(Closed) This Land Was Our Land: The American Crisis and the Second Great War Between the States

[Amfleet]

Welcome to the This Land Was Our Land game thread! Turns will be hosted here, and feel free to post memes and other OOC content in the thread since this is a Nation Building game. To read up on the lore of this RP at any time, check out the interest check thread, which will no longer be updated. Most of the live OOC discussion will be hosted on our Discord Channel, and this is generally the best way to do diplomacy since most of our users will be there and live. Guests are welcome if you want to banter or just eat popcorn as the inevitable conflicts of interest pop off! For reference, I will keep the guide to writing turns here with any revisions I make to the turn lengths/line limit. The player list will also be updated here.

GUIDE TO WRITING TURNS

DM your turns to me either here or on Discord if that’s your thing. Turns are written in the form of command lines and each will cover 4 months of in-game time. You are allotted up to 8 commands per turn, plus the technology section which does not count towards your total. Please categorize your lines as follows:

Diplomacy: Your diplomatic interactions with other players and NPCs, including those not on the map e.g. Britain, Germany, etc. If you make a deal with another player try to make sure I have some way of knowing that the other player agreed since that saves me time I can spend writing.

Domestic: Your interactions with your government, populace, and economy. Pass laws, subsidize industries, explore for resources, etc.

Military: Your interactions with your military. During peacetime, recruit and train different branches, order equipment from industry. During war time, this will also include declarations of war and military operations.

Espionage: Any of the above actions that you do not want me to publish in the turn. I will deliver results to you as a private message. Gather intelligence, form secret alliances, commit assassinations and sabotage. If the outcome is something that would make headlines it will be published in the turn but not necessarily attributed to you unless you are caught.

Technology: A special section. Name three technologies that you think your nation/faction would benefit from advancing and I will select one. How advanced this technology will be is directly influenced by your nation’s industrial and knowledge base. Example:

-Encryption machine
-Television broadcasting
-Night fighter plane

CURRENT PLAYER LIST

1. Sobotnik Coalition of Free States
2. Malos United States (Federalists)
3. Fighting Monk Navajo-Hopi Confederation (custom faction)
4. joshuadim United Socialist Republics of America
5. mausedpotatos Second Confederate Republic
6. Pat Confederation of New England
7. RayPurchase Gulf Republic
8. Emperor Scorpious II New Order of Cincinnatus (custom faction)
9. Rictus West Coast Protectorate


TURN 1 IS DUE WEDNESDAY, 8/14. Please let me know if I need to extend it a reasonable amount.

 

[Amfleet]

HAVE

My Dixie Ancestors
Massholes (& Maine!)
Cincinnatus, Ohio
Gulf Gas Station
Free States
Los Federales
Native's Natives
Japanese Trade Mission
Gommunists

NEED

 

[Amfleet]

RGN Ranger approaches the Florida Keys on her way to the next port of call in Miami (December 1939)

Disposition of former US Navy Aircraft Carriers, 1940

Republic of the Gulf:

RGN Ranger, fleet flagship

RGN Langley, obsolescent but still fully operational

Confederate Navy:

CSS Bull Run, ex USS Yorktown, fleet flagship

CSS Cold Harbor, ex USS Saratoga, semi-obsolescent but operational

United States (Opposition)

USS Lexington, fleet flagship, maintained as part of the “Fleet in Being” at Newport News

United States (Federalists)

USS Enterprise, near completion but not yet commissioned

Confederation of New England

NES Boston, originally ordered as USS Wasp, 80% complete, Fore River Shipyard

 

[Amfleet]

TURN 1: 1 JANUARY-30 APRIL 1940





WORLD EVENTS

-The Phoney War comes crashing to an end as German troops quickly flood into Denmark and Norway. The former surrenders after a few brief skirmishes, while Norway begins to receive Allied assistance. Most of southern Norway has fallen, but in the north at the vital iron ore port of Narvik, allied forces continue to hold on and stymie one of the Reich’s primary objectives

-In response, British troops land and occupy Iceland, which capitulates without a fight. The sparsely populated but strategically located nation gives the Allies a valuable new base in the northern Atlantic, and denies Germany the same

-The Moscow Peace Treaty is signed, ending the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland. The USSR has been given a serious bloody nose in this fight in spite of their overall victory, and the peace treaty only grants them concessions they had tried to demand at the negotiating table last year, rather than an outright conquest

-Combining two previous puppet regimes, the “Republic of China” is formed under Wang Jingwei in Nanking. Largely modelled after the success the Japanese have so far had in Karufornia, this regime has a semi-autonomous one-party government and is economically dependent on Japan, playing host to legions of the Emperor’s troops and maintaining a membership in the Pacific Co-Prosperity Sphere

REGIONAL EVENTS

-A campaign of civil disobedience rocks the Opposition United States as several weeks of protests by black farmhands and truck drivers drive up food prices. The campaigners demand race reforms similar to those seen up north, and an end to pay discrimination in farms and industry. The strikes are eventually broken up with only minor pay concessions, but increased support for joining the Confederacy has been one result from some extreme elements of the white population

-After finding his situation in Mexico untenable, fugitive Old Bolshevik Leon Trotsky resettles in Detroit, United Socialist Republics of America, along with his remaining band of followers. He hosts several forums on Socialist theory in his home, which is closely guarded by local authorities. Though he is granted residence, pro-Moscow elements in the government refuse to grant him full citizenship in the USRA for the time being

-The first signs of open anti-Japanese sentiment begin to show among the white populace of the West Coast Protectorate. Their actions are largely limited to distribution of dissenting literature and peaceful protests that see a few scuffles. The WCP government is quick to suppress this news, diverting attention instead to a gun attack on an off duty Japanese sailor by a Chinese-American partisan as a sign that “terrorism influenced by Chiang Kai-shek” is the true immediate threat to Karufornia

PLAYER TURNS

-In favor of keeping its positive relations up north, the Wallace administration takes several steps to ensure continued cooperation and tranquility with New England and Canada alike. Hoping to resume the continuation of the New Deal in New England, a government commission travels to Boston to determine how the US government can help their economy. One ongoing issue is the persistence of an outbound tariff on steel destined for New England, and another is the current unwillingness of utility providers on Federalist soil to sell to New Englanders due to the relative weakness of the New England Dollar. Wallace states his intentions to form a free trade pact that would also extend to Canada, which could greatly alleviate both issues

-Another significant step towards further cooperation with New England is the announcement of a joint shipyard at New Haven, Connecticut, where both nations will cooperate on shipbuilding to bolster their relatively feeble navies. This alone is a significant boost to the economy of New England, as citizens of both nations are involved in the construction and steel for the projects is waived from the tariff. In return for being the primary labor supplier, New England receives dozens of Federalist military advisors to aid in the development of their mostly non-professional militias

-Though it might be hard to tell with all this initiative towards New England, it is Canada that remains the most significant trading partner for the Federalists. Diplomats are sent to Ottawa on a charm offensive and to push the proposed free trade agreement. The Canadians agree to join the pact contingent on New England’s inclusion as they are always hungry for American industrial products as the war rages across the sea. Their most immediate need remains the aircraft produced in New York, namely the P-40, which is ordered in the hundreds to be shipped to Britain

-Back at home, the Manhattan Cabinet continues to expand the governmental interventions of the New Deal. One of the most ambitious policies yet is a nationalized health care system, in which private medical institutions are required to accept a government buyout and healthcare is made free. Though this will consume much of the budget, the Wallace administration forges on and passes legislation that sets government-controlled rates for medical services, the first major step towards total nationalization

-Another serious challenge the Federalists will need to confront is the out-of-control organized crime. With the death of the promising FBI chief J Edgar Hoover in 1932 and the loss of some of the Bureau’s most experienced investigators to the Opposition, New York crime families have been able to thrive running protection rackets and gleaning products including firearms from industrial operations, a drag on the economy and a damper for confidence in the government

-Seeking to address its primary defensive weakness in the form of its miniscule Navy, the USS Enterprise is finally fitted out and declared ready for battle after years of languishing. Though there is much fanfare as the fleet flag is transferred to the Federal Navy’s first and only capital ship, it will be a while before it can form a battle group capable of sailing the seas and bringing its aircraft to bear on aggressor. The remainder of the Federal Navy consists of a motley assortment of destroyers, logistical ships, and a handful of Great War-era destroyers. Cruisers and ideally at least two battleships are sorely needed before even a defensive sortie will be possible

-Having explored the concept of a lighter and more versatile weapon to fill a role in between the M1 Garand rifle and Thompson Submachine Gun, the Federalist government accepts a prototype carbine designed by convicted murderer David Marshall Williams, who has now gone from building tools in the prison shop to winning a major government contract in less than two decades. The M1 Carbine fires a “hot” .30 pistol bullet and is easily handled by support troops, and perhaps more importantly, the militia troops that bolster Federal forces can learn to use it more easily than the Garand or Thompson

-Once again preparing for the seeming inevitability of a clash between the powers of the North American continent, the annual Joint Defence Review that has been held each spring since 1937 brings together the professional Federal Army, the remaining state National Guards, and several smaller loyalist militias. For their great enthusiasm, the militias largely operate as a mob and make only feeble attempts to emulate their professional counterparts, sometimes proving a hindrance as trained soldiers attempt to rescue them from their follies. Though the militias do not want to be dragged into joining the National Guard in favor of maintaining political independence, more will need to be done to train these militants to make the most of them

-Physicians in a Pittsburgh hospital trying an experimental treatment that had been passed down by Australian researchers are the first to make a breakthrough in the use of Penicillin to treat infection. If the drug can be produced on a greater scale, its potential to make infection-related deaths preventable will be massive

-In a major shift of New England’s political position, Chancellor Saltonstall now makes it clear that eventual reintegration with the Federalist government of the United States is the eventual goal of his government, a sentiment largely shared with the populace, though the major difference is the view that the long-sought favorable arrangement is now in reach. One key part of such an agreement would be an end to conscription of New Englanders into the armed forces of the Federalists. The progress in negotiations leads to significant economic aid from the Federalists, and greater overall viability of the two states as a combined entity

-A significant step towards further cooperation with the Federalists is the announcement of a joint shipyard at New Haven, Connecticut, where both nations will cooperate on shipbuilding to bolster their relatively feeble navies. This alone is a significant boost to the economy of New England, as citizens of both nations are involved in the construction and steel for the projects is waived from the tariff. In return for being the primary labor supplier, New England receives dozens of Federalist military advisors to aid in the development of their mostly non-professional militias

-In the terms of the ever-popular sport of baseball, Chancellor Saltonstall “goes to bat” for reunification under the proposed deal with the Federalists. The initiative will require a public referendum on a constitutional amendment, therefore the Chancellor boards a campaign train on a whistle-stop tour of New England to meet local leaders and hold town halls. A strong fear of being somehow dragged into a war that the Federalists may well lose persists, but the economic situation seems to be pushing the populace in favor of reunification

-Though negotiations with his own populace are going smoothly, Saltonstall’s international diplomatic initiative largely leaves him empty handed. Arriving on a chartered BOAC flight in Mexico City, the Chancellor meets with Jefe Salvador Abascal, the president and leader of the dominant National Synarchist Union. While he makes significant apologies about past American aggressions and honors Mexican war dead, few see him as being in a position to make apologies on behalf of the United States as a whole, reinforcing the notion that the Gringos are divided amongst themselves and therefore weak

-On the home front, the Confederation Finance Ministry evaluates its economic situation as Federalist aid begins to pour in. Finding overall growth still lacking, it decides to employ its own form of Keynesian Economics with interest-free business loans to select businesses and start-ups. Though the time value of money means this is effectively a loss to the government, the applications are heavily reviewed for feasibility with the understanding that the growth will lead to much greater tax revenue from the overall economy

-In addition to this, proven vital industries are directly given a limited subsidy from the government, namely major fish processing centers, logging firms, and the railroads. This allows these industries to make significant updates to their equipment, which largely grew obsolete without replacement during the economic travails of the thirties

-Taking advantage of its possession of Springfield Arsenal, the CNE ramps up production of the M1 Garand self-loading rifle as well as the Browning M2 and M1919 machine guns. With Federalist military advisors present to assist, these weapons are intended to equip the defensive militias that form the backbone of the CNE’s defence, and it is defence indeed that is their main purpose, as Saltonstall is quick to emphasize

-A significant medical innovation comes as New England prepares for the possibility of mass casualty situations common in wartime. Through the use of refrigeration and categorization of large human blood containers, the Harvard Medical School creates the first “blood bank,” which can significantly reduce response times in an emergency and be prepared in advance of a battle

-Though a one-party state, the United Socialist Republics suffers from a great division within the United Communists of America over the issue of its relationship with the Soviet-style communism promoted by Stalin and other foreign revolutionaries. While the old guard defend the dogmatic strength of Stalinism as the only way to save the nation from its precarious position, members of the former Lincoln Division who fought in Spain oppose the draconian implementation of Marxism and fear dependence on the USSR. Hoping to ease concerns that he is no more than a Soviet drone, General Secretary Earl Browder emphasizes that the form of communism he is developing is “American Communism” that will focus on aspects of the class struggle particular to Americans, allowing individuals of the proletariat to have a level of individualism. A footnote of this dogma is non-reliance on foreign powers, a message that does not explicitly name the USSR but appeases the anti-Stalinists for now

-Several formerly privately research institutes in the greater Chicago area are nationalized and reorganized as the “Republic Developmental Institute.” Spanning several fields from aeronautics to zoology, those with qualifying scientific background are brought into a relatively apolitical research environment and given what resources the state can spare for their initiatives in hopes of creating new innovations to advance the cause of the State

-With fuel stretched desperately thin, one of the constant tasks of the Energy Ministry is the search for oil. A new initiative turns attention to the northern Ohio River Valley, but yields only a modest supply of natural gas. Still, this is enough to improve the heating fuel supply and reduce the demand on other fuels for this use

-With volunteers not meeting demand, the American Liberation Army institutes conscription of all 18 year old males on one-year terms of duty, significantly boosting its numbers. Continuing to serve after the end of one’s term is strongly encouraged, with more benefits and possibility of rank advancement for becoming a professional

-The bulk of the American Liberation Army marches to the southwest into Missouri, ostensibly for training exercises and to test the mobility of their forces. Still, those in nearby nations fear they may be about to leave their borders in the name of spreading the Second American Revolution

-The United Aircraft Workers Factory in Detroit rolls out the first new production fighter aircraft in its history, the UAW-F1 Thunderflash. A “Heavy Fighter” with a comparable layout to the Potez 630 or Messerschmitt Bf 110, it is well suited to the long distances of the Midwest and is heavily armed to destroy bombers with four .50 machine guns and a 20mm cannon. Its twin engines are also supercharged, making it the fastest heavy fighter currently in service

-Seeing the writing on the wall, President Russell realizes that the Silver Legion has rapidly become the party of the masses of non-aristocratic whites who may not dominate the economy but dominate the voting populace all the same. Announcing his political switch, he uproariously declares that the Whigs are a tired remnant of the system that failed both the old Confederacy and the United States. Falling short of a coup, President Russell instead stumps for the Silver Legion and begins working to convince the skeptical industrialists and other southern gentry that they have little to fear from his movement and can expect great economic stimulation in the future

-Fearing the eventuality of food shortages in an anticipated conflict, agricultural storehouses are set up at major railroad junctures to preserve grains, corn, and other foodstuffs. Intended to prevent a repeat of the famines of the previous civil war, these storehouses are largely supplied by government purchasing, though it is hinted that nationalization of farms is a possibility in the event of conflict to more effectively meet the need. The large estate farmers balk at the mere suggestion of this, but it is a distant specter for now

-With small-scale slave rebellions frequent and fear of Marxist or pro-Union infiltrators constant, the Confederacy seeks to bulk up its security apparatus. Addressing this as a spin-off of the existing Confederate Secret Service, the Secret Service’s Special Detachment, or SD, is formed to manage internal security. One of its formal roles is to hunt escaped slaves and prisoners in conjunction with local police, but its main focus is counterintelligence and the monitoring of undesirable political factions that threaten the Confederate system

-With the Confederacy just beginning the second iteration of its existence, a group of envoys make their way to the warring European continent to secure diplomatic recognition and trade partners. They are best received in Spain, where Franco’s government hosts an elaborate ceremony to celebrate Confederate volunteers who served the Nationalist cause from 1938 to 1939. With its economy in tatters from the civil war, the Spanish are more than happy to trade with an ideologically similar nation. Similar results are obtained in Italy and Hungary, and as long as these nations remain neutral in the war, they will be able to trade openly without British interference. On the topic of the British, London refuses to even host Confederate diplomats, not recognizing their passports as legitimate. A brief conference is held with the few remaining right-wing organizations of France, but the Republic refuses to entertain them on a governmental level

-Perhaps the most interesting result of the Confederacy’s diplomatic ventures come from its dealings with Germany. Though many of the Nazi party’s elites look down on the Confederates as simpletons, Hitler himself shows great enthusiasm for the developments in Dixie, especially its racial policies. Trade will be difficult with the blockade around Germany, but the Confederacy does secure a deal to exchange 400,000 Reichsmark worth of concentrated dyes for a license to produce the Heinkel He 111 medium bomber. The blueprints are a university course in aircraft design for the fledgling aviation industry of the Confederacy, and the growing bomber force will pose a serious challenge to any potential adversaries, as “the bomber will always get through”

-To accomodate these new bombers and other aircraft already in its possession, several new military-only aerodromes are constructed at strategically advantageous locations. With vast airspace to patrol around its borders and relatively antiquated and slow fighters, being in position to intercept will be crucial to make a stand against any aerial incursion

-Along these same lines, a general stockpile of weapons for Confederate armories is ordered and a significant portion of the nation’s industrial capacity and steel resources is diverted to building a mix of small arms and artillery, for distribution once the order is given to mobilize. This order may not be far off, for while this CSA was not birthed from conflict like its predecessor, it is born into a world where the flames of war are burning ever closer

-With largely autonomous governments in domestic affairs and many miles of water separating the two, one could be forgiven for mistaking Florida and Texas for independent nations. In spite of this, the situation has forced the two former US states into an important bond of shared economic and foreign policy interests. Keen to emphasize this, President Allred makes an expedition across the Gulf from Houston to Tallahassee aboard the flagship RGN Ranger, before making a whistle-stop tour down the peninsula and flying back from Miami. Though the rise of the Silver Legion across the border has lessened doubts about Florida’s commitment to the union, the tour is nevertheless a chance to kiss babies and show that the government to the west is no deadbeat parent

-The oil fields of Texas have been a key contributor the Gulf Republic’s ability to persist in relative prosperity despite the bleak situation of North America. In times like these, even abundant sources must be used wisely, and as such the Gulf Department of Petroleum rolls out a litany of new policies to regulate the fossil fuels industry. First among these is a renegotiation of its supply volumes with other nations. Importers from within the former United States are brought to the table, and are made to accept an egalitarian pricing scheme to ensure the Gulf Republic is not being seen as playing favorites among the factions. Of course, the United Socialist Republics are not welcome to make purchases, not that their representatives were much interested

-To make this renegotiation possible, the state also becomes the monopoly on the trade of crude oil and refined products, as all oil is now to be purchased by the DoP. This gives it a limited control of demand and the ability to regulate where sales go, preventing opponents of the Gulf’s strategic interests (or worse, Communists) from fueling their war machines via dealings with less scrupulous Gulf oil barons. This further allows the government to set up a cash reserve system wherein 10% of all profits from trade with other nations can be set aside for contingency planning

-Other than possible threats to its oil sales, the greatest perceived threat to the Gulf Republic’s internal stability are nascent communist movements. Declaring that “Communism in any disguise cannot coexist with the Republic” President Allred gathers broad support for the Public Safety Act, a law whose bland name masks a broad increase in police authority to harass and detain suspected communists. Suspects can be held without bail for extended periods, and union assemblies are frequently raided or given police minders to listen for seditious talk

-The greater threat to the Gulf Republic is without a doubt external, rather than internal. Mexico’s turn to the revanchist, right wing National Synarchist Union has alarmed all nations sharing a border with Mexico. While diplomatic staff in Mexico City report that the UNS has not made its claims to former Mexican territories formal, the topic has significant populist appeal and is openly discussed among party members. Vigilance will be necessary as it is largely agreed any attacks that do come will be opportunistic in nature

-Realizing that its prized fleet is largely centered around a few major capital ships (such as the Ranger and Texas) a drive to build more screening vessels is ordered by Navy Secretary Chester Nimitz. Twenty new destroyers, a trio of light cruisers, and a pair of small Zavala-class “escort aircraft carriers” are ordered to be laid down in the shipyards of Tampa Bay and Corpus Christi. The additional destroyers are especially directed towards possible threats beneath the waves, which are already playing a major role in the ongoing Battle of the Atlantic

-Outfitting the Gulf Navy as a semi-independent branch of naval infantry, the Gulf Marine Corps are established as an elite force that has a defensive focus but can be used in counter-attacks to strike deep behind enemy lines. Most of its soldiers are transfers from the Army and Navy who could be successful in sea-land warfare, and their ability to operate between ship and shore will be vital in supporting the Gulf’s foreign allies in the Carribean and Central America should they ever come under threat

-Another development in the quality of the Gulf Navy is the debut of the Chance-Vought F4U Buccaneer, a carrier-based fighter featuring a pair of folding gull wings and a powerful radial engines. A well-balanced fighter also capable of ground-attack, the Buccaneer is a major boost to the Gulf’s Naval Aviation wings

-Recognizing that they are effectively just seeking the same kind of autonomy that everyone else in the Free States seeks, the Governor’s committee agrees to give major concessions to the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi in exchange for guarantees of military cooperation against any form of Japanese aggression, adding a significant organized force in such an eventuality. Individual farmers will still have their clashes with the natives, but the state governments will be staying out

-In an effort to prevent such a conflict from arising in the first place, a Non-Aggression Pact with the West Coast Protectorate is put into place. For now no objection is raised by their Japanese overlords, who are not presently keen to test their luck an ocean away. In other foreign dealings, trade arrangements with the Gulf Republic see tough haggling over oil supplies as the Gulf tries to be non-preferential. Prices end up rising somewhat, but there is by no means a shortage in supply due to domestic production. The trade in citrus and other agricultural products from the Gulf and its Latin protectorates is more successful as tariffs are dropped and the Free States are able to export substantial agricultural products of their own

-With a large portion of the population loyal to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Free States seeks to accommodate the Mormons to secure their concurrent loyalty to the government. Adherents to the faith are able to claim a litany of legal exemptions on issues such as polygamy, and in exchange Salt Lake City is established as the permanent capital of the Free States, which itself receives the blessings of the Mormon church

-The vast and remote land spaces make domestic travel a burden for even the well-off, and as such the Free States increase their focus on the motorway and the motorist. The domestic oil industry is subsidized in exchange for their assistance in creating highways, with vast amounts of land bought up for the purpose of laying asphalt between towns large and small. Propaganda emphasizing the “Freedom to Roam” is posted and broadcast to encourage states to increase their participation in this construction, and with the individuality of the automobile having great appeal among these folks, dozens of new routes are paved or improved and many more slated to start work in the near future

