A House Divided; 1856 AMPU Playtest Part 2

[matthewyoung123]

1856; The Era of Nationalism Playtest, Part 2

Welcome to 1856. 

Pennsylvania Democrat James Buchanan, the former Ambassador to the United Kingdom, has just been elected the 15th President of the United States, but by a closer margin that some political observers had been expecting.  He garnered 174 electoral votes, winning 19 states, and receiving about 1,836,000 votes.  His main rival was General John C. Fremont of California, the first Republican nominee for President of the United States.  Fremont had gained 114 electoral votes, winning 14 states, and 1,342,000 votes.  Also on the ballot was former President Millard Fillmore who ran on the Know-Nothing ticket.  Fillmore received only 8 electoral votes, winning in Maryland, but also received 873,000 votes.   The Democrats also retained the US Senate, and won back the House of Representatives, at least for now.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1856_United_States_presidential_election. 

It is clear that, politically, the nation is very fractured.  The once strong Democratic party is now threatening to become more of a regional party for the Southern states than a true national party.  The Whig party is now almost completely gone, with the fledgling Republican party stepping up into their place, along with the American, or Know-Nothing Party.  Politically, these two parties are very far apart, but what they are becoming, slowly, is united against the Democratic Party.

The country faces many challenges in the near future; westward expansion, the growth of the Federal government, internal improvements, taxation, and the growth of big business.  But perhaps no issue is as big as the issue of slavery.  Southern plantation owners and politicians argue that they need the cheap labor in order to make their plantations profitable, and to continue brining revenue to the government.  The three "richest" states in the 1850's are the deep South states of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.  They also argue over the superiority of the white race.  Abolitionists, on the other hand, want to free all the slaves and educate them to become productive members of society.  Most of the rest of the nation is somewhere in between these two positions.  As for party platforms, Democrats don't want to do anything about the slavery issue other than guarantee it can continue where it is already, and perhaps extend it into the territories.  They support Kansas being admitted as a slave state.  In his inauguration address, President Buchanan predicted that the slavery question would be resolved soon (he had fore knowledge of the impending Dred Scott case from fellow Pennsylvanian Supreme Court Associate Justice John Catron), and that he would only serve one term in office.

However, the Republicans have adopted a position not to interfere with slavery where it exists, but they hope to contain it there and forbid it from expanding westward.  They ran in 1856 on an anti-slavery platform that called for congressional sovereignty in the territories, an end to polygamy in Mormon settlements, and federal assistance for a transcontinental railroad. 

Currently there are 31 states; 16 free, and 15 slave.

President Buchanan already has his cabinet in place, Congressional leaders have already been selected (House Speaker, Senate Pro Tempore, and Committee Chairs) based on history.  The Supreme Court is full, led by Chief Justice Roger B Taney of Maryland.  The military is also historically accurate with the aging Winfield Scott being the General in Chief and Matthew Perry, recently returned from the Orient, as the head Admiral.

The four HUMAN players for this endeavor are @Euri, who is taking control of the Conservative Democrats led by President Buchanan.  @theFreezerFlame is taking the Popular Sovereignty Democrats, led by Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois.  On the other side, @10centjimmy will take the Crittenden Republican faction, led by Kentucky Senator John J. Crittenden.  This faction has, among others, Abraham Lincoln, Winfield Scott, and Alfonso Taft.  Also on the Republican side is @Willthescout7 who will take control of the Liberal Republicans led by Governor Salmon P. Chase of Ohio.  The Democratic Party leader is President Buchanan, and the Red Party leader is Governor William H. Seward of New York, who is in the RedLib faction being CPU'd by @Blockmon.

Also helping out by CPU'ing other factions is @Arkansas Progressive, @ConservativeElector2, and @Bloot911.  I will also be CPU'ing a faction and one of the human players may also CPU a faction.

First up will be the 1856 draft.  There are a few important names on the draft list including James G Blaine, Carl Schurz, and Roscoe Conkling for the Red team and James Bayard, John A J Creswell, and John M Stone for the Democrats.

So if you are a human player, please message me your draft list in the next 24 hours.  I will just use CPU rules for drafting for CPU factions.  The order of the draft is on the MAIN tab to the right just beyond the column for Supreme Court Justices.

Edited April 1 by matthewyoung123

[matthewyoung123]

For reference only;

[matthewyoung123]

The 1856 Draft

The draft is complete.  Here are the bonuses;

For being in 10th and 9th place respectively (based on total PV for each faction);

@Arkansas Progressive BlueLib Sylvester Pennoyer of OR gains +1 Leg, his first.  @theFreezerFlame Lucius Fairchild of WI gains +1 Judicial, his first.  I have updated them for you.

