EUC 1 NRP Campaign: Development Updates

[Scandypandy 78]

This thread is dedicated to providing players with Updates regarding the NRP Persistent campaign.

Updates to this thread will be shared on discord and steam, too.
If you'd like to start a discussion about the project, or make a suggestion, feel free to take them to our discussion thread.

Original Announcement

 

[Scandypandy 78]

Update 1: First Faction Announced+The Setting

The NRP Campaign will be set on a fictional island which is extremely resource-rich, allowing it to become an industrial powerhouse for anyone who manages to claim it for themselves. However, strange and sudden storms as well as almost impossible tidal patterns mean that it is almost impossible to leave the Island after reaching it. Therefore, our factions are splinters from the real-world Nations from which they hail. More about the setting will come in the future.

The Crown Colonies


Lore
When the British discovered a mysterious and previously uncharted landmass, they immediately sent out colonists to secure it for the Empire. When none of them were heard from again, military detachments and navies were sent to investigate the strange disappearances-only to be met with the same fate.
However the brave souls did not meet their end at the bottom of the ocean, but rather found themselves stranded on the Island itself. The Colonists spread out rapidly, soon developing several towns and settlements across the Island. The lack of contact with Britain and increasing demands of the various colonies lead to several small conflicts between some of the larger towns, usually over resources or border disputes. The various Mayors were preparing for potential war between colonists as weeks of isolation turned to months, with little to no contact with the outside world beyond what few men made it through the bizarre storms surrounding the Island.
Just as tensions between the settlements were reaching boiling point, grave news arrived; French troops had been spotted roaming the Island and setting up their own forts, likely in an attempt to carve out a chunk of land for themselves.
This sudden threat drove the most powerful Mayors to rally together, uniting the Colonies under a single banner in the name of preserving the Island for the British. It became clear that outside help was simply not an option, and therefore the various towns and settlements formally banded together to form the Crown Colonies, lead by the most influential generals and mayors on the Island.

Description
The Crown Colonies are vehemently British, seeing themselves as charged with the task of securing the Island for the British Empire. However, the inability to contact Britain itself has lead to a lack of Royal Authority in the Colonies; all military and government are handled by the Mayors and Soldiers who command the most influence, which has lead to a level of accepted corruption and underhanded dealings.
So far, the Crown Colonies unique mechanics are:

1. The Colonial Navy
Even in the stormy waters of the mysterious Island, the Royal Navy is utterly unmatched. While many ships were dismantled for materials, many were re-purposed into a Colonial Navy when people realised the fate that awaited those who attempted to sail home through the storms. The Colonial Navy allows the armies of the Crown Colony to invade enemy territories by sea, giving them nearly unlimited options when deciding where to strike. However, regardless of how far they expand into a territory after invading it, if their access to the sea (or access to their own territory by land) is cut off, all gained territories will be engulfed by the enemy faction. Therefore, invasions by sea must be carefully planned and protected to avoid massive losses of territory.

2. The Mayor's Mandate
Due to the nature of how the Crown Colonies are run, there is no undisputed ruler and no real "Capital City." The government of the Crown Colonies is a constantly shifting and morphing conglomerate of influence and intrigue conducted by the various Mayors of the settlements within the British territory. Should a city which is considered the centre of the Crown Colonies fall, a nearby Mayor may declare his own city as the new Capital of the Colonies, undoing the devastating affect of losing a capital city. However, the capital can only be moved to cities connected directly by land to the current capital; you can't hop out of encirclement or over the sea!


 

[Scandypandy 78]

