What has happened to Flashy ??????????

Bizzie is still in the Germania team. A bit out of control, but still hanging on in there for his next adventure........

We shall send you some medication other than Opium, beer and sausages for him. Poor fellow must have bumped his head!

I tried to role play him a bit. He went totally off the rails after sampling absinthe a few years back in the game when he staying in Paris. He never recovered after that point and it took the German government a few years to realise went wrong!

WE are most pleased that the German Government has come to its senses and there could be some cooperation on the horizon instead of shelling. We like to shell things pretty much, but we much prefer to shell someone and somethings that are less German.

Ottonians (Ottomans), Moors and Chinese are all current suitable targets. Revolutionaries as well. Need to ask the Russians what they want shelling as well?

The Royal Navy Gunnery School will be giving lessons within the season to some gentlemen from Peking! Sounds like it will be a smashing evening for them!

revvaughan wrote:Seems Lord Derby and the good Lord Hardinge are destined to be the good guys that finish last (at least in honor).  It would seem that we are last in anything else mind you.

Perhaps our German friends might well take the offer that was transmitted to them this past month.  I missed the fact that the good archbishop left, but did take the liberty of sending the Kaiser a kind diplomatic post.  We shall see as we certainly don't want the French Republican illness infecting everyone.  Good heavens what would happen if the Continent were to surrender without a shot.  

On subject of Continent surrendering to French Republicanism without a shot fired......have the Russians run out of Ammo?

Indeed now... We might even send the Russians some ammo as a gift so they can continue to shell!

July 1859 copy of the Britannic Times is now out and for none Scabble players here are the highlights:

1) Some how the Albion Corporation managed to get on the Prestige list and on a top trade list (For Amerika)!

Some people were starting to think that if you are in "trade" this automatically got you black balled from the best clubs and banned from the prestige list, but it seems that if you are a dodgy opium dealer linked to slum landlords, triads and bank robbers like Lord Farnworth you can buck the trend.

2) Following attacks on British Trade interest's in China Lord Derby has demanded compensation and an apology........this demand is being backed up with threats to seize Chin Shipping & threats against Nanking.

3) The Chin do not seem to have responded to these threats............being too busy with philosophic "musings" and on being out of their heads on Opium.

4) Meanwhile to the North of Chin the Siberian Chief's do not seem very keen on joining a Siberian Cossack Host under the headship of the Czar.........I wonder why not?

5) In the Black Sea that ship of ill Omen for foes of the Czar known as the"Kiev" spotted a Ottoman Invasion (?) fleet but oddly nothing then happened even thought it seems that both the Russians & the Ottomans are now at sea and looking for trouble.

6) In Africa the west wall of Khartoum has fallen down and Bismarck is still a slave and looking for a Tuba.

7) In the America's the Union Army has moved out of Puvurn and for reasons unknown the US Govt seems to be buying Camera's.

Finally in India work has started on the Hanging Gardens of Kashgar and the Bombay Oval is now open. With the Oxford & Cambridge chaps speaking again at least one part of Scabble is spiffing for the chaps.

Always enjoy your Scramble updates Perhaps the US Govt is about to set up Hollywood? And I dread to think what Bismarck is going to do with a tuba...

Jason wrote:Always enjoy your Scramble updates  Perhaps the US Govt is about to set up Hollywood?  And I dread to think what Bismarck is going to do with a tuba...

My theory is that Bismarck and his Tuba are going to end up in a "Janissary Band" or as Chief of a Harem.

The real question is not what job Bismarck ends up with but which of the large collection of North Africa's Mad Sultans, Mad Kings & Mad Madhi he ends up working for?

