SC4 Devotion Forum Archives

Wow! Impressive start so far, Revol! I love the feel of Ruritania! I do have a question for you: Where did you find those stone roadways that you used on the King Karl Bridge?

Nice new MD.

I like the way it's an old fashioned 'altstadt' but you've sneaked in a modern building or two - much more realistic.

I look forward to the next update.

wow...very nice! I like the style and feel of your MD so far (I believe I recall seeing this at ST, yes?). The bridge is very well done....great start, I look forward to more from Ruritania. ;D

Very impressive start there, I love the gatehouse on the entrance to the bridge over the Canal. I will look in next time you update for sure :)

Wow, a fantastic compilation of bats, a very homogenous appearance of the city, well done.
BTW, take a look at this site: http://kurier.simcityplaza.de/
You'll find lot's of useful BATs there, that will fit well into your city-building style, many modern W2W-buildings that blend in very well with older ones.

Wonderful start there and great pictures of that city! :thumbsup:

I think this is one of the best made Altstadt I have ever seen, it looks gorgeous!

Im not really into the whole European themed Mjs but this ones really great. good job!

wonderful , the Imaculate Conception church is reallt nice place in the center of the city block with graves in the alley, sweet details ! the bridge with the old foricfication gate makes me think "Praha !" (brw in my opinion I will add just 2 or 3 square more of fortification at the both side of the gate.

Very nice start !

Nice start of your MD Revol
I like the titel and espescially the subtitle. Royalty and Revolutions that promises a lot of fun :thumbsup:

The pics are also very nice and promising. the bridge is indeed reminiscent of the the karolbrücke in Prague.
I look forward to the rest of Royal Ruritania.

Strechnitz.

thundercrack83 - Thank you! I think I got them on the STEX, they are made by Glenni I believe.

paroch - Thanks! Yeah realism is my goal, so I am happy you noticed that!  :)

Yoder7652 - Thanks Yoder! Yes it was on ST, in a different guise. This is a totally new map, new city layout etc I got a bit tired of the old one, I was never happy with the region map. The new one is much better suited to what I want Ruritania to be.

Yoman - Thanks!  :)

Asimov - Thanks for the link! I am familiar with that site, but I actually found some new stuff I had passed by in the past, cheers!

bat - Thank you!

kwakelaar - Thank you very much!  ;D Your wonderful creations will feature heavily in my altstadt, particularly your castle pieces!

Gretta - Cheers, glad you like it!

nova vesfalo - Thanks! Prague is a definate inspiration for me in creating Streslau  :) The other side of the bridge will have more fortifications, thanks for the tip!

Strechnitz - Thank you very much!  :) I really enjoy your M.D, Stropon and Ruritania probably aren't too far away from each other geographically ;)

Wow this looks really great, it's the european atmosphere Im aiming for myself in my cities.

I just have one question, in the first pic in the top right corner...what are those buildings? They would look awesome in my recently started Dutch city :)

Hi Revol,

Indeed I believe our nations almost border each other when it comes to the geographic placement on the map of Europe. we could do something with that in the future. "$Deal"$

BTW. if you have read the prisoner of Zenda. Are you by any chance familiar with the persiflage of the story made in the "Flashman" series?  If not you may like it. In the second volume of the series, "Flash Royal" the plot is taken to new heights (or depts) turning it into a cesspit of plotting and skinsaving hypocrits. complete with Bismarck wanting to rule europe and the princess (Duchess in the Flashman version) not being so innocent as in the original story. :D

Strechnitz.

capo - Thanks!  :) Those buildings are by Vanderaap, and are available on the STEX. There is a wealth of Dutch BATs online, you guys are really lucky!

Strechnitz - That would be wonderful!  :) And yes I know that book very well, I love the Flashman series!  :D In fact I am planning on naming one of the towns Strackenz after the city in the book  ;) The map that McDonald Fraser drew for the book is an influence on my layout of Ruritania too. I'll probably incorporate some of the shady characters into my history of Ruritania too...maybe the bald Flashman will even make an appearance  ;D haha

Thanks Revol! I downloaded two complete sets of dutch buldings, vanderaap and tdoorn and I must admit that I spent until 3 AM last night playing SC :D

One of the main reasons it took that long is that it takes forever to grow these great vda buildings...do you have any hints on how to get them faster perhaps?

sorry for being such a noob ;)

looking forward to the next update of your city, Im learning a lot from these MDs

Quote from: capo on September 18, 2007, 01:54:12 AM
Thanks Revol! I downloaded two complete sets of dutch buldings, vanderaap and tdoorn and I must admit that I spent until 3 AM last night playing SC :D

One of the main reasons it took that long is that it takes forever to grow these great vda buildings...do you have any hints on how to get them faster perhaps?

sorry for being such a noob ;)

looking forward to the next update of your city, Im learning a lot from these MDs

You are welcome! I know that feeling well of finding a treasure trove of new BATs and playing the game for hours afterwards  :D

I don't know how to get them to grow quicker (if anyone else has tips it would be much appreciated!). Most of the ones in the pictures above were commercial buildings I 'plopped' using the plop buildings cheat. It only seems to work with commercials though, if you a plop a growable residential it will turn black after a while  &mmm

What a wonderful start to an MD &apls.

