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How does the world's technological superpower suddenly lose its scientific dominance to a tiny, primitive bunch of cities that suddenly trades in their longships for nuclear submarines? What does the stunned technological superpower do to regain its leading status? For the answers to these and other questions , read on…
The Chronicle of the Australian People
2040. Australian Troops have established a secure bridgehead in Mexico, but have been forced to embark on a significant upgrade to Naval and Air Force capability due to a number of embarrassing military setbacks. Mexican Forces mass near Monterrey, preparing to strike at the Australian positions.
2041. The Mexican Air Force destroys an Australian Tank Division. Indecisive skirmishes near Australian-occupied Tampico.
2042. Skirmishes continue.
2044. Mexicans launch all-out assaults on Tampico, with large, well-equipped forces. Defenders repulse these assaults. Morale in Australia soars, whilst spies report Mexican populace 'despondent' over their inability to expel the Australians. Ah well, they should have thought of that before they launched their sneak attacks.
2047. HMAS Australia, the first of the new generation aircraft carriers, is launched at Roo Town. Global Defence is discovered. The last vestige of industrial pollution near Snorf is eliminated.
2048. The first Stealth Fighter launched. Skirmishes reignite near Tampico.
2049. The Greek Government decides not to give Argos to Australia in exchange for Quantum Physics. Ah well, worth a try.
2055. A diplomatic initiative from France, Greece and Australia leads to a pollution reduction treaty. Australian diplomats speculate that the large number of independent nations, each with industrial age technology, is overloading the global ecology, and may lead to catastrophe.
2056. Scientific progress is accelerated again, as more specialist scientists are employed.
2059. A full alliance with Greece is signed, and another with France is rejected. This will later become a problem, as wily Greek diplomats sneaked a research agreement into the discussion, and Australian negotiators failed to realise it. The French negotiating team must have collaborated with the Greeks, and they too, secure an unnoticed research pact with Australia.
2061. A major push by Australian troops captures Monterrey from its Mexican defenders.
2063. Mexican infantry, unsupported with airborne units, astonish the world by attacking an Australian Air Force formation in flight. The Australian forces had no attached ground units in support. Although the Mexican forces are defeated, two B52 bombers and a stealth fighter are lost to the attackers. The RAAF is reduced to 1 B52, one B2 (stealth) and one interceptor. Australian Air Chiefs are unable to explain the calamity, and are fired. A new program to equip the RAAF with B2s is commenced.
2064. Under pressure from Greece, War is declared on Ethiopia. This is a diplomatic maneuver, and will not result in actual hostilies (unless Ethiopia is stupid enough to attack Australia).
2066. Ethiopia sues for peace, requesting a cease-fire. This is accepted.
2068. Superconductors are discovered, leading to the building of the world's first Maglevs. Veracruz is captured.
2072. After using Australia's B2 fleet (now up to 7 squadrons) to soften up the Mexican defences at Guadalara for the last four years, a lighting armoured assualt on Tijuana captures the city without difficulty. Mexican defenders had been removed to reinforce Gualajara, and the city was practically undefended.
2077. Discovered Arcologies, and completed construction of the Hollywood. Australia, as centre of the world film industry, receives a vast and ongoing cash boost. Indonesian battleships destroy a Mexican troop transport, entering the war against Mexico. Indonesian tank forces land on Mexico, near Oaxaca.
2078. Indonesian forces capture Tijuana from the Australian forces occupying the city, destroying three tank divisions. This event was totally unexpected, but subsequent research by Australian investigators reveals a plot by Mexico and Indonesia to sink an empty troop ship in the vicinity of an Australian blockade ship, to disguise their true intentions. Indonesian troops landing on Mexico are considered Australia's allies, and ignored. Then, the plan called for them to attack Australian troops in an attempt to help Mexico reclaim its lost territory. Australian public opinion is outraged, and war against Indonesia is declared immediately.
2079. Working together, the RAAF and Australian Army eliminate entirely all Indonesian forces on Mexican soil. Tijuana is recaptured. Australian naval forces are sent to the Indonesian archipelago to harass and destroy Indonesian shipping.
2085. The Agency is built, in an attempt to restore public confidence in Australia's intelligence gathering capabilities. Guided Weapons technology is discovered.
2088. SS Java (aircraft carrier) sunk by an Australian submarine.
2089. Mexico City captured. The capital falls to Australian airborne and armoured forces.
2091. The Field Dynamics Wonder is built, and a peace treaty signed with Ethiopia. Australian spies learn that Greece and France have been leaping ahead in technology. Scientific discoveries have abounded in both empires. Greece indeed has overtaken Australia. Investigators reveal a sordid tale:
Just prior to the 2059 diplomatic negotiations, a Greek immigrant computer engineer working on the Australian Internet Backbone stumbled across a freak database application. This program was systematically collecting and automatically classifying knowledge, presumably as some part of one of Encyclopedia Australiana's exprimental software utilities. It was also programmed to cross-reference all data, and identify knowledge gaps, where no formal data exists despite all the requisite building blocks being in place. The engineer was unable to access and duplicate the code, but was able to add some self-protection code to the database utility, to split it across the literally millions of computers in the Internet system, and prevent detection by all but himself. He then sold his services to the Greek and French computer authorities, hooking up their own computer systems to read the data, without revealing to either of them the access codes or the data locations. He died in 2078, a very, very rich man. Greek and French scientists have then had access to the knowledge base for over 30 years, and had been using it to guide their research efforts. Australian computers housed data that Australia didn't know about, but was powering a covert scientific revolution in two of the countries' supposed allies.
