Twilight War Regions

[Targan]

The inquisition still exists. I think they call it the Holy Office nowdays. They had a hand in controlling the Ecole Biblique, the organisation responsible originally for decyphering the Dead Sea Scrolls (and controlling access to the information derived from them).

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Targan

The inquisition still exists. I think they call it the Holy Office nowdays. They had a hand in controlling the Ecole Biblique, the organisation responsible originally for decyphering the Dead Sea Scrolls (and controlling access to the information derived from them).

You are right but "Holy office" has been dropped in 1965 and they adopted a new name : Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Funny how we get back to the same place. As I'm not that knowledgeable in the Catholic Church I didn't know. Making the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith the new inquisition simply seemed obvious to me (as I dislike Ratzinger to the highest point) and I had not done extensive research on it.

As a result, the Full Inquisition is only revived and the Prefect of the congregation simply takes the name of Grand Inquisitor again. In addition, they simply have to revert to one their previous name: Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition or Holy Office of the Inquisition. They might also adopt a new one: Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition (I like that one better)

Thanks Targ, that helped greatly and I would not have thought about checking it that far on my own.

[Legbreaker]

I wonder how active the church would be in the years after 2000? Would the "inquistion", or whatever it's named, recommence rooting out heretics, etc?
Would the church build up military forces to assist?
Perhaps another round of the Crusades would be in order?

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

I wonder how active the church would be in the years after 2000? Would the "inquistion", or whatever it's named, recommence rooting out heretics, etc?
Would the church build up military forces to assist?
Perhaps another round of the Crusades would be in order?

I haven't finished on it but here are my ideas behind the Papal state. The Pope is either in Rome (if the city was not destroyed) or in Avignon (if you chose to blow up the holy Catholic city).

Assuming he is in Rome.

The Pope exert full control over the Lazio and may be Sardinia. he is backed by a professional Papal army which is fairly powerful by Twilight's standards. may be equal to a couple Brigades of light infantry, a horse cavalry guard, the Swiss body guard and, a small light armored element.

After the nukes start to fall, the original Papal State has been joined by Malta (now under the authority of the hospitalers Grand Master). With the Papal state, they have built a small but efficient navy composed of small ships: may be a corvette, several patrol craft, PBR and armed sailing ship. Not strong because of its ship that navy is powerful because it is very well disciplined and its sailors are dedicated to their task (after all the fight for the sake of God). Probably backed by France, they are engaged in a constant fight to end piracy coming from Northern Africa.

Outside the Lazio, the Catholic influence is only strong over the Iberian peninsula and with no doubt over Ireland. Nevertheless, the Archbishop of Spain is fully in charge and tensions exist with the bishop of Rome (the Pope).

In France, the catholic church is welcome as long as it doesn't contest state authority. France has established a kind of Laîc Inquisition of its own and you better not challange it weither you are the Pope or not. From what I heard on the news this morning we might be in the process of creating the roots of it (attention I was not paying attention and my interpretation might be entirely wrrong). Basically what I understood is that sects (the current fashionable word for faith) cannot by disbanded anymore if they are found guilty of con/bribery... However, sects might still be disbanded on the base of their belief which is forbidden by the French constitution (interesting debate in france for the near future).

The Catholic Church remains also influencial over Latin America at least in word. Nevertheless, the priest in Latin America are only safe as long as they don't challenge too much the drug cartels and the gangs (I wouldn't be surprised to have priests there engaged in drug production and some kind of slavery).

In the western world, the Catholic Church takes the form of what you find in the original game about Krakow. Priest influence is exherted only at the very local level and often in weird ways. If there is no priest, there is no Church.

In any organized country the Catholic Church remained what it was before the war, it still refers to Rome but direct contact might be rare. It is equally possible that the local bishop turned the church into a church of its own. The Twilight War is a perfect ground for heretics.

In the rest of the world (Africa, Asia, Middle-East...), Priest can be there but they are engaged in some kind of crusade with all the risks implied and all the possible perversion. A remote island in the Pacific can be ruled by a bloody priest advocating that Christ blood should be taken from where it comes: Manflesh (possibilities are endless).

One last point about the Catholic Church organization. The new Pope has appointed new Bishop when it was needed and when one can be identify (at the end of the adventures in Poland, the priest holding the Black Madona could well have become the new Bishop of Poland). Nevertheless, this authority is only nominal and the rest will depend on the local situation. The post-war Bishops are no more than boosted priest until they can carve their own are of influence. You might also have several self-appointed Bishops (or appointed by local strongmen) but these will always have one goal : get Papal approval. Until they do they are heretics.

Here are the ideas. They are open to debate but they are taken from the regular Catholic dogmata. The Catholic Church has followed its dogmata for now nearly 2000 years and a few nukes won't change this path. However, I don't think that the new Pope, given world situation, could be able to call for holy council (that could modify these dogmata).