Ref the US Govt they probably do need Hollywood and a historic re-write on a par with Braveheart to explain away a couple of small points:

1) The growth of the CSA

2) How they lost the Indian Wars

3) Why the Union Jack now flys over Ohio

The August 1859 Britannic Times has shown up and for forum watchers who do not play scrabble here are the highlights:

1) Perhaps in reply to Lord Farnworth and his Triad chums in the Opium Cartel (AKA the Albion Corp) getting hold of a Gun Boat this month seemed to see quite a lot of macho display by Lord F's Brit rivals. In Liverpool the Black Watch are testing a new Rifle, Hong Kong & in particular the Hong Kong Sewers seem's to be over-run by the fuzz. While the HEIC reply was "I will see your Gun Boat & raise you three Battleships".

In contrast to Brigadier Caine scaring the ***** out of "Red" Liverpool the warm cuddly HEIC - favourite share of retired Clergy & Maiden Aunt Investors - did their best to calm down any scary vibes by putting on pony rides and boat trips and having Indian Tatler drap young Debs like the Hon Emila James (age 17) and the Raini of Pabna (age 16) all over their new Battleships.

2) The Opium Corporation is probably not that bothered by display's of raw fire power but as usual readers of the Britannic Times are left baffled and wondering what the hell is going on in the Opium Trade? And what do all the dead bodies mean in the ongoing power struggle to control the trade in Opium?

This months dead bodies include a half German half Chinese business man stabbed in the back in Berlin. This gentlemen was a supplier of Chemicals..... such as you use to turn Opium into Morphine? Plus Lord Yip the Chinese Governor of Fatshan murdered in a Canton Opium Den with a "Boxer" type message by his body.

3) Apart from the usual side effects of the Opium Trade it was a very peaceful month. Not even the Russians shot anyone! I put this down to the Russian Foreign Policy suffering a crisis and in a state of near paralyis over who it hates more. The Janissary Junta or the regime in Yalu.

4) German's also failed to move directly against the besieged Sultan of the Moors. Rather they seem to be trying to infiltrate his harem using a French one legged ex nun and Bismarck has his Tuba back which has broken tougher men than the Moors.

5) Plenty of diplomacy by the Brits, Global Adventurers, even the Russians but not to any seeming effect. Our Hero the great Flashy is now locked in a deadly diplomatic struggle over cups of tea and angel cake!

In the Highlights of August 1859 I sadly forgot to mention the latest doing's of Charles Darcy or "My name is Darcy, Charles Darcy" as he is now known.

In the true traditions of "For God King and Country" players our hero showed up in India trying to find out who dumped the straggled body of his dear father in the Street. In a population of 160,000,000 people he has since shown a exceptional ability to bump into and share a friendly G & T with some of the biggest crooks in the game, trip over more dead bodies and has found out that dear dead Daddy Darcy was either a member of the Thuggee Cult and mixed up with murder and jewel theft.... or he and all this kin has been marked down as Demons to be destroyed by the Cult (or pehaps both).

At this point Charles committed the one crime which will almost certainly attract the attention of the HEIC in that he flashed a pistol around in a market disrupted TRADE (actually delaying trains, damage to cricket pitches and locking Flashman up tends to get their attention as well).

Think Charles got out of this one fairly lightly......given the option of a spell of hard labour breaking rocks for the HEIC new breakwater in Kashgar or doing a couple of small jobs. Charles accepted the offered Captains Commission in the Guides and secondment to Army Int Service. Starting to wonder if breaking rocks might not have been the safer option than trying to smash the Thuggee and the Triads as so far:

1) Most people wanting to report to the Regt on the Aral Sea from Delhi would catch a train then a boat. Our hero bought a horse and was all set to ride across the Hindu Kush or through the Afghan Badlands.

2) For trip he has asked for a HEIC pass..........not sure how well this is going to work on Afghans, Triads & Thugee.

3) Has now loaded up with Pistol ammo, a Tulwar because a British Sabre may give him away (Good thinking) but also requested the latest British Army Rifle. Not sure how a British Sabre will give him away but a very rare British Rifle will not?