Update 2: Second Faction


The Grande République


Lore
A French Colony under attack from privateers ship narrowly avoided a watery grave when it was rescued by a French Transport Fleet carrying a large number of soldiers. However, their joy was short lived; a sudden and terrible storm drove the entire fleet harshly upon the shores of an uncharted island, with no clear way of leaving it.
The Island proved to be extremely rife with food, drinkable water and strategic resources which the colonists-with the help of the soldiers-began to exploit. 
Unfortunately, most of the surviving colonists were labourers or civilians unskilled in matters of leadership and administration-this lead the highest ranking officer of the surviving military men to assume control of the Colony.
Military guidance was extremely effective but also undermined some of the more modern notions that civilians enjoyed back in France after the Revolution; life under an unelected dictator with brutal repercussions for unlawful behaviour raised kept tensions high.
Regardless, the overwhelming presence of the military soon quenched any wish for reform or revolution, and soon all thoughts of France and home were faint if present at all. Sightings of the infamous Union Jack atop ships exploring the island coast put fear in the hearts of the men, assuming that the full fury of the British Empire had to come to put an end to their corner of militaristic paradise.
Without hesitation, the Military Officer ruling the Colony declared it a new bastion of the Revolution, making promises to not only finish the construction of the colony but to found an industry on the island which would fuel the Revolution in its own way.
Seeing the presence of British Colonies as a threat to the revolution, the Military and the Colonists were reformed into a new society which became known as the Grande République, a highly militarised Republic with the citizens voting in a sole leader of the Military who would lead them to war against all those who oppose the ideas of the Revolution.

Description
The Grande République believes that the Revolution can only be continued by force, in a fiery crusade against those too ignorant to see the benefit of it. They believe that-regardless of territorial possessions or borders-the people on the Island who do not belong to their Republic are in need of forceful liberation. They are the most militarised faction, with a loyalty to the Revolution above all else-even their loyalty to France. They are lead not by elected representatives or officials, but by proven Military men; an officer or soldier who performs great deeds on the battlefield will often find himself deciding the will of the Republic as a whole.
So far, the unique Grande République Mechanics are:

1. Military Masterminds
As the Republic has such strong ties to Military Procedure and service, they have become unrivalled masters of land warfare. When a Battle is about to begin, the Grande République are given a short period of time to move and reposition themselves, while the enemy faction must remain in spawn. Peace will be enabled during this period.

2. The Bastion Industry 
 The Grande République worked tirelessly under strict military guidance to create an incredibly strong industry for their efforts. As such, their builders became masters their craft, being able to finish constructions with otherworldly efficiency. The Grande République will start every battle with a larger pool of buildpoints, which will increase as territory is conquered.
 

[Scandypandy 78]

Update 3: Third Faction

Rossiyskiy Soyuz


Lore
Rossiyskiy Soyuz (or "Russian Union", commonly referred to as "the union") refers to a somewhat overlooked presence on the island. Both British and French scouts reported what they originally mistook for natives of the island, dwelling in primitive settlements and rarely venturing too far north beyond the stretch of southern land they call home. Further worrying reports indicated that for "natives" these people were worringly well armed, in massive numbers and oddly "slavic." Several somewhat awkward parleys between leaders of British and French settlements confirmed that neither of the two major settlements on the island were aware of exactly how a massive number of eastern european settlers had come to find themselves also stranded upon the island, nor why they seemed so content with their fate.
Rossiyskiy Soyuz encompasses a group of various Eastern-European "colonists" who have decided to call the island their home. Refusing to interfere in the bickering between the other two factions on the Island, the Rossiyskiy Soyuz prefers a form of watchful isolation. Any moves of aggression are often met with furious and overwhelming response; while the Russians lack some of the firepower of the other nations, they make up for in the sheer amount of manpower tucked into their corner of the Island. The origins of their presence on the island remains a mystery as there are no clear leaders; the people of the faction are so fiercely united in a shared safety and defence of their land that leaders are rarely needed outside of combat-in which case they usually come forward naturally.
As if by some miracle, several rowboats arrive full of more confused and weary people-all hailing from Eastern Europe and Russia. With their manpower seemingly unending and their territory limited, the Rossiyskiy Soyuz have decided to dig their heels in and cling to their chunk of land rather than risk losing their place on an island with seemingly no means of escape.

