Destiny of Empires [Diplo Game] [Story Thread 7 - April 2011]

[England (DoE)]

There is no need for a chairmanship vote. England, as well as everyone else except France apparently, approves of the Inca.

As Catherine indicated, the return of London is non-negotiable. As Catherine also pointed out, it was the French who settled toward me not the other way around. But of course, as Catherine pointed out as well, aggressive behavior is ok if it is directed toward England. The evil Viking-Neandor-French Axis has nothing but greed and blood lust. England would be eternally crippled without our beloved capitol. We will never end this war if that is the consequence.

[France (DoE)]

It came to me now that none of you never actually wanted a just peace.

Dear Catherine...

You were very kind to my sister, so I speak from the heart here.

You will never know how close we were to peace. And I can say it was damn close. We were this close to giving General Jugan in North Africa the 'stand-down' order. Your demand for an immediate 'statement' from us, followed by the delay in playing, followed by the declaration of war tipped the balance I am afraid. We will now see where this takes us.

Phillipe

[France (DoE)]

The Battle of Tangiers



General Nicolas-Joseph Jugan was not the highest-ranking military officer in France. That was Marshal Maray commanding the French forces in England. Nor was he the second highest. That was General Carpentier commanding the mainland forces and mobile reserve. But General Jugan was the commander of the French Arrmy of North Africa, and that was one of the largest military forces in the world.

General Jugan had spent a restless night waiting for word from Paris. The Ottoman army had withdrawn two days ago from the hills overlooking Tangiers, but they were still on French soil, and still represented a threat, either now or in the future. This was not Jugan's decision to make. This was the King's.

At 2am they received the fateful signal from across the straight. Two adjacent fires. The signal to attack. Jugan immediately gave the orders, and his aides quickly communicated those to the regimental commanders. The Army of North Africa began to move.

Using the road past the Cervaux mine works, General Jugan led his troops to a position overlooking the wheat fields where the Ottoman had camped for the night. The Ottomans were led by an experienced commander, General Dramali Pasha.



His scouts had forewarned him of the approaching French. He had anticipated such a move and established a defensive line along the Cervaux River. The strength of his army were the mighty janissaries, highly disciplined musket troops. They awaited quietly in the early morning light, at arms in the golden fields of wheat, awaiting the French assault.



The first shots were fired by the French artillery, with waves of catapult fire pummeling the Ottoman troops. They suffered horrendous losses. While still reeling from the effects of the bombardment, General Jugan ordered the French heavy horse to hit the Turks, targetting the janissaries



The charge was successful, with most of the elite Ottoman troops going down. The losses to the knights were severe; the muskets of the janissaries had taken their toll. Jugan now ordered the rest of his army to advance. The two armies met, and the largest battle the world had seen engulfed the gentle wheat fields and plains next to the sea.



But the Ottomans, outnumbered, hammered by artillery fire, and having seen their elite troops defeated, were no match for the French this day. Unit after unit was overrun and destroyed. The few survivors broke for Carthage.



The road to Carthage was not a safe haven. The light chariots of the French, very experienced in movement across the North African desert terrain moved towards Carthage. They ran down a unit of Russian scouts who were no doubt observing the battle. And moving on Carthage, they surprised the defending axe unit, defeating it and razing the city.

General Jugan, and the French Army, had won a major victory.

[India (DoE)]

Indian announcement in reply to Incan errors

It seems there exists a misunderstanding in the Incan throneroom or bureaucracy as it is apparently believed erroneously that India is a puppet state to Neandor, as well as having no legal claim to Australia. Though we have repudiated these statements previously, we feel they are of such importance that we must repeat them.

1. India is an independent nation and we have used every chance to show this in both action and words.
1.1. India refused a Chinese offer to become a puppet.
1.2 India used its strategic position to make deals with many nations that benefitted India, including a deal with Neandor.
1.3 India is NOT a puppet of Neandor
1.3.1 Making a deal with a more powerful foreign nation does not result in a status of servitude or vassalage. The deal consisted mainly in India giving access to sea-lanes which only we had control over in return for Neandorian military assistance in case of attack. This is a strategic arrangement to defend Indian and Neandorian colonies in the region and in no way affect India's independence or our neutrality. These are not empty words, we have shown our policy in action by signing a Peace Treaty with England, as our agreement with Neandor includes only mutual defence of possessions in the East Indies region.

