colonisation and expansion part2

in the previous instalment we focused on the beginning of part2. Part 2 focuses on the maturing of Oronegro into a nation and so now in section B we discover how Oronegro turned from a battered nation into a secure and strong nation with its own distinct laws and customs.

in 1625 the Pirate Raid shocked Oronegro into action, her navy was expanded and her marine forces were improved to face off any other potential invaders. the story of the Military power of Oronegro entered its second chapter Oronegro created 2 land forces, of massive size. the first was tiny, called el ejército primero it consisted of 2 legions (1000 men each) and a few cohorts each of which have 500 men. The soldiers in these forces were some of the best trained forces for their day in the whole world. the second force was el ejército segundo, it consisted of what today would be considered reservists, they came from the general populace but attended regular training and arming exercises, they made up around 5% of Oronegro's total population in 1650 and that only ever increased until in 1700 it was 20% where it remained stable more or less until the system was abolished in 1894. More on these forces will be explained also in other texts that will come later on.

The navy was also altered in a way. more larger ships were built and in 1659 what would later be considered a first rate ship of the line was built. the Juan Carlos was a massive ship that only just managed to fit into the harbour at La Ley. it was crude and was dismantled and rebuilt several times until in 1723 it took the form that most first rate ships of the line had. the name Juan Carlos was always used on Oronegro's largest ship and if Oronegro ever acquired or built a larger vessel the name would be transferred unto it no matter if the other ship was still in active service. the Navy also started to recruit more marines, who were the envy of many other nations except those of the great naval powers or France and Britain.

a painting of the Juan Carlos made in 1754

However although the mid 17th century saw the great explosion in the military and naval power of Oronegro it also saw the explosion in her population. in 1625 Oronegro had a population of 193,000 people however by 1700 it had exploded to well over 1 million... Why? Gold. in the early years of Oronegro the conquistadors and settlers found no gold. none at all. however in 1634 an expedition into the mountains south of Oronegro entered a wide plain in the somewhat arid terrain, here they found gold, lots and lots of gold. Due to Oronegro's neutrality towards the conflicts between, Spain, France and Britain, hundreds of settlers from all these nations descended upon the small nation almost immediately after the news spread. thousands would descend on Oronegro to get rich in a spectacle similar to that of the 19th century gold rushes, this was because Although Oronegro did control the mining and minting of gold and silver, any miner could keep 20% of his or her find so long as they complied with the laws surrounding mineral extraction, these included not mining or panning in another miners area, not damaging the land scape, not taking land from natives and not breaking the other laws of the land. Of coarse these laws were easy to in force when you have so many reservists who themselves quite often were miners by day and were always more than happy to make sure that all Oronegrean miners were not exploited by the new comers. many settlers came for gold or for turning it into products of great beauty. the town of el Minero was the main consequence of this influx. it was during this time that Oronegro first started to become estranged from Spain as Oronegro's gold did not end up on the treasure gallions but on all types of vessels from all over the world. the Gold rush died down in the 1670's as people lost interest in the stories, though there was still plenty of gold and silver to be found.

the mine shafts in the valley of el minero were some of the most well constructed anywhere, to comply with strict safety regulations

However it was during this period that another group of settlers descended in vast numbers into Oronegro.... Germans, with the Thirty years war raging fiercely in Europe many German catholics and protestants who found their homes on the front lines fled not to safer areas where their religion was prominent but to Oronegro. Oronegro's parliament of 1649 even considered officially adding some German kingdoms and duchies to its list of Official allies by settlers decent. the Next mass influx of migrant was during the English Civil war, this had the effect of consolidating Britain's presence in the nation and also meant that the age old tolerance of other religions was threatened.
Oronegro had always been tolerant however these new arrivals were divided, though many were not overly zealous there was certainly division between them. Something had to be done, the answer was education and health care...

as war rages in Europe Oronegro grows rapidly

Health care and education were well established in Oronegro, they were part and parcel of the democratic system of Government. sure there were some very rich people in Oronegro but poverty was something that was always addressed. La Ley had many schools for the young. both men and women were treated and educated equally, though the Arab/ Muslim population always had a few issues with this. However although there were hospitals the governments action was not for curing the sick but for preventing illness. Sewers were expanded to cover the whole city and areas outside for the predicted growth, Pumps were set up everywhere supplying clean water, aqueducts were built and the cities streets were paved. it made La Ley one of the cleanest cities around and one that was the envy of many a large nation. La Esperanza also was improved in the same way. but both cities were also transformed in other ways, there was a new group established,made up of reservists, firefighters! Fire was always a problem in cities like La Ley where in the hot summer days could cause wooden frames to become matchsticks. the Firefighters and the Police forces were to become some of the saving factors for Oronegro's religious harmony. they kept everyone safe and with safety comes happiness. The next step in tackling religious division was education. All Oronegrean schools were run by the state, every teacher was well paid and taught the same curriculum, this included, reading, writing, history, science, practical skills (suck as wood carving or sewing), physical education, military education (non compulsory for girls), social sciences, languages and religious education. The purpose of this system was to allow all Oronegreans to work how they wanted and where they wanted, in an environment that would not cause them to be at a disadvantage due to their religion, race or sex.
The punishment for religious, racial or sexual crimes became harsher also, although there still were some crimes committed, the punishment of death for killing someone because of their religion as opposed to a long prison sentence and then hard labour before release helped to get the message across that Oronegro was not about to let religion get in the way of running a nation.

hanging became the common punishment for those who killed a fellow man because he believed something different

But for all Oronegro's best efforts religious tensions did result in conflict. in La Ley in 1661 the Muslim community came under attack from gangs of catholics because of the apparent mistreatment of catholic women working in Muslim shops. the fighting was put down by the police but troops had to be called in to make sure that fighting did not start up again. However soon Oronegro would have other problems to face instead of religious divisions.

