Tuesday, September 12, 2017

1767 - 1768 : Turn 3 Results



Thank you agains to all of the participants and observers.  Please feel free to post comments, I have moderation turned off, so you can use the post comments to discuss.  Note that the Royal Governor finally had a successful argument.

Also, if you are like me and too lazy to roll your office chair 5 feet to get one of your 37,387 six sided dice, I recommend you use Random.org for your random number generation needs.   Unlike most computer pseudo-random number generators, this site uses truly random atmospheric noise.   Use it to make all your major life choices!

Now, return with me to colonial South Carolina!


1767 - 1768
Summary

The colony is in flux, but despite what those Low COuntry planters would have you think, South Carolina is not the only place things happen in the world...  Here are some events of interest outside of the player's arguments.  Players, these events are now part of reality, feel free to reference them in your future arguments

  • There is a rising tide of discontent in the northern colonies with increasing taxes, especially in Boston.   The Royal Governor of Massachusetts has asked for and received a contingent of redcoats to help restore order.
  • The Spanish Ambassador to the court of St. James privately expresses Spanish disapproval for British settler encroachment beyond the 1763 proclamation line in direct violation of existing treaties. They are concerned that pressure on the Cherokee would encourage them to migrate west, directly or indirectly impacting Spanish Louisiana. He hints that Spain may consider supplying the Cherokee and it would be unfortunate if it came to that.
Meanwhile, back in the colony of South Carolina:
  • The Royal Governor requests and receives a company of troops reporting directly to him to secure the powder magazine in Charles Town.
  • Parliament dispatches additional customs agents and cutters backed up by the Royal Navy to combat smuggling and increase tax revenues.
  • The Back Country militias, armed and trained by the British Army, continue to successfully defend against Cherokee raids and send letters to the Crown and Parliament petitioning for greater representation in colonial government.  They have also succeeded in establishing law and order completely separate from the court system in Charles Town.
  • The Low Country planters still have a unified militia, but fail in a bid to unite with the Back Country militia and place them under command of the planters with promises of more representation and a court system.
Click Map to Enlarge




Detailed Arguments and results


Royal Governor - Strong, SUCCESS


The colony is in turmoil with increased Cherokee raids and the Low Country Planters unifying the low country militias.

The Royal Governor passes on this alarming news to Parliament, which authorizes a company sized detachment of troops to be deployed to Charles Town to secure the Powder Magazine, and be placed under direct authority of the Royal Governor.

1) While the back country militias are officially sanctioned and supported by the Crown with weapons, powder, and advisors, the Low Country's militia unification efforts have not been.  As a result, Parliament will see this as a threat to Crown authority and will want to ensure that the powder stays under Crown control. 

2) The number of troops requested to secure the magazine (a company) is small and easily afforded, but is enough to secure the magazine from any malicious action by the low country militias.  It is also small enough not to be seen as an occupation force by the locals, merely as security during the current conflict with the Cherokee, and will be welcomed by most.

3) Furthermore, it will ensure the Crown advisors and sanctioned backcountry militias have a ready access to powder for any conflicts with the Cherokee. 

Parliament - Strong, SUCCESS

Parliament is getting concerned about the decrepit revenues flowing into its coffers from the colonies.

We will begin dispatching tax officials, police officials and military men to the colonies to help shore up tax enforcement and crack down on smuggling operations.

These individuals will be granted a large degree of oversight and individual initiative to handle things as they see fit, compensating for the delay in communications.

This will succeed because:

A: We have one of the best-functioning bureaucracies in the world and extensive experience in handling far-flung colonies.

B: Up-country, we can now rely on the back country militias to help track down smuggling routes inland and outside the colony by land routes.


C: We can publicly make the case that we need additional revenues to combat the cherokee threat and to ensure safety from rampaging vigilantes.



Back Country Farmers - Strong, SUCCESS

The rising leaders among the backcountry folk are initially wary of the “guidance” offered by the young officers of the Kings Own Armed Forces, but soon find these officers to be creative and free-thinking young men who integrate surprisingly well with the backcountry ideology.  The creative military guidance and reinforcement of weaponry allow the backcountry militia to regulate the native threats, and they begin to apply a more organized system of justice to the local lawlessness.  The leaders of the backcountry also begin to more forcefully push their petitions to the Crown for representation.
They will be successful because:
1.       Parliament’s investment in the leadership and weaponry increases the might of the already strong militia and strengthens the resolve of the backcountry men.

2.       The creative and free-thinking royal officers are anxious to take advantage of their opportunities in the new world and strive to prove their loyalty to the crown through acts of bravery in the backcountry.

3.       The backcountrymen desire to establish a lawful and orderly environment within which their families and farms can prosper, and are infuriated by the seditious smuggling activity of the low country planters.  The backcountry leaders frequently share their concerns with the young officers.


4.       In their petitions, the leaders point out their obedience to the crown in defending the colony against the hostile natives.  They argue that stronger representation will allow them to prosper and provide greater support to the crown.


Low Country Planters - Moderate, FAIL
Tensions seem to be rising and we sense that the King, Parliament, and that weak Royal Governor will insist on their portion of our financial gains regardless of our demands. Therefore, the low country has decided to shake the King’s arrogance and indifference by using our combined fortunes. We will begin a champagne to woo the back country away from their most selfishly singular focus of self-protection and have them align themselves and their newly formed militia with the low countries cause. 

We will do this by promising the back country more legal representation and greater political say in the colony, if their militia will agree to fall to the command of the Low countries leadership. Thus, forming a Colonial Army. This unity will shock the King and Parliament and strike fears of rebellion far and wide. All the while we will continue to send parliament the most benign reasons for this unification. Stating that the unity of these militias is simply to support and protect the back country from uprisings and native raids.  

We will certainly succeed as the back country has long requested support from the King in the form of troops to fight the Natives, squash slave rebellions, and protect against the rising problem of bothersome gangs of thieves. Additionally, we already hold most of the power in the colonial government and can easily give up a few seats in parliament to appease them. The low country planters can finance any possible counter terms made by the back-country rabble. They will certainly bow to their betters here in the Low Country. 



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