Bellrose
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| Flag of Bellrose | |
| Motto: First things First, but not necessarily in that order | |
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| Region | The Vert Archipelago |
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| Capital | Bellrose |
| Official Language(s) | English or German |
| Leader | Hansi Von Herzsprung-Russel |
| Population | Over 8,000,000 |
| Currency | Pound Sterling |
| NS Sunset XML | |
This nation is geographically similar in size and climate to Finland. The small fishing villages, and the capitol city Bellrose are all on the same coast. There are large reserves of undeveloped forestland in the northern reaches of Bellrose. A Comedian once described Bellrose as "The Grand Duchy of Fenwick, as written by Gilbert and Sullivan, and Performed by Garrison Keillor".
Contents
Politics
Bellrose is officially a Constitutional Monarchy. The executive branch is lead by the Chancellor. The Chancellor is selected by the Grand Duke. There is a bicameral parliment. The lower house is elected by the people. The upper house is selected by the Grand Duke, or chosen by the lower house and confirmed by the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke traditionally selects the Chancellor and his cabinet based on the party in control of Parliment. Currently this is the Crown Loyalist Party. The primary opposition parties are the Liberal Whigs and the Conservative Tory Party. There is a small communist party, but it is unclear whether they are a real political party, or merely a performance art troupe. Their latest demonstration was titled "Nations Engaged in Diplomacy", and won them many arts awards (and fines for indecent exposure).
Industries
Currently the leading industries of Bellrose are represented by their own trade organizations. The Union of Beef Exporters, the Door to Door Sales Assosiation, and the Belrose Country Creamery Assosiation and Grange. Their offices are in the capitol city in Alt-Schloss Braunschwag.
The Capitol
The Capitol city contains the main government offices. They are concentrated around the city's main square, Horst Mager Platz. Embassys are nearby, among them Powell House for Gorawarthieniup, and Steele House for Gwazzaria. Nearby is the new castle, Braunshwager Berg. The city's old castle Alt-Scloss Braunschwag is the keystone of the Altstadt. This is the primary tourist section.
The Military
The Bellrose military is based on a modification of both the Swiss and Sweedish models. Adults are conscripted for one to two years service. After that they are considered part of the "Volksgrenadiers" and required to maintain a rifle, ammunition, and personal supplies in their homes. Periodic excercises and callups maintain a minimal readiness for these citizen-soldiers.
=== Bellrose Army === The Army includes all the Volksgrenadiers. The active duty component of the army is the division sized Bellrose Expeditionary Force. There are six battalions within the BEF. First Jaegers is light infantry. Second Volksgrenadiers is made up of conscripts, and is light infantry. Third Light Horse (aka the Sea Horse) is light infantry, and provides one company to the Coast Guard and Navy for naval infantry and boarding parties for law enforcement. Fourth Hussars is mechanized infantry. One company of the Hussars is The Grand Duke's Own Life Guard Hussars (the parade troops at the capitol). Fifth Curiassiers is mechanized infantry. The Sixth Grenadiers are conscript troops, and are mounted in trucks. Seventh Panzer is an armour battalion. Eighth Uhlans is a LAV battalion. Ninth Lancers is also a LAV battalion.
=== The Air Corps === The Air Corps is small as well. Six Shin Meiwa flying boats from Mitsubishi are used for Maritime Patrol and SAR duties. The Air Corps also operates the Borate Bombers used for Wildland firefighting during the summer. As for Interceptors, there are three Geschwaders (Squadrons). Geschwader 1 is equipped with outdated SAAB 29 'Barrel' fighters. Geschwader 2 is equipped with Saab 35 'Dragon'. Geschwader 3 is equiped with Saab 37 'Thunderbolt' fighters. The attack role is fulfilled by two squadrons of ex-argintinian Pucara turboprop strike aircraft. These aircraft are showing their age, and the current plan is to recombine them into JaboGeschwader 4. Future plans for the Air Corps revolve around replacing the obsolete fighters with new Saab 39 Griffin. These plans have yet to make it out of parliment, however.
=== The Coast Guard === The Coast Guard operates three large cutters. These ships are used to protect the 200nm EEZ. There are also six smaller cutters. The newest of these is the CGC Alva.
=== The Navy === The Bellrose navy consists of three Cachalot class submarines, and is building 9 frigates. The Cachalot class SSN are Coleocanth class SSGN from Gorowarenthieup. The Frigates are built to the MEKO 200 design.
Interesting Persons
The Grand Duke, His Nibs Grand Duke Hansi Von Herzsprung-Russel
his son, the Duke Pavel von Hertzprung-Russel
Viscount Ralph Von Hopper Undersecretary of the Ottoman and the Settee
The Honorable Joseph Balch, Parlimentary Delegate for South Bellrose and Majority Leader in the Parliment.
Commander Paul Harriman, Bellrose Coast Guard
The Honorable Gustav von Steele, Bellrose War Department office of procurement
Viscount Johann von Altberg Charge d' Affairs to Gwazzaria
Major Cesar Calderon, Military Attache to Gwazzaria
Extremo the Clown, Leader of the Bellrose Communist Party
Hans Bohr, President of Bellrose University
Interesting Corporations or Groups
Bellrose Military Industries - An armaments and logistic soloutions provider. Primary products include the Glisan Arms Model 06 Automatic Pistol ( Yet another copy of the colt 1911A1 autopistol in .45 ACP ). The company's shipyard is producing two of the Bellrose Navy's new Frigates. These will be based on the MEKO 200 design
National Animal
The Enfield Long considered by some to be a mythical or chimeric creature. An Enfield Beast has the head of a fox, the chest of a greyhound, the body of a lion, the hindquarters and tail of a wolf, and forelegs like an eagle's talons. The Enfield appears in Irish and some English heraldry. Given this mythical background, many were surprised when actual Enfields were found wild in Bellrose during the 1870s. No really satisfactory explanation has been given for this. The Enfields live in the northern forests of Bellrose, and are a protected species.
