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

That could be a rather interesting thread to follow in the game. It would seem to fit with the current operating mode of a few "characters" in the game.

I am wishing my life away waiting on the next deadline. All of my orders from the previous set of orders were not enacted and I was sitting on go to read of my exploits. Duped again... I guess I have more time now to think about the devious nature of the orders issued!

There is no need for any nun slayers or seekers of strange tentacled beasts that live under the city. I repeat myself, there is no..................

I am now getting images of Buffy Summers loose in Scramble

Jason wrote:I am now getting images of Buffy Summers loose in Scramble

Buffy Summers as a Nun? Or as Lady Flashman?

I refuse to consider Buffy Summers as one of Bismarcks Mistresses.

The October 1858 Britannic Times has shown up and for non scabble players here are the highlights:

1) And in one bound our hero is free The noble & heroic Avatar of Vishnu sent to earth to spread love and celestial balance (better known as Sir Harry Flashman) has of walked out of the mountains of Ambik just in time to stop the Poona Lt Horse from riding into Ambik and filling Chief Prada full of lead. Which would no doubt have upset the celestial balance somewhat.

2) A Avatar of Vishnu may be required by Charles Darcy & his chums in Delhi who are still being hunted by mad and bad Priests of Kali and the Thugee brotherhood. The good news is that Charles is on HEIC territory with no more than a charge of disturbing the peace outstanding against him while the HEIC are the mortal foe of the Thugee.

- The fact that Charles has not been picked up by India Special Branch or one of the many other Police forces which normally come down hard on disturbers of trade may cause some to wonder if Charles and chums are being used as bait to lure foes of the HEIC into a trap.

3) In other India news the Opium Cartel (AKA the Albion Corporation) is looking to build a port just up the coast from the HEIC port of Bombay. This is generally seen as a direct challenge to the HEIC and it is hoped that Prince Ashoka and his trade Vizier have full life assurance before they take a big hammer and smash it onto the tiger's tail.

4) In news probably not linked to point 3 above the HEIC is building "The Duke of Wellington Class" some of the largest and best equiped
Battleships yet seen. In this they seem to be doing better than the European Yards with the Wilhelmshaven yards and the dream of a modern German Navy ruined once again by British Naval Gun Fire. While Liverpool Docks have been wrecked either by a terrible accident or German Agents.

In other news:

5) The Kaiser has sacked Bismarck as Reich Chancellor and replaced him with Field Marshal Mode. Its not clear if "Bizzie" has been sacked for attacking the Kaiser's allies or for attacking and not beating them.

- The sacked Chancellor now has a new job......Ambassador to Brittania.

6) In the Dis-United States of America relations between North & South are starting to slide again due to aggressive oratory by Northern Political leaders which has caused some trade companirs to leave the South. This has had the side effect of making market space for the returning HEIC.

7) Finally while Gentlemen & the British Foreign Office muse in the Press concerning the riddle wrapped in an Enigma which is the Chin Empire a Rossian Fleet sailed into Shanghai and issued a polite request for £100,000 compansation for murdered merchants and openning of Canton to Russian Merchants.

So, how is the game going for people?

Jason wrote:So, how is the game going for people?

According to the last issue of the Britannic Times (Jan 1859):

1) The British Govt & the HEIC are getting very upset about the Chin breaking the treaty of Nanjing & being nasty to British Bankers in Shanghai.

2) The "Lucky Company" (Opium corporation?) in Hong Kong is upset because 5 Chinamen murdered Mr George Baldwin, stole £1,000,000 and torched their Opium.

3) To add insult to British injury the Chin have ended row with Czar by once again allowing the Russians to trade with Canton and paid £100,000 compensation for murdered Russian Merchant.  But in the lands near Nippon it seems that no sooner does one diplomatic crisis end than another one starts since Czar Envoy to Yalu has been thrown out of Yalu and chucked on a steamer for Nippon were he then got detained for a couple of days.

If you listen carefully across the Sea of Japan you can probably hear the sound of bear claws being polished:pale:

A deaf man who has lost his hearing trumpet can probably hear the Screams of pain from robbed & insulted British Merchants.  

