Proposal: The Conquest of Paradise

[KWorld]

The World:
Map will be that of the real world, perhaps slightly abstracted to remove small islands in non-strategic locations.  (We'll either use the current map or the Imperial Diplomacy map, with mods per the setup.)

Starting date:
To be determined by vote, sometime from 1890 to 1905.  [Reasoning is that by 1885, steam engines were becoming reliable and efficient enough to trust for long-distance cruising, rather than needing sails as a backup.  The moderator doesn't want to have to deal with winds and their effect on cruising.]

Setup:
Balanced – history will be a guide, but the UK will not be the colossus astride the world she was.   There will be medium-sized powers as well, but which ones are in play will depend on what countries our starting players choose to take as their own (and hence become the major players).  If you want to take a non-historical power and make it a power, start a thread to explain the backstory to me and everyone else and we'll talk about it. 

Colonies:
Some countries will start with overseas colonies, others will not.  Acquiring colonies will require warships, troops, and investment.  Colonies can revolt, either on their own (a random event, essentially) or with foreign encouragement.

Territories:
Some countries may start with territories, possessions that are more than colonies but less than states or provinces (Alaska was a US territory during this period, Canada would, for this sim, be a UK territory).  Territories, unlike colonies, are unlikely to revolt, but they are also existing at sim-start.  Converting a colony to a territory will be arduous and expensive.

[Jefgte]

Starting date:...

1890 with 1885-86-87-88-89 fleet

Setup:

Max difference report 1 for 2
UK could be 600.000t & the smaller countries 300.000t, not less.

Colonies

We need troop transport ships - rules to wrote

Territories

Gibraltar - Suez - Panama - Martinique...
Statuts to define.
Tahiti is always to France... because, that's Paradise  :)   8)  :-*

Jef  ;)

[Walter]

Looks like a regional powerhouse will need to make life difficult for France and steal borrow Tahiti. ;D

[KWorld]

I'd suggest that, if we only have 6 starting countries, the starting countries might be even higher than half of the UK.  If the UK was at 600,000t (to use your number, Jef), I'd suggest that the other countries might start at or above 400,000t.


Troop transports of the period were generally hired liners, supported by freighters.  We will need something to cover the costs of transport, yes.


Gibraltar is probably a British territory.  Suez would not be a British territory, it would be either part of the Ottoman Empire or a British colony or protectorate.  Panama, at sim start, would certainly not be an American territory, historically it would probably be a US colony starting with it's independence.  Small islands like Martinique would depend on which map we're using.

[Walter]

From what I can see, Panama was a department of Colombia before 1903 and not a US colony.

[KWorld]

From what I can see, Panama was a department of Colombia before 1903 and not a US colony.

Definitely.  Like I said, for sim purposes you could consider it a US colony starting with it's independence from Colombia.

[Walter]

Unfortunately I do not read the "historically" bit you mentioned as "sim purposes". I read that as OTL. Still, I don't see why it needs to be a US territory from the start. If the US wants it, it will need to work for it. :)

[KWorld]

Unfortunately I do not read the "historically" bit you mentioned as "sim purposes". I read that as OTL. Still, I don't see why it needs to be a US territory from the start. If the US wants it, it will need to work for it. :)

Ah, we're talking past each other.  As already stated, it would NOT be an American territory at the start.  In the sim, it would remain part of Colombia or whatever it was at start until someone (might be the US, might be someone else) tried to change that status.

[Walter]

Well, this thread is called "The Conquest of Paradise" and considering the potential importance of that piece of real estate, it should not be handed to you anyone just like that. :D