The Zenith of Power: Concert of Europe Part IV (Sign-Up, Rules, and Discussion)

[Spamage]

The Zenith of Power: Concert of Europe Part IV

The World in 1871
(Made by Me)

   The year 1871 dawns on a changing world. In an era of unprecedented technological innovation, faster communication, and rapidly evolving political theory, the global order has never seemed more fragile. As the traditional great powers continue to jostle for power, new players enter the fray, seeking to carve out their own path for their nation or merely to survive the predations of those stronger than them. There is little doubt the coming decades will see the world evolve in ways that may currently seem unimaginable, but the form of that change remains uncertain.

Playable States
Great Powers
(Powers with a Global Reach, Able to Project Strength on Multiple Continents)

Kingdom of France: Queen Mother Charlotte von Hohenzollern (Windjammer)
Habsburg Monarchy: Charles VIII von Habsburg-Lothringen (Dereich)
British Union: King Henry X of Hanover
Kingdom of Scandinavia: Queen Catherine II von Oldenburg (YPestis)
Russian Republic: President Aleksey Suvorin (KaiserDave)
Ottoman Empire: Sultan Murad V Osmanoğlu (Kingpoleon)
Kingdom of Prussia: King Frederick IV von Hohenzollern
Divine Republic of Brazil: Archbishop-President Manuel Joaquim da Silveira (X)

Secondary Powers
(Powers with Regional Strength, Able to Project Power Throughout Home Continent)

Tokugawa Shogunate: Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu (iBizzBee)
Kingdom of Naples: King Charles VIII Bourbon (GoTfan)
Joseon Korea: Emperor Yi Ho
United Kingdom of Louisiana: King Henry-Philippe Bourbon (DKrol)
Spanish Republic: Provisional President Juan Prim
Qajar Iran: Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (PSOL)
Kingdom of Quebec: King Henry II von Hohenzollern (Lumine)
Kingdom of Mexico: King Louis I Bourbon
Kingdom of Poland: King George I von Wettin

Local Powers
(Localized Players, Limited Ability to Project Power Beyond Immediate Theater)

Union of New Holland: Stadtholder Pieter Mijer (Orwell)
Holy Republic of Colombia: Archbishop-President Vicente Arbeláez Gómez (Kuumo)
Kingdom of Spain (Peru): King Henry V Bourbon
Chinese Republicans: Protector of the Nation Li Hongzhang
Xing Dynasty: Réncí Emperor
Kingdom of Saxony: King John I Wettin
Confederation of New England: Chairman Henry Wilson (OBD)
Blessed Union of Patagonia: Archbishop Supreme León Federico Aneiros
Kingdom of Portugal: King John VII Braganza
Kingdom of the Netherlands: King William IV of Orange (Ishan)
Durrani Empire: Emir Abdul Samad Khan (AverageFoodEnthusiast)
Empire of Ethiopia: Yohannes IV Solomonid

Global Overview:
   Never have so many humans called Earth home at once. Demographers estimated the global population to be around 1.1 billion in 1870, but there was some uncertainty given unknown regions of Africa and ongoing chaos in China. Nevertheless, this vast body of humanity is more interconnected now than ever before. The global trade of the Seventeenth Century seems quaint compared to the massive, interconnected transit networks of the Nineteenth. Factories in Europe feast on raw materials extracted throughout the globe and ship finished goods as far afield as Oceania, South America, or the Himalayas. Numerous colonial powers jostle for influence, pushing their borders ever so further into previously uncolonized lands and seeking to rebuild foreign societies in their image, to mixed success.
   Migration, both within and between regions, is also occurring at a pace unequaled in history. Hundreds of thousands of people pour out of the countryside into rapidly growing industrial cities or across the ocean towards the Americas. This has brought with numerous challenges, such as disease, inadequate housing, and made governments even more vulnerable to pressure from an increasingly conscious mass populace.