4) Mad German ex-Nuns on mission to Africa to save their men from Sultan Moulay of the Muurs.  The mad Sultan just wants £100,000 and an apology.

5) In Canada its strange but true that not everyone whats to live under the rule of Queen Victoria and as her authority spreads west so people keep packing up and heading west.  Bit like the Boars in southern Africa.......what is Canadian for Vortrecking?

6) In the mean streets and back lanes of Delhi Martin Warding the famous club owner went looking for the secret of what happened to Darcy Senior and got murdered.  Darcy Junior & chums are very upset about this new crime and have fled the city with Darcy Junior trying to follow up stories which link his late father to a temple of Kali under the Pink Palace & groves of trees sacred to the Godess of the Thuggee.

Unfortunately the trail may be somewhat muddy due to the army of the HEIC having shelled the Pink Palace flat and cut down the groves to make Cricket Bats.

7) Meanwhile the game of Railway/Port/Harbour & Telegraph rivals that is being played in Indea goes on........with usual bribery, corruption, cricket, dirty tricks and if all else fails "Zen & the way of the Lee Enfield".

So in conslusion I would say most characters (apart from a few in their Clubs or having dinner of leading ladies from the Ballet) are having a horrid time......being murdered, robbed, thrown into clink, or slagged off in the Press. So when is Jason returning to the game?

Sure could use Jason back... There are a few good places to have a well placed gentleman in the game!

Feb 1859 Britannic Times has shown up and for non players in scabbler who may be thinking about putting a toe in the water here is a rough guide to what is going on:

1) Following the murder and humiliation of British Merchants by the Chin.........Lord Derby & the British Govt are demanding that the Manchu pay £5M Compensation, sack Governor Suen of Shanghai and start to respect trade treaties.

This puts the holder of the Mandate of Heaven in a rather tricky position between the might of the Britannic Navy and the SiFan Boxers.

2) Adding to Manchu problems is what is going on in the North.........after being insulted, thrown out of Korea and sent to Nipon on a rust bucket in the middle of a Typhoon the Russian Diplomatic Service used some very undiplomatic language ref Lord Kulu Prime Minister of Korea, his half wit King, bitch Queen and pet monkey and used British Owned Telegraph links in open language to say it.

- This would seem to imply that the Russian Diplomatic service are about as useless as the G7 Russian Diplomatic service or the Russian's are so upset that their fine sable and offers of alliance got spurned that they have have decided that Korea needs a new Govt which likes Vodka, black bread and goat hides.

3) For reasons unknown when the Albion (Opium) Corporation was not sorting out funerals for some of its leading lights and crying over its burnt opium in Chin it spent month buying up property in Hong Kong and London Slums.

The Corporation has started to follow the formerly mocked practice of its HEIC rivals and provide its Directors etc with Body Guard Teams and probably Food Tasters as well.

Anyone would think that British Merchant houses are Parnoid and think the world is out to get them.

4) It is possible that British Merchants may be right in thinking the world is out to do them in: a) In Delhi the noble Charles Darcy Junior seems to have vanished b) In Puvurn the engineer Oliver Brown has gone missing c) In Satpura a team of Prospectors got eat by a Tiger known to locals as "The Khan of Satpura".......one suspects that if anyone takes up Tiger hunting they are going to have to give Agema some really, really clear orders or be done for attempting a coup against the Government of Satpura. d) At the Albion Corporation's  Port Ashoka development the diggers found the remains of a Hindu Temple.......which sadly means the development now needs to be in a new location and the developers need to restore the Temple first or all linked to the new port will suffer great misfortune and bad luck.

- Cynics might suggest that it does not take a great fortune teller to decide that anyone trying to break the control of the HEIC over the major Ports of Indea or set up rivals are probably going to suffer great misfortune and bad luck.

5) A German merchant steamer has taken Baron von Bismarck to Casablanca........why? Has our hero been set into exile by a cold hearted German Govt?  Thrown out onto the sands with nothing but a Camel and a Tuba for company to hunt for the famous wreck of the Limace Volant Extraordinary Amazing Balloon Steam-Powered Airship?