What the Native tribes did during the early 17th century in Oronegro is relatively unknown however some must have grown in strength.  the Kaxad empire grew in strength and cohesion after their long lull due to their defeat at the hands of Oronegrean forces in the previous century the valleys leading to their home were explored and secured by Oronegrean soldiers and military settlers, the towns of La Palma and San Juan were founded in this way. But it was the tribes in the valley of the cat that caused the most problems. they declared war on Oronegro in 1678 for what reason no-one knows but they would soon regret the act. A legion under the command of Samuel Jose was sent to clear the valley. The only way to reach the valley was usually through the Kaxad plain, however Samuel decided to cut a new one, through the mountains north west of La Ley. his regulars were of the all well acquainted with road building and an all weather military road across the mountain passes was established within 3 months. The Tribes feared their destruction and began to head for their sacred home in the tall mountain range in the far north of the region. However Samuel decided to make an example of this conflict. he carried on the road even though there were already trails in the valley, in fact he buried the river in a long large sewer and fresh water system! every few Kilometers he built some small watchtowers and every days march distance a secure fortified complex of houses was built, at the same time the reservists were pulled into action thousands upon thousands joined the army. a large wall was built at the point where the valley of the cats entered the Kaxad plain it was manned by reservists and volunteer militia. the advance of the army of Samuel Jose was slow due to the construction however it was unstoppable all ambushes were either found and destroyed or beaten back. by the time Samuel reached the town later called el gato, his forces had swelled to over 15,000 drawn by the opportunities of wealth and land. by the time he had reached the base of the mountains where the tribes took refuge 2 years had passed, the river that once flowed through that valley had been all but covered and turned into a water supply for all the fortified houses and the small towns along the route.
Now came the hard part getting up the mountain side. for this he built a massive zig-zag up the hill the road was wide enough for many carts to pass and at each end of the rise there was a large battery in place to cover the construction crews... All the tribes could do was watch and wait as the monstrous worm or road made its way up the slope, all their best attempts of stopping the army failed and they were worried about the coming of winter which at that altitude brought snow! However now it seemed that the army of Samuel Jose would reach them before the winter of 1681...

a drawing of Samuel commanding the battery aiming down at a very fanciful drawing of the fortified city of the tribes... this is in fact highly inaccurate as there was no ground that much higher than the castle and the mountain sides were much closer than the drawing shows them to be

on the 12th of June 1681 Samuel Jose and his cuirassiers reached the level top of the mountains the air was thin but the tension in the air was suffocating. for over 3 years now he had led an army all the way up one of the most obscure places known, building one of the most over the top and complex systems of roads around, he had covered rivers and carved hills into plains paved a road longer than the distance between London and Dover. All this work, all this effort and all the expense had been done for this moment, the moment when he would conquer the fortress on top of the mountain. its defenders hid behind the walls, their muskets and bows ready to draw Oronegrean blood. 
Samuel brought his infantry up to the hill top, then the artillery and finally the thousands of reservists and militia he never really commanded. Now assembled on the plain on top of the mountain their uniforms were like a red and blue sea that turned that place into a parade of death.
At precisely 12 p.m the cannons of Samuel's army opened fire upon the wooden castle, it lasted for 3 days and 3 nights. and on the morning of the 15th of June the infantry of the Legion that started the long march to the place so many years ago stormed the broken walls killing all its defenders, the fighting for the huge castle lasted for a week but when it was done the war was over and the Oronegrean flag flew on the mountain top!
It was September when Samuel Returned to La Esperanza and then to La Ley. in the Capital he was greeted by large crowds he was hailed as a national Hero and his name would forever go down as the man who conquered a nation only to establish a permanent peace. the mountain top the Tribes once hid in was flattened and a new Stone castle built. El Castillo as it became known was the grandest and largest fortification built in Oronegro and for that matter it was also one of the largest built since the middle ages. Oronegro was now secure and it had matured as a nation. nothing could stop it now... could it?

in the final instalment we look at the early 18th century and the start of some political moves that will affect Oronegro in a major way and some wars that you may not have thought involved them.

colonisation and expansion part2

in the previous installment of Colonisation and expansion we looked at the early days of Oronegro and how "los Desperados" set up a colony of equality and peace, separate but not free from Spain and her kings and queens. in this installment the time of the securing of the colony and the foundation in the 16th and early 17th centuries comes into focus. Also a key story comes into focus at this time the tale the children of Oronegro's founder Juan Carlos.

Colonisation and expansion part2 section A

the Year 1523 will always be known as the year of passing for the colony! Though not yet known as Oronegro the colonials came together united and mourned the death of the founder of the land. For on the 3rd of March 1523 Juan Carlos de Costa y Andalucia passed away at the age of 67 he was survived by his 8 children, of whom those born in Oronegro had names from the different nationalities that made up the colony.

• His eldest son Juan Carlos Segundo born on the first day of April 1479 inherited the farm they owned near El Pueblo Antiguo south west of La Ley.  He would in 1555 declare the state of Oronegro he was 76 at the time he lived 7 more years until he died age 83 in 1562. he had 2 sons
• His eldest daughter Maria born 1483 was the last child he had before coming to Oronegro.  She went onto become something of a free spirit never marrying and becoming an author of great renown her books on Murders and romances were to become all time favourites for the people of Oronegro for hundreds of year to come. she died in 1591 at the astonishing age of 108 she had no legitimate children but rumours persist that a love affair with a noble gentlemen from France ended in the birth of a son and two daughters.

 Then came the twin brothers who were his first children born in Oronegro they born in 1496

•  Alberto named after the Italian merchant who brought his hometown to the colony. Alberto married the daughter of the merchant and inherited the business. he grew wealthy and powerful and sailed many times to Europe. visiting his sister in Germany multiple times. he played a critical role in supplying the Prince and his troops in their struggle for his rightful crown. when the prince regained his crown in 1534 the 36 year old Alberto was knighted by Lord Wolf the Rightful for his services to the crown. Alberto died in 1548 age 52 a wealthy man and his sons were to become some of Oronegro's most powerful traders
• Pierre named after the french expedition leader. he was a very sensible man, he married and had a child however this was overshadowed by his work in Forming the Oronegrean Navy. he set up many shipyards in La Ley, made the ports more efficient and with some of his brothers money he helped the Italians build La Ley's central quarter on the Island. he died after his brother in 1551 leaving his son a house boat that was almost as grand as the large townhouses in La Ley.