Europe:
   It has nearly been thirty years since the Treaty of Breslau (1844) brought an uneasy peace to the European continent, reshuffling the local order and leaving two hegemons neighboring one another. The decades since have witnessed growing rivalry between Vienna and Paris, slight at first but picking up pace as time has gone by.
   In some ways the late 1700s and early 1800s had been an anomaly. After centuries of rivalry, France and Austria had cooperated to some extent. First, they were nominal allies in the Wars of the Grand Coalitions, again with the rise of Catholic Republicanism in Italy during the 1780s, and yet again with the suppression of the Neapolitan bid to unify the peninsula in the 1830s. Yet, this cautious spirit of cooperation began to slowly erode as soon as the ink on the Treaty of Breslau began to dry. France saw itself on the outside looking in as other powers determined the fate of Poland, the longtime historic ally of Paris and rebalanced the European order.
   A marriage between Archduke Maxmilian and Vittoria of Bourbon-Savoie (the daughter of Prince Xavier of France) in 1855 was meant to ensure that the two royal families would remail united. Yet, with Xavier’s disgrace in 1859 and the ascendancy of the unabashedly pro-Prussian Queen Charlotte of France as de facto leader, Habsburg standing at Court began to worsen. Matters were not helped in 1860 when Charlotte oversaw the invasion of Mysore in Southern India, a realm that had been a key partner of the Habsburgs in the Indian Ocean as they sought to build a modest colonial empire. Reforms to the French military were likewise received in Vienna as an act of hostility.
   Paris, meanwhile was suspicious of the Habsburg vice grip over the Rhineland, as well as Austrian acquiescence to the Neapolitan occupation of Tuscany in 1867. Although France protested the move, Charlotte was too wary of Habsburg intervention to challenge the upstart Italians. Furthermore, Charlotte viewed the Habsburg marriage to the Bourbon-Savoie family with clear distrust, seeing Xavier as the leader of fifth-columnists but unable to do anything given his status and resurgent popularity.
   In this international environment of fear and mistrust between the two powers, broad constellations have formed. Yet, none of these agreements are formal, just broad understandings that have emerged in the post-Breslau order. Russia, Switzerland, Saxony, Naples, and Portugal have all generally remained aloof and it is unclear if Spain will adopt a similar stance under the republicans.
   France and Prussia have become close partners with the rise of Queen Charlotte as de facto leader as well as the marriage of Princess Catherine of France to King Frederick IV. The Ottomans have been deemed broadly cordial to this arrangement, threatened by the Habsburg realm to the north and hoping to use French power in India to deter the Persians. The Spanish Crown too, had been in the French camp, but given the revolution it seems this may change.
   In response to fears of a revanchist Prussia, Scandinavia and the Habsburg Monarchy are closely aligned, each hoping to hold onto its gains. The British appear sympathetic to this cause due to extensive familial ties to Stockholm. Poland too has demonstrated consistent loyalty to Vienna since King Jerzy I was crowned, the Polish king marrying the Emperor’s daughter Marie Theresa (1843-1869).

North America:
   No part of the globe has received more immigrants in the past decade that the various realms of North America. Brits flock to the American Kingdom. Quebec draws in Scandinavians, Dutch, and Irish. Italians, French, and Spaniards move to Louisiana. Portrayed as an idyllic paradise, most seek a better life in the Americas rather than continue in their predictable European existence.
   The reality on the ground is much different however. In the West, Native Americans of dozens of different tribes continue to resist, undeterred by thousands of invaders seeping into their homelands. Louisiana is riven with racial tension and ongoing repercussions from the recent abolition (largely unwillingly) of slavery, while the traditionally aligned powers have begun to eye each other with distrust.
   Mexico and Louisiana, ruled by an uncle and nephew respectively, have begun to stray apart after forty years of close cooperation. The elites in Mexico City watch the growing population of Louisiana with dread, worrying what that portends for their own future. Quebec, consigned to the frigid north, still has not given up its dreams of more fertile, southern land. Ruled by a cadet branch of the fierce Hohenzollern dynasty, many believe they will not hesitate to take any land they see as vulnerable, just as Frederick the Great took Silesia more than a century ago. In the American Kingdom, population has finally surpassed that of England, many wondering if that means that Parliament will finally give priority to their affairs.

Africa:
   The vast majority of Africa has avoided the wholesale colonial fate of the Americas, India, and Indonesia for centuries, but advances in technology have made traditional barriers to outsiders in the continent less formidable. Treatments for maladies such as Yellow Fever and Malaria have advanced, making sojourns to the region less likely to be fatal. Improved transportation means that many river basins have become more navigable, while advances in weaponry have limited the chance for the indigenous people to resist attempts to impose authority over them.
   Scandinavia, Prussia, Britain, the Habsburg Monarchy, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, the Ottoman Empire, France, and Naples all hold outposts of varying sizes on the edges of the continent. How they choose to act, and whether or not this leads to tensions between them, could have impacts far beyond Africa proper. As anthropologists and adventures pour into the interior, some see it as time for some semblance of order to be established, though established powers such as Ethiopia, Morocco, and Sokoto may push back. There is little doubt the future of Africa will exercise an influence on the global affairs in a manner not yet seen before.