-Of course, promoting the independence of the automobile means little when the everyman cannot afford a car. With a nonexistent domestic automotive industry just years prior, the carmakers of the Free States are in a fledgling stage and largely built on the backs of executives that fled the revolutionaries in Detroit. This is little deterrent to the entrepreneurial spirit, as some of these men gather at a former tractor repair shop outside Minneapolis to debut the first vehicle of the Minnesota Auto Works, the “Junebug.” A spartan vehicle sharing many parts with International Harvester tractors, the Junebug is nevertheless an innovative and easy to produce car that will last seemingly forever even in the tough conditions of the Rockies

-Feeling the pressure from growing tensions as the Reds march south, the Governor’s Committee asks the militias to begin coordinating more and choose a supreme commander to act in the event that the independence of the Free States is ever challenged. After much bickering, a mild-mannered former US Army major who had spent his interwar years studying strategy at Fort Leavenworth came to the floor and gave a simple speech explaining the Free States’ military situation and how it was untenable if the militias did not unify. Finally convinced, they agreed and named Omar Bradley as the Supreme Commander of the United Defense Militias, the first unified command of the region in years

-Firearms ownership is a celebrated part of the regional culture of the Free States dating back to the time of the cowboys, and the manufacture of rifles and assorted other guns a significant industry of the region. As such, the militias are encouraged to regularly practice with their weapons, with exercises intended to challenge the individual minuteman’s skills, such as attempting to take down 30-50 targets shaped like feral hogs in less than 5 minutes. These exercises drive up demand for guns and ammunition, in turn providing manufacturers the demand and the capital to expand

-Aiming to secure itself from its most likely foreign opponent, the West Coast Protectorate secures an unlikely Non-Aggression Pact with the Coalition of Free States. For now no objection is raised by their Japanese overlords, who are not presently keen to test their luck an ocean away, and instead give their blessings to secure their North American holdings

-The government of the WCP is often seen as distant and uninterested in domestic development, putting the needs of Japanese buyers first. Nowhere is this sentiment more prevalent than in the rural counties, where ambivalent citizens sometimes or give shelter to Chinese-American extremists or even come to the brink of militancy themselves. The development of these areas is given a greater priority within budgetary limits, as President Taylor announces that all counties will have a local health clinic, a small state college and a full public education system, and a state-run orphanage. More populous counties are to have several of these as needed, but the idea is to increase equity and therefore unity. Furthermore, all of these are to be desegregated, something not universally accepted up in the remote areas even if racial stability is greater in Karufornia than much of the nation. In all educational institutions, students are taught to respect the decisions of the state and in turn embrace the Pacific Co-Prosperity Sphere

-Several anti-Japanese demonstrations are held in Eugene, Portland, and San Francisco, spurred on by the New Order of Cincinnatus. These demonstrations are mostly peaceful aside from a few clubbings and some drunken rioting, but they are significant loss of face for the West Coast Protectorate. The main sentiment is an “America for Americans,” favoring less control from abroad. Word on the street is that President Taylor is facing increased pressure from Japan to contain the situation on his own, and that decisive action may be needed to prevent the Kempeitai from wading into the situation

-Noting that the Japanese have not actually signed them onto any military restrictions, President Taylor orders that the military leadership get together and organize some reforms that can make their fighting force more efficient (without spooking their Japanese guests). For the moment, more drilling is recommended as is a more merit-based advancement system. The mere mention of this makes some of the brass uncomfortable in their seats, not having forgotten how they had achieved their ranks in the first place

-More education in military theory could also do a great deal for the Protectorate Army. New military academies are added to major garrisons to teach the lessons of modern warfare and hopefully generate a higher-quality officer class. Books on these topics are also brought to garrisons in all the counties to increase the troops’ exposure to new ideas on subjects like combined arms and squad-level initiative

-On the subject of combined arms, one thing the WCP has lacked up to now is an armored force. With the Type 97 Chi-Ha in production in the factories of San Francisco for the benefit of Japan, President Taylor orders several be gleaned for the benefit of the Protectorate Army and inspected for possible modifications to fit the local terrain. The result is the Type 99 “Bear of California,” which wields a 47mm high velocity gun, upping its anti-tank firepower and effective range while keeping decent infantry support characteristics

-Having existed for years, the New Order of Cincinnatus takes its first turn in a new direction, starting the year by electing a new “Triumvirate” of anti-Japanese firebrands and making its new slogan “America is for Americans.” This folds easily into its existing brand of militant conservatism, with most of it members styling themselves with a military rank of some level. Their leader’s rank is more proven, as former governor and Great War General Charles Martin takes the helm as the party leader, with notorious bootlegger Roy Olmstead at treasurer and small-time actor Ronald Reagan using his acting charisma to chair the party and direct its operations

-The NOC takes to self-publishing to spread its message, creating a new pamphlet called “The Western Triumph” which is distributed from cheap printing presses among close circles of associates which argues against dependence on the Japanese economy, pointing to how even the remnants of the Feds can profit by supplying the Western Allies. It spreads the “America for Americans” message while leaving the notion of what makes an American up to the reader, though for now it certainly does not include the Japanese

-After being announced in The Western Triumph, street protests are held in the major urban areas of Eugene, Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco. The Portland and Seattle protests are the largest of these and are closely watched but largely peaceful. Still, their presence causes a significant loss of face for the West Coast Protectorate. The smaller San Francisco protest happens in the presence of Japanese businessmen and liaisons, who are stunned that such a display could even occur within their sphere of influence, even if the WCP is perhaps the most loosely-managed part of the Pacific Co-Prosperity Sphere. Word on the street is that President Taylor is facing increased pressure from Japan to contain the situation on his own, and that decisive action may be needed to prevent the Kempeitai from wading into the situation

-In spite of the relatively stable economic situation in the Pacific states, there are still plenty of unemployed and generally down-on-their-luck men desperate to earn any sort of extra cash. Even on their stretched budget, several dozen are brought on board to act as bodyguards and security for party meetings, giving substantial muscle to the Cincinnatus

-With its superior organization, The League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi is able to renegotiate its position within the Coalition of Free States and declare its treaties with the United States void. Successfully implementing all its land claims is a major victory for the League, though naturally a few white farmers and ranchers here and there have objections. They will have to take these to the tribe, which will now be answering them on its own terms. In exchange, they are expected to join in alliance against any expansionism by Japan and the West Coast Protectorate, which the Free States sees as a more immediate threat. No mention of how this alliance might deal with Mexico is included in the agreement, which may prove to be the true test of their relationship before long

-With the Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 in tatters, a slow reversion to the ancient system of land management seen long before the arrival of the white man begins. The concept that a man could buy or sell the earth was foreign to the natives, and as such any natives who owned their own land after Dawes are made to return it and join the collective farming initiatives. Many who had long been indoctrinated in the ways of the whites protest having their land taken from them, but are consistently overruled by the tribal councils

-Being a league of the many tribes of the southwest with differing means of subsistence, the League must still divide up its land for different types of communal use. The nomadic Navajo and Apache need vast spaces to roam and graze cattle, while the Hopi and other Puebloan peoples utilize more traditional farming. This is done along the lines of the traditional lands of these tribes for the time being, though lack of fencing causes some issues as cattle belonging to the Navajo are frequently spotted grazing on Hopi farmland

-Yiska orders that existing tribal schools are brought under the League’s administration and tribes are encouraged to create their own. These schools not only teach the various ancient tribal languages and skills, but the sciences and knowledge of the outside world through the lense of the tribes’ relationship with these fields

-With no regular military forces, the League begins to organize tribal militias to defend and police the lands. Expecting a serious threat from Japan in the near future, the League begins snapping up firearms from the various manufacturers of the Free States to be distributed to the various militias. The League expects to fight a guerilla war using its substantial land spaces, and a possible future conflict could see a rifle in the hand of every man or even woman who dares to stand and fight, taking advantage of the brutal desert terrain to stage harassing attacks

-Assisting in this strategy is the development of new camouflage material largely handmade by Hopi women and designed to closely emulate desert scrub. When worn by a soldier, they become virtually indistinguishable from the native terrain from a distance. When strung into a netting, a few tent poles can be used to create a command post or field hospital that is perfectly hidden from the low-resolution aerial reconnaissance cameras of the day. Implementation of this new camouflage can greatly improve the bivouac discipline of the League’s militias while they are on the move

Pat

 

[Amfleet]

Una voluntad de hierro- The Political Situation of Latin America and the Carribean, 1940

In an earlier time, the United States of America established a virtual hegemony across both Americas under the auspices of the Monroe doctrine. By virtue of its economy alone it turned many nations of the region into virtual dependencies, snapping up their exports of cash crops like bananas, coffee beans, and tobacco. The depression and the American Crisis have seen these nations descend into domestic strife, leading to a common theme of their re-emergence in the hands of strongmen who claim to be leading their nations to one or another form of the promised land.

Members of the National Synarchist Union (UNS) rally in Mexico City, 1939

Mexico

The Institutional Revolutionary Party, the left-wing party that emerged as the ultimate political victor of the Mexican Revolution, could not withstand the economic trials of the Depression, having built a platform of big spending promises that could now no longer materialize without Mexico’s largest importer providing the revenue. Only agitating a desperate populace even more was its attempt to reign in the Catholic Church’s influence. Backlash against the PRI’s anti-clericalist policies and broken economic promises combined to result in a surge of support for the right-wing National Synarchist Union.

In mid-1938, with fascism spreading further across Europe, the UNS’s Jefe Salvador Abascal rallies his supporters for a Mussolini-style march towards the Congress and Senate, travelling hundreds of kilometers from west to converge on the city. Policemen who haven’t been paid in weeks fail to oppose them. For fear of being ripped apart by the mob, the government is forced to host a snap election, which sees Sinarquistas intimidating voters and coasting to a seeming landslide. The Mexican State is declared shortly afterwards, with the Congress and Senate dissolved.

The new government allows the Catholic Church to act almost as a parallel state and aligns itself with other similar governments, namely Spain and Italy. Most worryingly for its new neighbors to the North and South, it revives claims to the entire land space of the First Mexican Empire. The Jefe promises an end to the class struggle and a new era of cooperation between the industrialists, the working class, and the Church that it sees as the glue holding them together.

Central America

RGN Texas transits the Panama Canal, 1940

In Panama, the critical crossroads of the Americas, an increasingly flawed democracy has persisted as the nation has aligned itself with the Gulf Republic in a pact to keep the locks open to North American trade. Having nationalized the Panama Canal to keep the revenue for itself, Panama is an isthmus of stability in a region of tumult.

Just to the north, the story could not be more different. Fueled by the flight of left-wing activists from Mexico and Spain, the desperate economic revolution has gone in the opposite direction of that in Mexico. The former Banana Republics of Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador have all brought leftist governments into power through either election or revolution. Together they have formed the Pacto Defensivo del Pueblo, a collective security arrangement to defend themselves from any imperialist aggression.

Carribean

The Parsley Massacre along the border dividing Hispaniola

The government of the island of Cuba, long the most significant of US interests in the Carribean, has seen constant turmoil since the breakup of its largest trading partner. After a long period of “the Pentarchy” under 5 seargeants of the armed forces, Fulgencio Batista has emerged as the true leader of the junta and the chief autocrat of a nominal democracy. So far, its government of “law and order” has been able to keep the country from descending into chaos, but the strongarm methodology it uses to keep the left and the right in line has increased dissent on both sides. Along with Panama, Batista has aligned himself with the Gulf Republic to keep its crucial trade with Miami.

Also allying itself with the Gulf for trade reasons is the Dominican Republic, similarly led by strongman Rafael Trujillo. Unlike many predominantly Catholic nations who have tried to either bring the Church into the government or neutralize its power completely, Trujillo has tried to control the Church, going so far as to make them display banners that read “God in Heaven, Trujillo on Earth.” Beyond religious affairs, he has ruled on state terrorism, with the pro-government gang “The 42” going on a rampage of drive by shootings, targeting opposition figures from their red Packard “Carro de la Muerte.” The terror extends to the other end of the island as well, as racism against Haitians has led up to 35,000 to be slaughtered by the Dominican Army in the Parsley Massacre after a border incursion. In one curious affair, Trujillo has attempted to whiten his populace by admitting thousands of persecuted Jews from Europe, a silver lining to his bizarre campaign.

In part due to the failure of his predecessor to avenge the Haitians slain at Parsley, Élie Lescot has emerged as the leader of an elitist regime in at the other end of Hispaniola. His nation is the poorest overall of the region, but has secured a rapprochement with the French, and French warships are now visiting again on the regular to deter an outright invasion by the Dominicans, taking over for security once provided by the US Marines.

Puerto Rico, once an American colony, has now gained its independence but not broken its ties to the United States, modelling its government after the version of the US Constitution promulgated by the Federalists and being one of the few functional democracies in the region. Rejecting appeals from Francoist Spain, it has instead maintained its ties with the Federalists in spite of the difficulties keeping trade and diplomatic ties together with the huge distance and enemies in the way. It has sought to increase its ties with the British and French to fill in the gap.

TURNS ARE DUE FRIDAY! SOONER IS BETTER!

 

[Amfleet]

PSA: TECHNOLOGY

World War 2 was a period of rapid advances in technology that would impact not only the military sphere but civilian life as well. Therefore, after precisely 17 seconds of thinking about this, I have decided to introduce a rule change for this turn. You may now have !2! technology sections with 3 choices each. One will be civilian-oriented and the other military. You will be awarded an advancement in one of each field. Anything that is unambiguously "dual use" (i.e. could be useful in either field) belongs in military, with the exception of medical technologies. Example:

Civilian Technology

-Combine harvester
-Diesel locomotive
-Portable movie camera

Military Technology

-Anti-tank cannon
-Rocket depth charge thrower
-Half-track

You may send an edit to add this in! Turns are still due Friday at midnight EST!

 

[Amfleet]

HAVE

Federalists
New England
Confederacy
Gulf
WCP
Free States
League of pahigoidahegoa[
USRA
Cincinnatus

NEED

 

[Amfleet]

Turn 2 Preview 1: The Developments in Europe

The struggle for Norway was coming quickly to a close as Germany mountain troops began to win a war of attrition against the Allies in the mountains. On 10 May 1940, this fight quickly became a sideshow as Blitzkrieg finally came west. Panzer divisions streamed through Belgium and the Ardennes, quickly conquering the low countries as their governments fled into exile. The real fight moves to into the heart of France as the Maginot Line is outflanked by the mechanized forces. Regular French and British forces in the field are consistently outmaneuvered by the highly mobile German units who effectively employ the Luftwaffe in support of their attacks.

Within 2 weeks, the British Expeditionary Force and 150,000 French soldiers are cornered in the seaside town of Dunkirk. It is clear that the Battle of France is lost, and evacuations to England must begin. It is here that the Allies finally receive a miracle. The Federalist faction in America has been bolstering the production of aircraft for the Royal Air Force for several months now. P-39s and P-40s join the waves of Spitfires and Hurricanes that are able to suppress the Luftwaffe with constant sorties from bases in England. Their air cover not only allows the vast majority of the BEF to return home, but to bring the majority of French forces trapped in the pocket home with them.

British and French Soldiers Evacuating from Dunkirk

Nevertheless, France is falling, and fast, as is soon confirmed when Case Red is put into effect and Paris falls. Making matters worse, Italy declares its allegiance to the Axis and strikes in eastern France. In a heated meeting of the Anglo-French Supreme War Council, some French ministers led by Marshal Pétain demand to be allowed to surrender to stop further carnage. However, the majority of the cabinet seems to be eyeing a continuation of the fight from France’s vast colonial empire, knowing that most of their forces are still intact. The Navy is ordered to sail for Mers-El-Kébir while the remnants of the Armee de l’Air take off to defend Corsica from an expected Italian assault.

With the consensus that Britain and France will continue the fight, the governments of the two nations slowly come to the realization that they will need much greater coordination to avoid repeating the failures that led to the loss of metropolitan France. The head of the Anglo-French Coordinating Committee, Jean Monnet, convinces Prime Minister Paul Reynaud and General Charles De Gaulle that radical change is needed to integrate with Britain so that the remaining great democracies can survive. Together with the British War Cabinet, they issue a joint proclamation:

“France and Great Britain shall no longer be two nations, but one Franco-British Union. The constitution of the Union will provide for joint organs of defence, foreign, financial and economic policies. Every citizen of France will enjoy immediately citizenship of Great Britain, every British subject will become a citizen of France.”

Flag of the Franco-British Union

Hitler is ecstatic at his swift victory in France and believes that the war in the west is all but won, and that he will soon be able to turn his attention to the Soviet Union. His generals inform him of the sobering truth: he has inadvertently made the largest empire in human history much larger, and with French armies fighting on the occupation of France will be a heavy burden as resistance will be around every corner. His new Italian allies have already tried and failed to overrun the Mareth Line in Tunisia, and with the growing Union Air Force making an aerial assault on England less and less feasible by the day, it seems Hitler will have no choice but to turn his attention to Africa instead.

Instead of the anticipated conclusion, this war is only beginning, and the people of the Franco-British Union are only growing in their resolve to see it through to victory.

 

[Amfleet]

The Second Great War Between the States 1: Red Dawn

It is the morning of a divided America’s 164th anniversary. Out of the rising sun over the Great Plains of Kansas, dozens of shadows appear with a great droning roar. These are DC-2 and DC-3 transport planes of the United Socialist Republics of America, each packed to the gills with paratroopers of the elite Red Guards. Their orders: seize vital oil installations belonging to the Coalition of Free States and hold out against counter attacks as land-based forces come to relieve them.

Cruising three thousand feet above, Colonel Fred Schneider scans the skies for any interceptors. He is flying escort duty in a UAW-F1 Thunderflash, a twin-engine heavy fighter with a long combat range and powerful engines for interception. Like the transports below, the plane bears a large red circle roundel centered around a yellow star. Col. Schneider is a combat veteran, having downed several Nationalist planes in Spain flying the diminutive Polikarpov I-16 for the Republicans. The large Thunderflash is a very different aircraft fighting in a very different war, but the basic rules of dogfighting are unchanged.



Roundel of the American Liberation Air Force

Suddenly he catches a glimmer of light reflecting off a silver aircraft surging up from below. The profile matches a P-36 Hawk, an aircraft flown by all factions including the communists. He orders his wingman, one Lt. Col. Ives to follow him down to investigate. Just as they close the distance, the Hawk tears into a transport, setting its port engine afire. Schneider pounces, a burst of retaliatory fire coming from the Thunderflash’s concentrated armaments. Several .50 caliber rounds tear into the starboard wing and cause a fuel leak, which a 20mm cannon shell then promptly ignites. The pilot quickly inverts his aircraft and tumbles out. Similarly, the paratroopers begin clamoring out of the transport as the escorts look on.

Schneider’s attention snaps away from the burning transport as his wingman cries out for help as his Thunderflash is pelted by machine gun fire. He looks to his right, just in time to see the attacker zip past in a steep dive. The aircraft that has downed Ives is a strange gull-winged machine of a type he does not recognize, but the coiled yellow serpent painted on the rear fuselage is a clear sign that this is a hostile. “Look out, it’s a Buccaneer!” calls out one of the other fighters.

The escorts dive and give chase but not even the Thunderflash can catch this machine, and its pilot clearly intended for a boom-and-zoom attack. As the remaining paratroopers make their descent, Schneider checks his fuel gauge and turns back for Kansas City, having made his mark in the opening skirmish of the Great Plains War.

 

[Amfleet]

TURN 2: 1 MAY-31 AUGUST 1940




WORLD EVENTS

-Germany invades France and the Low Countries, swiftly conquering them and placing Western Europe under Hitler’s heel. After a crisis meeting of the Allies, France and the United Kingdom agree to combine into one Franco-British Union, an even more massive globe-spanning empire that must now seek to reverse the gains of the Nazi juggernaut

-Hoping to seize a slice of Metropolitan France for himself, Mussolini announces the Kingdom of Italy’s entry into the war on the side of Germany and is given a rude surprise as the French join in union with Britain to continue the fight. The struggle for North Africa begins as Italian forces are stopped at the Mareth Line in Tunisia, coming up short of their goal to take Tunis and come one step closer to achieving Mare Nostrum

-Imperial Japan also takes advantage of the chaos in Europe to expand its holdings in Asia, declaring war on the Franco-British Union and launching a campaign to take Indochina and control its supplies of rubber and tin. The colony has lacked military support, and Japanese forces are laying siege to the mostly French troops in Saigon and Cambodia after a swift southward advance. Hong Kong also capitulates after a protracted artillery duel leaves several thousand dead on both sides, In response, Franco-British reinforcements are rushed in substantial numbers to Malaysia, preparing to defend the oil resources but pulling men away from the fight in Europe


REGIONAL EVENTS

-The Great Plains War erupts between the United Socialist Republics of America and the Coalition of Free States as the communists launch a full scale assault in Kansas and Nebraska using a combined assault of paratroopers and ground forces of the American Liberation Army. The initial push sees most of the oil wells in these states captured intact, a major victory for the reds, but determined resistance and the approach of more Free States militias means that this fight might be just getting started

-Strife between elements of the American, Chinese, and Japanese populaces of the West Coast Protectorate continues as local mafias battle with the Yakuza in several late-night battles in San Francisco as the police struggle to contain both. In one instance this ends with a large billboard on top of the Russ Building being defaced with the phrase “JAPS GET OUT,” a stunt for which no group claims responsibility

-The Federalists and New England sign an extensive trade and defensive pact with Canada that sees a free trade agreement and the participation of Canadian ships in the defense of their portion of the eastern seaboard, a major step towards securing trade between these nations and the world’s newest great power

PLAYER TURNS

-Finding the organized crime issue to be the single largest drag on the economy, President Wallace announces a major initiative to clean the streets and tackle the mafia. First and foremost is hiring a tougher director at the FBI. Picking through the shattered bureaucracy, the former head of the Chicago bureau Melvin Purvis emerges as a veteran crime fighter whose dry southern mannerisms make him difficult to intimidate, and whose history of dealing with celebrity gangsters means that no name will be too big for him to confront

-Expanding the powers of the Bureau which Purvis will now head, a special federal police force is formed to answer major incidents and provide more muscle against major organized crime groups. The Special Weapons and Tactics Division, or SWAT, is authorized for highly militarized tactics including the use of machine guns like the BAR when needed and sees its first use raiding a gang compound at a Long Island dockyard. Many of the SWAT teams are formed from volunteers arriving from New England as the two nations collaborate more closely on common issues

-Underpinning the increased physical strength of the police forces is the legal force of a new act of Congress championed by the President, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The act closes several legal loopholes that allowed the mob bosses to escape serious charges by allowing their fall guys or triggermen to be sentenced. Several major and minor bosses are dragged down by the act, allowing the common man to feel safer but painting a target on the backs of the Bureau and the administration, as twin bombs are delivered on Fourth of July to the FBI’s field office in Pittsburgh and the Justice Secretary’s office. Both are vacant due to the holiday, and it seems the purpose of the attack was intended to deliver a message rather than to kill

-Continuing to pursue further integration with New England, the US Dollar is standardized as the shared currency of the two nations, alleviating the many issues associated with currency exchange across borders and relieving New England of its own volatile dollar

