The Free Coalition Townships And The New Fenland Republic

The Free Coalition Townships (FCT) is exactly as it sounds. It is a coalition of free villages and towns in what the New Fenland Republic considers rebel territory. The FCT is not recognised by any of the nine super states, well officially that is, but the FCT is close to becoming strong enough to form its own small state on the borders of the New Fenland Republic. The members of the FCT (villages and new townships) still primarily lookout for themselves and their own alone and independently of each other and the super states. However, the FCT came about initially as trade began to grow again between these tiny population centres, and as they grew they recognised the benefits of inter-trade agreements between each other and the growth and prosperity this would bring. Particularly, the agricultural wealth of these borderlands and its potential was and is immense as the soil here is largely unscathed and fertile with only gentle rolling slopes at worst making arable farming relatively easy and due to massive food shortages, massively profitable. As the trade grew and new rural population centres grew so did the trade between them and the treaty of Hertford Major cemented these relations into a permanent and substantial trade agreement which all villages and townships sent representatives to and agreed upon. This was a massive step forward for the FCT Trade & Commerce Council who became a permanent body based at Hertford Major. The FCT was now well on the evolutionary road to becoming a burgeoning united and independent state with a stable, good economy relative to the whole of the Dis-United Kingdom. This however, did not sit at all well with the New Fenland Republic, both the government and the general population were alarmed and jealous. The New Fenland Republic had also grown fat and rich on an arable/agricultural economy in a world of severe food shortages thanks to its relatively unscathed fertile soil. The NFR were threatened by this FCT upstart and knew that something had to be done as the NFR had designs on this border/rebel territory to further its power and coffers and needed to act before the FCT became a consolidated recognised and therefore powerful state which would severely curtail the NFR's ambitions. If they could secure the rebel lands known now as the FCT then the NFR would practically be the richest and therefore one of the most powerful superstates of the Dis-United Kingdom. Although still lacked the populations of other states due to its low population density as a primarily rural/agricultural economy.

The first tactic the New Fenland Republic tried was intended to bring the FCT to heal by sending a diplomatic mission to the FCT, its primary objective being to manipulate, coerce and push/invite the FCT to join the NFR as the FCT but recognising NFR's hegemony over the FCT. This was a ruse designed by the NFR to simply allow the NFR to 'swallow' up the FCT. However, after 3 weeks of talks and stalemates the NFR diplomats delivered a government approved ultimatum:

"...it is our intention that these rebel lands, harbouring terrorists and outlaws of the most despicable kind as well as heinous mutants, which have the self proclaiming title of the Free Coalition Townships shall and will recognise the laws and statutes of the honourable, just and liberated Republic of New Fenland. These (FCT) people call themselves free yet infringe constantly and without guilt upon the human rights of the good people of the New Fenland Republic through piracy, banditry and even paramilitary border activity committing atrocities without warning or remorse. They threaten and pillage our lands, our merchants and our people and yet expect no retaliation or consequences themselves or infringements upon their freedoms as so-called human beings. We are determined to bring these rogues and vagabonds, these animals and mutants to heel to protect our own people, our own borders and our own way of life. We are one and resided in this matter. As a result I have but one offer to present to you now after three weeks of attempting to make you (FCT) see reason and agree to entreat and conjoin with us, you have been nothing  but cold and obstinate towards our cordial invites. The one offer, therfore, is to agree to our terms or be forced by military means to conjoin with us. Our air fleets are ready, our marines are ready, our guns are ready!"

Shortly after this ultimatum was presented to the representatives of the FCT the NFR's diplomatic mission was expelled for Hertford Major. A message was sent to the NFR's government stating that all NFR "...peoples are not welcome in the lands of the FCT and should not seek shelter or succour within our borders, or they shall be arrested and tried as a spy..."

After this the NFR and FCT ceased all communications and their borders were shut to each other. There was a stalemate that now could only be broken by military action. Both sides mobilized and immediately set about strengthening their borders. A few border villages and small towns were immediately seized without a fight by NFR militia as their borders were strengthened in preparation for receiving attacks as well as launching offensives.

The FCT, whilst having a strong growing economy, lacked the funding in their coffers for any significant professional miltiary force. The FCT Defence Force (FCTDF) was a very small semi-professional military force that was more used to policing and escort duties for trade and commerce and had seen little or no real military action. The FCT realised very quickly that they were very vulnerable to the miltary might of the NFR, in particular the fast moving, well equipped and well trained Fenland Air Assault Regiment that was something of an elite in the Dis-United Kingdom, a rarity indeed! Therefore, a full assembly of the FCT Trade & Commerce Council was called at Hertford Major. The agenda being of how to handle offensive action against the FCT by the NFR and in particular the Fenland Air Assault Regiment.

After only two days of discussion and suggestions the FCT had decided upon its major strategies as a result of the urgency of the situation. The Emergency Military Treaty of Hertford Major was signed setting a precedent in the FCT for military conflict- one step closer to a complete union through miltary co-operation as well as trade.

The results were that the FCTDF was to become a permanent professional military force backed up by a policy of conscription. However, this would take time to have any effect and in the interim period several other measures would be taken. Firstly, volunteers throughout the FCT would be called for with the benefit of being granted a free plot of arable land after 10 years service in the FCTDF- not to be sneezed at! Then, each member population centre would be required to form its own militia defence force- and anyone between the ages of 16 to 40 regardless of sex would be required to attend 4 hours of training once a week, rifles, ammunition and equipment would be provided as and when it could be procured. These militias would be required to defend their place of resident when under direct attack but also provide assistance if military actuion ensues within a certain distance of their place of residence. In times of severe need they would also be required to go further afield and even help to conduct offensive operations.

Also the council approved moves to contact some of the other super staters in the Dis-United Kingdom to try and secure aid and assistance by offering to cause trouble to the NFR which would directly benefir the other ambitious states who had their own designs on the Dis-United Kingdom and feared the wealth and strength of the NFR. This could prove to provide urgently needed military hardware in particular as well as small arms and ammunition if a lengty conflict ensued.

The council then agreed to release funding to each of the major townships form central funds to pay for the fortification of the said major towns and wherever possible other strategically important areas. Strong defences in depth could be enough to stall any NFR major offensives.

It was also decided that the small FCTDF should immediately go on the offensive to try and secure resources and supplies that were being stockpiled just over the border by NFR forces in preparation for an offensive. This could offer up urgently needed arms and ammunition as well as other supplies such as medical immediately if successful and small, mobile forces should find it easy to conduct cross border raids which hopefully the NFR would not suspect.

The council was dismissed and the members dispersed to the populartion centres that they represented carrying the news of what had been decided and how best to implement it at the local level. Within a week militias had been formed and towns were q1uickly being fortified. War wasnt a question of if and when but how soon and how!

The scene was set, The NFR would either demonstrate their power once more and render yet another fledgling state extinct or face humiliation if the FCT were able to somehow prevent the NFR's ambitions from becoming a reality. If the FCT could stymie the NFR or even push their forces back and conduct offensive operations then the otyher vultures would start to circle the diminishing NFR and eventually move in to pick at the remains of a once powerful and proud nation.

So, second order sent to GZG for FCT forces. I would just like to say thankyou to Jon at Ground Zero Games who is absolutely brilliant- always helpful and willing to offer and advice and replies to emails at midnight and I have a query whilst working late. The products are fantastic backed up by a fantastic approach and work ethic that is rare these days. Although if i ever win the euromillions i am sure Jon would end up hating me ha ha!

Toodaloo for now- I'll let ya know when the order arrives! Im gonna get on with some more painting now.

Rhys