Description
The Rossiyskiy Soyuz is very different to the other two factions in the campaign, largely owing to its mysterious origins and lack of campaign objectives. To the Union, the primary goal of all citizens is the protection and and fortification of the land they call their own. Without the infamous Russian winter to protect them, they must instead rely on their ability to be extremely sparing in personal comforts in order to send resources to the frontier. Lacking the development and organisation of the Crown Colonies or Grande République, the Union does not always have access to certain military resources during battles. However, the sprawling colony of patriotic manpower has a benefit of having no clear centre, origin or capital; no one piece of land is more or less precious than any other under the Rossiysky Soyuz-all land must be protected as though it were the last bastion of their people.
So far, the Rossiyskiy Soyuz unique traits are:

1. Every Sacred Inch
Every piece of Union land is sacred to their people, and therefore no one piece can be treasured at the detriment of another. In order for Rossiyskiy Soyuz to be considered "defeated" they must:
-Control only 1 province, encircled by an enemy faction (one province connected to the sea allows them to fight on)
-Control no provinces whatsoever

2. Military of Mass
Rossiyskiy Soyuz's greatest strength is also one of its potential weaknesses; sheer manpower. So far, this has two affects:
-Once every 2 attacks, the Union can use the "Mass Assault" to gain a massive boost in men over the enemy team in a battle. However, this means that equipment is scarce and only basic arms (partisan) can be chosen to follow set officers. If this assault is successful, they cannot attack from that province until 2 more battles have passed.
-If the Union's cavalry are wiped out entirely during a battle, they will not have access to cavalry the next battle. They will have resupplied their cavalry by the time the following battle occurs.

3. Fortify the frontier
One of the Union's worst fears is an attack from aggressive neighbours upon their weak frontier, and therefore plans have been put in place to ensure that-as is the case with their infamous winter-life becomes harder for attackers the further they stray into their land. For every province lost by the Union to an enemy faction, they will gain a surplus of buildpoints.


Extra Note

We've had some comments wondering about balance issues with faction traits and the map itself. Don't worry-the traits revealed are works in progress and may be tweaked, added to or new traits may be created. Right now, we're just giving you a flavour of the factions. No faction will be horrendously at a disadvantage, and each should be a unique and fun experience to play.

[Scandypandy 78]

Quick update detailing what to expect from the various factions.

Some tweaks and additions to their abilities are coming soon, as well as the long awaited details on the map campaign itself.

Crown Colonies
The Crown Colonies will play like a very typical faction on NRP; you will follow your correct officer, everyone will be quite organised, you'll praise your king and fight for your brothers in arms. This is in itself a draw to the Crown Colonies, for those who want a vanilla experience with a few unique twists; the tactics of Crown Colony leaders and generals will be different to other factions as they will have much more flexibility in regards to how they attack or evade enemy armies on the campaign map. Less focus is put on the officer's ability on the Battlefield in the Crown Colonies; provided that the army itself can fight one incompetent or gunned down officer will not throw the army asunder as those directing the armys can work around these blunders.
One lost battle to the Crown Colonies is not a large setback, as their complex borders can be as much of a trap as it is a boon to an invader.
You should join the Crown Colonies if:
-You want a fairly regular NRP experience (soldiers/generals)

-You want a map campaign more aligned to defence (Leaders)

Grande République
The République differs from standard NRP play as they rely much more heavily on battlefield superiority than map tactics. The capital of the République is the centre of their nation and therefore every inch the enemy is allowed into the République's territory is a massive blow. Officers on the battlefield have much more emphasis on tactics; they are even given a bonus on the battlefield allowing them to move out and position before the enemy faction is permitted to leave spawn. Every victory for the République is a triumph, with enemy territory buffing the faction bonuses while every defeat is a disaster which can lead to a chain reaction of disarray.
You should join La Grande République if:
-You want an NRP experience much more heavily reliant on officers and organisation. (soldiers/generals)
-You want to play an aggressive map campaign (Leaders)

Rossiyskiy Soyuz
The Rossiyskiy Soyuz-the Russian Union-plays very differently to regular NRP. The Union relies on sheer manpower and the ability to confuse and scatter enemy units, and this is reflected in their gameplay. Players are not required to follow the correct officer, and can instead choose any officer they wish. Beacons will be on, but should players choose to abandon an officer in favour of another they will not be punished. Rambo rules still apply-players attempting to lone wolf/act without leaders will be slain. The Union has many unique mechanics, most of which are high-risk-high-reward. This means that a bad defeat can quickly undo massive amounts of work while a hard won victory will be all the sweeter. With the least tiles on the map, they would seem to be the easiest faction to overrun. However, the Union has no capital and thus will not begin to countdown to defeat until all but one tile remains their own. This faction is very irregular and is designed toward those looking for something unique and challenging.
You should join Rossiyskiy Soyuz if:
-You want a looser NRP experience, with more freedom at the cost of less organisation (soldiers)
-You enjoy potential swarm-based gameplay (soldiers)
-You are willing to have to convince men to follow you, or be ready to bring them with you should their current leader die (generals)
-You want a high-risk-high-reward map campaign (Leaders)
-You want a challenge (Soldiers, Generals, Leaders)