-With the currency issue resolved, New England and the Federalists finally sign a full-on free trade agreement that is extended to Canada, creating a large trading bloc on the North American continent between some of its largest economies. Not long after signing, however, the Franco-British Union is formed, at first causing some doubts about the future status of Canada before its self rule is finally affirmed by the combined Franco-British War Cabinet. Many anti-protectionist policy makers argue that the agreement should be extended to the Franco-British Union outright, reducing the prices of goods from across the vast combined empire

-As trade with the United Kingdom and later the Franco-British Union continues to grow, aircraft like the P-39 and P-40 roll off the assembly line in increased numbers. The rapid supply of aircraft to the Allies has been a significant factor even as they are on the back foot, and many credit the growing strength of the Royal Air Force for the success of the Dunkirk evacuation and the seeming reluctance of Hitler to commit to a crossing of the Channel

-Several naval developments are made as the Federalists try to overcome their weakness at sea. The first and most important is granting permission for Canadian and New England warships to operate in Federalist waters to defend against U-boats and any threat to shipping between the Federalists and the Franco-British Union, bringing a significant force of foreign destroyers and corvettes into play and opening the way for the Federalists to focus on building up their own forces

-Another is the purchase of the NES Boston from New England, re-commissioning the ship as the USS Wasp. The ship is hurried to completion and fitted out with F4F Wildcats, TBD Devastators, and SBD Dauntless aircraft. With this major addition, the Federalists now field the most modern carrier force in North America, while equalling the Confederacy and Gulf in quantity

-Back on land, the US Army views the rapid advance of German armor through France with great concern and forces itself to finally settle on a medium tank design in the form of the M3 Grant. Though it has a few shortcomings, notably its tall profile and archaic sponson-mounted gun, the Grant is largely unmatched in North America in armor and armament, and the first few examples roll off the assembly line to great fanfare

-Rumors spread of a new device in testing in Federalist weapons laboratories. The reports say it is an incredibly bulky scope for a sniper rifle, one which uses a peculiar flashlight that casts out infrared light invisible to the human eye but visible in monochrome form through its special scope, which is powered by a battery backpack worn by the user. If true, this “Vampire” scope would allow the user to shoot accurately in total darkness, allowing him to strike at night against unsuspecting prey

-Continuing to pursue further integration with Federalist US government, the US Dollar is standardized as the shared currency of the two nations, alleviating the many issues associated with currency exchange across borders and relieving New England of its own volatile dollar

-With the currency issue resolved, New England and the Federalists finally sign a full-on free trade agreement that is extended to Canada, creating a large trading bloc on the North American continent between some of its largest economies. Not long after signing, however, the Franco-British Union is formed, at first causing some doubts about the future status of Canada before its self rule is finally affirmed by the combined Franco-British War Cabinet. Many anti-protectionist policy makers argue that the agreement should be extended to the Franco-British Union outright, reducing the prices of goods from across the vast combined empire

-The best trained members of the New England Constabulary are sent south to join the Federalists’ new SWAT teams in their crackdown on the mob in a summer that sees several running gun battles as the Feds attempt to lock up as many gangsters as they can. The idea is that without ties to the locales where they enforce the law, the Constables will not be easy to intimidate. This is partly true, though Boston’s own mobsters occasionally attempt to interfere. Still, it seems the mob is in full retreat after this major crime offensive

-In developments at sea, New England continues to aid the Federalists in their naval buildup. With its own naval command too small to effectively create and use a carrier strike group, USS Wasp is sold back to the Federalists after being completed at Fore River Shipyard. Between this shipyard and the one at New Haven, the Federalists receive the first of their Portland-class light cruisers and several more Gleaves-class destroyers as the US Navy rapidly regains its strength month by month

-Using what destroyers and corvettes it can muster, New England joins an agreement with Canada and the Federalists to share the responsibility of patrolling waters under their control against any threat to shipping, particularly U-Boat attacks. The participation of Canada and its own small ships goes a long way to secure the coastline, allowing convoys to be assembled for the British Isles and Dakar with much greater protection

-With its armories continuing to crank out various small arms, New England concludes a trade deal with the Republic of the Gulf and Coalition of Free States, which comes at a vital time as the latter is attacked by the United Socialist Republics’ armies in their quest to seize oil. Aside from helping the Free States standardize the rifles of the various militias, the defensive firepower of the new machine guns often plays a significant role in stemming the red tide

-With assistance from Federalist weapons designers, Springfield Armory successfully converts the M1 Carbine to accept a full-on select fire mode, allowing the user to flip a switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic firing. With a stronger punch than even the .45 ACP round of the Thompson, the Federalists and New England enthusiastically place this new “Assault Carbine, M2” in service with their most advanced units, integrating a new 30-round magazine with the design

-Inventions in the public health field continue as dentists partner with civil water authorities to introduce fluoridation for the masses, with fluoride added to drinking water supplies in major cities to reduce cases of tooth decay. This process can be done at fairly little expense, but can go a long way to improving dental health for the population as a whole

-The time has finally come to spread the revolution. General Secretary Browder announces that the farmers and workers of Kansas and Nebraska have too long been under the yoke of capitalism, and that the time of their liberation must be at hand for the Second American Revolution to proceed. The USRA’s primary war goal is quite obvious to observers as it has a chronic shortage of oil to remedy, meaning that it must do all in its power to avoid a protracted war of movement before it can fully requisition oil installations

-In the predawn light on the Fourth of July, waves of converted DC-2 and DC-3 airliners roar over Topeka and Wichita, with thousands of paratroopers of the Red Guards raining down on nearby oil installations, though several aircraft lose course and their soldiers end up making a long march to their planned positions. The paratroopers then dig in near the vital oil installations, first holding off assaults by local militias and police as the regular forces of the Free States as they wait for friendly forces to arrive. Several brigades are overrun before this can happen, but the disruption they cause hampers the militias significantly

-The paratrooper assault is intended to divide the forces of the Free States, much of which is to the east along the border. Some of these units must now be peeled back, just as the communists are beginning to pour over the border in a motorized assault supported by light tanks. Aiming for encirclement, the reds move in two main pincers to try and cut off all the Free States troops who came to Kansas for exercises. The main assault is largely a success, as militias either fail to communicate with each other or are outplayed by red commanders who fought in Spain, though by the end of August several militia brigades remain stubbornly holding out in Emporia

-To the north in Nebraska, the secondary advance sees only sporadic opposition from locals and smaller militias, supported by sabotage of the major railyard at North Platte. In both states, the communists quickly nationalize and utilize the oil wells, loading what they can into trains and shipping it back to be refined. The wells are not massive by the standards of the Gulf States, but are significant enough to both the reds and the Free States that further conflict over them seems inevitable. On the topic of the Gulf States, 3 of its engineers are captured and forced into service assisting in oil drilling and exploration, something that greatly helps the initiative, though it infuriates the Gulf which demands their immediate release

-With this opening offensive in the first real conflict of the Second American Civil War concluded, both sides dig in as their aircraft continue to tangle in the skies and strike targets of opportunity. The Communist Party disseminates large amounts of propaganda in favor of the war effort, suppressing opposition to the conflict by painting it as favoring capitalist control of the most vital resource needed to sustain the revolution and holding Victory Rallies to support the war effort. The citizens of the Free States, on the other hand, are galvanized against the Red Menace, and with enlistment in their militias increasing, these territorial gains will likely be challenged again soon

-To secure its borders elsewhere, the United Socialist Republics sign a Non-Aggression Pact with the Federalist government. Though many within the Federalist government are still opposed to what they see as recognition of any seceding state, both sides realize that this pact will be necessary for them to refocus their attention on more pressing matters, which for the USRA means the Free States and for the Federalists largely means the Opposition and Confederacy, or for that matter Hitler

-Seeking to improve its basic radar installations to manage the aircraft used in the offensive, the Republic Developmental Institute creates its own resonant-cavity magnetron. This technology increases signal strength 100 times over, allowing radar systems to have substantially greater range and precision in detecting targets for intercept. It also allows a less powerful but much more compact version to be produced, small enough that a set can now be installed on a heavy fighter or patrol plane, a boon to fighting at night or in bad weather

-Researchers at Akron Factory Complex 7 (formerly the Goodrich Corporation) make a breakthrough in the production of synthetic rubbers with a new Butadiene formulation that can be produced in greater quantities using by-products from the petroleum refining process that ordinarily would be discarded. As more oil is becoming available, this will help expand the motorized forces with greater availability of tires

-The upheaval caused by the emergence of the Silver Legion as the Confederacy’s leading party, largely at the president’s doing, begins to ease as Russell meets personally with members of the industrial and plantation-owning aristocracy to hear out their concerns and assure them of their place within the new system. Contrasting with the class struggle of communism, the integralist approach of the Silver Legion intends to make the lower classes and aristocrats cooperate to preserve the class structure. Of course, the colored man is at the bottom of this pecking order, managed from a distance by the upper class and more directly by their lackeys

-As a part of this initiative, the president personally authorizes financial aid to plantation owners and slave-factory bosses who need assistance maintaining “our peculiar institution” through the use of slave-management systems. The primary need is for more insurmountable fencing, miles and miles of which are needed around farm and factory grounds. Razorwire is most often requested but many are suggesting a more advanced form of electrical fencing, that may be tuned to a voltage just short of lethal to prevent loss of human property

-In spite of this initiative, significant slave revolts still occur on a frequent basis. The largest most significant of these strikes at the Southern Railway shop in Spencer, NC, where enslaved workers use red-hot steel bars to kill an inattentive guard and melt locks before burning down the facility and making for the Virginia line, though all are apprehended and lynched well before the border. With further revolt a certainty, President Russell begins to look at more creative solutions

-While in Italy on a trade mission, the Confederate trade mission is invited to a medical exhibition by Dr. Amarro Fiamberti, who demonstrates his advanced form of lobotomy, “Leucotomy.” Having a greater “success” rate than conventional lobotomies, this procedure is brought back to Dixie for testing on slave subjects to see if they might become better workers with this treatment. The results are considered to be positive at taming unruly slaves and breaking their will to resist, with even the threat of such a horrifying procedure terrorising many into submission. Results on less rebellious workers are mixed, and the broken mental state this induces is certainly not recommended on slaves with any special skills, such as the industrial slaves which the previous Confederacy did not have in substantial numbers

-Another product of the trading mission with Italy is the purchase of the Confederacy’s most modern fighter to date, the Reggiane Re.2000. With Italy’s entry into the war, the deal must be made through Caproni’s Portuguese subsidiary, but nevertheless grants the Confederacy a fighter that is fast and nimble enough to match or defeat most of its contemporaries in a dogfight, though with only a pair of machine guns it is less armed than its most probable adversaries. With the fall of Metropolitan France, trade with the Axis powers through arrangements like these is actually becoming more plausible, as bulk Confederate agriculture can be sent through neutral Spanish and Portuguese ports and skip the Mediterranean

-The American Arms Race is in full swing in the Confederacy as arms ranging from bolt-action rifles to howitzers roll off the assembly lines to stockpiles. Seeing the decisive role of air power on both sides during Case Yellow, the Confederate Army Air Corps are given utmost attention, with a buildup in trained personnel and aircraft of all sizes. Key to its development are the new Re.2000 fighter and the Heinkel He-111H bomber, the latter of which now has well over 100 examples bearing the Confederate bars and practicing in large formations that will certainly frighten the neighbors

-Of course, any large conflict will ultimately be won on the battlefield, and the Confederate Army looks into new means of moving soldiers quickly across terrain while protected. Mack Trucks takes on this task and comes up with the Combat Car Model 1, or CC-1. A half-track design, it offers decent performance on and off roads with the ability to carry a dozen men or tow a heavy artillery piece, with small arms protection on the sides and a thin anti-shrapnel plate on the roof. With no equivalent vehicle common on the continent, most Confederate troops refer to the CC-1 simply as “the Half-Track”

-With the war economy strongly underway and energy demand increasing all the while, the Confederacy looks to the rivers of the Tennessee Valley for a reliable source of electricity output. Though the TVA is long defunct, old paperwork reveals plans for enhanced gravity-based turbines for its dams as well as plans for new dams throughout the valley. The new design is immediately put into place and sees a substantial increase in electricity output, while ground breaks on some of the most promising dam designs that promise to make this an important energy source for the South

-With the Confederates airing their concerns over the Gulf’s naval buildup, negotiations between the two neighbors are opened up to prevent an outright arms race from driving up tensions. The two nations agree to freedom of navigation by non-military vessels in each other’s waters to ease trade by sea and avoid trade-related tensions, though ships entering port are still subject to inspection. No specific quotas are added on the building of warships are set, but the agreement will certainly help avoid any misunderstandings when the two forces encounter each other at sea

-Fear of communist and Federalist sympathizers is palpable throughout the Confederacy and reaches a fever pitch as the reds march west into the Free States. This leads to a wave of arrests by the Special Detachment of the Secret Service. The SD raids meetings and homes on the regular, dragging out suspected abolitionists, labor organizers, or anyone else who might be plausibly working with a foreign power against the State. Most are disappeared entirely with their fates never publicly discussed, and those who do return are generally completely mum about their experience

-With the Confederates airing their concerns over the Gulf’s naval buildup, negotiations between the two neighbors are opened up to prevent an outright arms race from driving up tensions. The two nations agree to freedom of navigation by non-military vessels in each other’s waters to ease trade by sea and avoid trade-related tensions, though ships entering port are still subject to inspection. No specific quotas are added on the building of warships are set, but the agreement will certainly help avoid any misunderstandings when the two forces encounter each other at sea

-Knowing that substantial oil reserves can be found in the vast spaces of the Free States, the Gulf offers the services of its experienced oilmen in locating and extracting the precious black fuel. Under the auspices of the Gulf Exploratory Organization (GEO), a state-owned oil exploration concern, dozens of engineers and hundreds of oilmen are sent to various exploration sites and to administer existing wells. In exchange for assisting in this increase in output, the Gulf will keep a third of the product and put its value into its sovereign wealth fund. Unfortunately, a trio of these engineers are captured by the communists in Nebraska, the ensuing hostage crisis contributing significantly to the tensions with the USRA as President Allred demands their immediate release

-In response to the sudden rise in local tensions, Gulf troops mobilize in northern Oklahoma and find themselves with unwelcome new neighbors as the communists storm west. Knowing the communists are after oil, the men dig in and prepare a defence in depth in the event the wells taken from the Free States are not enough to satiate them. New roads and rail lines are laid running north to south to facilitate movement, and heavy artillery is calibrated in large camouflaged nests to deliver a whirlwind to any offensive movement. Defensive lines against the Confederates are also constructed, with these set further back to avoid a provocation

-Part of the funding for these works projects and defense roads comes from the Gulf’s sovereign wealth fund, in turn fuelled by oil production in the Free States. These funds are not solely for defense projects, but they fund routes used by the public and subsidize the development of factories to increase the size of the Gulf’s industrial base

-The Gulf must divide its attention at times, especially when it comes to its Hispanic allies. To this end, President Allred hopes to improve his relationship with them by calling a meeting of their heads of state in Austin to formalize their alliance. Together they form the Gulf-Carribean Collective, a free trade bloc that aims to become a full on mutual defensive pact. Though negotiations rest on their trade accomplishments for now, achieving a full alliance would mean the Gulf would no longer need to intervene alone to defend its partners, and could expect at least some menial outside help if attacked

-The Gulf makes a timely deal with the Free States to supply the F4U Buccaneer fighter to their fledgling air force. The first Coalition pilots finish training just before the red tide begins to swell across the Great Plains, and the new arrivals are quickly rushed into service to try and stem the invaders, though in insufficient numbers to turn the tide. In domestic service, production reaches its peak and fully supplies the main carrier force, while the Army begins to obtain non-folding wings for itself. The Buccaneer shows great potential not only as a fighter, but as a light attack aircraft that can deliver several rockets or bombs onto a ground target. Unusually, feelers are sent out to Europe for mercenary pilots to serve the Gulf Air Force for an enticing price of $1,000 Gulf Dollars per month, though most of the warring states forbid any pilots to go. A few mercenaries are hired from Sweden and Switzerland however, and while these nations are at peace their pilots are seasoned and can help the GAF be ready for a defensive conflict

-To increase enforcement of the Public Safety Act, the Texas Rangers are expanded and now serve the whole of the Gulf as a national paramilitary police force, hunting communists and their sympathizers with nationwide jurisdiction. Lawmakers overwhelmingly approve the expansion in the wake of the communist invasion happening to their neighbor, as fears of a fifth column drive an atmosphere of paranoia

-On a lighter note, Gulf businessmen begin to reorganize and bring back professional football after the dissolution of the NFL in earlier years. Starting with a meager four teams (the Miami Sharks, Tampa Bay Dockers, Houston Oilers, and Austin Stars), a month of games are held and American football teams from the other former US states are invited to participate, though no takers have arrived on such a short notice. The Dockers ultimately take the “Super Bowl” championship, setting a tradition that fans hope will continue for many years to come

-With oil plentiful and coal scarce, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad and Florida East Coast Railway found a joint venture to devise and build an internal combustion powered locomotive. The Gulfrail GT is the result of their design studies, a streamlined locomotive that uses a diesel engine to generate electricity to motors attached to the axles, producing 1,000 horsepower per unit. Though less powerful than steam locomotives, these are easily combined and controlled in sets of up to 4 by a single engineer, and are far more cost effective to fuel and maintain, impressing Cuban and Panamanian delegates who seek to place their own orders

-With fast armored advances the apparent future of warfare, the Gulf seeks its own tank that can be used effectively in the vast open spaces of the plains. Designers come up with the “Mustang” a design comparable to the British Cruiser tanks with high cross-country speed and a 40mm cannon that can load armor-piercing rounds for tank combat or high-explosive to deal with infantry targets

-The Coalition of Free States finds itself under a swift assault of communist forces attempting to seize the nearest and most vulnerable oil reserves to fuel a starving machine of revolution. Paratroopers of the Red Guards strike in western Kansas to disrupt transportation and hold the wells while the main forces of the American Liberation Army arrive. Local forces are quickly overwhelmed, though some remain cut off behind the battle lines to put up a stubborn resistance. The assault comes as militias from across the Free States had been heading to the area for exercises intended to ward off red aggression, but those that arrive beforehand are too few and not coordinated enough to stop a pincer attack that comes just as they finish dealing with the paratroopers at several crucial oil sites. The nation is outraged by the attack by the hated communists, and the main mobilization of the militias is just getting underway as General Bradley is now tasked with planning a counter-attack

-With war now a fact of being, the Free States must now quickly arm themselves, a problem that can be solved with the application of enough free-market trade in weapons and military technology. Weapons including much-needed machine guns are purchased off the Confederacy, and the M1 carbine is somewhat begrudgingly purchased from Federalist armories as an easy-to-use weapon for lesser trained militiamen. The League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi’s camouflage is also bartered for, as this will make it troops harder to spot from the air in wide open spaces. Lastly, attention is put into saving the lives of wounded troops, as technology for blood banks and penicillin is bought up from New England and the Federalists, respectively

-Since it would be against the founding principles of the Free States to punish a militia for failing to integrate into the larger command, General Bradley introduces the “Quality Policy” which focuses on carrots rather than sticks. Militias that implement minimal measures such as regular training exercises are granted an anti-tank rifle, while more professional formations that commit themselves fully to serving the centralized command can receive the best weapons available and have all their costs of operating covered by the state, providing substantial encouragement to develop that should pay dividends in the coming trials against the reds

-Seeking to channel the religious fanaticism of the Mormons to its advantage, the Utah state government authorizes the re-formation of the Nauvoo Legion as a professional military force that is not affiliated with the LDS Church on paper but certainly is in practice, making it perhaps the most unified militia organization of all. The force is headed by Brigadier General Edward Sallow, a man whose knowledge of the armies of antiquity has earned him the moniker “American Caesar,” and it receives top-tier equipment from the central government. After several weeks of readiness drilling, this force is sent to see if it can stop the red tide from coming further westward

-With a rapid war of movement unfolding, gun manufacturers seek a way to put the power of a machine gun into the hands of an individual without sacrificing the stopping power of rifle-caliber weapons. Finding the BAR M1918 to be an incomplete solution to this problem, New Mexico Ordinance devises an improved M1940 version with a hollow stock and grip made of stronger materials and a simplified firing mechanism to reduce weight. Its inability to deliver sustained fire from a 20-round box magazine is also remedied with the ability to accept a disintegrating belt or 50-round drum

-Back on the home front, the war economy kicks into gear as private manufacturers receive military contracts to produce dual-use goods such as trucks and communications radios to kick-start the change to wartime production. Similarly, “Freedom Bonds” are sold to a willing public so that any civilian capable of making money can help with the war effort, and the funds are not only used to arm the militias but to expand the logistical network that will be critical to defending the large land spaces of the Free States

-Developing the oil reserves of the Free States will also be crucial to the war economy, and for this a partnership with experienced Gulf drilling companies is ideal. Starting before the war, the Gulf sends engineers and oil workers to assist with identification and extraction of new reserves as well as improving the efficiency of existing wells in exchange for taking a cut of revenue or sending a portion of oil straight to its own refineries. Unfortunately, this leads to a few engineers being caught behind the lines in Kansas and being forced to work for the communists, but the partnership is an overall success

-Though its main attention is shifted eastward at the moment, the Governor’s committee votes to officially proscribe (though not ban) trade with Japanese businesses and their affiliates, especially in the West Coast Protectorate, accusing them of war crimes and “crimes against liberty” in its quest for empire. This sees sales sharply down at several proprietors who have set up shop in the Free States, with militias occasionally smashing windows or carrying out other forms of intimidation

-With wounded returning from the front already, a new medical procedure designed to treat victims of industrial accidents is standardized and applied to burns, shrapnel, and gunshot wounds alike. These “skin grafts” take excess skin from other parts of the body to repair damage, leading to functional and cosmetic restorations previously impossible

-With its non-aggression pact with the Coalition of Free States in place, President Taylor makes an unlikely outreach to the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi, giving its territory formal diplomatic recognition and opening relations with several visits by political and business envoys. Even as the League and Free States are in an anti-Japanese pact, the dialogue serves to reduce tensions and to placate Karufornia’s own native population

-Being a former Unocal Oil chief, President Taylor decides to get involved in oil exploration once again to increase the nation’s revenue stream. Fueled by long-held speculations, he orders a survey to see if the coastal oil fields near Los Angeles extend out to sea as far as the channel islands. Several proven fields are identified, including expansions to the Santa Barbara field. Accessing these particular fields will require more sophisticated platforms, however, though this may be something the Japanese are able to assist with in order to get their share of the valuable black fuel

-With most of the former US auto industry in the hands of the communists, automotive factories begin construction in anticipation of building some basic automobiles to replace the 20s and early 30s-era machines that ply the roads today. The factories are partnerships between private corporations (some of them Japanese) and the state. In addition to these, recycling plants are introduced to more efficiently reuse waste metals, paper, and glass, in hopes that this can turn waste into profits instead of leaving money on the table. A technical institute for research in both of these fields is organized in San Jose as industry leaders seek to build up their minimal knowledge in these fields

-Of course, the new cars will not reach the whole of the population without roads to drive on. Especially in the most rural areas of the nation which were neglected by the Depression, horse travel on dirt tracks is far from unheard of. As such, the latest public works project is new rural roads and highways to connect communities away from the major population centers, further bringing rural people closer to the hand of the state