the remaining 4 children were

1. Then there was Elizabeth born in a warm sunny day in 1500 was named after the wife of the English merchant who brought his native town to the Colony. She lived most of her life in the family house somewhat of a recluse. Her farther worried that she may never leave the home started looking for a possible husband. she married, against her will in 1513 to the young explorer Ben of La Ley who was the son of the same English merchant whose wife she was named after. Ben took her out of her comfort zone time and time again as he went exploring the jungle near La Ley... in safe territory of coarse. they both died together of natural causes in 1561.
2. Juan's most notable child Emir Born on a stormy night in 1502 named after the Moorish captain who brought the first Arab settlers to the Colony. Emir Became the first man in Oronegro to take part in a Native canoe race which he won, receiving the respect of the Nakwaztec tribe. He also became the first man to organise the Conquistadors and old soldiers into Oronegro's first army, though not very well made he based it off the roman system, his command and division structure would remain nearly the same until the present day. he died in 1553 in a hunting accident.
3. Taxtecohi born in 1504 named after the chief of the Mehobeck tribe which the colonists first encountered. He married the chiefs daughter in 1526, she was 14 at the time. in 1534 he fought the chiefs son for the leadership, he won the duel and was popularly proclaimed chief. he ruled happily until his death in 1558.
4. Eliza born in 1510 was Juan's last child. Named after the Jewish woman who had helped Juan find and aid as many Jews forced underground in Spain. Eliza married an exiled German prince in 1523 aged only 13 her father saw her get married in the original church in La Ley a few days later he passed away. Eliza lived a great life and enjoying the wealth her husband brought from his homeland. they even went to Germany with an escort to fight for the princes crown. and in 1533 her husband regained his families lands from their foes and was proclaimed Lord Wolf the Rightful. she died in in Germany with many children in 1593 age 83 a German aristocrat. 

an Oronegrean ship enters port in Germany ready to aid the prince in his fight for his crown

Colonial tension 1555-1625

La Ley was the Capital of the new Land of Oronegro but still there were problems. La Ley was being rebuilt in in brick and tile. the Island on the southern bank of the Oronegro river was built in the Italian Renaissance style. very beautiful it was a great tourist attraction bringing many native tribesmen into the city to marvel at the incredible architecture and the twisting turning streets. However there were problems as a land where nearly all nationalities could live in peace La Ley found itself the target of Pirate raiders. These raiders knew that the port was harbouring the trade ships of their homelands enemies. Spanish privateers attacked the English ships in harbour, the English Buccaneers the Spanish all depending on the political situation. La Ley could not defend itself its navy although already organised by the Noble Pierre Carlos de Costa y Pizarro. The shipyards were mostly turning out merchant ships for Alberto y Maria Oronegro's largest trading company. all that was available were boats of the line and a couple of old Carracks.
So in 1561 the Mayor of La Ley Juan Carlos Trecero ordered that La Castillo de La Ley be built. it Incorporated 2 fortifications a Wall around the old district, the southern part of La Ley on the island, and a fort on another island at the narrowest point of the Oronegro river before the city. the fort was rebuilt many times and was the site of many important battles. it was finally made into an imposing star fort in 1613 one of the strongest fortifications at the time it would become the heart of a great battle in 1625.

the mayors palace for La Ley was in the town of Pueblo antiguo, a fine building it was beloved of the Oronegrean people

However during the 1550's and 1560's Oronegro was at peace Coco beans were grown in plantations on the jungles edge and the great planes to the west of La Ley began to be cultivated as the tribes slowly lost their power due to disease or joined the Colonials in alliance. the reason for the tribes willingness to ally themselves would not become known until the 1580's. Oronegro was little bothered by pirates during this period also a few raids brought the fleet in La Ley to its knees the Army was strong enough to stop them plundering the city and after the wall was built around the old district in 1561 the cities banks and government buildings were safe. though the port and the Muslim and Jewish quarters were still raided the British in their quarter nearby would respond with their guards quickly enough to prevent any serious damage.
meanwhile in La Esperanza peace was constant the valley in which the city was based was fertile and crops were grown, an irrigation network aided the growth of many other crops and cattle and sheep could be reared in peace and security. the tribes around La Esperanza were not as eager to ally as those around La Ley but after the wave of disease had swept though them and gone they began to seek help from the white men. Friendships were built and the catholic priests began to convert the local population, another difference in the practices around La Ley, With La Esperanza far up river and it's navy already set up it was too far and too strong for most pirates and those who were powerful enough were not able to bring their large ships up the river... only Boats of the line could fit up the river.
During this time a few explorers ventured up the Oronegro river, not too far the city of Santiago de Oronegro became the furthest port of call for the time being the large island of El Pollo was also settled by farmers who used rafts to get from the defensible island too the farming fields. which although not attacked so far, were left unsettled, this was because the local tribes who gave land warned that there was a power in the hills and jungle behind the plane. still the land was at peace and farmers, traders, explorers and woodsmen all went up the river in search of new land and new opportunities.
During this period Oronegro's population boomed from 9,500 people to 33,500 people mostly from overseas but also because of the good sewer and water systems in La Ley and La Esperanza which prevented outbreaks of serious illness. Also with all the new settlers came more soldiers and sailors who were able to defend the outlying territories and increase the trade between Oronegro and the rest of the world. Oronegro was becoming known for peace, health, happiness and opportunities.

the 1570's were the beginning of the wars that would secure European control over the lower Oronegro river valley. the Warnings of tribes came true as out of the forests marched the armies of the Kaxad an empire that would threaten Oronegro more than any pirate fleet or terrible storm could. the Kaxad empire was a powerful nation based in a large valley that would one day be the place where El Granproyecto would be established. the Kaxad had suffered from the wave of disease that came with the arrival of Europeans but they had benefited also! Kaxad city had been terribly overcrowded the people were seriously unhappy the plagues that had come had killed off the people in the cities slums making it a more secure place. Now with the empire in possession of a few gunpowder weapons since sending a few spies and traders to acquire knowledge about the settlers and gain some of their technology. The empire secure and armed was now ready to make its presence felt they marched down the selva river valley and came out into the plane to the horror of the settlers and native tribesmen alike. the town of San Antonio was leveled the island of El Pollo was isolated the City of Santiago de Oronegro was besieged. the Oronegro river was the only was that La Ley could supply the towns. La Ley was attacked the Port and the surrounding districts were taken and the old district and its walls were the only safe haven. La Esperanza was also attacked, Kaxad troops marched over the mountains that separated the valleys. La Esperanza had a palisade around the whole city and with the loyal tribes all rushing in to defend the city it held out far better than La Ley.
The sieges were not well implemented and the Kaxad troops often went away for festivals in their capital, what troops remained were well trained but too few to keep the Oronegreans inside the cities. La Ley was was fully recovered in 1575 after a year of partial occupation while La Esperanza was too strong for the besieging forces to attack and in 1576 they retreated back over the mountains. Santiago de Oronegro was still surrounded and the Oronegrean boats of the line were the only things stopping Kaxad troops from taking the city from the river. El Pollo was unassailable with the bridges destroyed and the Kaxad boats were no match for the Oronegrean warboats that came up from La Ley. The sieges lasted until 1583 when the troops were all withdrawn for no apparent reason.

the view across from el Pollo looking at the palm covered river bank.

