It's the End of the World As We Know It, #1

[The Rock Doctor]

Picture this:

It's July 1, 1919, and the N-verse Earth is unexpectedly struck by a series of small asteroids (ala The Peshawar Lancers).  They fall in a line between Moscow and Bretagne, France, one in the NW Atlantic, and a cluster "shotgun" the Central Plains of North America.  This has the following effects:

-Local devastation across Europe and North America
-Coastal devastation to eastern North America and western Europe due to oceanic impact-related tsunami
-Northern hemisphere crop failures in the summer of 1919
-Partial southern hemisphere crop failure in the winter of 1919/20
-A mini ice age in the northern hemisphere, which is correctly predicted by scientists in the fall of 1919 as temperatures plummet.  Mortality rates in the north are expected to be near-total after three years
-Hemispheric cooling in the southern hemisphere, with predicted mortality rates of around 50 - 70% after three years

My questions to you are:

-Assuming normal activity and deployments, how devastated are your military, your infrastructure, your industry, and your population?
-Does your government (plus some element of your larger nation) attempt to evacuate - if so, how much do you think you can move, and where do they go?
-If you're in the southern hemisphere to start with - what do you do?

[maddox]

For France, Ceylon and Djibouti will consolidate. France will be abandoned and plundered before the ice-age destroys all.
The huge liner Le Magnificent will have a shitload of work evacuating Important French Officials.

But that depends what politicians or powerfull political figures survive.
Otherwise we'll see a civil war over the scraps, with Glorious France being devoured internaly before cannibalism devours the people.

The near equator colonies will try for independence of course. (West africa and Polynesia in forefront)

[Carthaginian]

Wow... well, as the Ice Age would have severe detrimental effects on my nations, since it would have only Haiti as a 'safe haven', I guess that the CSA would pretty much wind up as a non-entity. Ships would have 2-3 months of provisions, and the Army and Marines would survive... but the primarily agrarian national populations would be in for a rough time.

Not a big fan of this one.
Though it would effectively end the world for me, anyway.

[TexanCowboy]

If ya'll are planning this....

Well, since Romania is about 200 miles south of the initial line, I don't see much primary damage. However, crop failure would be near total rates, and the oil supply would have to drop, as a result. Obviously, Romania would be done for, however, a small elite would most likely be able to escape to Kenya, or thereabouts, with the DKB.

[The Rock Doctor]

If we were doing this, we'd just do it.  But y'all would probably riot. 

[Sachmle]

-Assuming normal activity and deployments, how devastated are your military, your infrastructure, your industry, and your population?

Initially, not much of an effect. Over time, with the partial crop failure combined with the 50-70% 3yr population drop I'd be hurting, especially in the vaterland. Ost Afrika would have to be reinforced immiediately to stop those who have no where else to go from stealing it.

-Does your government (plus some element of your larger nation) attempt to evacuate - if so, how much do you think you can move, and where do they go?

Eventually, perhaps. Depends on how long term the damage is in the southern hemisphere. IF we ran, it would probably be to Ost Afrika and appearently Prußens are quite good at moving and rebuilding considering we moved most of the country to ~New Zealand and rebuilt in ~30yrs.

-If you're in the southern hemisphere to start with - what do you do?

See above.

[Desertfox]

I love it! New Switzerland, smack dab in the middle of the equator becomes a global power overnight. All my big enemies collapse and my merchant marine becomes a very valuable commodity.

[The Rock Doctor]

To answer my own question:

-I expect I lose some naval power/infrastructure/population/economy depending on how the tsunamis travel in the Atlantic.  Might not be much, I'm not sure.

-I likely face refugee issues in the Caribbean and in Africa.  The latter is, in this scenario, a distraction; either I dispose of the African territories to hapless Northerners or, perhaps, I sell/give it up to an established power.  There's a reasonable chance Orange walks in and takes it.

-I have to consider the possibility of CSA, UNK, and/or Rohirrim refugees - possibly backed up by significant military power - fleeing my way in the Caribbean and Pacific.  I will need to deal with at least one, to have them on my side.  Otherwise, things may get ugly.

-See if my Iberian allies need assistance relocating their important people.  My NUS friends should be virtually intact.

-Long term, I think the Alizandro government is hard-ass enough to keep order during the rough times, though a military coup is possible.  Perhaps the Amazon gets clear-cut faster and put into agricultural use.

[Logi]

-Assuming normal activity and deployments, how devastated are your military, your infrastructure, your industry, and your population?

Not at all initially, but the crop failure and morality rate of 50%~70% over three years would hurt the RRC. The RRC's populations would be severely cut down for size.

The military will likely claim the food available to them before distributing the rest. However, the military will still be huge and likely more overbearing than ever, making it hard for a successful revolt to occur even if they wanted to.

Developed infrastructure and industry will likely not be affected, but agricultural industry (which is most of the RRC) will suffer a great deal.