[Mohoender]

Italia is experiencing a dramatic political crisis in the 1990’s and this ends with the collapse of the Italian Republic. Political scandals and corruption have plagued the first half of the 1990’s and all attempts at forming a new government have met with ultimate failure. In the end, the northern part of the country, under the leadership of the Lega Nord (Umberto Bossi), secedes in late 1996, taking the name of Padania.

That new state is officially recognized a few months later and the split goes one step further during the Italian National Conference taking place between January and March 1997. Padania itself is the now the most important of the Italian states as it inherits most of the industrial network along with a majority of the armed forces. Most importantly, almost 80% of the fleet rally the new state and that includes all major units: the aircraft carrier Giusepe Garibaldi, the helicopter cruiser Vittorio Veneto and the two Andrea Doria-class cruisers that had been put in reserve in 1992. Carried by a wide popular support, Umberto Bossi is elected president in May and his first move is to choose Ravenna to be the capital of the new state. He justifies this choice in his address to the nation along a few other things.
“Ravenna has been the capital city of the great Roman Empire and it should be ours today! If Piemonte and Lombardia are our lungs, Toscana and Veneto our brain, Emilia-Romagna should be our heart. All of you are the blood without which nothing could be possible. Padania is established for our future and it must be true to its present commitments. A modernization of our country, already delayed too long, is to be started and this will begin with the building of a new aircraft carrier to be named Conti di Cavour, a needed tool for Padania to remain true to her deep commitment to NATO.”

Four years later this has been put aside and Padania withdraws from NATO while work on the carrier has been delayed in favor of less onerous programs. When the war starts the “Conti de Cavour” is still in dry docks and works on it is far from being achieved.

As this is happening in the North, another state is established over the southern part of the peninsula. A left-wing coalition, named “Neo-Ulivo” and led by Romano Prodi (a man from the north) establishes the Napoli Republic with its capital at Napoli. Lacking the financial weight of the northern state this new republic, ruling over southern Italy and Sicily, is largely rural. Also admitted to NATO it cannot field more than a few under-strength units but it retain a huge strategic importance as it houses the US Naval Command for the Mediterranean. However, plagued by mafia, it’s government is fairly corrupt from the beginning and the level of corruption has increased when the Twilight War starts.

Finally, Lazio and Sardinia chose independence and form a state of their own under the leadership of former president Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. The man, a conservative and a staunch catholic, soon builds strong ties with Vatican City and Pope John Paul II. As a result, that state quickly becomes known as the “Papal State” even if these ties don’t change much in the daily life of the Roman population. As in the past, Romans seem not to care and life continues as if nothing had happened.

While both Padania and the Napoli Republic had been involved in the air strikes on Serbia, things change when Germany calls for help. Padania, being the location of huge anti-war protests chose to withdraw from NATO and all its units are called back. Nevertheless, the government pushes various military programs and the army receives more new equipments. In addition, work on the Conti di Cavour accelerates again.

The Napoli Republic, on the other hand, chose to remain true to NATO and after the attack in Norway it commits more troops to the Balkan. The Italians prove to be dedicated fighters but they lack proper equipments in adequate numbers and their presence puts an additional strain on the US as Washington is forced to supply them.

With the final involvement of Padania as an ally to Turkey, the Italian peninsula fully enters the war. Immediately after the sea action of June 27th, troops are deployed to all fronts. A small corps is deployed to the eastern border establishing well defended position there despite the lack of direct threat. As a matter of fact, in order to attack Padania from the Balkans, NATO forces would have to penetrate into Slovenia and neither Padania nor NATO seem willing to do so. The western border is an entirely different matter, however, and bitter fighting takes place between the Italians and the French on the Alps. Both sides are unable to come on top and after several weeks the opponents settle in well defended positions.

In Italy itself, Padanian forces quickly progress toward the south, taking Napoli in only ten days as the southern state forces fall back toward Sicily. Once they have reached the Messina Strait, the Padanian remain unable to land in Sicily as NATO naval forces represents too much of a threat while Napolitan forces deploy on very well prepared defensive position located on each side of the strait. NATO conducts several air strikes on the country, of course, but the available squadrons remain insufficient and this fails to entirely disrupt Italian production. However, important air raids are conducted on Liguria and the Riva Trigoso shipyard is hit, resulting in the Conti di Cavour’s being damaged beyond repair. Theses raids also result in dsiplacement of the Padanian Navy which is moved to the Adriatic Sea and the port of Trieste and Venice (later to Tarento) where it can be more adequately protected.

Most bitter fighting takes place in Austria, however, and especially in Tyrol where Padanian forces penetrate in early August, launching a surprise attack through the Alpine Passes. The Austrian Army faces that invasion of course but it can do little. Its land forces are insufficient and the Padanian Air Force has destroyed the Austrian aircrafts on the ground. Deprived of air support, the Austrians fall back and withdraw to the eastern part of the country, establishing strong defensive positions on a line stretching from Villach to Salzburg. The Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito chose to ignore that, establishes defenses of its own to protect its flank and push toward its true goal: Southern Germany and Munich.

