Rememberences of Map Contests Past
- Thread starter B_Munro
- Start date
Guildencrantz:
Climate change has been a double edged sword. On one hand, a handful of countries have become utterly uninhabitable due to flooding. On the other hand, it opened up new land for settlement and exploration at the poles. And after the Lomonosov Ridge Incident of 2359, no one was eager to hash out national claims in the Antarctic, so the U.N. was given control of the whole continent. It seemed logical enough to the international community that newly drowned countries ought to be given land in Antarctica to compensate and after some finagling between Israel and Palestine, displaced Palestinians were given the option to settle in Antartica. Because the original U.N. mandates were only equal to the territory lost, squatting outside of the mandates became common and impossible to stop. The settlement of the rest of the continent unfolded in safe, regulated, and environmentally friendly manner, all carefully controlled by the U.N.'s Antarctic agency.
Everything changed after Yellowstone. Millions of Americans and Canadians were displaced by ash and later, hunger and political instability. Droves upon droves of North Americans fled the continent, creating the largest diaspora of all recorded history. There were three major destinations for the refugees- the Anglophone countries, the Asteroid Belt, Mars, and Antarctica. Shantytowns just outside of the massive arcologies of the South Pole were dubbed Little USAs, New New Yorks, Americatowns, and less politically correct, Dustervilles.
Before I forget: credit to the ever talented http://schreibstang.deviantart.com/ for the base map
Climate change has been a double edged sword. On one hand, a handful of countries have become utterly uninhabitable due to flooding. On the other hand, it opened up new land for settlement and exploration at the poles. And after the Lomonosov Ridge Incident of 2359, no one was eager to hash out national claims in the Antarctic, so the U.N. was given control of the whole continent. It seemed logical enough to the international community that newly drowned countries ought to be given land in Antarctica to compensate and after some finagling between Israel and Palestine, displaced Palestinians were given the option to settle in Antartica. Because the original U.N. mandates were only equal to the territory lost, squatting outside of the mandates became common and impossible to stop. The settlement of the rest of the continent unfolded in safe, regulated, and environmentally friendly manner, all carefully controlled by the U.N.'s Antarctic agency.
Everything changed after Yellowstone. Millions of Americans and Canadians were displaced by ash and later, hunger and political instability. Droves upon droves of North Americans fled the continent, creating the largest diaspora of all recorded history. There were three major destinations for the refugees- the Anglophone countries, the Asteroid Belt, Mars, and Antarctica. Shantytowns just outside of the massive arcologies of the South Pole were dubbed Little USAs, New New Yorks, Americatowns, and less politically correct, Dustervilles.
Before I forget: credit to the ever talented http://schreibstang.deviantart.com/ for the base map
Upvoteanthology:
My last MotF entry for a long time. Thanks all.
Bruce:
The Ragamuffins
PoD: Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias dies while protecting Montevideo during the Cisplatine War, on August 7th, 1827.
Scenario: After the successful secession of Uruguay from the Brazilian Empire, the country was plunged into its own age of troubles. First came the rebellion in Maranhão, which only served to weaken the absolute monarchy, then Brazil was plunged into war with itself after the secession of the province of Rio Grande de Sul. The rebellion, which began in 1836, started slowly, but began to burn like a fire. Brazil had wasted most of its good generals in wars past, and without Luís Alves, who might have been a saving grace if not for his tragic death in Montevideo, the war of attrition quickly began to wear out the military. Then, Brazil was shook by two more blows, as the provinces of Santa Catalina and Pernambuco both tried to secede. By 1844, the year the so-called Ragamuffin Independence War ended, the monarchy was embarrassed by their defeat at the hands of three tiny provinces. However, the war was not won merely by the might of Rio Grande, however; at the last moment, Argentina had joined the fight, protecting the new "Riograndense Republic". It was their army that pushed Brazil to surrender, and it also lead Riograndense to become what amounted to a puppet of a new, more powerful Argentina. Pernambuco, on the other hand, went unrecognized, and though the Free Pernambucan government held military power in the region until 1863, it eventually collapsed onto itself.
South America in 1845 AD.
After the war, the Brazilian monarchy was in shambles. People didn't have any faith left in their government, and the military shrunk in size as the next generation grew. Meanwhile, Brazil's neighbor to the south was growing exponentially. Argentina, with its allies in Uruguay and Riograndense, was expanding its military and the size of its empire, later subjugating Patagonia and seizing the Falkland Islands from the British, who didn't have much of a claim on it anyway. They blocked Chile's colonization of the south, gaining the majority of Patagonia save for Chile's port of Ciudad Nevada. In the 1870's, they decided to ally themselves with Bolivia, and ended up kick-starting a war that would drag all of South America into a frenzy.
On January 15th, 1876, a coalition composed of Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia declared war on Brazil, as the Argentinian president promised Bolivia land to the north. Quickly, Peru and Colombia both wanted in on the action, if not to get on Argentina's good side, as they were clearly set up to win the war. Brazil, already falling apart from all sides, capitulated at the brunt of every single South American army at once, and issued a total surrender in early-1879. Even with allies in Chile, Britain, and Ecuadorian rebels, it wasn't enough to fight back. The peace terms were not light. Colombia took much of the British Amazon, along with Peru. Bolivia took many of Brazil's military outposts in the southwest, and Paraguay took a lot of urban area along the southern border. However, the territorial losses weren't nearly the worst part. Brazil was ordered to scale down its military to fifteen-thousand men for sixty years, until 1939. It was also ordered to rename itself to the "Confederation of Brazil", in turn meaning that the former empire had to give extreme autonomy to each of its individual states, in a government reminiscent of the Articles of Confederation and setting Brazil up for complete collapse. By the 1880's, South America was ruled by Argentina.