-Aiding in the development of Karufornia’s new recycling plants is the development of a flotation-based separation process, which can be used to filter out wood and paper items from metal based on their tendency to float or sink in a vat of water, increasing the speed of a process previously done only by hand and cutting the labor cost associated with this new program

-The Protectorate Army’s training regimen sees a significant shakeup as its seeks to introduce its soldiers to modern war. Soldiers are taught how to fight alongside- and against- the new Type 99 tank as well as managing support from its meagre aerial forces. Discipline is ratched up once again, leading to some attrition in the ranks, but the soldiers that remain are more professional than before, with fewer remaining simply to have a job

-In order to provide its troops with greater protection, research into wearable materials that can stop or lessen the damage from shell fragments is commissioned, with a nylon manufacturer outside Sacramento devising a new “Frag Jacket” that greatly increases the survivability of nearby shell explosions. The ballistics-grade nylon is rather expensive and heavy, meaning it is only distributed to soldiers in relatively stationary tasks such as anti-aircraft gunners and transport drivers for the time being

-The Cincinnatus begin to make a turn in their direction as a political group, while being pro-American, they also advertise themselves a pro-police organization hoping to create a bastion of “law and order” as “chaos” reigns throughout the rest of the former US. Though itself having ties to organized crime, the Order begins to actively recruit police officers, sometimes through actions as simple as providing doughnuts, coffee, and copies of The Western Triumph to officers. To support its new direction, the Order endorses and often distributes campaign materials in support of sheriff candidates and incumbents that are tough on crime and favor strengthening of police forces. In this way it can be on the side of the law whenever it decides to clamp down

-As a part of its new message, the Order makes the bold move of proclaiming that the Cascadia region should be reshaped as the one true successor to the United States of America, claiming that in these desperate times which see such spectacles as communists attacking libertarians, the American identity is only truly intact in its home region. The Cincinnatus will have a long way to go in enforcing this claim, but nonetheless they can now be considered to have thrown their hat into a ring that is now overflowing with hats

-To spread its message and function more as a traditional political group, the Order opens its first true overt regional party headquarters in Seattle and Portland. Though its actual headquarters is not published, these urban locations give the highly concentrated memberships in these populous areas a place to meet and plan their objectives

-Reorganizing its hired security and bodyguard muscle, the men are put into three paramilitary divisions that have a flavor of the Freikorps in Germany. The uniformed marches of the Eagle, Independence, and Revolution divisions down the avenues of Cascadia towns do a great deal to convince the public of the Order’s growing strength and land several more recruits as aimless people seek this sort of organization in their lives

-With the Free States entering a non-aggression pact with Karufornia, the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi decides to follow suit, something that seems even more advisable with the communist invasion to the east. Relations with the WCP are normalized and delegations are received at the main tribal villages. In these trying times, the League will not waste an opportunity to turn a potential adversary neutral and lessen the number of potential threats to its existence

-With its lands secured, the League makes the surprisingly western move of putting together a formal constitution reign as the supreme law of the land. Progressive in nature, it affirms the equality of all people regardless of race, creed, or sex, and enshrines the native’s principles of the land belonging to all by eliminating private ownership of the soil. Private business is not eliminated as those who misunderstand the constitution frequently claim, but businesses will have to pay rent to their local municipality, which is considered to collectively “own” the land on which it sits

-With water a precious resources across the wide deserts where the tribes farm for sustenance, efficient management of water is the key to a good or even sufficient harvest. An improved irrigation technique is therefore a major innovation, and it comes during the heat of summer in the form of pipes with small punctures to circulate a constant drip of water into the soil around crops. The large collective farms see significant results from implementing this system, not only creating more consistent harvests but larger vegetables as few nutrients are able to leach into the soil by being washed out

-Seeking to better organize its tribal militias in the wake of the communist provocation against the Free States, Yiska decrees the formation of a true officer corps that can take command of several militias at once to handle larger scale battles, with veterans of US service recruited to put on a uniform of their own people and lead combined forces. In their assessment of the League’s strategic situation, they realize that in the likely event they face a much larger force they may have to fight in a hit and run manner that can take down a group enemies while avoiding detection. The new camouflage material is vital to this style of warfare, and with it all the militias are given a course on bivouac discipline that allows the League to assemble an army of phantoms that are ideal for infiltration tactics

-Mobility is another major part of the League’s military strategy as its force must move great distances across remote terrain, the portability of heavy weapons a great equalizer in most encounters. To provide this capability, the “Bison” truck is constructed. A simple design, it takes a pickup and adds an M1917 machine gun to the bed along with a gun shield and a few steel plates for additional protection. Despite its crude appearance, this contraption would be terrifying to encounter in a surprise attack

 

[Amfleet]

I HUNGER FOR TURNS

NOM

Maine Lobster
Illinois Starvation
San Francisco Sushi
Texas Steak
Southern Grits
Montana Buffalo Burger
Seattle Donuts for Cops
NY-Style Pizza
Hopi Corn


TURNS ARE DUE SUNDAY 22 SEPT AT MIDNIGHT EST!

 

[mausedpotatos]

LORE POST

"My fellow Confederates. Once, our ancestors fought a war against Northern Aggression and lost. American Christendom and all of the best qualities of God's children were embodied in our fight: Honor, justice, fairness, and truth. We suffered bestial atrocities at the hands of the Northerners which can still be remembered today. Our kin starved and bestrode the Earth barefoot. Our landscape became befouled with Yank detritus."

"Revenge was sworn. Tired and war weary men limped home exhausted. They toiled to rebuild while kept placid at the end of a steely bayonet. Yet, these tired men still found the spirit and quality of Southern character to grit their teeth and promise vengeance against the Northern menace. 'The South will rise again.' They vehemently repeated."

"For a time Dixie and her sisters slept upon a mattress most uncomfortable, trapped under the weight of a leaden Northern sheet. But now she is awake. The leaden sheet has been pulled back. And as she lifts her head from her pillow and sits up to gaze upon the world, as she rubs her eyes and begins to stand up from her prison, she will show us a truth!"

'The South has risen once more!'

...

The Confederate president was recently in attendance at a massive political rally in Memphis Tennessee which was publicized by radio. Russell delivered a short speech commemorating the service of military veterans that served in the original Confederacy's army. Four very old men dressed in faded Confederate grays were presented with golden medals on thick red ribbons, each medal baring the Confederate seal and the Confederate national motto 'Deo vindice'. Each of the four men were also granted a tripled pension. Following each presentation, the crowd was observed to erupt into a series of rebel yells. Russell concluded his speech by promising the four veterans that the new Confederacy would not dishonor the memory of the old, and that the South would never again fall.

 

[Amfleet]

Turn 3 Preview 1: The Bear and the Dragon

November, 1940

Far from the travails of Europe and North America, the Empire of Japan is sitting at the lofty heights of conquest, with its Pan-Pacific Co-Prosperity Sphere on the heels of superpower status. However, with its relatively small population compared to most other great powers, it is discovering early on that it is playing at something it is not. In Karufornia, the Philippines, and Northern China, it relies on legions of collaborators to supplement its forces. Across the Pacific, its supply chains are measured in the thousands of kilometers, and its responses to uprisings and incidents often measured in weeks. On the island of Kauai, for example, the indigenous peoples executed the few Japanese constables who were the only outside authorities present. Their self-proclaimed “Republic of Hawai’i” lasted two whole months of 1939 without retaliation as the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy bickered over how to handle the response, with an attack by nearby Army forces floundering in the dense jungle and the Navy eventually sending the entire Kidō Butai carrier force to bomb the island into submission.

Japanese forces taking Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

In Indochina, the Japanese have fought a much better trained enemy as Franco-British colonial troops made a determined last stand in Saigon. Though they have triumphed both here and in Hong Kong, developments in China are posing a serious issue. Negotiations for a “Tripartite Pact” between Germany, Italy, and Japan fail to produce a result as the threat from the United States has ceased to exist. As such, the Soviet Union has been free to arm Japan’s enemies without abrogating the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. And while Stalin modernizes his armies, outdated equipment is handed down to China in rapidly increasing numbers.

Much of this equipment is sent directly to the Communist Party of China, which is keen to improve its standings as Chiang Kai-Shek’s Nationalists accuse them of contributing too little to the fight. In response to this charge, Peng Dehaui’s communists launch the Hundred Regiments Offensive, attacking strategic railways across Northern China to sever supply lines and communications to spread the Japanese thin. Nearly a thousand kilometers of railways are destroyed, dealing the most significant blow to Japanese power in years.

Soldiers of the Communist Party of China during the offensive, October 1940

The offensive further exposes the rift between the IJA and IJN. The Navy wants to keep up the offensive against the Franco-British Union by attacking Malaysia, while the Army wants the troops that would be used in such an offensive to stem the Chinese advance. If this were to happen, a Malaysian offensive would not be possible without giving the defenders significant time to dig in. In the deadlock, the Emperor finally wades in and demands that the situation in the “nearer realm” be resolved, and peace made with the Franco-British Union. At an armistice conference in Singapore, the sides agree that Indochina and Hong Kong are to be “leased” to Japan for a nominal payment and that a quarter of all oil produced in Malaysia will be sold to the Japanese at the market rate. The Union eagerly accepts, as more pressing matters await in the Atlantic. The war between the two great empires has lasted just six months.

Stalin’s interference has caused a serious hit to Japanese pride, and a significant loss of face for the admirals of the Navy who advocated war against the distant empires before it was truly prepared to wage it. The Imperial Japanese Army is now taking the lead in the inter-service rivalry, and it will not soon forget the actions of the hated communists of China and Russia alike.

 

[Amfleet]

New York firefighters battle a blaze set off by a bomb strike near the harbor

The Second Great War Between the States 2: Return Engagement

Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives: Yesterday, September 21st, 1940—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval, and air forces of the renegade Washington government and the secessionist Confederate Republic.

The Federal Government was not engaging in offensive actions, and, at the solicitation of Mr. Byrd, was still in conversation with its congress looking toward the possibility of a negotiated resolution to this standoff. Indeed, one hour after Confederate air squadrons had commenced bombing New York Harbor, the opposition negotiator and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent Federal message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations so long as our reunification process with New England continued, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

The attack yesterday on New York Harbor has caused severe damage to Federal naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition Federal ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between North America and Great Britain.

Yesterday these traitorous forces also launched an attack against Annapolis. Our Marines are holding out on this peninsula.

Last night their forces also landed across the Potomac and Chesapeake into southern Maryland.

Last night they additionally attacked Hagerstown and bombed Harrisburg to prevent mobilization against the former attack.

The renegade alliance has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending into lands controlled by the legitimate federal government. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The free people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation. The threat to our very existence can no longer be ignored.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will secure the absolute victory needed to restore our nation.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces—with the unbounding determination of our people—we will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by these renegade regimes on Saturday, September 21st, 1940, a state of national emergency now exists as we prepare to defend our bastion of liberty in America.

-President Henry Wallace

Light cruiser USS Brooklyn listing from damage taken in a bomb hit

 

[Amfleet]

TURN 3: 1 SEPTEMBER-31 DECEMBER 1940



WORLD EVENTS

-The Communist Party of China launches its Hundred Regiments Offensive deep into Japanese-held territory, cutting major logistical routes and halting their offensives. The Japanese are forced to cancel planned offensives against the Franco-British Union as the Chinese forces grow in number and equipment

-With the Confederate blockade of the Federalists and Canada taking shape, the Franco-British Union declares war on the Confederacy and Opposition, while the Axis Powers declare war on the Federalists to counter them

-Italian forces invade Greece via Albania, but find themselves halted at the Metaxas Line by fierce Greek resistance that receives small amounts of aid from the Franco-British Union via Alexandria. An offensive that was supposed to last weeks begins to drag on for months, a humiliation for Mussolini

-The first German soldiers begin to land in Libya and finally overwhelm the Mareth Line, forcing the Franco-British Union to give up Tunis and fall back to secondary lines defending Algiers, the capital of Francafrique. The effort comes at the cost of several valuable Italian transports and the battleship Andrea Doria as the Union Navy continues to hold superiority in the Mediterranean

REGIONAL WARS

THE WAR OF AMERICAN SUCCESSION

-The “phony war” phase of the War of American Succession has ended. As the Federalist government and Confederation of New England hold planned votes on reunification, the opposition government in Washington chooses to go all in to save its claim to legitimacy. Realizing that the initiative is hopeless on its own, President Byrd makes a “deal with the devil” and decides that one war against the Confederacy in a lifetime is enough, instead recognizing their current territory and forging an alliance of convenience to take the war to the Federalists

-The war begins with a large bombing raid on New York Harbor to try and weaken further the US Navy, securing naval supremacy in the process. Though several bombers are lost in the raid to fighter coverage, the raid sinks the USS Enterprise in shallow waters and wreaks havoc on the naval facilities and naval air station. Several of the Confederate Heinkels drop their payloads on Manhattan, causing scenes of chaos and destruction as the NYFD battles several blazes

-The Opposition and Confederate troops launch their opening advance into Maryland and southern Pennsylvania. This surprise attack yields punches through the immediate Federalist defenses and allows the force to take most of Maryland and threaten Philadelphia by Christmas. Fierce resistance in Baltimore leads to the invaders bypassing the city and encircling it for a siege. The city’s inhabitants, many of them black, fight tooth and nail, street by street, to resist with anything they have, leading to apocalyptic scenes as tactical bombers and artillery turn the streets to rubble, with many who could not evacuate in time surviving on rations delivered by air or blockade-runner boat

-Though the initial gains are spectacular, all is not well within the Opposition. Significant riots opposing the war and collaboration with the Confederacy rock Washington and several other cities, with multiple Opposition divisions needed to quell them. In Charlottesville, a full-blown insurrection is crushed by tanks and soldiers in a bloodbath, and a significant rural insurgency begins to develop in West Virginia abolitionists and socialists take up arms against the government in greater numbers

-With the US Navy crippled in port, the Confederacy and Opposition jointly declare a blockade of the North with the explicit goal of preventing collaboration with the Franco-British Union. The world’s largest naval power does not take kindly to this action, and begins assembling a force to respond. In response to this, Hitler declares war on the Federalists in support of the Confederacy, which has begun to support the Axis forces. The Second World War has finally come to North America, and an all-out brawl is brewing in the North Atlantic

THE GREAT PLAINS WAR

-The various American nations mobilize against the Red Menace. Incensed by the treatment of its engineers and property, the Republic of the Gulf declares war and digs in to defend its border while contributing an expeditionary force and equipment to the cause of the Free States. The Coalition’s native allies in the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi contribute their irregular forces and also work to rally nearby native populations to ally in favor of the decentralized government that has increased their sovereignty. Less expected is the participation of the West Coast Protectorate, which fields its own expedition under the banner of the Anti-Comintern Pact

-While these forces prepare their counterattack, the communists dig in to consolidate their gains. An early offensive breaks an attempt by the Coalition to resupply Emporia and crushes the remaining forces there before heading to the border with the Gulf to prevent the possibility of an intrusion from the south

-As the general offensive to retake Kansas and Nebraska begins, waves of Coalition militias and foreign expeditionaries slam into defensive positions at several points, with the initial assault being a bloodbath before tanks of the Gulf States and West Coast Protectorate can break the lines in a coordinated assault, which the infantry then exploit as the communists call a tactical retreat. In the face of stubborn resistance all the way, they retake several wells and over a hundred miles of territory, forcing the reds back substantially

-However, it is all revealed to be a trap. The communist General Staff has correctly predicted the path of the Coalition assault and sent several divisions to the northwest, which now hook around to the south to get on the rear flank of the anti-communist forces, while the main USRA force ceases its retreat to hold them in place. Coalition forces are forced to make a fighting retreat to avoid being routed, and a crucial victory by Mustang and Bear tanks over the BT-7s of the communists allows them to break out of the pocket and save a much greater disaster

-Though the main counter-assault has floundered, the Coalition stuns the communists with a surprise attack to the far north. With huge land spaces to stage an attack from, the Coalition drives into Minneapolis, costing them a major city. The street fighting to take the city is brutal as dedicated communists resist to the bitter end against the larger combined militia force. Meanwhile, forces spearheaded by scouts of the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi and Sioux Nation strike east through Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, threatening Milwaukee and possibly the Lower Peninsula as well. As winter sets in, a standoff develops as neither side possesses the boats to land a major force across the Straits of Mackinac. The lakes will soon freeze, however, and the outcome of future actions here may prove decisive

PLAYER TURNS

-The time has finally come for reunification with New England. Voters in the northern states overwhelmingly endorse a reunification deal in a referendum. With the deal including exemption from the Selective Service Act and significant regional autonomy under a continued Confederation Assembly, an amendment is required, and therefore the populaces of all states loyal to the Federalists head to the polls and turn out in large numbers to support the needed changes to the constitution. The euphoria is palpable as the first step towards total American reunification is taken without bloodshed

-In this excitement, many of the newspapers and radio programs give little attention to the Opposition President Byrd denouncing the referendum and amendment, still less to a pact of mutual assistance he makes with the Second Confederate Republic. Calling the reunification a provocation too many, the two launch an invasion of the north, striking into Maryland and Pennsylvania. As winter sets in and the offensive slows, the enemy is at the gates of Philadelphia, and the US Army rallies to defend the birthplace of American liberty

-The initial raids by the Confederate bombers targeted New York Harbor, and specifically the USS Enterprise and her battlegroup stationed there. Several of the destroyers and the twin light cruisers of the group are sunk. Enterprise is also sunk in shallow water at her moorings, and workers toil around the clock to refloat her and repair extensive damage. Unable to challenge the Confederate and Opposition fleet, which now attempts to blockade the Federalists, the US Navy is ordered to maintain a “fleet in being” and build its strength so it can prepare a challenge as submarines attempt to stymie the blockade. With a pair of Baltimore-class heavy cruisers well underway, that challenge may be coming sooner rather than later

-The blockade is explicitly described by the Confederacy and Opposition as a means of cutting off trade between the Federalists and Franco-British Union, and sinks several Canadian corvettes that resist. This attempt to divide the empire is taken as a declaration of war, and the Union Navy prepares a challenge all its own to break the blockade. Meanwhile, Nazi Germany also declares war on the Federalists, seeing their potential to break the incorrigible Franco-British Union once and for all by cutting it off from the outside world through collaboration with the Confederacy. A storm is brewing in the North Atlantic

-Back on shore, the Army mobilizes to stem the invaders. The strategic situation would likely be much worse if the National Guard units and militias had not been called up the preceding weeks for joint training in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Though their readiness level is not what was initially desired, they are able to significantly delay the advance enough to prevent from reaching Philadelphia and the oil fields of northern Pennsylvania before winter sets in and the war machine begins to slow down

-War industry begins to kick into high gear as everyone who is not fit for the fight but can wield a wrench is brought into the factories. The immediate priority is equipment for the ground forces, as the M3 Grant is produced in significant numbers as an ace card that outclasses the enemy’s tanks in spite of its flaws. With a war of movement and serious disruption to the rail lines by bombings, trucks are an important new focus as greater mobility can prove decisive, and several units receive motorized vehicles for the first time. Preparing for an air war as well, the P-40 is produced in ever greater numbers and takes a significant toll on bombing raids launched from the south, diverting planes from the now closed-off export market for home defense

-With casualties pouring in from the battlefield, hospitals see major expansions in staffing but are still strained by combat. Ironically, this helps to finalize the universal healthcare system that had been in the works most of the year as regulations on the usage of the system are put into place and the government is able to quickly nationalize the rest of the health system under the war emergency. With healthcare free, propaganda campaigns are put into place to ensure the system is used efficiently to save beds for soldiers

-The labs of International Business Machines in Armonk produce another major innovation in computing, the Combination Record Analyst (CRA). This machine combines the functions of a tabulator with several built in calculus functions to produce more useful statistical models, intended at first to analyze stock trends but quickly pressed into service to study classified intelligence for deeper insights into the Federalists’ strategic situation

-The success of the hit “Slinky” toy from Boston leads to an unlikely and terrifying military innovation. Resistance fighters and besieged militias in Baltimore cobble together parts to turn the harmless toy into a mutilating anti-personnel mine by creating a version made of razor wire that can only be handled with thick leather gloves. The spring is compressed and placed in stairwells with tripwires made of fishing line, causing it to jump up into the face of any hapless intruder, useful in urban combat. Though not the most lethal weapon in the hands of the Federalists, the mutliations caused by what appears to be an innocent toy cause a significant morale hit to the invaders and inspires loyal citizens to get creative in the defense of their homeland

-The time has finally come for reunification under the Stars and Stripes. Voters in the northern states overwhelmingly endorse a reunification deal in a referendum. With the deal including exemption from the Selective Service Act and significant regional autonomy under a continued Confederation Assembly, an amendment is required, and therefore the populaces of all states loyal to the Federalists head to the polls and turn out in large numbers to support the needed changes to the constitution. The euphoria is palpable as the first step towards total American reunification is taken without bloodshed

-This excitement comes to a screeching halt as Confederate and Opposition troops march northwards, ever closer to threatening New England, and establishing a blockade off the coast that threatens trade with the outside world. A significant aid program for the Free States and its allies is cancelled as the populace must now mobilize to defend their nation against the southern aggression

-Several parts of this aid program are repurposed for the national defense. First and foremost is the supply of the Federal Army and New England minutemen with arms for the fight. The M2 Assault Carbine and the M1 Garand battle rifle enter mass production runs as New England seeks to become the “arsenal of democracy.” Both firearms provide Federal and allied troops with a significant advantage in individual firepower

-As casualties begin to pour into the field hospitals, mass blood drives are organized for the benefit of all American patriots wounded in action. Every patriot is requested to donate, and most of the able-bodied population gives a bit of their time whenever eligible to quite literally give life to the war effort

-War is not a free affair, and financial contributions are encouraged to support the effort as “Freedom Bonds” are sold to the citizenry. An idea taken from the Free States, who the initiative was originally intended to support, the bonds are sold with the promise of payment with interest at the conclusion of the conflict, entrusting the war economy with average citizens who are empowered to defend the homeland however they can. A massive propaganda campaign comes with the initiative, as the government appeals to every person to give what they can to save the nation

-Shortly before the war breaks out, a new toy from Boston appears on shelves across the loyalist states. Essentially a spring made of flexible metal, the “Slinky” can walk its way down stairs and appear to levitate after being dropped. Though intended to bring amusement to children, the resistance fighters of Baltimore find a way to turn them into an anti-personnel mine, much to the horrors of Confederate and Opposition soldiers who find themselves being humiliated as much as they are lacerated by this lethal toy

-With the naval situation desperate, engineers at Fore River shipyard come up with a contraption designed specifically to poke gaps in the blockade. The Piranha-class submarine is a tiny “midget submarine” with a crew of two and a pair of torpedoes. Hellish to work aboard and restricted to areas relatively near the coast, these small submarines nevertheless are a serious threat to the blockade. In early combat tests,one manages to torpedo the light cruiser CSS Mobile in a daring night raid, sending her to the bottom and allowing several British merchantmen that had been stranded in New England ports to make a break for the open sea