By mid-month, Padanian units are entering Germany and continue their push toward Munich. They are faced with very little resistance at first but the Bundeswehr defenses slowly builds up as they progress in Bavaria. When they reached Munich suburbs they are challenged by German territorial units and the Padanian have to conduct some very harsh fighting. In November, they have failed to progress very far in the suburbs and they establish more solid position in prevision of the coming winter. At that moment, Padania occupies western Austria and the lands of southern Germany behind a line going from Lindau to Mühldorf.

While the most important Italian states are being dragged further in the war, the Papal State remains neutral but its military forces are mobilized, nevertheless, in both Lazio and Sardinia. Then, with 2002, the war takes a strange path for Italy. The Allies being now engaged on multiple fronts (Including Asia and the Middle East), NATO commits only limited forces to the Italian front and, there, the war settles in a Phoney War similar to the one that opposed Germany and France from September 1939 to May 1940. Except for daily air raids and occasional naval operations the area is somewhat quite. Military units suffer from inaction, some goods are increasingly difficult to find on the civilian market but as a whole, the entire Italian society functions almost as if it was at peace. People in the North are going to work and the occupation of South goes smoothly except for the daily arrest and regular execution of members of the Cosa Nostra, prosecuted under military jurisdictions.

The Italian Phoney War last until mid-2003 when NATO decides upon using tactical nuclear weapons. Peace has been signed with France; troops are leaving the French border for Germany and southern Italy when a major offensive is launched by NATO. This starts with major air strikes targeting Padanian production centers and army position in Southern Germany. A week later, with the Padanian air force badly weakened, a naval offensive is launched with the obvious goal of controlling the Adriatic and the sea-lane to Balkan’s harbors. In the meantime, major landings take place in southern Italy, in Calabria and Campania. Napolitan and US forces cross the Messina Strait into Calabria, driving north toward Cosenza. Further north, a large Ispano-Portuguese corps backed by US Special Forces is landing into the Gulf of Salerno. While the troops advancing into Calabria meet with little resistance, the ones in Campania face more difficulties. As soon as NATO troops land, Padania starts to withdraw from southern Germany and Austria, establishing new defensive position in the Alpine passes and rushing reinforcement to the South. NATO’s progression toward Napoli is slow and they have the surprise to be met with open hostility by the local population. Nevertheless, the Allies have reached Napoli, Avellino, Potenza and Matera when the second battle of Matapan occurs off the Greek Coast.

NATO has been informed that the Padanian and Turkish fleet are assembling off the Cape Matapan (Greece) in order to launch a combined attack that should sink the flower of the landing force actually cruising off the Italian Coast. A strike force is assembled in a hurry: it is composed of the Principe de Asturias with most major Spanish units, the flower of the Egyptian Navy, a small British group assembled around the HMS Ark Royal, and three US aircraft carriers (CV-67 JFK, CVN-65 Enterprise and CVN-70 Carl Vinson) while the Greeks will commit what they can. As a matter of fact, this Task Force looks very good but this is only true on paper as this fleet will prove to have several weaknesses. First of all the Enterprise is sailing at a reduced speed (25 knots only) but most important, except for the Principe de Asturias, the carriers’ air complement is insufficient. Several fighter squadrons are missing and there are too few F-14s. In addition, these same F-14s have not been adequately supplied in Phoenix missiles and, outside of a sole Belknap cruiser, the escort fleet is essentially composed of frigates, a configuration that will prove its limit before the end of the Battle. Despite these weaknesses, the battle goes well for two days and NATO forces are coming on top. They have lost a number of Frigate and the Carl Vinson, suffering important damages have been withdrawn from the battle on the first day. The weakened fighter complement has managed to repel several attacks conducted by Padanian and Turkish air forces but they are now short in Phoenix. The only dark point comes from the accompanying submarines which have all been destroyed by the Italian and Turkish subs. In fact, the smaller types used by these navies proved superior in these shallow waters but are no serious threat to the surface ships. The situation changes on the beginning of the third day while NATO prepare for the final blow. Most major Turkish units have been sunk or withdrawn and Padania is left with a single cruiser, the Andrea Doria. Its sister ship, the Caio Duilio, has been lost on the first day, the Vittorio Veneto was sunk on the last evening and the Giusepe Garibaldi has been burning for a little more than 24 hours. Therefore, when the Soviet Black Sea Fleet shows up, the NATO task force is basically taken with its pants down. The cruiser Slava, backed by several aircraft from the naval aviation, immediately moves against the Enterprise. Hit by no less than 26 missiles with most of the carrier aviation under replenishment, the huge ship is lost in 20 minutes with all hands. The battle continues for the entire day and losses are huge on both sides. The HMS Ark Royal is sunk before sun down while the Belknap cruiser has been destroyed before noon. On NATO’s side, the JFK is the last ship to put up a fight, covering the retreat of the survivors. She is sunk by soviet destroyers but takes two major soviet units with her as her aviation sink the Moskva and inflicts major damages to the Slava. That last ship is lost during a storm on her way back to Sebastopol (the Enterprise has been avenged) while the Soviets are left with their venerable Kynda-class cruisers, a single Kara, 2 Kashin-class destroyers and several frigates. The Principe de Asturias could have escaped, despite huge damages, but she is intercepted by two Soviet submarines on her way out.