In order to control this situation, the full Board of Management declared war on France, panicking that nation. The resultant electronic chaos across the French computer network collapsed their links to the Australian knowledge database, which could not be recreated as the engineer had left no key to survive his death. With the French scientific boom ended, France then had to accept an Australian offer of a cease fire, or face war with an overwhelmingly superior foe.
Australian diplomats then approached the Greek Government in Athens, and suggested that if Greece was not prepared to share the ill-gotten gains it had reaped from the mutant database, Australia would use 'The French Solution' on Greece as well.
Greece, although technologically ahead of Australia, had not got the lead, or the military strength to risk pushing the point, and handed over Global Communications, Robotics, Fluid Breathing, AI Surveillance, Nuclear Power, and Space Flight. An agreement was struck whereby Greece would continue to hand over all new discoveries, and the instant a refusal to share technology is discovered, Australia will collapse Greece's research efforts the same way as France's were defeated.
2093. Two Indonesian battleships and an aircraft carrier (SS Sumatra) are sunk by submarines. Greece hands over Genetics.
2094. HMAS New Zealand, our first Nuclear Submarine is launched. Oaxaca, last Mexican stronghold, falls to Australian forces. Greece hands over Technocracy.
2095. After much deliberation, the Australian Corporate Republic is placed in the hands of Administrators, all the assets transferred to the Australian Technocratic Board of Management, and life continues.
2098. Teething troubles with the new Technocracy are finally ironed out.
2099. Greece hands over Digital Encryption.
2100. Chaos Theory is discovered, independently of the database and Greek scientists. After a massive troop redeployment, the nine B2 bombers of the RAAF, carried on Australia's two aircraft carriers and supported with screening vessels, commence bombing of Kuta, Indonesia.
2104. Kuta falls to Australian armoured forces.
2106. Denpassar, Indonesia, falls to Australian forces. Greece hands over the Neural Interface.
Intent:
1. To closely monitor Greek compliance with the Technological Developments Pact (2091), and insist on continued full disclosure.
2. To continue pollution reduction measures (this is approaching critical status).
3. To work towards Gaia Controller deployment.
4. To punish Indonesia for the temerity of the Tijuana backstab by occupying Indonesian cities until the threat of Indonesian military power is removed forever.
The Chronicle of the Australian People
2040. Australian Troops have established a secure bridgehead in Mexico, but have been forced to embark on a significant upgrade to Naval and Air Force capability due to a number of embarrassing military setbacks. Mexican Forces mass near Monterrey, preparing to strike at the Australian positions.
2041. The Mexican Air Force destroys an Australian Tank Division. Indecisive skirmishes near Australian-occupied Tampico.
2042. Skirmishes continue.
2044. Mexicans launch all-out assaults on Tampico, with large, well-equipped forces. Defenders repulse these assaults. Morale in Australia soars, whilst spies report Mexican populace 'despondent' over their inability to expel the Australians. Ah well, they should have thought of that before they launched their sneak attacks.
2047. HMAS Australia, the first of the new generation aircraft carriers, is launched at Roo Town. Global Defence is discovered. The last vestige of industrial pollution near Snorf is eliminated.
2048. The first Stealth Fighter launched. Skirmishes reignite near Tampico.
2049. The Greek Government decides not to give Argos to Australia in exchange for Quantum Physics. Ah well, worth a try.
2055. A diplomatic initiative from France, Greece and Australia leads to a pollution reduction treaty. Australian diplomats speculate that the large number of independent nations, each with industrial age technology, is overloading the global ecology, and may lead to catastrophe.
2056. Scientific progress is accelerated again, as more specialist scientists are employed.
2059. A full alliance with Greece is signed, and another with France is rejected. This will later become a problem, as wily Greek diplomats sneaked a research agreement into the discussion, and Australian negotiators failed to realise it. The French negotiating team must have collaborated with the Greeks, and they too, secure an unnoticed research pact with Australia.
2061. A major push by Australian troops captures Monterrey from its Mexican defenders.
2063. Mexican infantry, unsupported with airborne units, astonish the world by attacking an Australian Air Force formation in flight. The Australian forces had no attached ground units in support. Although the Mexican forces are defeated, two B52 bombers and a stealth fighter are lost to the attackers. The RAAF is reduced to 1 B52, one B2 (stealth) and one interceptor. Australian Air Chiefs are unable to explain the calamity, and are fired. A new program to equip the RAAF with B2s is commenced.
2064. Under pressure from Greece, War is declared on Ethiopia. This is a diplomatic maneuver, and will not result in actual hostilies (unless Ethiopia is stupid enough to attack Australia).
