Turn 105 - Into the Face of the Evil One
You receive a very disturbing bit of news early one morning. The dropship carrying your Foreign Minister back from a meeting in the NRR suffered a massive reactor explosion while under thrust, killing all aboard. The dropship in question was a heavily modified PPG-50 based design converted into a VIP transport for the Foreign Ministry.
Telemetry indicates that the reactor lost containment, the safety systems that were intended to prevent such somehow not functioning properly. The rest of the VIP fleet has been grounded for inspection.
Several days later you receive the news, on several of the VIP transports based on the PPG-50 there were multiple bad batches of massively substandard subsystems, all sourced to the same maintenance contractor. The paperwork indicated that they’d all passed inspection, however physical inspection shows that none of them should have passed even the most cursory of automated inspection processes, let alone the in depth inspections required for the VIP fleet.
The IGMP is massively overstretched, oversight of this sort of thing would normally be in their wheelhouse but they’ve been so underfunded now for years that things have fallen through the cracks. Justice Minister Kalinowski had requested increased funding for the IGMP for several years, but the low crime rates had caused you to not approve the budget increases.
You are now faced with a public relations crisis, the need to replace your Foreign Minister, and whether or not to accept Martina’s offer to resign in order to take all the heat on her own head and spare the crown the bad publicity.
[] | Action | Argument | Result |
[] | Decline Martina’s resignation and take full responsibility for the funding issues | The buck stops with the crown, and you must have loyalty down before anything else. You overlooked the situation with the IGMP and now it’s bitten you, time to take your medicine like an adult, take the hits, and move on. |
- -5 Approval
- -2 Approval Change
- +2 Politics
- +1 Economic Event
- Increase IGMP funding
- $ 40,050,000,000.00
- IGMP level +1
|
[] | Accept Martina’s resignation and pass off responsibility for the failure | On the one hand you are ultimately responsible, however Martina never stressed the funding issue strongly enough to cause you to agree to the increase. |
- -5 Politics
- -2 Approval
- -2 Approval Change
- Increase IGMP funding
- $ 40,050,000,000.00
- IGMP level +1
|
Leila’s death opens a major hole in your cabinet, while her contributions have been quiet and rarely required much intervention on your part, she’d managed to positively impact how the Empire was viewed by your neighbors, allaying fears of imperialism, and generally doing her job quietly yet skillfully. You’ll miss her competence, and it is vital that you replace her as quickly as possible.
Thankfully Tiberius is able to assemble dossiers on potential replacements quite quickly, assisted by General Messerschmidt for background checks.
[] | Name | Qualification | Notes |
[] | Nina Cox | Senior surviving Deputy Foreign Minister (the two ahead of her both died in the accident as they were with Leila) | You quite honestly do not remember ever meeting her before. She’s very… forgettable. Your notes indicate that she was present at least once for a budget meeting, but you just can’t place the name or the face. |
[] | Agostina San Severino | Dean of the School of International Relations at Griffin’s Roost University. | Dr Severino has a distinguished academic record in the study of foreign relations, political science, and diplomacy. He also holds doctorates in history and in philosophy. Your great aunt recommended him, as he was once one of her students. |
[] | Gloria Biescas | Ambassador to the NRI | Gloria has been the ambassador to the NRI for a number of years with great success, the NRI would be quite pleased to see her in the Minister slot. |
[] | Eduard Shirlitz | Ambassador to the NRR | Eduard has been the ambassador to the NRR since before you took the throne. He has an exemplary reputation in the field. |
[] | Miri Zahavy | Ambassador to the Bourbon Kingdom | Miri is the second youngest on the list, and her posting to Nouveau Paris was her first independent assignment. Nevertheless she’s done superbly navigating the snakepit that is the Bourbon court without embarrassing the Crown. |
[] | Marat Fauskeov | Ambassador to Kilburrough | The youngest name on the list, Marat has already built a reputation as a bit of a maverick, and has certainly managed to handle the Kilburroughans quite ably. |
[] | Nagy Mercédesz | Current Chief Trade Representative | Nagy has served as chief trade representative for over thirty years and has done a superb job of it. She’s currently working directly with the Masters of Ikea, so wouldn’t be available immediately. |
[] | Kamoto Mito | Dr Miranda Young Chair in the School of International Relations at GRU | A distinguished scholar in the field of international studies, Dr Kamoto previously served as the ambassador to the NRI prior to accepting the tenured chair |
[] | Bau Foua Toua | Isoroku Nikishina Chair in the School of International Relations at GRU | Dr Toua is relatively young for her academic position, having attained her doctorate before she was 18. All of her experience is in academia, but it is distinguished within that area. |
[] | Frank Newton | Most senior surviving ‘troubleshooter’ for the Foreign Ministry, used to be Leila’s deputy before getting pseudo-promoted to handling diplomatic fires. | You’ve met Frank, and he is almost scarily competent at what he does, which is to convince people that they’d really rather talk to him than to his boss, because his boss might talk to you and that might lead to unfortunate things happening. |
It is now budget time, marred a bit by the absence of Leila.