-After months of bowling over unprepared Free States militias, the Revolution finds itself with several new capitalist foes. The Gulf, West Coast Protectorate, and even the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi join the fight in an Anti-Communist League to do battle on the Great Plains under the overall strategic command of General Bradley. Having already achieved its primary strategic objective, the American Liberation Army digs in to defend its new oil resources, building extensive trenches and pillboxes to defend the otherwise featureless terrain. General Secretary Browder orders reserves to be called in as more soldiers are trained for the fight

-One of the first actions by the reserve units is the brutal ending of the Siege of Emporia, as incoming divisions use their massed artillery to rain shells before pouring in and finally breaking the last resisting blocks with submachine-gun wielding units. The units then move south, reinforcing the border with the Republic of the Gulf as they declare war. However, the border with Oklahoma is more of a massively armed standoff between the two sides, as the reds are not ready to launch an offensive to the south and the Gulf sends its troops into the Free States directly to aid their assault under common command. Some of these divisions are also sent to the Confederate border due to the mutual animosity between the two, but with the Confederates sending much of their army to the north, the immediate threat here has waned

-The “People’s Struggle” against the Anti-Communist League sees its first major action as Coalition militiamen slam into the outer defensive lines in massive numbers at two major north and south pushes. The assault is a bloody stalemate for the first few days as the defenders exact a heavy toll but eventually begin to falter on the sheer size of the assault. Just as this is occurring, General Bradley sends in the modern tanks of the Gulf and Protectorate to punch through the red lines and force the communists into a full retreat that continues for well over a hundred miles and loses several oil wells in the process

-On the surface, it appears the communists have been dealt a major blow. However, it is all a well-laid trap by General Robert Raven, a blind veteran of the Lincoln Battalion who despite his impairment has become the most well-known strategist for the USRA. The “Prairie Devil” has sent the mechanized divisions of the USRA to the northwest and back south again in a hook attack that puts these units on the rear flank of the ACL forces. Surrounded, they must now give up their gains to avoid a rout, and though the BT tanks of the Coalition are fast, they prove unable to stop the Mustang and Bear tanks from escaping the pocket. Several wells are set afire in the retreat to extend the disruption of the oil supply, though these are recovered in later weeks

-Though the main counter-assault has floundered, the Coalition stuns the communists with a surprise attack to the far north. With huge land spaces to stage an attack from, the Coalition drives into Minneapolis, costing them a major city. The street fighting to take the city is brutal as dedicated communists resist to the bitter end against the larger combined militia force. Meanwhile, forces spearheaded by scouts of the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi and Sioux Nation strike east through Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, threatening Milwaukee and possibly the Lower Peninsula as well. As winter sets in, a standoff develops as neither side possesses the boats to land a major force across the Straits of Mackinac. The lakes will soon freeze, however, and the outcome of future actions here may prove decisive

-On both fronts of the war, the USRA and ACL duel for control of the skies constantly. With oil more available, the American Liberation Air Force makes increasingly regular sorties to bomb and strafe the enemy and perform Combat Air Patrol. During the day, this fight is still largely undecided as the Buccaneer fighter has yet to be overcome even if the reds can outweigh it with quantity. At night, however, the ALAF reigns supreme through its use of radar-equipped Thunderflash, forcing the ACL to ground most of its planned night raids

-Back on the homefront, the war economy of the USRA shifts into full gear as General Secretary Browder demands total war to secure victory over the capitalist conspiracy. Women in the workforce have long been a project of the CPUSA, and with men leaving factories for the front this is significantly increased and women put into the non-traditional tasks of assembling war materiel

-In addition to this, the former executives of the automotive industry are once again dragged from their diminished positions to serve the state. Many are put under house arrest and forced to solve production issues from under the watchful eyes of their minders to prevent defection to the Free States, which has been happening in droves. Several choose death instead

-Another benefit of the increased supply of oil is the ability for industry to experiment with plastics more frequently. This leads to a breakthrough at the Republic Developmental Institute, as Polyethylene is successfully synthesized at much lower temperatures, which may allow it to be used much more effectively and widely in materials production

-Though the relationship between the Soviet Union and the USRA has been somewhat rocky over time, the Confederate entry into the world war has put Stalin on edge and he hesitantly agrees to supply the American communists with a few small shipments of new arms. Several freighters flying the red banner cross the Atlantic, and with the Confederates and Germans alike both under strict orders not to violate Soviet neutrality, these ships enter the St. Lawrence river unmolested. The equipment examples are mostly not revolutionary for the highly mechanized USRA, but the small arms and anti-aircraft guns take a strain off the industry, and a few examples of the KV-1 heavy tank make the communist leadership interested in creating heavier tanks of their own

-The most interesting innovation to come off the ships are perhaps the simplest. Thousands of Katyusha rockets on BM-13 launchers that can easily be adapted to trucks are delivered, and tests of these systems in the fields produce promising results. The rapid saturation fire of rocket artillery is unparalleled, and the ability to “shoot-and-scoot” makes them nearly immune to counter-battery fire. The “Katy” rocket is quickly put into priority production by the leadership and will be a major feature of battles to come

-The time has finally come to show the Confederacy’s primacy. The unification of New England with the Federalists has provided the necessary catalyst to convince the Opposition to play a little Realpolitik for once, and backroom negotiations that have been proceeding for months now come to fruition as the Opposition declares war with Confederate support. With President Byrd’s blessing, the Confederacy launches massed air raids to target the Federalist fleet in New York Harbor and nearby strategic locations, as well as other strategically valuable cities along the eastern seaboard. The Federalist Navy is substantially reduced in this action for the loss of 34 bombers, a major strategic victory

-With this accomplished, the Confederacy moves to use its overall naval superiority to blockade the Federal government as well as the Atlantic coast of Canada. Even with the assistance of the Opposition’s fleet, this is a large undertaking and submarine warfare continues to exact a toll on both sides. The Franco-British Union takes this as a declaration of war and begins assembling a force of unknown strength to make its challenge

-Likewise, Germany and Italy declare war on the Federalists, keen to leverage their new ally to the fullest extent. President Russell’s ambassador to Germany receives Hitler’s blessings as he delivers diplomatic cables offering greater assistance in the World War, assuring the Fuhrer that the pesky Federalists will no longer be an issue for Germany in its war against the Franco-British Union, even offering to assist the Reich with manufacturing much in the way the Federalists had been doing for the Union before. This is agreed, and with parts of the Atlantic mostly free of Union Navy interference, sample models and prototypes of the vital Panzer IV tank and BF-109 fighter are received to be manufactured in new Confederate factories, both for the German war effort and its own

-While most of the weapons that begin to roll off Confederate production lines are not too revolutionary, some tinkering with CC-1 half-track and imported 2 cm KwK 30 autocannon produces a much needed new variant. The AA-1 Whirlwind carries a dual autocannon mount on top that can easily be moved between locations and provide anti-aircraft coverage against the massed Federalist planes. With several P-40s knocked down, the Federalist aircraft begin to fly at higher altitudes around Confederate mechanized columns for fear of being peppered by this new machine

-The push north into Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania has been slow and President Russell expects to be in for a lengthy conflict against a determined enemy. As such, silver reserves are opened up to provide economic stimulus and convince the wary agro-industrial elites to trust in the eventual victory of the Silver Legion. Though concerns are still commonplace, the conversion to a war economy promises great wealth to these groups, and being able to provide some of this wealth immediately goes a long way to convincing them to have faith

-Another offering to this elite class is more assistance with their unreliable slave population. The most pressing need is fencing, endless miles of which are constructed across plantations and industrial estates. Most of these are razorwire, but many have a substantial electrical current running through them, some of a strength only meant to keep them from being leaned on or touched, but where rebellions are the most frequent, they are cranked up to lethal voltage. One witness describes the aftermath of an escape attempt as having a stench “like a Lexington barbecue”

-With wounded pouring in on the battlefield, chemists for the Coca-Cola company are pressed into finding experimental medical treatments. One of these is a quick treatment for battlefield wounds that quickly cauterizes them to stop bleeding. “ChemGauze” burns like hell when applied but saves many lives faster than traditional bandages. Its long term effects remain unknown

-Texas has been messed with, and the time to strike back is ripe. President Allred incendiary in his speech to the nation decrying not only the godlessness of the communists, but the federal government’s willingness to make peace with them to save its own skin. The speech reveals that a Gulf Expeditionary Force has been sent to eastern Colorado to assemble with the militias of the Free States and the West Coast Protectorate’s own expedition. The focus of the G.E.F. is its mechanized and motorized units. Units not fully prepared for a war of movement are kept back to defend the Gulf’s northern border by continuing to build and man defensive earthworks

-By early October, the Coalition has finally organized its forces sufficiently to begin the counteroffensive. Concurrent with Allred’s declaration of war, a general attack begins. Though the communists resist the initial Free States assault fiercely, the armored support of the Gulf’s Mustang tank and those of the WCP are able to break the initial defensive line once the infantry support is able to disable artillery and anti-tank guns. The reds begin falling back to one rearward defense after another, closing in on the Missouri border over the course of a month

-All the while, the Gulf Air Force carries out aerial interdiction missions to strike at logistical positions, which can be launched from bases in Oklahoma and even strike airfields in Missouri with aerial raids to destroy aircraft on the ground. These missions help to significantly disrupt the communist defense and stunt the growth of their oil supplies, crucial to ensuring victory. Pilots are restricted to fighting during the day and in clear weather only, as the onboard radars of the Thunderflash fighter mean red skies at night, though a few victories are still scored under the bright harvest moon

-In spite of the early successes, the G.E.F. is in for a rotten surprise. By the start of November, the communist retreat has ceased as fresh reinforcements and lethal new rocket artillery grind the counteroffensive to a halt. Suddenly, there is a panic as aerial reconnaissance reveals a large mechanized USRA force has been moving through South Dakota and Wyoming back into Kansas to outflank and encircle the Anti-Communist League. The forces are forced to give up their gains to avoid destruction on open ground, with many of the Free States forces made to retreat into Oklahoma with the G.E.F. At the crucial Battle of Dodge City, tanks of the two expeditionary forces are able to prove their capability over the BT-7 and hold the escape routes into Colorado open. The enemy’s numbers are overwhelming, but the Gulf is still able to defend its home soil and inflict a heavy toll as its forces fall back to regroup in Colorado and plan its next move as winter sets in

-On the home front, the anti-communist fervor reaches a peak as the scale of the threat begins to set in. Massive recruitment and war bonds campaigns dominate the public scene as the populace prepares for a total war in which every citizen is expected to contribute against the red menace, whether as a soldier on the front, an ambulance driver at the rear, or by simply working harder at a job critical to the war effort. The Gulf way of life may depend on it

-The war extends behind the battle lines in more ways than one. The aerial assault of the Red Guards left a major impression on the Gulf’s General Staff as to the future of war. Determined to prevent this success from being replicated against oil wells of the homeland, anti-aircraft positions equipped with Bofors guns and Chicago Pianos are erected near major oil fields and refineries. To provide a quicker response time, several small airstrips are also constructed along with a significant radar screen

-The quagmire to the north is not the only issue on the minds of Gulf generals. With turmoil in the region, fear of an opportunistic invasion by the Mexicans means vigilance is required on all fronts. With the Confederacy preoccupied, troops are moved from the eastern border to provide additional coverage against a possible Mexican attack. With tensions across the continent at a sweltering height, the defenders prepare bridges across the Rio Grande for demolition and dig additional positions to solidify the border. The Synarchist propaganda minister Eduardo Diaz decries this as a “gringo provocation” and cautions against further agitation

-With so many directions to watch, radar coverage is crucial to ensure forces respond accurately and are not stretched too thin. Texas Tech researchers seeking improvements to existing low-frequency radar systems create their own advanced magnetron similar to that of the communists, with a larger base that requires a ground or ship-based installation but delivers even greater detection range and precision. These installations are added to critical air-defense positions and taken aboard the masts of the largest ships of the Gulf Navy. Oddly, one of the researchers notices that the device melted a chocolate bar in his pocket, though the significance of this is not known

-Knowing that the Mexicans can do little against the Gulf’s naval superiority, the bulk of the Gulf Navy is ordered into the southern gulf to conduct freedom of navigation exercises just outside territorial waters before heading to Limon Bay in Panama to await further orders. While this does little to soothe tensions, it does seem to call the Synarchist bluff, at least for the moment. The Pacto Defensivo del Pueblo of left-leaning nations south of Mexico also registers a muted protest towards this gunboat diplomacy from a nation attacking a fellow communist state, though it can do little against the Gulf armada

-Intending to secure new equipment for its forces, Gulf quartermasters ink a deal with New England to purchase the revolutionary new M2 Assault Carbine. Unfortunately, the deal ultimately falls through as New England is unable to deliver these goods due to the Confederate blockade. The Gulf will have to turn to itself and its nearby allies to fulfill its needs, and as the situation in the Atlantic spirals further out of control, a sense of isolation begins to set in

-For the few elites who have television sets, this new entertainment apparatus is a novelty with usually no more than one program available in the urban heartland. With the revival of football, however, interest in a cheaper television set is skyrocketing. Seeking to meet demand, oil-detection company Geophysical Service Inc modifies one of its ray tube displays into a practical television that can be produced at a greatly reduced cost. Rebranded as the Texas Instruments Ti-1, the new tube is still rather expensive and bulky, but promises to challenge radio as the preferred amusement of the upper-middle class

-The Coalition may be small in population, but with communism despised by most Americans, it finds itself several ready allies to join in a grand Anti-Communist League in hopes of containing the red menace. The Gulf Republic is the most obvious of these with the threats to its interests, but the rapprochement with the native tribes of the southwest has also yielded the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi as an ally. They are far from the most unlikely member of the ACL, the title for which goes to the West Coast Protectorate, which has managed to secure support from its masters to join in a campaign to contain communism

-Looking to expand on its success in bringing the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi into the fight, similar favorable arrangements on autonomy are granted to the large Sioux Nation of the Dakotas. In this case the deal is sweetened to include a government buyback of land for transfer to the Sioux, but all this is done with the understanding that the Sioux will now join the fight. The League’s intercession makes this case compelling and soon thousands more native men are under arms. Their contributions will prove to be invaluable in the upcoming Northern Front expedition

-Of course, the largest contribution to the war effort will be that of the people and soldiers of the Coalition of Free States itself. To that end, the mobilization of the war economy is brought to a new level as citizens are asked to commit to a total war in which they must punch well above their weight. The Governor’s Committee declares a continuous emergency session for the duration of the war to coordinate efforts, and the various state governments agree to pool their officially sanctioned militias and military-industrial capacity. Business and religious leaders are called to lead the effort through their money and their influence to motivate workers and believers to give all they can to the fight

-Centralization of the war economy, however temporary, is an inevitable outcome if victory is to be a possibility. For the Free States this comes in the form of the War Production Board, which is to coordinate the manufacture of all goods necessary for the war effort, from the extraction of raw materials, creation of the finished product, to recycling of any war materiel damaged on the front. Under the direction of Robert House, the board implements measures such as requiring the acceptance of female workers into industry when they would not be declined for any other reason. Rationing schemes are also introduced, much to the chagrin of many citizens who might not have bore it against any less hated foe. War bonds, savings programs, and scrap recycling programs are also major components of the economic mobilization as the Free States begin to pass the communists in per capita production

-One invention of the war industry that will have a significant impact on battles to come is a local variant of the “Jerrycan” which the Germans have been using to great effect. A simple pressed steel container, the jerrycan can be easily stacked and transported or lashed to individual vehicles to increase their range, and mates easily with existing filler caps without the need to use a funnel

-Cautious to prepare his logistics for the counteroffensive, Edward Sallow orders the construction of additional phone lines and radio towers to ensure communication is unbroken throughout the attack, and soldiers are ordered to focus on major road and railway targets to make sure the new offensive does not lose momentum. Regaining the major railyard at North Platte is a significant goal of the offensive, mainly to take its equipment out of communist hands

-This being said, the Anti-Communist League as a whole is beginning to realize the scale of its challenge on the battlefield. On the Southern Front, a bold attempt to resupply the besieged defenders of Emporia is gunned down by the planes of the ALAF, and the holdouts snuffed out after some trouble by red divisions heading south to reinforce the border with the Gulf

-Though this is hardly a setback, the main counteroffensive on the Southern Front is itself a strategic failure as initial success in a drive towards Marxville (St. Louis) is revealed after more than a month of hard-fought advances to be an expertly laid trap by the “Prairie Devil,” General Raven. His force of highly mechanized and motorized units storms to the rear flank of the ACL forces in a hook route that catches them pants-down and forces most units to retreat into Gulf-controlled Oklahoma to avoid being completely routed. Confusion reigns during the retreat, with tense Gulf defenders often mistaking the militiamen for communists. The combined armored forces of the ACL prove to be more capable than those of the reds, if smaller in numbers, and are able to fight a decisive action to allow the retreat to organize itself. The enemy has held onto and expanded its gains, but the Anti-Communist League will live to fight another day

-On the Northern Front, the story is much the opposite as the offensive along the border with Canada comes as a surprise and the ACL forces are able to secure a flank route of their own. Dragoons and infantry under Joshua Graham, supported by native scouts and trackers, manage to sneak through the lines and ride through the dense forests of upper Wisconsin and Michigan, with part of the attack supported by light armor which is able to seize Minneapolis after brief outbreaks of street fighting. With a major city in its hands, the militias dig in just south of the limits to keep this card in their hands

-Of greater strategic significance is control of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Coalition forces initially intended to cross the Mackinac Straits for a further offensive into the lower peninsula, but with the reds catching on finally, reinforcements are rushed to the other side and it quickly becomes apparent they do not have enough boats to make a crossing under fire or bring any armor across, and the situation quickly devolves into an artillery duel across the water. All that will change in the coming months as the ice will soon be thick enough to move troops and heavy vehicles across a wide area

-Seeing Japan’s strategic quagmire in China, President Taylor sees an opportunity to build the Protectorate’s ties to the Japanese further while gaining experience for his forces. A division of WCP soldiers arrives in Manchuria in time to clean up much of the aftermath of the Hundred Regiments Offensive, showing that Karufornia is committed to fighting communism wherever it may be found. Though glossed over, a clause of their participation in the fight is the permission to take home whatever weapons or other items of interest are seized from Peng’s forces, and as such the troops plunder without limit. Interestingly, this leads to Protectorate forces driving home with both a BT-7 and Panzer I tank used by the eclectic Chinese forces. With a long war ahead for Japan, the contribution of the Karufornian forces helps to solve a critical personnel issue for the Pacific Co-Prosperity Sphere

-Of course, this is no more than a sideshow an ocean away in comparison to the struggle against communism on the North American continent. Convincing his Japanese overlords of the scale of the issue and the need to “contain” communism, President Taylor secures permission to go commit a much larger expeditionary force, including three mechanized brigades, to the fight in the Free States. Though significant anti-Japanese racism still exists and is at times taken out on the white soldiers of the protectorate, most are glad to have help in any form so long as it does not outstay its welcome

-Tanks and infantry of the West Coast Protectorate see substantial action in the battles of the Southern Front in Kansas. The Type 99 Bear tank distinguishes itself, first in the initial breakthrough as its substantial 57mm armament is able to penetrate dugout positions. As the ACL pocket collapses, these tanks are also able to prove themselves to be the superior battle tank to the communist BT-7s, helping fend off the assault at the Battle of Dodge City just long enough to allow forces to make an organized retreat. Though this fight is lost, these forces have prevented a military disaster and freed up substantial ACL forces for the more successful fight on the Northern Front

-With automatic and semi-automatic weapons now increasingly common on battlefields and individual volume of fire an increasingly valued asset in combat, the Protectorate army tenders bids for a conversion of the Type 44 Carbine to a semi-automatic mode. The winning bid combines not only a gas-operated semi-automatic bolt but a detachable box magazine holding 20 rounds over the 5-round internal magazine of the original. The new rifle is referred to as the Type 44 “Tripodero” as bipod-equipped models are able to be stood on their magazine for additional stability

-With oil being a significant part of the Californian economy, Japanese engineers assist Unocal oil in devising an offshore platform that can drill farther out than right off the beach. The new “floating platform” design relies on its own buoyancy and can be easily transported, with anchors constructed on the ocean bed for the sole purpose of keeping it locked into place instead of support, allowing exploration and extraction to take place in deeper waters

-New organizational measures are put into place to ensure easy identification and cohesion within the party. Members of all seniority levels are given identity cards, but committed long-term members receive a special handmade party pin as well, which can be worn to show pride in the movement at any occasion where they see fit. To better delineate this seniority, a formal officer class is created to manage in the middle between the “generals” of the party and the average foot “soldier.” These lieutenants, majors, and colonels take on varying levels of responsibility for organizing local party activities and managing the party registry, all the while doubling as a type of political officer to keep the average member in line as they become much larger than the inner party can manage

-With the growth of the party, the need for standardized uniforms becomes increasingly important. Seeking a design for the officer class that agrees with its pro-law and order principles, General Martin and his staff settle on a design of black boots and black pants with a dark blue shirt and white tie, which helps them to stand out from other members to emphasize their leading role. For the regular paramilitaries on the ground, a forest drab uniform with a large Cincinnatus flag patch on the side and roman numeral unit number on the right sleeve is settled upon

-These uniforms go on display in Seattle as several thousand party members march to the Seattle Convention Hall for “the Great Rally of the Cincinnati.” The spectacle does a great deal to show the growing strength of the organization, impressing the semi-free media and greatly annoying local authorities who stand down for now. The media spectacle is timed to go with new announcements on the previously-vague party platform. The platform is described as “two against, but two for” being anti-Japanese and anti-communist but pro-worker and pro-strength. Though this is not much less vague than the previous messages, its populist nature combined with the increasing strength of the Cincinnatus and their ability to operate in the open causes membership numbers to swell substantially

-Using the party’s large war chest of money from various sources as initial capital, the Order open the “Cascadia Prime Bank,” an affinity bank which offers reduced interest rates on financing to card-carrying members of the Order and even lower rates to pin-wearing party veterans. Not only do these banks provide a steady source of income to the Order, but they grant a significant incentive for business leaders and the general public to become members themselves, a further boon to growth

-Ronald Reagan heads across the border into Eastern Washington to build a wing of the NOC based in the Free States. The conservative nature of the NOC and Reagan’s ability to communicate it rhetorically allows them to strike a chord with the citizens there, particularly with its anti-communist message, but its anti-Japanese message also brings in citizens who are outraged by the Governors’ Committee’s decision to admit several West Coast Protectorate divisions onto its territory to fight the reds. With speech completely unrestricted in the Free States, the area is fertile ground for expansion

-Though New England planned many arms deals with the Anti-Communist Leage before being blockaded, the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi finds itself to be the only beneficiary due to the simplicity of its request as a shipment of several thousand M1903 Springfield rifles arrives. Though showing their age, these are easily used as a marksman’s rifle. Proficiency with these rifles is the focus of extensive new training as the best marksmen of the tribes are brought together to train the League’s soldiers. Much like the US Marines, every man who fights for the League is to be a rifleman

-This training comes into good use as 10,000 League soldiers and a hundred Bison technical trucks are committed to the Anti-Communist League for use in its Northern Front assault. This assault is the most successful part of the ACL’s counter-offensive as a portion of the attack is split off to take Minneapolis and wrest the first major city from red hands. The other half of the expedition rides with Graham’s horse dragoons to infiltrate and secure upper Michigan. Though ACL attacks have stumbled elsewhere, the tactics of the natives have helped to ensure significant gains against the reds

-The League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi is not the only significant force of Native Americans taking part in the attack, as League negotiators support the Free States’ efforts to recruit the Sioux Nation into the war effort. The Sioux receive similar offers of autonomy, and with the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi able to make these credible, they add several thousand of their own warriors to the Northern Front

-With the influence of the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi beginning to expand beyond its modest borders, the League works with the Sioux to form the American Indian Council as an international organization to hear the voices of native peoples across both continents. Several tribes in Canada and South America attend, though many nations which limit freedom of speech and movement prevent their tribes from attending. The most significant new attendees are representatives of the Cherokee peoples of Oklahoma, whose main issue is to be allowed union and autonomy with their brothers in the east, and to be allowed to return to the Blue Ridge without fear of Confederate racism

-Back at home, what cropland remains unused is allocated to the nearest villages and tribes by the Great Council, which advocates that all land that can be used productively should be put to use to increase the crop yield and economic strength of the League. In a time of war such as this, any contribution that could be exchanged for money can help grow their forces and improve the greater strategic situation

-To greater capitalize on this expansion, the irrigation network is expanded once again and traditional methods of large crop production are emphasized on the collective farms. A major aspect of this are the three staple crops of the native tribes in the southwest, maize, beans, and winter squash. Rather than trying to emulate the crops of the white man, the League wants to produce as much of the traditional crops as possible to feed the people well and with consistency

-With dependency on the Free States for electricity and a minimal electricity distribution network, electricity is a rarity across the tribes of the League. Seeking to remedy this, engineers modify water-pumping windmills to produce electricity. Just a pair of these windmills is usually able to provide for the sparse electricity needs of each of the League’s settlements, though the increased availability of this modern wonder will certainly drive up future usage and demand

-With its soldiers up north encountering the mobile firepower of the communists’ “Katy” rocket artillery launchers, combat engineers of the League devise their own crude mobile artillery system. The “Buffalo” truck uses a heavier six-wheeled chassis derived from a motorized infantry transport truck, and mounts a 75mm pack howitzer on the rear bed, which must be fired at an angle from the chassis. These trucks provide a nasty surprise to communist defenders who expected the natives to be running light, and double as a siege gun during the assault on Minneapolis

 

[Amfleet]

Turns are due Sunday 10/13 at midnight EST! Sooner is better!