During the reign of Argentina, many things changed on the continent. Argentina re-branded itself as the Transplatine Empire, buying the colony of Angola from the Portuguese and Haute-Congo from the French. It industrialized quickly to over-compensate for losses in time earlier in the 19th century, and helped industrialize its allies with it. Industry began to boom, and "Transplatina" became known for having very few regulations on big business. And with that reputation came business moguls from the United States, moguls who wanted cheap agriculture. Northern Patagonia was swept with plantations producing flax, maize, and barley, while America exported gold and cars to Transplatina. The southern half of the continent was booming... at least for the elites, anyway. Many of the poor were living in complete poverty, while the government took their money. In 1893, Bolivia was split up into two nations at the hands of the Transplatine military. The government of Transplatina believed it would be beneficial if they didn't have any neighbors able to fight back against its growing power as an empire, so they invaded and broke it up within a year.
By the 1920's, Transplatina was hated by just about everyone in South America, most importantly their own people. So, late in the first year of the decade, a man named Godofredo Malavia de Santiago lead a socialist rebellion against the military government of the state. Although the so-called "People's Argentinian State" held control over the capitol for two wonderful years, a military coup put an abrupt stop to Malavia's liberation of the people. However, all hope was not lost, as Transplatina had finally been weakened. And, seeing an opportunity, Brazil began to re-militarize itself fourteen years ahead of schedule. The smart Brazilian president at the time, Caio Gonçalves Couto, used many diplomatic ways to expand and rebuild what used to be an empire. He bought the entirety of French Guyana in 1931, which had seized the region of Amapa from Brazil in the early-1840's during the middle of the rebellion. Then, he formed his own bloc of allies to counter Transplatina, allying with Sierra (one of the two Bolivian remnants), Guyana, and Chile (though they withdrew from the alliance in favor of neutrality in 1967). He also promoted a rebellion against Colombia, inciting the successful secession of Ecuador. Finally, a balance of power was restored to the continent, and each power bloc settled into their respective forms. Brazil rebuilt its army, re-branded itself as an empire once more, and rewrote its constitution, while Transplatina liberalized, instituted a truly democratic government, and tried to befriend some of the countries it had wronged in the past. In 1952, they joined together Riograndense and Uruguay into the Cisplatine Republic as one last shot of countering Brazilian growth, but it was no use; South America had returned to its multi-polar state, and the age of Transplatine domination had come to an end.
However, all is not well in South America in 1995. The two blocs now both have nuclear weapons, and the dividing line is getting thicker and thicker. The Brazilian president talks about invading Cisplatina and Peru to rebuild its empire all the time, to the people's behest. Meanwhile, the Argentinian present seems to have his hand hovering over the big red button, thinking of starting a war just to wipe the smug grin off the Brazilian leader's face. The foreign governments of the world are watching, eyes wide with worry as it seems like South America is headed towards another major war. But this time, it might pull the rest of the world in with it.
South America in 1995 AD.
My last MotF entry for a long time. Thanks all.
Bruce:
The Ragamuffins
PoD: Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias dies while protecting Montevideo during the Cisplatine War, on August 7th, 1827.
Scenario: After the successful secession of Uruguay from the Brazilian Empire, the country was plunged into its own age of troubles. First came the rebellion in Maranhão, which only served to weaken the absolute monarchy, then Brazil was plunged into war with itself after the secession of the province of Rio Grande de Sul. The rebellion, which began in 1836, started slowly, but began to burn like a fire. Brazil had wasted most of its good generals in wars past, and without Luís Alves, who might have been a saving grace if not for his tragic death in Montevideo, the war of attrition quickly began to wear out the military. Then, Brazil was shook by two more blows, as the provinces of Santa Catalina and Pernambuco both tried to secede. By 1844, the year the so-called Ragamuffin Independence War ended, the monarchy was embarrassed by their defeat at the hands of three tiny provinces. However, the war was not won merely by the might of Rio Grande, however; at the last moment, Argentina had joined the fight, protecting the new "Riograndense Republic". It was their army that pushed Brazil to surrender, and it also lead Riograndense to become what amounted to a puppet of a new, more powerful Argentina. Pernambuco, on the other hand, went unrecognized, and though the Free Pernambucan government held military power in the region until 1863, it eventually collapsed onto itself.
South America in 1845 AD.
After the war, the Brazilian monarchy was in shambles. People didn't have any faith left in their government, and the military shrunk in size as the next generation grew. Meanwhile, Brazil's neighbor to the south was growing exponentially. Argentina, with its allies in Uruguay and Riograndense, was expanding its military and the size of its empire, later subjugating Patagonia and seizing the Falkland Islands from the British, who didn't have much of a claim on it anyway. They blocked Chile's colonization of the south, gaining the majority of Patagonia save for Chile's port of Ciudad Nevada. In the 1870's, they decided to ally themselves with Bolivia, and ended up kick-starting a war that would drag all of South America into a frenzy.
On January 15th, 1876, a coalition composed of Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia declared war on Brazil, as the Argentinian president promised Bolivia land to the north. Quickly, Peru and Colombia both wanted in on the action, if not to get on Argentina's good side, as they were clearly set up to win the war. Brazil, already falling apart from all sides, capitulated at the brunt of every single South American army at once, and issued a total surrender in early-1879. Even with allies in Chile, Britain, and Ecuadorian rebels, it wasn't enough to fight back. The peace terms were not light. Colombia took much of the British Amazon, along with Peru. Bolivia took many of Brazil's military outposts in the southwest, and Paraguay took a lot of urban area along the southern border. However, the territorial losses weren't nearly the worst part. Brazil was ordered to scale down its military to fifteen-thousand men for sixty years, until 1939. It was also ordered to rename itself to the "Confederation of Brazil", in turn meaning that the former empire had to give extreme autonomy to each of its individual states, in a government reminiscent of the Articles of Confederation and setting Brazil up for complete collapse. By the 1880's, South America was ruled by Argentina.