The Colonists rebuilt their towns and improved their fortifications more effort was put into exploring south of the Oronegro river and a series of watchtowers and outposts was set up along the jungle edge. however in 1590 the Kaxad troops returned but now the Oronegreans were ready their armies formed up upon the planes and at the battle of Selva y Campo the Oronegrean army under the command of Centurions Ray and Fran set up with 600 men in front of the small town of San Paulo. facing them were 30,000 Kaxad soldiers armed with bows axes and primitive, crude swords made by Kaxad blacksmiths who had just discovered the art of forging metal from the towns taken during the last assault. the Battle lasted the whole day 5 times the Kaxad troops assaulted the Oronegreans 5 times they were sent back under a hail of lead. finally the Kaxad army retreated. 231 Oronegreans had died but  over 21,000 Kaxad men never returned to their wives. For this San Paulo was renamed San Ray and Fran who later fought in the south of Oronegro outside the town of San Diego had the town renamed in his honor. So were San Ray and San Fran created, they would become very important later on but for now they were just relieved to have survived the invasion.
The Kaxad were battered but not broken and their armies marched over the great farming plains for years to come it was not until after the war had seen many incredible victories and crushing defeats on both sides that in 1603 the imperial troops withdrew. Losses on both sides could only be guessed at Oronegro loosed between 3000-5000 people while the empire lost around 86,000-87,000 warriors. The Empire was crushed it would never again hold the power it did then. their capital city fell into decline and instead the Kaxad people left the large city and built a few towns in the jungle... the empire was weakened but the towns were still loyal to the emperor even though they lived far away from him.

the fate of the Kaxad empire was to become a series of Jungle villages loosely controlled from the inpierial capital

the great Pirate raid of 1625.

after the Kaxad empire had withdrawn the land of Oronegro was slow to recover, they feared another attack was imminent. However in 1625 La Ley was once again threatened the Pirate Captain Samuel the Black heated came down from the Caribbean with 32 ships and 2800 pirates. He had heard that the land was weak and the Banks of Oronegro were without guards. they sailed past la tierra del diablo and up the Oronegro river. they reached the starfort and 1200 pirates disembarked to assault the fort while the rest of the fleet carried on up river. The Pirates headed for the seemingly unguarded walls only to find that when they were 100 meters away that hundreds of helmets and muskets appeared over the parapet. cannons from the ships fired at the fort and the forts own guns responded in kind. the rest of the pirate fleet carried on towards the port bombarding the old district along the way. Then the La Ley fleet mostly made up of 3rd rate and 2nd rate boats of the line went against the pirates sloops and brigs the battle was fierce many ships were lost and the river was not wide enough for either side to utilise their numbers or their maneuverability. the Starfort was being heavily bombarded but the defenders did not waver, instead they fired back twice as fast. the battle lasted 5 days until the pirate fleet was surrounded when a fleet came down from La Esperanza to relieve the shattered city. the Pirates surrendered and their ships taken. the pirates were not executed but put straight to work only one was killed Samuel was ceremonially shot by the mayor of La Ley and then clubbed by the native tribesmen if the bullet did not kill him. Samuel has gone down in history of one of the most daring and brave pirates of his day, the only problem is that his name was hidden with Oronegro.

Oronegrean ship and marines looking across at the fort after the battle in 1625

And so this second installment comes to the end. In the next installment the 17th century is covered along with the discovery of Gold in Oronegro. the Story of Oronegro was now in motion.

colonisation and expansion part1

in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue... unaware that his ideas about the size of the world were completely wrong, leading to native Americans being known as Indians. However he was not the only one to set sail that year. Juan Carlos de Costa y Andalucia, he was from a group known as "Los desperados" (the desperate ones) they were made up of atheists, Jews and Muslims and other "heretics" who since the end of the riconquista had been hunted and prosecuted by the inquisition. Hoping that perhaps they could reach the east indies they set out after Columbus half expecting that they would have to donate him food once his supplies ran out, knowing that he had underestimated the size of the world. instead one night they travelled under an aurora in a tropical region, when dawn came the next day they passed by a large volcanic island but did not land assuming that it would be devoid of life so far out in the ocean, then they saw land and lots of it. they headed for wide river mouth that came into view before them, it was almost wide enough for the 13 ships to sale abreast however the 13th the one in which the old pagans and witches sailed in grounded itself on the spit, this land would become known as "la Tierra Del Diablo", because of the practices that went on there, and its wind swept nature.

the fleet sets out across the sea

of the remaining ships there were several groups

• 3 carries Muslims from the south of Spain and Morocco, El Árabe, El moro and El Profeta
  Mahoma
• 2 carried Jews escaping from persecution these were Israel and Solomon
• 2 carried catholics who were unhappy with the churches policies in Spain, the ships were the El Jesús and the El San Martín
• 3 for the atheists life away from Spain was becoming more and more inviting! their ships were La Ley which was the largest ship on which Juan sailed, El Pobre and El Futuro
• 2 smaller ships carried christian soldiers and the sons of soldiers who had fought alongside the moors in Spain and now were being hunted down. these were El Mensaje and El Caballero

the ship that got grounded was La Fuerza.

then when they came to a great bend in the river behind the long spit they decided to set up a settlement. The ships then landed in several places on the western bank of the river the Catholic ships and one of the smaller ships landed on a large island. while the Jews atheists and Muslims all sailed behind another island to set up a camp on the mainland. From this day forth the city of La Ley was established. the catholics took apart their ships and built houses and a church on the island. this was the beginning of La Ley's old district. while in the mouth of a small tributary river the Muslims and Jews took apart their ships setting up a town that would become the major port of La Ley for many hundreds of years to come.

in between them was a large island they named La Isla Rica which would become a neutral meeting place where people of all religions, cultures and backgrounds could meet under the palm trees, it would remain that way until the 17th century when it was built upon by the wealthy, it would remain a place of wealth until the present day.
On the spit La Fuerza was torn to bits by the crew and its passengers, who had to use it all for setting up some houses as there was very few trees there. Fortunately riders from El Caballero which had landed on the island with the catholics had crossed the river and brought the people much building materials from the catholic ships which were surplus from the constructing of the Church. This moment forever made Oronegro a symbol of equality and tolerance, catholic and witch could talk together while Arab and Jew could live in peace.

