Empire of New Britain Isles

Empire of New Britain Isles
Seen	Maelstrom Distant Thunders Rising Tides Firestorm Iron Gray Sea Storm Surge
Allies	Grand Alliance
Enemies	The Honorable New Britain Company Holy Dominion Grik

Flag of the Empire of the New Briton Isles

The Empire of New Britain Isles is a state that grew out of the two East Indiamen that departed the south Pacific into the Eastern Ocean. Those vessels were the property of the Honorable East India Company, which remains a form of shadow government in the Empire.

History

The Empire was founded by the crews of three East Indiamen of Honorable East India Company that were transferred in Destroyermen's world in mid-1700s. After the initial contact with Lemurians, the crews of two ships decided to travel eastward in attempt to find safe places to settle, unknown to the Lemurians and Griks. After a series of intermediate stops (like Respite Island), those two ships eventually came to the mid-pacific islands, in our world known as Hawaii. Here crews of two East Indiamen decided to settle, considering themselves safe from any hostile powers.

Due to lack of natural resources on Hawaii (named New Britain Isles in the books), the Imperials were forced to establish colonial presence in North America, mainly in California.

Sometime after the colonization of New Britain Isles, the Imperials came into contact with the Holy Dominion - large theocratic realm in South and Central America. The initial contact were relatively peaceful, and led to the establishment of some trade relation. The most important resource that Imperials were able to obtain from dominion were Dom's slave women: there were only a very small number of fertile women in the initial Imperial population (32, to be precise), and the Imperials were threatened by a serious demographic crisis. The immigration of women from Dominion helped to improve the demographic situation on New Britain Isles, but also laid the foundations for an system of implicit slavery, known as Indetured servitude. However, it must be noted that by importing slave women from Dominion, Imperials De-facto saved them from the human sacrifices, that Dominion religion practiced.

In XIX century, the Empire experienced period of exploration and expansion. They explored Pacific Ocean and claimed a lot of islands as colonies. During this time, the Empire established contact with Tagranesi and several similar reptilian races. However, the Empire did not attempted to re-establish contact with Lemurians, and (due to the fears about external invasion) it was made a rule that the location of New Britain Island must not be revealed to any outsiders. The Imperial-Dominion relation eventually worsened - over both the religious and territorial factors - and a series of war (primarily naval) were fought between two powers in XIX and early XX century, which led to the end of Imperial expansion.

By the 1940s the total Imperial population were numbered in a few millions, and they controlled the large colonial empire on Pacific Islands and on North America Pacific Coast.

Geography

The Empire controlled relatively small territories, but dispersed across the whole Pacific Ocean. The homeland of the Empire are the New Britain Isles (in our world known as Hawaii). The four major islands are:

• New Britain (the Hawaii island)
• New Scotland (the single island, formed on the place of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe due to the continued Ice Age in Destroyermen's World and lower ocean level)
• New Ireland (the Oahu island)
• New Wales (the single island, formed of Kauai and Niihau)

The total surface area of four major New Britain Islands is about 50% larger than in our world.

Outside the New Britain Archipelago, the Empire controlled a large number of islands as colonies. The most prominent are the Respite Island.

Society

Population

The Imperial population by 1940s are numbered a few millions. Because the large part of initial population (the crew of initial Indiamen) consisted of so-called lascars - slang therm for Asian or Arab sailors - the Imperial population enjoyed a complete racial equality.

The Imperials seems to lack real hereditary aristocracy, except the Governor-Emperor family, but the upper classes (generally in therms of prosperous bourgeoisie) are clearly existed. The social stratification of the Empire is currently unclear.

A large percent of female population of the Empire were Indentured Servants - basically a form of debt slavery. The practice of indentured servitude were created in early years of the Empire, when the looming demographic crisis was averted by the import of female slaves out of Dominion. The imported women were considered technically free in the Empire, but under obligation to "repay their transport expenses" (in therms of forced labor) to the ones, who provided them a passage - or the ones, who purchased their debts. Eventually, the indentured servants became the majority of Imperial unskilled labor; because their children were granted full imperial citizenship, the Empire needed a constant inflow of new indentured servants.

The main (by the XX century - only) provider of indentured servants for the Imperial economy was a Honorable New Britain Company.

Goverment

The Empire is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by Governor-Emperor of New British Isles. The extent of Governor-Emperor power still somewhat unclear, but it's clear that he had control over the most of imperial military. The populations interests are represented by parliament, known as "Board of Proprietors", which indicated that at least initially the Empire was considered more a corporate society than a "true" monarchy.

Since early XX century, there was a power struggle between the Governor-Emperor and the Court of Proprietors of Honorable New Britain Company over the control of Empire. By the early 1940s situation deteriorated so much, that the open conflict between Imperial Goverment and Company became possible. The situation was eventually resolved with the attempted Dominion invasion, when it became clear that a number of high-ranking Company representatives were actually recruited by Dominion. Stunned by the betrayal inside their own ranks, the Company - the majority of its personnel were rigidly anti-Dominion - were eventually disbanded.

