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Luis Lombarte "Cicero" Serrano
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King Juan III, King of Spain Radio Address to the nation, on noticias del zorro, simultaneously broadcast to the United Kingdom and other Western European nations People of the Kingdom of Spain! I come to you today with an appeal - an appeal to the strength of our nation, for the last chance to preserve the unity and strength of our once great nation is at hand. The futurists have sold out the Kingdom, and have sought an alliance of convenience with the anarchist scum who seek to establish the superiority of one race above another, and sully our great nation with ideals entirely alien to the God fearing citizens of the Kingdom. The forces of extremism have torn us asunder, but you may ask, how are we to fight this extremism but with extreme force? In many ways you are correct, only through self defense, a God given right and clearly justified, can we hope to find victory over these aberrant forces of evil. Yet, we cannot ourselves fall prey to the horrors of injustice and tyranny, lest we surrender to the very forces which divided our great Kingdom in the first place. As such, I make a dual appeal for extreme defense of our homeland from the combined socialists scum of our enemies, but simultaneously, an appeal for moderation, for forgiveness for those of the enemy forced to fight against their will, for those brainwashed into service for ideals twisted and deceitful. When we have won this war, and restored our Kingdom to its rightful place, united and free of ethnic or ideological divisions, we will give the olive branch of peace to our former enemies, and seek a legalistic and moderate framework to ensure justice and liberty both prevail. So my friends, the next time you are forced to make the decision, and you will be forced to choose sides, between socialist or fascist, remember the alternative - freedom, justice, and unity. This has been your King, may God bless us all and deliver us from evil. King Juan III
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NEXT TURN IS DUE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25 AT 11 PM EST EARLY 1940 LOCAL NEWS Ferdinand de Los Rios continues to broadcast his morale-boosting announcements, assuring the people of Spain that the war is almost over. A string of violence committed by striking workers in Galicia breaks out. Bombs blow up Futuristic factories, banks are robbed, railroads are destroyed. The implementation of a Worker's Council, in charge of labor policy, is intended to ameliorate the concerns of the strikers. However it is an elitist organization, allowing only those with technical training to join. This excludes most of the popular union leaders. Aristocrats in the region ally with the striking workers, in a strange show of solidarity. Catalonia builds anti-aircraft weapons, emplacing them primarily on her borders with Futuristic Spain. Outlying regions are fortified. The diplomatic arm of the Futuristic government is sent to various powers, but there is no clear message. A flood of refugees attempt to leave PLC areas for friendly Portugal, and are seemingly aided by forces within the Futuristic bureaucracy. Futuristic leadership warns Portugal to stay out of Spanish business, including threatening them regarding the Alfonsine militias which now take refuge there. Portugal seeks closer ties with Germany and Italy as a result. Leaflets are dropped over PLC forces telling them to lay down their arms, the war is over. This results in a few men abandoning their posts. PLC forces in Toledo and Portugal attempt to move to Badajoz, but find themselves going through hostile territory filled with minefields. It takes a considerable toll on the troops. They are unable to reach the main battle in Ciudad Real. The Portuguese seem more reluctant to allow them free reign all over the border as well. The Campaign for Ciudad Real Futuristic forces in Cordoba and Albacete are able to enclose the main PLC army. While relief from Toledo travels through the dangerous Badajoz area, the Futuristic army launches a full attack. The PLC troops are dug in, but the Futuristic advantage is too large. The PLC is outnumbered more than 2-to-1, the Futuristics have many more tanks and planes, and the Futuristic disadvantage of training has been reduced by years of war. The Futuristic army is damaged, but are able to win the day. The PLC army is surrounded, and many of them are forced to surrender. An attempt is made on the Sky Marshal's life, but it fails. The Republic of the Baleares attempts to get other countries to recognize Catalonia, but they are reluctant to do so. Angel Oria writes and publishes, "Los Derechos y Libertades de los Ciudadanos Españoles". In it, he writes all on all the rights he believes Spanish citizens should be guaranteed. The book as a whole reaffirms his dedication to a democratic Spanish state, overseen by a figurehead monarch. The preamble: preamble posted:
The Futuristics have largely crushed the PLC, and previously resistant Southern regions fall under Futuristic rule. However, the situation in the country is tumultuous, with strikes and terrorism in the northwest and widescale resistance to technocratic rule in the south. Franco and Mola are captured, while Alfonsine leaders are ale to escape to Portugal. Angel Oria leaves the country and Sanjurjo disappears. It will take many years before the nation is peaceful again... FOREIGN NEWS Following the signing of a non-aggression pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, Germany invades Poland in force. The United Kingdom, France, and their dependencies declare war on Germany in defense of Poland. Later in the year, the Soviet Union invades and occupies eastern Poland. Naval warfare between the Kriegsmarine and the Royal Navy breaks out throughout the Atlantic. Soviet forces invade Finland. quote:FACTION INFO Map of current political situation in Spain: Map of the entire civil war: Blue: Provisional Leadership Council Aligned Red: Republic Aligned Grey: Futuristic Aligned Orange: Catalan Aligned Hey guys, thanks for playing but this game has largely expanded beyond its original bounds. I constructed a lackluster war simulator, which made half the game being a civil war somewhat unappealing. If you're curious about secret actions, let me know in IRC or email me. I'm going to give everyone an epilogue turn, which will cover the remainder of your character's life. So something like twenty to thirty years.
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Thanks for running an awesome game, Rak!
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When is the epilogue turn due?
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Very fun game, sorry I couldn't be here for the last few turns.
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Ángel Herrera Oria Former Leader of National Action Former Editor of El Debate Director of Catholic Action Activist -From the desk of Angel Oria, London- My good friends, it would appear that the battle is now over and that the Futuristics have declared victory. I would like to give a few words. This is not the end. Although Madrid is now run by a regime I find reprehensible, I will not stop my efforts to rebuild Spain. If nothing else, I have always acted to promote what I felt were Spain's best interests. If that means negotiating with the Futuristics, so be it. My friends, I will not leave you in your time of great need. My spirit remains as committed as ever, if not more so to restoring a stable, democratic state. In my absence, place your faith in the Church and the Pope. They have done more than enough to provide aid to all sides in the conflict and will continue to provide leadership to the Spanish people. I am afraid I must depart now to go meet with the Earl of Halifax and some other Ministers. We will speak again, Ángel Herrera Oria Congratulations on a very fun game, rakovsky. I had hoped we would survive at least one more turn but I guess that would only be delaying the inevitable. Am I right in saying that the Spanish Civil War ended up lasting more than twice as long as it should have?
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Gorgo Primus posted:When is the epilogue turn due? Sorry, it is due Saturday the 25th, at 11 PM.
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Alberto Lanza, Supervisor of the Constitutional Assembly Why does victory feel so...empty?
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Servant posted:Alberto Lanza, Supervisor of the Constitutional Assembly José Antonio Primo de Rivera, Saviour of the Spanish People, Tyrant of Seville Turn that frown upside down!! We have successfully liberated (the important bits of) Spain from the twin perils of cosmopolitan decadence and reactionary capitalist oppression. The workers and property holders of Important Spain can rejoice in the knowledge that in just a few short decades, they too will be able to feed their families!
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The sun never sets on the "The ship of the Spanish Republic is sinking and I don't intend to go down with it." These words were uttered by Emperor Juan Peligro Helado at the start of the Spanish Civil War and they couldn't have been more true. With the fall of the Spanish Republic and the rise of Futurist Spain, the Empire of Mallorca continued on in splendid isolation, enjoying their abundance of ice cream, exotic liquors, and beautiful beaches. When World War II got into full swing, Emperor Helado and the Mallorcan people remained neutral, the only calm port in a storm that consumed the world. Mallorca now, Mallorca forever. The Palace of Emperor Juan Peligro Helado, preserved by the Historical and Ice Cream Aficionado Society of the Empire of Mallorca and its Outlying Provinces.