Random Rookie Trait gains; (I have updated these for you)

• @theFreezerFlame George Vest of MO gains Harmonious
• @Euri Edward A Perry of FL gains Manipulative
• @ConservativeElector2 Oliver H Dockery of NC gains Puritan
• @Blockmon Algernon Paddock of NE gains Charismatic
• @Bloot911 Herman Humphrey of WI gains Integrity

Random Rookie Alt States; (I have updated these for you)

• @Willthescout7 Thomas W Palmer of MI gains PA
• @Arkansas Progressive David Turpie of IN gains SC
• @Euri John Lee Carroll of MD gains RI
• @Blockmon Roswell Horr of MI gains MS
• @Willthescout7 Benjamin F Rice of KY gains MD

Next up is Career Track additions and Removals.  

@Euri @10centjimmy @theFreezerFlame @Arkansas Progressive @ConservativeElector2 @Bloot911 @Blockmon @Willthescout7 please post who you want to remove off the track (if it is before 20 years, as 20 year track is auto-removed).  Please list their name, their track, and how many years (John Smith, Private Track, 16 years).

Then, please post who you want to place on the track from your draft picks and let me know if any need a special roll to try to get on the track.  You can go ahead and add your Year 0 people to the Career Track Tab.  Thanks, everyone!

 

[Euri]

Additions:

Private: John T Hoffman
Military: John Bell Hood
Exec: John J Jacob
Admin: John Rawlins
Legis: John Lee Carroll
Judicial: Samuel N Bell
Backroom: Thomas F Bayard

[Bloot911]

Additions
Backroom- John Schofield
Legislative- Samuel J Randall
Governing- Jeremiah Rusk
Admin- John W Noble
Military- James A Garfield
Judicial-Herman Humphrey
Private-James Blaine 
 

[theFreezerFlame]

Backroom- Leopold Morse
Legislative- George Vest
Governing- Lucius Fairchild
Admin- John Thomas Caine
Military- Romualdo Pacheco
Judicial- Simon Pollard Hughes Jr.
Private- Orestes Cleveland

Edited April 2 by theFreezerFlame
Changed My Mind on a Few

[10centjimmy]

BlueCons

Private: Rufus W Cobb

Military: Edward C Walthall

Exec: Robert Lowry

Admin: John A J Creswell 

Legis: Barnes Compton

Judicial: William Ephraim Smith

Backroom: Robert Roosevelt 

 

Jimmy:

Private: Oliver Ames

Military: Francis M Drake

Exec: Redfield Proctor

Admin: Person Colby Cheney

Legis: John A Quackenbush

Judicial: Theodore Roosevelt Sr (needs roll)

Backroom: Sherman Otis Haughton

 

[ConservativeElector2]

RedCons:

Backroom track: Oliver H Dockery (NC)
Legis track: John P Jones (NV)
Gubernatorial track: David Butler (IN)
Admin track: John F Miller (CA)
Military track: Philip Sheridan (NY)
Judicial track: Horace Gray (MA)
Private sector: James D Porter (TN)

 

Remove (all after 12 years):

Ezekiel Straw (private)
William Gaston (Exec)
Emerson Etheridge (Legis)

Edited April 2 by ConservativeElector2

[matthewyoung123]

1 hour ago, ConservativeElector2 said:

RedCons:

Remove (all after 12 years):

Ezekiel Straw (private)
William Gaston (Exec)
Emerson Etheridge (Legis)

Here are your career track gains.  Please update your politicians and remove their "current office" tag (Private Track, Legis Track, etc).

Also, when adding someone to the State Governing track on your faction sheet, use "State Exec Track" and not "State Gov Track" as the sheet will pick up "Gov" as them actually being a Governor.  Thank you!!

Straw; +1 Admin, +1 Gov, Media

Gaston; +1 Gov, Naval, Charisma, Propagandist

Etheridge; +1 Leg, Education, Puritan

20 year removals-

Dunn (Private); +1 Gov, +2 Admin, Business, Environment, RW Activist, Domestic Apathy

Kirkwood (Exec); +2 Gov, Education, Nationalist, Charisma, Puritan

Barbour (Leg); +2 Leg, Economics, Nationalist, Debater, Crisis Manager

Thomas Treadwell Davis (Backroom); +2 Admin, Nationalist, Agriculture, Kingmaker, Numberfudger

 

[matthewyoung123]

14 hours ago, Euri said:

Additions:

Private: John T Hoffman
Military: John Bell Hood
Exec: John J Jacob
Admin: John Rawlins
Legis: John Lee Carroll
Judicial: Samuel N Bell
Backroom: Thomas F Bayard

20 year removals- (Please update your pols on your tab with the gains)

Thomas (Private); +1 Gov, +2 Admin, Education, Justice, Nationalist, Leadership, Domestic Warrior