Some superb bats featured in a realistic setting. I shall be bookmarking this for future perusal ;D

Regards
Derry

its very picturesque  :)

Quote from: Revol on September 18, 2007, 07:58:09 AM
You are welcome! I know that feeling well of finding a treasure trove of new BATs and playing the game for hours afterwards  :D

I don't know how to get them to grow quicker (if anyone else has tips it would be much appreciated!). Most of the ones in the pictures above were commercial buildings I 'plopped' using the plop buildings cheat. It only seems to work with commercials though, if you a plop a growable residential it will turn black after a while  &mmm

Thanks for answering, guess it's time for me to start plopping as well but then again...I dont like to plop, I like to grow :)

Every day is like finding a treasure for me lately, there are so many great buildings out there to download.. perhaps in the future (when Im more experienced playing SC) I will create a MD as well, until then I will keep on checking the ones posted.

Can't wait for the next update mate!

Revol,
really nice start!! Your cities looks very good :)

Ruritania is a small nation in Eastern Europe. It is an ethnically diverse land, full of beautiful towns and hamlets, breathtaking scenery, welcoming inhabitants and it is said the most beautiful women in Europe. It is a country with a rich and often troubled history. Ruritania has had a reputation around the world as a secretive place, full of intrigue and dark dealings. But don't worry, today, Ruritania is a peaceful, prosperous, romantic land ruled by the beloved royal family. Now let me introduce the gallant young ladies of the Royal Ruritanian Womens Infantry Brigade...they shall be your tour guides through this land! They are the personal bodyguard of the King of Ruritania, handpicked by the beloved monarch himself. Try not to let their smart uniforms distract you...

Facts:

Capital City: Streslau

Largest Cities and towns:  Streslau, Hentzau, Strackenz, Zenda.

Major Rivers: Danube, Dracu.

Borders: Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Stropon, Slovenia, Romania, Czech Republic.

Official Languages: Ruritanische, Ruritanjic (Slavic), German, Turkish.

Currency: Domar

Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Monarch: King Alexander von Elphberg-Rassendyll II
Prime Minister: Count Gustav Von Dervolk

Demographics: 65% Ruritanian, 20% Slav, 10% Muslim, 1% Roma, 4% Other

Religion: 65% Roman Catholic, 20% Eastern Orthodox, 10% Muslim, 3% Jewish, 2% Protestant

Diplomatic Relations: The Empire of Stropon (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=978.0"), The Republic of Liberty Islands, The Imperial Kingdom of Atlantis (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=908.0")






The Royal Crest of Ruritania depicts the two headed Imperial Eagle of the Von Elphberg Royal household. The Eagle carries a traditional Ruritanian Scimitar in one claw (a symbol of the countries might) and a copy of the 1848 constitution in the other (a symbol of democracy). The Coat of Arms in the centre of the crest depicts a Gauntlet and a Rose, the emblems of the 1848 peoples revolution.



400 B.C - The Roman army establishes an outpost on banks of the Danube river, they name it; 'Streslium'.
300 B.C - Despite numerous attacks from the local barbarians, Streslium thrives and the foundations for the future city of Streslau begin.
545 A.D - King Argo the Drunken, a local Goth chief, invades Streslium, now a part of the Byzantine Empire, and renames it Streslau. The Byzantines flee, never to return.
648 - King Ruri Red Eyes establishes the kingdom of Ruritania.
778 - Charlemagne invades Ruritania, and introduces Christianity after slaughtering the pagan chieftans.
779 - Ruritania becomes an autonomous part of the Holy Roman Empire under the leadership of one of  Charlemagne's generals Boris of Elphberg Castle. The Von Elphberg Dynasty begins.


988 - A plague sweeps the land, devastating the countryside.
1245 - Streslau has become an important trading city for the medieval world.
1315 - Members of The Knights Templar seek refuge in Ruritania. They are given sanctuary from the persecution the received in other parts of Europe. They bring with them many secret treasures, and are given a special place in Ruritanian society, a role they keep to this day.
1348 - The Black Death devastates Ruritania.
1349 - King Haarald the Elder dies from the plague.
1432 - Ruritania begins it's wars of expansion, eastwards and southwards. Gaining territory as far south as Bosnia,Serbia, and as far east as present day Romania.
1446 - Wars of expansion cease.