2. India has a legal claim to lands in Australia.
2.1 India through its strategic position was before the age of Astronomy able to refuse all nations access to Australia by blocking our sea lanes. The only nations that could reach Australia when India had closed those sea-lanes were China and Japan. As such, by being sole controllers of the access to Australia from the west, we have a greater claim on it than any nation of the west.
2.2 China has no claim to Australia whatsoever.
2.2.1 China has no overseas possessions, nor do they possess a navy or a naval tradition, nor do they have any need of more lands as they currently are among the largest empires in the world. Neither have they shown any interest or made any claims upon those lands. As such there are only two nearby empires that have a claim to them, India and Japan
2.2.2 India and Japan have discussed and negotiated borders and agreements, forming a regional international consensus. As the nearest sea-faring empires India and Japan have both acknowledged each other's holdings and rights to holdings in the region.

In summary, India is a free and independent nation and we will act freely and independently. Furthermore, we have made treaties regarding the division of the East Indies as well as Australia with all legal claimholders. As such we consider the matter ended. As for counterclaims, let us make a statement that it is clear and obvious to all that Inca is a puppet of China. This is made clear by them arguing for the handover of English and Indian colonies to China and Japan. As we believe this is not in reality the desires of China, India will request from its good neighbour China to reign in the Incan foreign office based in Beijing (sic!) and instruct it to adhere to the regional power's official treaties.

[Israel (DoE)]

Public Statement of the Israelian Sanhedrin

The people of Israel, G'd's people, want to re-clarify their position in this world;
Despite the believe that Yeshuah of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem, a city in Israel, the people of Israel believe in G'd YHWH, the most High G'd Adonai. We do NOT follow this blasphemer who claimed to be the son of G'd. He was killed outside the city of Jerusalem (now Damascus) by the Ottomans. And despite the many rumors, he did not raise from the grave.

There are no christians in Israel. Nowhere. There is no christian minority. The fact that we sell bits of merchandise to the christian pilgrims doesn't mean that we acknowledge this religion of blasphemy. It only means that our laws are not against making profit out goims who come to Israel. And that is what we do.

Please stop refering to Israel as a christian nation. Christ may have been a Jew, jews aren't christians.
We do not eat pig meat so stop offering it to us. It is not kosher. The pig is considered to be unclean in Israel. We do not eat it.

Israel is the people of G'd. While the other nations in the world are lead by minor gods or angels, we are the chosen people of G'd. We are not surprised that the evil angels are turning towards eachother, especially the christian ones, pulling all nations on earth in one big world war. We are above this form of earthly warfare and patiently await the paradise of Shalom that will bring the true Shalom to earth by the Messiach.

Till then we will only act to undo the wrongs of the past.

Rabbi Amram Goan
Leader of the Sanhedrin
The highest official administrative organ of Israel

[Germany (DoE)]

Homo-neanderphobia is spreading

A new illness spreads across the world, homo-neanderphobia.

Veneta was quite distressed seeing this illness spreading like a virus, infecting the minds of even good people. Words like "evil" and "puppet-master" and worse are enuciated by those inffected. It is a condition of the mind that disallows one's neander-preference and it is now believed that a holocaust of extinction faces the Neander kingdom.

Veneta does not hear words like these coming from the mouths of his enlightened allies, nor even the Ottoman Turks.

The early Neander medi-eval psychologists explained that those espousing such obsceneties were actually suffering from homo-neander envy and actually desired to become one of them, or at least pass on this trait.

Veneta shook his head in utter repulsion...

[Inca (DoE)]

First, the Inca meant nothing but positive things for the Neandor being a puppet master of India. Such a position is one of respect, responsibility, and honor.