Payne (Exec); +3 Gov, +1 Leg, Charisma, Nationalist, Manipulative, Cop

Mace (Legis); +3 Leg, Transportation, Expansionist

Seymour (Backroom); +2 Admin, Education, Kingmaker, Orator, Uncharismatic 

 

[matthewyoung123]

12 hours ago, Bloot911 said:

Additions
Backroom- John Schofield
Legislative- Samuel J Randall
Governing- Jeremiah Rusk
Admin- John W Noble
Military- James A Garfield
Judicial-Herman Humphrey
Private-James Blaine 
 

20 year Career Track Removals (please update your pols on your faction tab with the gains)

Sedgewick (Military); +2 Military, +1 Legislative, Leadership, Expansionist, Geostratagist, Domestic Apathy 

Pratt (Admin); +3 Admin, Housing, Expansionist, Egghead, Crisis Administrator, Cop

Randall (Judicial); +3 Judicial, Expansionist, Uncharismatic

[theFreezerFlame]

As you may be able to tell, I am very indecisive. Replace Allen with Hughes.

[matthewyoung123]

4 hours ago, 10centjimmy said:

BlueCons

Private: Rufus W Cobb

Military: Edward C Walthall

Exec: Robert Lowry

Admin: John A J Creswell 

Legis: Barnes Compton

Judicial: William Ephraim Smith

Backroom: Robert Roosevelt 

 

Jimmy:

Private: Oliver Ames

Military: Francis M Drake

Exec: Redfield Proctor

Admin: Person Colby Cheney

Legis: John A Quackenbush

Judicial: Theodore Roosevelt Sr (needs roll)

Backroom: Sherman Otis Haughton

 

Roosevelt Sr passes roll and can go on Judicial Track.

Please update the gains for the following pols;

Blue Cons 20 year removals-

McClernand (military); +3 Military, Nationalist, Leadership, Efficient, Decisive General

Weller (admin); +1 Command (his first!), +3 Admin, Trade, Nationalist, Egghead, Cop

Cony (Judicial); +2 Judicial, +1 Admin, Expansionist, Kingmaker

Jimmy 20 year removals-

Gilmore (Private); +1 Leg, +2 Gov, Expansionist, Economics, Foreign Affairs, Domestic Warrior

Taft (Executive); +2 Gov, Expansionist, Charisma, Healthcare

Lane (Legislative); +3 Leg, Expansionist, Housing, Debater

Cooper (Backroom); +2 Admin, Naval, Expansionist, Kingmaker, Orator, Uncharismatic, Manipulative

 

 

[matthewyoung123]

6 hours ago, theFreezerFlame said:

Backroom- Leopold Morse
Legislative- George Vest
Governing- Lucius Fairchild
Admin- John Thomas Caine
Military- Romualdo Pacheco
Judicial- William J Allen
Private- Orestes Cleveland

20 year removals-  Please update your politicians and remove their "current office" tag (Private Track, Legis Track, etc).

King (Private);  +1 Leg, +2 Admin, Military, Science, Expansionist, Celebrity, Leadership

Cozzens (Exec); +3 Gov, Expansionist, Welfare, Charisma, Controversial

Broadhead (Legis);  +2 Leg, Expansionist, Media, Debater

Brough (Backroom);  +2 Admin, Expansionist, Transportation, Kingmaker, Celebrity, Ironfist

Edited April 2 by matthewyoung123

[matthewyoung123]

Career Tracks still needed-

@Euri CPU for BlueRW, @Arkansas Progressive for BlueLib, @Blockmon for RedLib, and @Willthescout7

[Euri]

BlueRW Additions:

Private: Edward A Stevenson
Military: George D Wise
Exec: John M Stone
Admin: Daniel Manning
Legis: John Peter Richardson III
Judicial: Charles Cogswell Doe
Backroom: Albert G Jenkins

No removals

[matthewyoung123]

4 minutes ago, Euri said:

BlueRW Additions:

Private: Edward A Stevenson
Military: George D Wise
Exec: John M Stone
Admin: Daniel Manning
Legis: John Peter Richardson III
Judicial: Charles Cogswell Doe
Backroom: Albert G Jenkins

No removals

20 year BlueRW removals- (please update on the BlueRW faction tab)

Price (Military); +3 Military, Expansionist, Leadership, Decisive General

Henderson (Admin); +3 Admin, Science, Nationalist, Egghead, Unlikeable, Bookkeeper

Stone (Judicial); +2 Judicial, Nationalist, Integrity

[theFreezerFlame]

Does gaining celebrity automatically remove obscure?

[matthewyoung123]

12 minutes ago, theFreezerFlame said:

Does gaining celebrity automatically remove obscure?

Yes!

