No, the other game called The New Order where the Nazis won

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Moon Slayer: Jun 19, 2007

Chapter 10: October - December 1963

For a week, the world holds its breath.

quote:

World News: October 23, 1963
CIVIL WAR IN SERBIA

The death of Adolf Hitler has begun to shake the German order in Europe, particularly in the Balkans. Reports, though sparse, indicate that communist partisans and Chetniks have risen up to push the German garrison and collaborator regime out of the country following the recent assassination of President Dimitrije Ljotić. A formal united front between both groups apparently fell through as reports indicate units from both have engaged each other.

And then the first domino falls, and soon Europe is in flames once again.

quote:

World News: October 27, 1963
GERMAN SUCCESSION STRUGGLE ERUPTS INTO CIVIL WAR

In the wake of Adolf Hitler�s death, the Reich has erupted into chaos. Despite the F�hrer�s appointment of a legal successor in Martin Boremann, powerful factions within the Reich have taken up arms against one another. Sources within Germany�s borders report entire garrisons ignoring orders from Germania and flocking to the successor of their choice. Though the extent of the fighting is unknown, foreign experts feel that the Reich is either facing or already experiencing a total collapse of central authority.

quote:

World News: November 1, 1963
BURGUNDY INVADES FRANCE

As the situation in Europe within the German sphere rapidly deteriorates, many have wondered what move, if any, the secretive �black state� of Ordensstaat Burgund would make. WIth recent pictures emerging from Germany showing SS convoys moving into Burgundy, many of those same observers declared this to be evidence that Heinrich Himmler had withdrawn support from his former deputy Reinhard Heydrich�s attempt to secure the F�hrership.

But the true reason for the troop movements is now clear. While the international community is still scrambling to make sense of the chaos, Burdundian armored columns are reportedly rolling into France and by some accounts have already reached the outskirts of Paris. The French military, severely weakened by German sanctions, has either been forced into full retreat or had entire divisions destroyed.

quote:

World News: November 3, 1963
CHAOS IN OSTLAND

While the situation on the ground in much of the German sphere has always been kept under tight wraps by the German government, Ostland had been a rare exception with multiple international news outlets based in Riga � frequently used to show off the high quality of life and happiness of the citizens of the Reich�s �model colony.�

While the administration in Ostland attempted in recent days to lock down the sections of Riga previously open to the press, guerrilla reporters have still managed to film developments on the ground. The shocking images show brutal house-to-house fighting between various units of the garrison, militia groups, and partisans.

quote:

World News: November 8, 1963
ARMED UPRISING IN ENGLAND

A massive insurgency has swept across the Kingdom of England as the organization known as Her Majesty�s Most Loyal Resistance has declared a revolt against the collaborationist government of Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home.

HMMLR reportedly is an umbrella organization for the full spectrum of English political outsiders, from communists to a handful of more independently minded fascists. Speaking from HMMLR headquarters in Newcastle, former general Claude Auchinleck � alongside notorious communist Bill Alexander and resistance fighter David Stirling � have declared that England shall be a free nation or they shall die trying.

quote:

World News: November 10, 1963
THE WARSAW UPRISING

While the Generalgouvernement in Poland has always been quiet, it has seemingly been little more than a thin veneer kept by the Germans in the face of growing unrest. This has become evident as, not even weeks after the beginning of the German Civil War, the Polish Home Army, or the AK, has begun a general uprising that has easily toppled the weak Generalgouvernement and its leader, Hans Frank.

With a free Poland on the very border of the Reich, the future seems unclear for how well the rest of the German sphere will weather this storm. Still, Poland is completely surrounded by the Reich on all borders besides the southern front, where it has some scant access to its neighbor in Hungary. One can only guess at the reborn state's future.

quote:

World News: November 14, 1963
REICHSKOMMISSARIAT NORWEGEN DISSOLVED

With the German Reich quickly becoming evermore consumed by chaos and warfare, the Nazi collapse has today claimed its next victim. Speaking before the Storting this morning, Norwegian Minister-President Gulbrand Lunde announced that his newly empowered government had been informed of the immediate resignation of Reichskommissar Josef Terboven and the dissolution of the Norwegian garrison, effectively marking the end of the German occupation of Norway.

Yet while many across the Reich attempt to escape from the warzones, it has been reported Terboven has instead flown back into Germany, along with a steady stream of Norwegian garrison soldiers returning home to fight for their preferred side. Whilst the details behind these developments are largely unknown, one thing is for certain; Norway is now a free nation once again.

quote:

World News: November 16, 1963
KASCHE DISAPPEARANCE CAUSES MOSKOWIEN TURMOIL

In the Reich's largest European territorial gain during the Second World War, the sudden disappearance of Reichskommissar Sigfried Kasche has now seemingly brought an end to Reichskommissariat Moskowien overnight.

The latest development in the collapse of the German Reich, Moskowien had been one of the most troubled German territories since its inception, yet recently emerged as a beacon for reformists within the Reich for its experiments with native collaboration efforts following the West Russian War. Now, with the man behind the unifying efforts between the German and Russian populace gone, it appears the experiment has failed.

quote:

World News: November 17, 1963
BOER UPRISING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Violence erupted across South Africa today as the Boer Republic, angered at what they have perceived as endless attacks by the government in Cape Town, formally declared independence.

Following the declaration, Boer militias � equipped mostly with German weaponry � have spread out across the Orange Free State and numerous other parts of northwestern South Africa and engaged in combat with South African soldiers in the area.

More worrying for Cape Town is reports of troop movements on the border with the Afrika-Schild, the newly formed defense pact between the three African reichskommissariats.

The instability spreads to Ukraine, Madagascar, and South Africa, although it is in this last one that the civil war soon becomes something greater.

quote:

World News: November 23, 1963
AFRIKA-SCHILD INTERVENES IN SOUTH AFRICA

As the Boer rebellion rages on, international journalists on the ground are reporting that German colonial panzer divisions have now begun to pour across the South African border in a rapid escalation of the conflict. Forces of the newly formed Afrika-Schild have already won several key victories, forcing South African soldiers already stretched thin to retreat south in disarray.