So after eating a hearty meal in the mess, putting on Indian Garb and meeting his team and sorting out some equipment our latest Hero is all set to join the "Great Game" with its caste of Afghans, Thuggee, Triads, Nuns, German & Russian Agents, Tigers, Cobra's, Yeti and if he is lucky the odd dancing girl. And Mr Yorke etc thought they had it hard!

Anyone any last words (sorry I mean kind words) for Captain Darcy?

August 1859 Britannic Times has shown up and for non scabble players here are the highlights:

1) Two really scary bits of news - in New York a employee of the brokers Goldman & Sachs has jumped to her death but left a suicide note speaking of tentacled horrors and a evil shadow over New York while in North Africa Bismarck has sobered up, stopped drinking the green fairy juice and declared that he wants his old job back

2) Bismarck is currently a slave of the ex-nun Rose and is on a mission to save Rose's beloved Eric from Moorish captivity. A mission which seems to have been complicated a German Invasion and siege of Meknes. Currently its unclear in the German Army is on the same mission or is on a mission to stop Bismarck ever getting back to the Fatherland.

3) German's and Russians seem to be in a contest to see who can hold the most pray meetings. Since the Archbishop Schonmuller seems to be mostly speaking to Mohammedans in a language they do not understand the Czar's happy hymn singing cossack hordes seem to be winning this one.

4) On subject of the happy hymn singing cossack horde (Far East Branch) they seem to have gained a ally in Yong and another Russian fleet has made it to the HEIC Port of Bombay. Which leads many to think: a) Things are not looking good for the Queen of Koreva & b) Goldman & Sachs, Russian Hymn Singers, Green tentacled things, Traids, The CSA, The USA........is their no one the Merchants of Britannia are not willing to trade with?????

5) Currently the merchants of Great Britannia mostly seem to be having "Natural Problems".......a) In Kashgar it seems that people have been so busy building Ports, Persian Gardens, etc, etc that someone forgot the bridge or ferry across the Kashgar River b) In Hong Kong someone built a lot of roads which do not seem to actually go anywhere c) Port Victoria in Manipur now finished but a unmarked reef has damaged several ships. d) Part of Khartoum's wall's have fallen into Nile as a result of Coastal Erosion.

6) In contrast the Global Adventurers seem to have a very man made problem in the shape of a Spanish Army & Navy with orders to hunt them down and "clear out nest of bandits" in Cuba. Global is the Trade Company with the highest Prestige but it seems to lack the Government backing and fire power its British Rivals like the Tea Cartel & the HEIC.

7) On subject of HEIC military they seem to be in process of getting new Uniforms issued, while much of the new kit seems to be based on hard campaign experience in high mountain and desert terrain the Number One's of the Poona Light Horse etc seem to be based on the hard won experience of Flashman in Ballrooms and Bordello's around the world corncerning which military fashion will most impresses the ladies.

Unfortunately with HEIC supply Officers etc so busy with new Uniforms no one was around to supply Captain Charles Darcy with a modern British Rifle and he had to buy his own Jezzail and sort out his own orders. Mind you it probably should be said that anyone walking round Delhi with a rifle like a North West Frontier Bad Man is probably going to stand out like a sore thumb. However, if Charles does end up in the Afghan badlands in pursuit of drug smugglers and Thuggee a Jezzail and a Kyber Knife may be more suitable than something like a Lee Enfield India Pattern which tends to scream out to gentlemen who know their rifles "Hon East Indian Company & a follower of the way of wrist spin & the Lee-Enfield".

9) Meanwhile back in Blighty Lord Derby is trying to get people to settle in Canada (Bonika) and has declared a intention to undertake a Grand Tour of Brit Colonies & Interests. Time table is yet to be fixed and Lord Derby's security people probably want to keep things fairly fluid but already the prospect of such a such a tour had caused panic in the female population from Kington to Hong Kong.