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EPILOGUE NEXT TURN IS DUE... NEVER A SONG FOR SPAIN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulKPDPSDNSc MODERN HISTORY OF THE IBERIAN PENINSULA Futuristic Spain solidifies control over the country, though outbreaks of monarchist or leftist violence continue intermittently. King Juan III and Jose Gil-Robles attempt to sneak back into the country to aid resistance against the new regime in the northwest. For a brief moment the striking workers and aristocrats are united in their uprising, the only show of cooperation Spain has seen in a decade. The movement is quickly crushed by returning Futuristic armies, pacifying their political opponents with mass repression. Emilio Mola is tried and found innocent of war crimes or wrongdoing, and let go. He retires to Republican Tenerife for a few years, before being killed in an apparent burglary. Francisco Franco is found guilty of treason and crimes against humanity, and sent to a Futuristic rehabilitation center. There he undergoes experimental psychiatric techniques to curb his violent and fascist tendencies. He is mentally conditioned to be unable to think of violence of any sort, before being sent to a work camp in Western Sahara. One day Franco wanders off into the desert, never to be seen again. Angel Oria spends a few months of exile in the United Kingdom, before returning to Futuristic Spain intending to work with the ruling government rather than against it. He is warily allowed to return, though is constantly watched over by handlers. World War Two continues as Nazi Germany conquers France. Sharing a border with Futuristic Spain and Anarchist Catalonia, Nazi leadership considers invading the former for a path to Gibralter and the latter for ideological reasons. Both maintain their neutrality during the conflict. Germany attempts to appeal to Futuristic Spain's fascist element, but is unsuccessful in this attempt. Catalonia has turned itself into a fortress state - and the Wehrmacht does not consider the rewards of an invasion to outweigh the costs. Complications during Barbarossa focus German attention elsewhere. As this happens, Futuristic Spain launches an invasion of Portugal. Local Futuristic movements had been stirring dissent in the country, and the world largely ignores the Futuristics as they set up a puppet regime. The Battle for the Mediterranean continues as Italy, with minor German paratrooper assistance, attacks the Baleares. The exiled Republican navy fights back, but without proper supplies or assistance is unable to defend the islands. The Republic retreats to the Canaries for the war's duration. As the Soviet Union turns the tide in the east and the United States enters the war, the situation for the Axis is imperiled. The Royal Navy, with some aid from Republican ships, pushes Italy out of the Balearic Islands. After D-Day and the US invasion, and with Soviet troops bear down on central Europe, Futuristic Spain joins the allies and provides some token assistance. The Sky Army is useful in maintaining Allied air superiority over the European continent. As the war comes to an end, a man who bears a striking resemblance to Jose Sanjurjo is stabbed in an alley in Cuba. After the war, Alberto Lanza attempts to move his country in a more democratic direction. At first helped by Angel Oria, Lanza is later charged with betraying the state. Although first assumed to be a political purge, investigation reveals Lanza as being behind a criminal organization known as Los Mentirosos, a cartel smuggling weapons, drugs, and engaging in human trafficking throughout the Iberian peninsula and Mediterranean region. He is sent to Western Sahara. The technocracy eliminates any remaining pretenses of democracy. Futuristic Spain later joins NATO and the UN. Futuristic movements start in Latin America, where the US finds them useful in fighting communists. However, military juntas are usually more efficient for this purpose, and Futuristicism is only rarely included in the agenda. A number of movements attempt to integrate technocracy, military rule, and leftist concerns, and a system known as Synarchy rules in Brazil for a few decades. The corpse of King Juan III is kept in a Futuristic zoo, and attempts are made to capture other members of the Alfonsine line but they have all fled. Serrano goes to university and receives a degree in engineering, though rumors fly that he was only passed through due to his service to the country. he works as an architect and politician, designing brutalist monuments all over Madrid. The destroyed city becomes a grey mausoleum, full of harsh angles and solid walls. Manuel Fal Conde disappears, though rumors of a red beret wearing guerrilla in Puerto Rico do make some people wonder. An uprising in Puerto Rico is crushed by the US, and the territory applies for statehood in 1996. The Republic becomes an ally of, and essentially a naval base for, the United States. While maintaining claims to be the legitimate government of Spain, no state in the world recognizes those. It is generally referred to as the Balearic and Canary Republic. Angel Oria continues to speak