NATO has lost supremacy in the Mediterranean and will never recover it. Neither of the opponents is able to claim it, however, but that sea is now closed to regular shipping and any naval move will need substantial escorts until times where NATO can commit a new Task Force to the area. Then, the first consequence is to disrupt regular supply toward the ground forces fighting in Italy, slowing done the offensive and ultimately resulting in it to stop as these forces are now unable to break the defensive line established south of L’Aquila in the Abruzzo. In a last attempt to gain the upper hand in the Italian peninsula NATO launches a number of nuclear attack in early 2004, destroying Bologna, Genova, La Spezia, Milano and Torino before this attack is suspended. Most Padanian industry is indeed destroyed by these strikes but they don’t result in the dissolution of the state and have unexpected consequences. Padanian will to fight is reinforced despite supply shortages. In the north people from the cities are welcomed to the countryside while NATO forces are facing open hostility from Italians who rise against the legal authorities everywhere. At last, the final outcome of the nuking of the north is the fall of the Napoli Republic, widespread chaos to the South and the suspension of all military operations as NATO forces are forced to settle in military cantonments besieged by hostile countryside and populations.

The last military action in Italy occurs in late 2005 when NATO attempt to break through the Alpine passes into the Pô valley. Padanian forces are strongly entrenched, however, and NATO needlessly loses precious men and equipments in that futile attempt.

As all this is happening, the Papal state maintains its neutrality at all cost, sending food and medical aid to both sides. Then, in February 2005, Pope John Paul II dies from influenza as, given the general situation, he refuses that Vatican distract any of its doctor to take care of him. The election of the next Pope proves difficult and last for three weeks before the white smoke rise above Vatican City. Camillo Ruini has been elected and takes the name of Pius XIII as a reference to the last Pope to have reigned during a global conflict.

Nowadays, Italy has taken a face of its own with four official states but only three being functional. Among them, the most venerable is the Serenissima Republica di San Marino, the oldest constitutional republic in the world (founded in 301A.D.). This small country should have disappeared but it survived under the wise leadership of its Captain-Regent. Reviving the old rule of enrolling one son per family, it rebuilt a fairly strong Army Militia that still represents a fair defensive force. Building simple power plants San Marino gets access to limited electricity. Finally, giving its past history, the Captain-Regent also revived the close ties that the Republic had with the Vatican, becoming a Catholic stronghold to the North.

The Papal state is another important component of Twilight War Italy, ruling over the Lazio and Sardinia. For defense Pope Pius XIII can count on a fairly strong Papal army which is established on defensive positions at the borders. Swiss Guards are operating in Rome itself while a strong Carabinieri corps is acting as internal security. In case of emergency, the civilian authorities can raise a militia but this is not armed if the Papal state doesn’t come under attack. As always, the population of Rome is finding its way around and the holy city gets everything possible in terms of luxuries and pleasures, including a fair number of prostitutes. However, the Catholic rule is strongly enforced in the Lazio, outside of Rome. Church taxes are high and the revived Holy Inquisition is ever watching. Holding a communication device without permit (a substantial gift will get you that permit) is punished by forced labor. Muslims are chased down and executed as enemies of the Church. These rules are more lightly enforced in Sardinia, however. For income, the Papal state can count on several mines located in Sardinia, on a fairly decent but limited power supply and on a few industries (essentially ammunitions and spare parts mostly sold to Padania).

In 2005, Malta comes under the leadership of the Grand Master of the Knight Hospitalers. The Grand Master first move is to take an oath toward the new Pope taking the Papal navy in charge as a result of it. In three years they have built a fairly strong navy (second only to the French) composed of a number of small combat ships reinforced by several armed sail boats. Operating from La Valette, Cagliari and Ostia, this navy is constantly patrolling the Mediterranean, fighting Muslim pirates and providing escort to Catholic shipping. Recently, the Grand Master managed to get France support in exchange for regular escort to French cargo, releasing the French navy for more important duties.

Padania, however, is in a bad shape but still can count as organized. Hit by a number of nukes, entire regions are now left alone while the capital was moved to Venezia. Power supplies are mostly inexistent, industries are all destroyed (the surviving ones being damaged by the EMP attack of 2005) and communications are difficult at best but people are living under fairly good conditions. Cities are depleted and most are now living in the country side but order is maintained by a still strong military and several Carabinieri units. The Napoli Republic, for her part, has vanished and the lands south of L’Aquila have fallen to chaos. Cosa Nostra is again very powerful, foreign NATO units have settled in military cantonments and only a few communities remain organized.