1528 - The Ottoman army invades Ruritania.
1529 - The Ottoman army defeats the Ruritanian army at the battle of Hentzau. King Janic II is killed while clutching the royal standard. The period of Ottoman rule begins in Ruritania.
1530 - The remaining members of the royal family escape into exile in Vienna.


1530 - 1682 - The Ottoman empire brings many civic improvements to Ruritanian cities like Streslau. Many muslims settle there and become established within Ruritanian society.
1683 - A combined army of Austrian and Ruritanian troops led by the young Prince Nikolas defeats the Ottoman army after a long siege of Streslau. The war was bloody but decisive, the Ottomans flee Ruritania, and Prince Nikolas crowns himself king of Ruritania in Streslau Cathedral.




1700 - Ruritania establishes herself once again as a major regional power, the arts flourish, the borders expand ever further, and Streslau is the centre of trade for the region.
1725 - Queen Nera dies, leaving the now elderly King Nikolas with no heir. Knowing his time is short, and not wanting his hated younger brother Vladimir to win the throne after his death, he marries his 18 year old niece Mikala, the daughter of his sister.


1726 - Queen Mikala gives birth to Prince Johannes, alas due to the incestuous relationship of his parents, Johannes 'aint quite right'....
1727 - King Nikolas dies. His son becomes King Johannes the Imbecile.


1728 - Prince Vladimir begins the war of succession against the new King. The war is quickly over and Vladimir is crowned king.
1760 - King Vladimir dies. His son Rudolf becomes King Rudolf II.
1765 - King Rudolf marries the beautiful Princess Therese. So begins the 'Time of Elegance', a peaceful time for Ruritania, when many fine new buildings and palaces are constructed throughout the kingdom. Happiness and prosperity reign.
1767 - Princess Osra is born, she will become one of the nations favourite royals. Famed throughout Europe for her beauty and elegance. Almost every eligible young royal male in Europe tries to woo her, only a lucky few succeed.


1773 - Crown Prince Alexander is born. The nation rejoices! A fine young horseman and soldier, he becomes a highly capable general in the Ruritanian army.


1780 - Prince Nicholas is born. The handsome prince will become one of the most eligible bachelors in all of Europe, and one of the continents finest soldiers.
1798 - While at a military academy in France, the young Prince Nicholas meets Napoleon Bonaparte. The French general takes Nicholas under his wing, and Nicholas joins the French army on it's campaign in Egypt. Prince Nicholas excels himself in battle and becomes the youngest officer in the French army. He brings home an Egyptian obelisk to Streslau as a souvenir of his adventures.


1807 - The Ruritanian-Stroponion War begins, shattering the kingdoms long peace. The Ruritanian army led by Crown Prince Alexander and his younger brother excels itself in battle, soundly defeating the Stroponion regiments. Or so it seems.....

A great new update! Looking forward to more...

TheTeaCat, Madeira aka She Who Will Not Be Named, capo, meldolion, bat - Thanks for the comments guys!  ;D

Ah yes, the Ruritanian Stroponian war. A memorable moment in time. :P

This is a great historical update my friend.
Highlighting special moments out of the long and turbulent history.
it realy is a lovely history. :thumbsup:
The battle pics are very well done.
And my what a lovely portraits  ;D

Strechnitz.

They couldn't unbutton the jacket of Prince Alexander before he put it on?? Must have happend a few times judging by the shape of his head. :D
And no offence to the history of Ruritania of course.

Nice update with the first part of Ruritanian history. And I am most impressed by the fact that the Romans were in Ruritania even before the founding of Rome. ;D But I know I should not complain and just enjoy the fiction.
I know I will certainly enjoy reading more about Ruritania.

Edit
And just as I wrote this comment you come with something quite spectacular, a very grand square surrounded by some magnificent buildings. These are some beautiful shots from Streslau.

Fantastic looking pictures of that area! :thumbsup:

Strechnitz - Thanks! It was really fun to include a mention of Stropon  :) In the next update we can go into more detail about the war our two glorious nations fought in 1807.

kwakelaar -  :D Yeah it certainly seems that his head is getting squeezed from the jacket! And those Romans where always ahead of their time  ;)....thanks for pointing that out, I've changed it now to a more realistic date  :)

bat - Thank you!

Thats a great history session, loads of facts, good pictures to go along with them, too. Really gives a sense of history in Ruritania, and gets you closer to the MD as a whole. Great job!

Great pics of Streslau. It shows a monumental city.
Just the kind that I like so much myself :)

Strechnitz.

Both the historical update as well as the actual City-pics are very interesting. Since I started a Alternative-Reality-CJ once, I have an idea of how much work it is to create such an background-story.
So keep up the good work, looking forward to more.

Very nice start of your MD. Streslau is a beautiful city and I am looking forward to see how you will develop its history  ;) !

nedalezz - Thank you very much, I am glad you enjoyed it!