out against the Futuristic government, but the restriction of privileges goes a long way to silence him. He becomes a major character in later History channel specials for allegedly being in league with the Jesuits and Freemasons to overthrow the technocratic government. Supposedly he started an organization called the "Sons of Spain". Oria is later shot by a discontented Futuristic Sky Army veteran, which leads to protests across the country. Dissenters wave the old PLC flag. The Futuristic government brutally represses the movement, with mass arrests and imposed curfews on unruly regions. A column of Futuristic tanks bearing down on a lone (and unknown) protester becomes a symbol of resistance for oppressed people and college leftists worldwide. Most of the latter are unaware the protester was fighting for conservative democracy, until their know-it-all libertarian brother tells them with a smug grin. Oria recovers from his injuries but is exiled from the country. He works with the UN on humanitarian projects until his death. Rivera was the strong right hand of the Sky Marshal in the 1940s, and installed as military governor of Andalusia. He uppressed the simmering conservative tension in the south with an iron fist, interfered in the appointment of bishops, nationalised aristocratic land when they were found to be aiding dissent. His heavy-handed actions threatened to bring about a full-scale uprising against him, but during a strike-busting in Seville he was hit by a stray rock, which knocked him unconscious. He never woke up. Due to his megalomaniac nature, the Falange had never had a strong cadre of second-in-commands - the organisation suffered from a power vacuum, and were fully incorporated by the state as the SAS-equivalent, finally abandoning the para- in paramilitary. Rivera left behind a legacy - the merger of fascist and technocratic thought known as the Riveran school of Futurism. Supporting both the technocratic economic model and a fervent promotion of heritage and nationhood, it was particularly influential among international Futurists, and the rebel leader in the Bolivian Civil War professed an admiration of Rivera's opportunism and ideology. Unfortunately the school was discredited in Spain, due to association with his distasteful record. Overall, Rivera is remembered as one of the demons of the Civil War - the Tyrant of Seville, the Rapist of Madrid, and among the conservatives of the south as a worthy successor to Judas Iscariot. His actions were impressive - he took a mildly syndicalist party with military ambitions and brought them to the top of a new state. But there can be no denying that this was a man unaffected by his conscience. Lluis Companys returns to Catalonia, functioning as a moderate voice in the anarchist state. Although the chaos of the civil war and World War Two could have allowed a powerful individual to seize control of the nascent anarchy, none do. Catalonia becomes a popular destination for hippies and freethinkers during the '60s. The US and Catalonia enjoy a tense relationship during the Cold War, Catalonia beomces an integral part of the Non-Aligned Movement. After half a century of anarchist rule, the moderates win a number of local elections in 2004. Nevertheless, Catalonian fair-trade, organic products continue to be popular among certain crowds. Catalonia attempts to create their own nuclear program, but the lack of any clear authority to take command results in the program going nowhere. The Balearic and Canary Republic never recognizes the Anarchist or Futuristic states as legitimate. The Futuristic state continues on, a US ally in the fight against communism. In the 1980s, economic recession results in the liberalizing of the economy and relaxing of internal regulations on businesses. The Futuristic economy is referred to as "expert capitalism". China implements a few Futuristic policies in its later years. quote:COUNTRY INFO Map of the world in 2012: Well, that's it! I hope everyone had fun, I definitely did! I may run one of these again in the future, if people would be interested in playing. Are there any suggestions? Things you would like changed? I'd hope to set up a future game with a way to encourage players to improve the country rather than constantly undermine it. I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on the system. I have two ideas currently floating around in my head. The first is pretty similar to Spain, except focused less on legislature and more on governors, businessmen, foreign ambassadors, and local leaders. I would also include a lot of prompts for issues that players would need to solve, which might give people common goals to cooperate towards. My other idea would be a fantasy-set citysim with very few details provided by me. It would have a few basic stats and I would let players come up elements of the city as they created organizations/individuals to play as. On the other hand, neither of these would have a big legislative element which I found surprisingly interesting in Spain. However I think that contributed to people feeling like this was too much of a time commitment and dropping it. So I'm not sure.
