of the monsoon season, the designs prove relatively ease to use and quick to deploy. As a scout and vantage point, they can greatly change the course of the war.
On the other hand, the Diesel-electric Submarines prove very promising as well. Designed to operate primarily on the surface, the submarine can submerge before attacking an enemy fleet using torpedo's. It carries a deck gun for engagement where the element of surprise is not needed, or when the torpedo's fail. Integrating the submarine into the army proves more problematic. Ideally, these would be great to operate behind enemy lines, attacking commercial vessels, but those operations would by necessity conflict with the prize rules. In practice, the submarines have not proven themselves to be capable of attacking and destroying warships, as they move to fast to be easily engaged with torpedo's.
The mass production of mobile yet armored artillery pieces proves problematic. In the end, the winning design is basically an armoured car, though severely restricted in it's movement options due to the heavier armor and armament.
AnglandExpansion of Industrial production capacity of the crown-owned corporation continues, despite the fact that competition is harsh and the slight protests of the privately owned industry, who are hardest hit by these events.
Resource deposits in the Anglandian Empire are significant, but often ill-exploited. While the coal and iron deposits on the home countries are well managed and exploited, those in the far reaches of Canada and Australia are ill situated and hard to reach. In the African protectorates, no resource production to speak of is occurring, barring the occasional privately owned venture.
The Londyn Academy of Sciences believes they have made important improvements with the introduction of an advanced steam turbine engine, which is faster and more reliable than the designs used before. However, fuel efficiency did suffer somewhat.
The research on aerial vehicles is split on two possible directions, either the heavier-than-air plane, or the lighter-than-air airship. Planes have the advantage of being both faster and more mobile than the large airships, while the latter have the advantage of greater payload, fuel efficiency and damage resistance.
With the aid of the Anglandian military, it appears that the the Red armies offensive is broken. New supplies allow the white army to regroup, while the blockades prevent the Red army from acquiring much needed weaponry. There's some international consternation at such a drastic intervention, though no one sees the necessity to intervene.
Report will be PM'd when I finish the map.
Update tomorrow.
hello gm sir
For the purposes of timing updates, I work on the Mercurian calender. (Sometimes)
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Topic: The World Set Free [5/5] Year: 1910 (Game Start) (Read 4247 times)