RP thread

[Red Dot]

New York Times Exclusive - 15 February 2101

A look at our new line of defense against ICBMs

The NY Times has been granted limited access to the NAU's newest weapon in its arsenal - the Peacekeeper Continental Defense System. Located in remote mountain site in Alaska and protected by heavily armed troops, the first of the Peacekeeper came online at 06:04 AM yesterday.  The system is the cornerstone of a much more aggressive disarmament policy by the Point-Rouge Administration.  The system itself has allowed the NAU to send the following ultimatum to the Russian Confederation: Disarm or face the destruction of your ICBM bases.  This unprecedented action by a supranational government has shocked the world's diplomatic circles. Even now, negotiations are underway at the UN in Geneva to try and settle the confrontation witout bloodshed.

With this diplomatic backdrop, a visit of the Peacekeeper was approved by the DUD and our reporter has visited the Peacekeeper site.  Here is what he reported:

"I am currently in a secret remote location in Alaska and I have to say that I am quite amazed by the security surrounding this installation.  Heavily armed Special Forces soldiers manned the various checkpoints. I have seen ground to air missile systems as well multiple camouflaged bunkers.  The Peacekeeper system itself is much less conspicuous. As a matter of fact, it looks somewhat like an old telescope design.  My escort - LTC Faerly Rowbust - tells me that the system is armed with 10 of the Air Force designed Meson Cannon with redundant fire controls and sensor suite. I am also told that the Peacekeeper functioned extremely well in all simulations and that it reached a near 100% accuracy against the current generation of ICBMs. In effect, this system provides the protection that were unachievable  with the old "Strategic Defense Initiative" of the 20th Century or the 21st Century's "Ballistic Missile Defense." This is William Beaufort reporting from Alaska."

At this stage, it is too early to tell how this crisis will unfold. One thing is certain,the world will not be the same with the Trans-Newtonian Elements and trying to hold on to the status quo may be untenable.

[Drgong (OP)]

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has placed the Atomic clock at 11:59, due to the real threat of nuclear war.

[Drgong (OP)]

ICBM+



The FSA released a media guide for the ICBM+, also known as the Ratel (Honey badger) missile.   Using Trans Newtonian technology, it is one of the most fearsome weapons the FSA has fielded, using existing ICBM bases, it as some put it "Hits before even advanced sensors know it is coming"

the FSA confirmed that it fields such weapons, but is mum on how many are in operation. 

[Drgong (OP)]

Election coverage


The "Peacekeeper Crisis" ending is expected to have the following impacts on the FSA election.

National Front - Bonus, depending if NAU ties are damaged
Peace Now - took a major hit, as it did not play into their hands
Amal - campaign shift to move closer to the NAU.
Liberal party - Minor hit
Volksparty - Major poll gains
ANC - campaign shift to move closer to Russia


Polls

National Front 45%
Amal 12% 
Volksparty 12%
Peace Now 8% 
Liberal party 8%
ANC 5%
Undecided 10%

Votes are on March 1st.   If the National Front is unable to obtain 50% of the seats, they will have to form a coalition government, and will result in a reshuflling.   The National Front logical partners are Amal to form a center-Right coalition, or Volksparty to form a Right wing government.    The Green Party hopes to gain 2% and seats. 

[Sheb]

AFP

Vice-President Jonathan von Sheb indicted over the Peacekeeper crisis

An all-night emergency session of the North American Congress on the Peacekeeper crisis ended in the impeachment of vice-president Jonathan von Sheb. von Sheb was the main architect of Plan Dark Letter, the ultimatum to Russia we brought the world to the brink of disaster. Calls to the vice-president's office where rerouted to the office of Attorney General Robert Derbenny, who confirmed the Justice Department is currently investigation whether there is a case for charges of treasons to be brought up, and that von Sheb was currently in detention pending a decision.

A press release from von Sheb's councel denounced what he called a "political show trial" to "scapegoat the Vice-President and hide the collective responsability of Congress in approving the Dark Letter plan".

Back in von Sheb's district of Northern Cascadia potential successors are getting ready for a potential by-election. Rep-Conservative Bob O'Donnal denounced the policy of the Institutional Revolutionary Democrats, why Johanna Duvois launched a new attack ad accusing O'Donnal of putting his career ahead of the Union's interest.

President Point-Rouge is set to address Congress later in the day, amidst call for his resignation and rumor of further impeachment proceedings.

[Red Dot]

Congressional Holo Channel

Live Broadcast of President Point-Rouge's resignation - 15 February 2101 23:17

"My fellow North Americans, mes compatriotes nord-américains, mis compañeros norteamericanos, the plan I had endorsed in the hope of getting rid of the nuclear threat has backfired. The message of a nuclear-free world was lost in the shoddy execution of Plan DARK LETTER. We are now even more threatened by nuclear weapons with the additional threat from the FSA. I have come to realise that my dream of a world without nuclear weapons was a ‘bridge too far.’

My leadership abilities are now questioned and the fact that I was unable to control the more hawkish elements of my administration means that it is time for me to step down from the Presidency of the North American Union.  I will remain as Congressman since my constituents in the great State of Quebec still have confidence in my abilities as a Congressman but as of today, I am resigning from the Presidency.

I wish my replacement the best of luck and surer hand at the wheel.

Thank you for your attention."