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Cheers to everyone in the Futuristic Party, we did it you guys! Cowabunga!!
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I hope you futurists got my good side in repose! I'd gladly join another game.
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Great game rakovsky! I really like the first idea, my only suggestion is to make combat a more rigorous system, so players aren't frustrated when things seemingly fall apart for no reason.
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That was interesting. Given the circumstances, though, everything turned out about as well as it could have. The only thing I am rather disappointed in is the invasion of Portugal. It would have been nice if they had been kept out of this mess. Nice to see the US supporting a violent authoritarian regime. Hopefully with most of the leadership dead in 2012 it can become more moderate. Great game, rakovsky.
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Good game everyone!
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I really enjoyed it. The only nitpick I could make about the way it was run would be it would have been great to have a constantly updated OP with names/roles and the like, but I understand that might have been more work than the results would have been worth. My problem was I didn't go in with any agenda or master plan or anything I just kind of took it as it came which I think is a bad way to play these games. Oh well, I'll know better next time.
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Yeah, I kinda expected to be purged, though I didn't expect to be purged so quickly. Anyway, in my defense, I formed the Los Mentirosos, Spanish for "The Liars", because I wanted a backup plan in case the Futuristic regime fell. It made sense in theory, the Futuristics' position was still fairly uncertain and I've seen what happened to Llus Company. Of course, by the time the Futuristics won, I got addicted to a life of crime. That's why I formed the police...by the way. Whoever runs the Chief of Police has an advantage in conducting crime, at least to my knowledge. I was still loyal to the Futuristic State, of course. But if it was going to collapse...then I had to look out for Number One. Of course, I'm just as incompetent as my civilian personality was. Here's what I did, in no particular orders. 1) Sold weapons to individuals in Catalonia who were willing to use them to shoot at each other (publicly confessed when mood found out) 2) Supported corrupt governors in Futuristic Spain. 3) Set up black markets in PLC Spain and Anarchist Spain, and later expanded them to include all of Spain. 4) Blackmailed PLC officials...though this failed because the PLC is a military dictatorship who doesn't really care about anything shady the PLC officials actually do. 5) Tried to launch assassinations in Portugal for money, but Portugal had secured their borders, so the assassinations failed. 6) Suggested to FSAD and Freduain to rob banks instead of land taxation. They convinced them that bank robbery would make the Futuristics even more hated. 7) Assassinated Emilio Mola and Jose Sanjurjo (I thought Jose Sanjurjo was trying to support uprisings in Spain...er, sorry Sanjurjo). [I also sent Franco to reeducation but uh, that due to my civilian personality.] 8) Prepared to launch a coup against FSAD and Turkeybro, during a period when Freudian and I were in peace talks with the PLC. The coup was cancelled when FSAD won the Battle of Madrid and the preparation for the "police coup" led to the police...not actually fighting crime. Had I succeeded in escaping, I would have attempted to support any movement who would allow "Los Mentirosos" to operate without impunity. Had I not been purged, I would have turned Futuristic Spain into a shelter for all sort of criminal activity. I also would have built monuments to Futuristic rule and funded rehabilition efforts with all my criminal income but...that didn't happen. EDIT: 16:25 rakovsky_maybe That was not servant 16:25 Freudian Well, luckily, we survived until 2012 despite having a crimelord as head of state 16:26 Servant Oh. 16:26 Freudian rakovsky_maybe: who DID kill Sanjurjo? 16:26 mood I KILLED SANJURJO NOT SERVANT 16:26 Freudian Oh! 16:26 Freudian That makes more sense 16:26 rakovsky_maybe Servant did kill mola though So yeah. I didn't kill Sanjurjo. My bad. I also forgot another criminal activity I did: 9) Human trafficking. I helped PLC and Socialist refugees flee Spain into Portugal. I also established refugee camps where crime could take place unhindered, but apparently, the refugees preferred to leave to somewhere more sane. 10) Bribed the right-wing criminals and left-wing unionists to reduce their attacks on the Futuristic state (and hopefully to have them attack each other), though those bribes were fairly ineffective.