East Asia:
   Korea and Japan were the two powers in Asia that quickly adopted European methods both in domestic and foreign affairs as a means of defense against the rapacious colonizers. By the 1840s, the two countries had set about establishing local colonial empires for themselves, portioning the East Indies. Korea also gained several chains of Pacific islands and Manchuria, while the Japanese seized the Philippines, Taiwan, and New Guinea.
   As in Europe, two major powers operating in such close proximity to one another has led to mutual suspicions and recriminations. An arms race throughout the 1860s has only added to the tension and with China’s collapse into anarchy, both powers have sought to take advantage of the power vacuum through intervention.
   While the local powers are locked in a subtle power struggle, distant colonial powers are making themselves felt increasingly as well. After the expulsion of the Dutch and the Spanish, it seemed European influence in East Asia was on the wane. Yet, the collapse of the Xing Dynasty has provided the Scandinavians, French, and Austrians with an opening they seem to be seizing.

South America:
   South America was a region divided at the end of the Great Eastern War. Brazil created a seemingly insurmountable Catholic-Republican bloc stretching from Colombia to La Plata in the east, while the feeble remnants of the Spanish Empire managed to keep control over Peru and Chile.
   Longevity was not something Catholic-Republicanism had ever enjoyed prior to its success in Brazil yet, this would prove to be its biggest foe. Prior attempts at governing with the ideology in Italy and Poland had both been brutally crushed before the long-term impact was felt. While brutality kept the populace of the various Catholic-Republican states in line, the death of the initial leadership of the regime would leave their heirs questioning how to carry the movement forward. Ultimately, it led to a fracturing within the bloc and three different interpretations of Andrade’s legacy.
   Colombia would take the view that the cruelty of de Andrade and his accomplices had been a necessary evil, getting that region its independence, but that it was time to move forward. The cruel executions were unpopular, while the hostility from established monarchies limited opportunities for trade and economic growth. Beginning in the mid-1860s, the leaders in Bogota asserted their independence from Brazil and embarked on a massive liberalization of society. While the Republic would still be governed by the clergy, gone was the brutal suppression of dissent and radical strains of ideology. Civilians were granted limited suffrage and control of local government. Foreign powers were appeased, the regime going so far as providing Henry V of Spain transport to Peru following his flight from Europe.
   La Plata would take the opposite approach, doubling down on the violent and extreme threads of Catholic-Republicanism. Executions, which had never fully winded down, picked up pace in the early 1860s. Immigration and travel abroad were both curtailed, with foreign ties with all states ended sans Brazil. Most concerning for the Spanish to the west, a massive military buildup was also initiated by Church leaders in the latter half of the century, financed by aid and imports from Brazil.
   Brazil and its smaller sister republics would take a middle road approach between the two extremes. The government was still to be unquestioned and dissent crushed, but it also turned a blind eye to ideological lapses, instead focusing on economic grown and African affairs. Andrade’s legacy has never truly been addressed, those criticizing the late leader often finding themselves joined in prison cells by his most fervent supporters. It is unclear how tenable this approach will be moving forward.  

The Rules:
-This game is the fourth part in a series of games set in the same universe, starting the divergences in the 1750s. The three predecessors are The Concert of Europe (2017), Encore of Europe (2018), and The Age of Steam and Steel (2020).

-If you reserved a nation in the previous thread, you need to confirm it here.

-We have a discord server, and I invite every player to join!

-At the start of each turn I will give every player prompts. These detail with domestic politics, intrigue, internal strife, foreign affairs, economics, culture, or any other wide variety of topics. I will need responses for each prompt either posted on the gameplay thread (if you don't care that other players see) or via PM before the end of the turn. Additional moves on any other topic are encouraged, but not required. I encourage new players to reach out to veterans or look at past games for guidance regarding additional actions to take.

-Halfway in the turn I will likely post a midturn update. Generally this deals with rapid developments that occur over the course of the year. This simulates crises and forces players to adapt to sometimes unpredictable developments. These can be the result of either player or NPC actions.

-New to this game, and in order to maintain my sanity, the number of prompts will vary based on the relative power of a player's nation. Great Powers will always have 3, Secondary Powers 2-3, and Local Powers 1-2. I will write more prompts to those players that seem more active and involved in smaller nations. It just depends on engagement.

-The game begins in January 1871. Powers can negotiate and repudiate alliances as they see fit within reason.  

-Each turn will cover 1 year in the game timeline. I intend to have them open for one week so as to give people time to respond. I think inactivity can kill these types of games, so I do like to keep things moving with or without responses.

-I will issue responses for every minor power or unplayed nation. PM me or chat on discord with diplomatic proposals or requests.

-All communication between members (PMs) must also include me, so I am aware of the state of the game. I will at least need summaries of any discord chats, even if not verbatim.

-You can send in your orders via PM, or post them publicly. I would prefer people post their public orders so everyone can see, while obviously sending me the secret ones.

-In the event of war, the game will continue on pace (as fighting was so common during this time period).

-In the event of a ruler's death, the player will be able to continue, so long as the heir is of the same royal house. In the event there is no clear royal heir, succession wars may occur. Democratic leaders are out if their party loses power, though not necessarily they themselves.

