Senators - HEM, Brunhilde, Kraketopia, Drecq, zapperzx, Shadowlurker
Citizens' Assembly Chair - Fortunado
Judicial
Chief Justice - Drecq
Associate Justices - Pope Lexus X, Kraketopia, Vacant
50th Senate!
Very recently, Europeia held elections for its 50th Senate. Before the election, there was a festival to commerate our 50th Senate. Europeia has come a long way since the very first Senate and it is truly a landmark achievement. A wide variety of awards were given out to Senators of past and present - a full list of awardees can be heard at the link below.
Following the festival, elections were held for the 50th Senate. 10 candidates ran for a total of six seats. This election featured a lot of newcomers as well as a few experienced old hands. In the end, the elected Senate was HEM, Brunhilde, Kraketopia, Drecq, zapperzx, and Shadowlurker. This is a mix of experienced as well as slightly newer Senators. This Senate is now hard at work, with HEM returning to the helm as the new Speaker.
War Games with EPSA
On June 7 Grand Admiral Kraketopia of the Europeian Rebpublican Navy (ERN) and Erelim General of the East Pacific Sovereignty Army (ESPA) Xoriet came together in a first for both regions to host their own war games.
There were four objectives in total, each side had to try and take the same region and scored points based on the amount of nations in the objective and who took it. Each side also took turns defending a region against the other side's invading force. Finally, there was a competition that tested the reaction times of each side, scoring points for the number of nations in the objective and being penalized for going too early. In total the EPSA won two of the objectives; the ERN won one of the objectives, and one was considered to be a draw.
"The War Games with the EPSA were a great way to bond with the members of the EPSA, as well as drill different military skillsets in a fun, competitive environment," said Kraketopia while discussing the benefits of War Games. "I look forward to hosting more War Games with TEP and other regions as well."
The Benefit
War games provide excellent training for all involved whether it be learning new things or drilling in already known tactics. Many different situations in such a short space of time requires service-members to think and act quickly to be able to succeed. Practicing such war games will in the long run will help the ERN. War games don't just help to learn and hone military tactics but they also help to strengthen bonds between regions. Recently there has been an increase in diplomatic activity between Europeia and TEP, and state visits and these games have undoubtedly helped to improve Europeia's relationship with TEP.
New skills are developed for those who participated. "It was certainly a good way of honing jump timing and coordination," said Mate CptCarrot of the ERN, who participated in the war games. "It also helped me realize the importance of precise timing."
Servicemembers worked on a variety of skills at the war games, such as triggering, jumping, raiding, and defending. "Defending was the hardest part," said President Writinglegend. "I've never participated in a "proper defense" before, so it was something different; it was new, exciting, and it really helped me better understand certain skills."
The Future of War Games
Undoubtedly, war games have a bright future in the Europeian Republican Navy. Those who participated in the war games with the EPSA clearly noted their development and further understanding of new naval techniques. War games are another way to use our military to beneficially cooperate with another region, and it's a strategy of cooperation we don't see that often. In a time when Europeia should be opening up to unique ideas and ways, it's safe to say that war games will continue to be used for foreign cooperation and the development of domestic sailors.
Written by Zapperzx and Writinglegend
Edited by Writinglegend, Noto, Deepest House
Originally published by the Europeian Broadcasting Corporation
World Assembly Advancement Program
In a program aimed at building up World Assembly and Europeian Republican Navy membership, Europeia has established the World Assembly Advancement Program. Coordinated by Mousebumples, Fajihas, and Kraketopia, the WAAP rewards endorsing other nations as well as participating in ERN missions. The program has been successful so far in its first run, between May 25 and June 8, 2015.
In the first run of awarding, Meropis ran away with the EndoTarting awards, giving out a staggering 383 endorsements in the two-week period. In fact, not including Mousebumples, 12 different nations handed out more than 200 endorsements during the period. The program also encourages nations to join the ERN and participate on missions by awarding them badges. The program has also helped Mousebumples' endorsement count spike from below 310 when the program was announced to 326 at the time of writing.
The Europeian Broadcasting Corporation Presents...
Each report we file will feature at least one article from Europeia's state run media, the EBC, or from our private media center, the LethoMonarchy.
