The Bund: Tycoons of China/Storyline/Characters

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Main characters:

GU FAMILY

Gu Yong (late 1880s-poss laste 1930s), former pepper farmer turned nouveau riche Singapore magnate (may have traded in opium) and no lives in comfort as an upper middle class retiree, possibly in Foochow.

  • Married to:
    • Wife 1 - had 3 children, is a sister of Matriarch Ye
      • Gu Wenshi, the eldest, level-headed like father and very much a shopkeeper
      • Gu Wenfu (who seems to be very westernised and open). Wenfu appears to be quite dissolute despite being loved by his mother and father - who like most Chinese men manifests his love in anger, Lee Wenfu probably becomes a man of action, becoming a successful soldier and politician.
      • Linwei Gu (as passionate as Wenfu, like their mother). Very unconventional, very westernised. Possibly very Marxist too.
    • Wife 2
      • Possibly just a plaything, or possibly someone who lost the fertility lotto.

Gu Storylines

  • Wenshi - Shanghai
  • Wenfu - Xiamen
  • Linwei Gu (Kuala Lumpur)

The elder brother, Wenshi, wishes to continue the business and wants to maintain the prestige of his family, both his brother and sister have other ideas.

  • Wenfu thinks that the family should seek to influence China for the better, so KMT contacts is researched for free once he obtains enough techs,
  • Linwei, the sister has a Mendelssohn-esque relationsip with her brother Wenfu. Linwei however seeks neither to obtain wealth or power, but wants to work her way into reforming Xiamen. Linwei is allied to the Communists, and wants to reform the city the best she can.

Wenshi naturally disagrees, and while he is willing to support Wenfu, Linwei however is an even bigger problem. Wenshi thinks of having Linwei married to the eldest son of the Fang patriarch, Zi, but Linwei will have none of it.

Wenshi

Starting the Gu campaign as Wenshi allows you to have a sizeable amount of cash and renown, but in the end he will press his siblings hard. His sister Linwei will eventually run away, and Wenfu's political career takes a turn for the worse, eventually resulting in enmity with the Yang family who feels that they have been ditched. Wenshi will eventually open up the southern provinces, and even go deep into Vietnam and Phnom Penh when the time is right. Li's plan is to leave Xiamen, and set himself up as a major developer and businessman. But first, he must have workers, rice and tea on hand .....most likely he will be asked to run a rice milling centre.

  • [PRIMARY] Obtain a wealth rate of +???? for 3 single turns.
  • [PRIMARY] Convince the Fang to join hands with you or at least accept your forced betrothal of your sister.
  • [SECONDARY] Support Refugees
  • [SECONDARY] ????
  • [SECONDARY] ????

Wenfu

If Wenfu is the main character, then his plan is to take over the city of Xiamen. Wenfu's story is one of his relation with his sister, but his love of the KMT results in his estrangement from his sister, who eventually flees China for good. Wenfu's main benefit is that he starts with KMT membership, so the techs next to this square are available for research right away. Wenfu's big problem is that he prefers power to wealth, so while his renown making abilities are immense, he will keep losing money. The costs of making Contraband for him are high, and will reduce relations with foreigners fairly quickly. For Wenfu, the main part of China opened up consists primarily of the northern ports. Lee Wenfu's plan is to eventually fund a takeover of Xiamen, with him as a general.

Quests?

  • [PRIMARY] Increase the wealth of the area and obtain as much Renown as you can without going bankrupt.
  • [PRIMARY] Obtain a Food high Food outpot for Wenshi.
  • [SECONDARY] Get a loan to finance your ventures, there is a penalty for not doing so.
  • [SECONDARY] Beat the local mafia, there is a penalty for not doing so.
  • [SECONDARY] Build Xiamen's first railway

Linwei

Linwei's scenario is the last one and it is about restoring the Gu family to its height in Malaysia.

The areas you open up will stay with you as you continue the game.

FANG FAMILY

Old Man Yang, a old salt with quite a lot of salt in him.

  • Married to:
    • Wife x (an adopted daughter of the Ye family), who had,
      • "Junior" Fang Zi (possibly becomes an arch-nemesis)

The Fangs are a family of traders (once smugglers) from Shanghai. They eventually turn on the Gu, who at first try to ally with them.

  • Father: Shanghai
  • Son: Wuhan

The Japanese and Russians will appriach the Fang clan for aid, offering them whatever they wish, either to drive the Gu clan out of Shanghai, or to take revenge on Gu Wenfu, who is now the military governor of Xiamen.

  • Old Man Fang - the shrewd and pragmatic businessman who is willing to do anything for a quick buck.
  • Fang Zi, his son, prefers to negotiate with the Russians. The Russians will ask him for aid in starting an uprising throughout southern China.

The story - what is more important? survival (against Wenshi Gu) or revenge? (against Wenfu). How far are you willing to go to achieve what you want.

Historical choice - Fang Zi takes the reins from his father (how?) and sets China on the course to disaster and war. At this moment, Qiang Jieshi is leading the Northern Expedition and is approaching Shanghai. Why Wuhan-Hankou?