[Scandypandy 78]

Update 4: The Campaign

Apologies for the long wait between updates, this next one took more work than the other two combined. Creating a map for the NRP Campaign to take place on required a lot of thought to be put into both making it balanced and fun for the players at every level.
Here is an early picture of the map, without the borders and capital cities added:




The island will be split up into 3 countries, which will all then be split into tiles to represent territories.
Each country will have a different number of tiles however all we be balanced so that it takes the same about of time to reach the capital (with the exception of the Russian Union.)
-The capital city must be within 4 tiles of an enemy border
-The capital city cannot be more or less than 3 tiles away from the coast
-There must be multiple routes to reach the capital via 4 tiles

A (very rough) example of how territories will be split is shown below:



Excuse the terrible first draft, but to explain:
-Black borders are country borders
-Yellow borders are provinces/tiles
-Blue tiles represent where a unique/NRP map will be located
-Orange tiles represent the capital of a country

As you can see, each country has a different layout. This is to allow the lore of each nation to play into the campaign aspect.
The Grande République is a highly centralised nation which means their tiles are geared around the defence of the capital. While they have less tiles than the Crown Colonies, their capital is much harder to invade and there are fewer ways to approach an invasion other than head on. Defeating the République on the battlefield is the best way to beat them back as opposed to clever map tactics.

The Crown Colonies on the other hand has a much larger number of tiles, representing the numerous autonomous towns and settlements run by the various Mayors all vying for power. The Colony's greatest strength lies in adaptability; one defeat on the battlefield leaves many opportunities open for regrouping and recovery. Their faction trait allows them to continue fighting at full force even after their original capital falls; however this is not a sustainable tactic as it requires keeping as many tiles connected in an unbroken line as possible. The Crown Colonies can afford to lose a few battles without worrying but will need to be careful and plan ahead when making moves on the campaign map.

The Rossiyskiy Soyuz is a very unique faction in regards to the map campaign; with hardly any tiles and no capital, the odds are heavily set against them. Their faction traits are all designed toward a desperate defence of every inch of land; while the République and the Colonies can use tactics when deciding how to approach one another, potentially occupying tiles without having to tackle large armies, every advance into Russian land is a desperate battle. The Union only falls when it has nowhere left to run and regroup, therefore making every single tile a high priority.

Faction traits and mechanics will be tweaked and balanced as we move ahead, but I wanted to give a basic outline of how the map will look.

As for how players can actually impact the map:

Leaders will be in charge of directing the armies. Each nation will have a set number of armies which can occupy one tile at a time. Leaders can command these armies to move to another tile along whichever path they choose. Currently, non-blue/orange tiles can be occupied without a fight if they have no army stationed in them, however you will always need to fight for a blue or orange tile. We're working on balancing where and when armies can be moved to avoid exploitative tactics.

Generals get reserved slots as officers on armies, and will be included in the narrative of all major battles of they perform well. Particularly skilled generals may even get a shot at becoming leaders down the line, allowing them to command an army on the map. Generals can also kill other campaign generals; if a Colonies general kills a Russian Union General in combat there is a chance that the fallen General may be killed and eliminated from the narrative! (Characters who are killed can immediately remake a character or rename their current one.)

Soldiers are simply reserved characters who can play as usual but who-if they perform anything noteable-will be noted in the narrative. Soldiers can also work their way up to General, but it may require some hard work. 