During the reign of Argentina, many things changed on the continent. Argentina re-branded itself as the Transplatine Empire, buying the colony of Angola from the Portuguese and Haute-Congo from the French. It industrialized quickly to over-compensate for losses in time earlier in the 19th century, and helped industrialize its allies with it. Industry began to boom, and "Transplatina" became known for having very few regulations on big business. And with that reputation came business moguls from the United States, moguls who wanted cheap agriculture. Northern Patagonia was swept with plantations producing flax, maize, and barley, while America exported gold and cars to Transplatina. The southern half of the continent was booming... at least for the elites, anyway. Many of the poor were living in complete poverty, while the government took their money. In 1893, Bolivia was split up into two nations at the hands of the Transplatine military. The government of Transplatina believed it would be beneficial if they didn't have any neighbors able to fight back against its growing power as an empire, so they invaded and broke it up within a year.
By the 1920's, Transplatina was hated by just about everyone in South America, most importantly their own people. So, late in the first year of the decade, a man named Godofredo Malavia de Santiago lead a socialist rebellion against the military government of the state. Although the so-called "People's Argentinian State" held control over the capitol for two wonderful years, a military coup put an abrupt stop to Malavia's liberation of the people. However, all hope was not lost, as Transplatina had finally been weakened. And, seeing an opportunity, Brazil began to re-militarize itself fourteen years ahead of schedule. The smart Brazilian president at the time, Caio Gonçalves Couto, used many diplomatic ways to expand and rebuild what used to be an empire. He bought the entirety of French Guyana in 1931, which had seized the region of Amapa from Brazil in the early-1840's during the middle of the rebellion. Then, he formed his own bloc of allies to counter Transplatina, allying with Sierra (one of the two Bolivian remnants), Guyana, and Chile (though they withdrew from the alliance in favor of neutrality in 1967). He also promoted a rebellion against Colombia, inciting the successful secession of Ecuador. Finally, a balance of power was restored to the continent, and each power bloc settled into their respective forms. Brazil rebuilt its army, re-branded itself as an empire once more, and rewrote its constitution, while Transplatina liberalized, instituted a truly democratic government, and tried to befriend some of the countries it had wronged in the past. In 1952, they joined together Riograndense and Uruguay into the Cisplatine Republic as one last shot of countering Brazilian growth, but it was no use; South America had returned to its multi-polar state, and the age of Transplatine domination had come to an end.
However, all is not well in South America in 1995. The two blocs now both have nuclear weapons, and the dividing line is getting thicker and thicker. The Brazilian president talks about invading Cisplatina and Peru to rebuild its empire all the time, to the people's behest. Meanwhile, the Argentinian present seems to have his hand hovering over the big red button, thinking of starting a war just to wipe the smug grin off the Brazilian leader's face. The foreign governments of the world are watching, eyes wide with worry as it seems like South America is headed towards another major war. But this time, it might pull the rest of the world in with it.
South America in 1995 AD.
Last edited:
November? I haven't updated this since November?? People, you gotta keep me honest: if this isn't updated at least every three weeks, send me a message!
MotF 151: Always the Bridesmaid
The Challenge
Make a map showing a secondary power that is constantly overshadowed by a more powerful ally (or just a secondary power in general).
People, you gotta keep me honest: if this isn't updated at least every three weeks, send me a message!MotF 151: Always the Bridesmaid
The Challenge
Make a map showing a secondary power that is constantly overshadowed by a more powerful ally (or just a secondary power in general).
DPKdebator:
The Ghost of America
I got the idea for this map from Massachusetts's state license plates, which have the slogan "The Spirit of America" on them. The scenario basically revolves around the United States crumbling, and all that remains is the state of Massachusetts and an area around Washington, D.C. and northern Virginia. For years and even decades, the United States of America was in a period of prosperity. Taxes were low, incomes were high, and once again the notion of only one parent having to work to live comfortably was standard (of course, in some families both parents worked). Regardless, the country experienced its fair share of change. There were now 54 states, the four new ones being New Amsterdam, Jefferson, Nova Virginia, and Chicago, and a few other areas were deciding on whether to become states as well. Its demographics were noticeably different, and overall the populace (and consequently the government) became more socially conservative and isolationist. The old two-party system remained, but states like Massachusetts and Vermont now voted for Republicans, while Arizona was a Democratic favorite. However, this period of prosperity came to a crashing halt when in 2051, when President John Alford was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by a fringe Californian nationalist group, the Patriotic Californians. Alongside this, the terrorist group set off an explosive device during a session of Congress. Both of these actions essentially destroyed the federal government in its then-current incarnation. The United States entered a painful recession, worse than the Great Depression, and it dragged the world with it. The America of 2051, well, at least its population younger than 45 years old, could not remember a time of anything but prosperity. Consequently, the younger population had no idea what to do, worsening an already troubling crisis. Matters weren't made any better when suddenly, the state of California declared it was seceding from the country. This raised suspicion among many Americans, and several reports started to circulate that the Californian state government was behind the attack on the federal government. America's newly formed government contemplated invading California, but not before California launched a surprise attack on Jefferson to try and retake its old land. Ultimately, this was the event that caused a domino effect, and by early 2052 only Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Washington D.C., and northern Nova Virginia remained part of the United States of America, although the majority of Senators and House representatives remained loyal to America. Most pundits speculated that this is how the dust would settle for the United States, but it suffered another blow when a disloyal faction of the U.S. Army performed a coup d'etat in Annapolis, Maryland. Already weakened with the deserting of virtually the entire Union, the further fractured U.S. Army could do little more than try and defend Washington, D.C. as one of its prized remaining possessions fell. Luckily (if you could call it that) for the United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (which had formed into somewhat of a local power) intervened for its own self-interests, which meant that The Junta, as it came to be called, became relegated to central Maryland though none of the former Old Line State was given back to the United States. During the Maryland Civil War, Rhode Island, hoping that its northern neighbor Massachusetts would follow, figured that its days in the Union were numbered and it signed a deal to join the Commonwealth of New England, of which New Hampshire and Maine were members. After the largest civil wars in what was just a few years prior the world's premier power settled, the battered and broken United States was a lonely union of Massachusetts, Nova Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Strangely, elections are conducted as if every state was still there, and there are representatives for all 54 states in Washington. The so-called American Republics do not recognize these elections, and some of them will prosecute people if they are found to be participating in them. The importance of the American Republics range from laughable (i.e. a collection of towns in Kansas that call themselves the American Empire) to moderately important (i.e. Pennsylvania, the Associated States of Appalachia). The fracturing of the United States has pressed the country out of its relative isolation, and it has become more active in NATO with what little power it has left. Canada has largely assumed the former role of the United States, something that is a bit of a sore point in the hearts of American nationalists, because Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota defected to the Great White North. A few counties around Portland, Oregon are also controlled by Canada. Oregon's state government formed a committee to research the best path for their state, but just as the state announced its intentions to join Canada the expansionist California invaded and all Canada was able to save was the Portland area. Saying that the United States of America of 2061 is playing second fiddle is being too generous- for at least the near future, the United States is just another place on the map... the spirit of America is now a mere ghost.