2066. Ethiopia sues for peace, requesting a cease-fire. This is accepted.
2068. Superconductors are discovered, leading to the building of the world's first Maglevs. Veracruz is captured.
2072. After using Australia's B2 fleet (now up to 7 squadrons) to soften up the Mexican defences at Guadalara for the last four years, a lighting armoured assualt on Tijuana captures the city without difficulty. Mexican defenders had been removed to reinforce Gualajara, and the city was practically undefended.
2077. Discovered Arcologies, and completed construction of the Hollywood. Australia, as centre of the world film industry, receives a vast and ongoing cash boost. Indonesian battleships destroy a Mexican troop transport, entering the war against Mexico. Indonesian tank forces land on Mexico, near Oaxaca.
2078. Indonesian forces capture Tijuana from the Australian forces occupying the city, destroying three tank divisions. This event was totally unexpected, but subsequent research by Australian investigators reveals a plot by Mexico and Indonesia to sink an empty troop ship in the vicinity of an Australian blockade ship, to disguise their true intentions. Indonesian troops landing on Mexico are considered Australia's allies, and ignored. Then, the plan called for them to attack Australian troops in an attempt to help Mexico reclaim its lost territory. Australian public opinion is outraged, and war against Indonesia is declared immediately.
2079. Working together, the RAAF and Australian Army eliminate entirely all Indonesian forces on Mexican soil. Tijuana is recaptured. Australian naval forces are sent to the Indonesian archipelago to harass and destroy Indonesian shipping.
2085. The Agency is built, in an attempt to restore public confidence in Australia's intelligence gathering capabilities. Guided Weapons technology is discovered.
2088. SS Java (aircraft carrier) sunk by an Australian submarine.
2089. Mexico City captured. The capital falls to Australian airborne and armoured forces.
2091. The Field Dynamics Wonder is built, and a peace treaty signed with Ethiopia. Australian spies learn that Greece and France have been leaping ahead in technology. Scientific discoveries have abounded in both empires. Greece indeed has overtaken Australia. Investigators reveal a sordid tale:
Just prior to the 2059 diplomatic negotiations, a Greek immigrant computer engineer working on the Australian Internet Backbone stumbled across a freak database application. This program was systematically collecting and automatically classifying knowledge, presumably as some part of one of Encyclopedia Australiana's exprimental software utilities. It was also programmed to cross-reference all data, and identify knowledge gaps, where no formal data exists despite all the requisite building blocks being in place. The engineer was unable to access and duplicate the code, but was able to add some self-protection code to the database utility, to split it across the literally millions of computers in the Internet system, and prevent detection by all but himself. He then sold his services to the Greek and French computer authorities, hooking up their own computer systems to read the data, without revealing to either of them the access codes or the data locations. He died in 2078, a very, very rich man. Greek and French scientists have then had access to the knowledge base for over 30 years, and had been using it to guide their research efforts. Australian computers housed data that Australia didn't know about, but was powering a covert scientific revolution in two of the countries' supposed allies.
In order to control this situation, the full Board of Management declared war on France, panicking that nation. The resultant electronic chaos across the French computer network collapsed their links to the Australian knowledge database, which could not be recreated as the engineer had left no key to survive his death. With the French scientific boom ended, France then had to accept an Australian offer of a cease fire, or face war with an overwhelmingly superior foe.
Australian diplomats then approached the Greek Government in Athens, and suggested that if Greece was not prepared to share the ill-gotten gains it had reaped from the mutant database, Australia would use 'The French Solution' on Greece as well.
Greece, although technologically ahead of Australia, had not got the lead, or the military strength to risk pushing the point, and handed over Global Communications, Robotics, Fluid Breathing, AI Surveillance, Nuclear Power, and Space Flight. An agreement was struck whereby Greece would continue to hand over all new discoveries, and the instant a refusal to share technology is discovered, Australia will collapse Greece's research efforts the same way as France's were defeated.
2093. Two Indonesian battleships and an aircraft carrier (SS Sumatra) are sunk by submarines. Greece hands over Genetics.
2094. HMAS New Zealand, our first Nuclear Submarine is launched. Oaxaca, last Mexican stronghold, falls to Australian forces. Greece hands over Technocracy.
2095. After much deliberation, the Australian Corporate Republic is placed in the hands of Administrators, all the assets transferred to the Australian Technocratic Board of Management, and life continues.
2098. Teething troubles with the new Technocracy are finally ironed out.
2099. Greece hands over Digital Encryption.
2100. Chaos Theory is discovered, independently of the database and Greek scientists. After a massive troop redeployment, the nine B2 bombers of the RAAF, carried on Australia's two aircraft carriers and supported with screening vessels, commence bombing of Kuta, Indonesia.
2104. Kuta falls to Australian armoured forces.
2106. Denpassar, Indonesia, falls to Australian forces. Greece hands over the Neural Interface.
Intent:
1. To closely monitor Greek compliance with the Technological Developments Pact (2091), and insist on continued full disclosure.
2. To continue pollution reduction measures (this is approaching critical status).
3. To work towards Gaia Controller deployment.
4. To punish Indonesia for the temerity of the Tijuana backstab by occupying Indonesian cities until the threat of Indonesian military power is removed forever.
I never thought to said that
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