A few ships were not dismantled, La Ley was the only real warship a grand Carrack and so it remained in case they were assaulted by the locals who had not been sighted and would not be for a few weeks to come, El Mensaje also was left, it was a fast ship and was crewed and with the plentiful supplies which were not even a quarter used up could be spared for a return journey of the craft! El Mensaje set out the next day passing under the aurora once again that night. when they reached Spain they found Columbus had returned and was being celebrated. This worked to their advantage, they went around in secret and gathered more people, mostly catholics who missed the priests who had gone. Also they ran into a British and Italian merchant who were willing to supply many ships in return for their own place in La Ley.

So the second fleet set out.

a drawing of one of the dhows that was part of the second fleet

the Italian merchant brought the whole of his native village... 137 people who went off in 3 ships. the British merchant went one better and brought his whole town with him, 517 people in 7 ships and not to mention a further 18 ships which came together from France, Spain, Morocco and Italy.  which brought the total amount of people setting out on the second voyage to 2147 people. lead by El Mensaje they set out on the 15th of November 1495 under the cover of darkness. it was called the expedition of Carracks and dhows due to the number of people coming from Morocco.  11 weeks later they arrived in the Colony. The Italians and some of the Spanish joined the others on the island while the people from Morocco went to the port. 3 of the ships that came carried soldiers who were set to work guarding the settlement. However many of the French and Spanish did not like the site and sailed off north to another river mouth. and after sailing inland for a day and a half they settled in a large plain between the hills. this was named after the only armed ship which was able to go up the river La Esperanza. so Oronegro's larger city was founded, and immediately they came in contact with some friendly locals who gifted them with the thing that could cause Oronegro to expand in years to come coco beans

In La Ley the natives had been trading with the settlers for the last few years at first they had been frightened by the strange men, and even more by the fact they spoke different languages to each other, they feared that these were several different tribes which might suddenly fight each other and destroy the forests and plains around them. But after the first month they came mimicking the language they had heard, to the great amusement of the settlers, it was not long before they were able to understand each other and when disease broke in the tribes the settlers helped as best they could to save them, with mixed results but still far better than what happened else where.
In fact the settlers managed to save hundreds, as many of the Muslims had a good understanding of medicine from studying in the great libraries in the Muslim world. this formed a bond between these first tribes and the settlers that would last until La Ley grew so large that the tribes were assimilated into the city.

In 1517 a third fleet from Spain of 15 ships brought the law of the King to the Colony, though shortly after another fleet of ships came from England to bring the law of the English monarch. So began Oronegro's story of Spanish and British co-history. the British decided then that Oronegro was not theirs though they had many settlers there, but Spain was unhappy when they colony said that the king could not control them through force and that he could only rule through advice... the Kings men agreed leaving behind 10 ships full of Conquistadors who were then joined by the British ships and the soldiers on them.
Oronegro would keep this type of hands off government by Spain until the mid 19th century which was the cause of Oronegro's war for Independence in the 1860's. So began the story of Oronegro and on the 15th of November 1555 the Nation was named as such as the Coco plantations of the Natives and settlers produced so much Coco that it replaced gold as currency in La Ley.

in the next installment of Colonisation and expansion we discuss the story of Oronegro in the 16th and early 17th centuries as it starts to establish itself as a strong, democratic power.

UN Germans

The German government sent some peacekeepers to Oronegro during the deceptive calm of 2022 when the Consolidation of Soviet power was complete and before the red army spread across Europe. The German government knew that there was many Soviet insurgents in eastern Germany who were ready and able to recreate the old east west divisions of the cold war. though it would seem strange the German government decided it best to remove some of their forces from these areas of soviet influence, they knew that their troops would be caught in the crossfire if they remained. So some soldiers were told that they were going on an important mission to Africa, of coarse they were off to Oronegro.

the normal role for security forces in Oronegro during the civil war

at first they were used in very unimportant roles, 2022 saw little problems in the major cities of Oronegro but when in October the Soviet Union decided that is should remake the iron curtain the Germans in Oronegro found themselves stranded. Germany which faced war in her eastern regions was unable to recall the soldiers in a safe and orderly manner especially with Soviet forces present in high numbers in both Oronegro and Germany.
From then on the UN contingent in Oronegro became more involved in the conflict, they had to, Oronegro could prove important in the balance of power back home. So the Germans stepped up their searches of rebellious neighbourhoods in La Ley where they were based.
In 2025 when La Ley saw heavy fighting the German force earned a reputation for never avoiding battle. they did suffer loses but though Oronegro was not recognised German media was told that certain members of the German Army had died, of coarse their names were not broadcast except in their home town, the War with the Soviet Union took centre stage. But as was to be expected any deaths in Oronegro were deaths in daring missions in Siberia!

The German flag a symbol of Oronegro's importance to the world and the worlds importance to Oronegro

in 2029 when the Soviet Union finally stopped the conflict in Europe, with most of the Warsaw pact under its control, Oronegro sent the Germans home, Oronegro was almost under total control with just a few places needing military action. when the war ended in 2031 with the defeat of the last rebel fort the Oronegrean government invited back all the German UN peacekeepers for a grand parade celebrating their brave actions during the war.

and so the story of German involvement in the nation changed tone. and when Oronegro was revealed to the world in 2035 Germany was the third nation to declare themselves allies to the state.

NEWS FLASH. National forces clear rebel camp ahead of campaign

 Tuesday 23rd April 2022
Jose: People here in the capital are ecstatic over recent news that the national forces under the command of Centurion Pedro Nacho Fernandez Costa! we sent Laura to interview him and find out about the battle.