The Sept 1859 Britannic Times has shown up and for non scabble players here are the highlights:

1) Players and non players will be aware that this game has seen a long struggle between the:

DARK SIDE - Opium, Global Corp, Nuns, Triads, Green Fairy, Albian Corporation, Thugee, The King of Siam, Mad Vodoo Priests, French Republicans, Afghans, Large Green Things with tentacles, Reds, Mad Mullahs & Mad Scientist types etc, etc

& THE LIGHT - Tea esp black with a dash of milk, the HEIC, The gentile sound of cricket balls on willow, Railways, The Tea Cartel, Brits & chaps with stiff upper lips and solid morals such as Queen Victoria & her Noble subjects like Lord Derby, The Royal Navy & India Special Branch.

Too date the stuggle has mostly been in India, China the Orient and in the back streets of Europe. Generally speaking the DARK SIDE has done best in China, worst in India were its curses and terror tactics has run into the Light Lords of the Way (The way of Wrist Spin and the Lee Enfield). The Orient being a bit of a mess mostly due to the involvment of the Forces of the Gray like the Afrika Corp and the Russians.

On the GRAY its fair to say that the Hymn Singing Hordes of the Czar seem fairly sound on Tea Drinking, Reds & Railways. But at the end of the day they do not play Cricket, & are just not Pukka C of E.

2) As of Sept 1859 the Geographic Area of the Dark moved sharply West with the drowning in a Washington DC street of the President of the USA and the ritual slaughter of Goldman & Sach's Brokers in New York. No one knows why the forces of Darkness has moved to the New World but possible theories include an attempt to block the development of British Canada & worry the the Far East may be about to get too active for hidden dirty deeds.

3) Aside from the Brit declaration of War on the Chin for treaty violation a couple of months back.....another issue which may be about to bath the Eastern Map in the light of High Explosive is that Queen Min of Koreva has just of lead a Army of Invasion into the province of Yong. Shortly after the Prince of Yong (viewed as a rebel by Koreva) signed a treaty of Alliance with the Khan of Khans & Supreme Hetman.....better known as the Czar of all the Russia's.

To date the the invaders have not really run into much opposition and the defenders of Yong would seem to have fallen back to the great coastal fortress of Wei-hi-tang. The world now wonders if Queen Min will be able to storm the sea girt Fort of the Eagles on its rocky headland before the wind brings the first faint sounds of Hymn Singing Cossacks.

In other more mundane news:

4) British settlers are heading out to Canada were they have been given land grants in Bonika. Some nay sayers in Liverpool are saying its too late in the year......but the Settlers are showing true British pluk and faith in the good ship Titanic and laughing at Ice Bergs in Ungava Bay.

5) Field Marshal Model continues to besiege the Muur's Sultan in Meknes but has had three bits of bad news:

a) The Muurs fortress gunners are outshooting his artillery
b) The Muurs have taken the province of El Oued behind his back
c) In perhaps the worst news of all Bismarck is back and trying to cheer his troops up! To be fair Bismarck now seems off the Green Fairy and sober but the Afrika Corp were feeling in fine fettle. Or at least they were before Bismarck started to talk about going mad in the sun, and sand in their shoes.

6) British Diplomats and explorers have made it to Dayton and a small ramshackle west coast settlement known Seattle.

7) Dispite a fire on the good ship Defero a telegraph cable has been laid between Calcutta the mighty industrial heart of British India and Hong Kong. Not sure what a certain "Western Educated Gentleman in Peking" famous for writing his "musings" in the Britannic Times will make of this or the news that the British Merchant Fleet is growing at a rate of Knotts.

Back in India the HEIC continues to play railway rivals with itself and dish out the cash on Princes, Landowners and School Kids who share its love of Steam Trains and Cricket. Clearly this mix of bribery and brain washing of young minds is having some effect as the Prestige list now read's:

- Czar of Russia,
- Opium dealer
- Even bigger British Opium dealer
- Opium dealer
- Hon East India Company

9) Meanwhile Charles Darcy spent month hanging round Temples and did not cause a riot........probably because he was not carrying a rifle and had some Professional help.