[Red Dot]

Address to the NAU Congress by Lorenzo Rosso, 16 February 2101 08:00

Congressmen and Congresswomen,

I stand before quite humbled by your confidence in my abilities to clean up the mess left by the previous Administration.  As we used to say in Brooklyn when I was growing up: “You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.” This is exactly my promise to you today. I will take stern measures to restrain the rampant liberalism present in many of our governmental structures. It is time for these institutions of government to realise that Congress runs this nation and not them. 

I also promise to curtail our tendency to meddle in the affairs of the world.  The so-called doctrine of ‘Balance-of-Power’ has proven expensive and dangerous. It is time to put North America back at the center of our concerted efforts. I want this nation to become great again. We will do that by focussing our efforts at our own development and the rest of the world can do as they well please. That process will begin by the suspension of all our relations with the Russians and the ‘back-stabbing’ Free Staters.

By working together towards our great goal we can all contribute to make the NAU great again*.

Thank you and good night.

* OOC: In no way does this represent support for the current US Presidential candidate Mr. Donald Trump. It is a good catch phrase though.

[Drgong (OP)]

The apparent withdrawal of NAU into isolation is viewed as a blow to the national front in the upcoming election.   Many commentators are expecting that the National Front may lose its outright majority forcing a coalition government.

[Drgong (OP)]

FSA Election coverage

March 1, 2100

National Front loses majority!
Polls have closed across the FSA in the snap election called after many of the MPs of the National Front left to join Amal.   

The final results are in.  The national front fell two seats short of a Majority, and must continue as a Minority government or form a coalition.  Logical coalition partners are Amal and Liberal Party, due to long standing issues between the National front and the hard right Volksparty. 

National Front  has earned 48% of the vote, earning 96 seats(+2 seats from non-allocated seats). (-5 seats)
The Volksparty earned 18% of the vote, earning 36 seats (+20 seats)
Amal has earned 12% of the vote, earning 24 seats (+1 seats)
ANC earned 7.5% of the vote, earning 15 seats (+2 seats)
Peace NOW! has earned 7% of the vote, earning  14 seats (-11 seats)
The Liberal party earned 6.5% of the vote, earning 13 seats (-7 seats)

Green Party earned 1% of the vote, not qualifying for a seat, and were allocated to the National Front as the high vote party.

[Drgong (OP)]

ANC, Peace Now to Merge.

The ANC and Peace Now have announced that they will be merging.  The new party will be called  "Communists Party of the Free State Alliance" or CP-FSA.

[Sheb]

AP - North American Union scrap Peacekeeper project

Press Secretary Derek Cecil announced that the new NAU government had scrapped the planned expansion of the Peacekeeper line of mesons artillery brigades. "After the Peacekeep Crisis, we do not feel it would send a good signal to keep producing more Peacekeepers. We hope the world will see this decision as the proof that the new government wants peace over all."

[Drgong (OP)]

The FSA lower house

Red: Communists Party - Free State Alliance (CP-FSA) 29 seats/14.5%
Yellow: Liberal Party (LP) 13 seats/6.5%
Green: Amal (AM) 24 seats/12%
Blue: National Front (NF) 98 seats/49%
Orange: Volksparty (VP) 36 seats/18%

(Goodwill code (CP-FSA - 18, VP - 16, NF - 4,  AM - 4) )

The Senate is as follows

Senate
Non-partisan 20 (71.4%)
National Front - 6 (21.42%)
Peace Now - 1 (3.57%)
Liberal Party - 1 (3.57%)

[Sheb]

What's the goodwill code?

[Drgong (OP)]

FSA suspends "Project Kruger"

with the announcement of the scrapping of the NAU peacekeeper project, the FSA announced that its planned "Kruger" system has been indefinitely suspended.   The Kruger system was a meson armed defensive system.   

FSA spokesman declined to comment on the nature of the "Deep Sand" system that was rolled out by the FSA.   

"The FSA firmly believes in Mutual Assured Destruction is the best way to secure peace.   FSA MAD system will consist of two upgraded missiles, the ICMB+, also known as the Ratel MK 1, or "Heavy Iron", and the smaller, less expensive Ratel Mk II.  Both systems will use preexisting ICBM launch systems. The Goal is to replace the entirety of the older ICBM series of missiles. 

[Drgong (OP)]

What's the goodwill code?

Okay, this will be a good time to explain how FSA politics run.  The FSA has a lower house (Volksraad) and a upper house (Senate).   The Volksraad is directly elected by the people, the Senate made of Senators for life. 

The Senate consists of 20 non-partisan senators (AKA, what the admin decides what they are) and senators nominated by the party.   Each party earns "Goodwill" by their results in the elections.  when goodwill reaches 20, they get to place a senator in the senate.   Since I had two parties merge, (Really there was not much difference between the ANC and Peace Now) I had to check to make sure their merged amounts didn't reach 20.   

Example: The National Front holds 49% of the seats.  Thus they at the end of the year earn 49 points of goodwill.   40 of those points are used to name newly minted senators, and nine is carried over to the next year. While the smallest party, the Liberal Party, controls 6.5 percent, and thus can only appoint a senator every 3 years (and change).

The Senate die off is just me rolling a d100, with each senator assigned a number.   If I roll a blank number, no one passed on, while if  i roll a number they passed on and I roll again. Thus the max is really 99.


From the FSA constitution.

Upper House (Senate)
Senators are named for life.   There are 20 non-partisan senators, and then at the end of each year new senators are nominated.   For every percent of voting, a party gains one point of "goodwill" at the end of the year.   When a party gains 20 points, they get to use it to name a senator.   (I check twice a year for senators to pass on, thus limiting the senate to 99 members  except for short term overruns.)