Steam and Steel: AltHist. Victorian STGOD

Jalinth · Post by **Jalinth** » 2006-09-07 07:30pm

Description

The Imperial Colony of Southern Australia and Tasmania (called Tasso by the locals) is governed by His Highness Henry Fredrick Romanov Hanover, 12th in line for the throne, and appointed as Governor General of the Colony three years ago. He replaced Governor Franklin who returned home as the new Bishop of Lincoln.

Governor Franklin had to relocate the colony 5 years ago from its original founding spot around Melbourne to New Melbourne (originally called Perth after some riffraff sailor chap) after the Maori Empire of eastern Australian and New Zealand “objected” to Tasso’s continued presence in and around Tasmania. The British Empire was spent from the years of European warfare and could not spare enough first rate ships from more pressing duties closer to home to defeat the Maori’s home fleet. Supplying any regular army divisions was out of the question – all the remaining army was fully occupied in more important parts of the Empire.

The flag of the colony is a simple green Eucalyptus leaf on a white background underneath the Union Jack.

Tasso received the normal criminal elements along with various refugees willing to flee the war for anywhere else, but also was used as a quiet and remote spot for political prisoners. Nobles, radicals, reactionaries, intellectuals, and demagogues were all sent. Allies of the Empire during the various wars used it as well as a convenient dumping ground when they wished to avoid creating martyrs – even Russia sent some for whom internal exile in Siberia was too risky. Even His Highness is a political prisoner – he is very unwelcome at home and was appointed to a post that generally received a mere governor. The title of “Excellency” was a mere courtesy to give the Imperial Court the ability to say he was appointed to the post rather than exiled. Yet he had no authority or influence over the other Crown Colony in the Australian North though a mere governor ran it.

The eventual goals of His Highness are unknown. Will he drink himself into oblivion, try to govern well and earn a revocation of his exile, or throw off the chains of servitude and become a leader of a new independent nation.

Tasso has the advantages of a surprisingly well-educated population given its origins, but this is a two-sided coin. The 25 member Colonial Council has Communists, Socialists, Anarchists, Libertarians, Capitalists, Lockian Liberals, representatives of most other ideological “ists” that exist in our modern age plus straight forward exiled aristocrats. The need to survive and growth currently keeps the feuding down, but Tasso has many factions that must be kept from tearing Tasso to pieces.

The military forces are small but adequate for self-defense from pirates or small bands of native forces. The 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Seaforth Highlander Regiment was the primary force, coupled with a few battalions of reservists, artillerymen to man the New Melbourne harbour defenses, and a company of Royal Marines that seem to have been misplaced and forgotten about.

The harbour plays host to the occasional visit to some European squadrons trying to show what is left of their tattered and worn strength, but otherwise has only a few frigates and coastal defense vessels. Enough to protect the shipping from pirates, but not much more.

The colony is fortunate to play host to his cousin Edmund Raby, who is a shipping mogul of some renown and now bases his activities in New Melbourne after all of his immediate family died during the wars. So the colony is able to offer shipping services and other commercial activities in the Indian Ocean and Far East areas.

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2006-09-07 09:19pm

Acceptable, Agent Fisher. Everyone else seems to be very much in order, except for the one unfortunate fact, Jalinth: The British Empire hasn't had an Indian Ocean Squadron since (ex)-Queen Victoria's Second Usurpation ended in failure...

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2006-09-07 09:31pm

Hey Dahak, could you perhaps add Hainan to your Hong Kong Conglomerate? It would go a long way toward eliminating the problem I pointed-out and removing the general state of annoyance I currently suffer from. Unless you enjoy knowing I'm somewhat annoyed, in which case you're a d'''.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2006-09-07 09:33pm

Thirdfain: are you cool with the fact I made Nippon a benefactor and Siam a rival of Dai Viet? I realized after I wrote that I might have been stepping on your toes by telling two NPC empires what to do. I think it makes a lot of sense geopolitically, but it's your game.