[Mohoender]

Tensions put their marks on the region long before the war when divergences start to appear in 1995 between Turkey and the USA. The Iraqi Kurds had been instrumental in the assassination of Saddam Hussein and the US administration grants them full international recognition as a result of this action. Turkey had fought the Kurds for years now, and this move displeases them to the highest level as it provides the Kurds with a country of their own, and strengthens their claims on eastern Turkey. Nevertheless, after a long negotiation, the Turkish government reluctantly agrees to the new situation, also stating that it retains the right to react to Kurdish terrorist actions. This statement becomes a reality on the next year when “Operation Hawk” is launched against Kurdish PKK in Turkey. Turkish forces, Army and Jandarma alike, are highly successful but the offensive turns short when PKK combatants seek refuge in the newly established Kurdish Republic of Iraq. Turkey protests to the UN and asks the Kurdish government to allow its troops to pursue PKK fighters over its territory. Despite initial verbal support to Turkey, Washington sides with the Kurds and back their refusal of the Turkish demands.

Things get worse on the next year when the new US administration asks the Turks to allow them to supply the Kurds through their territory. Ankara simply refuses with no more explanations and even ban US aircraft en route for Kirkuk Air Base to land on their soil. As retaliation, in September, when the Turks start to bomb PKK position in Iraqi Kurdistan and in violation of Kurdish sovereignty, Washington delivers a fair number of stingers and several anti-aircrafts systems (MIM-23 Hawks and Avengers) to Irbil. Over the next month 9 Turkish aircrafts are destroyed and the Turkish population, outraged, demonstrates everyday. Protestations continue to grow until November 7th when the US embassy in Ankara is shelled by multiple mortar rounds. These rounds make no victims outside of a young Marine who is lightly wounded but Washington asks for those guilty of that attack to be arrested. On the next day, the Turkish government is disavowed and Prime Minister Ahmet Mesut Yilmaz is forced out of office while popular pressure brings back Necmettin Erbakan to the country’s leadership (he was earlier pressured by the military to step down). This time, Erbakan is granted full support from the Army and on Christmas Eve, that same Army (turning away from the path initiated by Atatürk) allows for the constitution to be amended, dropping the statement on the state being secular. On December 26th, Turkey withdraws from NATO and US troops are asked to leave the country within three months.

In early 1998, Ankara organizes the first D8 summit (Developing Eight) as a follow up to the creation of this group that took place on June 15th 1997. Three weeks later, Turkey signs a technical collaboration agreement with Iran (including the newly constituted Islamic Republic of Iraq), sending technicians and engineers to that country and providing spare parts that are needed for the full rebuilding of the Iranian Air Force. Washington and Israel complain while the while the White House Chief of Staff states that “Turkey should be qualified of what it truly is: a dishonored nation”. This is of no good but results in an immediate consequence: Iraq and Syria joins the Developing Eight. Verbal attacks continue between Ankara and Washington and, on May 12th, the US administration presents to the UN a resolution calling for an Embargo on Turkey. This is rejected by both China and Russia but NATO members along several US allies (Australia, Japan…) accept it and suspend commercial relations with Turkey. Ankara’s answer is limited but full of signification: the Bosphorus is now closed to NATO and US military shipping and that effectively limits the amount of supplies sent to countries around the Black Sea.

Following this, Turkey enters a relatively peaceful period that last until early 2001 when they arrest NATO military advisors fleeing Armenia and Georgia through Anatolia. Several of these advisors are Greeks and, on February 26, the Greek Prime Minister declares that “The unacceptable position of Turkey is fully responsible for NATO’s lack of success in the Balkans and for the defeat of its allies in the Caucasus, making Ankara a de facto ally of Moscow”. Other NATO members don’t follow the Greeks into this but that statements appeal to the Greek population. On the next month, Anti-turk demonstrations are held all over the country and in Cyprus. Several people of Turkish descents are killed by angry crowds and this evolves into open warfare when the Cypriot National Guard fires at Turkish units. Ankara reacts immediately by sending reinforcements and launching an offensive toward the Greek part of the island. When the Greeks get involved and divert several combat aircrafts in support of the Cypriot National Guard, Turkey declares war on Greece. On the next day, Turkish troops are crossing the border into eastern Macedonia and Thrace, quickly progressing toward Thessaloniki. Several greek units are taken out of the Balkan and Bulgarian fronts to face this new threat, effectively forcing NATO into a defensive posture. Nevertheless, at this point, the conflict remains local while Padania, because of its old rivalry with Greece, concludes a defense pact with Turkey. While Padania is not obligated by the pact to enter the Greco-Turkish war, Padania declares the war to be a regional conflict unrelated to the more general war raging over Europe, promising to intervene on Turkey’s side if NATO tries to tip the balance in Greece’s favor. Within a week, Turkey declares a naval blockade against Greece and warns world’s shipping that the Aegean is now considered a war zone of its own.

The situation evolves again in June when it has become clear to NATO that, without aid, the Greek Army will have to fall back or be defeated. Indeed, Turkish pressure has constantly increased on the Greek left flank in Thrace while Cyprus is conquered and Greek losses are slowly becoming unacceptable. At last, on June 27th, a NATO convoy, accompanied by a strong covering force, attempts the run to the Greek port of Thessaloniki with badly needed ammunition and equipment. Fleet elements of the Padanian and Turkish Navy intercept the convoy and, in a confused night action off Thessaloniki, inflict substantial losses and escape virtually unharmed.

