West African Civil War RP

Ok people, before I explain the scenario, let me first appoint myself, in true West African mini-state dictatorial style to Supreme Overseer, Emperor of the World, True Heir to the Throne of Scotland, and elect of the almighty to make sure none of you overstep the bounds of approxamite realism while playing.

I don't have much experience (mathematically expressed as 0) but I'll try. Extra points will be given to gallows humour, points will be detracted for the use of the term "gotcha, sucker". You will assume control of an entire faction, not a single character, and will describe large scale tactical movements and overall strategy, with emphasis on tactics. Underneath I will provide the background information on the nation that is required to play. Sometimes I will take on the role of an "external force" (UN, Soviet Union, China, US, natural disaster) to make things interesting or to get the game out of a tight spot.

These types of civil war are very fluid, and manpower is usually not much of a problem. Strategies and tactics and international diplomatic wrangling are what will bring victory.

This is the scenario: The state of Leragostan (no offense to any sotho speakers) is about to be rocked by a number of ethnic unrests. I will ask the first two players to assume the position of the Leragostan Guards Army and the the Revolutionary Front for A Free And Independent Leragostan, FFIL. Following the tradition of these types on conflicts, other elements quickly become sucked into the maelstrom of violence. Suggestions for factions you can take on are white mercenary forces, corrupt UN peacekeepers, "peacekeeping" forces from other West African states, alternative rebel groups, et cetera.

Short history of nation:

Leragostan gained independence from colonial powers in the early fifties. Presidency was given to Mbeki Charles, part of the minority Kzanzi tribe. He was given a formidable task - governing a small state of 48 different tribes, each with their own language and culture, and none with any patriotic feelings to the newly born nation of Leragostan. The total population of the country is only about 4 million to boot.

Mbeki Charles started his reign as president with populast sloganeering and promises of "democracy, peace, development, unity". After his first 5 years, and amidst decreasing popularity, he started instituting new laws. Act 89B stated that "It is forbidden to spread disharmony or lies", outlawing opposition parties. Elections were rigged. Mbeki was appointed "President for Life". Corruption was rife. People suffered. The Kzanzi consolidated their position, holing up in the capital of Tswane. Embers of dissent glowed among the other tribes. The Soviet Union provided Mbeki with modern equipment, from Hind helicopters to armored personnel carriers, propping up the faltering state. Leragostan is about to turn into living hell.

Current situation, 1985 (+ geography):

The country is a rough square of 300x300 kilometers, with a large western seaboard of about 310 kilometers length. The climate is sub-Saharan tropical. Leragostans main income comes from diamond, rubber, groundnut and banana export. Plantations dominate the rural areas east of the coastal cities. Tswane, the capital, is by the far the most important - it has a deep water port, the university, and all adminastrive functions. In Leragostan, all roads lead to Tswane. East of Tswane is the "plantation" region, which stretches to all the borders except for the extreme north eastern and south eastern corners, in which diamonds and titanium are respectively mined.

During Mbeki Charles' rule, the Kzanzi have come to dominate all higher-wage positions and are mainly an urban population. 85% live in the capital of Tswane. The principle aim of the government is to line their own pockets, not to benefit the people. An estimated 60% of the national budget is used to pay government officials. The officers in the army are 90% Kzanzi, though the loyalty of the soldiers (which come from all the other tribes) depends on food and pay. The best equipped, best trained regiment is the Leragostan Guards Army (LGA), which is basically Mbekis personal guard.

Poverty and famine (due to all available crop areas being used for export) have angered the rest of the population to the point of revolt. Harsh reprisals from the LGA in the plantations have added fuel to the fire. Scattered fighting has already begun. The FFIL, yet to gain much momentum, is planning large scale action and has the benefit of surprise. Theirs is the first turn. Will they go for an attack on Tswane, or try to grasp control of

Objectives at the start of the game..

Government: Secure, consolidate, line own pockets
FFIL: Aquire funding, recruit manpower, gain momentum
Third party: ?

Feel free to join the fray! Maybe the government hires a mercenary army a la Executive Outcomes, or another rebellious faction springs to life? *dramatic cinematic score* The fate of Leragostan is up to you!

Once again, black humour is required This is meant to be entertaining. If you're offended by what you read, then don't read it. Apologies for having made this a bit messy, but there you go.

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Okay, then. No offence, but I think this is a bit hard to get.

