Time of War:1800

From Time of War
Jump to: navigation, search

Historical background (trailer)

At the close of the 18th century, the world population was nearing 1 billion. The great Asian empires remained the most populous, with seemingly apparent wealth too, but below the surface, the first signs of trouble were emerging: rebellion in China and Korea, and war in India. A new breed of upstart pirates and smugglers, the British, were poised to take advantage of these troubles, and would one day be masters of an empire that ruled one in every four souls born to the world.

Back in the west, political turmoil and violence continued to plague Europe, as a beleagured French republic fought to keep the Austrians, Prussians and British from extinguishing republican rule in France, while the fledgling United States of America was enjoying an uneasy peace after an eight-year struggle for independence, which was still fraught with tensions with the European powers and conflict with First Nation tribes in North America.

In present-day South Africa, several small republics had been established by the descendents of Dutch colonists known as Boers, and were locked in a bitter struggle for survival against local African tribes. Most prominent among these were the Orange Free State, Natalia Republic and the Transvaal Republic. Over time, however, these states would be annexed by the United Kingdom through a series of bloody wars and political interventions.

Argentina

Masters of Ranching:

January 1863 - "A shaky confederation of former Spanish colonies recently bludgeoned into submission by the so-called State of Buenos Aires, the Argentine Confederacy is caught between a rock and a hard place. To the north and south of this nation lie tracts of land occupied by natives who want no truck with the new nation and who in some areas bar Argentine access to the Atlantic ocean. Worse still, several former sister-colonies - Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay - as well as the Brazillian, British and French giants all threaten to strangle Argentina at any given time. Still, the capacily of Argentina's towns and villages for supporting added agricultural and intellectual activity means that in any case, the Argentines may be able to rebuild themselves into a self-sufficient entity - but will they have the time and peace to do so?"

Mexico

Masters of Expansion:

January 1814 - "Throughout all the many new small nations appearing out of the old Spanish order for the Americas, Mexico has the most ignoble reputation as being the location for the very first outpost of fullscale Spanish dominance in the New World. Things, however, are different now as local patriots are caught up in a bitter and bloody struggle for independence and survival against the Spanish juggernaut, and even so things will remain uncertain for a very long time: The United States, fresh with victory from a war against the British, is seizing Indian lands far away in the north at an alarming rate while the revolutionary secularism of Napoleon's France is finding itself increasingly at odds with a more conservative and religious-minded mentality inherited from Europe and abroad and prevalent throughout Mexico and her sister-states to the south. Yet even with many threats come many opportunities - the Spanish, if defeated, would allow Mexico not just access to the old Mexican heartland in Central America but access into the wild and unclaimed territories of North America ... provided that Mexico consolidates its position on the Pacific coast of North America first!"

Austria

Masters of Culture:

November, 1799 - "With the Holy Roman Empire - or rather, the Austrian Empire - having been once the leading power of northern Europe in the Middle Ages, one would have thought that Austria's Catholicism would have granted it allies in the world's two other Catholic powers, yet this is not so: Spain, long sundered from Austria's grasp, is too far away and too distant to help, and France, now attempting to resurrect half-baked republican ideals that should have stayed dead, is now on the warpath to demolish what else remains of European monarchical rule. Only Austria and a slew of unwilling allies - Russia, Prussia and Great Britain - now stand in France's way. Nevertheless, Austria has remained the jewel of Eastern Europe, and can possibly console itself on its possession of cultural and intellectual resource which may help it to weather the storms that Napoleon is now wreaking upon Europe - but if Napoleon falls, will there be anyone left who may take over his place?"

France

Masters of Engineering:

November, 1799 — "For seven years, the French republic has been to hell and back, and although it has held together well, things are still looking bleak, for there are many who want to see France denuded and humiliated for various reasons: Chouans, Royalists, radical Jacobins and reactionaries everywhere work to destabilise the current government for their own ends, while France faces a slew of hostile European powers barely held back at her borders. One hope remains for France to escape tragedy, however, and that hope is in the form of a man: Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte has recently seized power from an enfeebled and sanguinous Directory, and thus far has proven an able commander on the field, but will his skills and ambition be enough to hold back the tides of chaos threatening to swamp France, or will they all prove to be his own undoing and that of France as well?"

