NationStates Jolt Archive


Fear and Loathing in Suffield! (Images)

07-11-2003, 18:18
(First post, first attempt at roleplaying this, so here goes.)

((GLOBAL NETWORK NEWS BROADCAST))

SUFFIELD CITY, Suffield – In a move unprecedented in this East Pacific nation of 92 million citizens, the Holy Empire of Suffield has declared nation-wide martial law in response to widespread insurrection throughout the country’s southern provinces. The declaration comes at the end of a week of severe civil unrest in Suffield as government forces move to squash the latest round of rebellions rippling across the countryside.

The future of this small nation-state is in serious doubt. Last week, in response to a government decision to ban minority interests from the Divine Parliament in Suffield city – the Holy Empire’s legislative body – well-organised communist insurrectionists led by Chairman Patricia Shaman seized control of several urban centres in the south-western Nineveh and Keegan provinces. Shaman, broadcasting five days ago from a bunker somewhere in her stronghold of Keegan Valley, announced her intention to topple the “corrupt, moralistic, totally uncool” imperial-democratic regime of Emperor Ravil III and build the nation of Suffield into a centrist socialist utopia. She has called for widespread demonstrations and both active and passive rebellion throughout Suffield in support of her cause.

Shaman’s words were apparently heeded, as grassroots partisan militias have sprung up in rural areas as far away as Suffield Nova in the southern peninsular province. Suffield’s powerful Ministry of the Interior police force has moved to wipe out these guerrilla movements, and under their pressure Ravil III was convinced to introduce general martial law.

The fighting in Nineveh and Keegan provinces has turned into a deadly mixture of conventional and unconventional warfare. The Holy Empire of Suffield spends up to 20% of its annual budget on defence, and lacks little in the way of military hardware. Three days a spectacularly successful amphibious landing was made on the communist-held coast of Cape Veridian. Supported by Suffield’s aged F-16 Falcon squadrons, the 3rd Naval Infantry Brigade Group has established a strong beachhead and has repelled repeated rebel attempts to drive them back into the sea. Meanwhile, Suffield SS-1 Scud-B medium-range rockets have been raining down on rebel positions, fired from launchers well out of communist reach, near Peninsula City, Cannae Crag, and the Call Industrial special area. A major armoured offensive aimed at recapturing Keegan Valley is also rumoured to be in the preparations phases.

Guerrilla skirmishes have also been commonplace in the disputed provinces, however, and the communist rebels have rallied a great deal of support for themselves in this regard. Employing hit-and-run tactics and innumerable acts of low-intensity violence, ragtag communist partisans have inflicted heavy losses upon government troops, especially in the heavily-forested areas around Fulcrum Point.

The Holy Empire of Suffield is no stranger to conflict. Two months ago, in response to ethnic violence targeting the nation-state’s minority Carolinians, the U.N. deployed a peace support operation to the coastal city of Carolinagin with the grudging approval of Emperor Ravil III. Responding to the new wave of rebellion rippling across the country, the commander of the U.N. stabilisation force was heard to say, “Huh? Coffee?”

Despite the dense naval blockade that the Suffield government is creating around the rebellious provinces, Chairman Shaman managed to get a general plea out to the international community at large asking for recognition of her righteous cause and military supplies so that she can keep up the “righteous” fight. Given the broad powers of the Suffield Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, foreign aid may well be her only recourse if her revolution is to be successful.

(Out of Character: since I'm a rather visual person I cheated and did up a map of Suffield using the world's premier cartographical program - Civilization 2! Orange represents the Holy Empire of Suffield, Green represents the communist rebels, and blue represents the U.N. peace support forces. Sorry if this is too image-intensive, but I wanted to have some fun with it. Take it as you will.)


http://ravil.rooms.rubberrooms.net/Suffield1.JPG

http://ravil.rooms.rubberrooms.net/Suffield2.JPG

http://ravil.rooms.rubberrooms.net/Suffield3.JPG