Jalinth · Post by **Jalinth** » 2006-09-07 09:37pm

Thirdfain wrote:Acceptable, Agent Fisher. Everyone else seems to be very much in order, except for the one unfortunate fact, Jalinth: The British Empire hasn't had an Indian Ocean Squadron since (ex)-Queen Victoria's Second Usurpation ended in failure...

The visits are pretty rare, aren't they

If this is part of the standard "Steam" setting, then my apologies for not being familiar with it. I'll edit that bit out.

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2006-09-07 09:42pm

RedImperator wrote:Thirdfain: are you cool with the fact I made Nippon a benefactor and Siam a rival of Dai Viet? I realized after I wrote that I might have been stepping on your toes by telling two NPC empires what to do. I think it makes a lot of sense geopolitically, but it's your game.

There is no problem whatsoever in working your nation in amongst the NPC powers- I've left the NPC nations purposefully vague to allow such things, and the position makes sense.

The only real hard-and-fast rules are that the Khaliphate is aggressive and holds the Red Sea in an iron grip, Dai-Nippon is expansionistic and in the process of invading Manchu China, and the Sultanate of Siam is Muslim and controls (at this time) the Straights of Malacca.

If this is part of the standard "Steam" setting, then my apologies for not being familiar with it. I'll edit that bit out.

It's not part of a standard anything, the actual precise history of this universe is purposefully vague, so as to give individual players lots of leeway in describing how their nations came to be. However, I reserve the right for minor adjustments to maintain the atmosphere- in this game, European powers are irrelevent. Hence the lack of a surviving British Empire.

-little clues you can build off of are around- for instance, the map is marked as being made in the "30th Year of the Reign of King Alfred of England and Wales."

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2006-09-07 09:48pm

I'm hoping it's cool that I'm(For now) holding off the Kaliphate with the power of SCIENCE! But I suspect it is, and besides, it explains why I have so many moderates in my country.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2006-09-07 09:48pm

Thirdfain wrote:The only real hard-and-fast rules are that the Khaliphate is aggressive and holds the Red Sea in an iron grip, Dai-Nippon is expansionistic and in the process of invading Manchu China, and the Sultanate of Siam is Muslim and controls (at this time) the Straights of Malacca.

How did Siam become Muslim anyway? I'm not familiar with Thai history, but I know it's a strongly Buddhist nation now with only a small Muslim minority. Was there some kind of union between Thailand and Malaysia?

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2006-09-07 09:51pm

SirNitram wrote:I'm hoping it's cool that I'm(For now) holding off the Kaliphate with the power of SCIENCE! But I suspect it is, and besides, it explains why I have so many moderates in my country.

Also, there's a honking great desert in the way in the parts that aren't blocked by the mountains of Ethiopia

The red areas were chosen because they aren't in the immediate path of any of the big NPCs. East Africa is not bearing the full brunt of the Khaliph's wrath for certain...

How did Siam become Muslim anyway? I'm not familiar with Thai history, but I know it's a strongly Buddhist nation now with only a small Muslim minority. Was there some kind of union between Thailand and Malaysia?

Beats me. If you'd like to write something up, feel free. That sounds very plausible- I honestly chost the name because of the fact that there were Muslim kingdoms in the region's past and because I like the way it sounded.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2006-09-07 09:55pm

Thirdfain wrote:
SirNitram wrote:I'm hoping it's cool that I'm(For now) holding off the Kaliphate with the power of SCIENCE! But I suspect it is, and besides, it explains why I have so many moderates in my country.
Also, there's a honking great desert in the way in the parts that aren't blocked by the mountains of Ethiopia

The red areas were chosen because they aren't in the immediate path of any of the big NPCs. East Africa is not bearing the full brunt of the Khaliph's wrath for certain...

Blessed be the power of artillery on chokepoints, then!

