[center][h2] [color=ed1c24]The Xian Clique [/color][/h2][/center] [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/80589065/Random/United_Republic_of_China_flag.png[/img][/center] [center][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvo-u5pU6jY][b]The Revolution is successful[/b][/url][/center] With all the troops finally home and the lessons of the Xianese-Yamarano war finally being used by the minds of the Xianese state, new weapon designs began to fill the boards of Jiangpo Machinery Group offices. The best minds the state-funded company could find were brought into the fold and tasked with revitalizing the National Revolutionary Army so it could compete with the armies of Xian's enemies. By the end of September a design model that finally been chosen. Heavily based upon the design of Aontan hand grenades. The [i]Type-23 Hōng[/i], also known as the 'Bamboo Bomb' was a concussion grenade weighing 0.60 kgs and a effective range of 32 meters. To maximize the accuracy of the grenade, Xianese designers utilized the wooden handle so that the grenade would not roll like those with the 'pineapple' design. From the time of being unscrewed and subsequently thrown, there would be a maximum of 5 seconds before the grenade detonated. While other designs relied more upon the fragmentation of the grenade, the Hōng relied purely on her blast. Like the Aontan designs, the Hōng used a pull cord at the bottom of the handle that, once pulled, ignited the grenade to be thrown. The entire process of unscrewing, pulling, and throwing could be done within the span of eight to ten seconds, while designs using the 'pineapple' model could be thrown within five. However, the pure blast power the Hōng possessed gave it the edge it needed to be accepted and begin production. [center][img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Ba_lu_bing_gong_chang.jpg[/img] [i]NRA soldiers assembling test grenades, circa 1906.[/i][/center] [hr] In addition to the issuing of grenades into the national arsenal, the Jiangpo offices were tasked with the work of designing more modern rifles based upon the designs of Mille-Sessau and Survaek's equipment. Though Xian lacks the resources for such a task, new designs for the Baishan began appearing shortly after the release of the Bamboo Bomb. It is expected that test models of some designs will be released and given to the NRA for testing by the end of the year. [hr] With 'Vakellia Fever' spreading across the western world the Liberation Council was forced to state their own opinion on the matter of colonization of the Vakellian lands. It came to no ones surprise that the Council voted against investing in Vakellia what-so-ever. Xian had neither the resources, money, or interest in sending Xianese expeditions across the sea to a land that would inevitably make them the same imperialists they had revolted against and actively protested against on The Continent. With the matter agreed upon, a national press-release was made stating that Xian gives its emotional support to those fighting against the 'Varian-menace' in Vakellia and condemned Varian expansion into the continent. However, no support besides that would be given for fear of causing new tensions with the western powers.