Religion

The Imperials enjoyed a partial freedom of religion rights; however, only the practitioners of the state religion (Anglicanism) are allowed to have full citizenship. The majority of population are Anglican, but a relatively large number of Catholics are presented, especially on the New Ireland. The Catholic population are usually viewed with suspicion, because of supposed "ties" between them and Dominion twisted version of Catholicism. Some vestiges of Islam and Hinduism also persist, though what form they have taken is not mentioned in detail.

Economy

The Empire has a capitalists economic system, comparable to early XIX-century Britain's. The notable distinction is that the Empire economy is based on De-facto slave workforce of indentured servants to a great extent (which was considered outdated by the standards of XIX-century Britain).

Lacking natural resources in their homeland, the Empire established a wast colonial empire across all the Pacific, and large (probably largest in the world) cargo fleet. Their industrial capabilities are well-developed and roughly comparable with mid-XIX-century: the Empire have all-steam military and cargo fleet, but their technological level is relatively low, comparable to the early decades of XIX century.

External politic

• Union of Homes - Currently in a stable alliance. Relationships are very friendly.
• Republic of Real People - Indirect contact only, limited official relations.
• Holy Dominion - State of war, formerly official relations.
• Celestial Realm - State of war, no official relations.
• Kurokawa's Japanese Empire in Zanzibar - Supposed state of war, no official relations.
• Czech Legion - No contact.
• New United States - No official contact but are aware. Friendly relations are presumed.
• Shogunate of Yokohama - No contact.

Armed forces

Army (Marines)

The Imperial army is relatively small and largely supposed to serve as garrison units and support marine operations. Due to the lack of manpower, the Empire considered impossible to fight a land campaign against much more numerous Dominion army, and invested more in the navy, than the army.

The standard Imperial army weapons are flintlock smooth-bore muskets of .75 cal, fitted with ring bayonets, swords and .62 cal service pistols. The Imperial officers usually used privately purchased pistols. The main unit of imperial field artillery is smooth-bore 8-pdr gun on split-trail carriage.

Navy

The Imperial navy was considered the most important part of Imperial military. Lacking the manpower to maintain an army, capable of compete against numerous Dominion's troops, the Empire envisioned the naval superiority as their main (and actually, only) line of defense.

The backbone of Imperial navy was numerous sail&steam powered ships-of-the-line, locally named as "Liners". They were generally comparable in terms of size and firepower with early-XIX century second and third rate ships-of-the-line, the Imperial liners also have steam engines and paddle wheels, protected by thick wooden wheel-boxes. However these proved inadequate to stop cannonballs destroying the paddles. The Imperial navy experimented with screw propulsion, but until recently was unable to effectively transmit torque from the machine to the propeller. The average Imperial liner have a displacement about 1900-2200 tons, armed with 64-80 guns, and capable of 8-10 knots. In actions, they serve as a main battle-line, capable of withstanding and dealing more damage, than less powerful frigates. Liners in Imperial Navy are often used as a flagships.

The liners are supported with a large number of frigates, that served as main multipurpose units of the Navy. The Imperial frigates usually have a displacement about 1200-1500 tons, and armed with 24-40 guns. They are faster and cheaper than liners, and more useful in patrol, reconnaissance and raiding operations.

By the mid-1940s, all Imperial warships were paddle-wheeled steamers, which gave the Emipre a significant advantage over the Dominion Pacific Fleet (which was all-sail). The Empire didn't knew anything about the existence of Dominion Atlantic Fleet, and about the existence of steam liners and frigates in it.

The main armament of Imperial warship were the smooth-bore artillery of 30-pdrs, 20-pdrs and 10-pdrs. They are only capable of firing solid shots and grapeshot. No explosive shells or rifled guns were used by the Imperial warships until after contact with the Lemurian-Human Alliance.

Imperial Warships tend to have classical Greco-Roman names.

Air forces

The Empire currently have no air forces or serviceable aircraft of their own, but the seaplane carrier Maakka-Kakja with 3-rd naval air wing was provided by Alliance for the campaign against the Dominion. This is likely to change as Grand Alliance aircraft and blueprints have been supplied to the Empire for replication and instructors to train new pilots.

Key Events

Maelstrom

A task force consisting of Achilles and three other ships arrives at Tarakan Island‏ shortly after the Battle‏ of Tarakan Island‏. Harvey Jenks, Captain of Achilles and Commodore of the Imperial Squadron, has a very different opinion of the Destroyermen and Lemurians than Captain Matthew Reddy.

Distant Thunders

Coming to Baalkpan following the battle, Commodore Jenks' squadron meets with Captain Reddy. Company Warden Walter Billingsly abducts Princess Rebeca, and Lumerian-Human Alliance persons while Harvey Jenkis is with Captain Reddy. Prompting a persuit by USS Walker and HMS Achilles. The prisoners escape HMS Agamemnon and Dennis Silva contrives to blows her up.