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2006-09-07 09:59pm

Precisely!

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2006-09-07 10:00pm

Thirdfain wrote:
How did Siam become Muslim anyway? I'm not familiar with Thai history, but I know it's a strongly Buddhist nation now with only a small Muslim minority. Was there some kind of union between Thailand and Malaysia?
Beats me. If you'd like to write something up, feel free. That sounds very plausible- I honestly chost the name because of the fact that there were Muslim kingdoms in the region's past and because I like the way it sounded.

It's an interesting situation because you have a "Muslim" nation where the majority of the population is Buddhist. Maybe the King of Siam converted to Islam? It would have to be a very lighthanded kind of Islamic state. Anyone trying to impose sharia on Thailand is in for a rough go.

Especially with a Buddhist next door neighbor which would just love to destabilize its rival for dominance of Indochina.

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2006-09-07 10:05pm

It would have to be a very lighthanded kind of Islamic state. Anyone trying to impose sharia on Thailand is in for a rough go.

Perhaps that is precisely what is going on- there is certainly historical precedent for powerful minority groups of a certain religious background gaining power over large populations of a different religion- the Mughals, for instance. Perhaps the Khaliphate supported certain factions in Siam? Perhaps Indian muslims fled East following the breakdown of British law and order, maybe in the face of solidifying Hindu control of the nation, and took over using modern weapons they'd brought with them?

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2006-09-07 10:06pm

I still want to make sure that (currently) me laying claim to an island as large as Borneo is ok. It seems it is in a important spot (at least to my thinking) and, having not ben around for the past 'Steam' games, I am curious what I may be getting myself into by choosing that location.

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2006-09-07 10:08pm

There has never been a "Steam" game on the message board to my knowledge, so I'm just as new as the rest of you lads.

I have no problem with you taking the entire island of Borneo, however, if we get a lot of players, the largest nations may need to decrease the sizes of their empires.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2006-09-07 10:09pm

Thirdfain wrote:
It would have to be a very lighthanded kind of Islamic state. Anyone trying to impose sharia on Thailand is in for a rough go.
Perhaps that is precisely what is going on- there is certainly historical precedent for powerful minority groups of a certain religious background gaining power over large populations of a different religion- the Mughals, for instance. Perhaps the Khaliphate supported certain factions in Siam? Perhaps Indian muslims fled East following the breakdown of British law and order, maybe in the face of solidifying Hindu control of the nation, and took over using modern weapons they'd brought with them?

Could be. I think in all fairness you should make those decisions, because if you leave it up to me, I'll turn the Sultanate into a house of cards, with the Son of Heaven, His Imperial Majesty Pham Manh Hoang, waiting on his side of the border with a leafblower.

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2006-09-07 10:28pm

Open aggression against NPC powers by single PC nations is suicide; each one is as strong as multiple PC nations put together.

Here's my stand, after a little research:

The Sultanate of Siam is ruled by Abu Bakar, Sultan-Maharajah of Malacca and Siam, and his ally and co-ruler, Jahwan Bacht the Emperor of Rangoon.

The collapse of British rule in India following the Third Mutiny lead to a mad power-struggle amongst the various princely states of India. A powerful few saw Bahadur Shah II, last living Mughal Emperor, as a fine choice for ruler- he was ancient, dying, and harmless- a fine puppet under which to consolidate their power. Unfortunately, the Emperor had spent the last three years stripped of his titles, exiled in Burma.

The plan was uncovered by other princes interested in forming their own Hindu government, and the plot was foiled- but not before word had gotten out, and a general outcry for the return of the Mughal Emperor had begun across India.

The resulting pogroms against Muslims lead to an exodus eastward, where the Emperor's son by a Burmese wife, Jawan Bacht, had declared himself Emperor of Rangoon with the support of a group of British mercenaries and a large cache of guns shipped to him by backers in the Khaliphate.