Strechnitz - Monumental is certainly the look I want to achieve with certain parts of the city, although I have to remind myself at times to be realistic and not go overboard  ;)

Asimov - Thanks! Yeah it is indeed a lot of work!

sebes - Thank you!

I know I have been slow with another update, real life taking over as usual. But I hope to get some more updates ready soon  :)

I love the classical feel!  And the GLR station fits in quite well.  Do you know where you found it?

Quote from: CabraBuitre on October 21, 2007, 02:06:50 PM
I love the classical feel!  And the GLR station fits in quite well.  Do you know where you found it?

Thanks! The station is from a Japanese website, I can't remember which one though. I'm sure someone else on this forum might be able to help...


I hope you all like my little additions to my previous entries  ;D There will be some proper updates very soon, Ruritania is coming along slowly!

nice story. thats what I love about CJs/MDs. "Prince Johannas the imbecile". lol.

Anyways, the GLR is a NOB item found here (http://www1.megaegg.ne.jp/~tokitoko/)

     Some of those BATs are uber beautiful, especially the way you used them. You were right...Ruritania sure has some beautiful ladies  ::) Keep up the excellent work.

-Jamie

P.S. I wish my GLR looked as awesome as yours. Super-cool.

Nice restyling Graham  ;) hehe  real cute. A very nice royal guard. :thumbsup:

Strech.

Quote
One of the main reasons it took that long is that it takes forever to grow these great vda buildings...do you have any hints on how to get them faster perhaps?

Are you kidding me? These buildings grow like weeds for me. :P

Anyway, this is a very nice city-journal (especially the cheerleaders ;)). I like how the cities are built, the cobblestone roads add a little bit of an extra touch. It's quite realistic, I think.

Nice stuff! I do like your style.  :)

Zaphod - Thanks!  :)

keyboardconfessional - Thank you!  ;)

Strechnitz - Glad you like them!  ;)

Shadow Assassin - Thanks, I try to get it as realistic as possible.

Schulmanator - Cheers!

The Kingdom of Ruritania and the Empire of Stropon have re-opened diplomatic relations after 200 years of hostility. A new Stroponian embassy has just been formally opened in the Ruritanian capital of Streslau. The governments of the two nations are hopeful this will lead to closer ties between the neighbouring countries.

Seems the Ruritanians have a veeery long memory, come on people the war of 1807  ::), time to forgive and forget.

A very nice district with all the timber frame buildings.

That embassy is looking fantastic and nice area around it! Nice newspaper :thumbsup:

kwakelaar - Yeah the Ruritanians are indeed a stubborn bunch, and don't easily forget being wronged in the past. They are notoriously nationalistic too.

bat - Thanks! 'Der Ruritanische Widerstand' was once a revolutionary, left-wing newspaper. but these days it's more interested in celebrity scandals and sports than real news  ;)

Hi Revol!
I thought Ruritania ended, when you stoped updateing on ST, but now I am extremly happy to see Ruritania here!
And fantastic updates.
Really sweet banners  :P and Ruritania has a really cute foreign minister. We ought to get acquainted with her.

== Official transcript from the Liberty Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs ==
To Eva Von Hentzau, Foreign Minister of Kingdom of Ruritania
The Republic of Hungary and the Republic of Liberty Islands (Szabadság-szigetek in Hungarian) agreed to operate a shared embassy in Ruritania. If the Ruritanian Foreign Administration allows it, then Liberty Islands want to open a new embassy in Streslau and it will house the Hungarian ambassador too.
Benedek Halaszy, the minister of foreign affairs of Liberty Islands hopes, that this can be the beginning of a very succesful relation (both cultural, economical, and other means)!
== End of official transcript ==

Quote from: BoKriF on November 29, 2007, 11:45:56 AM
Hi Revol!
I thought Ruritania ended, when you stoped updateing on ST, but now I am extremly happy to see Ruritania here!
And fantastic updates.
Really sweet banners  :P and Ruritania has a really cute foreign minister. We ought to get acquainted with her.

Thanks!  ;D I'm glad you remember my c.j on ST. I have changed it a lot, so I thought a fresh start was needed! And I'm glad you like Ruritania's Foreign Minister  ;)

Quote
== Official transcript from the Liberty Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs ==
To Eva Von Hentzau, Foreign Minister of Kingdom of Ruritania
The Republic of Hungary and the Republic of Liberty Islands (Szabadság-szigetek in Hungarian) agreed to operate a shared embassy in Ruritania. If the Ruritanian Foreign Administration allows it, then Liberty Islands want to open a new embassy in Streslau and it will house the Hungarian ambassador too.
Benedek Halaszy, the minister of foreign affairs of Liberty Islands hopes, that this can be the beginning of a very succesful relation (both cultural, economical, and other means)!
== End of official transcript ==

___________________________________________________________________
~Official Reply from the Kingdom of Ruritanias Ministry of Foreign Affairs~

To Benedek Halaszym, Foreign Minister of Szabadság-szigetek,

We are truly honoured that you wish to open an embassy in our capital city. It is our dear wish that our two great nations can form closer diplomatic relations, and we wish the same with our neighbour of Hungary.
Your new embassy is located in Magyar Haus, deep in Streslaus old town. We hope you find your new accommodation most comfortable.
We hope to open an embassy for our Kingdom in your nation also!