(54 state flag courtesy of https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...States_of_America_displaying_54_stars.svg.png)
The Ghost of America
I got the idea for this map from Massachusetts's state license plates, which have the slogan "The Spirit of America" on them. The scenario basically revolves around the United States crumbling, and all that remains is the state of Massachusetts and an area around Washington, D.C. and northern Virginia. For years and even decades, the United States of America was in a period of prosperity. Taxes were low, incomes were high, and once again the notion of only one parent having to work to live comfortably was standard (of course, in some families both parents worked). Regardless, the country experienced its fair share of change. There were now 54 states, the four new ones being New Amsterdam, Jefferson, Nova Virginia, and Chicago, and a few other areas were deciding on whether to become states as well. Its demographics were noticeably different, and overall the populace (and consequently the government) became more socially conservative and isolationist. The old two-party system remained, but states like Massachusetts and Vermont now voted for Republicans, while Arizona was a Democratic favorite. However, this period of prosperity came to a crashing halt when in 2051, when President John Alford was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by a fringe Californian nationalist group, the Patriotic Californians. Alongside this, the terrorist group set off an explosive device during a session of Congress. Both of these actions essentially destroyed the federal government in its then-current incarnation. The United States entered a painful recession, worse than the Great Depression, and it dragged the world with it. The America of 2051, well, at least its population younger than 45 years old, could not remember a time of anything but prosperity. Consequently, the younger population had no idea what to do, worsening an already troubling crisis. Matters weren't made any better when suddenly, the state of California declared it was seceding from the country. This raised suspicion among many Americans, and several reports started to circulate that the Californian state government was behind the attack on the federal government. America's newly formed government contemplated invading California, but not before California launched a surprise attack on Jefferson to try and retake its old land. Ultimately, this was the event that caused a domino effect, and by early 2052 only Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Washington D.C., and northern Nova Virginia remained part of the United States of America, although the majority of Senators and House representatives remained loyal to America. Most pundits speculated that this is how the dust would settle for the United States, but it suffered another blow when a disloyal faction of the U.S. Army performed a coup d'etat in Annapolis, Maryland. Already weakened with the deserting of virtually the entire Union, the further fractured U.S. Army could do little more than try and defend Washington, D.C. as one of its prized remaining possessions fell. Luckily (if you could call it that) for the United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (which had formed into somewhat of a local power) intervened for its own self-interests, which meant that The Junta, as it came to be called, became relegated to central Maryland though none of the former Old Line State was given back to the United States. During the Maryland Civil War, Rhode Island, hoping that its northern neighbor Massachusetts would follow, figured that its days in the Union were numbered and it signed a deal to join the Commonwealth of New England, of which New Hampshire and Maine were members. After the largest civil wars in what was just a few years prior the world's premier power settled, the battered and broken United States was a lonely union of Massachusetts, Nova Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Strangely, elections are conducted as if every state was still there, and there are representatives for all 54 states in Washington. The so-called American Republics do not recognize these elections, and some of them will prosecute people if they are found to be participating in them. The importance of the American Republics range from laughable (i.e. a collection of towns in Kansas that call themselves the American Empire) to moderately important (i.e. Pennsylvania, the Associated States of Appalachia). The fracturing of the United States has pressed the country out of its relative isolation, and it has become more active in NATO with what little power it has left. Canada has largely assumed the former role of the United States, something that is a bit of a sore point in the hearts of American nationalists, because Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota defected to the Great White North. A few counties around Portland, Oregon are also controlled by Canada. Oregon's state government formed a committee to research the best path for their state, but just as the state announced its intentions to join Canada the expansionist California invaded and all Canada was able to save was the Portland area. Saying that the United States of America of 2061 is playing second fiddle is being too generous- for at least the near future, the United States is just another place on the map... the spirit of America is now a mere ghost.
(54 state flag courtesy of https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...States_of_America_displaying_54_stars.svg.png)
Samuel Von Straßburg:
The main POD is a German victory in the first battle of the Marne, and a consequent withdrawal of France from the war. This allowed a focus on the eastern front leading to a CP victory in the war. Italy was kept out of the war by A-H succeeding the Trento region.
After the defeat of Russia several new states were created, those on the map being Poland, Belarus and the Ukraine. Romania also gained Bessarabia due to its joining the CP against Russia. A-H also gained control over the Caucasus region as its sphere of influence, which played into its use of population transfers.
Both Greece and Bulgaria got caught up in the collapse of the Ottoman Empire with Territorial gains. Greece gained control over southern Thrace as well as large stretches of the Anatolian coast line. Bulgaria (which did not join the CP) agreed to give Greece its land on the Aegean Sea in exchange for northern Thrace and free access through the Straits for its shipping and navy guaranteed by Germany.