We find it odd, then, that India has taken such an aggressive stance towards Inca for no apparent reason, and our correspondence has been along the lines of Inca wishing for India to make solid claims, India then delaying and being vague, and then only asking of Inca for detailed information on English non-pacific colonies and mainland territories.

Why else would the Indians be interested in England's non-pacific territories if but to give assistance to the land-locked Neandor? Please do answer this question, Indian civil servants.

2.1 India through its strategic position was before the age of Astronomy able to refuse all nations access to Australia by blocking our sea lanes. The only nations that could reach Australia when India had closed those sea-lanes were China and Japan. As such, by being sole controllers of the access to Australia from the west, we have a greater claim on it than any nation of the west.

This is the most outright lie ever conceived, and quite well known to be so by near every great state on the planet!

We suppose the I.E.S. Capaco arrived in Europe across the Atlantic then, India? Who was it that first visited the other: India or Inca? The Chinese, Japanese, Arabs, Israelites, Zulu, English, everyone knows we could have reached this land at least as early as you, and indeed likely did reach it earlier.

2.2 China has no claim to Australia whatsoever.

IF this is China's stance, then it is true. We eagerly await any Chinese comments on the matter.

2.2.2 India and Japan have discussed and negotiated borders and agreements, forming a regional international consensus. As the nearest sea-faring empires India and Japan have both acknowledged each other's holdings and rights to holdings in the region.

Again, Australia is as close to India as Incaco. Anyone with a map can clearly see the lie in your argument. New Zealand is closer to Incaco than India, Western Australiaco is farther. It is quite literally in the middle of our empires' reach.

Japan has the clearest right, being closest, in need of land, and being a naval/island power without a proper continent of their own. If they have agreed to let others settle this land, then so be it. Again, we wish for their clarification, as we do not take India on its word, having lied so many times in the past and present.



The Inca also respect Israel's desire to be non-Christian.

[Inca (DoE)]

Still, if Neandor says they are not a puppet master, then the Inca will respect this claim, and India's sovereignty will be respected as well, although any other claims they make will remain contested.

[Germany (DoE)]

England would be eternally crippled without our beloved capitol. We will never end this war if that is the consequence.

That's what the ancient French said about Veneti.

Suggest you build a palace in Iceland, Elizabeth?

And seek a peace accord that includes bans by any of us from blockading Iceland.

Just a thought Liz.

Veneta.

[Ottoman Empire (DoE)]

Neander PIRATES!!!

"I can hardly belive it..." the Sulan said incredulously ... "I refuse to believe that the honourable King Veneta would resort to piracy... It must be a French, ship... still scandalous that Veneta would entertain Pirates in his ports..."

Aysecan replied, "Your majesty, there can be no mistake, we spotted a Privateer Pirate ship Docked in Grunzen City this very day... and France lacks the knowledge to construct such vessels... It is a Neander pirate ship, make no mistake."




Send a public letter... let us get to the bottom of this...

Public Letter:

His Majesty the Sultan requests simply that King Veneta respect his public claims of neutrality, disband the Privateer that is currently docked in Grunzen City, and refrain from constructing any more such Pirate ships. Obviously, using Neander prirate ships to attack Ottoman vessels is exactly the same as declaring War on the Ottomans. Of course, Piracy must not be tolerated among Civilized nations.

Aysecan, Public Relations on behalf of
Sultan Ahmed IV of the Ottoman Turks

[Germany (DoE)]

To Ahmed,

Have no fear, these are not pirates but Neanderthals!

They are the Ghosts of Grunzen and friends of the Neanders have nought to fear.

Vendeta, King of the Neander Line.

[Ottoman Empire (DoE)]

On the preposterous notion of peace with France...

The Ottoman Turks consider the issue of Peace with France closed beyond repair.

When our forces voluntarily withdrew from from the siege of Tangiers, no soldiers blood had been shed, and no civilans had died. There had been only attacks on the city walls, and destruction of 1 french mine, which could have been compensated for monetarily.