Zulu

Masters of Infantry:

Winter, 1810 - "Through a campaign of bloody warfare and subtle diplomacy, the Zulu people, through their king Shaka, are fast becoming the tribal hegemon of an area between the Tugela and Pongola rivers. Although they have thus far eschewed the use of cannon and muskets, the Zulu still remain a force to be reckoned with, but will they be able to contend against the forces which are now being amassed against them? the local Boer population is slowly growing with added immigration from Europe, even as firearms - long dismissed by Shaka as being too slow - are slowly becoming more powerful. The Zulu are to act fast and act now, lest things may be too late for even the bravery of the best impi to turn around."

Sardinia

Masters of Agriculture:

November 1799: "While war between the French and Russo-Austrian armies in Italy continue to devastate Savoyard possessions in the mainland, the House of Savoy has re-established itself on the lonely island of Sardinia. Although small and isolated, Sardinia however possesses much wealth in the form of agriculture, trade and minerals which can be exploited by the Savoyard king should the need arise. Furthermore, the remote location of Sardinia makes it a good place of refuge so long as the French can be kept away from the seashore, but while busying oneself with matters of subsistence is good, the Savoyards must sooner or later return home to Italy, or else everything will be lost."

Naples

Masters of Artisans:

November, 1799 - "Although considered free and independent, and in possession of a small army (as well as some of the most fertile soils of southern Europe, the Neapolitan Republic is but a department in the vast French republican empire, in all but name. Local republicans had managed to install a democracy with the help of French bayonets earlier this year, but the old wounds of past struggles with the old monarchical order still remain opean and raw in Naples. Nevertheless, Naples, situated near ample natural resources and by far the most populous of the Italian states, could in future years experience a second renaissance only if her rulers husband her potential well and do not act rashly in a Europe increasingly sucked into the quagmire of war."

Prussia

Masters of Industry:

November, 1799 - "A newcomer to the revolutionary new world sweeping away the old crowned order of Europe, at first glance Prussia might be seen as small, fragile and weak. It possesses neither the resources of France, nor does it have the size of the British overseas empire or even the venerable age of the old "Holy Roman" Empire, known better as Austria. What does Prussia have then? the answer is much simpler to answer - good administration. Although the glory days when the Prussians single-handedly fended off the Swiss, Poles, French, Austrians and Russians may be long gone and Prussia's leaders are somewhat rusty, their small size and the organised nature of the Prussian crown may spur a comeback for them - but the Prussians will have to act fast: Napoleon's troops are on the march, the Russians and the Austrians have reached the Swiss Alps, and it appears that very soon war will reach the gates to Prussia."

UK

Masters of the Sea:

November 1799 - "Most English merchants are known to harbour a somewhat paternal if not condescending attitude towards their African and Asian colleagues, but feel nothing but scorn for their European cousins, and perhaps rightfully so: thanks to supplies from her colonies in America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain hosts the largest and most powerful fleet in the world, regulating a network of trade and commerce that stretches from the distant Falklands all the way to the sweltering jungles of India and the Spice Islands. Rivals and jealousies are neither few nor half-hearted, and for good reason: the French have always been Britain's sworn enemy ever since the 12th century and continue to do so, while memories of wars and piracy against the Dutch and the Spanish are still fresh in the minds of every Englishman alive (as well as those of the losers). Direst of these rivals, however, are the French, who in their hatred of all that is lawful and godly have begun to undermine the foundations of Christian life in Europe, either through bloody conquest in Italy and northern Europe or through the spreading of rumours and lies in Ireland and amongst American renegades. Only the Channel and the wooden bulwarks of Britain's navy stand between freedom and tyranny, but will they be enough against an enemy as implacable and hitherto successful as the French republic?"