-Failure to send orders for a turn will be the equivalent of the monarch sitting back and doing nothing for that period, meaning nothing good can come from it. Players who miss turns will find their economies weakened and internal dissent on the rise (or perhaps colonies on the revolt ).

-Military system is still in the works. Check back later

[Spamage]

Recent Happenings and Developments

Chinese Civil War (1868-)

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

  It seemed as though the situation in China had stabilized in the 1840s with the establishment of the Xing Dynasty. For the first time in centuries, Han Chinese determined their own destiny, no longer under the Manchu yoke. Yet, the dislocations of the civil war coupled with growing foreign involvement only served to further destabilize the realm.
   There was a general sense of malaise. Defeat by the Russians in the Sino-Russian War (1842-1847) discredited the new regime right out of the gate. Xinjiang was lost and the emperor had failed to retake Mongolia, land considered by many Chinese to be theirs by right. Economically, Chinese craftsmen saw their livelihood undercut by Scandinavian and Austrian imports, thousands of now destitute peasants pouring into the cities looking for work or food. While the Youfu Emperor was able to cling to power until his death in 1861, the provinces increasingly became autonomous, corrupt local officials creating mini-fiefs. Crime ran rampant, bandits taking advantage of the lack of central authority. If the Xing Dynasty had held the Mandate of Heaven, it was truly fleeting.
   These issues meant that trade cities, full of the unemployed and discontented, proved a fertile ground for new ideologies to seep into the realm. Many questioned why the Xing had not followed the path of Korea and Japan, seeking to modernize as a means of keeping the colonizers out. Although most would still support the Emperor in principle, the Yǒufú Emperor’s son being named the Réncí Emperor, there was a growing group that wholly embraced republicanism.
   Matters came to a head following the poor harvest in 1867. While the central government reached agreement with the Habsburg Monarchy to import much-needed grain, numerous xenophobic and greedy local officials either refused to distribute it or resold it to line their own pockets. Riots erupted in Shanghai and Guangzhou, which were brutally suppressed. Still, seeing the unpopularity of the government gave many generals an opening which they seized.
  Li Hongzhang, a reformist and major official at Court, had long been disgusted with the lethargy of the Empire. He had been raised amidst the chaotic transition from Qing to Xing and the sheer level of destruction had firmly convinced him of the importance of westernization. Inspired by men such Gorchakov in Russia, Pietro Verri in Italy, and  José da Silva Lisboa of Brazil, he launched a coup in Nanjing, declaring himself “Protector of the Nation” until a constitution could be implemented. Popular with the army, several forces sent to arrest him turned on the Réncí Emperor, who fled to Xian and set up government there.
   Thus began the Chinese Civil War. Li quickly renamed his government the “Chinese Republic” and vows to modernize the realm at any cost. This was a direct challenge to the establishment that had governed the Middle Kingdom for centuries. Confucianism and Taoism were openly attacked and the local governments completely reformed in occupied regions. What Li had not counted on was the traditional loyalty of the rural peasantry to the new regime, the Xing government in Xian calling on thousands of conscripts to defend the throne.
  In the midst of this power vacuum, powers on the hinterlands have begun to incur into Chinese territory. Korea, a longtime ally of the Xing, has wasted no time in launching a massive land operation to “defend” the Réncí Emperor, seizing Beijing and northern China with little resistance and occupying it in his name. Yet, there are those who remember rumors of Empress Sunwon’s desire to see Korea take the Mandate of Heaven. Japan, not to be outdone, has likewise sent several small forces into China, but instead seeks to aid Li. Russia has invaded Inner Mongolia and deposed the Chinese puppet in Northern Manchuria. Scandinavia and Austria have sent small expeditions to defend their colonial holdings, creating buffer zones around their trade cities. To the far west, the French leadership in India has used the Chinese Civil War as a chance to turn Tibet into a French protectorate. Rival French and Xing authorities have each claimed to have found the 13th Dalai Lama, a civil war erupting in that remote realm.