As convoy SG-46 closes on Thessloniki, at dusk, two Padanian frigates suddenly show up from behind while a small Turkish force appears to the east. They immediately fire at the escorting ship, sinking a US and a Spanish frigate and damaging the rest of the escort. As this confused fighting builds up, several fast Turkish attack boats leave the main formation and rush toward the cargos, ultimately sinking two-third of the convoy. When the Padanian and the Turks withdraw, they have sustained little damage and they have vanished in the dark, virtually unarmed.

Two days later, NATO retaliates with air strikes, bombing Smirne, Adalia and Istanbul in Turkey. On July 1st, Turkey declares war against NATO, fully entering the Twilight War. Turkish actions continue into 2002 but they fail to take the upper hand over the Greeks. The main Turkish success is the neutralization of the Greek navy in a series of combined action conducted with the Padanian navy. Later, when the war finally gets to the Middle East, Turkey increases the amount of supplies it sends to the region, opens its territory to Soviet truck convoys and commits more army units to the region. They increase the pressure on the Kurds and stop the NATO counter-offensive on a line stretching from Nuisaybin to Lake Van.

When the nukes start to fall over late summer 2003, Turkish positions are hit by several tactical nuclear devices and the Army begins a retreat toward its national territory. The Greek Army follows their steps and rush toward Istanbul, entering Turkish Thrace on October 2nd. Ultimately, the Greeks are stopped but not before they established well defended positions in Turkish Thrace.

In the meantime the Greek army pushes its advantage to the North, annexing Macedonia and progressing in Serbia. Pristina is taken on October 4th, Nis fall on October 9th and the Greek army closes on Belgrade when November comes, linking with NATO forces attacking from Bosnia and Croatia. However, the timely arrival of Soviet reinforcement put an end to this progression and the Greek Army quickly falls back toward Macedonia, stopping only north of Skopje and Kumanovo.

As a matter of fact, these actions represent the last true military actions on the part of both Greece and Turkey. In these two countries, the population already had had enough and civil unrest is quickly spreading while army units are taken from the front to perform internal security duties. Greek central government simply collapses and is replaced by several city states while the Turkish government loses control over vast regions in Anatolia.

Finally, when the first strategic strikes are conducted almost a year later, the region is almost entirely spared. No missiles are launched toward Greece while only two strikes are conducted by US on Turkey. The first one destroys Ankara and the civilian government, forcing a full taken over of civil affairs by the Army. The other one, targeted at Istanbul, misses the city, falls in the Bosphorus and doesn’t detonate. The Turkish army retrieves it, putting its hand on a single but strategically important nuclear device. Nevertheless, the region doesn’t escape the global consequences and as it saw severe regular fighting, casualties are important.

Nowadays, Greece is composed of several city states ruling over small portions of the country and backed by limited military forces. Among these states, Athens and Thessaloniki are the most important while fighting among the other takes place on a fairly regular base. Thessaloniki is the only one to remain faithful to the former Greek commitment to NATO but military operations have come to a halt. Macedonia is under occupation, military operations in Bulgaria are virtually non-existant and skirmishes only occasionally take place with Turkey. Outside of these city states, due to the very rough nature of Greece countryside, several villages and small towns have fall back on their own, not party to the city state system but independent, nevertheless. Finally, within Greece, Creta is an exception. The region is fully organized and almost fully functional despite very limited power supply. The population remains united and took over the island defense. Nowadays, the regular Cretan army is somewhat small but almost every adult man is a member of the Minoan Militia.

Turkey, for its part had to face major civil unrest and the central government, now in Istanbul, has lost control over most of central Anatolia. There, cities are largely deserted, armed bands are ever present, and the various villages, now behind perimeter defenses, are distrustful of each other. Central government controls only a few valleys as well as a few cities in the East because of valuable resources. These places live under strict martial law while the civilians exploit raw materials that are brought back to Alessandretta and Mersin under the protection of heavily armored trains. Elsewhere, army units have been deployed to the lands still under state control and perform security duties, allowing the Turkish state to be functional despite the lack of proper power supply and the consequent loss of a majority of the industrial network. Fighting with marauders, Kurdish activists and Cypriot freedom fighters are occurring daily but within military controlled territories, life is bearable and can count as organized. Nevertheless, martial law is in effect nationwide but more lightly enforced than in the eastern valleys. Istanbul is a strange sight in the Twilight world as the city is intact and bristling with life and activity. If not for the little light at night and a few ruined buildings, one could swear that the city never experienced the war while the various Bazaars (the Grand Bazaar dating back to 1461) are the place to go.

[Mohoender]

This region of the world includes two big countries: Egypt and Sudan.