 

Oooh, this should be interesting.

I'll play if anybody else will.

 

well ..the important thing is ,,,the evil white colonial masters have been forced out ...liberty , fraternity and prosperity are free to take root

 

Sure why not sounds interesting...

 

Ok Blaster, what didn't you understand? I'll explain it in a more structured, organized way. The first pots was, I admit, rather chaotic.

JCalhoun, will you be the rebel forces, and smeghead, will you be the LGA? Hell, for all I care, first one that posts can be whoever they want--- we can always add more variables.

My first act as "outside force" is increase Western food subsidy policies, pushing the agricultural export crops of Leragostan down to a third of their real market value. The government forms the Export Administration Agency, who puts a fixed price on the produce and imposes monetary quotas on the farmers. This year, the farmers sell their produce at a loss to the government and have to sell cars, animals, or crops at further loss to pay the quota. For the Leragostanians (excluding, of course, the ruling Kzanzi) this means food will be extra scarce this year. Food can now be used as an effective. political weapon in propoganda, distrubition, destruction, or witholdance. The EAA has kept the government afloat, but at what price?

 

The overall situation.

 

I want to be the brutal despotic government!

 

Under the cover of the night,FFIL forces move forward towards an area that is guarded quite heavily by government troops.

Baki,a section leader of around fifteen FFIL fighter,grabs his Ak-47,a weapon bought with diamonds that comes from the mines that the FFIL are in control of.

It's a cold night.

Baki gave the hand signal and blinked his eyes shut while covering his ears.He is afterall only 16 years old ,the oldest in his section.The cause of his reaction is made clear as mortars shelled the area ,obliterating guard posts and machine gun nests.

Black figures resembling Baki's then rose from the plantations and charge towards the only one stone building in the area,The EAA administration building which also acts as the storehouse of the crops.

It was a battle that lasted all of ten minutes.

-

Mbekelele looked at the body of a FFIL boy clutching his Ak-47.He remembered the boy,someone called Baku,or was it baki? IT didn't matter,in a night,Mbekelele's FFIL had gained control of over much of Leragostan's north eastern plantation region as FFIL launched it's first large foray into government admin buildings and military camps.Only in northern sector did the FFIL meet defeat as government AFVs reacted in time. It didn't matter,the FFIL now controls majority of food supplies..and perople would gladly die for food....

 

Ooh, Executive Outcomes! I want them! Who will hire me?

 

Kaiser, excellent writing, and good use of your knowledge of the African political situation.

However, the FFIL don't control any diamond mines yet, since the offensive has yet to start. Furthermore, I was imagining this to be little more large scale - take up the persona of the FFIL overall commander, but keep the style.

JCalhoun, brutal government is yours! I think it would be a good idea to start with initial strategies and ideas for containment.

 

As the situation is now, nobody can afford Executive Outcomes outright - they need to think of a package deal!

 

income , roel , you want an executives income....

 

Mbekelele needed to act fast.Each day,more people join the FFIL.However,he knows that in terms of equipment,the FFIL will be found wanting.
The FFIL would need to contact the neutral tribes as well.FFIL's political agenda should prove to be much more desirable than the government's.Major roads on FFIL ground are also closely monitored.

With last night's battle,comes new responsibilities.Mbkelele immediately ordered the fortification of the mountain passes into what is now FFIL territory.

FFIL troops are also pushing west to reach the coast and port city of Tiko before Government troops has any chance to react.The port would be useful for arms smuggling and other matters.Besides,with the newly controlled diamond mines,there would be need for buyers.

(Just a question,how much men do i have now.What equipment does FFIL carries.Please give names of major cities and also,who are the neighbouring countries?)

 

[previous rant deleted]

Edit: I just found out that EO was founded in 1989, so it can't take part in this game. I think I'll be playing as a neighbouring country instead.

Say, uh...

Tagola. A powerful dictatorial regime with many a shady government agency dedicated to supressing public dissent and funelling off all profits of the economy to the self-infatuated leaders of the Army, the Foreign Office and the State itself. Predominantly rural, its population just barely sustains itself with its agricultural produce, but the country's real source of income is gold and diamonds. Ever since the country gained independence in 1965, M'delembe, Righteous Tyrant of Tagola, has had his greedy eyes fixed on Leragostan's mountains in the southeast. A long, shared, heavily patrolled border separates Tagola from its southern neighbour; now that unrest is starting to pull Leragostan apart, M'delembe has spotted his chance.

