What I like about 2300 is the kooky geopolitics. You really have to set your mind to figuring it all out, then working that into plausible scenarios that follow from those assumptions.
First thing most people balk at is the French Empire and France as the setting’s only super power. But if you consider the history of France over the past 900 years, as opposed to the past 90, it’s actually not so absurd.
Then the next stumbling block usually resolves around making France the de facto bad guy. But I’ve decided that while France is grasping and manipulative (especially as it pertains to divide-and-conquer with Germany), they more or less act as a civilizing force and the whole liberté, égalité, fraternité cry is actually a sincere operative ethos. They've taken it quite on the chin in the Kafer war.
In my setting, Mexico is more or less the de facto skulking bad guy. I see America as unable to ever completely get past getting stripped of states by Mexico, somewhat stunted and demented by that history, and clearly Texas has many a Bowie knife to grind over their treatment by the Mexican junta. To the south, Mexico's role in keeping things stirred up in the Rio Plata conflicts can similarly not be easily ignored. America is arrogant in its attitudes toward Texas, too, biding its time until that state fails and comes crawling to kiss Uncle Sam's boot. Enemies of enemies are friends, and all that.
Mexico could not possibly be a force to be reckoned with, however, without strong alliance with Manchuria, which make their joint efforts at Kwangtun particularly important to the machinations of both.
Manchuria makes a magnificent puppet master and [police] force to be reckoned with, clearly odd man out as far as the goals and ethos of the Western powers are concerned (America included here), but not so stupid as to push things to a hot war out in the Arms. They’re the perfect group to manhandle the Sung.
Oh, and everyone hates and fears Provolution.
Anyway, once you accept and grok these political relationships and grudges, piecing things together out on the Arms becomes a kick.
First thing most people balk at is the French Empire and France as the setting’s only super power. But if you consider the history of France over the past 900 years, as opposed to the past 90, it’s actually not so absurd.
Then the next stumbling block usually resolves around making France the de facto bad guy. But I’ve decided that while France is grasping and manipulative (especially as it pertains to divide-and-conquer with Germany), they more or less act as a civilizing force and the whole liberté, égalité, fraternité cry is actually a sincere operative ethos. They've taken it quite on the chin in the Kafer war.
In my setting, Mexico is more or less the de facto skulking bad guy. I see America as unable to ever completely get past getting stripped of states by Mexico, somewhat stunted and demented by that history, and clearly Texas has many a Bowie knife to grind over their treatment by the Mexican junta. To the south, Mexico's role in keeping things stirred up in the Rio Plata conflicts can similarly not be easily ignored. America is arrogant in its attitudes toward Texas, too, biding its time until that state fails and comes crawling to kiss Uncle Sam's boot. Enemies of enemies are friends, and all that.
Mexico could not possibly be a force to be reckoned with, however, without strong alliance with Manchuria, which make their joint efforts at Kwangtun particularly important to the machinations of both.
Manchuria makes a magnificent puppet master and [police] force to be reckoned with, clearly odd man out as far as the goals and ethos of the Western powers are concerned (America included here), but not so stupid as to push things to a hot war out in the Arms. They’re the perfect group to manhandle the Sung.
Oh, and everyone hates and fears Provolution.
Anyway, once you accept and grok these political relationships and grudges, piecing things together out on the Arms becomes a kick.