[Scandypandy 78]

Hello! Back again with another update on the progress of the campaign.
Most of the fiddly bits are done; we've figured out most of the mechanical portions of the campaign i.e how things will be moved along.
The map above is the current campaign map-still subject to some minor changes-however the 3 factions are represented as follows:

RED = Crown Colonies
BLUE = Grande République
GREEN = Rossiyskiy Soyuz

The map will be conquered using armies, which each faction will be able to control. Each faction has a different number of armies, all altered for sake of balance and fun which fits in with the lore.
Here's some details for leaders and generals in regards to what you guys will be up against during the campaign.

Crown Colonies
The Colony's greatest strength is also its greatest weakness; decentralisation allows for a huge amount of flexibility in defence but also gives attackers more options. Leaders will have to be very smart for the Colonists; while generals can afford to lose a few battles things can go sour VERY quickly if the map aspect of the campaign is poorly run. With a large, splintered border against an almost unified Republican frontier, you'll need to be on your toes if you want to not only fend them off but also make gains in tiles.

The Crown Colonies have access to 3 Armies, however one of them is unique; the Colonial Garrison is a defensive-only army which cannot attack enemy tiles or armies. The garrison army-if defeated-cannot re-spawn until 3 turns have passed at which point it will spawn in the capital. Use the Colonial Garrison to block off enemy attack points, or to give you more freedom in your defence against approaching armies.

Colonists can also navally invade, and are the only faction who can do so.
Naval invasions take time to complete, with the amount of turns required to make landfall changing based on the invasions launch point and target. Naval invasions give much more tactical freedom when invading enemy territory, and when combined with the Colonial Garrison's defence and the second army they can be the turning point in any campaign.

Grande République
Republican leaders have a much less messy set of borders to deal with; the highly centralised nature of the République means that their campaign should focus on expansion rather than defence; the more territory you conquer, the bigger the space between the capital and the enemy. Generals are arguably just as important as Leaders in the République, as every single battle for a tile can have huge ramifications on the République's ability to fight on.

The Grande République has access to 2 Armies. While this may seem like it makes them weaker against the 3 Armies the Colonies has, it rather better reflects the faction as a whole; they have less provinces to defend and become more powerful as they conquer territory. Leaders will want to focus on wiping out enemy armies before conquering too many tiles; overstretching your military can mean all your gained ground can easily be lost if you let enemy armies run amok. 

Republicans have faction traits based on winning battles and gaining tiles. At the start of every battle they are allowed to position their men while the enemy team have to wait. If your generals are skilled and make good use of this time, defeating enemy armies can be relatively easy. Clever map tactics take a backseat to battlefield supremacy, as eliminating an army from the area is the only way to give Leaders the freedom to conquer tiles.

A new trait which is in the works for the Grand République is the Frontier Fortress. This is meant to aid your attempts to invade with your limited numbers of armies; once you have advanced into enemy tiles, Leaders can choose to construct a fortress on a tile which will make that tile and all those adjacent to it impassable for a certain number of turns until an enemy faction successfully takes the fortress. The number of times this can be done and under what specific circumstances will come later.

Rossiyskiy Soyuz
The Rossiyskiy Soyuz (RU) will be an exceptionally challenging and unique experience for Leaders and Generals, as well as soldiers. From the get go, the odds are stacked against them; they have almost no fortified tiles, no capital to rally around, the least number of armies and several traits which can turn one nasty defeat into the downfall of the Faction.
However, RU operates on a High-Risk-High-Reward status; campaign moves will be more about taking advantage of weaknesses or drawing out enemies, in order to beat them through attrition. While you lack the military to embark on true invasions, the RU can absolutely afford to lose tiles in favour of gaining enemy territory; with no capital to defend, the RU simply needs to control a reasonable amount of tiles anywhere on the map to remain in the fight.

The Rossiyskiy Soyuz has only one army. They have the least tiles, which means their one army can be easily and quickly moved around. Leaders will want to avoid their front with the enemy factions to become too big, and can expect to take some losses in tiles. Military opportunity comes for RU as they allow the enemy to advance, only to dig in and repel them.  Enemy leaders will want to avoid allowing RU borders to move too close to their capitals, and will want to snatch as many of their tiles as possible without leaving themselves open to attack from another faction.