"It was the worst of times........It was the best of times".............A Tale of Two Sieges

or in other words the Nov 1859 issue of the Britannic Times has shown up and for non players here are the highlights

1) German siege of Meknes now seems to have settled down into a blockade. Rations in the city are having to be cut but to date no sign of Bismarck's "cunning plan" to end the siege.

2) Other events linked to the war between the Moors & Germania:  German troops declined to follow orders from Governor Krugar to take back El Oued because he is not General Krugar and Willhelm von Schnitzel cunning plan to free German captives in Caablanca resulted in them being joined by another captive......Wilhelm himself.

The basic question now seems to be?  Will the Sultan and his troops/harem/captives in Meknes run out of food before his allies and loyal vassels (Ottoman? French? Mad Dervish types?) get around to making a relief attempt?  And will Bismarck come up with a cunning plan before  the captives starve?

3) Queen Mina known to some as the Bitch-Queen of Koreva plus ten battalions of Infantry & five squadrons of cavalry have probed the defences of Wei-hi-tang but have yet to start siege works against the Prince of Yong and his Garrison.

- In order to keep up the morale of his men the Prince has continued to call the Queen all types of nasty names while asking for help from his Russian ally.

- A Russian Cruiser the "Kiev" has now shown up at Wei-hi-tang & in a far off land the Khan of Khans, Supreme Hetman, etc, etc Czar Alexander II has declared that Holy Mother Rossia will stand by its allies and is now at WAR with Koreva.

4) French Arms dealer Victor Hugo has asked Queen Mina if she is interested in buying French Rifles........oddly he does not seem to have also offered to supply Opium or other "Chemical's" for medicinal use.  Very important to have the right type of pain relief when Cossacks start cutting bits off you.

In other news:

5) A State Funeral was held in Washington for Edwin McMasters Stanton late President of Amerika (North).  His widow is being comforted by H.P.Loftcroft , Father Superior of the Sisters of Mercy. Thomas Weatherbee finding himself no longer required for widow comforting has left Washington for New Orleans.

6) A Burmese Merchant managed to blow up himself, his "Chemical" warehouse and a large chunk of Berlin.

7) Shanghai is now being blockaded by the British Royal Navy.......which must be really annoying to the import/export trade in Chemical's and pain relief.

Sir Samuel Smythe has offered £5M to buy the company in the offices of the San Diego Gun Company.....which are in San Diego on the West Coast plus in a remarkable feet of time and distance movement has in the same month been seen in the Slave State of Dayton. Is there two Sir Samuel Smythe? Or has someone built a "Secret Railway" in the Wild West?

- What will Lord Derby do on finding that the "Land of the Free" British Empire now borders a nasty Slave State which is not part of the CSA and which is unfairly under cutting the price of British Cotton produced in India and Egypt by its use of Servile Labour?! One suspects that Lord Derby will now be faced with pressure from both the Liberal anti slavery lobby & the British-Indian cotton lobby to annex Dayton to the British Empire and free the poor slaves in the name of Queen Victoria......."Mother of the Free". Purely as a moral imperative and nothing at all to do with the protection of British Cotton profits or building a rail link to the Mississipi.

9) The Royal Navy has been supplied with 50 lots of search lights by Armstrong Sidney Company.  This company helping to supply our boys in blue with equipment tofind lost sailors and catch smugglers and slavers in the dark is a subsidary of the Hon East India Company.

10) The HEIC this month paid out a stonking great half year dividend plus bonus payments to its employee's in time for Christmas shopping.

- And are all shareholders happy & delighted with a 10% year or year increase in the dividend?  Oddly some of them are not! These "activist" shareholders are believed to want to move the company to a Tax Haven like Burma or the Chin Empire and divert Britannic Corporation Tax to shareholders. They also view bonus payments to Sepoy's and other Staff as a "waste".

- Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view the organization of that "ancient relic" that is the HEIC splits shares into various classes of shares and the key "B" class ones for votes on issues of corperate control are very firmly in the hands of people generous, kindly types like Lord Hardinge devoted to their Knighthood's and the long term good of all stake holders rather than short term profits.

10) Charles Darcy is still visiting a temple......were he has noticed signs of Thugee influence.......but sadly a Priest has now noticed that Charles and his team may not be the devoted followers of Kali that they had posed as.

11) By the shores of the Aral Sea General Hugh Gough held a pay parade for the HEIC companies Army of the Punjab looking very smart in brand new No1 Uniforms. But how much longer before the No1 and the tiffin is put away and "The way of Lee Enfield" is restarted?

12) At the other end of Indea in Tuticorn George Broadfoot was busy building a railway, telegraph lines and schools with cricket pitches when ten Chinese Gentlemen showed up with a Coffin. George and his guards did not seem concerned but quite what the ISB will make of it remains a mystery esp as the British are technically at war with the Chin Empire. Though these particular gents may be from the German Port of Tsing-Tao.
10)

Dec 1859 copy of the Britannic Times is now out and for none Scabble players here are the highlights:

1) Lots of Christmas celebrations, alms and season of good will stuff..........after stuffing himself full of plum pudding & Church Poor boxes full of alms Lord Derby declared that for his new year holidays he is off to Indea (Winter sun? Big Game Fishing? Tiger Hunting? or just the Culture? I blame Tatler printing all those photo's of young Deb's draped over Battleships).

2) Due to it being Christmas and all that the various sieges and military operations hardly moved at all:

- The Moors besieged in Meknes had to defeat a harem plot against the Sultan but for the time being the great fortress continues to defy the might of the Africa Corp & Bizzy is still sat in a desert with only his Tuba for company. No that is a lie as the Moors have now thrown out a crazy ex Nun & brothel owner to join him.

- The British blockade of Shanghai has ended with Admiral Cahill sailing off to Hong Kong in pursuit of a Turkey Dinner.

- Koreva siege of Wei-hi-tang also seems to be going no where fast. Probably due to hard ground but a Russian Cruiser keeping the sea routes into Wei-hip-tang and lobbing shells into the Koreva camp is also not helping. Meanwhile the potential Russian relief force was also doing not a lot in Vladivostock apart from try and get over its sea sickness helped by the pretty nurses of the Order of Saint Sophia. Faced with option of spending Christmas with their favourite nurses and marching across Siberia its odd that the Russians have not shown a greater urge to be up and at the foe but they are very pretty nurses in Siberia and the Czar's finest were no doubt very poorly bad.

3) The America's suddenly seem to have come to life with a new President of the USA, a Russian ballet tour starting in Rio de Janeiro & Ex-First Lady Charlotte McMasters throwing a hissy fit after her beau ran off to New Orleans and her social event was upstaged by one Sir Charles Ogle of the Opium Cartel (now known as the Albion Corporation) most dangerous and infamous of all the British Merchant Houses.

4) Meanwhile Charles boss spent the month visiting various Museum's in London. Something which will no doubt lead to Police checks and security upgrades for the visited establishments in due course.

6) On subject of British Merchants and Americans the HEIC continues its rows with shareholders inc Goldman Sachs over its dividend policy which the board considers to be "sound and progressive" while some people who will never be happy consider it "mean" and wonder why the company remains in a high tax authority and pays for enough fire power to defeat a fair sized country.

Fortunately due to its "Feudal Relic" & "Byzantine" voting structure the board of the HEIC does not have to pay any attention to uppity colonial types which is another sore point in some quarters.

7) Another problem for the HEIC is that one of its Captains and three of his NCO's have gone missing. Ho Hum no doubt Capt Darcy of the Guides will show up in due couse.