The Spanish Revolution (1869-1871)

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

   There was a myriad of reasons for the collapse of the Spanish monarchy in the early 1870’s. Although most remembered the reign of King Philip VI fondly, his heirs were sorely lacking in skill and energy. Upon the death of Philip VI in 1861 his son was named Ferdinand VII. It is a testament to the late King’s popularity that the nation tolerated his heir for so long. The new king was a spendthrift, dissident Spanish newspapers providing lurid details of the new King’s frequent parties, constant womanizing, and susceptibility to flattery. His father’s officials were slowly weeded out and replaced by corrupt incompetents. Had Ferdinand been willing to allow for a greater civilian role in government, he likely would have made it through his reign. The King’s initial promise of a constitution to replace the decades-old Concessions of Zaragoza (1838) remained unfulfilled. Instead, the monarch adopted a haughty attitude towards his subjects. Ferdinand was a proud man, preferring to expound upon his dynastic heritage than discuss constitutional reforms or extended suffrage. When a committee of correspondence throughout the country was discovered circulating pro-constitution leaflets, the King himself intervened in the trial to ensure the initial organizers received extensive prison time. All this was occurring in a nation infested by republican sympathizers, a relic of the conflict with the Catholic Republicans in South America.
   One reason for the King’s arrogance was the assumed protection of the French branch of the family under Louis XIX. With Europe dividing into French and Habsburg camps, and Spain nominally on the French side, it was assumed Spanish authority could be held up by French bayonets. The sudden death of the French King in 1870, meant that a window existed where that protection was lacking.
   On February 5th, 1869, the people of Madrid began to strike against a proposed tax on income in the Cortes. When soldiers were used to break up the strikers, it got out of hand and several citizens were killed in the scuffle. As news began to spread rapidly in the kingdom thanks to the new telegraph system, protests began to pop up in Barcelona, Cordoba, Seville, Cadiz, Vigo, and Valencia. Ferdinand tried to reassert control, but found the generals unwilling to listen to his orders, too afraid that the common soldiers would mutiny if told to suppress the protests. Seeing no other options, King Ferdinand abdicated in favor of his eldest son, Henry (Enrique) V, and fled to France.
   This would not be enough to satisfy the protestors, who turned on the new king immediately. When the Royal Guard announced that it would only defend the King, and refused to act in an offensive fashion, the decision was made to flee the country. Yet, rather than follow his father’s example, the new King refused to abdicate, listening to the proposal of some loyalist generals to flee to royalist Peru. The royal entourage departed Cadiz at dusk on March 2nd, 1869, not announcing the move publicly. By the time news reached Madrid, the people were incensed. The remaining members of the Cortes were forced to vote for a Constitutional Convention, abolish the monarchy, and declare the Spanish Republic. Images of King Ferdinand or the royal family have been burned in the various plazas, while citizen’s councils have usurped local authority from royal officials.
 The Spanish Revolution of 1869 saw the monarchy deposed, while King Enrique V and his court fled to Lima in the still loyal holding of Peru. While he was welcomed to his Andean holdings amid great fanfare, this has not meant that the King has maintained his authority. Enrique has been forced into concessions that his father would have balked at, including increased suffrage in Peru, greater civilian control over local government, and severe limitations to noble privileges.
   It was widely expected that Queen Charlotte of France would intervene once she felt more secure domestically, but this was undercut by Russian and British recognition of the new Spanish Republic in late 1869. While Vienna has said nothing, it is expected that they too may soon recognize the new government, eager to detach Spain from France’s orbit at long last.
   In a clear sign that Henry’s standing has weakened, Louisiana and Mexico wasted no time in seizing nearby colonies in order to “protect” his rights, before turning around and offering paltry sums to keep the territory themselves. Cuba is now occupied by Louisiana, while Mexico has seized the remainder of Central America. Peru, Chile, and Hawaii are now all that remains under the Spanish Crown and it is uncertain if even these regions will stay pacified.

Miracle of Versailles (1860-1869)

