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Cover Story: On War and Peace

The last couple months of eRepublik have seen continuous, though ever-decreasing, war. From the cold prairies of Manitoba to the mild farmlands of Nordjylland, the war has exploded in several titanic battles.

The earlier, more constant phase of the war ended in September when the eUS evicted Russia, the last PEACE power on the offensive in the eUS, from North America. This was made possible by Norway attacking Russia, making Russia unable to attack the eUS and on the defensive. However, in doing so, Norway opened a war with Russia in which Russia's MPPs (Alliances) were "activated".

With no regions remaining in North America, Russia then responded by taking back the part of Russia they had retreated from (in hopes of seizing the initiative) and counter-attacking into Norway. At first, this was successful, especially after an abortive attempt by Finland to take a Norwegian region (by their request) to cut off Norway from Russia, which left Norway with far fewer allies.

Soon after, with Norway's defences diminished, the eUK under GLaDOS attacked. Declaring War on Norway also opened wars with their allies bordering us, Sweden and the eUS. We opened the war by attacking Vestlandet, a Norwegian region with High Oil, and Nordjylland a Danish region then held by Sweden. These attacks prevented Sweden or Norway from attacking anyone, and if successful the Vestlandet attack would have netted the eUK plentiful North Sea oil.

However, our attack came as the eUS and Spain had no other battles, and as Spain, the eUS, and others were still allied to Norway, they were able to apply their immobile military (and perhaps some mobile military) to the defence. As a result, by the end of the day 1.3 million more damage points were applied defensively than offensively. Nordjylland, a battle where only Sweden itself could fight us, went better for us despite the entire eUK military being ordered to fight in Vestlandet because Sweden did not bother fighting us there until the last few hours, when a smidgeon of their vast military was applied toward beating us back.

In the mean time, Sweden and Finland's multi-pronged attack on Russian-occupied Norway was successful, and Finland then occupied the remainder of Norway. This made Norway cease to exist, including its hospitals, the open wars, and its remaining alliances. Finland then gradually allowed Norway to be recreated, without its deadly war with Russia. EDEN soon replenished Norway's supply of MPPs. The wars we had opened with the eUS and Sweden remained, however.

For some time afterwards, the eUK was bereft of war except for the regular training wars (and one training war we organized to show up in our front page by creating a resistance war in Midtjylland, which we then held). This silence was interrupted the day of the "Country President" elections, when eUS President Gaius Julius was hacked. The hacker made the eUS attack the eUK, France, Portugal, and Mexico, activating multiple MPPs in each war. In the eUK battle for Wales, PEACE applied considerable force toward helping in our defence (for example, a frenchman was Battle Hero for the battle). As the attacks were illegitimate however, eRepublik administration soon cancelled the wars and then restored them without activated MPPs.

Recently, EDEN and the eUS went on the offensive again. The offensive began with a Swedish attack on eUK-held Midtjylland, which was repulsed (with PEACE mobile forces assisting us). Apparently Sweden intended this as a distraction to the attack on Manitoba by the eUS and Canada soon after. Before Sweden could make another such attack, the eUK counter-attacked into Nordjylland, taking it without PEACE assistance with our immobile forces while Sweden's mobile forces were deployed in North America.

Our expanded Danish holdings did not go uncontested long as within three days the Swedes counter-attacked Nordjylland. This time, rather than fight for our Danish possessions, we chose to allow them to take Nordjylland and give Midtjylland back to the Danes, cutting off Swedish access from the Hungarian base in Syddanmark. The eUK military was instructed to fight for the resistance (red) in the Midtjylland battle.

In the last few days, the eUS and Canada have taken back Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, and Washington. Alaska remains in Hungarian hands, at least for now. The Navy and Special Forces have been fighting for our Hungarian allies. In the mean time, those of us who remain at home in the eUK have had only the deathless Lithuanian training war to fight in.

Today, our tactical situation stands thus: We are at war with Sweden and the eUS with no MPPs activated on either side. We can attack Sweden in Nordjylland without invoking MPPs, but any other possible battle in either war would invoke MPPs; therefore no one has, at least as of yet, dared to try it.

Second Story: Resignation of Minister Necrosis

During the entire described cycle of wars, including the segment where the eUK was victorious, Necrosis (formerly known as Glorious Failure) was the Minister of Defence and Foreign Affairs. As MoDaFA, Necrosis represented us to PEACE, made many important strategic choices, and orchestrated a major overhaul of the Royal Guard aimed at reducing waste and encouraging more citizens to join the Navy, where they do more for the Country.

Recently, the FDP praised Necrosis, and even the FDP's enemies had to give him his due (in the comments). Yesterday, Necrosis resigned, referring to a lack of accolades (and the vast scope of his work) as reasons.

Prime Minister Woldy has decided to discontinue the position. It remains to be seen how our foreign relations will go without that steady hand at the helm.

Educational Interlude: How War Works and the eUK Military

In eRepublik, war is a highly abstract affair, with discrete battles which are won or lost and do not inflict casualties of any kind. This abstract form of conflict generally favours the attacker, as he choses where to attack and can make multiple attacks-- in coordination with allies, an attacker can even make multiple attacks against the same region. Without attacks by "blockers" to change the initiative, an attacker can maintain the offensive as long as he has gold to make new attacks, unless the defender retreats. When attacking regions that are not original to the defender, an attacker can start a "resistance war" in the region, making retreat impossible.

The one serious advantage a defender has is that if an attacker attacks one of their original regions, it invokes MPPs (Alliances). Those Alliances can then be used to counter-attack (once they get the initiative). This acts as a very strong deterrent against beginning offensive wars, perhaps unfortunately.

Opinion: War is Peace

In eRepublik, the astronomical productivity of older players means that the economy simply cannot work without ravenous consumption of weapons and gold -- war, in other words. There is limited space for internal changes in a Country, also, meaning that there is a need for external forces-- war.

War gives us activity, war gives us consumption, war gives us improved capacity to wage war. War is not everything, in eRepublik, but it is central. It is due to war that we must make our military strong, and keep it that way. It is due to war that other countries sought to ally us, to recruit the eUK to join either FORTIS or PEACE. It is due to war that we renew alliances with countries around the world every month.

Keeping this thesis in mind, I encourage everyone to apply to join the Military.

Addendum

As you may or may not be aware, I have been elected as the FDP Candidate for Prime Minister. Watch this paper for updates on that front in the near future.