Netherlands

Masters of Merchants:

November, 1799: "Following a bitter struggle in 1795 which saw the toppling of an aristocratic republic, the Netherlands are now known as the Batavian Republic, in honour of the fierce Celtic tribes which once settled there. In its place were assigned the French watchwords of "liberty, equality and fraternity", Even so, the authors of the same ideals are actively engaged in undermining them in Holland, and given the progress of France's wars with the rest of the world, it can only be expected that they will be clamping down further on the hapless Dutch. Still, the Dutch very much enjoy the twin benefits of secular thought and overseas commerce, and in these hard times, it will be new ideas and new wealth that will help any nation - even the Dutch themselves - to survive as a nation intact."

Abyssinia

Masters of Reverence:

November, 1799 — "Perhaps the oldest nation of all in Time of War: 1800, Abysinnia boasts a historical pedigree that European monarchs could only envy and has even forged an empire of its own in East Africa and the Middle East. Those days, however, are long gone and Christian Abyssinia may even possibly drown in a sea of Muslim foes, while experience with the Portuguese has shown that help from their co-religionists may take a long time to arrive or is simply not forthcoming."

"Nevertheless, all is not lost for Abyssinia: her people are not without any defences, for total war cannot be won by bullets alone. Despite their antiquated legions of bow and sword, Abyssinian ties to Mother Africa and Father Church simply cannot be taken for granted, much less underestimated even by people armed with musket and cannon. Abyssinia, with her peoples' near-unshakeable faith, her fertile soil and her place in the global order of things may yet easily overrun not just her local rivals but possibly any invader ill-prepared to face the holy wrath of the King of Kings!"

Poland

Masters of Survival:

November 1799 - "Once on the verge of creating the largest European empire the world had ever seen, Poland was betrayed by her own masters and sold off to the German Prussians and Austrians, and to their arch-nemeses, the Russians, who extinghuished Polish liberty four years ago. Even so, memories of a golden mediaeval past are hard to put down, and Poland is still stubbornly struggling for independence even when partitioned. Europe once more is hurtling towards war with revolutionary France, which so far has successfully defied all attempts by Europe's old kingdoms to put her down. Could the the vitality and spirit of revolution with a touch of Polish zeal then perhaps propel Poland out of serfdom and into the ranks of history?"

Lakota

Masters of the Plains:

November 1799: "Notorious for their equestrian skills, their proficiency with arrows and carbines, and their tendency to rustle livestock from their neighbours, the Lakota are a semi-nomadic people living off the land, based in the Black Hills region of North America. This bucolic lifestyle, however, may soon come to an end: a new rival, the United States, has begun to exhibit interest in expansion westwards beyond the Appalachians, with the British hot on their heels far to the north-east, while the Spanish have claims upon Lakota lands. It may well be that the Lakota will be forced to take up arms this time, but the aggressor they face is one who will be relentless, fed by torrents of disaffected European migrants and the white man's ways of fire and steel. Can the Lakota unite together to combat this threat, or are they fated to become one of the many victims of modern imperialism?"

Iran

Masters of the Mountains:

November 1799 - "Although in more recent days Iran has tasted prosperity and peace, backed up by the musket and sword, the past two hundred years of misrule, corruption and civil war have all but stripped her of her birthright. Now under the rule of a new brood of dynasts, the Qajars, Iran may perhaps reclaim the stability she needs to survive, but it will be all but a bitter struggle in a world increasingly dominated by two powers: the British in India, and the Russians in the north. Will the dreams of the great Achaemenid shahs of old come to naught, or can the Qajars restore Iran back to her rightful place as queen of all nations on earth?"

Jeoson

Masters of Resilience:

November, 1799 - "Despite the many wars of the 16th and 17th centuries, Korea under the Jeoson has surivived mostly intact, and has even recovered now, much thanks to geographically hostile terrain, the sea of Japan, and an able line of rulers now culminating in the current king, Jeongjo. However, with Korea at its peak, now is not the time for the House of Yi, who have been ruling Korea for almost 400 years, to slacken their guard: the peace brokered between China and Japan could be easily abrogated even as Catholicism is slowly sapping national unity, but an even more nefarious enemy might be in the courtiers of Jeoson itself, who have designs upon the government. The task of kingship might be very grim indeed for whoever may succeed to a king so illustrious as Jeongjo whilst having neither skill nor stomach to do so."