With the OFN having expressed support for the South African regime for almost a decade, the feeling on the ground was captured by the quickly famous footage of a bloody South African soldier, part of a convoy of soldiers retreating to Port Nolloth, who shouted to the cameras the question that many have been asking: "Where the [expletive] are the Yankees?�

quote:

World News: November 26, 1963
OFN DEMANDS GERMAN WITHDRAWAL FROM SOUTH AFRICA

In New York City, the Organization of Free Nations has passed Security Resolution 13 at the most contentious Security Council meeting in the alliance�s history. A blistering condemnation of the Afrika-Schild�s and Boer rebellion�s breach of peace on the continent, the resolution also demands the withdrawal of all Schild forces from South Africa within 24 hours.

Ratified unanimously by all member states and supported by some observer states such as Brazil, experts doubt that the Schild will acknowledge the deadline. With many across the Free World shocked and angered by the assault on the last liberal democracy in Africa, it is anticipated that OFN armaments and advisors will soon be on their way to South Africa.

�

Meanwhile, in Guangdong, a different kind of dissolution is taking place as the auction of Yasuda�s remaining assets approaches.

Despite his status as a lame duck, Matsuzawa has decided that the one thing that is in his power to do is to reign in the organized crime elements that his predecessor had set a dangerous precedent of cooperation with.

Another choice must be made.

The tycoon that acquires the majority of Yasuda�s assets will gain a significant edge in influence, which will heavily affect the selection of the next chief executive.

Where things stand at the moment:

Choose one tycoon to receive our favor.

# ? Jun 6, 2023 04:05

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# ? Jun 12, 2024 00:51

NewMars: Mar 10, 2013

Having just done a playthrough as them, the world should see Morita

# ? Jun 6, 2023 04:28

Szarrukin: Sep 29, 2021

It's kinda sad that even in world where Nazi won the WW2 and Poles are on brink of extinction, Warsaw uprising has better outcome than IRL.

# ? Jun 6, 2023 06:20

Arbite: Nov 4, 2009

There's only one man with the plan that can get through this, let's spread some cool all around the world and pick Matsushita.

# ? Jun 6, 2023 08:28

Arivia: Mar 17, 2011

Oh this looks fun. A Fair Game.

Also the portrait of 70 year old hitler looks like someone put a mustache and hat on poor David Lynch.

# ? Jun 6, 2023 08:42

McGavin: Sep 18, 2012

Memento Morita.

# ? Jun 6, 2023 08:43

TheMaskedReader: Aug 14, 2022

I'd make some clever Morita joke here, but I'm all outta ideas.

# ? Jun 6, 2023 09:28

NeverHelm: Aug 9, 2017; Never attribute to malice that post which is adequately explained by a poor sense of humor.

Go with Morita. A "fair game" doesn't exist when the system is rigged from the start, it just means you reinforce existing structures.

# ? Jun 6, 2023 12:47

tatankatonk: Nov 4, 2011; Pitching is the art of instilling fear.

the writers absolutely have to go back and edit the name of the british resistance to something that's not HMMLR. come on now

# ? Jun 6, 2023 16:05

NeverHelm: Aug 9, 2017; Never attribute to malice that post which is adequately explained by a poor sense of humor.

tatankatonk posted:

the writers absolutely have to go back and edit the name of the british resistance to something that's not HMMLR. come on now

It's actually a better name than it sounds at first, since it's short for "Her Majesty's Most Loyal Resistance". Besides the obvious Himmler pun, it's a reference to the British term for the parliamentary opposition, "His/Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition". Except the British democracy has been subverted by the Germans, so neither side of Parliament is loyal to the legitimate monarch and it's really the Resistance that serves the Queen.

NeverHelm fucked around with this message at 16:50 on Jun 6, 2023

# ? Jun 6, 2023 16:41

StillFullyTerrible: Feb 16, 2020; you should have left Let's Play open for public view, Lowtax

On the Sony Train, baby

Also love the inevitable disintegration of the Reich.

# ? Jun 6, 2023 16:52

Iceblocks: Jan 5, 2013; Taco Defender

Morita

# ? Jun 6, 2023 17:18

Hattie Masters: Aug 29, 2012; COMICS CRIMINAL; Grimey Drawer

I like my political decisions the way I like my games consoles: Made by Sony

# ? Jun 6, 2023 23:05

Moon Slayer: Jun 19, 2007

Chapter 11: December 1963 - February 1964

quote:

The Modern Princess

"I'm sorry, Ms. Yasukawa. The courts have seized the insurance payout." The voice on the phone was clinical, bereft of warmth. "You would need to present yourself in Tokyo to contest it."

"I see. Thank you very much," Yasukawa Yoshiko said woodenly, before hanging up, her legs wobbling underneath her. A million thoughts raced through her mind in a single second, all containing the same two words: if only.

Some were simple. If only she had tried to make their funds last a bit longer, or brought more with her. But those were few and far between the ones that blamed herself.

If only she had pushed harder to find a job. If only she had noticed her father's vacant, distant stare. If only she had asked what was wrong. If only she had tried to stop him from leaving. If only. The two words repeated themselves mercilessly, a deluge of regrets pouring through a hollowed-out vessel. The disastrous call with the insurance house had simply ripped out the bottom: not only had her father died, but he had died in vain.

The words looped endlessly, swirling through Yoshiko's mind, even as two equally important words were lost in the churning depths:

What now?

quote:

World News: December 23, 1963
MILORG COUP IN NORWAY

Reports from Oslo indicate that Norway has experienced a drastic shift in leadership following a coup by the resistance group known as �Milorg.�

For over two decades, this resistance movement has violently opposed the administration of Reichskommissariat Norwegen. To many, they are seen as freedom fighters while the Reich declared them militant terrorists.