Yours sincerely,
Eva Von Hentzau (Foreign Minister to his Majesty the King)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg141.imageshack.us%2Fimg141%2F40%2Fevavonhentzauwa0.jpg&hash=4f3ffce71d822c9ba2bb4af0fce3e9fb283e84af)

______________________________________________________________

This is a great md! Ruritania is filled with unsurpassed beauty and the cities are really nice too!

Quote from: ElPhantasmo69 on November 30, 2007, 07:58:57 AM
This is a great md! Ruritania is filled with unsurpassed beauty and the cities are really nice too!

:D Thank you!  :thumbsup:

HEY! Pages 3 - 10 were missing from my newspaper!  ()sad()

Love the christmas market - it reminds me of the one in Graz that I went to in Austria.

That Christmas market is looking fantastic, Revol! And wonderful pictures! :thumbsup:

What can I say? I thought the town was awesome... then I saw the newspaper! Is it possible to square awesome? If so, this update is awesome squared! a ² !
&apls

Great updates and I am sure I remembered Ruritania. You know I missed it very much when you stoped it on ST.
The new pictures are even better. Old Ruritania was great too, but you managed to do even better. Congratulations.
Ruritania Embassy is undergoing reconstructions as the Foreign Ministry doesn't want to hand over a creepy old and dirty block to Ruritania. And for bad news, I got serious RL tasks. Maybe I will make a new upadte in 2 or 3 weeks. Bloody exams..

To Eva Von Hentzau, Foreign Minister to her Majesty, Kingdom of Ruritania:
The Szabadság-szigetek and Hungary is glad to have our embassy in such a nice neighbourhood. I am sure our ambassador and his staff will make attendance at the Dezemberfest Christmas Markets and Beer Festival, which is a respected cultural event. Maybe the Foreign Ministry will organize a smaller Ruritanian Dezemberfest in Szabadrév for cultural exchange. Beer is part of our national heritage ad culture.
Yours truly,
Benedek Halaszy
Foreign Minister, Szabadság-szigetek
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmetro.xdt.hu%2Fcj%2Fli_kmlab.jpg&hash=ee5272063c9f065a2b02febe91ed59eb6deeb020)

ElPhantasmo69 - That's a pity  $%Grinno$% pages 3-10 were a good read  ;)

bat - Thank you!  :)

Schulmanator -  :D Thanks, I appreciate it!

BoKriF - No problem, take your time! :) Good luck with your exams!

I am somewhat confused as to how I have not seen this MD before. I was indeed directed from Stropon, a diplomatic ally of Atlantis.

I am very very impressed by your work, the cities are fantastic and I love the feel and look of them as well as the history.


I would like to offer The Kingdom of Ruritania the opportunity of diplomatic relations with the Imperial Kingdom of Atlantis. If your government agree then a more official announcement can be made  ;)

Be sure to save me a pint of beer. That festival looks great, some really good lot editing going on. I'm sure that brewery makes quite alot of money this time of year  :P

Emperor Stormont - Thank you very much!  :) I have always been really impressed with your M.D, so it would be a huge honour for Ruritania to have diplomatic relations with the mighty Atlantis!  ;D

Yoman - Thanks!  :) I'll make sure to save a pint of beer just for you!  ;)

This was a great looking update, you have really been able to capture the Christmas atmosphere in the St Gustav Square. Nice details around the festival area and the parts of Streslau we get to see are very promising. The mix of buildings and the church is making a lovely ensamble around the square.

"Good afternoon, I am Maria Larovich, your host for this afternoons RTR special on the reconciliation ceremony between our Kingdom of Ruritania and the Empire of Stropon. 200 years ago today our gallant forces under the command of Crown Prince Alexander and Prince Nicholas fought so bravely against the might of the forces of Stropon, only to have victory snatched away at the last moment. On that black day in 1807, Ruritania not only lost her heir to the throne, but also many of her precious treasures, including the royal crown worn by the kings of Ruritania since the restoration after Ottoman rule! Now after 200 years, Stropon has agreed to hand back these treasures as our two nations form closer ties and a significant thaw in the frosty relationship begins."


"Now let me introduce Dr Vladimir Hardheim of the University of Strackenz, the nations foremost expert on the history of our nation. Dr Hardheim can you give our viewers some historical background to the events that are taking place today?"


