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So, I'm starting a game of nation-states over at GiTP, with the aim of taking a partially isolated region of Europe some time in the period of ~1450 - ~1800, and one of the possibilities at hand is a balkanized Britain (others are HRE, balkanized Netherlands, balkanized France, or classical Greece for something completely different).

The problem is that Britain has, in general, had a fairly strong monarchy from my understanding. However, the fortunes of the Kings of England have of course waxed and waned, and some correct decisions at the correct time could result in England (and almost certainly Wales, and maybe Scotland and Ireland) splintering.

My problem is that I'm somewhat at a loss on how to divide things up; I'm not that familiar with British culture. For the game, I'd like to have in the neighborhood of 12-20 states, scattered across the entirety of Great Britain and Ireland. More states is okay; fewer is probably not. England must be splintered. Scotland, if possible, will divide into 2-4 states. Ireland may or may not be a part of the game, depending on what people say; I'm not certain to what extent it was caught up in the politics of Britain proper at all times. Bonus points for a city-state of London, and if there's any way in hell to have an academic state at Oxford and Cambridge, or both together.

Anyway, I had two ideas: the first is that the War of Roses somehow goes horribly awry, and there is no clear winner, just the weakened houses of Lancaster and York fighting to prop up and control the even weaker English monarchy. Maybe there's a resurgence of populist revolts, maybe London undergoes a middle class rebellion because they're tired of all these people besieging them and ruining business, who knows. It's almost more important for me to have good nation-states than a realistic history, as long as there are only like 12 alien space bats running things, and not the entire expeditionary force. New nations would probably be based on powerful dukes and earls, with possibly some populists, and the odd Welsh or Cornish nationalist movement. Splintering Scotland can perhaps be accomplished by, a couple decades earlier, not ransoming James I. Scotland remains poorly governed; following James' accidental death during some battle or another in the War of Roses, Scotland finally crumbles. The Western Islands can probably do their own thing, but I'm not certain how to swing mainland Scotland: highlands and lowlands? (unrelated note: this is awesome! http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2008/10/fscon.php ). Ireland at this time is partially under English control...do I even dare consider it? Thankfully all English holdings on the Continent have already been lost.

The second idea is that following Oliver Cromwell's horrible son, we have not a Restoration but instead a splintering. The initial thought here is to have the first splintering along Major-General fief lines, with adjustments made shortly. I kinda like this better, because we have the Monarchists, the Puritans, the Baptists, the Levelers, and all sorts of other people who are divided quite strongly by ideology. It also neatly gets us Scotland and Ireland.

Can anyone who knows Britain better than me comment on either scenario, or recommend a third?
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