A-H also found itself forced to give Poland (under a personal union with Prussia) Galicia. It also gifted Romania Bukovina given its untenable position as A-H only possession beyond the Carpathian Mountains. The Germans and Ukrainians of Bukovina were moved to the new Caucasus state. In their place around 450.000 Romanians were moved from Hungary to the region.
Of particular concern to Germany was that the Austrian portion of the monarchy needed to continue to dominate the triple monarchy. Therefore it “suggested” serval ideas to reforming the monarchy.
Firstly Hungary gave the three counties of Moson, Sopron and Vas and the city of Pressburg to Austria as the duchy of Vierburgenland. It also ended its personal union over Croatia and Slavonia and its control over Illyrian Banat to the new state of Illyria. In terms of demographics Hungary changed substantially, due to loss of land as well as attempts at population transfers. Previously Hungarians had made up only 48% of the population but now totalled 66% of the population. The entire Romanian populations of the counties Bihar and Kolozs (around 450.000 people) were relocated to Bukovina. In their place the approximately 450.000 Hungarians of Vierburganland were settled in the region. This also cut the Romanian portions of Transylvania in two and connected the Székely Land to the main region of Hungarian speakers. The capital of Transylvania (Klausenburg) also became an almost entirely Hungarian speaking city. The 2 million strong German populations were also moved back to the Austrian portion of the monarchy, the empty land was typically then populated by surrounding ethnicities apart from the regions of Hungarian Banat and the German speaking regions south of the Székely Land. This land was reserved for Hungarian soldiers and their families as a reward for their service in the war. As a whole the Hungarian monarchy opposed the territorial concessions it had to make, however it has used it as an opportunity to further Magyarize the population. It is also very clearly plays the role of second fiddle to the Austrian portion of the monarchy.
As for Illyria it was made up of Croatia and Slavonia, Dalmatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Illyrian Banat, Montenegro and Albania. A-H was given the territories of Serbia, Albania and Montenegro as compensation for the loss of Galicia and Bukanovia. Sarajevo was made the capital as it was seen as the best location to balance the interests of the Serbians and Croatians. Albania and Macedonia were turned into an autonomous region, much like Galicia, given the particularly stark linguistic and cultural difference of the region to the rest of Illyria. The language of Serbo-Croatian was also officially termed Illyrian. The use of Cyrillic script was also banned and Latin script is used for all official purposes. The Croats tend to dominate the state, but are under pressure from Vienna to put aside past differences and embrace their new Illyrian identity. The Serbs are not happy with the situation but there is not much they can do about it, other than wait until they can attempt to gain the dominate position in Illyria. On the other hand the Albanians are happy to be part of a greater Albania, albeit under Austrian leadership. The Macedonians are as they always have been, under someone else’s control and not happy about it. As for its position of power in the monarchy it is very much the more junior of the three.
For the Austrian third of the monarchy, things are looking good. The influence of Germany and the victory of the Great War has led to its position as head honcho in the monarchy being nigh upon unquestionable, despite its loss of Galicia, Bukanovia and Southern Tirol. Demographically it has embraced resettlement policies to the Caucasus. The resettlements of around 2 million Germans from Hungary were distributed as follows. Firstly 700.000 were settled in Vierburgenland. Second the 400.000 Germans were settled in Austrian Silesia. 500.000 Germans were settled in the place of the Italians and Illyrians in Küstenland. A further 200.000 were settled in southern Steiermark and the final 200.000 were settled in the Krain predominantly in the Laibach area. In each of these areas the corresponding number of Czechs, Illyrians, Italians and Slovenes were resettled in the Austrian controlled Caucasus. The 230.000 Poles of Silesia were resettled in eastern Galicia. This meant that Germans made up 57% of the population of the Austrian third of the monarchy. It is also embarking on a renewed crusade of Germanisation, with deportation of non-German criminals to the Caucasus becoming a normal punishment for a large number of offensives.
Overall A-H-I is in a period of relative stability. For the moment it has control over its various ethnic groups and has a relatively prosperous economy, alongside a sphere of influence over the Caucasus. However this is very reliant on German domination over Central and Eastern Europe and the moment Germany feels like withdrawing it support to the Triple Monarchy things are very likely to go pear-shaped, with unruly minorities and jealous neighbours. There is always the threat hanging over Vienna that if it steps out of line German troops would be parading in Vienna a week later proclaiming the Großdeutsche Lösung. So while A-H-I enjoys the good times, surviving the bad times will be a matter of German good will.
Osterreichisch-Ungarische-Illyrien Monarchie by Samuel-Von-Strasburg on DeviantArt
Tanystropheus42:
First of all, I need to explain something. When I read the challenge, I decided to not just show the secondary power (in this case, a surviving reformed Austria-Hungary), but the power that overshadows it (Germany). So, I created a map of Austria-Hungary with some exciting new internal divisions, then moved on to Germany, then did the rest of Europe in shot. I then made one worlda showing the political situation in Europe and another showing allies/spheres of influence for the Great powers. Then, I realized that I had gone a little bit too far.
I got caught up world-building essentially, which is why the map(s) show a little more than the challenge specified.
Sorry if its a bit long.
(Extra note, because the maps don't overlap and the change in the last one was unspecified, I decided that this map is set in the same universe as my last MotF entry.)
Anyway, here's the map;
When he learns that the other assassins have failed, Gavrilo Princip decides to drown his sorrows instead of taking the proactive course he took in OTL. The assassination attempt is remembered as little more than a footnote in history. The Great war had been delayed, but Europe in 1914 was still a powder-keg. The various treaties and obligations between the powers meant that if war was declared, it would likely spiral out of control.
The crisis came three years later, in 1917, when Serbian nationalists managed to kill the Austro-Hungarian governor of Bosnia. Two days later, in an unrelated incident, the Austro-Hungarian ambassador to Serbia was shot in the street. In the diplomatic confusion that followed, Austria declared war on Serbia, which led to a chain reaction as the various powers were forced to declare war in support of their allies.