Early last night the organization overran Oslo, ousted the collaborationist leadership and moved to establish a new provisional government headed by Knut M�yen, who promised to �embark upon the grand goal of transitioning to a functioning democracy once again.�

quote:

World News: December 27, 1963
RUSLAN ABDULGANI APPOINTED PRIME MINISTER OF INDONESIA

Following the unexpected death of Prime Minister Djuanda Kartawidjaja in November, President Soekarno has announced the appointment of Ruslan Abdulgani to the post.

A close friend of the president and a staunch supporter of his centralization programs, the new prime minister will likely seek to accelerate the nationalization of foreign business and centering of administrative power in Djakarta, stating the importance of �hastening the recover of Indonesia�s wealth from the greedy talos of the zaibatsu and Tokyo�s puppeteers.�

Given their well-known friendship, many view this as further proof of President Soekarno�s desire to reconstruct the apparatus of the state further under his control.

Li Ka-shing, president of Cheung Kong, has been added to the Dramatis Personae page.

Komai Kenichiro, CEO of Hitachi, has been added to the Dramatis Personae page.

quote:

World News: January 9, 1963
ENGLISH GOVERNMENT, GERMAN GARRISON FLEES

The anti-German partisan group known as Her Majesty�s Most Loyal Resistance has announced their triumph over the collaborationist government of Alec Douglas-Home and the German garrison in Cornwall. Sweeping across England from victory to victory under the leadership of Claude Auchinleck, the so-called Free English government has stated it intends to restore the democracy so cruelly ended by the Reich decades ago.

Although not officially supported by the Organization of Free Nations, this event represents an undeniable defeat for German interests in northern Europe, although whether the loose alliance of revolutionaries that make up HMMLR can work together in peacetime remains to be seen.

quote:

The Displaced Family

The chaos and misery of the aftermath of the Yasuda Crisis had begun to subside and factories had begun to reopen as the Co-Prosperity Sphere's economy began to restabilize. Life began to return to normal - a better normal than what might have been had the RLSO been outright repealed rather than merely delayed. So, as things improved the day-by-day rhythm went back to the norms of the pre-Yasuda time for countless families. The Lee family was a textbook example of this return.

As Lee Chun returned to work, he reflected on the state of affairs his family was going through. Fortunately, they had managed to send both Hei and Wai back to school, and get back to work themselves. That was probably one of the bigger positives in a life in which there weren't many of those to be found.

Morale in the family was decent; Chun's father and mother smiled slightly more frequently than usual, with their widest smiles reserved for when they were proud of their children or trying to comfort them. Hei and Wai went back to studying; Hei in particular was beginning to get bored of the curriculum after the joy that came from being able to go back to school wore off. Chun feared that not much could be done about that.

Despite the improvements, Chun remembered, there were still the vicissitudes of daily life in the hellhole that was Guangdong. Backbreaking work, abusive overseers, a dead-end life, the whole lot; this was not a way to live well. But there was not much Chun could do about it; he and his family would have to troop on. So they did, finding solace in one another along the way.

quote:

The Good Cop

The cargo trucks lay scattered along the lane, greeting Lam Haau-cyun just as they had bid him farewell so long ago; the men hurling the bundle of oysters into the freight cars, too, went on without so much as a frown upon their faces. Business as usual, it seems, just as Ah Kwong had told.

But then Lam stomped on the gas pedal and plunged further into the array of houses and shantytowns, and immediately the fa�ade of normalcy tore itself clean off. Greeting him now was the sight of disheveled men in workwear weeping at their doorsteps, of bandits roaming the road with clubs and torches in hand, and everything he saw only fueled the anxiety simmering in his heart. He hadn't received a single letter from back home, not for an entire year; two hours along the Kowloon-Kōshu Railway, and another on the dusty road, just to find out why, seizing this long-overdue seven-day respite from his nightmare of a post, but somehow, he wasn't sure if he wanted to anymore.

It was only natural, he kept muttering to himself - the shitstorm of Yasuda spares no one. After all, this small seaside fishing village he called home had had its fate chained, firmly, to the dazzling metropolis of Honkon only a river plus a carpet of hills away. The Pearl had devoured truckloads of men taken from the village's homes without remorse or reward, leaving those who'd been left behind in woeful yearning - with no choice but to cling onto the paychecks scattered in the wind and whatever else the faraway men in suits cared to spare for them. Is it any wonder, then, that the instant the great city above the clouds goes up in flames everything else burns with it?

It was only natural, he kept muttering as his aged patrol car inched towards its destination - yet he felt his muscle tensing up and trembling. Whatever was going on at home, he had no way of knowing. Why won't they at least give him their assurances, to let him know they're doing fine? Or... is there even anyone left to write the letters at all? Nausea crept up Lam's stomach, as he braced for whatever horrors awaiting him. No, it isn't natural, whatever's going on over there. Heavens, please let them be safe-

Then his loved ones came into view, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Just a short time later, Lam was meeting the incandescent glare of his second oldest uncle, a tide of confusion crashing onto him. Write back? What was he even on about? He opened his mouth - but then he saw the pen and paper laid on the wooden table, and it hit him. They'd been writing to him the whole time; the "mail blackout" had been simply because none of the mailmen wanted to do their job anymore. Relatable, Lam sighed. "I would've loved to write back, Uncle," he replied as calmly as possible. "It's just that none of the letters ever found their way to-"

"Stop bullshitting me!" The giant, callous-laid hands yanked on Lam's collar, and instinctively Lam winced.