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

   Queen Charlotte of France achieved total dominance over both her husband and the government of his realm during the 1860s. Prince Xavier remained in temporary disgrace due to scandal and the conservative turn of the government suited the reactionary principles of the Queen. There was one key flaw in her long-term thinking though: the lack of an heir. Though the marriage was happy, by 1865 many had begun to write off the prospect of a child after 13 years. This undermined the prospects of Charlotte, who could see her influence melt away entirely with the death of King Louis XIX.
   Therefore France, and Europe as a whole, was stunned to learn in 1867 that the Queen was in fact with child. While this was not wholly unprecedented, as Anne of Austria had conceived the future Louis XIV 23 years after wedding Louis XIII, the timing did seem suspicious. There were many critics of the government, particularly the liberals, who initially voiced skepticism of the news. Yet, sure enough, the Queen was pregnant. While the opposition whispered of an illegitimate bastard, the King showed no signs of doubt and greeted the news with delight. On June 20th, 1867, a son was born in Versailles, numerous witnesses (including leaders of the government and opposition) having been invited into the room to dispel any rumors of a bedpan baby. Naturally, the new Dauphin was christened Louis, in Bourbon tradition.
   An heir now present, the political calculus in France changed overnight. Those feelers that had quietly reached out to Prince Xavier about returning to power over his nephew’s realm were withdrawn. Queen Charlotte reigned triumphant as now, even if something should befall her husband, she would be regent for the next King. While satirists in Vienna and London portrayed King Louis XIX as a cuckold nothing could be done. Even Xavier was forced to acknowledge his grandnephew as the heir to the throne, being named the child’s godfather.
   Conveniently for the Queen (perhaps too conveniently many said), Louis XIX himself would die of cholera in the 1869 Parisian outbreak alongside several thousand of his subjects. Louis XX, at the mere age of two, was named King of France and Padania; his mother easily being granted the title of regent of France by the conservative elected National Assembly in Paris. More tense would be the situation in Padania. A realm with its own autonomous assembly, it proved to be more reluctant to name the Queen Mother as regent. Indeed, what should have been a mere formality was used by the northern Italians as a means of asserting their authority. The local leadership was inclined to name Xavier as regent over that realm. Not only had he once been a sovereign in Italy, showing great bravery in the face of the risings in the 1830s, but he also was the head of the House of Bourbon-Savoie, a cadet branch named by Louis XVIII in order to ensure that famed dynasty did not go entirely extinct. Only tacit threats of force brought the region back into line, the assembly narrowly naming the Queen mother regent, but the incident demonstrated Charlotte may not be as universally beloved as her fervent supporters claim.
   The death of King Louis XIX, right as tensions in Spain came to a head, meant the government was paralyzed and forced to watch as republicans toppled the neighboring monarchy. While gradual pressure from Paris brought Turin in line by August, the internal debate had undermined Queen Charlotte’s authority and made Xavier the clear rallying point of any opposition to her regency. Alongside the questions of the King’s legitimacy, this posed one of the greatest threats to her control over the government.

Russian Unease (1846-1871)

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

   The Russian Republic emerged from the ashes of defeat in 1846, determined to never allow for a repeat of the humiliation in the Great Eastern War (1838-1844). Under the firm but reformist hand of President Mikhail Dmitrievich Gorchakov nobility was abolished, land reform achieved, and serfdom eliminated. Vast strides were made in industrial progress as Russia regained some semblance of confidence in international affairs by refusing to honor its debts from the Treaty of Breslau (1844). The 18 years under Gorchakov were somewhat of a republican golden age, but with his death in 1864, there was no clear successor and a power vacuum soon became evident. Gorchakov’s prestige and ruthless suppression of dissent had kept many factions in line, but with him gone the wide degree of political views held within Russia soon became evident.
   Tensions were forestalled by the election of Gorchakov’s colleague, the esteemed general Alexander Menshikov as his successor. But by 1864 Menshikov was 77 and had little interest in politics, focusing instead on foreign affairs. Under his leadership, the Russian Republic intervened in the growing Chinese Civil War, beginning in 1868. Menshikov’s brief rule over Russia until his death in 1869 saw little done to curb the growing public discord. The political left, including the far-left socialists and communists, has begun to flex its muscles with the educated elite as well as the growing trade union movements in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Reactionary nobles, those that survived Gorchakov’s purges during the Great Reform (1849-1854) wait in the wings to restore the exiled Grand Duke Ivan in Prussia to his hereditary throne. The military too, strengthened and reformed, has grown accustomed to having former officers in command of the nation and may not take too kindly to any threats to its influence. In the streets meanwhile, rabble-rousing nationalists claim Russia has been humiliated and clamor for steps to be taken to restore the power it once wielded. Liberals and moderates demand a return to the radical centrism of Gorchakov. The parliamentary elections in 1870, the first held under a semi-fair system, have yielded a fractious and divided National Assembly. It will be up to President Aleksey Suvorin (named after the death of Menschikov) to determine the direction of the Russian state.

Brief History of Poland (1755-1871)