Ottomans

Masters of Siegecraft:

November 1799 - "With the collapse of Iran into chaos and the decline of Mughal rule in India, the Ottomans are now left as the only Muslim power left in the world - and how untenable and unenviable such a position has proven to be! although the standard of Osman flies from outposts as far afield as the Red Sea and the North African coast, in reality the "empire" of the Sultan extends only to his own lands in Anatolia, as well as Eastern Europe and the Levant, and what little else is being slowly nibbled away by the Russian kafirs in the north. Nevertheless, looking down on the Ottomans in light of their backward economy and relative lack of technological innovation would be a mistake, as Turks are no fools and have slowly appreciating Western-style modernisation, but only time will tell if this is the right step, or a decision made too late with too little to go by."

Konbaung

Masters of Stratagems:

November, 1799 - "The Bamar have always been a nation in arms, often fighting against enemies from within and without even until now. Under the leadership of the Konbaung, the Bamar managed to drive the Chinese back several times, but now another enemy has arisen: Siam. Now, the Bamar are a people under siege, with China lurking to the north, and the Siamese plotting in the east, fresh from recent victories against the Bamar. Still there are many opportunities: the Siamese House of Chakri is no older nor more organised than the Konbaung regime is at home, nor are the smaller Indian states, torn apart by war and exploited by the British, in any position to challenge Konbaung expansion. It would seem that the time now is ripe for the Konbaung to consolidate and take their rightful place in the world."

Chile

Masters of Miners:

November 1799 - "Being little more than a small collection of cities hugging the border between open sea and sunblasted wastes may seem somewhat desperate, but the location of Chile and the misfortune of her nominally richer and more powerful neighbour, the captaincy-general of Peru, has meant that Chile's food industry has well grown to a size huge enough to sustain the same impoverished colony. Yet, with increased oversight from Spain and a desire by the Spanish crown to milk the South American colonies down to the last penny, greater stress is being pushed onto the lifeblood of this small colony - her workers and its merchants. It may well be that perhaps, in the face of heavy-handedness by the Peninsular authorities, Chile's future lies not in playing second fiddle to a smaller and now bankrupt Spain, but as a free and independent nation on her own. And if the deadly sands of the Atacama hide glittering prizes to be prised out of the earth, Chile may well be on the verge of a new age of glory."

Siam

Masters of Elephants:

November, 1799 - "Like a pearl nestled in a sweltering tropical oyster, Siam is a growing power in Southeast Asia, towering over the fragmented Malays and the frail European presence in the region, much thanks to her king, Rama, who not only is a warrior but a reformer too. With her borders secure against the Konbaung Bamar, Siam under the new Chakri dynasty has not just developed into a local power, but has also opened trade routes with China, and despite being a Buddhist nation has also grown into a relatively free and tolerant society. Despite this progress, however, challenges still need to be faced. The Bamar may strike again from the west at any time, while the worsening situation in Europe may destabilise the Malay archipelago. Siamese power was always built on two different tools: war elephants and arquebuses, but with the onset of technology, industry and revolution, it is now clear that the ruling Chakri will have to reinvent themselves in order to survive well for another hundred years."

USA

Masters of Pioneers:

November 1799 - "Despite having won its independence only ten years ago, the budding United States of America is a weak and feeble nation at the mercy of three different powers whose interests can only be best described as inimical to the American way: it is squeezed between a hostile Britain which sees its government as a gang of upstarts and an overarching Spanish empire poised like a spider ready to strike in its web from the south, while the French are involved in deadly intrigues with both the Americans and their mortal foe, the British. Tensions are currently rising between the British and the now free Americans, but the desire for the holy grail of liberty, born out of a struggle for self-determination that has seen much grief, suffering and bloodshed on both sides, might not be easily put down by the waves of scarlet hordes that must sooner or later break over American shores. On the other hand, the tensions running high in Europe might possibly be exploited by the Americans in order to break the stranglehold of the mightier European nations on their lands, once and for all."