[matthewyoung123]

For @Willthescout7

Career Track Additions-

Private Sector    George F Edmunds
Military Sector    James B McPherson
State Exec Sector    Natt Head
State Admin Sector    Ely Parker
State Legis Sector    Albert P Forsythe
State Judicial Sector    Theron Moses Rice
Backroom Politics Sector    James F Wilson

20 year Career Track Removals- (I have updated these)

Lovejoy (Private); +3 Gov, Environment, Transportation, Civil Rights

Robinson (Executive);  +3 Gov, Science, Civil Rights, Charisma

Clay (Legis); +3 Leg, Debater, Transportation, Civil Rights, Crisis Manager

Greeley (Backroom); +2 Admin, LW Activist, Labor, Kingmaker, Controversial, Manipulative

[Blockmon]

Private: Carl Schurz
Military: Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
State exec: William Pitt Kellogg
State Admin: William W Belknap
State Legis: Lorrin Cooke
State Judicial: William Wilshire
Backroom: Benjamin F Tracy
Removals
Aaron Cragin (8 years; Backrooms)
Tod Robinson Caldwell (16 years in State Exec)
Carlton B Curtis (20 yrs military)
Green Adams (20 yrs admin)
Charles T Sherman (20 yrs judicial)

[matthewyoung123]

15 minutes ago, Blockmon said:

Removals
Aaron Cragin (8 years; Backrooms)
Tod Robinson Caldwell (16 years in State Exec)
Carlton B Curtis (20 yrs military)
Green Adams (20 yrs admin)
Charles T Sherman (20 yrs judicial)

Please update your pols with the following gains and make sure to remove them off the track on your faction sheet.

Cragin; +1 Admin, Agriculture, Kingmaker

Caldwell; +2 Gov, Naval

Curtis; +3 Military, Expansionist, Leadership

Adams; +2 Admin, Agriculture, Expansionist, Egghead

Sherman; +3 Judicial, Welfare, Expansionist

[matthewyoung123]

Just need @Arkansas Progressive for the BlueLib faction now, please.  Thanks!

[matthewyoung123]

2.1.4 & 2.1.5- Relocations & Ideology Shifts-

 

@Euri @10centjimmy @theFreezerFlame @Arkansas Progressive @ConservativeElector2 @Bloot911 @Blockmon @Willthescout7

OK, while we wait on one more Career Track post, you can go ahead and announce any relocations or ideology shifts you wish to attempt.

"If a politician is marked for having an Alternate State available, the player can move them to that state at this time.  Politicians can also move to a territory if that future state is listed as an alternate state, but they cannot move to their alternate state if it isn’t even a territory yet."

"A politician from the target state’s region has a 50%  chance of successfully moving.  A politician from outside the target region has a 25%  chance of successfully moving. The faction with the “expansionist” card has a 75% chance of successfully moving within the region and a 50% chance of moving outside their region if the targeted state has been admitted to the union within the previous four-years."  GA NOTE: This doesn't apply to us since the last state admitted to the Union was California in 1850.  BlueRW, Euri, BlueCons, and Freezer currently have the Expansionist Card.  "Politicians who are currently serving as Representative, Senator, CC delegate, or Governor cannot move as they are occupying a state-level office."

Current states that are OVERPOPULATED are CA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA.

Current states/territories that are UNDERPOPULATED are AR, FL, KS, MN, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, UT.

IDEOLOGY SHIFTS-

"Each faction can shift the ideology of up to three politicians, unless the faction leader has the following traits:

• If the faction leader has “iron fist” then they can flip two more politicians. 
• If they have “propagandist”, then they can flip one more politician. 
• If they have “manipulative,” then they can flip one more politician. 
• If they are the currently party leader, then they can flip two more politicians. 
• If they have multiple of the above, then add them together, with a grand total possibility of 9 ideology shift attempts. 

Attempting to change ideologies has a 50% chance of success .  75% if they are switching to their faction leader's ideology (unless they have “Puritan” or “Integrity”.  Drops to 10% for politicians with integrity and 0% for puritan.  Attempting to change your ideology in this manner (regardless of whether it succeeds) carries a 50% chance of gaining a temporary “flip flopper” trait, which gives a -1 in primaries and general elections, and a 5% chance of gaining the permanent “Two-Faced” trait. If they already have the “flop flopper” trait, they have a 50% chance of gaining the permanent “Two-Faced” trait.   It also carries a 40% chance of gaining the permanent “pliable” trait. Note that it is possible to have a permanent “Two-Faced” penalty for excessive flip-flopping, which cannot be removed. A politician with “Magician” has a 75% chance of avoiding any of these penalties. A politician with “Teflon” has a 25% chance of avoiding these penalties."
 

 

Edited April 3 by matthewyoung123

[ConservativeElector2]

Rolled for RedCons:

No relocations.

No ideology shifts.