The Sima Military has formed an Imperial Guard leading to speculation that King Mongkut is about to declare himself an Emperor. The superior of King Mindon of Bima & Queen Victoria of Britain and the equal of the Chin Emperor & the Emperor of Russia.

Thanks as always for the update Stuart. Bizzie needs to deliver against the Moors next month, so lets see what is going to happen.

Jan 1860 Britannic Times has shown up and for non players here are the highlights:

1) The Moors who seem to be gatting hungry attempted to break the German blockade of Meknes. Their attempt failed partly due to defective rifles (wonder who the French allied Moors purchased that dodgy batch from?) but they did manage to destroy the German Artillery and put a bullet into Bizzie and another into his Tuba.

- A deed which no doubt earns the Moors the support of Music lovers everywhere.

2) The Korevan siege of Wei-Hai-Tang turned into a full scale attempt to storm the fortress with ladders but without any dodgy French Rifles. The attack was just about held off and the assault troop have retired to their camp. Which is still being hit with the odd shell from a off-shore Russian Cruiser. Unlike Meknes a blockade would seem to be impossible and supplies are getting to the defenders by Sea but the attackers might feel that the last assault was so close to success that they should keep trying.

3) In Britannia lots of good deeds are being done, Lord Derby is off on his Holiday Cruise on the Good Ship RMS Queen Victoria, and the Navy are really happy with their new search and safty lights from the HEIC. Not so happy are the British Army after a gang of rough fellows broke into Sandhurst and smashed up a large number of Artillery Pieces with sledge hammers!

4) The America's seem to be turning into a area of seething passion, love affairs, mental instability and probably really dodgy land deals. According to the Government of President Johnson investment and trade is welcome but "interference in the internal affairs and governance of this great country will have serious consequences involving all hell breaking over the heads of the perpetrators!"

- It would seem that this warning has mostly been aimed at the Britannic Hongs like the Albion Corporation and the Tea Cartel who's field of operations (some whould say tenticles) and feuds have in recent years spread to the America's.

- Adding to the Johnson Administration concerns that the feuds of the Old World could be spreeding to the New World and the Monroe Doctrine is starting to fall to bits is the spread of Russian Diplomacy and Ballet in the South. While the cash and diplomatic reach of Lord Derby's men would seem to be spreading south from Canada & Ohio to the broad acres of the Mid West.

5) In India still no news about the missing Darcy and nothing much seems to be going on. Thomas Napier seems to be hard at work trying to sort out the problems of Port Victoria in Manipur while Francis Spelding would like to start work on a new Port on the coast of Surat but is unable to locate the local landowner one Muhammed Keli-Beg.

- Some people are now saying Muhammed is dead and it has been announced that if Muhammed does not show up by June 1860 the lands will revert to Prince Ashoka under feudal rights. Something which would seem to totally ignore the inheritence rights of Muhammed's dear old mum and other kin and would look to many like a blatent land grab by powerful British Hongs and a corrupt local magistrate.

6) In Chin Gov Wang Chi of Fatshan has been meeting men of business.......seems profits from Opium Dens are down.

Feb 1860 Britannic Times has shown up and for non players here are the highlights:

1) The siege of Meknes by Bismarck & the Africa Corp of the German Army seems to be going no were fast even with the support of Nuns and various other dodgy types.  This month's intended grand storm using ladders never got off the ground (pun intended) when someone burnt the ladders.

- The fall back position would seem to be to starve the Sultan into surrender but with all of these night raids by the Moors on the siege lines you have to wonder if some of the raid's are cover for food being brought in?  Or the Sultan being taken out to meet up with some of his favourite dishes inc Sheep's eyes, Camel eyes and Goats eyes in custard.