Colombia

Masters of Partisans:

December 1819 - "The largest of the new separatist states in South America, Gran Colombia - or rather, the Republic of Colombia - is an agglomeration of several former Spanish dependencies in Central America which unexpectedly managed to overthrow Royalist domination. Undoubtedly, the lands forming this fledgling republic were some of the richest in the Spanish overseas empire, but even then the future of her peoples is still being hotly contested - by a libertarian movement seeking to install a populist regime, and a more reactionary group of persons intent on preserving the old order of patronage albeit under republican auspices, even despite the fact that the Spanish or some other Western power may see in these squabbles the signs of easy prey. It will be no easy task fortifying the nation and instilling the unity required to make this fledgling republic work, yet alone survive."

Mughals

Masters of Cavalry:

November, 1799 - "Once Genghis Khan carved the largest empire the world had ever seen, spanning the forests of Russia, the mountains of the Middle East and all of northern Asia. His Indian descendents, the Mughals, still aspire to the same dreams but time is running out for them: their hold on Northern India has dwindled to all but a swathe of land around Delhi, even as the vassals of the sultan have begun to defect to other rivals and the British whose presence is becoming increasingly heavy-handed. If the Mughals are to renew their chances at living up to their illustrious Mongol forefathers, one thing is certain: the paths they must tread and the choices that must be taken will definitely not be easy ones."

Maratha

Masters of Patriots:

November, 1799 - "The smaller annoying younger sister-nation of the Muslim Mughals and the sworn enemy of the same, the Maratha Empire serves as a rallying point for all Hindustani kufara' who want no truck with their Mughal rivals or their Christian co-conspirators from Europe. Under an ambitious and bloody campaign initiated in the 17th century under Shivaji Rao, the Maratha have managed to re-conquer most of India but recent setbacks in the northwest have very much put them on the back foot. Whoever assumes command of this potential eastern power will have much to do, including raising a powerful army to oust the filthy Mughals from India and a navy to show that nobody but the Maratha may take their place in India."

Peru

Masters of Gold:

Malays

Masters of Piracy:

November, 1799 - "Although culturally similar to one another, the Malay race has lived as a house divided for most of its modern history, divided up between local potentates and the many foreigners who have set up shop throughout many areas of the Malay archipelago. Only the might of the sultans of Brunei, Acheh and Johor have managed to hold them back, but the time for the Malays to unite against their enemies has certainly come. Even as the Malays fight against one another, the Europeans are becoming more advanced in the ways of war, and it can be expected that after the wars going on at home, they will be eager to exploit the rich resources of Malay lands to replenish their coffers."

Egypt

Masters of the Desert:

November 1799 - "To Westerners, Egypt has always been a land of mystery and myth ever since the days of the Greeks. More importantly, however, Egypt now sits at the crossroads of an increasingly burgeoning trade network between Europe and South Asia, and Egypt has now been overrun by Napoleon, intent that France should reign supreme in Asia. All is not lost, however: Egypt now has many friends - her Muslim masters, the Ottomans, are rallying back along with British assistance and even as Napoleon's troops wear themselves out in Syria, Egypt will only grow strong enough to break the yoke of the infidels upon her lands."

Spain

Masters of Colonialism:

November 1799 - "The very first superpower in the world, Spain is on the verge of losing the struggle for supremacy and is set to lose its relevance as the modern industrial world. Even as Spain reels from economic woes at home, the revolution in France has created enemies inside and outside of Spain herself, challenging her role as queen of the Americas and defender of the faith against the heretical atheism which is slowly destroying Europe. Although the heritage of 17th century prosperity still ensures that Spain has a relatively solid military-industrial complex to bounce back upon, the escalation of war in Europe and the increasingly strident demands for reform in her New World colonies may prove to be irresistable."