I'm no expert on military history, so I'll keep it brief. The UK decides to remain neutral (though pro-entente), while Austria-Hungary is forced to hand over South Tyrol and Istria to Italy, to keep the Italians on side. Belgium is effectively partitioned when both Germany and France try to pull a Schlieffen plan on each other. The war settles down into 5 years of brutal trench warfare, punctuated by occasional pointless assaults to try and achieve a breakthrough, that invariably achieve nothing. The Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 only serves to make conditions even more hellish. Austria occupies Serbia and Montenegro, while Bulgaria reclaims irridentia lost in the second Balkan war. Romania stays neutral before trying to invade Transylvania in 1920, followed by their rapid occupation and capitulation. Russia sees defeat after defeat, then inexorably descends into civil war.
The war ends in 1922, in a crushing Entente defeat. Peace is signed with Russia when the Germans agree to help the fledgling Russian republic against the Bolsheviks. In return, the Russians don't complain when the Germans carve a wall of buffer states from Western Russia, imposing German monarchs on many of them. France gets a really harsh deal; Italy annexes Savoy and Nice, while Germany occupies the Northern industrial and border regions in Picardy and Burgundy, and takes a large share of the French colonial empire for its own. Austria puppetizes Montenegro and Serbia.
A short civil war sees the French left rise up and try to establish a workers republic. The revolution is crushed swiftly, and drives the already conservative government ever further to the right. They even try to reestablish the French monarchy.
The 1920's are mostly a time of rebuilding throughout Europe. Italy went fascist (what, they were on the winning side and went fascist OTL, why can't it happen here as well?), eventually settling down as a virulently nationalist, belligerent semi-rogue state. Germany reforms during the 20's, stumbling into true democracy (Wilhelm "walking diplomatic indecent" Hohenzollern managed to convince the German people that maybe constitutional monarchy wasn't such a bad idea after all). Russia stabilized as a conservative, semi-democratic republic.
Seeing the other nations of Europe reform spurned on protesters and campaigners in Austria Hungary to pressure their own government to do the same. The first compromise was to elevate the Slavic lands in the south to the level of kingdom, starting the triple monarchy phase. Despite many failings, this worked well enough to keep the empire together through the 20's.
The 1930's were... tense.
The great depression ruined economies across the continent, unleashing a new wave of violence on an already battered land. Britain, Germany and Russia weathered the storm fairly well, along with a few select allies, while the rest of the continent slowly collapsed into anarchy.
Austria-Hungary-Slavonia gradually descended into chaos. As unemployment rose, and as standard of life fell, formerly contented minorities started to turn against the status quo. There were never any outright rebellions, but riots were common, and the central government lost control of large areas of countryside. In areas where ethnicities came into contact or were mixed, the situation was even more complex, as sometimes centuries old feuds were reignited. Nevertheless, given time (and a little German military help) the Empire pulled through.
Elsewhere, the Greek monarchy was abolished when a cabal of military officers staged a coup and declared a republic, while Albania was puppetized by Italy, and Romania slid inexorably into fascism. Iceland and Greenland declared independence from Denmark after some new poorly thought out heavy-handed regulations were introduced in 1939. Belarussia saw 6 attempted coups in under 4 years, while the doomed German project to create a United Baltic Duchy imploded spectacularly, leading to the creation of both Latvia and Estonia.
The French regime effectively dug its own grave, pouring men and resources into a pointless colonial war trying to keep hold of Indochina (Vietnam became France's ... er ... Vietnam) while simultaneously ruthlessly cracking down on dissent. This was the perfect environment for the remaining French communists; inspired by the concurrent Brazilian and Nova Grenadine revolutions in the Americas, France fell to a second revolution in late 1934. The regions Northern France under German occupation hastily proclaimed independence from France as the republics of Burgundy and Picardy, and sought protection from Germany. This led to a very tense standoff between France and Germany that nearly sparked war (fortunately, cooler heads prevailed). The Spanish civil war happened right on cue (even spilling over into Portugal), and French meddling was key to the eventual communist victory.
The continent that emerged from the 30's was a changed one. Germany and the newly resurgent Russia created a new defensive treaty to guard against the threats posed by fascism and communism, drawing in many of their allies into the new "Eurasian Common Defense Treaty", including an Austria that got pulled along for the ride. Russia proved its newfound strength in the second Russo-Japanese war (1943-1947) that saw the Russians dismantle the Japanese colonial empire in Asia, and replace it with a string of new, Russian aligned states. A cold war gradually materialized between the democracies and the communists, with the few fascist states left slipping into North Korea style impoverished dystopias.
The Late 40's saw another round of reform in the triple monarchy. When the dust settled and order was restored, it was plain to see that the old system had failed. The new constitution agreed in 1948 saw the state rearranged as a federation of autonomous kingdoms and duchies under one crown (Austria, Bohemia, Carniola, Croatia, Dalmatia, Galicia, Hungary, Krakow, Slovakia, Szeklerland, Transylvania and Vojvodina), and with Bosnia as an "autonomous associated state" (ethnic violence got particularly bad there in the 30's and it was quickly realized that any attempt to partition the region would create more problems than it solved. Bosnia thus remained neutral ground within the new federation). Later, in the early 50's a series of new autonomous regions were added to represent the distinct regions within kingdoms that didn't have a large enough population to form Kingdoms of their own. This form of government has persisted, with a few minor changes, right the way to the present day.
In 2017, the Danubian Federation (as it is now called) remains a great power and key player in the region. Its economy is booming, tech startups are flourishing and people are generally happy with their government. Serbia and Montenegro have transitioned from puppet states to loyal allies, while Istria fell into the Danubian sphere of Influence after it broke away from the collapsing Italian fascist regime in the 80's.
But despite all this, they are still overshadowed by their more powerful neighbour to the north.