HAVE

Purple
Northern Gray
Red
Green
Orange
Southern Grey
Teal
Yellow
Beige

 

[Moose762]

You fidget with the radio, trying to get to a specific channel. You know its wrong, and how illegal it is, but its so alluring. You don't hate the new stuff mind you but it just isn't as good as the classics, they all feel so tacky or politicalized. You continue rotating it, until you get it. With a crackle you can finally start listening in.
"Hello ladies and gentlemen, this is Liberty Radio reportin in. You know the drill, so lets jump right into it shall we?"

Spoiler: AEAA, Intelligence Summary

When America fell apart a few states tried to declared independence; Iowa, Ohio, California. Of course over the years nations would form out of the post U.S states, except for a few oddities, like the territory of Alaska.

Lots of people fled to Alaska for various reasons, some where just soldiers returning home from the orient. Not wanting to kill their comrades in arms or unable to get home without being put on a pike. Some where just families just trying to live in safety. But from this came a desire to return to America and restore the rightful government. When the refugees came they also brought some high level military men. One of which was Archibald Arnold. While his plans aren't known, there have been some rumors and leaks that he is preparing for something big. Though nothing has been publicly confirmed.

 

[Amfleet]

TURN 4 PREVIEW: THE BATTLE OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC

TIMELINE

10 February 1941, 00:00 Hrs

The Franco-British Union’s battlegroup arrives to challenge the Confederate blockade of the Federalists and Canada. Dubbed “Force H” the battlegroup is centered around the carriers Furious and Illustrious as well as the battleships King George V, Hood, Richelieu, and Dunkerque. Opposing them is Confederate blockade force composed of the carriers Bull Run, Cold Harbor, and Chancellorsville as well as the battleships Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee. With both sides having numerous escorts both above and below the waves, the battle is shaping up to be the largest naval engagement since Jutland

10 February 1941, 08:52 Hrs

The two sides make first contact more than 600 miles east of Cape Cod when the Confederate fleet is spotted by Fulmar reconnaissance planes from Illustrious. Both sides begin fueling and arming aircraft for battle

A Fairey Fulmar lands on the UNS Illustrious after making its sighting

10 February 1941, 10:46 Hrs

Knowing they have a lesser carrier force with fewer planes per carrier, the Union carriers are pulled back to sortie their aircraft and focus on providing air cover for the battleships. A savage air battle develops as the Confederates attempt to break the patrols and make a run on the battleships

10 February 1941, 10:59 Hrs

Using weight of numbers, Confederate TBD Devastators manage to take first blood and score a pair of torpedo hits on Dunkerque, which is then savaged by Helldivers as several Union fighters are away refueling. Its burning hulk slips beneath the waves, showing the capability of naval aviation

10 February 1941, 11:35 Hrs

In the meantime, the remaining three Union battleships have managed to close the gap substantially, and the Confederate battleships are forced to deploy forward of the carriers to provide a screen themselves

10 February 1941, 12:02 Hrs

The more modern British fighters return to provide coverage, and the experience of the Union Navy begins to show as repeated hits, primarily from Richelieu, rip through South Carolina and Alabama. The former is sent to the bottom and the latter forced to retreat with a turret and fire-control system out of action

10 February 1941, 12:06 Hrs

King George V scores hits on Tennessee, which much like her namesake is unfettered and retaliates against the Hood. The lesser armored battlecruiser, the pride of the Union Navy to this point, takes a hit to her magazine and erupts in a fireball, sending shockwaves through the fleet and forcing the remaining two battleships back into their cruiser screen on the defensive

Hood sinks by the stern as King George V continues the fight

10 February 1941, 12:20 Hrs

Far behind the action, the carrier Furious takes a torpedo hit from the German submarine U-38 and begins to list, unable to launch her aircraft. The largest navy in the world is in trouble

10 February 1941, 12:23 Hrs

However, vindication is on the way, literally. From the unexpecting rear of the Confederate formation appear dozens of Federalist SB2U Vindicator dive-bombers from the carriers USS Enterprise and USS Wasp, in a maneuver plotted well in advance of the engagement. Joined by Swordfish torpedo bombers, they are able to turn the tide of the battle by pouncing on the Bull Run and Cold Harbor while their aircraft are away finishing off Furious

10 February 1941, 12:33 Hrs

As bombs tear apart the two carriers, the battleships of both sides are ordered to break off the engagement. The Confederates make a fighting retreat for Charleston while the Union ships head for Bermuda, save for the damaged Richelieu, which makes for New York and repairs

Richelieu arrives in New York for repairs. Battle damage to her turret is visible

10 February 1941, 13:52 Hrs

The blockade is broken, and the Federalists now fight on near-equal terms. Admiral Spruance also turns his force for home, hoisting a banner onto the control tower of Enterprise reading “Mission Accomplished”

11 February 1941, 01:37 Hrs

In a cruel twist of fate, however, Enterprise is targeted on its return by the submarine CSS Hunley, which partly avenges the defeat by torpedoing and sinking the Enterprise, which is unable to recover due to existing battle damage from the bombing in New York Harbor. Unlike her namesake, Hunley escapes the destroyer screen and does not go down with her target, giving the Confederacy the last laugh

 

[RayPurchase]

Dallas
14th February 1941​

The Gulf Republic is a nation at war. Lining the streets are posters calling for you to sign up, buy war bonds, keep a watchful eye for Commie spies, crying the virtues of the struggle. However despite these literal signs, the war is some 450km north, still a distant spectre. In fact here outside ‘The Star’ Cinema, the streets are packed, blue collar workers, off duty military personnel, oil executives, all rubbing shoulders in the queue to enter. The film isn’t even new, a re-run of an old Texas Rangers flick, seeing a current resurgence in the current political climate. The people of Dallas aren’t queuing outside ‘The Star’ and countless other cinemas in the city, or even throughout the nations forming the Anti-Communist League for the film however. Instead they are all here for what is preceding the main picture. After an age queuing, the screens are packed full of viewers settling down, as the screen flickers into life there are hurried shushes as everyone quietens down. A banner appears, unravelling on the screen:

A Gulf Armed Forces Media Corps Production.

Presenting

The Men of the Occident

There are several whoops of support from the audience as the film cuts to the rolling plains of Kansas and the Midwest. In the background a crashed Thunderflash is the focus of the shot, crumpled and half embedded in the ground.

“The Thunderflash. The flying fist of the Red Air Force, a symbol of their unfettered aggression and violent aggression towards their peaceful neighbours in the Coalition of Free States. And yet here one lies, twisted and wrecked in the face of the honour, courage, bravery and patriotism of true Americans, and not the lackeys of Soviet masters to the east.”

The unseen narrator continues as the scene switches to a line of flag poles flying the colours of the Gulf Republic, the Navajo-Hopi Confederation, The West Coast Protectorate and the Coalition of Free States.

“Standing as a coalition of the free, the bastion against the Atheist hordes, and defender of America, are the Occident League, 4 nations of different creeds and beliefs united in their efforts to preserve their sovereignty and freedom from Communist oppression and to preserve their ways of life. Alone, each is but a candle towards the Communist hordes, but together they are a burning beacon against the darkness.”

The camera switches to the northern plains of Minnesota. This was by far the most difficult filming sequence, embedded with the Native American troops as they had begun their northern push into Communist territory. 2 of them are gathered around a small fire, their Springfield rifles slung over their shoulders, and their camouflage uniform making them easily recognisable. With the lights of Minneapolis behind them their faces broke into grins as the camera focused on them.

“In the North, the valiant conquerors of Minneapolis recuperate their strength as they prepare to fight the Commies on their own soil as winter sets in. Corporal Chester Nez and Private Joe Kieyoomia are but two of the valiant Native Americans of the Navaho nation who have taken up arms, and here in the frozen north, they have made sweeping inroads, taking the fight to the Commies. Go get ‘em boys,”

The cold north is replaced by the plains of the Midwest once more. A Bear tank stands amongst tents and infantry men. Her crew busy performing maintenance and scrubbing the exterior of the vehicle.

“And here we have Staff Sergeant Jerry Tillman, veteran of the Battle of Dodge City and a son of Los Angeles,”

Zooming in on the side of the tank, there were several red stars painted on the side of the turret.

“Each star represents a Communist tank that won’t be terrorising peace loving, god fearing Americans. Staff Sergeant Tillman and his compatriots were critical in the victory of Dodge City, allowing the League forces that had penetrated deep behind Communist lines, causing havoc there, to continue their journey back into the safety of Gulf Oklahoma. Now back in the Midwest, he and his fellow tank crews are ready for round 2, the knock out blow,”

Remaining in the Midwest the camera pans along the open Kansas plains.

“And here we are, the front lines. Out there lie the Communist aggressors, dug in deep like weevils, their claws sunk into the land, and their eyes set on ever more territory, their hunger never satiated until they have consumed all before them, siphoning the treasures of the land back to their masters in Moscow. But they’ll be hard pressed to go much further, they’ve trodden on the snake, and she’s showing her fangs now,”

The camera swings left, on screen are a myriad of trenches and bunkers, forming the first line of defence between the Communist forces and the rest of the Free State’s territory. All along the trench Free State Militia men are shown cheering and waving their helmets, a sea of grinning faces and confidence.

“The Western spirit is strong in the hearts of the men of the Free States. They have had to bear the brunt of Communist aggression, and yet with a smile on their lips, a gun in their hands, and the spirit of the West behind them, they shall not be cowed. Under the leadership of General Omar Bradley, they are ready to take the worst the Commies can throw at them, and send it right back at ‘em.”

For a final time the scene changes once more. A small hastily built airstrip, made up of tents and camouflage netting, piles of sandbags and a number of small anti aircraft guns. 3 Chance-Vought F4U Buccaneers are there, canopies open beneath the clear skies. Behind them flies an orange windsock, and fluttering beside it in the wind, the flag of the Gulf Republic, this scene eliciting the greatest cheer so far from the patrons of The Star cinema. A Willys Jeep pulls into the airfield, out of the passenger seat steps an airforce officer, a Major General in the Gulf Army Airforce, the grim lines of his face set in a determined look as he surveys the airfield.

“Whilst the land war grinds on, far above the Men of the Gulf Army Airforce weave about the skies. In command of them is Major General Claire Lee Chenault of Commerce Texas. Old Leatherface to his men, under his steely determination the ownership of the skies will be won. General Chenault, the men women and children of the Occident League say, God’s Speed!”

The 3 Buccaneers taxi onto the runway, and gracefully take off, flying 3 abreast wings near touching.

“Against such a coalition, even the legions of hell would be set a’trembling. We may not have started the war, but by god, we’re going to finish it,”

The screen fades to black as the 3 Buccaneers fly out of shot. A final banner unfurls across the screen:

ENLIST TODAY​

 

[Amfleet]

Turn 4 Preview 2: Sic Semper Tyrannis

January 31st, 1941

Sgt. Adrian Howard trudges through the snow to begin his night watch in Arlington, Virginia. The sun has just set and he and his section are making their way uphill among the headstones of the cemetery to take their shift on an anti-aircraft gun position in front of the old Robert E. Lee House. At this vantage point overlooking the faded capital of a former great power, his men take their positions and wait for a possible night raid by Federalist bombers. Each of these Opposition soldiers is dressed in an olive drab uniform with an old Brodie helmet and an armband bearing the vertical stripes of the Sons of Liberty flag to distinguish themselves from the Confederate divisions streaming through the city to the front.

Hours pass. In the bitter cold, Sgt. Howard allows his patrols to bring back scraps of wood for an antique stove they hauled out of the house on an earlier patrol. Before the fire can get going, it must be extinguished as air raid sirens sound and the men are called to action stations. The spotters call out a formation of B-24s heading south, staying at maximum altitude and beyond their gun’s range. Just as the bombers have passed, two massive explosions are heard in the city below, larger than any of the normal Federalist bombs. Howard looks through his binoculars and sees a pair of dust clouds, the first just across the Potomac at the Lincoln Memorial which now lies in ruins, the second appears to come from the direction of the White House. His men are convinced the planes must have dropped some large, precision bombs, but he believes such a bomb could not possibly exist.

As the section awaits a further attack, a horse courier in the Stetson hat worn by all members of the Gulf Peacekeeping Corps arrives and asks to sit by the now-built fire. In his Southern drawl, he explains that as a Floridian he “just ain’t ack-limated” to the local weather. Looking to the Lee House, he points and tells Howard, “there was the home of a great man. One who buried his ambitions to rule the whole land and did what was best for the advancement of his own people. Like us’n Dixie are doing today. Yours is a Virginia unit, maybe it’s time y’all thought about who you should be protecting from the northern aggression, Virginians or politicians in Washington.” Howard grunts. Sensing that he is unconvinced, the courier hands him a sealed envelope. “I was s’posed to bring you these orders direct from General Somervell. The war is entering a new phase, and you Dixie folk will have to stand together to achieve victory,” he says as he saddles up and rides off. Howard opens his orders.

“At 03:00 hours you and your men are to depart this position for reassignment. Return to your barracks. Our Confederate allies will man your station while we reorganize our forces. Hand over all weapons that are not personal property to them as they arrive and you will be re-equipped after you receive your new orders.

-Gen. Brehon B. Somervell”

Minutes later a Confederate half-track arrives and a gray-coated section emerges from its back. The men seem tense. Following orders, the Opposition soldiers set aside their rifles. Howard feels for his personal .38 Saturday Night Special under his jacket but is too uncertain of the situation to do anything outside of his orders.

The men march back into the city in a double wide column. Passing the remains of the Lincoln Memorial, they are stunned to see Confederate troops posing for pictures with the massive decapitated marble head of the 16th president. On the street outside the barracks, Confederate SD agents manhandle an Opposition senator who screams of betrayal and “regicide” of president Byrd. Gunfire can be heard in the distance as some Opposition units refuse to be disarmed. The section now all realize what Howard has long suspected. The President is dead, most of the Opposition leadership arrested, and their vision of the United States of America is now gone with them.

 

[joshuadim]

The Oklahoma Front
February 14, 1941
0500 Hours​

It was in the early hours of the morning that two men found themselves waiting with the rest of their battalion, along with tens of thousands of other battalions on the warfront all across the midwest. The sun had yet to rise, but in the distance both men could see the distant and faint lights of the enemy lines as they peeked over their trench in anticipation. Although the war had taken an unexpected turn, the communists were not done fighting and in fact were more motivated than ever to fight on. Yet that did not stop nervousness from taking root.

Private Liam Williams stood next to his childhood friend, Private First Class Benjamin Reeves, as they peered over the trench into the distance. The two hailed from humble beginnings from the small town of Galena, Illinois. Both of whom had previously worked on a communal farm together, along with their families, before being called into service about 4 months ago. They had seen some action in putting down the last pockets of resistance in Emporia, but neither had actually been in real combat. They were in the rear guard with their battalion as the regiments bowled over the militias in the pocket before being redeployed to the Oklahoma front. Thus far, it had been quiet as both sides did not make a move on this front. Most of the action was in the Great Plains and the Great Lakes, where a lot of their friends had been deployed to reinforce. All things considered, the two of them were lucky to not have been in harms way as of yet. But all that changed with the influx of their reinforcements on all fronts, which could only signal one thing: something massive was about to happen.

"I can't stop shivering Benny." Liam spoke up finally after an awkward silence. Benjamin looked over, somewhat confused as the two of them were equipped with winter uniforms and apparel for this kind of fighting. If anything, they were better inclined to fight in these conditions than any heat-loving snow-birds from Texas ever could.

"What's the matter Liam? Too cold for you?" Benjamin replied jokingly.

"No, it's not that its just... I don't know if I'm ready for fighting like this. I feel like I want to throw up."

"Sooner or later we both knew we were going to get into the heat of things-"

"That doesn't help Benny!" Liam snapped back, still shivering as he rupped his arms to try to comfort himself. "Sorry... I just... what if we don't make it back?"

"Listen Liam," Benjamin started as he walked over and placed a hand on his friends' shoulder. "you have a larger change of being hit by lighting than you do getting shot by some southern backstabbing snake. And besides, you got me to look after you when push comes to shove."

"Thanks." Liam replied, the comfort from his friend reducing his fear a bit as he calmed down. "I write to them every day you know? To my folks and sisters back home. Lily took a job at a munitions factory in Rockford because of the war... but everyone has stayed put on the farm thus far. I'm just... it hurts me to know they worry so much. And with what's about to happen-"

"Listen. You're going to make it back. I promise you. For your parents, and for Lily, I promise you this."

As soon as Benjamin finished speaking, their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a large barrage of artillery and rocketry fire. Both men, along with the thousands of others in the trenches watched as these shells and projectiles sailed over them and into enemy territory in such mass amounts. Officers immediately begin to shout orders, preparing for what seemed to be their own attack on the enemy. Liam and Benjamin, along with the others in their battalion prepped themselves as they held their weapons tight. Liam breathed heavily as his knuckles turned white from fear and anxiety for what was about to happen.

On all three fronts would the barrage begin, pouring down shells and rockets unto the enemy in a righteous fury against the Anti-Communist League. The Million Man Offensives have begun.

 

[Amfleet]

TURN 4: 1 JANUARY-30 APRIL 1941



THE WAR OF AMERICAN SUCCESSION

-The Opposition government is absorbed into the Second Confederate Republic after a coup led by military officers and politicians groomed by the Confederacy kills President Byrd and neutralizes most remaining anti-Confederate leaders. Most of the Opposition military bows to the Confederates to continue their war against the Federalists, but many trained soldiers refuse to turn coat and join with civilian partisans to cause havoc behind the lines. Only one claimant to the title of “United States of America” remains, at least for the moment
-Far to sea, the Franco-British Union’s Force H arrives to challenge the Confederate blockade of Canada and the Federalists. Through coordination with the smaller Federalist Navy, which has worked tirelessly to restore its strength, the Union scores a decisive victory that ends the blockade, in the first naval battle to see combat dominated primarily by aircraft by the opposing side’s carriers
-Back on land, Patton’s Confederate tanks storm northwards through less defended parts of Pennsylvania and into upstate New York, making tremendous progress before logistical issues, terrain, and reorganization of Federalist armies force a halt in the Battle of the Catskills. The Federalist supply lines have also been lengthened as Pennsylvania is cut in two, and as it breathes on Albany, the Confederacy appears to be in its strongest position yet. However, the land it controls is of lesser strategic value than the oil fields or coastal cities, and many in the command fear they are becoming overextended. Federalist victory at the Battle of the Finger Lakes also stymies a secondary offensive intended to divide New York and cut off the oil completely, and as Federalist numbers begin to come to bear, the tide may indeed be turning
-For their part, the Federalists make their own advances southwards, sending a large professional army to liberate Baltimore and the Delmarva Peninsula, which they are able to do in fairly short order before encountering the heavy defenses surrounding Washington, D.C. Patriots in Baltimore welcome their liberators who are held speechless by the ragged state of the defenders, of whom only a few thousand remain, and the devastation of the city which lies in ruins
-The other Federalist advance comes in West Virginia, where Federal troops set foot on enemy home soil for the first time in the war so far. This offensive is largely designed to help the various rebellions in West Virginia, which have grown like wildfire after the dissolution of the Opposition. Supplies, special forces, and propaganda literature are dropped by the Army Air Forces into the mountain strongholds of the resistance, while troops on the ground advance through difficult terrain to liberate several of these pockets of resistance. Careful not to overextend itself, partisans in less tenable positions further south are given the chance to leave their positions and join the Army. Though most take this offer, many former Opposition units refuse to do this, preferring to stay behind and fight for their homes or their idea of “America”
-In the skies, the tide has rapidly begun to turn in favor of the Federalists as B-24s continue to rain bombs on Confederate airbases and strategic targets and fighter production eclipses that of the Confederacy, leading to Federalist air superiority well south of the front lines. The excellent new P-51 Mustang fighter is only widening this gap as it is not only able to outfight the Confederate planes but can escort the Liberators deeper and deeper into Confederate territory, and bombs now fall on strategic targets in Kentucky and North Carolina