- various other Germans, ex nuns and nutters also seem to be buming round North Africa as well........dont ask why.......its probably not PG material fit for the forum.

6) In Canton celebrations have taken place to mark the year of the goat.

Not sure if this is more XXX material or its a Omen concerning nasty Cossack types.

7) In Kamiesh Patriarch Vakulovsky is claiming the Germans fight due to being more scarred of their leaders than the opposition, Brit forces are inspired only by the loot........this is a vile slander against hero's like Flashy who fight for ????????? (may have to think about this one)..........while the Rossians are Knights of Christ who fight to protect the lands, people, and honour of Holy Mother Rossia and their little Father & the Rossian people love their Army.

Talk about dross!!!! but of interest because as of this month the Prestige list reads:

- Empire of Rossia
- Triad boss & White Slaver  
- Opium trader
- Even bigger Opium Trader.............& only Brit.
- Empire of Nippon

Its an outrage!!! How come Lord Derby, Lord Hardinge & Flashy are no where near the Prestige List when none of the above have built even one Cricket Ground????  Who the hell writes this list?

Thanks for the update Stuart

Always wondered, is Flashy played by an individual or is he 'just' a character of a larger position?

Jason wrote:Thanks for the update Stuart

Always wondered, is Flashy played by an individual or is he 'just' a character of a larger position?

To say Flashman is JUST a character in a larger position (The HEIC) is a bit like saying Lord Derby is just a character in the Britannic Position
or Bizzy is just a character in the Germania position.

In all fairness, I did say "just" not just just

Flashy is working hard to become the Baron Flashy... Perhaps the good Lord Derby needs to talk to Her Majesty. Just Flashy... Come now he is certainly more than a just! He is British after all!

March 1859 Britannic Times has shown up and for non players of Scrabble here are the highlights:

1) Our hero "Bizzy" is in deep trouble again......and not with the Brits or his Mistress this time......rather he has joined General Galland as a captive of the sly and under hand Sultan Moulay of the Muurs. Who is now now demanding the province of El Hamra or his "guests leave in pieces".

2) Also in trouble with the law are Charles Darcy & Chitale the manager of Warding club. Some people think PC Plod have no right to go around arresting "Gentlemen" like Charles but to be fair the fuzz may have a point about the armed robbery. And they probably should be looking into who murdered Martin Warding and why a formerly dead man seems to have come to life and taken over Martin's Club.

The fact that Chitale seems to be working for the Albion Corporation and has a Indian Nationalist as a lawyer is probably not going to help him dodge the Insurance Fraud charges the ISB are now considering.

But what is the next move for Charles (& Bizzy).

3) First trade report....on the Europa Region........has been produced. No1 position held by Rossia then we have x4 Brits! What has gone wrong with Germania & France etc?

4) One of the Brits the HEIC seem to be trouble as usual........failure to employ enough locals in Surat is one issue along with the collapse of rival shipping companies due to its business tactics is another.

5) Finally the Chin & the Brits are still busy exchanging insults and threats

Having just finished watching the gin challenge on "The Apprentice" (other half likes it), got to say it made me think of Flashman and Scramble...

Jason wrote:Having just finished watching the gin challenge on "The Apprentice" (other half likes it), got to say it made me think of Flashman and Scramble...

Not sure if Scrabble has seen much in the way of disputes over the gin trade...........unlike opium, black & green tea, banking, railway & telegraph concessions, papers, private members clubs & ports.

Rather than trade figures by area might be interesting to see trade by trade type.........just who is the largest opium runner in Scrabble?

April 1859 Brittannic Times has shown up and for those thinking of taking a position or a character here is a rough guide to what is going on:

1) To the no doubt great glee of Lord Derby the trade figures for the Amerika region are out and top 4 spots are all held by Brits! - In order: No1 Tea Cartel 2. Britannia 3. HEIC 4. Albion Corporation (AKA The Opium Cartel)

- Lord Derby's Ministers are currently putting forth a trade theory based on the books of Mr Charles Darwin ie that if the Govt does not involve itself in markets and pamper merchants with trade protection policies and the like........only the best and strongest will last while the weak and inferior with go bust.