First of all, I need to explain something. When I read the challenge, I decided to not just show the secondary power (in this case, a surviving reformed Austria-Hungary), but the power that overshadows it (Germany). So, I created a map of Austria-Hungary with some exciting new internal divisions, then moved on to Germany, then did the rest of Europe in shot. I then made one worlda showing the political situation in Europe and another showing allies/spheres of influence for the Great powers. Then, I realized that I had gone a little bit too far.
I got caught up world-building essentially, which is why the map(s) show a little more than the challenge specified.
Sorry if its a bit long.
(Extra note, because the maps don't overlap and the change in the last one was unspecified, I decided that this map is set in the same universe as my last MotF entry.)
Anyway, here's the map;
When he learns that the other assassins have failed, Gavrilo Princip decides to drown his sorrows instead of taking the proactive course he took in OTL. The assassination attempt is remembered as little more than a footnote in history. The Great war had been delayed, but Europe in 1914 was still a powder-keg. The various treaties and obligations between the powers meant that if war was declared, it would likely spiral out of control.
The crisis came three years later, in 1917, when Serbian nationalists managed to kill the Austro-Hungarian governor of Bosnia. Two days later, in an unrelated incident, the Austro-Hungarian ambassador to Serbia was shot in the street. In the diplomatic confusion that followed, Austria declared war on Serbia, which led to a chain reaction as the various powers were forced to declare war in support of their allies.
I'm no expert on military history, so I'll keep it brief. The UK decides to remain neutral (though pro-entente), while Austria-Hungary is forced to hand over South Tyrol and Istria to Italy, to keep the Italians on side. Belgium is effectively partitioned when both Germany and France try to pull a Schlieffen plan on each other. The war settles down into 5 years of brutal trench warfare, punctuated by occasional pointless assaults to try and achieve a breakthrough, that invariably achieve nothing. The Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 only serves to make conditions even more hellish. Austria occupies Serbia and Montenegro, while Bulgaria reclaims irridentia lost in the second Balkan war. Romania stays neutral before trying to invade Transylvania in 1920, followed by their rapid occupation and capitulation. Russia sees defeat after defeat, then inexorably descends into civil war.
The war ends in 1922, in a crushing Entente defeat. Peace is signed with Russia when the Germans agree to help the fledgling Russian republic against the Bolsheviks. In return, the Russians don't complain when the Germans carve a wall of buffer states from Western Russia, imposing German monarchs on many of them. France gets a really harsh deal; Italy annexes Savoy and Nice, while Germany occupies the Northern industrial and border regions in Picardy and Burgundy, and takes a large share of the French colonial empire for its own. Austria puppetizes Montenegro and Serbia.
A short civil war sees the French left rise up and try to establish a workers republic. The revolution is crushed swiftly, and drives the already conservative government ever further to the right. They even try to reestablish the French monarchy.
The 1920's are mostly a time of rebuilding throughout Europe. Italy went fascist (what, they were on the winning side and went fascist OTL, why can't it happen here as well?), eventually settling down as a virulently nationalist, belligerent semi-rogue state. Germany reforms during the 20's, stumbling into true democracy (Wilhelm "walking diplomatic indecent" Hohenzollern managed to convince the German people that maybe constitutional monarchy wasn't such a bad idea after all). Russia stabilized as a conservative, semi-democratic republic.
Seeing the other nations of Europe reform spurned on protesters and campaigners in Austria Hungary to pressure their own government to do the same. The first compromise was to elevate the Slavic lands in the south to the level of kingdom, starting the triple monarchy phase. Despite many failings, this worked well enough to keep the empire together through the 20's.
The 1930's were... tense.
The great depression ruined economies across the continent, unleashing a new wave of violence on an already battered land. Britain, Germany and Russia weathered the storm fairly well, along with a few select allies, while the rest of the continent slowly collapsed into anarchy.
Austria-Hungary-Slavonia gradually descended into chaos. As unemployment rose, and as standard of life fell, formerly contented minorities started to turn against the status quo. There were never any outright rebellions, but riots were common, and the central government lost control of large areas of countryside. In areas where ethnicities came into contact or were mixed, the situation was even more complex, as sometimes centuries old feuds were reignited. Nevertheless, given time (and a little German military help) the Empire pulled through.
Elsewhere, the Greek monarchy was abolished when a cabal of military officers staged a coup and declared a republic, while Albania was puppetized by Italy, and Romania slid inexorably into fascism. Iceland and Greenland declared independence from Denmark after some new poorly thought out heavy-handed regulations were introduced in 1939. Belarussia saw 6 attempted coups in under 4 years, while the doomed German project to create a United Baltic Duchy imploded spectacularly, leading to the creation of both Latvia and Estonia.
The French regime effectively dug its own grave, pouring men and resources into a pointless colonial war trying to keep hold of Indochina (Vietnam became France's ... er ... Vietnam) while simultaneously ruthlessly cracking down on dissent. This was the perfect environment for the remaining French communists; inspired by the concurrent Brazilian and Nova Grenadine revolutions in the Americas, France fell to a second revolution in late 1934. The regions Northern France under German occupation hastily proclaimed independence from France as the republics of Burgundy and Picardy, and sought protection from Germany. This led to a very tense standoff between France and Germany that nearly sparked war (fortunately, cooler heads prevailed). The Spanish civil war happened right on cue (even spilling over into Portugal), and French meddling was key to the eventual communist victory.
The continent that emerged from the 30's was a changed one. Germany and the newly resurgent Russia created a new defensive treaty to guard against the threats posed by fascism and communism, drawing in many of their allies into the new "Eurasian Common Defense Treaty", including an Austria that got pulled along for the ride. Russia proved its newfound strength in the second Russo-Japanese war (1943-1947) that saw the Russians dismantle the Japanese colonial empire in Asia, and replace it with a string of new, Russian aligned states. A cold war gradually materialized between the democracies and the communists, with the few fascist states left slipping into North Korea style impoverished dystopias.