"Good afternoon Maria. In 1807 Europe was a fractured continent. Ruritania as you know was allied with Napoleon and the French Empire. Ruritanian cavalry were, and still are, regarded as the finest military horsemen in Europe, and Napoleon was only too happy to include regiments of Ruritanian cavalry in his armies. Ruritania in return was a powerful nation in the region, our borders were expanding and our influence was immense for a relatively small country. However in contrast, our neighbour, the mighty Empire of Stropon was in turmoil. The bloody War of Succession had shook the country to it's core. It needed to recover, to consolidate. In other words it needed a distraction, and that distraction was a war with Ruritania."


"How did the war come about Dr Hardheim?"


"Enter the infamous "Strübling papers". They apparently stated that Stropon had a legitimate claim on the then Ruritanian province of Strübling. For the Duchy of Strübling which had never been a part of the empire was supposedly given to Stropon by testament in the will of Gustav IX, the last Duke of Strübling. One of the famous prisoners who met his doom in the dark dungeons of Zenda."


"You see Strübling was only conquered by Ruritania in 1612. Which as you know was then under Ottoman control. After the restoration of the Elphberg monarchy as rulers of Ruritania in 1683, the citizens of the Duchy of Strübling asked King Nikolas I to let them break away and regain their independence. He, of course, refused. Strübling became a province of Ruritania, and remained so until 1807. After which the people of Strübling were, I have to say, a lot happier with their lot."


"So the annexation of Strübling by Stropon was not so unwelcome to the citizens of the Duchy?"


"Precisely. Ruritania is not such an innocent in these events, which is of course contrary to what we were all taught in school. As you know, our nation is an ethnically diverse land, and in 1807 the Strüblingens were one of the lowest in the ethnic order. They were treated no more than serfs by their Ruritanian landlords, and it wasn't much better for the ethnic Stroponians who also lived in Ruritania. Their religion was suppressed, and their lands could easily be confiscated on the mere whim of the ruling classes. Gustav IX, the last Duke of Strübling, had enormous sympathy for his people, and there is evidence to suggest that he was planning a war of independence, perhaps with the support of Stropon."


"That certainly is a surprise Doctor. As you said, we have always been told Ruritania was the poor helpless nation standing up to the larger evil aggressor! So how did the famous battle of Sergu plain come about?"


"Stropon demanded the Duchy, citing the infamous "Strübling papers". In reply, King Rudolf II famously declared that the Stroponion ambassador could shove his demand for the return of Strübling "where the sun doesn't shine", and that the Empress could do *ahem* something similar with their document, The Stroponions were of course outraged by the words of the notoriously frank Rudolf II."


"Haha, I guess not everyone is used to the Ruritanian sense of humour!"


" *ahem* Yes, quite. Anyway, that outburst was just the excuse the Stroponions needed to declare war on Ruritania. The stage was set, and the war of 1807 began. After a few insignifcant battles and skirmishes along the border, both main armies faced off across the plain of Sergu."


"And can you fill us in on the details of that famous battle Dr Hardheim?"


"Of course. The Ruritanian high command were led by the two princes, Alexander and Nicholas. Alexander, the heir to the throne, was 34 years old. He was an expert horseman. A champion in fact! He led his beloved Black Hussars, the dreaded Totenkopf Knights! Famed for their ferocity in battle, and their chilling skull and crossbones emblem on their helmets."


"Prince Nicholas was 26 years old, but already a seasoned soldier! Having studied at the military acadamy in Paris, and having fought along side Napoleon in Egypt. Handsome and charming, he was known as a ladies man, but had only two weeks previously married his sweetheart, Elisabet,a beautiful young noblewoman from Strackenz."


"Also commanding the Ruritanian troops that fateful day were Field Marshall Ernst Von Tarlenheim, of the famous political family, and 'The Three Irishmen', General Igor Von Donnell, General Max O'Neill, and Count Cormac Von Murphy. These famous generals were descendents of Irish Gaelic aristocrats who had fled Ireland in the 17th century and sought refuge in Ruritania. These four men, along with the two princes almost won the war against Stropon, a much, much larger force."


"You say 'almost won' Dr Hardheim, what happened?"


"The Ruritanian command had been clever. Knowing the Stroponions had a much larger force, and suspecting that they arrogantly thought of us as a bunch of peasents. The generals positioned our army on top of the hills overlooking the plain. The Stroponions were below us, and pinned in by the high ground. The Ruritanian cavalry swooped down and began their butchery, the Stropon regiments were cut to ribbons. It was a major psychological blow to the Stropon army, and they fell into disarray. The Ruritanian cavalry as I have said, was one of the best in Europe, and they made short work of the oncoming Stropon infantry regiments."






"If it was going so well for us Doctor, what went wrong? How did we lose?!"

