Army+of+the+Architect+EoT+7


 * Military**: ++++ (+-?)

Spoiler

Army of The Architect arrives to the Italian shores. We use Holo-Projectors (from Celeanae University) to broadcast to the population, that Zs are attacking and we are enforcing containment and quarantine measures to protect the Europe against this threat. The Glorious Army will fight the Zombie threat and we expect full cooperation from the Italian States.

The fact that combined forces of Hospitaliers and Spain couldn't defeat the Zs should have Italians very scared. They should also be very scared of GAA - it's better to keep on the good side of us, and do what we ask or they'll get hit by both Zs and Murderous Clanks. The local nobles would be too intimidated to refuse our orders, in the face of advancing Zombie hordes and our weapons. I'm using my WO to take control over the situation and get away with doing the following:

a. Organize evacuations and give Italians a breathing space to regroup. If sacrifices must be made, we ruthlessly push the Italians to make them. If locals are to short-sighted, incompetent or busy with local feuds to act, we force them. Italian States are divided, but GAA will try to organize their efforts as one powerful state.

(My WO is Fear, and I think it can be effective in making people do what you want them to do)

b. Requisition weapons, resources and supplies for the GAA to aid us in fighting the Zs.

[I'd like to translate 80% of WO gain into Economy/Military by this action]

c. Organize civilian defenses, patrols to watch for Zs and evacuation routes. Bolster local militias with Clank officers.

d. My Phoneix Clanks are made into troops tasked with killing the bitten (or however the Zs transmit their condition) and denying the horde new recruitments.

e. I'll be watching for signs of intelligence in the Horde's movements and actions.

f. GAA will indicate we suspect something the local Sparks did, has lured the Zombies to Italy. My investment into Spark-killing skills should be helpful to secure the cooperation of the local Sparks with combination of WO intimidation action.


 * Espionage**: 0/+++

1. Make sure no infected slip through the GAA controlled quarantine lines.


 * Morale**: +++++ ++-

+++ Order of Phoneix destroying infected ++ Organization of Civilian Defenses ++- Study the Zombies, find if they are intelligent and what their weaknesses are.


 * WO**: +++++ +++

1. Italian Containment Project ++++

I want Italians to accept my aid (they should consider the consequences of refusing it) and follow orders, when I begin to organize quarantine and clean-up operations (and requisitions).

2. France ++++

Ok. Celestial Empire told me Spain was unresponsive to my schemes for them to recognize their parts of Algeria as GAA Protectorate. So I'm thinking of turning to France.

Since Spain took over parts of Algeria they are technically assaulting the TTA. (which collapse GAA refuses to acknowledge). This is a good enough reason for GAA to attack Spain's holdings in Algeria, if GAA realizes Spain is taking over (right now GAA is under false impression Spain has come to aid TTA).

So, I'm thinking France may consider manipulating GAA into attacking Spain. Basically - you know when the PC spend tons of stats to make NPC do something. I want the reverse - NPC to spend some stats to make GAA attack Spain. And France is well known for its wealth, so their natural thinking would be to use the power of coin to earn our trust and then use that trust to send us vs. Spain.

[Note: GAA attacked Hospitaliers over the Algeria Affair, despite it bringing me zero profit. My WO is high enough for France to believe I'd be crazy enough to attack Spain, if it comes to that].


 * Trading Stats**

[I was expecting GAA Coup (see below), when I made this deal. It won't do good to walk out on it now, so I'm going through with it].

Trade +- Military (Ravens + Piper Regiment) to Murska's New Faction in exchange for +++/ Espionage.

======GAA Coup===== Spoiler

Okay, I was actually expecting the Baron to make an appearance this turn. This is what is going to happen:

Superior Tacticus VI and Lord-General Sun VII the two top Clanks of the GAA will consider the situation and for their private reason decide to rebel against the Architect. They will dispose of Lady Wendy III in the Mediterranean Sea (non-lethal, just chain her to a rock and throw in. She was designed with underwater capability). The only other leader of GAA with both knowledge and ability to oppose them, would be Lady Sky V, but she is with Masks and wouldn't know about the coup, until it is too late. (Colonel Montag I is another one, but he'll probably keep quiet).

The two Clanks will go to Othar (he should arrive to Theosophs by then?) as a viable alternative. The Othar can oppose Wulfenbach and technically they would be fulfilling the GAA's original purpose - since killing all Sparks would pacify Europe and protect it against Other. They aren't exactly 100% behind his ideology, rather seeing it as means to an end (since I'd prefer to keep my alliance with Celestial Empire and Celenae University).

They'll meet with Othar and claim GAA is anti-Spark and wishes to aid him fully and announce that Othar is the Architect to the whole Europe.


 * Stat Burning:**

Morale: ++++- (since Clanks will start to feel something is wrong). Military: + (And some of them will need to be deactivated.)

__Objectives:__

1. Gain Othar Trygvassen Support 2. Gain Espionage

How do I gain Espionage? There are monster attacks on European nations - Morale being lost every turn. Which is actually people being killed by Monstrosities, unleashed upon the world by Sparks, while their governments don't bother to really protect them. So there should be lots of pissed of people, whose relatives died from monster attacks or industrial accidents or starvation, after they were replaced by Spark Machines or cruelty of Spark masters. GAA may be hated, but it is feared as well - and from this fear a hope that Sparks can be overthrown from their skull-thrones is born. Sometimes to defeat Monsters, you need to become a Monster.

So basically I hope people all around Europe will start assisting GAA in the cause of revolution and killing all Sparks.

__Re-Vision of History:__

//GAA attacked TTA - nations with the most Spark. My atrocities were directed against civilians, but my goals were to make people turn in their Sparks. GAA tried to keep TTA Sparks under control, but Hospitaliers attack broke it and led to the outbreak of Zombie plague. Thus GAA learned it can't hope to control Spark - it must destroy Spark!//

//GAA tried to negotiate with inhabitants of the Wild Woods for peace between them and the rest of the Europe, but the greedy rulers have framed it as evil alliance and assault the Wild Woods to capture its territory.//

//GAA attack on the Hospitaliers targeted Sparks, responsible for unleashing the Zombie Plauge in Algeria.//

**Response**
Investment into Mil Investment into Econ Investment into Morale Investment into Sparks Investment into Espionage D Investment into Espionage O Investment into World Opinion
 * Key**
 * Project | Stat Boost | Investment into | Comments**

GAA (++++ mil) To clean up SPADAR Zombies GAA (+++ esp d) To clean up Spadar Zombies GAA (+++ morale, +++ Order of the Phoenix, ++++- morale) To clean up Spadar Zombies GAA (++++ WO) To clean up Spadar Zombies

Order of Phoenix had to use some of their store of explosives.

Influence France (++++ WO)

The problem is that NPCs do not manipulate PCs unless they are already being manipulated by another PC. France wouldn't just spontaneously decide to use the Army of the Architect. Sure it might be workable, but they hate you. Everyone hates you. They'd be much more likely to work with Spain to destroy you than to use you as a puppet to harm Spain. You can't just say, "Well France would think this is a good idea they should do it." You have to spend some effort sending in agents to plant ideas and convince them its worth the risk. Because it is a risk, and a major one. Anyone found working with you in anything other than the most exceptional circumstances, like Italy, is going to take a massive WO beating.