Paraguay

Masters of Peasantry:

Manchu

Masters of Tradition:

November 1799 - "By far the most populous nation on earth, modern China is a strange product of a tumultous past: like the Mughals of India, its rulers, the Manchu Qing, are not local but were in fact descended from nomadic barbarians who ousted the native Ming in the 17th century, and since then have ruled the roost from the top of the Chinese pecking order. Through intrigue and callous brutality, the Qing have experienced great power and splendour, but the years of peace they enjoyed are slowly coming to an end, even if the Manchu in imperial Peking cannot perceive it. Throughout the empire, revolutionary sentiment is on the rise, while the abhorred Westerners, once insignificant, are growing more arrogant and mighty despite their small size. Even so, a new China might well be in the making and freedom might come soon to most Chinese in the empire - but at what cost?"

Brazil

Masters of Explorers:

November, 1799 - "The brightest jewel in the imperial Portuguese diadem, Brazil is by far the largest and the most economically significant component of Portugal's overseas empire, supplying gold, minerals, gems and sugar in prodiguous quantities. Storm clouds however hover by and threaten to destroy all that Portugal has worked for in Brazil thus far: it has only been ten years since a French-inspired rebellion was brutally put down, but should the French destabilise the Iberian peninsula, Brazil may not be spared. As such, the people of this land are now at a crossroads: to continue supporting the old monarchy and the old ways, or to rebel and to take destiny into their own hands."

Russians

Masters of Attrition:

November 1799 - "From troubled beginnings in the 17th century, parochially-minded, Christian and conservative Russia has been led, nay cajoled, by the ruling Romanovs into raising an army that has repeatedly crushed the Ottomans and the Persians, and a state-of-the-art navy that has kept the more advanced European powers at bay. However, a new threat has arisen that threatens Russian ways, and that is the godless republicanism that is infecting all Europe from France. Despite having sent armies into the mountains of Switzerland and the forests of northern Europe, Russia's armies have thus far failed to hold the increasingly potent French juggernaut at bay, even as Ottoman and Persian raids continue to rub raw Russia's Caucasian frontiers. Unless Russian leadership rallies and picks their friends carefully, it might well be possible that all Christian civilisation will be washed away by a deluge of blood, unless the Tsar can react soundly to this new threat."

Japan

Masters of Integrity:

Summer, 1808 - "For two hundred years, Japan has known much peace and prosperity under the Tokugawa shogunate after almost two centuries of bloody and fierce conflict. Eschewing the need for gunpowder and enforcing a strict policy of weapons control at home, the Shogunate has been enriched by trade with the Dutch in the Malay Archipelago and the Manchu of Qing. However, ominous portents have revealed themselves: strange ships have been sighted on the seas north and south of Japan, while gaijin whisper of rumours of war and bloodshed at the far corners of the earth. Like most cultured peoples on the planet, most Japanese are adherents of peace and order, but if it is true indeed that the forces of chaos are on the march again, the Shogunate may well need to muster its samurai and prepare the people - but can the old ways of tradition and bushido prevail against Europeans armed with rifles and cannon?"

Production schedule

  1. Time of War: simple units
  2. Blood and Iron (all western warships and artillery)
  3. Empires (troops of the Napoleonic era)
  4. Blue and Gray (Civil War units and advanced Euro units added)
  5. Shadows of the East (China and Russia added, "American" skinpack added)
  6. Carabobo (South American factions, mostly cavalry)
  7. Libertadors (South American infantry)
  8. Alliances (more units introduced for New World and African factions, complete USA and Russo-Dutch skinpack)
  9. Banks of the Rhine (Germany and France complete)
  10. A Raj Triumphant (Britain complete, Indian factions initiated)
  11. Rising Sun (Indian factions, China complete, Japanese introduced)
  12. Wrath of the Eastern Tiger (Japan complete, other factions introduced)
  13. Desert Fury (Ottomans, Egyptians, Persians)
  14. Dark Heart (Middle Eastern factions complete, African factions and architecture introduced)
  15. The Resurgence (Western arch pack 1)
  16. ?????