- Some people are currently of the opinion that its not Brit merchants who need protection so much as the rest of the world who need protection from British Merchant Houses! Bit like the Thracians of Old the British Merchant Houses would no doubt be even more of a threat if they were not so busy fighting each other using every dirty trick in the book.

2) Our Hero "Bizzy" and his mate Galland remains in Moorish Chains......but various Nuns do seem to be working the Sultans Harem to get German Captives set free. Meanwhile as if things were not bad enough Ottoman ships inc 29 Lineships have shown up at the German Base of Tangier and bombarded the place. So even if Bizzy gets out of Meknes without bits being cut off his ride home is currently so much matchwood.

3) Rossia wants a full apology from Yalu while handing out yet more vodka, tiffin and modern rifles to the happy hymn singing and icon kissing Cossack Hordes...........meanwhile Chief Bu of the Blackwater Tribe in Wanda (Eastern Siberia) has asked WHY? he should ally with Russia. Not getting filled with lead by the Cossacks would seem to be one reason but the other standard Russian threat of exile to Siberia may be a bit lacking in this case.

4) In Peking Singsung Manchu (relative of Fu Manchu) meet with Ki-Ming outside the Forbidden City. What are they plotting now?

5) In Delhi Charles Darcy Esq tried to explain to Local Police & the ISB why he was caught hanging round the sceen of a murder in disguise and with a loaded weapon. Meanwhile the plot thickens as it seems the murdered Martin Warding may actually have been a Officer of the British Army Intelligence Service. Which would have given the Thugs, Indian Nationalists and the Albion Corporation and probably a few others as well reason to kill him.

- The Strain of helping the Police with their enquiries in the heat of a Delhi Summer all proved a bit much for Charles and he had to be taken to Hospital feeling faint and unwell. Unfortunately, at this point the Police managed to lose him at the Hospital or Charles discharged himself. Accounts seem a bit vague and unclear as per usual. But not before Charles disclosed to the ISB that James Cornel is a member of the Opium Cartel/Albion Corporation making him suspect No 1 for the Warding killing.

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

1) Our hero Bismarck is now the slave of an ex French Nun & ex French Tart.......but at least he is now free from the Moors.  Who still hold Baron von Memno & Eric von Strongheim in the dungeons of Casablanca & General Adolf Galland at Meknes.  While Julie is now in the Sultan's Harem along with his juggling Dwarfs & scimitar wielding monkeys.  

- looking on the bright side for our captive Germans : General Model & the "Army of Liberation" has shown up in Tangier without getting sunk.  Oddly no sooner did the Govt of Germania make peace with Lord Derby than the Ottoman Navy ended its Blockade & Bombardment of this Port......clearly a fluke and the two facts a totally unrelated:joker:

2) Another reason why the Ottomans may have sailed off was the German request to St Petersburg to sink the beastly Ottonian Navy.  The generally parnoid & xenophobic Russians do not like anyone in particular but the Janissary Junta who overthrew the legitimate Sultan & the Queen of Yalu would seem to be high up that list along with the French Republicans who overthrew the Emperor & "Reds" in general.

- To date no action but plenty of dark muttering in the Duma about the danger of German defeat leading to Red Revivals in Europa.

3) While Europa could still burn in the flames of Revolution and Russian Counter Revolution. The British continue their favourite occupations like cricket, opium smuggling and trade wars with hated rivals who are also mostly British.

- Sir Harry Flash made the Prince of Keralia an offer he accepted, The British Army seems to be on the point of making the Canadian Metis a offer they will refuse while the Opium Cartel wants to make the merchant Muhammed Keli-Beg an offer he can not refuse.  But they have to find him first.......bit like the Tea Cartel who are looking for their man Mr Churchill plus who blew up Liverpool Docks.