Laura: so Pedro what happened back there? I have heard the fight was quite fierce.
Pedro: Yes it was I feared for my own life at one stage but we managed to recover from some very heavy casualties. The rebels put up a brave fight to be sure, I have never seen so many men lose their lives for the rebel cause. I myself have lost many good friends, I saw them die before my very eyes, war is a terrible thing, but a cruel necessity if we are to live in freedom

Laura: and the rebels? not all of them were killed according to the reports you filed.
Pedro: Yes we took some prisons, these men are brave soldiers, I am not surprised that they were able to build this camp in what is essentially behind our lines. Their commander, centurion Manuel was a brave man I remember training with him back in 2016.  It is a shame that so many good men have betrayed their own country.

Laura: Are you angry at all? surely these men are the reason so many Friends are dead?
Pedro: Can I be angry? These men may be traitors and murderers but I recognise many people from training like Manuel. How can I angry with my former friends at a time that I have lost so many of my own friends? mercy is what they deserve, they fought with all the courage that is to be expected of a soldier of Oronegro, its just sad that they found themselves on the wrong side.

Laura: I have heard that your troops were not alone? can you tell us who assisted you?
Pedro: it was that fellow from the capital, James I think it is...
Laura: ep3?
Pedro: Yes that's the one. He must have been staying in the house. We did get a chance to talk to him after the battle but he left quickly and I did not get to know him well. he only said "I have work to do, your fight is just one of many I will be in during the war".

Laura: Assuming that the campaign in the north does not end the war.
Pedro: I think that is a dream, I cannot see this war being over so soon, not now that the rebel general has returned. I think that we are in for some hard fighting in the years to come.

Laura: well let us hope not. Thanks for your time centurion
Pedro: Your welcome
Laura: this is Laura Martinez reporting for Oronegro news, back to you Jose.

Jose: Thank you Laura, in other news more fighting in Europe as the Soviet Union continues its fight against Marines on its boarders. German forces on UN missions here are going to remain as a permanent force as Germany can no longer safely bring them back...

Well there you go a news flash from Oronegro.

The battalion- the independant century

in the previous post I touched upon the battalion, this force is essentially a century that is independent of a legion and under the command of a senior centurion or primus pilus. however as an independent force a battalion needs more support! however the exact needs of one battalion may be greater than another and so early on in Orangery's history the different needs of a battalion cause the creation of two classes/ sizes of battalion. Class A battalions containing 300 men and class B battalions containing 200.

the class A battalion
the class A battalion is the bigger of the two, over the years it has become more standardised in its support and even more importantly its role has changed. The Class A battalion has the normal 100 soldiers of a century, under the command of a standard centurion, but also 50 soldiers of a combat support team, under the command of another centurion 20 troops from an air arm and 10 of an artillery group! there is also a 20 soldier Strong transport and communications team which helps to keep the battalion fed and armed. there is of coarse the 100 Strong command/ support force however the distribution of them is different from normal! there are 30 command troops 8 NCO's with  8 guards 2 centurions with a guard and a Optio each the primus pilus and his body guard and a praefectus castrorum who organised the camp, training, equipment and supplies below him were 5 officers called praefectus (prefects) who just made sure that the supply team was doing its job.
the70 others were made up of 10 MP's, 10 medics, 5 bomb disposal 20 engineers, 5 civilian relations/ interpreters and 10 mechanics.
the air arm: the air arm is 20 men strong and contains 10 helicopter pilots, 6 gunners for the aircraft and another 4 ground crew who act as air traffic control - repairs are carried out by the mechanics and transport team. the group normally had 3 transport helicopters for deploying troops, crewed with 2 pilots and 2 gunners each the helicopters varied and most famously the rebels used the Hind O (o for Oronegro) there was also 2 attack helicopters operated by 2 pilots, this was either the lynx, Apache or another hind.
combat support team: the combat support team is essentially made up of armour, sniper and mortar groups. the Armour is the biggest consisting of 30 troops, it is made up of around 10 APC's normally the Bradley or the Warrior, the BTR-80 also is common, these take up 20 of the troops, 2-3 tanks are also common, 3 tanks when an auto loader is installed and only 2 if there is none, the additional troop is often put in one of the APC's. Mortar team consists of 10 men, these operate between 2 and 5 mortars depending on the size, often a mobile mortar is used in which case they only have 2 mortars with 2 driving the vehicle and the other 3 operating the mortar. and there is the 10 man sniper group.
Artillery group: the 10 men and women of the artillery group are some of the luckiest of the Oronegrean army. self propelled guns will require 5 of them to operate while in the odd cases that a non-self propelled gun is used they can get 2 troops to a gun depending on the size.
Transport and communications: The army needs transport, food and full HD, 300 channel plus, satellite television! apparently. 5 chefs, 10 truck divers, 3 electronic communications (also electronic warfare) specialists and 2 fixers/ stock takers. these men and women are the ones that keep the water running and the Bacon and eggs on the menu. the truck drivers drive their armoured and armed big rigs! (0.50 cal on the cab roof). they either carry supplies or if the battalion is on the move the soldiers hop on in and fight over who gets to ride shotgun or in this case machine gun!The chef have their own trucks which they drive poorly in some cases, the fixers can quite often have their own 4x4's and of coarse the electronic guys have their high tech trucks, which are often used as HQ's during battle. this group is also known as the trucker team for obvious reasons.
engineer groups: The engineers are known as the road workers of the battlefield, the 20 people who are involved in this group are used to doing the fun things, blowing up stuff, building stuff and then watching is get destroyed, mostly that is sand castles. they are armed like the normal infantry but do not be mistaken they do know all the finner points of what they are doing.
Mechanics: The mechanics are what keeps the modern mechanised war machine going, they have 5 trucks full of tools and nuts and bolts! the annual tank take apart and put back together competition brings the best of these teams to the capital for what can only be described as a practical sport!
Bomb squad: The advent of the IED has meant that the old mine clearer's have had to learn new skills but their role is still the same, find the bombs/mines before the troops find them.
Civilian relations team: Key to modern conflict is the idea of hearts and minds, and it is the job of the civilian relations team to make sure that the hearts and minds of the people are firmly with the National cause.
MP's: The military police team is very important to the Oronegrean war machine, they keep order in camp and if the battle means that a near by town is a possible place of regrouping in the event of defeat on the battlefield the MP's make sure that the town does not hold some nasty surprises for the army. They also arrest any disorderly troops, they will often arrest anyone who commits a crime, they earned a reputation during the civil-war for being more dangerous than the rebels in some places because they would arrest so many disorderly troops.
Medics: The role of the medics in any army is important and Oronegro is no different. the Medic is the injured troops best friend and as such they are some of the most popular members of the battalion.

the class B battalion
The class B battalion is very similar to the class A battalion, however it contains 200 troops! the normal century plus 50 others these are put under the command of another centurion. the command structure is similar to the Class A battalion. there being 1 primus pilus and 2 centurions with their Optios, body guards and 6 NCO's with guards and their guards and a praefectus looking after the supplies, so a total of 20 command troops. there is also 5 two man sniper teams (10), 5 MP's, 5 medics, 5 bomb squad members and 5 Civilian relations personnel. the Other 50 are made up of 30 Armour personnel, 10 communication and 10 transport. the Armour contains 1 tank which will take up the man power of 3 to 5 troops and the rest is a mix of APC's/ IFV's (20-25 personnel) and perhaps a self propelled gun (5 personnel)! The role of these groups is usually the same as the Class A battalion.

