Century Plan (Principia Moderni III Map Game)

The Century Plan was a Fascist Roman military and geopolitical strategy from 1891 aimed at establishing Roman dominance over Western Europe within a hundred years, hence the name. The plan, while supported by some elements of Roman society, was never put into action.

Spread of Communism
By 1890, the geopolitical situation in Europe had changed significantly. The Kingdom of France, one of the Roman Empire's closest supporters, had fallen to Communist Revolution in 1884. Communists had also gained power in Russia and were gaining power in Poland and Croatia. Fears that the Communists would spread was met with Roman military intervention in French Africa, which was then placed under martial law.

Roman fears of Communist expansion would soon be confirmed when France invaded Brittany in 1890, supposedly because of Breton involvment in the 1890 Paris Bombing, although no culprit was determined. The war confirmed fears of Communist expansion but also revealed the weakness of the new Communist state, as the Bretons would hold the French off for years. Such expansion convinced the Romans that other states like Croatia, Poland, Spain, and Lombardy might also fall to Communist rule.

In 1891, Fascist leader Andrew Tsakalotos drew up the Century Plan, supposedly to stop the threat of Communist expansion in Europe yet also to extend Roman power over Western Europe. The Fascist Party adopted the plan later that year, and while members of other parties subscribed to it or its ideals, no other party endorsed it.

United Caliphate vs. Divided Europe
To the Empire's east was the mighty Hashemite Caliphate, which had quickly upset the established order of the Middle East and soon rivalled the Empire in power. While the Fascists would have prefered to take on the Caliphate, it was thought that the Caliphate, backed by the power and numerical strength of the Indian Empire, would be a much more dangerous opponent. As such, it would be better to pursue expansion against a divided Europe, which could then be utilized against the foes of the east.

The Plan
The basic premise of the plan is as follows: The basic assumption by the Fascists would be that conquest of the states would be relatively quick, while the rest of the time would be dedicated to quashing revolt and insurrection while also establishing Roman provincial governments and preparing them for annexation.
 * 1) Croatia - Ten Years
 * 2) Lombardy - Five Years
 * 3) Morocco - Ten Years
 * 4) Spain - Fifteen Years
 * 5) France - Twenty-Five Years
 * 6) Germany - Twenty-Five Years
 * 7) Netherlands - Five Years
 * 8) Portugal - Three Years
 * 9) Switzerland - Two Years

The Fascists also considered the possibility of temporary alliances with Britannia and Scandinavia in order to provide naval bases for the Roman surface and submarine fleets to help strangle France and Germany into submission.