"Two words: 'The Imperator'. After 7 hours of bloodshed, it looked like Ruritania was about to pull off the impossible, a total rout of a much larger army. However Prince Nicholas was wounded during the fighting, and brought back to a field hospital. Hearing of his brothers calamity, Alexander rode back to check on his beloved brother. Then as a desperate last stand, the Stroponions unleashed the largest cannon in Europe, The Imperator. Unfortunately it's cannon ball landed near Alexander and his horse. Blowing them to pieces. The heir to the throne was dead. The second in line was in a critical condition. A grief stricken King Rudolf II, who was behind our lines at the time, decided enough was enough, he was not about to lose two sons for "this Godforsaken little Duchy" and ordered his Generals to sue for peace. They protested, but as you know, the word of the King is law."


"The Stroponions made the most cruel demands, along with the Duchy of Strübling, and compensation for their losses, they also demanded the royal crown jewels. The Ruritanians agreed. And 200 years of hatred had begun."


"And here we are 200 years later. Thank you Dr Hardheim for that history lesson. In a moment we shall show you the precious crown jewels that are being returned to our kingdom. Emperor Jerome Victor IV is the guest of honour at the celebrations in Streslau city today, and he brings with him these fabulous treasures from Ruritanian history."











"Beautiful! I wouldn't mind getting a Christmas present like that! Earlier today King Alexander II of Ruritania and Emperor Jerome Victor IV of Stropon, attended a joint memorial ceremony at the sight of the battle. It was the first time a Ruritanian royal has visited the war graves of the Ruritanian army at Sergu plain, his majesty also visited the memorial on the spot where Prince Alexander was killed."






"King Alexander said it was a great day for Ruritania, as our history was finally coming back to us. He also said that he was looking forward to getting to know the Stropon royal family better, and hoped the relations between our two great nations will go from strength to strength."


"The King then traveled along with the Emperor by Royal Ruritanian Air Force helicopter to Streslau. We assume the crown jewels traveled with them! They arrived at the Prince Alexander Memorial Dome in the centre of Streslau a short while ago, a multi-denominational church service will be followed by the handing over the crown jewels to our royal family. The jewels will then be safely deposited in the vaults of the Ruritanian Central Bank. It is rumoured they will go on public exhibition in the following weeks."


"Here we see his majesty givng thanks to God at the memorial service in the Dome. We can now go live to our Newscopter which is showing us a birds-eye view of the Memorial Dome in Streslau."






"That concludes our broadcast for today. I hope you enjoyed our News Special. And I wish to say Hello to all our new friends watching us live across the border in Stropon! Good Evening and God Save the King!"

Absolutely fantastic Revol, a wonderful update and so good to see two nations making such big moves to reconciliation. A fabulous update both from yourself and Hubert. Great work.   :satisfied:

That was a great update.  I love this city.  Your canals, tram lines and over all setup are superbly done. Great eye for details.

&apls &apls

Robin   :thumbsup:

Wow! That's one of the best updates I've seen in a long time from any MD! Fantastic work!

Perfect update and a fascinating story (as I also commented in Strech's MD). The concept of one war and two stories is absolute fantastic worked out by both of you. Good job  &apls

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg520.imageshack.us%2Fimg520%2F3520%2Fdiplomaticdecyx1.jpg&hash=2717643b4d72f31341118160c37dd0b0936d78bb)

Ah, I see that new moves on the diplomatic front ;D
your ministry of foreign affairs will have a busy winter I guess :thumbsup:

Strechnitz.

WoW I think this is my first visit to this fine kingdom and im delighted with my stop here Revol!!! You have a wonderful colaberation going on with Stretch and Strophon.... I will be back for more - pat

Emperor Stormont - Thank you very much!  :) And for the diplomatic letter to Ruritania, I am really  honoured! I have made a letter in reply, and will post a pic of the Atlantis embassy in Streslau very soon!  :)


rooker1 - Thank you!  :) All of those details really take time, especially when the GLR tends to make the game crash every time I want to lay it  :D

ElPhantasmo69 - Wow, thank you, I really appreciate it!

sebes - Thanks, it was a long time in the planning, but it was really worth it. It was great fun to do.  :)

Strechnitz - Yep  ;D Eva Von Hentzau is working overtime these days  ;)

Pat - Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed your visit to the kingdom!  :)

QuoteDame May McFettridge

LOL OMG love it, LOL  :thumbsup:

I'm sure many are wondering what the hell that is about, which makes it even funnier.  :D


I have your embassy already complete, but I have flu and SC4 play has had to stop for just a short time. I'll update before Christmas though.  :satisfied:

cool pics...especially the banners...lol!! the town looks great -- and what's that bat on the canal!?

ooooooh yea Revol i have enjoyed my trip to the kingdom and this last trip was no diffrent i enjoyed it again!!!

Suplado - Its a rail barge by Jestarr, believe its been relotted though as the original was on old simgoober water.