The cohort
A cohort is Oronegro's most usable force, under the command of a tribunus. The Cohort is in fact just a Class A battalion and a Class B battalion combined with one of the  primus pilii being replaced by the Tribunus the Cohort is also seen in the larger cities and most Military bases that are not very large contain a cohort, there are 10 Cohorts in Oronegro, but the number of Battalions in Oronegro includes those that are part of the Cohorts. there is only 3 Native Cohorts in Oronegro. the rest are made up of the settler population.

Native Battalions
There are approximately 30 Native Battalions in Oronegro the main ones are the 12th, 14th and 21st and 43rd Battalions, these 4 often join together to form 2 of the 3 Native cohorts. the 14th and 21st Battalion are class A and the other two are class B. Native troops are well known for their jungle warfare and they often use outdated equipment. Oronegrean tigers, and panzer's from the time when Oronegro was like the 3rd Reich in South America and M48's and M60's from a newer time mixed up with T-34/85's T-55's T-72's, Chieftains and crusader tanks and many more. However Native battalions will quite often swap out their Armour for more soft skin transports or just for Motorbikes, which allow 2 people to ride (driver and gunner sitting on the back). the Native battalions are quite flexible in their equipment and quite often have no real uniform size as they gather tribes to their cause. spears and machetes are quite often included in the arms list of these forces!

Oronegro was well prepared for a war, the civil war proved their biggest challenge!

The Oronegrean century- basic battlefield unit

as with ancient Rome so too does Oronegro have the century but in Oronegro the troops under the direct control of the centurion number 100 not 80. the structure is as follows starting with the smallest division and going up to the century itself

 the smallest group is the team of 5 men these can act independently from the century as a whole or together with others in a 20 man squad. Next is the Unit of 50 troops; 2 squads joined together with 10 specialist troops, 6 LMG's, 1 dragon armed soldier and either 3 Stinger or 3 Javelin armed soldiers (one unit has the 3 stingers and the other has the 3 javelins). 2 units form the century.
in charge of the century is the centurion who has under neath him 1 Optio his second in command and 4 NCO's each in charge of one squad.  The NCO's and the centurion each have a body guard armed with an LMG the Optio also acts as a body guard and is also armed with an LMG. in support of the century but not under the direct control of the centurion are 5x 2 man sniper teams, 5 MP's who patrol the area around the rear for any civilian (terrorist) counter attack, 5 medics, 10 engineers, 5 bomb squad soldiers and 4 civilian relations people who act as interpreters when needed.

so the century itself is in total 150 men Strong 100 of those being the troops and the rest fulfilling the command and support roles! this also does not include any transport groups who are put under the control of the leader of a legion (1000 men) of 10 centuries as shown here. in a legion there will also be at lease 500 supporters, these being those of the centuries. 200 will be devoted to the armour, tanks, APC's, etc. 100 will be devoted to transport 50 to the artillery, 50 as a separated engineering element to those in the centuries and 100 will be for the running of the camp/base where the legion will be based.

one additional note: in some occasions a century may be named a battalion, this is because it is an independent force and not a division of a legion. there are a total of 50 battalions in Oronegro of which 30 are native battalions, native troops being raised over larger areas cannot be easily formed into a legion

Chocolate and crude the two black golds

Oronegro literally means black gold but even though today it refers to the oil that the nation has an unusual abundance of the name comes from a time when oil was not the commodity that wars are fought over... no it all started with chocolate.

Oronegro is named after the delicacy that gripped Europe's nobles in the 18th century. The reason why it became so famous was that Oronegro produced large quantities of Coco, the black gold was transported all over Europe and some places in the imperial colonies of Spain. Many rich nobles from Spain would travel to Oronegro to sample their own "crop" each Nobel family would have a favourite farm or even field from which their own personal supply of coco came from. Oronegro became so wealthy that it was the rich coco crop growers that funded the revolution and established the political links that got the British so deeply involved with the nation in the early 1860's. So deals were struck over large mugs of dark hot chocolate and Oronegro was made independent. in fact it was called Oronegro from the start, it was meant to be a joke, a small pun made between the British and Oronegrean dignitaries. However, the attendants who stood by thought it was a great idea, in fact they went out after this initial meeting and told as many people as they possibly could. News spreads quickly when it is important and soon crowds formed calling them selves la gente del Oronegro. Yet why did they love the name?

Chocolate was an important commodity for Oronegro and the people of the nation had always known that the growing of Coco was important. So when they heard a possible name for the new nation was going to be linked to their nations strongest asset they loved it! so Oronegro was unofficially born... in fact it almost never happened, the negotiations were about to conclude that "tierra bonita" beautiful land had been liberated and had become official nation. But it was never going to become the nations name, Oronegro was now so accepted by the nations people that any other name could have been treated as an insult!

so it was that; "on 30th May 1867 that the Nation of Oronegro, as agreed by the nations of Britain and Spain, has been officially been given the right of self governance. in so doing is now given the recognition by these and all nations as an independent state..."

so that was how Chocolate or coco the first black gold of the nation gave it its name that it would bear for all time, though it was oil in the 20th and 21st centuries that would become the main representation of the "black gold of Oronegro". That is the story of Oronegro got its name.