Sudan for its part has been in turmoil for a long time when the world’s situation starts to degenerate. It has been, in fact, fighting a bitter civil over the south since 1983. There, the government of Khartoum is opposed by the SPLA (Sudanese People’s Liberation Army) a numerous rebel group (50.000 combatants) that scores a number of victories all along the 1990’s, gradually pushing back governmental forces. Until 1992, however, these governmental forces conduct numerous raids in the Nubian region of the south, taking an estimated 200.000 people into slavery. Despite this, after 1993, several peace initiatives are pursued by Sudan’s neighbors but they all ultimately fail and fighting continues.

In 1998, elements of the SPLA even threaten to take the city of Wad Medani but this offensive fails and the front stabilizes to the south of that city. In a desperate need for victory and space, Khartoum’s administration diverts part of its forces from the front and launches what it believes will be an easy campaign, attacking pastoral tribes in the Darfur region. It is soon faced by Janjaweed Militias and evidence of war crimes is brought up to the world attention before the beginning of the Twilight War. Nevertheless, the war prevents any intervention from the UN and that conflict continues to these days, resulting in huge casualties, essentially from famine and epidemics. Eventually, casualties reach 60% of the pre-war population, leaving only about 15.800.000h in the entire country.

Today, Sudan is effectively divided in three with:
- Around 200.000 Fur in Darfur.*
- About 1 million Beja to to the North.*
- 7.1 million Arabs in Khartoum, on the Nile Valley and in the East to the coast.*
- 7.5 million Nubians to the South.*

The main government and the only one to receive full international recognition before the war is the As Sûdân which controls, Khartoum, the Nile Valley to the Egyptian border, the Gebel Abyad to the West, the Nubian desert to the coast with Port Sudan and the Blue Nile area. Despite having the most numerous and well organized military force, this state is facing increasing difficulties. The civil war prevents the exploitation of oil fields to the South, the EMP attack of 1995 fries the entire hydroelectric power system and the Twilight War effectively isolates Sudan. As a result, if the air force still maintains a few aircrafts, fuel reserves are very low. Similarly, the Army uses only its armored units in case of emergencies. Mobility is still provided by the replacement of fuel by alcohol (brewed from sugarcane) and oil (got mainly from peanuts) but reserves are insufficient for large scale operations. In order to gain additional mobility, the Army forms several mounted units (camels or horses) that are either independent or integrated to the regular brigades. In addition, while the Army is reduced to 31.400 men, the “Janjaweed” Militia is expanded to 14.000 men and sent in equal number to the West and to the South.

To the West the situation has become dramatic as no village remains intact and as cattle was decimated. Population has dropped to only 200.000 and these survivors are living under terrible conditions while rebellious movements continue to fight state forces, allowing for no rest to the area.

The situation to the South is better and the Republic of Nubia has been established in 2001. However, that state didn’t get international recognition outside of Africa and the government can’t do much for the populations which are mostly left alone, constantly threaten by marauding bands and armed groups coming from neighboring states. As a matter of fact, the government rules only over a few cities (The capital of Malakal, Juba, Nyala and Wau) and over the combat area located to the north, on the border with As Sûdân. The SPLA can still rely on about 30.000 dedicated fighters but these are mostly equipped with light weapons and, so far, they failed to break the state’s army line.

Fighting continues in Sudan while resources are all becoming scarce and the situation shows no sign of improvement at short term. In addition, the Sudanese Navy has lost all its motor patrol boat and the coasts are constantly the prey of pirates. Patrols are still conducted with sail boats but these sailors, when not involved with pirates can’t do much outside of a few miles around Port Sudan and its well defended fortifications.

* There are 200 ethnic groups in Sudan. Therefore, Fur stands for indigenous pastoral people of Darfur. Beja stands for nomadic Arabs from the North. Arabs are mostly Muslim city dwellers and Nubians are people of African decent in the South.

Egypt is experiencing a very different situation, finding itself among the most heavily destroyed countries on Earth. As for Sudan, the situation starts to deteriorate long before the war as the 1990’s see a growth of pro-Islamic groups within Egypt. The country doesn’t fall to civil war but terrorism increases to a point where weekly attacks are conducted at several targets: Copt’s interests, tourists, citizens trading with the West and state administrations. That puts a heavy weight on the Egyptian economy and, if not for the war, the country could have slipped slowly toward internal confrontation. Moreover, this threat results in Egypt experiencing a dramatic economical crisis as its income from tourism drops by 80%.

Then, the army is put onto full alert at least a year before the Twilight War and when the conflict occurs, Egypt is left with one thing to do: choose among the two sides involved. Faithful to its previous treaties, the government supports the Allies from the beginning, producing military goods and sending troops as soon as war reaches the Middle East. As a matter of fact, while much of the army and the National Guard remain at home, Cairo’s government assembles an expeditionary corps and sends it to Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

In 2003, when Matapan II occurs off the Greek coast, the Egyptian navy represents a substantial part of the Task Force with six frigates and 2 submarines involved. One of the subs is destroyed while the only frigate to leave the area intact to return to Alexandria is the “Dumyat”. Another one, the Descubierta-class “Al Nasser” had left the battle after only 24 hours because of extensive damages. She also made it to Alexandria but damages were so important that she sunk while towed to dry-dock. A few weeks before, the Egyptian corps had fought with bravery, holding the ground while greatly outnumbered, preventing the annihilation of a full Ally corps in the process.