His people have long given up hope of effectively resisting his reign, but his real base of power is the Intelligence Division, a secret service that would easily rank with the KGB in terms of ruthlessness and the extent of its influence. The army is effectively a shambles of kids and conscripts with AKs, but they have one of the world's most well-informed secret services backing them up. Now they will have to move.

 

OK, I guess I'm playing the LGA... Evil ruthless puppets of the brutal Dictatorship

Saidah sat idly in his chair, clealing his knife and with polished boots resting on the desk... A recently promoted 'captain' in the LGA, he had been posted to the countries' north-east, where the tropics met the wide open savannah, close to the Tagola Border... It was ideal territroy for the new BMP's which General Abu, Mbeki's most loyal commander, had personally delivered to him... They would prove useful once his troops learnt to use them, which would not take long now... A few more hours and they would be as well trained in using them as they needed to be; not very...

There had recently been a substantial increase in clashes with FFIL guerillas... A diamond mine or two had been taken... For the government this was a good thing, it gave the LGA soldiers an excuse to reap reprisals upon *rebel* villages, and requisition whatever they needed... or desired... Saidah noted that they had never really needed an excuse... Nevertheless, there was wealth to be made, provided that FFIL resistance did not grow too fierce... Saidah doubted it would... Tomorrow Mbeki would announce an offensive, a few villages would be reduced to burnt cinders, and the rebels would retreat for a few more weeks... He hoped his BMP's would frighten the FFIL enough to buy them another week on top of that, probably during which they would scrounge the arms market for RPG's... Saidah was smart enough to know that, like all the "gimmicks" Mbeki bought from overseas, the BMP's would not last long... He just didn't care, after all it wasn't him who was going to be driving...

 

The first thing the Brutal Government (BG) is going to do is seize the food supplies and make sure all the troops are well fed and equiped. Rationing of food will begin once all food supplies are secured. Anybody who has a problem with that will be publicly executed.

Second, the BG will seize and secure all petroleum supplies. Again, rationing will begin once all supplies are secured.

Third, all males age 16 and older will now be declared eligible for the draft. All males under 16 years old are now 16 years old.

Fourth, the official language of Legoland will now be Swedish.

Lastly for today, underwear will be changed every hour. Underwear will be worn on the outside so we can check.

Is that African enough?

 

The way to Tiko was relatively easy. Information hasn't reached tswane of the massive insurrection.

It helps when the roads of the North eastern sectors are being watched by FFIL agents.

Tiko was taken after a bloody fight where a platoon of the LGA stuck their grounds and fought.They fought to the last.

With this occupation of a town,Mbkelele decided that it was now time to give out the rations plundered from EAA offices to the peasants and at the same time,tell them about the FFIL mission.

Also,diamonds now have an outlet from which weapons and possibly AFVS will come.

 

All intelligence reports and diplomatic communication indicated that now was the time to move. Leragostan was in turmoil and the government's only decisions in response to the crisis were completely irrational. M'delembe had never been indecisive in spirit, which was the very reason why he held his position a Righteous Tyrant. He passed the order to his trusted old friend, the Minister of War, who in turn relayed it directly to the Supreme Commander of the Tagolan Army. If all went smoothly, the first units would move into Leragostan the very next morning.

M'delembe was well informed about the strength of the LGA and well aware that his own forces could not defeat it in a fair fight. Now, he had no qualms about sending his people to their deaths for the glory and greatness of Tagola - and his own person - but in order to win glory his people would have to gain victory. And so his orders were mainly to provoke the enemy. Once contact had been established, his troops were to draw as many enemy soldiers into the region as they could, always avoiding an open battle. Others would deal the decisive blows.

And then I get rich, M'delembe thought with immense self-satisfaction. Then I get very rich indeed.

 

The BG feels that there has been enough of this ingratitude. At first light tomorrow, we will go to the town in the lands of the rebellion. We will appeal to the towns people that the BG is there the help them. Those who cooperate and join us will be fed, clothed and given medicine. Those who do not will not need any fed, clothes or medicine.

The rebels must understand that they are making the situation worse!

Also,as Legoland has natural resources and a deep water port, we are entering discussion with Red China for "infrastructure investments".

The draft begins tommorrow. I sure China can help out with those "investments".