Ma stood up, tears welling in her wrinkled eyelids. "Brother, please-"

"gently caress you and your nonsense, Lam Haau-cyun." Uncle's thunderous roars and spit droplets rained down upon Lam's face. "Insolent loving disgrace, thinks he can just dine merrily with those jackals on his own family's corpses. If only, if you'd never sold your soul to-" he turned his gaze to the badge upon Lam's shoulder, the golden bauhinia insignia gleaming under the sunlight. "-to that... thing..." Roars turned into sobs, as the man collapsed onto his knees in tears.

Lam stood wordlessly, numbness washing over him once more. The bauhinia, yes, a blessing and a curse. His salvation from Honkon and damnation to Kōshu. The... thing that gifted him his new life yet kept on erasing his old. A hybrid, a bastardization like what he, "Hayashi Kōsen", had become.

He lowered his head and surveyed himself, a single stroke of lapis among the gray tattered canvas. Uncle was right. He could've easily written home on his own volition without waiting for anything from them. He could've shown he'd cared. Yet he'd never bothered to, had he?

Lam screwed his eyes shut and kneeled to the ground, too. He could feel it. Bit by bit, he was beginning to leave his roots, his loved ones, behind."

quote:

The Modern Princess

Yoshiko sat wearily on the creaking mattress, surrounded by faded wallpaper and the ever-present dampness, her perspiration indistinguishable from the humidity of the unventilated room. This was her new accommodation in a �good� Zhujin district, with a single wooden table on pale linoleum flooring, next to a gas stove she barely knew how to use.

In the days after her father's body had been consigned to a local Japanese temple, Yoshiko had thrown herself into calling publishers. Magazines, newspapers, gossip rags - where didn't matter. She was sure that if she stopped, her money would surely run out before her grief.

It had gotten her nowhere; the Zhujin copywriters had no need for a Japanese woman, and Japanese editors waved her off for fresh male graduates from Tokyo. At wit's end, she'd bucked protocol and stormed into the offices of the last name on her list - the Kanton office of Fujin Koron, a woman's magazine offering �fresh perspectives for Japanese readers.�

The receptionist was none too pleased that Yoshiko had no appointment, and Yoshiko, in desperation, had dug in her heels - literally. As security had come to drag her away, she played her last card: "I am the daughter of Baron Yasukawa, and I demand to see the editor!"

Silence. The receptionist looked at her like she had grown two heads, while the gaze of everyone on the editing floor turned disbelievingly towards the commotion. She had felt her cheeks flush from the attention, the embarrassment - and the realization that nobody really cared.

The beat of approaching footsteps shook her out of her mental haze, along with a proffered hand and insincere words. "Ms. Yasukawa? I'm so very sorry for your loss. Your name and story would be of great interest to our readership..."

She swallowed her pride, and accepted everything that came after.

All the pieces are now in place �

� and the die is cast.

# ? Jun 8, 2023 08:59

NewMars: Mar 10, 2013

These hitachi guys seem on the up and up!

Note: Manchuria is where Unit 731 is based.

# ? Jun 8, 2023 10:54

Moon Slayer: Jun 19, 2007

Yeah on the off chance that it hasn't been made clear by the narrative, everything bad about Guangdong is 10 times worse in Manchuria.

# ? Jun 8, 2023 11:13

NewMars: Mar 10, 2013

Manchuria hasn't been given content yet, but what you should know is that it is worse and a very different beast from Guangdong. In Manchuria, everything is leashed to a single corporation, the Manchurian Development Company. It is not a free market hellhole economy: instead it runs on what is called Corporatism.

Fascist economics informational rundown!

Corporatism isn't related to corporations, except incidentally. It comes from Corpus, the latin for body and it's idea is treating the economic and political life of the nation as a single organism. It does this by organising workers under state unions and corporations under heavy state control to create an economy that is directed by the political body by having it act as a balancer between the two. In practice this results in massive corporations and depowered workers, especially in fascist colonies such as manchuria, where the "workers organizations" are just bodies that direct the movements and work of slaves and the empowerment of their slavedrivers. This is a fascist implementation of the original idea of it, which is simply a society where interest groups such as agriculture, industry, ect, organize into groups to represent their interests within a collective body. This kind actually exists in-game, albeit rarely, as Left-Wing Corporatism.

# ? Jun 8, 2023 12:19

Kurgarra Queen: Jun 11, 2008; GIVE ME MORE
SUPER BOWL
WINS

Seems like we're officially entering the Cool Zone.

# ? Jun 8, 2023 20:45

Moon Slayer: Jun 19, 2007

Chapter 12: February - May 1964

quote:

World News
SONY PRESIDENT SELECTED AS NEXT GUANGDONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE

February 23, 1964
Kōshu, Guangdong

Following tense rounds of negotiations, the Guangdong Legislative Council has voted to confirm Morita Akio of Sony Corporation to the post of Chief Executive. An ardent advocate of reform, Morita has vowed to create a more equitable society for all of Guangdong�s peoples.

Morita�s support among the so-called �Zhujin,� or Cantonese-Japanese, class is particularly noteworthy, as is his close friendship and collaboration with Li Ka-Shing of Cheung Kong Enterprises, Guangdong�s largest Chinese-owned corporation.

While Morita�s call for reforms may quell instability across the local population, it has drawn significant opposition from the state�s more hardline corporate factions, in particular from Fujitsu CEO and former business partner of Morita, Ibuka Masaru.

The new Chief Executive gets to work, meeting with the Japanese and Chinese consuls.

Results are, predictably, mixed.

quote:

The Good Cop

It had barely been a day since Lam Haau-cyun returned from his brief trip back home. Here he was again, wrapping up yet another extended shift within Kōshu's concrete jungle, mind still lingering on the tensed-up visages of Ma, Uncle, and everyone else; but it only took mere minutes before a fellow constable's winded pants jarred him from his lethargy.

"Lam! People are arguing in the market, and I can't speak any Japanese."

As they jogged into the teeming market, Lam could see a disheveled shopkeeper shouting animatedly in pidgin Japanese, his smudged apron contrasting with the modern dress worn by the Japanese woman. A few fellow officers nodded as Lam approached, pushing away the crowd in front of the bing sutt.