Mass Invasions are a trait which give the RU an essentially invisible army of sheer mass; every once in a while the Leader of the RU will be able to send forth a massive force toward an enemy. Any battle that ensues while this army is active will have the numbers heavily in RU's favour, however the horde armies are not nearly as well equipped as regular armies and will need to rely on aggressive and brave tactics to overcome organised enemy forces. The RU also gain buffs to their buildpoints and sappers when they lose territory, allowing their defence to become stronger with every lost tile.

Rossiyskiy Soyuz Generals will not be entitled to any units after spawning. The men of the RU are instructed simply to follow an officer; while their officers are beaconed, there is no limit or rule on which officer the men choose to follow. While some officers may find it frustrating to have to wait for other officers to fall in order to get their chance at glory, this gives the RU a large amount of flexibility and strength; if a large group of soldiers has a backup officer, the line may still recover from the first officer falling. RU Generals will want to avoid drawing their lines out too thin; the disorganised nature of the faction means that eliminating potentially high-threat enemy groups should take precedence over securing the entirety of the battlefield.


That concludes the first half of the map-mechanics update. More will be posted soon, keep an eye out!

 

[Scandypandy 78]

We have our first Leader! Shephard has been chosen to lead the Crown Colonies. I'd encourage all of you who are interested in the Colonies to get in touch with him, particularly those of you who wish to be generals as I may refer to him when trying to decide which applicants are likely to keep up their enthusiasm.
(Also I know the picture is just wellington, Leaders can be depicted by pictures of real-life people if they wish provided they don't just roleplay as the person in question)

Expect the next 2 leaders to be announced soon!

Royal Colonial Overseer of the Crown Colonies

Name: (Mayor Elect) Shephard Kemp
Player: Shephard




Biography:
The prominent settlement of Tawny was often seen as the unofficial centre of the Crown Colonies, even prior to the notion of the nation's existence. The arguable breadbasket of the surrounding settlements, it had always been a common source of supplies and manpower for other towns and mayorships as they attempted to further colonise the island. It was among the first of the major towns to suggest the notion of colonial unification on the island, using the past co-operation between the various groups as the foundation of its argument against the continued confrontations between the opportunistic explorers and mayors.

As the first Capital of the Colonies-with the Declaration of Colonial Unity signed in its own Town Hall-it gained much legitimacy as it continued to produce successful candidates for RCO (Royal Colonial Overseer, the official "Ruler" of the various Mayor Elects) and used its influence to limit the level to which the rival Mayors could play one another for power.
The latest Mayor Elect of Tawny was one Shephard Kemp, a military veteran who rose to popularity through his work on decentralisation, giving way to the highly flexible nature of the Crown Colony borders we see today. While his military prowess was not as notable as his governmental work, his attention to detail and dedication to the ideas of the Colony pushed him into the spotlight of Royal Colonial Overseer.
Shephard was elected on a mandate of Colonial expansion, putting him under pressure  to try and expand into land supposedly "claimed" by The Grande République. While certainly possible, this would likely stoke tensions beyond boiling point were it ever to be formally put into practice, however to ignore in favour of stability may cost Shephard his popularity.

While not naive in regards to the ambitions of the powerful neighbours that the Crown Colonies face, Shephard sees the other factions-the Russians in particular-not as enemies to be crushed but rather nations of potential colonial men and women who are at risk of ruin should opportunistic ambitions get out of control.
Mustering the Colonial Army, Shephard will ensure that no harm may come to the Colonial Borders. With the people of Tawny and the ever-bickering Mayors sworn to serve him, Shephard's term of leadership faces the first true test that the Colonies have had.

[Scandypandy 78]