James.ep3 the lone warrior revealed

well this will be a story made up on the spot...

meet James.ep3 hero of the land of Oronegero

James.ep3 is a member of an international group the ep3's what it stands for nobody knows!
(my mate came up with it... he was making his rune scape account years ago and saw the star wars monopoly in my room where the computer was and tuned C3PO into ep3, the name stuck and now we both use it... Kane.ep3 and James.ep3... James is my middle name of coarse)
In Oronegro James.ep3 earned a reputation for being brave in battle, intelligent, the lone warrior and above all a terrible team member... he nearly always communicated in a way that was either commanding or not empathetic (too autobiographical) But despite this draw back he stayed on until the end of that war aiding the national forces when it seemed morally right. However during the great fight for the old district he aided local rebels in the street fighting, it became apparent that the national commander was a man who felt no shame in damaging those rustic and beautiful streets. This action did attract criticism however later when the same commander ordered artillery to shell the gallery of fine art and Oronegrean literature James.ep3's actions were justified.... the gallery was not shelled in the end as the commander of artillery did not open fire instead he called the headquarters for the area and told them about the situation.

a gas mask was worn all the time, it saved his life many times

James.ep3 was mostly seen in La Ley where the fighting was the most suitable for a lone man on a mission to fight without needing a team to back him up and warn him of enemy maneuvers. James.ep3 fought outside La Ley on a few occasions, notably for the fight for San Antonio in the great farming plains! though he lived through that war he went missing after the fighting ended, some say he left Oronegro and joined the other ep3's preparing for other conflicts where a Hero would be needed and a nation saving from itself!


below is a small pic of James.ep3 from the game Red Crucible 2 from which this figure/ character is based

as you can see I did try my best when it came to sculpting the figure by hand... stated in a post about the figure on my model blog... I hope to create numerous adventures in Oronegro for this character and perhaps soon my friend Kane can have his own little version, he too is on the online game...

have a nice night/day

Rebels in La Ley

Now Oronegro was originally used to having to fight forces outside the main centres like La Ley. so when the civil war brought fighting to the streets the Soldiers who formed the rebel army were mainly from the outlying provinces and or the smaller towns. for this reason though they had the same standard camouflage pattern as the normal troops they were not equipped in exactly the same way and in some cases in totally different weapons and or body armour! though of coarse there were many armed in the same way causing much confusion for both sides it was generally accepted that the standard rebel soldier wore the - s5 peaked cap, the Mk 37 body armour and was equipped with either standard Oronegrean weapons like the M16O or weapons built in the factories in El Soldado, and as such were soviet in design like the AK-740.
One group of rebel soldiers gained great renown among the ground forces in the fight for La Ley, they were lead by a commander nick named el cuello roto literally the broken neck! as with many rebel and/or rebel sympathisers in the war his real name is a mystery. the forces under his command were called by all Los soldados del cuello- the soldiers of the neck. they came to La Ley in a squad of 20 however the first few days saw them loose most of the young men in the squad leaving a small group that would prove themselves time and time again until they were finally cornered and shot down by the Los Angeles Negros them selves! and the black angels say that thought they fought many things during the battles in of La Ley these soldiers proved their most worthy opponents though not the strongest and best trained, they were braver than a legion of the finniest men history has ever created!

\these few men would be the most famous rebel unit during the war

their famous leader sporting his neck brace with pride

in action they were fearless, cunning and though not completely accurate very, very deadly!

 so that was the Los soldados del cuello! though there were plenty of rebels in La Ley these were some of the best and would forever remain a symbol of the war that almost overthrew the country!
hello to my latest follower Remco from Remco's Miniatures great to have you here Remco!

Karri .C. Tuf the real story

have you seen this woman(?) if so do not go near her again

perhaps the most dangerous woman (?) that the world will ever see this large, and loud woman is the leader of an important and dangerous black market arms trade. She is known to all by the English name of Karri .C. Tuf but her real name and birth place is unknown!

there is wide speculation that she is in fact underweight and wears a complex bomb belt

so what is know is speculation... she was born during 1981 in Europe. She first registered as Karri .C. Tuf when in 2010 she was picked up in a small boat around the UK, the coast guard was suspicious of her, as she did not appear to come from around the area she was seen. She then lived east of London causing chaos and getting involved with criminal gangs. then she disappeared, it later occurred that she had, while working at the docks seen a ship that was unusually well protected by a ring of guards. Then ship "El Chico" was from Oronegro and carrying a dangerous cargo of weapons and explosive pens (Mi5). Though it would seem obvious, Karri got on the ship and sailed for her new life in La Ley! she almost straight away was building up a gang and by 2015 Los Diablos were the most notorious group in the land. during the war in Oronegro between 2023-2033 she backed the Rebels, and although they were defeated in La Ley where she lived during the clear out mission of 2025-6 she was not caught. what happened to her from then on in unknown. Some have even claimed that she never existed and was perhaps just an imagined character used by Los Diablos and later the rebels to fool the government! but there is evidence enough to show she existed even if a body or living person is not available for proof!

oh and followers!
Paul paulsbods
Davidmarshal at1/72.
Ion archdukepiccolo this is bold because of latin wars project he does and its links to oronegro 
Christopher commissarmoody
and Austin B   from ?
there you go and welcome guys!

the land of the jaguar!

well lets get it all started... again. I am not quite sure what to do because I have already posted so much on Oronegro on the other blogs... so I think that any new work will go here and I'll try and sort everything else out later. so  let us begin.

Oronegro was the small and insignificant nation that would become the cornerstone of foreign policy in the lead up and early years of WW3. perhaps it was most surprising that this nation even managed to become so important. However because of its arms industry, oil exports and strategic position in terms of distance from the USA and other major bastions of Capitalism that the USA feared greatly the chance of it going over to the USSR. the USSR in turn greatly sought for its inclusion in their alliance and because of their deals with the nation during the first cold war 1945-1991 that now its people were in revolt the big Russian bear would be welcomed by the jaguar into its land. Other nations too were keen to see it either prosper or die. Great Britain invested heavily in its weapons, the two nations had gained a strong bond after Great Britain aided it in its war for Independence from Spain. However Spain also is interested, the people have little care for Spain and if they do turn communist because of their revolt and ties to Moscow Spain fears for her influence in her current politics, such as the day of reconciliation where the Oronegrean people the Spanish monarchy and the "motherland" for founding their country. Germany and France also had arms deals with the nation and so even though their countries are threatened by the reemergence of the USSR they both send troops as UN peacekeepers to this place while at home they martial for war and in Germany's case actually fight!

but what will happen in this land, where law and people collide in a bloody episode that will shake the nation to its core!