"Break it up!" Lam yelled in Japanese. The woman turned towards him, while the shopkeeper threw up his hands and walked into the darkened shop.

"I'm sorry, officer... Hayashi." The woman peered at Lam's badge before offering her card. "Yasukawa Yoshiko, for the Kanton Fujin Koron. I was just asking a few questions but all of a sudden he started yelling."

Lam looked into the bing sutt, filled with people - and empty tables. A wave of irritation surged forth. "Did you ever think you were stopping him from doing his job? Answering your questions isn't going to make his customers happy, or put money in his pocket. Do you know any Cantonese?"

Yoshiko shook her head, and Lam struggled to not roll his eyes. "I'm not surprised. You might want to start there -"

"Diu lei lo mo, jat bun zai!" Lam froze as he turned to see the shopowner storm back outside, venting his fury while Lam's colleague looked on, aghast.

Yoshiko turned to Lam. "And what does that mean?"

A long pause.

"Don't worry about it. Move along now."

quote:

World News
NOVOSIBIRSK UNIFIES CENTRAL SIBERIA

April 28, 1964
Novosibirsk, Central Siberian Federation

What began as a splinter faction from the former Central Siberian Republic in the 1950�s has now managed to claim its mantle. The state of Novosibirsk, led by Alexander Pokryshkin, has had a turbulent recent history; the rival government was formed as a violent backlash to measures taken during the Siberian War, and maintained an uneasy coexistence with the city state of Barnaul.

Soon, though, it apparently managed to overcome its political challenges by utilizing its large population, agricultural base, and industry and turned to expansion and the reunification of central Siberia. This has now succeeded, and Pokryshkin now rules as a benevolent despot of the region.

quote:

The Modern Princess

A few days after Yoshiko's disastrous interview at the market, she was called to meet with her editor at the start of the workday. Feeling trepidation running along her spine, she straightened her blouse and walked under the fluorescent lights, making her way towards the back office.

"Sit down," Takasaki Koichi motioned to the chair opposite the desk as Yoshiko entered, his gray jacket tailored to his stocky frame, softened somewhat by middle age. "How are the interviews going?"

"I'm sorry," Yoshiko said, rubbing her neck. "I haven't had much success. People don't want to talk to me, and I can't speak Cantonese."

"I understand." Takasaki's words were reassuring, but Yoshiko saw his eyes narrow behind his square spectacles. "The locals aren't easy to approach - even dangerous - if you don't speak the language, and doubly so given we're Japanese. But I can't have you being helpless forever."

Yoshiko felt her face flush in embarrassment. "Of course."

"Luckily for you," Takasaki said, "I have a friend in the Guangdong Police, and he's agreed to loan us an officer to serve as your minder when needed. You should get used to dealing in favors, Yasukawa, it'll do-"

"Excuse me." Two knocks at the door heralded the arrival of her police minder, and Lam Haau-cyun stopped dead as Yoshiko turned in his direction.

"Hello again," Yoshiko said, voice squeaking, "Officer Hayashi."

quote:

World News
BORMANN DECLARES VICTORY IN GERMAN CIVIL WAR

March 6, 1964
Germania, Germany

The German Civil War, the most devastating and bloody conflict to ever consume Germany, has finally ended with Martin Bormann emerging as the victor.

Having enjoyed extensive support during the civil war, many expected Bormann's victory to be the most likely outcome of this terrible conflict. Standing before the Volkshalle today, the new F�hrer promised the German people a swift return to the former glory of the Reich, also promising limited reform to ensure such a conflict never need occur again.

With the nation in ruins, a collapsed economy, a weary populace and much of Europe still consumed by chaos however, the true future of the Reich remains uncertain. Yet with the great politician leading them, many remain hopeful that Bormann truly will be able to return stability to the Reich.

Conflict still rages in Ostland, but Ukraine and Moskowien have all been pacified by the Germans.

quote:

The Displaced Family

�Residents of Guangdong, I promise you a better future. Prosperity and profit are a boon to be shared; as our managers and our workers share in risk, so too should they share in reward."

"Words are cheap." Lee Chun muttered, even as the Chief Executive's address could barely be heard above the clattering of plates in the kitchen. Hadn't the family been promised so much - a home, raises, time off - only to have their hopes dashed? His mother shook her head as she scrubbed the last dish with a fraying towel - but Hei and Wai were glued to the aging radio, transfixed by the honeyed words, too innocent to know it was easier not to hope.

quote:

The Good Cop

Lam Haau-cyun took a long drag on his cigarette in his police station's break room, scarcely listening to the radio broadcast. The experiences of the past few months - the desperation, the lawlessness, the exhaustion - were too deeply engraved into his mind to be papered over by a few nice words and promises. He stubbed out the cigarette as he donned his cap, heading out to his next patrol. He'd believe them when - and if - he saw them.

quote:

The Modern Princess

Yoshiko rubbed her temples, her head throbbing from the strain of trying to follow the Cantonese translation that had followed the speech. She'd learnt enough to understand what that shopkeeper had said the other day - to her own embarrassment - but she still didn't know enough to say anything in response. She'd have to learn faster, she thought - so she could actually ask people if Morita was delivering on his promises.

quote:

Li was waiting in the Chief Executive's office upon Morita's return, handing him a sheaf of papers awaiting their attention. Morita accepted them without a word, and the two settled into their first of many long nights at the office.

�

The new Chief Executive has many choices to make: this is just the first.

In addition, with the Yasuda Crisis finally behind us, it�s time to unveil Guangdong�s 1964 product. Naturally, Sony should receive the subsidies; what�s the point of being chief executive if not to put your thumb on your company�s scale? However, Hitachi does have an interesting proposition:

And finally, due to the hard work of the Sphere�s diplomats, there are several new markets that are now open to us.