Lidor Muzhchin (Leader of Men), Champion of the Rossiyskiy Soyuz

Name: (Lidor Muzchin) Nirok
Player: Niroc
Biography:
As is the case with all those living within the Russian Union, little can truly be confirmed about the past of its current Leader.
Scattered whispers amongst the various military veterans of the Union speak of an infamous campaign against the leader of his home country, a war which ripped his country asunder. Lidor Muzchin Nirok-known to most as Lirdor Niroc-rose to power not through diplomatic trickery nor popular demand, but rather to fill a power vacuum well beyond its capacity.
With countless years of military experience, he is known for little other than his knowledge of warfare and his ferocious temper. As the Russian refugees lived quietly all over the southern parts of the island, ever in fear of their northern neighbours, Nirok saw in them a weakness which sparked a fire that would go on to shake the Rossiyskiy Soyuz to the core.
Gathering up the most powerful tribes and settlements, he forcefully resettled the strongest men into locations along the northern area of their territory, creating somewhat artificial but undeniable borders where French-British territory ended and "Russian" territory began.
When other prominent figures in the Union attempted to speak out against this authoritarian approach to the civilians, Nirok responded not with words but instead with brutality unmatched on the island; mass executions of dissenters became commonplace.
Despite the overhanging sense of dread in the Union, the raids and trespasses from British and French troops had stopped. The Refugees had gone largely undisturbed for quite some time. Law and order prevailed due to the presence of the massive-albeit somewhat organised-unified army.
Gone were the days of chaos and confusion, a new era of unified defence of a likeminded people began to sweep across the Union.
While there are still those who oppose or outright conspire against Nirok, he stands undisputed as the leader of the Rossiyskiy Soyuz and the lands it controls. 

Some time has passed since Nirok assumed the legendary title of Lidor Muzchin, and all traces of uncertainty or dissent have been swept asunder by the tide of prosperity and unity. Looking north, Nirok saw the frontier settlements cower in fear as the French and British forces began to posture and mobilise. The battle drums were sounding, and war was no longer a dreaded possibility but rather an accepted inevitability.
Steeling his people, Lidor Muzchin Nirok faces an almost impossible challenge; land and lives will be lost, but through persistence and ferocity a future may yet be won for the Union.

[Scandypandy 78]

Soldat Supérieur, Head of State and Military of the Grande République

Name: Pierre Léonard Roussaint (Affectionately known as "The Tax Collector)
Player: Tax Collector
Biography:
Gaining influence in the Grande République proved difficult during times of peace; without military prowess or showmanship there was little to be found in opportunities to gain the respect of those around you.
Pierre Léonard was a statesman charged with the defence and management of several small frontier provinces which had fallen into disrepair. At the time, the République was struggling to escape from a bout of recession and stagnation; despite being a military and industrial powerhouse, the lack of need for materials other than civilian goods was leading the nation down a path of almost certain ruin. 
In some circles there was even talk of common dissent or unrest, leading to rumours of open rebellion against the state. Pierre believed that the problem lay in the poorly managed frontier provinces, which had become convoluted and bloated which demanded more resources which were essentially wasted upon arriving at such needlessly complex jurisdictions.
Some say his centralisation proposals were implemented far too quickly by how radically they changed the borders of the République, but regardless almost all frontier provinces were centralised into sweeping territories lead by a single commander-often with a designated levy of men to be raised on command of the Capital.
A new Tax system-which taxed provinces based on the goods they received as opposed to the goods they produced-encouraged the various settlements to try and rely less on imports from the capital but rather focus more on exporting goods to the capital in order to avoid the hefty tax.
While controversial (so controversial that the common soldiers would often simply refer to him as the Tax Collector) at first, the resulting circumstances lead to the struggling Capital of the République to blossom into a powerhouse to rival Paris herself, becoming the centre of everything which happened within the République.
For his wise policies and aggressive attitude toward bureaucracy-as well as his noted military training-Pierre Léonard Roussaint became the Soldat Supérieur of the Grande République.

The "Tax Collector" has several challenges ahead of him, almost all of which must be addressed and solved on the Battlefield. The level to which the entirety of the Réublique relies on its capital means that every single inch between the enemy and the glorious city must be defended at all costs. As a largely military-focused faction, several losses on the Battlefield will spell ruin for both Pierre and the République itself.
With the levies raised and the civilians fiercely loyal, the Grande République looks to its neighbours with sword in hand.

[Scandypandy 78]

Minor Update

The "development" stage of the Campaign is coming to a close, as most of the mechanics and plans have been laid into place.

We will now be training the 3 leaders so that they are ready to lead the faction, choosing the faction generals and generally tidying up the last logistical bits and pieces before we can start.

If you have any questions/want to chat about something campaign related, make a thread and get a discussion going. At long last, we are nearing the point where we can begin this unique and bombastic experience.