Amaunet doesn’t bother moving to the podium, instead rumbling an almost infrasonic clearing of the throat to attract everybody's attention before she gets started. “Padrone, we’ll be expanding quite a bit in resource production across the board, take it as given that if we can expand it, we’ll be wanting you to authorize expanding it, if we can build it, we’re going to be asking you to build it.”
She pauses, her tail twitching a bit. “General Bradley will be first, General?”
General Bradley then takes the podium, nodding to her new superior. “Your Majesty, we continue to be somewhat behind the eight-ball when it comes to strategic materials, and while the situation is improving that is a long way from saying it is resolved, or even in a good place. We’re up to being able to procure 5 Infantry Divisions a year, but that is only barely keeping up with our expansion, and with the recent improvements to Endo Steel we anticipate pressure on Ferro Fibrous armor supplies to only increase as more of our mech units will be using the improved armor.” She brings up the graph you’ve gotten depressingly familiar with the last few years.
“Therefore, we will be making the following budget requests this year, Your Majesty.”
- Imperial Griffon Army
- Production
- Strategic Materials
- New Orbital Factories (5 each)
- Double Heatsinks
- Endo-Steel
- Ferro-Fibrous Armor
- Upgrade Orbital Factories
- Double Heatsinks
- Endo-Steel
- Ferro-Fibrous Armor
- Logistics (5 each)
- Calliope
- Awha
- Catachan
- Chuma
- Griffon
- Iskra
- Kainga
- New Castor
- Nowa Warszawa
- Olej
- Steingarten
- Procurement
- Conventional
- Garrison
- 12 Garrison Divisions
- 12 Militia Divisions
Amaunet rumbles as General Bradley sits back down. “Padrone, the logistics factories are proving their worth in reducing overall maintenance requirements for our equipment across the board, it may seem excessive but it’s saving us money every year. General Romanov?”
General Romanov nods to the big cat, then takes her place behind the podium. “Your Majesty, the Aerospace Force will continue to expand production capacity to meet requirements. With the success of the new carriers and the deployable ASF platforms we will want as many birds to fill those bays as possible.”
- Imperial Griffon Aerospace Force
- Production
- ASF Factories
- Awha
- Bari
- Bellaterra
- Glorreich
- Landprettig
- Novolar
- Platzregensburg
- Pryyemnyy
- Pustina
- Shin Tōkyō
- Strategic Materials
- New Orbital Factories (5 each)
- Upgrade Orbital Factories
- Procurement
- 90 Fleet Defense Wings
- 10 Heavy Carrier Wings
Amaunet interjects again as General Romanov sits down. “We’re building the new factories out around the rim of the Empire in order to stimulate those economies as well as guard against putting too many of our eggs in too few baskets. Admiral Fisher?”
Admiral Fisher stumps his way up to the podium with his usual complete disregard for grace or decorum. “The navy needs more ships, we need more shipyards, and we need them yesterday if not sooner. I say this every year, but it can never be said enough. The Black Steel is being quiet, which is not good as it means they are building up their forces, and I don’t have capital ships to face them yet.” He scowls at the room. “Unfortunately I can’t simply wave a magic wand and get more ships, so we need to build them.”