VOTE!

I need three choices:

A: Stability or Efficiency?

B: Sony or Hitachi?

C: Which market?

# ? Jun 9, 2023 22:29

TheMaskedReader: Aug 14, 2022

Stability! Sony! China! A new strategy for a new era.

# ? Jun 9, 2023 22:51

HannibalBarca: Sep 11, 2016; History shows, again and again, how nature points out the folly of man.

Excellence, Sony, Italy

# ? Jun 10, 2023 01:12

tatankatonk: Nov 4, 2011; Pitching is the art of instilling fear.

Excellence, Sony, let's sell some drat consumer electronics to the Italians

# ? Jun 10, 2023 01:46

Arivia: Mar 17, 2011

Stability, Sony, China!

# ? Jun 10, 2023 02:15

paragon1: Nov 22, 2010; FULL COMMUNISM NOW

Stability, Sony, Mexico! We must break into the North American market!

# ? Jun 10, 2023 04:24

Kurgarra Queen: Jun 11, 2008; GIVE ME MORE
SUPER BOWL
WINS

Excellence, Sony, let's sell some damned radios to the Mexicans.

What *is* going on in the Americas, aside from Nixon hating JFK even more somehow?

# ? Jun 10, 2023 05:40

McGavin: Sep 18, 2012

HannibalBarca posted:

Excellence, Sony, Italy

# ? Jun 10, 2023 08:05

NeverHelm: Aug 9, 2017; Never attribute to malice that post which is adequately explained by a poor sense of humor.

paragon1 posted:

Stability, Sony, Mexico! We must break into the North American market!

This seems like a reasonable plan. Hitachi cannot be trusted, at any rate.

# ? Jun 10, 2023 09:08

Moon Slayer: Jun 19, 2007

Lance of Llanwyln posted:

Excellence, Sony, let's sell some damned radios to the Mexicans.

What *is* going on in the Americas, aside from Nixon hating JFK even more somehow?

I've been cutting back on the amount of world news posts that aren't particularly major or relevant to Guangdong out of concern that updates were getting a little too wordy, especially the ones that check in a lot with the Lees, Yoshiko, or Officer Kosen. But as for the Americas:

- Lester Pearson's Liberal Party took the majority in Canada's recent elections.

- The Nixon Administration saw a bump in support when the South African War began, but this has quickly faded as the war goes poorly, an unpopular draft to support it kicks in, and further civil rights protests wrack the nation.

- Finally, in Brazil, President Henrique Lott recently resigned due to a corruption scandal and was replaced by his vice president, J�nio Quadros, closely averting a military coup.

# ? Jun 10, 2023 14:17

Arivia: Mar 17, 2011

I wonder if the mod supports Pearson introducing the modern Canadian flag (the one you�re all familiar with)

# ? Jun 10, 2023 14:49

Moon Slayer: Jun 19, 2007

I don't believe Canada has any content at the moment aside from a few elections, but I think the mod team is working on stuff for them.

# ? Jun 10, 2023 15:48

Guy Fawkes: Aug 1, 2014; Lvl 62, +5 meadow defense

HannibalBarca posted:

Excellence, Sony, Italy

This

# ? Jun 10, 2023 22:52

Klaus88: Jan 23, 2011; Violence has its own economy, therefore be thoughtful and precise in your investment

Is the Mediterranean dam and its catastrophic effects implemented yet?

# ? Jun 11, 2023 03:40

ManifunkDestiny: Aug 2, 2005; THE ONLY THING BETTER THAN THE SEAHAWKS IS RUSSELL WILSON'S TAINT SWEAT

Seahawks #1 fan since 2014.

Can we use the product subsidy as a carrot to win some Hitachi votes?

# ? Jun 11, 2023 05:22

NeverHelm: Aug 9, 2017; Never attribute to malice that post which is adequately explained by a poor sense of humor.

Klaus88 posted:

Is the Mediterranean dam and its catastrophic effects implemented yet?

Earlier versions of the mod went full-on Atlantropa, but that was removed when the team decided to go in a more "realistic" direction.

# ? Jun 11, 2023 05:24

Carvor: Jan 13, 2019

NeverHelm posted:

Earlier versions of the mod went full-on Atlantropa, but that was removed when the team decided to go in a more "realistic" direction.

It broke the map all the time and was generally really annoying for any teams working in the Mediterranean, I can see why people might be sad that it was removed but it was always a millstone around the neck of the teams that had to deal with it. Realism might be part of why it was cut, but the bugs and general development issues it caused probably made it's removal inevitable once the mod was released.

# ? Jun 11, 2023 13:00

alex314: Nov 22, 2007

Excellence, Sony, Italy sounds like a plan. Time to broaden the horizons.

# ? Jun 11, 2023 13:12

Moon Slayer: Jun 19, 2007

Chapter 13: May - December 1964

Although the second half of 1964 was always going to be busy, few in Guangdong could predict just how busy it would be. Even fewer would have guessed just how fundamentally the world would change in that time.

quote:

World News
RICHARD NIXON RESIGNS

June 7, 1964
Washington, DC

As of noon today, President Richard Nixon has officially resigned from his post of President of the United States, the first to do so in the nearly two hundred years of American history. Nixon had been accused of wiretapping his rivals in the National Progressive Pact during the 1960 election, as well as obstruction of justice for trying to cover up the deed. With impeachment inevitable, he left office of his own accord rather than be convicted and removed.

The office of president now falls to Vice President John F. Kennedy, scion of the prominent Kennedy family. A charismatic figure, he has drawn both praise from progressives and ire from segregationists for his support of civil rights. Whether he can step out of the Nixon administration�s shadow and forge his own legacy will only be the first challenge the new president faces.

quote:

There is an idea of a John Fitzgerald Kennedy. It is in the newspapers and on television, on radios and billboards. The Kennedy that exists in the American imagination is a white knight on horseback. He is a glittering crusader rescuing America from the ruins of the Nixon Administration. He is a selfless hero sent from on high to save this country from itself.