The Late 40's saw another round of reform in the triple monarchy. When the dust settled and order was restored, it was plain to see that the old system had failed. The new constitution agreed in 1948 saw the state rearranged as a federation of autonomous kingdoms and duchies under one crown (Austria, Bohemia, Carniola, Croatia, Dalmatia, Galicia, Hungary, Krakow, Slovakia, Szeklerland, Transylvania and Vojvodina), and with Bosnia as an "autonomous associated state" (ethnic violence got particularly bad there in the 30's and it was quickly realized that any attempt to partition the region would create more problems than it solved. Bosnia thus remained neutral ground within the new federation). Later, in the early 50's a series of new autonomous regions were added to represent the distinct regions within kingdoms that didn't have a large enough population to form Kingdoms of their own. This form of government has persisted, with a few minor changes, right the way to the present day.
In 2017, the Danubian Federation (as it is now called) remains a great power and key player in the region. Its economy is booming, tech startups are flourishing and people are generally happy with their government. Serbia and Montenegro have transitioned from puppet states to loyal allies, while Istria fell into the Danubian sphere of Influence after it broke away from the collapsing Italian fascist regime in the 80's.
But despite all this, they are still overshadowed by their more powerful neighbour to the north.
Sicarius:
Ultimately, Rhode Island was the only state to preserve its sovereignty against the illegal Federalist junta, refusing to ratify the so-called constitution. With only distant Britain as an ally, Rhode Island could seem lonely, floating like a mote of dust in the fathomless gulfs of an uncaring universe - as malicious forces with powers almost beyond comprehension plotted its destruction. As the the end of the Global War in 1925 led to the Great Crash, the trade-starved Republic turned inward, xenophobic, and towards a thin, pale young man of neurotic and excited aspect.
One must look back at Howard Phillips Lovecraft’s earlier life as at something belonging as much to the past as the antiquities he loved so keenly. An antiquarian from infancy, no doubt gaining his taste from the venerable town of Providence around him, and from the relics of the past which filled every corner of his family's old mansion. But even as a child, Lovecraft was withdrawn and moody, almost unearthly. Nevertheless, as a prodigious young journalist, he rose to political prominence based on his voluminous correspondence. He railed against the "mongrelization" of the Republic, and against "The Shadow over Portsmouth" - the United States of America - and in 1929 the people raised him to the Presidency. But as Lovecraft's powers increased, his aberration grew from mere eccentricity to a dark mania involving both murderous tendencies and a profound and peculiar change in the apparent contents of his mind.
Only after eight dark years was Lovecraft removed in a violent revolt, when the people of Providence stormed his cyclopean capital. As a witness later recorded, "Their outlines were human, semi-human, fractionally human, and not human at all—the horde was grotesquely heterogeneous. They were removing the stones quietly, one by one, from the centuried wall. And then, as the breach became large enough, they came out into the courtyard in single file. A sort of mad-eyed monstrosity seized on Lovecraft. He did not resist or utter a sound. Then they all sprang at him and tore him to pieces before my eyes, bearing the fragments away into that subterranean vault of fabulous abominations. Lovecraft’s head was carried off by the leader. As it disappeared I saw that the dark eyes behind the spectacles were hideously blazing with their first touch of frantic, visible emotion."
Shout-out to Denis Pakowacz and Liv Rainey-Smith, whose art I borrowed for parts of this. And some map dudes who died like 300 years ago for their bits too. RIP.
Ultimately, Rhode Island was the only state to preserve its sovereignty against the illegal Federalist junta, refusing to ratify the so-called constitution. With only distant Britain as an ally, Rhode Island could seem lonely, floating like a mote of dust in the fathomless gulfs of an uncaring universe - as malicious forces with powers almost beyond comprehension plotted its destruction. As the the end of the Global War in 1925 led to the Great Crash, the trade-starved Republic turned inward, xenophobic, and towards a thin, pale young man of neurotic and excited aspect.
One must look back at Howard Phillips Lovecraft’s earlier life as at something belonging as much to the past as the antiquities he loved so keenly. An antiquarian from infancy, no doubt gaining his taste from the venerable town of Providence around him, and from the relics of the past which filled every corner of his family's old mansion. But even as a child, Lovecraft was withdrawn and moody, almost unearthly. Nevertheless, as a prodigious young journalist, he rose to political prominence based on his voluminous correspondence. He railed against the "mongrelization" of the Republic, and against "The Shadow over Portsmouth" - the United States of America - and in 1929 the people raised him to the Presidency. But as Lovecraft's powers increased, his aberration grew from mere eccentricity to a dark mania involving both murderous tendencies and a profound and peculiar change in the apparent contents of his mind.
Only after eight dark years was Lovecraft removed in a violent revolt, when the people of Providence stormed his cyclopean capital. As a witness later recorded, "Their outlines were human, semi-human, fractionally human, and not human at all—the horde was grotesquely heterogeneous. They were removing the stones quietly, one by one, from the centuried wall. And then, as the breach became large enough, they came out into the courtyard in single file. A sort of mad-eyed monstrosity seized on Lovecraft. He did not resist or utter a sound. Then they all sprang at him and tore him to pieces before my eyes, bearing the fragments away into that subterranean vault of fabulous abominations. Lovecraft’s head was carried off by the leader. As it disappeared I saw that the dark eyes behind the spectacles were hideously blazing with their first touch of frantic, visible emotion."
Shout-out to Denis Pakowacz and Liv Rainey-Smith, whose art I borrowed for parts of this. And some map dudes who died like 300 years ago for their bits too. RIP.
Guildencrantz:
"Here's the quiz. You have the remaining half hour of class to finish it. Just drop it off on my desk on your way out and please don't forget to put your name on the top. Have a great weekend guys!"
(the key to the quiz is found in the Map Thread)
"Here's the quiz. You have the remaining half hour of class to finish it. Just drop it off on my desk on your way out and please don't forget to put your name on the top. Have a great weekend guys!"
(the key to the quiz is found in the Map Thread)