When the Warsaw Pact starts to use strategic nuclear weapons, the depth of Egyptian involvement has not gone unnoticed and, while Israel is spared, that country is heavily targeted. In fact, when the nukes start to fall, Egyptian major cities (Alexandria, Aswân, Cairo, Damietta, El Falyûm, El Mensûra and El Minya) are all hit while multiple strikes effectively destroy the Suez Canal (along with Port Saïd and Suez), isolating the Mediterranean from the Red Sea again. Casualties immediately reach 80% and all state administrations are effectively destroyed, leaving the survivors with no immediate help to come and no hope that it will come ever soon. The Islamic movements are among the only one still capable of some reaction and, whenever they can, collaborating with Copt churches, they engage in local relief operations.

Two days later, the Aswân Dam breaks suddenly and explodes under the water pressure. A gigantic wave (100m high) is formed while more than 200 billions m3 of water runs down the stream of the Nile River at a starting speed of 140km/h. Half an hour later, the wave wipes out the city of Idfu and Luxor is destroyed only an hour later. Two hours after the dam’s destruction, it is the turn of the city of Qena but, at this point, the Nile Rive makes two important turns and the flood starts to slow down. When the wave hits Sohâg it is now only 70m high but it still runs at 100km/h while it has been reduced to 50m high and runs at 80km/h when it reaches Asyût. From then, the flood enters a larger valley, loses much of its power, and when it reaches El Minya, the wave is only 15m high and runs at 40km/h (Minya’s destruction occurs seven hours after the dam’s explosion). Nevertheless, the flood continues its path to El Falyûm and Cairo. When it reaches the ravaged Egyptian capital city, 12 hours after the event at Aswân, the wave is still 7m high and the flood runs at 30km/h. From there, it dispersed in the entire Nile Delta, reaching the Mediterranean after a course of 16 hours and suddenly resulting in the water rising by 3m high almost everywhere. On its path, the water has destroyed a huge amount of arable lands, all cities and almost all villages. Under normal circumstances, many people could have been saved but when that occurred, the country had been hit very hard. Legal authorities are gone, military units are scattered and have lost contact with any type of commanding structures. As a result, people had been left where they were and they are taken care off on the spots. A few refugees have been moved to tents encampments but most are still in their damaged houses. When, the events is finally over, 85% of the survivors are killed and Egypt is ruined.**

As word, of this catastrophe comes to the Egyptian troops fighting in Jordan, left with no place to turn back to, most Egyptian soldiers take an oath to the King of Jordan and chose to continue the fight. Nowadays, they are still there, part in the conflict but established in cantonments. It seems that Egypt will never heal its wounds and the country is left with only 1.370.000 inhabitants (a little under 2% of its prewar population). Only two coastal cities survive on the Red Sea (Al Quseir and Bur Safâga) and they are heavily engaged in piracy, the core of their pirate fleets being 2 Hainan-class patrol craft and a single Osa-class patrol craft. An additional ship, a T-43 minesweeper, is docked at Bur Safâga and provides limited power supply to the city. Two other coastal cities had survived some times on the Mediterranean (Marsa Matrûh and Sidi Barrani) but more exposed than their Red Sea counterparts they fell to raiders and are now deserted and in ruins. However, the five great oasis of Egypt (Al Bahariya Ad Dakhla, El Kharga, Farafra and Siwa) are still occupied and fairly populated, reverting to their traditional role of trading outposts along commercial routes going from Sirte (Libya) to Khartoum. In addition, survivors (many Copts among them) have now settled along the Nile Valley, building small fortified villages and learning to live with that river again .Finally, some nomadic people are also living in Egypt with Beja tribes in the South, small Berber groups around the oasis of Siwa and members of the al-Rashayda tribe (Bedouin) on the Western Desert and in the Sinai. Of course, these people are living a very simple life as the country fell back to some kind of Middle-ages.

** If you want to know what a breaking dam can do, you can refer to the events at Malpasset, in France (4 million m3 killing 453) or at the Vajont in Italy (260 million m3 killing 2000 and destroying 5 towns and villages). Keep in mind that the Aswân event is 1000 time more important than that last exemple.

[.45cultist]

Originally Posted by Targan

The inquisition still exists. I think they call it the Holy Office nowdays. They had a hand in controlling the Ecole Biblique, the organisation responsible originally for decyphering the Dead Sea Scrolls (and controlling access to the information derived from them).

Protestant here, but I heard the modern Inquisition determines what is "kosher" for Catholics.

[Brit]

Thought this might fit here:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...b-global-en-GB

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FSO_Safer

A rumour overheard... a mission... and / or maybe it is still there with some fuel still on board...