THE GREAT PLAINS WAR

-The Revolution meets a heady peak as the United Socialist Republics bring to bear millions of fighting men for a series of offensives on a scale never before imaginable on an American battlefield. The aim of these “Million Man Offensives” is to bring the size advantage of the American Liberation Army to bear and put the Occidental League on the back foot for good. Striking on three fronts, scores of men are under orders to overwhelm the enemy’s defenses. The ancient art of war tells that an offensive has the best chance of success with at least a 3 to 1 numerical advantage. On many fronts the number of troops exceeds this proportion. On others the advantage is more questionable. On all, the Occidental League soldiers face a hell of a fight
-The red leaders do not wait for the spring thaw to strike. On St. Valentine’s Day 1941, at 04:00 hours, Katy rockets open up on pre-registered targets in the dark of the early morning. The barrage is quick but the sheer quantity of rockets causes a wave of destruction across the forward positions of the Occidental League, laying waste to men who cannot get to foxholes or prepared defenses in time. Across all three fronts, the reds now surge into action in massed infantry assaults, often backed by heavy breakthrough tanks
-The assault begins with an attack to retake Minneapolis, an attack that is crucial to red morale as the only major population center they have lost to date. A field army makes a frontal assault on the city in intense urban combat, while a second crosses the Minnesota River to the west under intense machine-gun and artillery fire to take flank to the right of the defenders. Though the defense is tenacious and leaves much of the city in ruins, the defense ultimately collapses under the massive pressure and the red banner flies over city hall after a struggle of two weeks. The battle sets a tone for coming offensives elsewhere
-These soldiers then link up for a push with Army Group Illinois to join the Upper Michigan Strategic Operation. The bulk of these forces attack the upper peninsula via Wisconsin, while several divisions of Army Group Michigan make a risky push across the ice from the lower peninsula. This assault encounters finds that the ice is heavily mined with anti-personnel and anti-tank mines buried in snow to be triggered by passing troops and vehicles. These inflict a serious toll, but most of the force is still able to cross the ice as it is found that the snowmobiles distributed to the forces do not trigger the mines with their speed. On both sides of the attack, the Free States and their Finnish auxiliaries are well dug-in and fierce, using tactics proven in the Winter War such as ski infantry and Motti tactics designed to isolate enemy units. Hundreds of thousands of red soldiers fall victim, in some places a ten-to-one ratio, but the enemy’s numbers are just too much in the end as the forces are cut off from resupply
-On the Kansas-Nebraska front that started the war to begin with, the largest offensive takes place as the reds seek to push the Free States further back into their heartland and secure a buffer for their newly-taken oilfields. Much like the other offensives, this attack is a massed frontal assault preceded by a massed artillery barrage and supported by a pair of pincers on either side. Occidental League forces abandon their forward positions in advance of the assault and pull back to newly-built secondary defenses. This new defensive line is centered around the many small hills and lakes of northwest Nebraska, and proves a tough nut to crack, inflicting huge losses on the attackers who are mostly relying on their four-to-one manpower advantage. However, with a million more men to spare, the armored pincer attacks cannot be held forever, and the defenders are forced once again to withdraw to avoid a rout
-This offensive eventually peters out due to logistical issues behind the lines. Not only is oil beginning to run short for the American Liberation Army, but a series of daring raids along the Mississippi dubbed “Operation Huckleberry” have resulted in damage to several bridges used to move troops west across the river. Diehard units from the Free States and Gulf use PT boats and infiltration tactics to storm up the river and plant charges as they go, though with so many bridges only a few can be taken out in this manner. These raids reach their conclusion in St. Louis, as the soldiers successfully rendezvous but realize there is no escape. Instead they go on a rampage throughout the city, shooting up anyone in a uniform before being cut down one by one, an act of revenge that the communist media attempts to bury
-The USRA is not too averse to taking a gamble of its own, as it commits Army Group Missouri to an ambitious attack to retaliate against the Gulf for its “interference” in the war. Aware of the prepared defenses, the ALA once again drops in from the skies after a campaign of sabotage by its agents. These efforts face on destroying railway tracks, aircraft, and anti-aircraft guns in preparation for the drop. Hundreds of agents are caught and executed by Gulf security forces, though they do enough damage to limit the aerial defenses and counter-mobilization. Though over half the planes are shot down, tens of thousands of paratroopers still land to finish what the saboteurs have started and cause further havoc behind the lines
-All of this is in preparation for the main spring attack, yet another million man offensive into Oklahoma. Incredible numbers of conscripts and career soldiers pour like water into the Alamo Line and are gunned down in huge numbers as the prairies run red. The tenacious defense forces the reds into a long battle they had sought to avoid, and reserve armor is brought in to force the Gulf troops to finally fall back to the Alamo Line’s secondary defenses deeper within the state. The attack causes panic among Gulf civilians, particularly those of Oklahoma City, which is now in striking distance and where residents see black clouds of smoke from all the oil wells set alight during the retreat
-The Occidental League is on the defensive against the whelming red tide, but this does not stop them from launching an offensive of their own. Drawing on their positive relations with the Federalists and Canada, tens of thousands of native irregulars of the All-American League carry out the Occidental League’s “Operation Cleveland Steamer.” These men are firebugs, and they transit through Canada and into Pennsylvania to torch the eastern Ohio oil and gas fields. Though they encounter prepared communist defenses, the irregular tactics of the tribesmen and cover of darkness allows them to savage the wells before the alarm can be raised. Some of the fires they start are so fierce, they blow across the border into Federalist lands and set forests and at least one well in Pennsylvania alight. The natives further terrorise the enemy by bringing back the scalps of their victims, which political officers call a sign of their barbaric nature. Though communist media may poo-poo its results, Operation Cleveland Steamer has caused a great stink that helps to slow the enemy’s relentless attacks

GUERRA POR EL ISTMO

-Realizing that it can ill afford a two-front war with the Communists and Mexico, the Republic of the Gulf holds unprecedented talks with the Mexican State. Here they dangle a tempting offer for the Mexicans to divert their expansionist tendencies away from the north and instead look southwards towards the nations of the Pacto Defensivo del Pueblo between Mexico and Panama. The nations of this bloc range from outright communist to leftwing radicals, making them mutual ideological foes for the two nations, and the Gulf pledges substantial aid to clinch this deal
-With this unlikely alliance in order, the Sinarquistas make their declaration of war on the PDP, declaring them to be lost provinces of Mexico in the hands of red terrorists. Mexican troops begin marching down the coastal plains of southern Guatemala under the guns of Gulf cruisers while another army group moves south from the Yucatan. The former group punches clear through into El Salvador, where the big guns lay waste to much of the capital San Salvador and force a retreat of PDP forces. Up north, however, the Mexicans find fierce opposition in the Sierra de las Minas
-The war is hotly debated by Gulf politicians back home, as many fear that a victorious Mexico will be too powerful to stop. Others are not even sure that the Mexicans will triumph, given the tenacity of the PDP fighters, but are nevertheless glad they are now deeply preoccupied away from the northern border at a critical moment. Whatever the case may be, the Gulf will not escape the war without casualties of its own, as the destroyer Amarillo is destroyed by Salvadoran frogmen in the Gulf of Fonseca
-As the Mexican advance sweeps forward, tens of thousands of leftwing fighters and suspected communists are taken prisoner by the advancing armies and trucked to camps in the deep forests of the Yucatan, where their fate is uncertain. Virtually all Mayans, including women and children, are accused of sympathizing with the leftists and disappeared. Allegations of ethnic cleansing are dismissed by the Mexicans, who insist the war is purely an ideological conflict

-The struggle to take back home soil begins with an advance to relieve Baltimore and retake the Delmarva Peninsula. A large infantry force retakes Wilmington in brief street fighting as the town was never held that solidly, before linking up with light tank units and motorized infantry to move down the peninsula, advancing rapidly before hitting solid resistance at Salisbury. Federal commanders eventually realize this is a delaying action, as the main Confederate force on the peninsula is withdrawing back to Norfolk
-The other Federalist advance comes in West Virginia, where Federal troops set foot on enemy home soil for the first time in the war so far. This offensive is largely designed to help the various rebellions in West Virginia, which have grown like wildfire after the dissolution of the Opposition. Supplies, special forces, and propaganda literature are dropped by the Army Air Forces into the mountain strongholds of the resistance, while troops on the ground advance through difficult terrain to liberate several of these pockets of resistance. Careful not to overextend itself, partisans in less tenable positions further south are given the chance to leave their positions and join the Army. Though most take this offer, many former Opposition units refuse to do this, preferring to stay behind and fight for their homes or their idea of “America”
-Most of the Federalist forces focus their attention on defending their population centers and strategic assets, as does a new Canadian Expeditionary Force consisting of several infantry divisions and a division of Ram tanks. Troops prepare for an assault on the Pennsylvania oilfields, an attack on Philadelphia repeatedly threatened by Confederate propaganda, or even an amphibious assault on the coast. Unfortunately, none of these happen, and the Army is instead forced to scramble to counter an offensive that splits Pennsylvania and drives into upstate New York, threatening Albany and greatly lengthening Federalist supply lines, especially in regards to the oil. The Confederates’ own supply chain issues halt them from attempts to fully encircle the oilfields at the Battle of the Finger Lakes, as does a determined defence outside Albany in the Battle of the Catskills
-As part of the Federalist air campaign, planes drop vast quantities of propaganda leaflets over rebel-held territory, primarily the so-called “Patriot Cookbooks.” These manuals on bomb-making and sabotage greatly enhance the effectiveness of the rebels, though in Confederate-held territory, those found in possession of the Cookbook are summarily executed
-In more conventional propaganda operations, the government-operated “Minuteman Radio” begins broadcasting into the occupied territories. Featuring deliberately sensual female hosts, the programming ranges from broadcasts of Federalists victories and unclassified news from the front, to messages of support for resistance fighters behind the lines in Baltimore and elsewhere, to appeals for black soldiers of the former Opposition to make a stand for the futures of their families and neighbors. Blood-curdling stories of Confederate war atrocities and treatment of slaves are particularly compelling, and Confederate troops are frequently seen confiscating illicit radios to keep people from tuning in
-At sea, the Federalists secure a significant victory with their contributions to the Battle of the Atlantic. This is preceded by several raids on the blockading forces by Piranha midget submarines carried into deeper waters by disguised merchant vessels, netting another light cruiser and several destroyers. The raids are incredibly dangerous and claim dozens of lives, but this pales in comparison to the toll on the Confederate vessels. Especially after the Franco-British intervention and the deployment of its new battlecruisers, the Federalists are now fighting on a level playing field, and both sides have substantial capability to begin replacing their losses
-The Piranhas are also used to deliver substantial aid behind the enemy lines, especially in Baltimore. Despite their small capacity, they deliver hundreds of desperately needed small arms including the dreaded Slinky Mine, which has become a sort of contemporary caltrop. Special forces also see their first significant use, as “Vampire Snipers” using IR scopes infiltrate into rebel-held territory to set up shop, picking off anyone in an officer uniform in targeted killings that make many Confederate officers afraid to go out at night
-The Army begins to build up its stocks of M3 Grant tanks, bolstering their numbers by selling the capable design to members of the Occidental League in exchange for a share of their production capacity. The tanks are already seeing substantial use in the defensive efforts, but with even greater numbers becoming available as they are built and shipped through Canada, the time for a concentrated armored counter-strike is soon at hand
-With the capability of the Confederate bombers having been shown in the opening blows of the war, the army commits greater resources to air defence, commissioning a civilian Spotter Corps and building numerous new radar and anti-aircraft installations where the frontline has stabilized and near strategic assets. Though it makes bomber losses harder to replace, the factories are refocused primarily on fighter and ground-attack plane production to ensure air superiority is maintained. Confederate Heinkels do continue to slip through in night raids, as neither side possesses a significant night-fighting aircraft, and these raids do devastating damage in Philadelphia as the Confederate Air Force seeks to break the morale of the Federalists
-With the Franco-British Union’s entry into the war, the Federalists seek to channel more support form Canada. As production is wrapped up on the new Brooklyn-class heavy cruisers, shipbuilders are sent to assist in the fitting-out of Canada’s first two domestically-produced light cruisers. Canadian war industry produces more trucks and licensed copies of British radars for the Federalists, who in turn supply new computing technology to speed up decryption efforts. With organized crime still an issue hampering the war effort, the government even goes so far as allowing Canadian Mounties to operate in American cities under supervision, a show of just how far Wallace is willing to stretch the Constitution during wartime
-Hoping to get young people interested in aviation, a toy store owner in Connecticut experimenting with plasticware plates discovers the hand-thrown flying disc. These “Whirlo-Ways” are great fun in parks and backyards and with a strong throw can travel the length of an American football field and beyond with ease
-A more significant aviation innovation comes from the factories of North American Aviation, which debuts a more capable long-range escort fighter. The P-51 “Mustang” takes the excellent Franco-British Rolls Royce Merlin engine and combines it with a nimble airframe and quad .50 caliber machine guns. Most significantly, it carries an impressive fuel load, allowing it to escort the bombers deep into enemy territory. There may be a new fighter king in the Americas

-The Revolution meets a heady peak as the United Socialist Republics bring to bear millions of fighting men for a series of offensives on a scale never before imaginable on an American battlefield. The aim of these “Million Man Offensives” is to bring the size advantage of the American Liberation Army to bear and put the Occidental League on the back foot for good. Striking on three fronts, scores of men are under orders to overwhelm the enemy’s defenses. The ancient art of war tells that an offensive has the best chance of success with at least a 3 to 1 numerical advantage. On many fronts the number of troops exceeds this proportion. On others the advantage is more questionable. On all, the Occidental League soldiers face a hell of a fight
-In spite of hideous casualties, these offensives largely achieve their goals of freeing enemy-held territory, creating a large buffer between home soil, new oil holdings, and the forces of the Occidental League. General Secretary Browder praises the mighty accomplishments of the soldiers who fight sacrificially, charging in the face of death alongside their comrades. A damper is put on this however, as Operation Cleveland Steamer raises the prospect of the Federalists sponsoring the Occidental League, a serious threat as a new front appears to be opening. In any case, several fresh divisions now man the border, and defenses in the area are expanded significantly to prevent a larger-scale repeat
-Two tools of warmaking are central to the attacks. First is the Katy multiple rocket launcher, which is cranked out in huge numbers to deliver massive and swift barrages against the enemy positions preceding each attack. The second is the humble snowmobile, which is delivered in the thousands and often requisitioned from civilians to be used in the attacks across the Great Lakes. Not only are these snowmobiles a logistical boon that helps the reds attack sooner, but they also do not trigger the many landmines left by the Free States troops due to their speed and light weight
-Another major implement of the offensives is a new heavy tank design. Based on the imported Kliment Voroshilov Tank, the “People’s Colossus Model 2” or PC-2 is a true land dreadnought that improves upon the KV-1 by adding several Motor City innovations to the drivetrain. The notorious transmission is replaced with a hydrostatic transmission that shifts gears automatically, and the underpowered engine is swapped for a mighty V8 that gives it a reasonable speed. The exploits of this supposedly invincible tank feature heavily in propaganda covering the offensives, particularly their ride into prepared anti-tank defences in Oklahoma that fail to stop the People’s Colossus
-Air power also makes a significant contribution to the offensives, as several moves are made to shift the balance in the skies which has not favored the reds as much as hoped. The first is the construction of new airfields throughout Kansas and Nebraska, not only to protect the oil but improve response time for close air support and combat air patrol. The second is a concerted campaign of sabotage behind Gulf lines. Hundreds of red agents are caught and executed as the anti-communist hysteria spares no stranger, but still more make enough of a dent in the enemy defenses to let the paratroopers through
-In an effort to get the populace fired up, the successes of the Million Man Offensives are covered extensively by the press, which prints mounds of stories of the American Liberation Army’s reconquest of home soil and expansion to bring the Revolution into Oklahoma and the Dakotas for the first time. Though the public celebrates the victories, for many the crushing news comes of a son, husband, or other lost on the field as losses begin to pile up
-With the war continuing to escalate, Browder makes new appeals to Stalin for more arms assistance. Though the USRA receives licenses to produce the Il-2 Sturmovik and Yak-1 fighter to plug significant gaps in the ALAF, these are not produced in time to make a significant impact on the spring offensives. Moreover, the Soviets are no longer willing to produce any finished goods to ship to the USRA, merely send designs. Foreign Minister Molotov is tight-lipped on why, but the ambassador leaves convinced that the Soviets are preparing for something big
-With no end in sight, the United Socialist Republics begin to implement further measures of a total war economy. As men leave the farms to fight, the first real rationing program comes into effect. Like the other nations at war, recycling of scrap metal is also instituted to keep the industry fed. Much will be riding on the coming crop season as winter ends and so many are away to fight instead of working the communal farms
-Seeing the use of computers in administering a large economy during wartime, engineers at the Republic Developmental Institute develop the Analog Computing Machine Model 1, or ACM-1. This large geared device becomes a fixture in factories and administrative offices throughout the USRA, and its ability to crunch numbers does wonders for the overall efficiency of the war effort

-The Confederacy finds itself up against a conservative-playing Federalist command that it correctly predicts will focus on protection of its major population centers and strategic assets. With this in mind, Patton’s Army of Georgia presses its attack in Eastern Pennsylvania, hoping to punch through to the less heavily defended states of New England and rip the Federalists in two. Massed armor rumbles northward spearheaded by crack Panzer units against sporadic opposition, capturing the crucial railway junction at Scranton and entering New York for the first time before more organized resistance halts the eastward advance in the Battle of the Catskills
-The lengthened supply lines become an issue as fighting continues to rage well behind them. Further, as the Federalists retain their air superiority throughout the campaign, bombing and strafing attacks begin to grind the offensive down as most logistical movements can only be made at night. A secondary offensive is launched to try and encircle the oil fields, but is halted by Canadian Ram tanks and heavy air attack at the Battle of the Finger Lakes
-Having spent several months seeking out Opposition commanders and politicians, the Confederacy manages to organize a coup in Washington, D.C by leaders who favor annexation. Across the Opposition states, Confederate soldiers arrest or kill Opposition leaders who resist this initiative, as President Byrd is assassinated by a bomb placed in his bunker beneath the West Wing. Most of the Opposition fleet is captured in port and a majority of units are willing to either accept their new management or at least sit things out, but nevertheless the insurgency inside the newly expanded Confederacy grows larger by many orders of magnitude. Civilians who find the Confederate system intolerable take up arms alongside the Opposition renegades who refuse to turn against the idea of the USA, some even going so far as to openly join the Federalists instead of just begrudgingly accepting their aid
-The war rages far behind the front lines as the Confederates fight to keep their gains by suppressing a mix of ragtag pro-Federalist militants and battle hardened ex-Opposition renegades. These insurgents prove a literal pain in the rear, as they harass supply columns, derail trains, and assassinate Confederate officers. Having anticipated this might be the case, and already dealing with a substantial insurgency in West Virginia, Confederate shock units act quickly to clean out the few Opposition armories in the area and deny modern arms to the insurgents. However, in such country there is a rifle under every blade of grass, and the Federalists are working against them with regular supply of arms into the south
-It is not all bad news for the Confederate supply lines, as the Dallas-Savannah railroad along the Gulf Coast is completed, the most important railway route in the South since the Southern Crescent. With conflict at sea and the possibility of Union commerce raiders, this helps to better secure the vital oil supplies from Texas as well as trade from east to west in Agriculture. For the Gulf’s part, its constituent states finally have a higher-capacity land bridge that will last for as long as the positive relations between the two continue
-The first major trading to see use of this railroad is Confederate purchase of Texan cattle and other prime livestock. Though the primary objective of this trading is of course the provision of meat to a largely corn and bean-fed populace, the fat from this meat can be readily refined into glycerin, crucial to supplying the Confederate Air Force and Artillery with explosive munitions. Some of this refined product is sold back to the Gulf and ends up in naval shells pummelling San Salvador
-Further cooperation with the Gulf sees a mutual shipbuilding program as the two nations seek to combine their strength. This plays well into the hands of the Confederacy at a time when it has taken serious losses at sea, as it can now turn out more of its valuable Pioneer and Hunley-class submarines to keep taking the war to the enemy beneath the waves, while building up new surface ships to restore its forces on the surface which are now being kept as a fleet-in-being to answer a future challenge
-Finding the performance of the 57mm gun on the Panzer IV to be inadequate against the well-protected M3 Grant, Confederate armorers in Birmingham develop a casemated version of the tank wielding the 75mm gun M3. The lack of a turret allows not only for a heavier charge in the gun, making it more powerful than the version on the Grant, but this new “Assault Gun Model IV” can be produced for a significantly lower price for less man-hours of skilled labor, helping to stem the growing gap in tank production
-With more and more men being drawn to the front and away from the farms, slaves simply cannot fill the gaps as well as they used to. To keep the food supplies coming from the largely agricultural south, Southern Food Machinery Limited devises a new combine harvester that is 25% more efficient than the closest existing model. This goes a great way to automating away the Confederate labor issues, freeing up more men for the front or other industries

-Gulf troops make significant contributions to the defensive battles being fought across the Free States, providing some of the best trained and organized forces as well as their fast Mustang tanks. However, the main event now begins as well over a million reds are thrown at Gulf defensive lines in Oklahoma. The initial defensive lines fall after exacting a heavy toll on the enemy, possibly numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Fortunately, these defensive works, named the “Alamo Line” by the press, are designed to operate in depth, and the red tide is eventually halted in the Cimarron River Sector of the line with help from extensive tank traps and new anti-tank lancer units
-The battlefields of northern Oklahoma are strewn with anti-tank ditches, Czech Hedgehogs, pillboxes, and foxholes to halt the invaders. During the retreat from the front sectors, the skies turn black as several valuable oil wells are exploded and set alight to prevent their easy exploitation by the attackers
-In the skies, the numbers also prove to be nearly overwhelming. A second major parachute drop by the communists is much less successful as the Gulf Air Force and extensive anti-aircraft fortifications exact a heavy toll and down over half of the valuable transport planes, despite being hobbled by a concerted sabotage effort which sees dozens of fighters destroyed on the ground after infiltrators reach their covered shelters. However, the sheer scale of the attack once again sees the defenders reeling, and nearly a fifth of the GAF has been lost in aerial combat or on the ground
-Gulf Marine commandos make their own ambitious attack to strike at the red heartland in the form of Operation Huckleberry, a joint operation with the Free States. With little hope of return, Marine volunteers in blacked out PT boats transit Confederate territory up the Mississippi, carrying out a spectacular attack on Marxville (St. Louis), sabotaging several bridges in the process. Though the forces converge in time, both realize there is no escape, and unleash a rampage of anti-communist fury on anyone wearing a uniform before eventually being gunned down themselves. The attack is reported as mass murder in the red press, and terrorizes the local populace, also having the practical effect of reducing the advances into the Free States
-Realizing the value of the fast tank in the great open spaces of the plains, several more divisions’ worth of the Mustang tank are cranked out to arm the Gulf’s “Armored Cowboys.” These units have a fair level of independence from the infantry, though soldiers in trucks follow whenever possible. Their flanking attacks are a serious hindrance to the enemy advances, at times even defeating the massive People’s Colossus by attacking from the rear, a rare but storied feat
-Perhaps the single most important contribution of the Gulf to the war effort comes off the battlefield and in the halls of diplomacy, where the spectre of Mexican invasion is exorcised by a bold political gamble which sends them looking southward instead of northward. The Gulf agrees to provide assistance to a Mexican offensive against the leftist PDP in Central America, committing naval support to the attacks and granting assistance to Mexico’s oil development initiatives. There is still a fear that if Mexico is allowed to triumph, it will become much more difficult to defeat if it does look northward once more, but for now the Occidental League collectively breathes a sigh of relief
-In other diplomatic adventures, the Gulf begins to stick a finger into the War of American Succession. Fearing an empowered Federal government, Floridian peacekeepers are sent to help keep order behind the lines in the former Opposition as a pro-Confederate coup sends these states spiralling into near-anarchy at the hands of insurgent groups with varying allegiances. These peacekeepers see sporadic combat defending rail junctures and supply dumps on behalf of the Confederates, who benefit greatly as their forces become stretched between fighting the Federalists and insurgents
-Further collaboration with the Confederates comes in the form of the Joint Naval Development Agreement between the two nations, in which both agree to pool their shipbuilding resources. After the Battle of the North Atlantic devastates much of the Confederate Navy, the Gulf finds itself the largest navy in the Americas by a substantial margin. This helps accelerate the shipbuilding process for all, though the Confederates are of course the major beneficiary as the CSN enters a rebuilding phase
-Returning to the home front, President Allred takes great care to manage the publicity of the difficult military situation. Man to man, the Gulf soldier is one of the finest, something that newsreels and radio programs play up to the greatest extent possible in their “Men of the Occident” propaganda campaign, which also shows the capabilities of the other League forces and emphasizes the many tactical and operational successes. These productions are created with the help of combat cameramen, who are able to bring the war into the cinemas to help citizens understand the scale and gravity of the conflict, though of course anything of real value to an enemy mole who may be watching is pruned with great discretion
-With fear of such moles justifiably rampant, the ‘Espionage and Treason Act’ is passed. Much more draconian than holdover legislation from the United States, the writ of Habeas Corpus is suspended to allow anyone to be detained for any period of time on suspicion of enemy activity. The Texas Rangers are once again expanded, and this includes Operational Security details within military units to prevent the armed forces from being compromised. This comes in good time as the communist sabotage campaign is in full swing, and hundreds of saboteurs are either hanged after trial as Francs-tireurs or shot on the spot, limiting the impact of this initiative
-With the threat of aerial attacks on civilian populations increasingly realized as the war comes home, Texan oil well specialists devise a new type of civilian dugout that can easily be drilled by oil equipment to lower in a small mechanical digger. This allows air raid structures to be constructed more quickly, and has the potential to create spider-holes for raiders and stay-behind army units as the enemy encroaches further
-A revolution in anti-tank warfare comes as Gulf engineers develop one of the first practical handheld anti-tank weapons. The Theimer M01 takes a length of high-quality pipe and inserts a rocket with a triangular shaped-charge warhead that sticks out the end, as well as conical blast shield designed to direct blast outward. The device somewhat resembles a medieval lance in its shape, and anti-tank shock units that carry it are often referred to as Lancers