2) Queen Min of Koreva has abandoned her siege of Wei-Hi-Tang and to the great joy of the defenders marched for home.  It is to be hoped that the Queen was not aiming to enjoy a nice warm bath, a soft silk bed, the pampering of handmaidens and all the comforts of the Gyeongbokgung Palace-Temple complex which is the seat of power of the Josean Dynasty and dominates the pretty village town of Seoul.  This is because the huge Palace Complex, the pretty village and various ships on the mighty Han River are now no more following an attack by 15 Ironclads of the Russian Far Eastern Squadron.

3) Emperor Gojong and Minister Lord Kalu managed to escape the disaster but is no doubt thinking some manners and not sending the Czar's envoy to Nippon in the middle of Typhoon may have been a wiser course of action esp since reports from Bombay show another strong Russian Naval force to be heading east escorting a large number of hired merchant ships, which are probably not carrying fluffy toy's.

4) If consideration of the Russian Govt being lead by a bunch of anti-semitic, xenophobic and extreme Russian Nationalists you really have to wonder why the Argentinians locked up the Ballet Russ in Buenos Aires this month.

5) In other Far East news the Albion Corporation (aka Opium Corporation) is trying to break into the Nippon Silk Trade, Hong Kong is to increase the size of its Police force and a Britannic Battlefleet is heading for Shanghai.  Is this pure diplomatic arm twisting of the Chin Govt or will her Majesties Ministers now feel  honour bound to match the recent display of Russian firepower at Seoul?

6) Lord Derby is visiting India or should that be attending a "Tory Party Conference in India".......the PM was welcomed by Red Carpets and 21 Gun salutetes before speaking to the Bombay Chamber of Commerce at a banquet arranged in his honour and attending a ball at the Hotel Bristol.

- In his usual style Harry Flash showed up late for the Ball & when asked by Sir Harry Smith "where the hell have you been"......Flashy replied "Tsing-Tao" and flicked Sir Harry Smith a report marked "Naval Strength Far East - Top Secret"

What has Flashy being doing in China?  Will their rivals dare to follow the Hongs & Triads of the Opium into the heart of darkness that is the Empire of Chin?  Meanwhile to the north of the great chin wall if one listens very hard one can hear the currently faint sound of hoofs on the steppe and Cossack Battle Hymns on the wind.  Do Hardinge, Flashy & Co think they need to get into China and quick before the map gets a nasty attack of double headed eagles all over were they want to build BRITISH RAILWAYS.

7) In the game of railway rivals in North America......Hardinge has made his move on Dayton and Memphis.  Aiming to link up Ohio and Canada with the Mississipi and the CSA and its warn water port of New Orleans.

Normally one would expect to see objections from the USA but currently Washington is distracted by death, anarchy, arson and parnoia not unlike what Birmarck gets when he has been hitting the green fairy.........poor Charlotte McMasters only a widow of a few months and she dies from Posion & who burnt down the Water Street Club?

If anyone is up for it I think this game could do with a active France, active Austria and an active CSA again in other to restore charm, grace and dignity. Plus we want to see those mad Austrian & Frenchmen in their flying machines again. Go on treat yourself for Christmas you will not regret it honest! Provided you stay away from Opium, The Green Fairy, mad Mullahs & Nuns.

So just another quiet, tame month in Scramble then?

We sure could use some players to hold down some of those larger positions. Remember that the larger positions in Scramble are less expensive to play when compared to the LGDR cousins. Come give this world a spin... Lord Derby is counting on you.

Must admit, do miss the stories of French and Austrian airships

revvaughan wrote:We sure could use some players to hold down some of those larger positions.  Remember that the larger positions in Scramble are less expensive to play when compared to the LGDR cousins.  Come give this world a spin...  Lord Derby is counting on you.  

Would like to point out to anyone thinking of joining the game that all positions get the same basic 12 Characters and one Arms Bureau to do research.

So the difference between "large" and "Small" positions is not that great. In fact some of the currently most active and influential positions in the game are "trade companies" without a single flag on the map.

Thanks for clarification... Take advantage of the simplicity and enjoy the stories that develop.