- Imperial Griffon Navy
- Production
- Upgrade all Orbital Shipyards
- Upgrade all Repair & Refit Yards
- Escort Yards
- Kurortas
- Olej
- Pinball
- Pustina
- Raj
- Steingarten
- Glorreich
- Grand View
- Novolar
- Pryyemnyy
- Landprettig
- Bellaterra
- Nubifragio
- Platzregensburg
- Shin Tōkyō
- Small Warship Yards
- Nya Kopenhamn
- Kainga
- Okusawa
- Griffon
- New Pollux
- Edelsteine
- New Capricorn
- Calliope
- Nowy Warszawa
- Large Warship Yards
- New Phoenix
- New Castor
- New Port Royal
- Nowy Wrocław
- Procurement
- Standard Dropships
- 100 Bainbridge-class Parasite Destroyers
- 50 Long Beach-class Parasite Destroyers
- 90 Wright-class Dockable ASF Platforms
- 1 Queen-class Infantry Transport
- 40 Trenton-class Transports
- Large Dropships
- 20 Meteor-class Parasite Missile Battleships
- 40 Aetna-class Parasite Missile Battleships
- 30 Saipan-class Parasite Carriers
- 54 Mikasa-class Parasite Battleships
- Jumpships
- Escorts
- 40 Fubuki-class Destroyers
- 30 England-class Frigates
- 40 Lyr-class Corvettes
- Small Warships
- 20 Dido-class Light Cruisers
- 10 Guiseppe Garibaldi-class Light Cruisers
- 9 Hosho-class Light Carriers
- Medium Warships
- 20 Prinz Eugen-class Heavy Cruisers
- Large Warships
- 2 Dreadnought-class Battleships
- 2 Jean Bart-class Battlecruisers
- Fortress Command
- Jump Point Defenses
- Porto Milano
- Nuova Fortezza
- Nowe Mazowsze
- Neuthüringen
- Oasis II
- Porto Milano
- Nuova Fortezza
- Nowe Mazowsze
- Neuthüringen
- Black Tower
- Porto Milano
- Nuova Fortezza
- Nowe Mazowsze
- Neuthüringen
- Raj
Amaunet smiles slightly, baring a bit of a fang. “The military is getting stronger, Padrone, the question will be if it’ll be enough.”
Elizabeth Lee walks around Amaunet to the podium, pausing for a moment to give the big cat a quick scritch behind the ears, which the Grifftiger accepts as her proper due. “Needless to say, Interior is ready to support all of that building, and then some. We don’t have any free DoME teams at the moment, but our economic, colonial, and investment groups are ready and waiting for authorization to get to work.” She brings up the first of the charts.
“To start with, we have four prospective new colonies, two of which have ex-slaves on them who are understandably quite eager to be under our protection.”
- Colonial Development, Establishment of Government & Justice Systems
- Porto Milano
- Nuova Fortezza
- Nowe Mazowsze
- Neuthüringen
“Next up are the economic recommendations.”
- Economic Focus, Investment & Development
- Focus
- Major Investment
- Investment
- Infrastructure & Industrial Zones
- Bohren
- Kurortas
- Landprettig
- Skala
- Raj
Tiberius is handling both Political and Foreign Ministry duties for this cycle. “Your Majesty, on the politics side, we’re ready to support the colonial expansion that Elizabeth laid out. If we have sufficient budget left over we’d recommend a PR campaign to counter the effects of the recent scandal, but that may not be needed. On the diplomatic front, we might want to consider hosting a cultural festival in Leila’s honor, it’s what she enjoyed the most after all.”
Grace takes over from there. “We have four teams ready to go, Your Majesty. We’re not recommending any military research this year, mostly because we have a number of basic R&D projects that will lead to overall general improvements in the near future.”
- R&D
- Materials Research Lvl 8
- Orbital Infrastructure Lvl 8
- Power Generation Lvl 8
- Improved Germanium Refining Lvl 4
General Messerschmidt and Martina are both off overseeing the investigation into the latest corruption scandal, both have left memos indicating that apart from expanding Special Branch there’s nothing that they recommend.