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

   No nation has experienced such national turmoil for the past century as the Poles. The Old Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania reformed into the Kingdom of Poland-Lithuania following attempts by Augustus III to implement absolutism in the 1756. Following the defeat and execution of Augustus, the New Commonwealth was declared in 1757 as a constitutional monarchy under the Czartoryski family. This new order was not to last and in 1759 the First Republic was established following the flight of the king. This government was deemed to radical, especially given the anticlericalism of many members and the decision to embroil Poland in numerous wars abroad. Counter-revolution in 1764 saw the establishment of the moderate Second Republic. Since the Second Republic was led by monarchists and conservatives, the Czartoryski monarchy was reestablished in 1771. The republican genie could not be put back in the bottle however. By 1782, following a brief civil war, Tadeusz Kosciuszko was proclaimed president of the Third Polish Republic.
   Kosciuszko was a beloved leader and tried to keep his government out of foreign entanglements. It was not to be. In 1788 Scandinavia, Russia, the Ottoman Empire, the Habsburg Monarchy, and Prussia all launched a coordinated attack on the Third Republic. Though he managed to defend for 4 years, it was too much to overcome. Warsaw fell in 1792 and with it, the Third Republic. Poland as an independent state ceased to exist, the various people under that former realm being subject to new overlords.
   1792 to 1837 was the Polish Time of Sorrows. For around 45 years any resistance was brutally crushed by the absolutist powers that had so eagerly split up the country. It was only with the outbreak of the Great Eastern War (1838-1844) that nationalists were able to take advantage of a rapidly evolving international situation. When rebellion came in 1838, it took three forms: catholic-republican, moderate republican, and monarchist. With the defeat of the catholic-republicans and the sudden death of the Czartoryski claimant, the Polish nationalists coalesced around the leadership of moderate republican Michał Gedeon Radziwiłł, who branded himself the heir of Kosciuszko and declared the Fourth Republic. Radziwiłł aligned himself with Prussia and Russia in the Great Eastern War, which proved to be a fatal mistake for his movement, the general falling to an enemy bullet as the Triple Alliance invaded Poland proper.
   Instead, as a concession to Brazil in return for its aid, Austria, Scandinavia, and the Ottoman Empire allowed the formation of a Catholic-Republic Polish Fifth Republic in 1844. The reconstituted Poland was inherently unstable. It was completely landlocked, all access to the seas via river controlled by either hostile Prussia, the disinterested Ottomans, and the greedy Scandinavians. Republican Russia looked hungrily at its former territories, while domestically the new regime was highly unpopular, the most charismatic and popular Catholic-Republican leaders having perished in the initial rising of 1837. This was not even mentioning a significant portion of the population was not even Polish or Catholic.
   The Polish Civil War (1849-1856) was a bloody affair. Across the nation the people took up arms, disgusted by the theocratic tyrants, but fighting became convoluted as numerous factions arose. Ruthenian peasants rose up to kill their Polish landlords, theocratic zealots engaged in horrific purges in enemy territory, and foreign supply of arms served to prolong the conflict. The moderate republicans and the monarchists compromised in 1851 following disappointing results in the first two years of fighting with the Declaration of Krakow. It was agreed that the monarchy would be restored, but under a constitutional model with the Sejm wielding significant power. Hoping to ensure a weak monarch, and eager to gain foreign support, it was agreed in 1855, as victory seemed assured, that 22-year-old Prince George of Saxony would be crowned King George I (Jerzy) of Poland on the condition he renounced his Saxon claims.
   George proved to be a far more capable king in Poland than had been anticipated. Aligning himself with the Habsburg Monarchy as a means of protection, he has led the longest lasting Polish government in more than a century. The attempts at creating a constitutional monarchy were thwarted however, many of the civilian leaders that had placed George on the throne being consigned to exile when he seized power in the Coup of 1864 and dissolved the Sejm. Still, despite attempts to improve his situation, Poland remains economically backwards and its military strength subpar. The death of Queen Maria Theresa, daughter of the Habsburg Emperor, in childbirth in 1869 has also brought into question the strength of his foreign backing...

[Spamage]

Feel free to sign up here. I'm shooting for a start on Sunday or Monday if we get enough people by then.

[Spamage]

The game has officially started, Turn 1 will end Monday, February 28th.

Let the scheming commence!

[Spamage]

For our new players:


Summaries for the time in between the games can be found at the start of the respective sign-up threads. Here's where the bulk of the gameplay was though:



Game 1: Concert of Europe

First War of the Grand Coalitions

Game 2: Encore of Europe

Game 3: Age of Steam and Steel

[Spamage]

Totally makes sense!

Thanks and fingers crossed it's still around next week!

It’s still early enough, I’ll allow you to join this turn if you wish. I can put up some prompts and your military strength tonight.

Of course, existing Mexican actions, such as the treaty with Quebec and Louisiana, still stand as they have already occurred.

[Spamage]

Sorry for being somewhat MIA all. I, like I'm sure many of you, have been so wrapped up in the events of the last 24 hours. I'll work on responding to all the PMs and questions meant for me tonight and tomorrow.

[Spamage]

Endturn Posted, phew. You all were really making me work, setting off wars like than on turn 1!

Turn 2 should be up in the next couple of days.

[Spamage]

Looks like the turn will be completed tomorrow night in time for the weekend, thanks to everyone for their patience.

[Spamage]

Turn has begun. It will run until Friday March 11th @11:59 Pacific Time

Best of luck

[Spamage]

Hey, can I still claim a nation here? If so, I’d like to join as Argentina.

Yes! There is no Argentina in this world but the purplish nation in its spot is Patagonia. I can add you in at the start of the next turn.

[Spamage]

Turn 3 has started, it will run until 11:59 PM PST March 20th. Expect Midturn Wednesday or Thursday. I will try to get armies up tomorrow.