Of course, none of this is true. The real Kennedy is not from heaven but from suburban Massachusetts, the product of a wealthy family determined to triumph at any cost. While he did indeed enlist in the US Navy during the Second World War and won accolades for his heroism, Kennedy has been quick to use his wealth, privilege, and charisma to climb the political ladder. He has relied on dozens of faceless, nameless experts to make calculated, cynical plays for power � first in the House in 1946, then the Senate in 1952, and, after a struggle with the party bosses, the Vice Presidency in 1960. The Presidency should be the culmination of the Kennedy political project, a prize for his political savvy. Kennedy knows that he could serve out the remainder of Nixon's term doing nothing but interviews and photo ops and leave a revered figure.

And yet, he can't do it. He cannot sit as the country unravels around him. Perhaps it's a sense of pride after two years of being neglected and abused by Nixon. Perhaps it's out of a sense of self-preservation, knowing that his future reputation depends on the survival of the Republican-Democratic Coalition. Perhaps it's a sense of duty born from so many months fighting for the Civil Rights Act, speaking to civil rights leaders and looking into the faces of those scarred by Jim Crow. Whatever the motivation, John is determined to try and be the hero Americans want him to be. Together with his brother Bobby, he will show that idealism isn't foolish, that America's institutions are still worth defending. So long as he lives, America has some source of stability and the Establishment might still be redeemed of its sins.

quote:

World News
FRONT VICTORY IN WEST AFRICA

June 14, 1964
Douala, West African Union

Today, Cameroonian President F�lix-Roland Moumi� declared �a great victory against the forces of imperialism, colonialism, and collaboration,� as the triumphant Pan-African Liberation Front stands in control of the capitals of its previous enemies. While pockets of fighting remain across the former territory of the French Military Alliance, organized resistance from FMA forces has effectively collapsed.

The international response has been mixed, with some groups praising this as a victory for the self-determination of oppressed peoples everywhere and others expressing concerns towards the expansionist aims of Cameroon. Of particular concern is the fate of the African states who aligned with the Free French in mutual defense against the PALF, and who now find themselves potentially facing bloody reprisals.

quote:

Born in the fires of German terror bombings and the revolutionary halls of Yaound�, the Pan-African Liberation Front has dedicated itself to the liberation of Africa from the colonialist devils that wrack it. Based primarily in Cameroon, the organization crosses borders and cultures, striving for one goal � freedom and unity for all Africans.

Pan-Africanism is not without its opponents, of course, The Germans and English occupy everything south of the Sahara, the Italians control much of what�s left, and the rest has been snapped up by the Iberians leaving only slivers free. Still, the PALF fights on, waiting for its opportunity � an opportunity which will surely come, for nothing can hold the African people down forever.

quote:

World News
GERMANY RESTORES CONTROL OVER CENTRAL EUROPE

July 3, 1964
Germania, Germany

The Reichsprotektorat of Bohemia and Moravia, together with the Netherlands and Denmark, were the territories where Germanization proved the most successful. When Germany fractured into civil war, these territories entered a state of political upheaval, but in the end lands this close to the beating heart of the Reich couldn�t be allowed to become a potential threat.

As such, it was no surprise when the new government in Germania decided to move quickly to seize back such important provinces, especially the Netherlands with their trade ports, and Bohemia with its industrial core.

With friendly governments in Copenhagen and Amsterdam, and the total annexation of the Reichsprotektorat, the new Fuhrer has secured control over Central Europe.

(Pretend that was talking about a stereo, not a TV)

quote:

World News
PRESIDENT KENNEDY ASSASSINATED

August 8, 1964
Dallas, Texas

America mourns today as the President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, has been killed on a campaign tour in Dallas, Texas. At present, those behind the shooting remain at large, and the identity and motivations of the gunman, and even the location from which the shot was fired, remain unknown.

After the recent resignation of President Nixon and now the sudden murder of his successor, the US is in a state of shock and there is a great feeling of uncertainty and fear across the nation. With Speaker of the House John McCormack rushed to the White House to be inaugurated as president, few can claim to know what will come next as the political scene is as divided as ever.

quote:

For most Presidents, their inauguration is the culmination of years of political ambition and success, bringing them to the highest office in the land and a chance to ultimately shape the nation to their ideals.

Former Speaker of the House John McCormack is not one such President. Rushed out of Congress and into the White House on a day of panic and blood, he is faced with a nation in turmoil. Outrage over President Nixon's actions on civil rights has shattered any semblance of political decorum in Congress, with constant shouting matches taking more time than legislation. The people have made their voice heard as well, with riots and protests breaking out weekly and voters changing their registration to support the radicals of the National Progressive Pact.

McCormack has isolated himself in the White House, only speaking to trusted aides and friends on the matters affecting the nation and leaving his deputies to calm the turbulent waters America is headed for. Facing a coalition in crisis, the divisive issue of segregation, and the rapidly escalating war in South Africa, the reluctant President's next days in office will change the nation's direction for years to come.

The language has been settled upon and the Industrial Organization Ordinance has been introduced to the Legislative Council. There is only a brief mention in the foreign press of the spelling error in the English translation of the bill�s name on the Council�s announcement.

While we are still short the votes to pass the Ordinance, there is plenty of time for opportunities to present themselves. And, should they not, there are always less savory ways to procure votes.

And there we go.

Lol, no. Get out of my office. Ibuka�s offer would basically gut the entire ordinance and warranted even less consideration.

quote:

World News
GEORGE JELLICOE ELECTED ENGLISH PRIME MINISTER

October 14, 1964
London, England

It was under a conservative government that England fell to tyranny, and it is under a conservative government that newly free England will move forward as the National Democratic League has won England�s first free election in years. The party�s leader George Jellicoe is to take office as prime minister.