Revol - Excellent update there, I like the location of the embassy as well as the area. The way the tram snakes through the buildings s great (don't they complain about no street though? Sc4 I mean, with the no street zots, if they complained about not having a street in the city that would mean they're just lazy, can't walk a block :P)

Is the flag on the embassy a prop or photoshopped, it looks excellent.

Wonderful pictures of the embassy there!
Great area around it! :thumbsup:

Eva has a scary signature... :P

In any case, I like how the city is built. I'm sure you'll find me a regular visitor (that includes lurking) in the future. :P

Emperor Stormont -  :D Glad you liked that little in-joke  ;) And take your time with the embassy, there's no rush! Get well soon!

suplado! - Thanks, I'm glad you like it! :) Yoman answered your question in his reply, and yes I put the boat prop on Cals canal base.

Pat - Thanks!  ;D You are always welcome!

Yoman - Thanks very much! :) The sims don't complain on that street, because all of the buildings are plopped landmarks, but yes it is annoying how they feel the need to always have to drive everywhere ;) And the flag is photoshopped.

bat - Thanks!  :)

Shadow Assassin - Yes indeed she does, a sign of things to come perhaps? ;)

Nice update - I love the building you chose for the embassy. Did Dame McFettridge fall out of the ugly tree? And hit every branch on the way down? Cause, DAMN, she ugly!

Wow! This is awesome and my kind of town! It's really gorgeous!

Why stop partying after new year?



Strech.

Located deep in the Neustadt (New Town) area of Streslau is the 'Royal Harem'. The former 16th century palace of the Ottoman rulers of Ruritania. When King Nikolas I liberated the city from the Ottoman army, he discovered the personal harem of the Ottoman governor of Streslau, Abdul Gul. King Nikolas wisely decided to keep this Ottoman tradition alive in Ruritania, and the Royal Harem became the personal recreational palace of the Kings of Streslau from that day forward.





In the 19th century all things Oriental became very fashionable. And the Royal Harem became a major tourist attraction for Ruritania. The lower floors were opened to the public, mostly artists, poets, writers, rakes and other wastrels who greatly enjoyed the dancing of the semi clad (and non clad) beauties who resided within. The upper floor however was reserved for the king himself, and his personal harem of the most beautiful girls from all over the world.







The ladies of the Harem often became quite famous (or infamous) in their own right. King Rudolph IV notoriously married his beautiful young Irish concubine, Mary-Lousie O'Brien. Which caused a huge scandal in polite Ruritanian society. Duchess Maria-Louisa, as she became known, was a powerful figure in royal circles, much to the consternation of the establishment.





Today the Royal Harem is in part of the city known as the Kabaret Distrikt. This area is known for it's nightclubs, cabaret clubs and famous burlesque shows. The Harem is still a very popular tourist attraction, where visitors can dine on fine cuisine, relax in the heated pools and watch the exotic belly dancers. The top floor still remains closed to the public however...

ElPhantasmo69 - Yes, I think 'she' did!  ;D

threeswept - Thanks! I'm glad you like it.

Strechnitz - Thanks for the invite!  ;D The royal family will be there! They love nothing more than to party  ;)

very beautiful city! I like the district Parisian  :thumbsup:
very realistic  &apls

 &apls &apls Very interesting MD . I really like your presentation .... for sure your orchestra girls too. I`m glad that i discover a new MD . :thumbsup:

What is that BAT called?


A fabulous update, every wonderful city should have a Hareem, you may start a trend, lol  ;)

Oh...can we see some more modern Harem girls :P

Really a nice update there, I'm glad that you've continued not using streets everywhere and have some of those buildings facing other buildings without streets. Its also great how the area even if plopped, isn't dead as a doorknob and has people walking around.

A wonderfull new update Revol &apls

I love the idea of the Harem. It is good to preserve certain customs from the past :)

Strech.

This Harem thing is very unique. But I like it! Especially after seeing that "modern day harem girl". ;D

I guess Ruritania is the sexiest CJ/MD around the web!  :P

Not only the sexiest, but the quirkiest on the planet.  Some of the randomness reminds me of Monty Pythion.  Oh yeah, the city is awesome too!

Quote from: Emperor Stormont on January 05, 2008, 04:14:38 PM
What is that BAT called?


A fabulous update, every wonderful city should have a Hareem, you may start a trend, lol  ;)

I'm guessing that you're asking about St Mark's Basilica? It's not available anywhere anymore, but if you asked nicely via PM, I'm certain someone would be willing to share it with you...  ;)

warconstruct - Thank you so much!  :)

kimcar - Glad you like it!  ;)

Emperor Stormont - Yeah that is St. Marks Basilica :)

Yoman - Thanks!  ;D

Strechnitz - Thank you!  :)

BoKriF - That is quite an honour, thank you!  ;D

rushman5 - wow, that is an even bigger honour, thanks!  ;D

ElPhantasmo69 - ;) ;D