- Meanwhile someone seems to have found Charles Darcy Junior and made him a offer he will have a lot of trouble in turning down if he wants to avoid 5 years hard labour for armed robbery and breaking and entry.  Well at least no one has sold him into slavery or gave him a thuggee necktie (yet).

4) Deep & dark plotting goes on in China............not sure what its about but its clearly deep, dark and down right un British!

5) Meanwhile in the good old CS of A they have found a copper mine..............big flipping deal. American's really need to do a lot better than this.

June 1859 Britannic Times has shown up and here are the highlights for Non Players:

1) In shocking outrage 30 BRITISH cargoes have been seized in Nanking.......Lord Derby will not be happy.

2) The good news for Lord Derby is that friendly (AKA bribed) locals have found his missing Engineer while Chambers of the Yard has found Mr Churchill his missing Diplomat who had been kidnapped by a member of the Farnworth Triad.

3) When not being charged with kidnapping diplomats the Farnworth Mob, AKA the Opium Cartel & the Albion Corporation would seem to be involved in its usual slanging match with the HEIC. Latest charges against the HEIC being that its engineering is low quality and it murders its rivals and steals souls.

- Lord Hardinge of the HEIC has strongly defended the quality of HEIC Engineering and pointed out that Souls have no material value. But did not say anything about crossing the HEIC being bad for your health.

4) Other HEIC related news mostly involved dividend payments, cricket, polite society in India, railways & cracking down on the Thugee. The fact that £100,000 was raised for Orphans by auctioning of (dances with) Lady Cynthia Smith & her daughter will probably now be reported in the Farnworth owned Times as the HEIC being white slavers.

5) Actually a better example of "forced labour" and what happens to single characters who disturb the HEIC on its own patch is Charles Darcy recently picked up by the the police on charges of riot and armed robbery in Delhi.

- Faced with option of 10 years hard labour on a chain gang of doing a couple of small jobs Charles decided to co-operate and accepted a commission in the Guides (meaning the HEIC have a prefectly legal right to shot him if he deserts) and the promise of a pardon and reward if he does a good job.

- intention was that Charles was then to be seconded to Army Intelligence Divison as 00 69.

- Unfortunately for Charles Agema has decided that to conply with these orders Charles needs to report to his Regiment first before he can be seconded & the Guides are currently in Kashgar. Oh well I am sure everything now go really smoothly for Charles from now on:pope2:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In non British News (boreing bit dealing with bounders, cads and under hand antics of Johonney Foreign):

6) Bizzy is still the slave of an ex nun and brodello madam somewhere in North Africa

7) Madam Julie has made herself head of the Sultan Moulay's Harem......but she is now in a fortress under siege by the German Army. The only slight problem for the Germans is that they only have one artillery battery. Is it going to be enough and is Moulay still a ally of the French?

Mean while the Russian have attempted to convince Chief Bu that he wants railways and to be a client of the Czar......the answer was No.........dont think this new fangled Russian Diplomacy is going to last.

9) The Chin are talking about something.......its all Chinese to me.

Thanks Stuart, always enjoy the updates

I do (almost) feel sorry for Bismarck, I wonder what fate will finally await hime

Honour score for Germania is back to 1. Needless to say another rebellion/revolution will loom soon !

Basileus wrote:Honour score for Germania is back to 1. Needless to say another rebellion/revolution will loom soon !

side


Look on the bright side ........The Prestige List in scrabble is dominated by opium dealers and anti-semitic, xenophobic and russocrentric lackies of the Czar. Not one of whom is half way to being a true gentleman.

True Gentlemen in scabble like Lord Derby, Lord Beaconsfield, Lord Hardinge & Flashman do not court popularity with the mob and the great unwashed in Munich.

Thus by this standard a Prestige Score of 1 means you are a true Noble Junker................and probably first up against the wall come the glorious day.

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.

Archbishop Schonmuller is a lot more sensible than Bizzie and I am sure he will agree to sensible and pragmatic ways forward. He does however have one terrible action in his past which should start to come to fruition in the next few months. For any Russian or English readers, the good news is that his actions only effect, at this time, the north American theatre.

At the very least Germania has gotten rid of the baggage that was Bismark...