Our notice of withdrawal was public and all nations were aware of it. Our brave soldiers left their well defended, well fortified hilltops positions outside Tangiers and headed directly back to Turkish territory as suggested by King Veneta himself. Indeed our withdrawal from our fortified siege positions in France was directly in response to a request from the Neandor.

In response the French forces attacked our wthdrawing soldiers, shooting and stabbing them in the backs as they crossed the open farmlands near the Turkish border. The Frankish warriors did not stop there however, as they marched on to Carthage, killing the tiny garrison there, and burning the city to the Ground, killing every aged man, pregnant woman and newborn baby. This last act was even more regrettable because it indirectly further implicates our friends the Neandor, becuase Carthage was long identified by the Neandor as a source of strife. The French have made it seem that the slaughter of the citizens of Carthage was always the goal, and they were simply waiting for an excuse.

Our people were slaughtered under a flag of truce, and this is totally unforgiveable. It is now war to the knife, and the Ottoman Turks will not rest until the French are driven into the sea. As the famous Earp brother said "there can be no live-and-let-live with bugs."

Aysecan, Public Relations Dept

[Ottoman Empire (DoE)]

To Ahmed,

Have no fear, these are not pirates but Neanderthals!

They are the Ghosts of Grunzen and friends of the Neanders have nought to fear.

Vendeta, King of the Neander Line.

For clarification, will the Privateers be disbanded or not?... we suspect the last letter was not genuine as the forger mis-spelled the name of the King, Vendeta... Obviously King Veneta can spell his own name correctly.

Aysecan

[France (DoE)]

On the preposterous notion of peace with France...

The Ottoman Turks consider the issue of Peace with France closed beyond repair.

When our forces voluntarily withdrew from from the siege of Tangiers, no soldiers blood had been shed, and no civilans had died. There had been only attacks on the city walls, and destruction of 1 french mine, which could have been compensated for monetarily.

Our notice of withdrawal was public and all nations were aware of it. Our brave soldiers left their well defended, well fortified hilltops positions outside Tangiers and headed directly back to Turkish territory as suggested by King Veneta himself. Indeed our withdrawal from our fortified siege positions in France was directly in response to a request from the Neandor.

In response the French forces attacked our wthdrawing soldiers, shooting and stabbing them in the backs as they crossed the open farmlands near the Turkish border. The Frankish warriors did not stop there however, as they marched on to Carthage, killing the tiny garrison there, and burning the city to the Ground, killing every aged man, pregnant woman and newborn baby. This last act was even more regrettable because it indirectly further implicates our friends the Neandor, becuase Carthage was long identified by the Neandor as a source of strife. The French have made it seem that the slaughter of the citizens of Carthage was always the goal, and they were simply waiting for an excuse.

Our people were slaughtered under a flag of truce, and this is totally unforgiveable. It is now war to the knife, and the Ottoman Turks will not rest until the French are driven into the sea. As the famous Earp brother said "there can be no live-and-let-live with bugs."

Aysecan, Public Relations Dept

The King finished reading the Ottoman statement. "Well, this simplifies matters, doesn't it Marc."

Marc Renaud smiled at the King. "It does, Sire. It certainly does."

[Russia (DoE)]

North Africa. The mines on the hills near Carthage. Lonely Russian scout is observing the surroundings. The smoke from a great battle is hanging on the horizon. After the thunder of the battle fades, the scout sees advancing troops. He recognize their uniforms - those are French.

"Legushki pobedili, bliat!" he quietly grumbles to himself, but he is not scared - he is just observer, not a real soldier. When the French sees him, they run in his direction with loud shouts. The Russian scout does not understand French, but he dont likes the expressions on their faces and their tone. He seeks for shelter in the corridors of the mines. The French soldiers are at the gates and slowing down their run. They see the Russian uniform, they see the scout signs. Speechlessly, they draw their swords. Everything is clear. They are many, they are stronger and they are bloodthirsty. The Russian scout doesnt waste his words. Draws his sword and prepares to meet his fate in the dusty African mine corridor, far away from Matushka Rus.