-Does your government (plus some element of your larger nation) attempt to evacuate - if so, how much do you think you can move, and where do they go?

Probably no evacuation, the RRC has nothing for that. Expect mass land migrations if it comes to it.

-If you're in the southern hemisphere to start with - what do you do?

See above.

[maddox]

In short,  the Nverse Mayor Powers would be "obliterated", and that vacuum would reshift the possibilities.


I see it as a mayor reset, if all powers are knocked back to , let us say techlevel 1890...
Of course, you can't destroy knowledge unless you kill all the people, and even then, as long it is known it is possible, some faster innovations are possible.


But, for now, I don't want to "kill" N3.

[Valles]

Maoria ends up Nordic or Siberian for a few years, but has a bit of warning and most if not all of its infrastructure, industry, and military either fully functional or at worst a little earthquake damaged.

Careful rationing, a failure to panic, short-growth crops, and a crash-built fishing fleet could, I think, keep at least most of the population alive.

The difficult bits would hinge on conditions in the DKB homeland, since we know that the ethnic-Maori population there is, what, verging on fifty percent? And in the economic brackets likely to be worst hit by starvation and such. That situation could get real interesting, real fast, especially given that, between mainland commitments and what-have-you, the DKB would be much more likely to end up pulled into the conflicts raging further north, while Maoria, perhaps the most isolated significant nation in the world, wouldn't be a particularly likely destination for refugees.

[ctwaterman]

Ok,

Part 1.  Crop Failures in Northern and Central Europe would as indicated be near total.   The Further South you go the more likely you are to be able to grow something.   As a restult Places Like Greece, Italy, Albania and Southern France and Iberia would have to switch from growing Citruis fruits and other long growth items to Growing Potatoes and Oats and Barley.  Wheat is a no go in most places.

Part 2.  The Major Fleet Ports of the North Atlantic are Gone the CSA, UNK, how this lovely little disaster managed to miss hitting the Pacific Ocean is a significant statistical inconsistancy :)   Obvisouly its a New Swiss Plot as Foxy stated.

Ok,   Italy will no longer be able to support its population and to be blunt needs to seal its borders to keep refugee out if I want to maintain even 50 to 25 percent of my population.  Luckily none of my fleet is in the Atlantic so I have a completely intact fleet and a need to secure more places to grow food immediately.

Target 1... North Africa -->  Egypt historically could produce a severe surplus of wheat now its going to have to be growing Oats, Barley and Potatoes due to the shortage of sunlight and shorter growing season.

Target 2..  Central and East Africa would be New Zion and parts of French Central Africa that are conductive to growing things.  The Plains of Africa will have to become huge cattle ranches.   Zebra meat anyone...?????

The Plan is going to have to take place fast to take advantage of ties available.  In East Africa a quick agreement with say the DKB to cement our holding in that location will have to be reached.  France is devestated and an offer of Alliance with Egypt will have to be offered either that or conquest.   The CSA is gone along with most of the UNK so I can offer a home and support to try and gain the loyalty of the French Djibouti and Ceylon fleets.  France should move what it can save to North Africa and Central Africa.

Over all my fleet is intact along with my army Im not so sure about the armies of Northern and Central Europe by I am safe behind my shield of the Alps and I should be able to grow Potatoes in Sicily and Southern Italy but I figure I might be lucky and be able to save 50% of my Population.

[maddox]

We could make this into a shared universe storieline.....

[Kaiser Kirk]

[quote author=The Rock Doctor link=topic=4940.msg59121#msg59121

-Assuming normal activity and deployments, how devastated are your military, your infrastructure, your industry, and your population?
-Does your government (plus some element of your larger nation) attempt to evacuate - if so, how much do you think you can move, and where do they go?
-If you're in the southern hemisphere to start with - what do you do?
[/quote]

Bavaria is seriously impacted. The impact zone is just north of our borders, but there would presumably be some direct impacts to Saxony and Hesse. Indirectly, our allies and trading partners were just blasted flat. The actual infrastructure in Silesia/Wurttemberg and military (mostly deployed East/West) may not be so bad off at first, but with the crop failures and ice age, we are in dire straits.

For those that remain , crisis mode would see government centralization. Control of energy production, an emphasis on determining which if any areas might remain ice free, and a crash program on greenhouses, storage, and shelter.  Friuli would likely see an influx, but only so many can reach.

The government would attempt to secure shipping to allow as much migration to as many places as possible. Military action to secure living room would be seriously considered, and might be engaged in as a threat to coerce aid. Approaching the Hapsburgs about the sudden need to launch a mideastern crusade might be an option. Attempting take over the Gold Coast region is another.

[Jefgte]

News from NUS Pacific

The CTB Cartagena during the patrol off Talara, has been rocked by a wave higher than the average. Effect of a small tsunami.
There were 2 injured in the engine room.
No damage found on ships.