-The communist invaders begin to make their size and commitment to the war known as they pour men into the Million Man Offensives against the Free States and its Occidental League Allies. As such, the Governor’s Committee agrees that they have no choice but to withdraw their industry into the Rocky Mountains to prevent it from being lost to the reds or obliterated by bombing. Whole factories are dismantled, their machine tools, workers, and remaining raw materials placed on trains and shipped west into Colorado and Utah, far from the fight and where the population and existing industry is most dense. This must be portrayed by Robert House as a strategic maneuver and not a retreat to ease the fears of the populace, but the mood is nonetheless tense as the enemy now penetrates into pieces of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming after the Nauvoo Legion’s stand at the Nebraska Lakes
-With Mr. House’s War Production Board having shown its capability in ramping up the war economy to its maximum output, the Board’s authority is now expanded to all members of the Occidental League as a supranational entity. Putting its libertarian principles into action, the WPB also introduces a free trade zone across the Occidental League to ensure the unimpeded flow of war materiel between allies. This also helps to make black market activity less profitable, though duty-free Whirlo-Ways from Federalist manufacturers are nevertheless a common sight
-The first instances of rationing are introduced across the Free States under the direction of the WPB. To keep this from treading too much on the citizenry, a long list of highly specific exemptions ends up being produced and manages to contain the uproar. Rubber tires in particular are a point of contention, as the Free States are catching up on synthetics and much of the populace depends on the rural roads and highways
-During the battles of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Finnish volunteers who fought in the Winter War are recruited heavily by Free States representatives abroad, and a new state of Superior is created to serve as a sort of second Finland. As the reds retaliate in a bid to retake the Peninsula, Finns and local immigrants utilize Motti tactics and ski-borne transportation as they did in the Winter War, in hopes of once again holding off a superior force. This again inflicts great casualties on the invaders, but much like during the Winter War is not enough to hold off the massive communist advance, which itself gets crafty with the use of snowmobiles. The offensive traps these forces on the peninsula, and for now the dream of Superior is crushed. While the lakes are still frozen, many of these Finnish migrants and some of their allies simply disappear into the white and fight as insurgents before re-emerging on friendly soil. Joshua Graham and his forces make a last stand in the Hiawatha Forest, allegedly perishing as the reds decide to simply burn the forest down
-Free States forces travelling by boat carry out Operation Huckleberry alongside their Gulf allies, but instead travelling north to south to destroy bridges along the Mississippi. This is a much more ambitious attack from the Free States perspective, with a much longer way to go to Marxville and more bridges along the way. They still manage to destroy most bridges between Illinois and Missouri, and even have a symbolic if short-lived flag raising in Nauvoo, Illinois, but it is a one way trip. The raiders rendezvous with Gulf forces within Marxville itself, where the combined forces that remain go loud and shoot up anyone wearing a uniform before being gunned down one by one, sending shockwaves behind the red lines. The ultimate effect of the battle is limited, as the bridges can be repaired with little interference deep behind the lines, and not all are destroyed. Still, it is a major propaganda victory and does manage some disruption of the enemy’s Million Man Offensives
-The most significant confrontation comes in the form of the Occidental League’s Operation Alesia to try and contain the communist advance rather than halt it outright. For their part, the reds have the strongest force in the Million Man Offensives committed to this front, with estimates ranging up to 2.5 million men. Forces under Edward Sallow pull back to meet the reds in northwest Nebraska, where the land is hilly and dotted with numerous lakes and the brunt of the enemy offensive is concentrated. Here they inflict hundreds of thousands of casualties on the enemy as several huge offensives are rebuffed, before eventually being overrun and ordered to pull back into more defensible positions well into the Dakota Badlands and Black Hills. More ground has been lost than planned in the initial retreat, and the Occidental League simply does not have the numbers for the planned counteroffensive. Nevertheless, the bitter fighting has managed to exhaust the largest of the Million Man Offensives, for now
-Armorers in the newly relocated Colorado factories interview soldiers on the regular about their combat experiences with their weapons in attempts to find their needs. Most agree that the classic .30-06 Springfield cartridge, while packing a wallop and having great range, is perhaps stronger than is truly necessary in most situations, whereas select-fire weapons like the Federalist M2 Carbine are far more flexible but have somewhat less punch than needed. Working on this advice, they devise a “Thirty Short” cartridge, which is only 52 millimeters long. This opens the door to much more capable automatic carbines that can be handheld by the user, and weapons designers set out to create their own designs in a spirit of competition
-Using imported parts and designs from the United Kingdom, Peterbilt factory workers assemble a tape-feed controlled industrial “robot” capable of moving a singular arm with repetition. Though it still requires a human to interact with it, this reduces several parts of the truck and tank assembly process from two or three worker jobs to a single person, which is crucial as the Free States struggles to overcome their serious manpower disadvantage
-The new machine, dubbed “Robot Bob” by the workers, is put to work assisting in the construction of M3 Grant tanks built under license from the Federalists. 200 such tanks are constructed, with the first batch of 100 shipped back to the Federalists as stipulated in the contract and the remainder seeing training in the early spring before being shipped out to the front. This tank has a chassis and turret design more advanced than anything in the current tank forces, and the 75mm sponson-mounted gun is the only one that can do any real damage to the People’s Colossus, though its layout and firepower still leaves the men wanting at times. Still, the machine is a university course in tank design, which may have important implications for future armored vehicles

-Times of strife are times of pragmatism, as President Taylor has come to learn. The rise of the Cincinnatus has made the situation Protectorate’s Cascadia exclave borderline unmanageable, especially while the Protectorate Army is bottled up fighting the communists. In a political settlement between the NOC and the Japanese emissaries, the Commonwealth of Cascadia is released to the Cincinnatus as an independent nation under their control. In exchange, the Cincinnatus tone down their anti-Japanese rhetoric and agree non-interference in the domestic affairs of the West Coast Protectorate. To satiate the Japanese masters and ensure this is not a retreat for the Pacific Co-Prosperity sphere, President Taylor grants the Japanese greater access to the new oil reserves that have been recently discovered, and the usage of a new port at Eureka that will be expanded significantly to mitigate the geopolitical loss for the IJN. Some of the immediate area of this port is granted directly to Japan as a sort of new legation city, where many senior officers express interest in living as a sort of rest and recuperation center
-With news of new aircraft designs arriving in the USRA from the Soviet Union, the WCP seeks to bring the land-air battle closer to parity with more anti-aircraft weapons and license-built copies of the latest Japanese aircraft. Each division is equipped with more than a dozen each of light and heavy anti-air trucks, wielding either dual 20mm Type 98 autocannons for close combat or Type 88 75mm guns for longer range engagements. Copies of the highly capable A6M Rei-sen fighter and Aichi D3A dive-bomber also begin to roll off production lines, the latter proving quite capable of harassing incoming red formations in the Battle of the Nebraska Lakes. A hundred thousand Type 99 light machine guns are also ordered to give all units automatic weapon capabilities at the squad level, though these will take time to produce in such huge quantities. More immediately the Type 44 Tripodero is produced in greater numbers for the average infantryman as semi-automatic rifles begin to become more common across global battlefields, and 5,000 examples of this rifle are sent to the Gulf to grant them this capability for the first time
-As this type of equipment standardization becomes common, four new full-strength divisions are ordered east into battle. This comes as part of a massive recruitment drive organized as part of a broader campaign to convert the nation to a wartime economy through scrap drives, war bonds, and other measures common to the war efforts of other nations in the Occidental League. At propaganda rallies, citizens are asked in a sort of celebratory spirit to contribute their food and metals to arm and field the local boys as they go off to join the fight against the communist beast, a pertinent distraction as the first casualties of this fight begin to return home
-Some of the most powerful propaganda against the communists comes not in the form of rallies or speeches, but in revolutionary animated films produced for the Protectorate by down-on-his-luck artist Walt Disney. The films’ portrayal of a hapless but well-meaning mouse and his temptations by a red-cloaked duck make a great impression on the youth in particular, but they make the anti-communist and pro-order message of the Protectorate more accessible to the masses, and convince many more men to enlist now that they understand their government’s perspective on why they fight
-The effect of this propaganda is greatly enhanced as Gulf designs for a cheaper television set are copied and modified into the “CaliVision,” a cheaper television set for mass production. With one of the more stable economies of the region, thousands of Karufornia families are able to afford these black-and-white sets to view news, films, and occasional live events, though much like in the Gulf they are still far out of reach for the lower classes
-Looking to obtain another versatile tank design, the WCP licenses the production of the Federalists’ M3 Medium tank. 100 are produced at the behest of the Federalists in exchange for the designs, though they see field testing before being shipped east via Canada. The trials of these machines impresses the Karufornian evaluators, particularly the capability of the 75mm gun against both armor and fortifications as well as the build quality of the steel used in its production and its slightly sloped front armor. For now, the armorers continue to equip WCP forces with their own Type 99 Bear tank for consistency
-One unusual invention the armorers of the Protectorate do begin to roll out onto the battlefield is heavy machine gun conversion kit that allows existing models to fire a .410 shotgun shell in a rapid spray of buckshot. This loadout is found to be most ideal for tight urban fighting, where it can quickly rip through groups of enemies at close range. This combat is rare in the east and many end up loading slug rounds for more conventional performance, but the buckshot is found to be capable against low-flying enemy aircraft, as while it deals less damage the sheer volume of fire and easy accuracy allows tankers to peck at these aircraft and perhaps bust open a weak point

-Seeking further unity for native peoples, the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi forms the All American League, a slight dig at the white man as it unites most of the native peoples of the former United States under one banner to protect their mutual interests against any new forms of imperialism that might show themselves. Greatly boosted in numbers by the Sioux Nation, small numbers of Cree from Montana and Canada begin to join the fight, as do several thousand Ojibwe and Métis as the struggle continues near the Canadian border
-The Occidental League is on the defensive against the whelming red tide, but this does not stop them from launching an offensive of their own. Drawing on their positive relations with the Federalists and Canada, tens of thousands of native irregulars of the All American League carry out the Occidental League’s “Operation Cleveland Steamer.” These men are firebugs, and they transit through Canada and into Pennsylvania to torch the eastern Ohio oil and gas fields. Though they encounter prepared communist defenses, the irregular tactics of the tribesmen and cover of darkness allows them to savage the wells before the alarm can be raised. Some of the fires they start are so fierce, they blow across the border into Federalist lands and set forests and at least one well in Pennsylvania alight. The natives further terrorise the enemy by bringing back the scalps of their victims, which political officers call a sign of their barbaric nature. Though communist media may poo-poo its results, Operation Cleveland Steamer has caused a great stink that helps to slow the enemy’s relentless attacks
-It is not only on the battlefields of eastern Ohio that scalping is once again permitted, as this is treated as a cultural tradition that is only applied to the “unrighteous” enemies defeated by the All American League. These displays cause great discomfort among the League’s Occidental allies, but it is great for morale among the men and an outlet of frustration at the communist advance
-Though the main show is to the northeast, fear of invasion from Mexico diverts substantial numbers of Free States and League soldiers alike into what the border states colorfully dub “Operation I'm uncultured Goes Back.” Defensive positions and gun trucks are lined up near the border where geography favors it, sometimes within visual range of the Mexican patrols. Fortunately, fears of an invasion are unrealized as a crafty political bid by the Gulf results in Mexico diverting its main forces into an invasion of the leftist block to its own south instead. Commanders are torn between maintaining vigilance at the southern border or using these troops to help stop the seemingly endless red offensive
-Now that the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi has several brigades of troops with real combat experience, units across the League’s armed forces are regorganized on the basis of ensuring all units have at least some veterans among them to train up the newer soldiers in the ways of honorable combat in the ways of the new native warrior. Though this impacts the cohesion of the veteran units substantially, Yiska believes his forces must look forward instead of back if the League is to see the full potential of its forces
-The scale of the communist offensives makes it quite obvious that the Great Plains War will not be over any time soon, and as such Yiska cannot allow his men to become dependent on supplies that may be snuffed out at any time. Tribal gunsmiths are commissioned to rectify this issue and begin building native designs derived from those of the white man. The first successful design to emerge from these gunsmiths is the M1903-derived “Desert Eagle,” a semi-automatic conversion of the rifle that fits mostly externally on the action to drive the bolt with the gases from firing. The Desert Eagle also incorporates a longer 10-round detachable box magazine after some tinkering, fixing a significant weakness of the original. This new rifle will be valuable in an age where volume of fire can be a deciding factor, especially in defensive engagements
-The troops also receive a new piece of kit to allow for easy hydration on the move. Referred to as the “Camel Back” due to the similarity with the natural design, this backpack integrates a 1.5 liter flask and a rubber suction tube to make drinking on the move easier, as hydration is an essential component of any work in the desert, whether fighting or farming
-The American Indian Council begins to arrange dictionaries of the various Amerindian languages, including those of the League of Niʼ Ałníiʼgi’s nations. Chronicling the heritage of these nations is a key part to maintaining their national identities, and though war rages around them, this time of independence is an unprecedented opportunity to be sure that these languages are not lost in the shifting sands of time

-The New Order of Cincinnatus has scored its most sought after political victory, agreeing a deal to exit Cascadia from the West Coast Protectorate and create an independent commonwealth under the Order’s guiding hand. Having begun to arm itself, the NOC has in many ways forced President Taylor’s hand by making him choose between an ally and an insurrection in a time of anti-communist struggle. The Commonwealth of Cascadia looks set to begin implementing the Cincinnatus’ vision of America in the coming years. Ronald Reagan declares it is “morning in America” once again
-As this is a transitional period and a time of war, provisions for an emergency government by and for the Order are arranged. A government of unspecified design is to be organized by March 3rd, 1942, and in the meantime the Cincinnatus will dominate the transition period. Effectively forming a junta, General Charles Martin is appointed “National Generalissimo,” making him not only the formal head of state but also the commander in chief of the Armed Forces of Cascadia. Ronald Reagan is appointed National State Executive to manage civilian government affairs, and Roy Olmstead styles himself as the National Treasury Executive over economic matters, bringing the triumvirate into sovereign governance
-As part of its independence deal, the anti-Japanese nature of the Cincinnatus is once again de-emphasized to focus on the “greater threat” posed by American communism. This is a fairly obvious choice given the geopolitical situation, and a matter of realpolitik for the Order’s leadership
-As such, the Commonwealth of Cascadia joins the Great Plains War on the side of the Occidental League. The small commonwealth granted some arms from the Protectorate, mostly weapons left behind by the old authorities, and as such, Cascadia is fit to begin raising its first real army around a core of trained Cincinnatus ex-partisans. As Cascadia is a tight-knit nation, the Order sees fit to ensure units consist of people from neighboring counties and towns, an easy way to build unit cohesion and ensure officers earn some level of trust
-Though not yet ready to engage in direct combat with the reds, the Cascadian Army sees its first deployment in the Great Plains War, albeit in the Rocky Mountains, where it serves as a security detail for the new industrial zones the Free States have been establishing on more defensible terrain away from the plains battlefields. This gives them valuable experience in military policing and allows them to spend time with veterans of the campaign, as many wounded are brought to work in these factories. Participation in the alliance is not always smooth as Cascadian troops are frequently reported to have harassed transiting WCP forces by pelting them with rocks

-During the last days of the United States as we knew it, American forces found themselves isolated and strewn out across the world in far-flung islands of the Pacific like the Philippines, Guam, or Hawaii. With no more government aid on their way, these colonies and territories were abandoned by the military. With no end in sight for the crisis, an exodus began as soldiers and often their families returned home. However, many could not return, finding their homes controlled by political enemies such as Confederates, Communists, or Japan sympathizers. These men were summoned by shipborne broadcasts from light ships across the Pacific, or by a word of mouth campaign throughout the colonies. “Major General Arnold summons all men and their families still loyal to the cause of the United States to form up in Juneau, Alaska. An offensive to retake America is in the making.” Many followed the call because they were directly under his command, others because he was the highest military authority still giving orders. Still more simply wanted to believe in the message
-Alaska is now under Canadian protection, but the Alaskan Expeditionary Army for America remains a significant force with unclear motivations that is seen by many as being a Canadian proxy. On the west coast, they are the last force still loyal to the Stars and Stripes, though sans the Stars
-Seeking to continue growing their numbers after several years of stagnating in port, the AAEA sets up new recruitment centers in the small cities of Fairbanks and Anchorage, as well as radio stations to broadcast messages in favor of the “cause of freedom” across the protectorate. This is aided substantially by the import of new British-made transmitters. Designed to transmit messages to occupied Paris from London, they have significant range, though the vast spaces of Alaska mean even then not everyone can be reached
-For members of the AAEA, every day is about preparation for the re-conquest of America, though where this shall begin and how it may end is unclear. Vital to this will be its naval component, currently several clapped-out destroyers and armed trawlers. With the Franco-British Union’s navy no longer at war in the Pacific, they spare several transport barges as well as Canadian-built Corvettes shipped from the east. A humble beginning for a naval force to be sure, but the sailors aboard them see it as a rebirth of the once-great US Navy in the Pacific
-Dozens of M2 Medium tanks have previously been built by Canada and shipped to the AAEA. While obsolescent, these tanks are still highly capable in their environment, something the AAEA takes further by adapting the tank with boat propellers and flotation devices into a truly amphibious machine, an important part of any landing campaign to retake the southern territories
-All the forces of the AAEA see training in amphibious warfare as these preparations for these hypothetical landings are prepared for. These are carried out in the middle of spring and simulate a landing under fire, which takes great mental preparation and discipline. The new tanks are tested in the assaults, as is the use of dozens of PBY Catalina flying boats to provide air support to such a landing. These aircraft are the aerial backbone of the AAEA and will prove vital to such an initiative
-As part of this training, several Royal Marines arrive from Gibraltar. Though the AAEA possesses many marines of their own, they are not combat tested, and the British marines go a long way to develop the Americans by relaying their combat experiences and playing as the Opposing Force during the landing exercises

 

[Amfleet]

PSA FOR TURN 5

Merry Spookmas, turns will be due on Friday, November 8th at 12:00 Noon EST. Edits will be closed then and no late turns accepted.

Rules Updates:

1. Line limit is now 12, and will be strictly enforced
2. Each military operation you carry out will consume one command line, please structure accordingly
3. Tech is getting revamped again to be less complicated and more flexible. You can still choose 2 techs to research, and they can be either civilian or military with no restriction of dual use. After all this is total war, but you still need to take care of the civvies back home when possible. There is a caveat, Research now consumes a command line for each. Please still give three tech ideas for each, but number them in the order of your preference and I will accommodate as I see fit. If you wish to eschew tech to have more of the other commands instead, go for it.

Example: Say I believe the two technologies I want the most are early jet engines and home appliances:

Military Research:

1. Pulsejet engine
2. Strategic bomber
3. Automatic sidearm

Civilian Research

1. Cooking appliance
2. Efficient lightbulbs
3. Electrified railways


I also realize there has not been an update on World War Two abroad in this turn. I will be releasing that on Saturday as a postscript, so watch for it!

 

[Sobotnik]

During the million man offensive, the hapless Nordic residents of upper Michigan counted many Finns among their number, who all too well remembered the invasion of Finland by the Soviet Union the previous year. As again, overwhelming numbers on the part of the communists forced the Finns to retreat into Minnesota, leading to the joke that even made its way back to Finland and was republished in Helsingin Sanomat (Helsinki news):

Minne sota? (Where is the war going?)

Minnesota!

The joke was popular enough that some people began writing it in graffiti throughout the occupied parts of america. It wasn't paid as much attention to as other graffiti that caused much more concern for the political commissars, most of them referring to a "Burned man" who sought vengeance.

 

[Amfleet]

Italian Blackshirts enter Yugoslavia


Excerpts from The Globe and Mail (Toronto), 30 April 1941

“Allied forces down but not out in the Balkans”

...the assault on Yugoslavia put on display the German Blitzkrieg tactics once more despite only days of preparation time. The Croation fifth columnists made defense near impossible...

...forces under Mr. Tito seem set to continue the fight no matter the cost. Large numbers of pacification troops are already being committed...

“The Mediterranean in the Balance”

...ANZAC forces are now pulling back to the island of Crete. German intervention has finally brought an end to the calamitous Battle of Greece, a long distraction for Herr Hitler...

...the spirit of the Maltese people is unbroken nevertheless. The returned carriers, back from the Atlantic have made constant supplies of planes to the island...
...War Ministry acknowledged yesterday that much of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan had fallen. With new supplies set to flow into Italian East Africa via Libya, the approaches to the Suez have become more fraught with risk...

“Is Russian Neutrality Sustainable?”

...this is the first major provocation in Mongolia since the Battle of Khalkhin Gol and subsequent neutrality pact. The Japanese have again apologized and claimed to have sacked the officers responsible. Foreign Minister Molotov accepted the apology but fiercely defended the Soviets’ rights to sell arms...

...In later comments Molotov called German overflight of Soviet territory in occupied Poland a breach of the neutrality pact, but Herr Ribbentrop denied these were occurring and now German press accuses the Soviets of making similar spy-plane flights...


Turns are now due at midnight EST on Friday!

HAVE

Confederates
Gulf
USRA
Federalists
Free States
Alyeska
Karufornia
Indian Land

NEED

Cascadia