Jellicoe followed his father into the Royal Navy during the Second World War and later became a charismatic member of the old government�s foreign ministry. He was recruited by Auchinleck, becoming HMMLR�s main liaison to America.

Today, the NDL is an ideological motley, including just about anyone who wishes to restore the monarchy and democracy, and hopes of coalescing these factions into a coherent political party remain elusive.

quote:

World News
SVERDLOVSK UNIFIES WEST SIBERIA

October 20, 1964
Sverdlovsk, Ural Military District

West Siberia has been torn by factionalism and cliques ever since the end of the West Siberian People�s Republic. But now, one of these successor factions has managed to come out on top.

Centered in the city of the same name, the Sverdlovsk Military Government has managed to defeat its main opponents, the other powerful remnants of the WSPR, and extend its control over the less powerful ones. The threats to the regime are now few and small, with most experts on Russian affairs agreeing that a force equal to the old socialist republic has arisen. However, the junta�s leader, Konstantin Rokossovsky, has refrained from promoting correlations with the WSPR, preferring to portray his regime as a new one.

quote:

World News
ROBERT KENNEDY ELECTED PRESIDENT

November 4, 1964
Boston, Massachusetts

For the first time in nearly a century, neither a Democrat nor a Republican will hold the White House. Robert F. Kennedy, from the Progressive wing of the National Progressive Pact, today clinched a narrow victory over the RDC to become the next President of the United States.

In his acceptance speech, Kennedy earnestly thanked the American people for putting their trust in him, and promised that he would prove that their trust was well placed.

The brother of former President John F. Kennedy, �Bobby� has vowed to honor his brother�s legacy by championing the cause of civil rights even further, and to address the issues of poverty and income inequality to create a better and fairer America for everyone. Cynics believe him to be too bold and idealistic to succeed, but millions of Americans earnestly believe him to be the man who can change America.

A brief moment of hope for the American people, quickly dashed by the news out of Africa.

quote:

World News
SOUTH AFRICAN WAR ENDS

November 22, 1964
Cape Town, South Africa

The most controversial and significant international conflict since the Second World War, the South African War has now seemingly come to an end as German forces finally overran the last OFN positions across South Africa. With the bulk of US forces having already been evacuated, the final days of the war were still consumed by chaos as pro-OFN South Africans attempted to flee the country, with the US embassy in Cape Town forced to evacuate by helicopter.

Hostilities officially continue as no former ceasefire has been signed, but the catastrophic outcome of the war for the OFN has raised serious questions about the future of the United States internationally following a second decisive withdrawal from a conflict within two decades, and the abandonment of another key ally to the forces of Naziism.

quote:

World News
MARTIAL LAW IN INDONESIA

December 16, 1964
Djakarta, Indonesia

In a shocking turn of events, President Soekarno announced the next step of the Indonesian revolution by declaring martial law in the aftermath of an alleged coup attempt near Djakarta. In the confusion following the president�s decision, the cabinet was reportedly suspended and Japanese assets in the country have begun to be nationalized for �the next step in Indonesia�s economic development.�

President Soekarno�s actions have met with swift international condemnation. The Japanese government has already decried the move and is expected to demand answers from Djakarta. Indonesian security forces have been spread thin as impromptu protests have sprung up across the archipelago.

�

Time for another vote! :siren:

Chief Executive Morita plans to introduce two new bills to the Legislative Council and we need to decide what areas they will focus on.

First up will be the Amended Labor Standards Ordinance:

Second will be the Public Health Ordinance:

Choose:

A: Dignity vs Safety

B: Mental Health vs Environmental Health

# ? Jun 11, 2023 16:58

McGavin: Sep 18, 2012

drat, Kennedy only lasted 2 months.

Anyways, Dignity and Environmental Health.

People will probably stop killing themselves if they have money to buy things and a nice place to live. Safety third.

# ? Jun 11, 2023 17:39

tatankatonk: Nov 4, 2011; Pitching is the art of instilling fear.

Safety, Environmental Health

dont want to subsidize making a safe space for a bunch of crybaby LOSERS!!!!!

# ? Jun 11, 2023 17:41

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Jun 12, 2024 00:51

Marshal Radisic: Oct 9, 2012

Carvor posted:

It broke the map all the time and was generally really annoying for any teams working in the Mediterranean, I can see why people might be sad that it was removed but it was always a millstone around the neck of the teams that had to deal with it. Realism might be part of why it was cut, but the bugs and general development issues it caused probably made it's removal inevitable once the mod was released.

Wasn't there also this problem where the backstory established that the dam across the Strait of Gibraltar was left half-finished for lack of funds and was always threatening to collapse, but since there is no way to depict a natural disaster involving shifting coastlines in HoI4, there was no way to implement this event in the game?

On a more general level, I also think Atlantropa (and some of the stuff involving Burgundy) led to a thematic contradiction in the mod. IIRC, one of the things the initial devs for TNO wanted to do was to push back against the clich� in "Hitler Wins" stories that the Nazis were uniquely capable of reshaping the world according to their own whims. You see this all the time in stuff like the Bethesda Wolfensteins and even in PKD's The Man in the High Castle, where we have Nazi moonbases, a completed Atlantropa, and a graveyard Africa all by 1962. When depicting this sort of scenario, there's always a tension between a naturalistic depiction or pushing into full surreal nightmare, and if naturalism is the direction the devs want to take, then Atlantropa, even a failed Atlantropa, would have to go.

By the way, before we leave JFK behind, I want to ask: what happened to Joe Jr. in the backstory? Historically he was going to be the one who got the golden ticket if he hadn't died testing a drone bomber in WW2, and given how different TNO's WW2 was I doubt the circumstances that led to his death would have been replicated.

Marshal Radisic fucked around with this message at 22:03 on Jun 11, 2023

# ? Jun 11, 2023 19:50

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > No, the other game called The New Order where the Nazis won

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