My Very Own SOFA:
Written By Brunhilde
Brunhilde is an Europeian Senator and Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Communist Bloc
Couches are a beautiful thing, aren't they? They're a place of supreme comfort. A place to lie down after a long day with a nice, cold beverage so that you can relax and stop worrying about the troubles of the day. Until about a week ago, they were the only thing in my mind I associated with sofas. A nice, comfortable place to lie down. That's what popped into my mind when someone talked about a sofa to me. Not a military pact that ensures the military training of a region or the potential military dominance that a partnership between two of the largest UCRs in NationStates. I didn't even think about the real life equivalent of a SOFA, otherwise known as a Status of Forces Agreement. Now, when I hear the word my brain fights between what I am used to and what I have been immersed in creating for this passed week. It's an odd experience, partnering a couch with a military pact. It leads my imagination into places that would make an American proud.
Regardless of the mental images it puts in my head, working on this agreement has been one of the more rewarding experiences in my NationStates career.
This entire situation began on the 28th of May, 2015(Okay, admittedly the discussion about the state of our military started a few days before that, but those weren't official discussions and no proposals were made). It was the day of my appointment to Minister of Foreign Affairs in The Communist Bloc. To be honest, the ministry was in bad shape. I don't know how it was still working, really. Zenny was providing the bulk of the effort. From writing the update to delivering it and even to fielding opportunities by herself, it all sat on her plate. Sadly, her appointment featured one of those unfortunate moments when someone seems competent and talks a big game but turns out to be a dud when actually appointed. At the same time, we lacked a military leader. Zenny was competent, sure, and had done the job herself for quite a while to respectable levels. The issue came when Zenny found herself with too much to do and not enough hands to do it. With no one capable of doing the job, we were left with a sizable military without a rudder to lead it.
Both of these ministries needed someone or something to help them. The Foreign Ministry needed the diplomatic corp rebuilt from the ground up. At the same time, the region needed a project. Something to be happy about. Sure, we had recently passed a treaty with the Kingdom of Great Britain but that just wasn't the same. A military treaty with no military just doesn't provide the same substance. We needed more. We needed something that would allow us to pursue our ideals as an independent military force and give the region we served something to look forward to in our foreign affairs. In comes the SOFA.. Or rather, in comes the raw material for SOFA.
Sadly, none of us could snap our fingers and make the agreement come about with any prior discussion. No, at first it wasn't as pretty as it is now. I know, I know. It's a shocker. We didn't have everything perfect right off of the bat. Those involved are indeed mere mortals, as much as some of us might wish for more. I approached Zenny with my concerns about the military, she confided in me that she knew there was an issue and it came from her inability to continue to lead the military. She had been waking up early every morning six days a week to lead the raids on top of her school work. She simply could not continue any longer and she had no replacements. As a result of our mutual interest in an independent military, I asked Zenny if I had permission to discuss things with Writinglegend. The goal was to allow our military to remain relevant, secure training for our troops with the hope of building up a self sustaining military, and at the same time strengthen the relations between our regions at the same time.
This led to me approaching Writinglegend with my initial pitch. I think I probably blindsided him at first. It was a rather inconspicuous greeting at first. We went from me asking if he was about, him saying he was and congratulating me on my appointment to MoFA in TCB, and then to me launching into a long winded(long winded in skype terms) proposal explaining our situation and asking for the assistance of Europeia. In exchange for training and exercising our military, it would join with Europeia's own military under Kraken's command to create a sizable independent military force. Writinglegend assured me he was interested, though he would need to discuss things with Kraken and, undoubtedly, the External Affairs Advisory Committee(EAAC for short). I won't get into the details of the rest of the discussion but I will say they went smoothly. Everyone involved acted as professionals as we set ourselves to the discussion of this deal. Concerns were addressed, questions were answered, and the lovely team at Europeia drafted the original agreement. There was, of course, discussion on it and more questions. Boring stuff, really. In the end, we agreed on the proposal we have today.
It was a great experience, this entire thing. Working through adversity to come to a mutually beneficial agreement is something both sides of this can be proud to be a part of. In the process, we have improved the relationship of TCB and Europeia. We have created a military force to stand by as one of, if not the, largest independent forces and made a statement that the two of the largest UCRs in the game today are willing to be not only mature about their dealings but friendly in them as well.
It is a good day for Europeia and it is a good day for The Communist Bloc. I am glad to say that I was a part of this and I look forward to the future for both of our great regions.