During Sultan Abu Bakar's invasion of Thailand, Jawan Bacht launched his own invasion with an army of peasant levies supported by a small corps of loyal, well-trained and armed Muslim soldiers. The two armies divied up Siam, with the Malaccans recieving the lion's share thanks to their early conquests of the vital delta region and the nation's major cities. Abu Bakar managed to marry a daughter of the previous Buddhist dyansty, legitimizing his claim.

The later union of the two states was realized in the face of Hindoostani agression, which threatened both when the Indian navy steamed for Malacca and the Army marched on Rangoon. Alliance was the only possible answer, and the eventual result was a dualistic state, with a joint foreign policy. The future of such an empire is in question, but the strong personal relationship between the Twin Sultans maintains the union for now.

Agent Fisher · Post by **Agent Fisher** » 2006-09-07 11:18pm

Question, whats the level of small arms, are semiautomatic weapons the norm or is bolt action still the way? Just curious, cause as a pirate, small arms are a bit important for me.

Pablo Sanchez · Post by **Pablo Sanchez** » 2006-09-08 12:40am

Agent Fisher wrote:Question, whats the level of small arms, are semiautomatic weapons the norm or is bolt action still the way? Just curious, cause as a pirate, small arms are a bit important for me.

Well, if the European war hurried things along...

The normal issue will be a bolt-action magazine rifle of around .30 caliber, using smokeless powder to fire a pointed 'Spitzer' bullet to a theoretical maximum range of about 1000 yard. There will be a number of semiautomatic pistol designs floating around, but large bore revolvers will be more common. Machineguns on the Maxim or Hotchkiss pattern are available though depending on what Thirdfain says we might not know that they're useful in an infantry capacity. Submachineguns are completely unheard of.

Agent Fisher · Post by **Agent Fisher** » 2006-09-08 01:02am

Eh, I was mainly hoping for a semiautomatic rifle and pistol. Glad to hear that I get at least one of those.

Pablo Sanchez · Post by **Pablo Sanchez** » 2006-09-08 01:57am

Agent Fisher wrote:Eh, I was mainly hoping for a semiautomatic rifle and pistol. Glad to hear that I get at least one of those.

It actually depends on Thirdfain's ruling. There were designs for semiautomatic models of both pistols and rifles from the mid 1880s on--Maxim's machinegun led the way. Semi-automatic rifles didn't become practical for battlefield use until the 1930s or so, while the first semi-automatic pistol to see wide production was developed in 1893.

So, depending on whether Thirdfain is generous or miserly, you might have both the self-loaders or neither. Cheers.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2006-09-08 03:18am

Adrian Laguna wrote:Hey Dahak, could you perhaps add Hainan to your Hong Kong Conglomerate? It would go a long way toward eliminating the problem I pointed-out and removing the general state of annoyance I currently suffer from. Unless you enjoy knowing I'm somewhat annoyed, in which case you're a d'''.

Well, to keep everyone happy (and me alive), I could take Java, if not already taken...

Vanas · Post by **Vanas** » 2006-09-08 01:19pm

Ah, we now have a flag and are being subtly re-oriented away from mere electricity. All hail the Empire of Light!

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2006-09-08 01:46pm

Agent Fisher wrote:Question, whats the level of small arms, are semiautomatic weapons the norm or is bolt action still the way? Just curious, cause as a pirate, small arms are a bit important for me.

Bolt or lever-action rifles with single shot magazines are the weapons of the better armies in the area, but there are also a few magazine-fed rifles floating around- also bolt action (Like the earliest variants of the Mosin-Nagant.) As Pablo said, semi-automatic pistols are around the corner, but at this point none are being mass produced. Revolvers are very common. Machine-guns are precious commodities, with the Maxim gun being the most common- it's heavy and requires a crew to maneuver it and keep it firing.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2006-09-08 02:03pm

I am assuming that by "Machine guns" you mean the crank turned Multu gun style guns?