  • Mr Fang wants to curry favour with the Nationalist government to one-up the Lees, and he bets on Jiang Qieshi. So he travels with the Nationalist Government, in an attempt to preserve himself against his former ally, and to gain business. Besides, he has valuable contacts with the Triads since he is an "old salt". The Japanese approach him to provide him with greater access.
  • Fang Zi however is a nobody, and wants to prove his worth. The Russians see him as an important agent, since he wishes to have Gu Wenfu kicked out, believing (perhaps correctly) that Wenfu was responsible for instigating Linwei breaking off the engagement. Fang Zi's line sees him doing covert operations for the Russians. In fact, the final level, Wuhan, demands that he take over the city.

YE FAMILY

The Ye family are a group of Zhejiang magnates, led by the matriarch, known as Old Mother Ye, and her 3 sons. The late Master Ye is the tutor for the Johor story.

Mother Ye is the eldest and most long-lived. She inherited her business and her family from her late husband, along with a nasty heritage:

  • Mother Ye's biological sister married and became Gu Yong's first wife (deceased)
  • The Ye family in early life adopted a daughter, who was then later married off to the Fang family. Mother Ye's sister in law is also deceased.

They will either help the Gu family revive their fortunes, or side with the Ye to destroy the Gu, once and for all.

There are 4 possible scenarios:

  • Mother Ye, is thrown one final task - survive the gang war taking place in Shanghai between the Gu and Ye clans as they destroy one another.
  • Her eldest son (Singapore), the boldest, was asked to look after the family fortune, but refused, persuading the father to give leadership to
  • ...his brother (Nanjing), her second son. Momma's boy, he is closest to her apron strings. This son is tasked with building the business close to home.
  • The last son is a "nobody" and has to work hard to prove himself. His main task? seizing control of Jinan due north of Nanjing.

Ye family specialty: You can choose to sacrifice eone of the Ye family members - the mother or the sons. That character instead becoemes an apprentice/consigliere to the rest of your campaign.

DU CLAN

Du Yuesheng (1888-1951), notorious Shanghai crime boss.

  • Traits: superstitious, decadent
  • Allegiances: China, France
  • 4 wives, 6 sons - a large number of concubines

He has 3 missions: played after each and every family campaign and this campaign affects the China map one way or the other.

First story

"I remember it now, how I got into the Triads business. I was a labourer at a fruit company, before I ran down and killed a thief who had stolen merchandise from a renowened Shanghai businessman. Turns out that stuff was Opium".

  • Starts in Shanghai
  • Run opium dens, and don't get caught.
  • Don't piss off the French.
  • Don't cause the city to burn or else you will get it.

This scenario concentrates solely on the French concession area of Shanghai.

2nd story

"Of course, running opium however wasn't without risk. There were several other gangs, one larger than us, another smaller."

  • Eliminate the Red Gangs and the Blue Gangs.
  • Failing to do so will ensure that the HK-based triads will move in and the nation will be more unsafe.

This new part now opens up Shanghai, to reveal the docks area.

3rd story

"There was a recession in 1934, and the government wanted to assert itself: buy government paper or else."

  • Make a profit in any way
  • Force out all the banks in Shanghai to bow to you. Don't leave a single one alone.
  • Don't cause the unrest in Shanghai to explode

The whole of Shanghai is now open, but you have different "gangs"m who are the banks. They are all scattered all across the city, and some of them are aligned to the foreign powers, others are independent and can be cajoled or cowed.

Final

(only possible if you completed all 3 interludes). "Then the Japanese moved in. I was to undermine them yet without raising their suspicion in some form or the other."

  • Corrupt the city of Shanghai, and infiltrate the Japanese holdings.
  • Produce guns and sell them, but make sure you don't get caught.
  • Make sure you seize control from the Japanese who now control the city's functions.

The Du clan is not mentioned by name, you are just a mere "pawn" at different levels. But the Crimson, Indigo and Azure clans are the equivalents.

HUANG CLAN

  • Huang Jinrong, connected to warlord Zhang Zongchang

ZHANG CLAN

  • Zhang Xiaolin

OTHERS

Wo Song WO

  • Active in Vancouver, Hong Kong
  • Anti-British, pro-Japanese
  • Should be renamed as Zhong Seng, "Centre Star"

Sun Yee On

  • Led by Heung Chin of Teochew descent

Source:

Note that nation-states function like a gangster group of sorts. They collect taxes, have their own men walking about, but can also call in reinforcements to take over. If you control an entire city and rebel against the government, they will keep sending units in continuously until you die. They will start off by sending cavalry and armoured cars, then progressing up to tanks and artillery.

Don't mention these triads by name. Give them English names where possible.

Rename them as "The Guild".

BONUS MISSION

Done only if you survive all Du Yuesheng missions - the takeover of Hong Kong:

"As a former military officer of the Republic, you had the good sense to not throw away the blood of your men or even your own self in the final years of resistance against the Reds, and quietly with funds obtained through various means, have found yourself on the Western enclave of Hong Kong. Your funds are substantial, yet they will not last, so you will have to hurry if you wish to remain solvent and not fall into poverty - or worse.

British rule here is still fairly weak, due to the war with Japan, and so their control of the island-city is still not very strong, so it might well be possible to perhaps liberate the island to form a new foothold for the Republic to resume the liberation China from foreign influence once and for all. However, take note: resources are scarce, and there is an embargo on heavy weapons, so you will need to be prudent with your strategy. Strike well and strike hard, and we may yet redeem our honour, tarnished as it may be from the loss of the Mainland.

Long live the Republic!"

  • British control is limited only to the city centre and a military base area.
  • No heavy weapons, so you must rely solely on infantry.
  • 2 other gangs control parts of the island so be warned.