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No I killed Sanjurjo!!!
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Well, that was fun, cannot wait for the inevitable CSA sim! Excerpt from some Far Right Catholic blog: So, I was basically trying to figure out what the hell happened to Fal Conde. He led this like small group of people that were a bunch of crazy Far Right Catholic Traditionalists and it imploded due to that Civil War and he was kidnapped or something. Well, guess what, blogosphere? I think I found him. Apparently there was a man who was involved in the Cuban revolution led by Che and Castro who was apparently an very experienced guerrilla fighter. He apparently hailed from Puerto Rico, which you know is the 51st state right now. The thing is that there is nothing on him at all and no mention of his name at all. This mysterious person looks like Fal Conde, and I am guessing it is him. I still don't know what that guy in the picture is beside him though, looks shopped in.
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Here's what I was doing for most of the game. Overall, I largely tried to play the middle of things, as a nominal rightist, but with my real motivations much more centrist (if you look back at my comments I supported the left a good amount). Pre-FAI-CNT: The FIE were developed to be a gestapo as people rightfully suspected, however I never really took the opportunity to use them that way. In fact, I ended up using them exactly as I said, to target corruption. Almost all of my orders in this phase were anti-corruption or anti-crime. I started recruiting Accion Nacional into an alliance separately from the behind the scenes discussions we had between the guard, police, and franco. CNT-FAI period: Once the leftists started rising up, I started taking the heat for some reason rather than Sanjuro -- even though he was taking all the covert actions. I ordered some arrests, but I actually tried to protect civil rights throughout all this, ordering police to target instigators only. After the assassination attempt on me, I had a more open policy towards going after Mood's group, but I was still trying to keep the CNT out of it as much as possible, until I basically figured out they had no interest in being separate. I did have one aborted attempt to take over the judiciary, but the mechanics didn't allow it. I was planning on killing whoever the interior minister was at the time, because he kept on interfering way beyond what his role should have been (you don't micromanage the police as a minister). I was prepared to arrest/assassinate him if he didn't back down from his plan to replace the FIE, but fortunately, public opinion turned against him and I didn't have to. Pre revolution period: We planned the coup attempt a couple of turns before Franco/Gorgo went at it, which sped up plans a bit. I was trying to slow it down because I was not super in favor of it -- I wanted to organize a broader governmental coalition before anything kicked off. Sanjuro was really pushing it, and Franco was kind of in the middle. Even up until the last turn before the coup started, I was considering selling out Sanjuro, and continuing to play the moderate card, but ultimately the sheer assholeness coming from the left ended up swaying me the other way. Coup period: I did some plans for the first couple of rounds of attacks, but starting round three, I basically just had the police do security, except for one round towards the end where I tried to take Tenerife. I also was negotiating with Slothbear and the Futuristics about forming a coalition government. I was generally the voice of restraint, and wanted to form diplomatic relationships. Sanjuro was basically like "no, slay them all." Franco again was kind of in the middle. Had people in the center/futuristics actually bothered to negotiate in good faith rather than backstabbing us several times, we could have ended the war right there (whether Sanjuro wanted to or not -- though several times I promised him that we would just try for a short truce and betray our partners a few turns later, when in fact I planned to backstab Sanjuro if it came to that to keep the peace). After the second backstabbing attempt and the repeated "Mola is bad, Sanjuro is just kinda whatever" I started to get really frustrated, I made a post on it in the thread, but I also missed a couple of turns in here. I was trying to find a way to essentially get myself out of the PLC and into my own position somehow, retaining Mola's dignity. But the game ended just in time because I probably wouldn't have found a way. Anyway, the frustrating thing for me was the public perception that I was a war criminal and fascist, when in fact I was the best friend the left had and was playing it straight almost the entire game. Otherwise, it was a really really fun game, and thanks for running it Rakovsky!
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