[Spamage]

Okay, slight update.

X asked to switch to Prussia, a possibility since the beginning of the game. I didn't see this as I was writing the prompts and posting the turn, but he did get it in before the turn started. I'm willing to give him the benefit as well because the turnaround time on this turn was exceptionally fast compared to usual (it was stormy here this afternoon and I had ample time to write). I already had said he could have Prussia at the start of turn 4 regardless, and since his request was technically before the start of the turn, after careful deliberation I will permit him to switch. It seems pointless to spend a week of me negotiating as NPC Prussia only for him to take the helm moving forward.

Also, welcome to the game, joshva!

[Spamage]

Any chance HCP and I can join as Republican China?

Sure, welcome!

You either die a Catholic-Republican or live long enough to see yourself become France.  I will join as Queen Charlotte of France.

Welcome back!

[Spamage]

Not interested in continuing playing the game sadly.

I admit having completely underestimated Xavier. However, no one actually predicted that.

Thank you spamage for everything.

Totally understandable, I can see why it would not be ideal. Thank you for everything you have brought to both this game and its predecessors. It’s a testament to your skill that you’ve kept France stable for coming up on 140 years in-game!

[Spamage]

Turn 4 has commenced! It will run until 11:59 on April 1st (next Friday). I will try to get the military numbers up at some point this weekend.

Expect the midturn Tuesday or Wednesday depending on game conditions among other things!

[Spamage]

Just wanted to make a public note about some stuff I've seen about interactions between players over the last week or so. I'm not going to name specifics, and this is not solely directed at any one person, but there have been several different instances I've seen of tensions getting to the boiling point. At the end of the day this is a game and people's moves in said game should not be taken personally.

I can understand the frustration of dealing with a perceived betrayal, I've had experiences in several games similar to these in the past, but I would urge people to keep calm and remember that, at the end of the day, this game is just as much about having fun and worldbuilding as it is high-stakes diplomacy.

[Spamage]

Turn V has begun. It will run until Friday April 15th @ 11:59 Pacific. Expect a Midturn around Tuesday. Military numbers will be up Sunday or Monday.


I will be unavailable from later tomorrow through Sunday evening.

[Spamage]

Turn 6 has begun. It will run until Monday, May 2nd. Expect a midturn update this Thursday or Friday.

[Spamage]

If Spamage allows it, I will continue as Phillip of Naples.

That said, Phillip is going to be significantly less peaceable much more revanchist.

Of course, given both the abdication was voluntary and the heir is of your dynasty, you are more than welcome to continue as Naples

[Spamage]

Due to personal concerns, I won’t have much time playing the game. I’m withdrawing.

I'm sorry to see you go, but totally understandable.

[Spamage]

Hey all,

   As most of you know, I’ve been on vacation abroad over the past two weeks. I got back on Saturday and have been rather busy since. As I get back into the swing of things it’s increasingly clear to me that I will be unable to continue hosting this iteration of Concert of Europe at this stage. Between work, training for my first marathon, several trips, and other commitments, this summer seems to be filling up rather fast. When this game started mid-February, my schedule looked quite different from how it is shaping up at present. I simply do not foresee myself having the requisite 20-25 hours per turn in order to keep moderating, writing prompts, and sorting through orders during the coming months.
   From the beginning I’ve been determined that if I am going to host these games, I was going to do it proper. Rather than gradually fading off and slowly missing deadlines I’ve set, something that I feel already began on my vacation, I would prefer to finish the game on a somewhat higher note. Given the major wars all have been mostly wrapped up or are clearly leaning one way (with only several exceptions) I feel like narrative-wise we are nearing a good place for an interlude.
   So here’s what I can do. If everyone sends me their aims and goals for the next 10-15 years as their nation (diplomatic, domestic, etc) in addition to more immediate strategy if relevant (such as ongoing fighting or open-ended issues) via PM or Discord over the next week or so, I will set to work on writing up an epilogue, closing up the loose ends, and setting the stage for any potential future iteration of the game. As with prior iterations, the epilogue will probably detail an overall global summary and then dive into the specifics of each nation over the late 1870s and 1880s.
   I realize some players may be disappointed and I apologize for the abrupt nature of this, but though these games are tremendously stimulating and a blast to host, they simply are normally tenable for about 3-5 months. When I think about where this world was all the way back in 1871 and look where the game has gone, I see how much truly has occurred. Some early game events feel practically ancient, in a demonstration of how much time has truly passed. It has been my pleasure to be an observer to some of the greatest creativity I’ve yet seen in the Concert of Europe series.

Wishing you all the best,
Spamage

[Spamage]

In the interest of getting things moving, I will be focusing on posting the sign up thread. I can add a Balkans update at some point in the next week before the game commences.