[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/IRyA353.png[/img][/center]

[b][u]Statement by King Avandre VII on the Tara-Etelian Defensive Alliance[/u][/b]

	[i]"It has come to my attention today that the great nations of the Coastal Empire of Tara and the Etelian Empire have decided to form a defensive alliance that seems poised directly against the Kingdom of Illesia and the great nation of the Toubrian Empire. This fact saddens me greatly, as Illesia shares an age-old heritage with the Tarans, though we have clearly drifted apart in recent centuries. It remains my hope that Tara, Illesia, and Toubres will be able to form friendly relations with one another, as I had originally hoped when I heard that the Tarans had practically already signed an alliance with Toubres not long before my proposal to my betrothed, Empress Maia Bastos. However, Illesia and Toubres will now have to stand ready against a Taran-Etelian alliance headed by an Empress who describes Toubres as a 'Menance', whatever that word means. As for this supposed slaughtering of 'innocents', my men assure me they were rebels, Serranthian ones at that, and I stand by the Illesian Military at all times. Thank you, and good day."[/i]

[b][u]Selection of the Illesian Marine Corps Commandant[/u][/b]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/0K2aUBq.jpg[/img]

[i]Recently Promoted Lieutenant General Gareth D'Amos, circa 1905[/i][/center]

	The Illesian Naval Triumvirate today announced the selection of Major General Gareth D'Amos as the first Commandant of the Illesian Marine Corps upon his return to the Illesian shores with an immediate effective promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General. Lieutenant General D'Amos has long written of, and pushed for within the Illesian Military, the formation of a Marine Corps to project Illesian power to distant shores. With his exemplary tactical and strategic performance in Toubrian Serranthia as head of the first Illesian offensive in a great amount of time and first overseas military action ever, Lieutenant General D'Amos has more than proven his capability to helm the Illesian Marine Corps. It is expected that upon his return, he shall immediately begin forming the command structure of the Corps and all other items necessary to create the Corps.

[b][u]Illesian Small Arms Production[/u][/b]

	With the licensing of the Tyrian Austerf MG05 and Simon-Lowell Mark 1904 as the MG1905 and SL1904, Illesian small arms production was finally in a position to begin manufacturing high quality small arms instead of the old, obsolete Tournesol-Kamber rifles, as well as adding the innovative new machine gun to the repetoire of the Illesian Military. As such, the Illesian Military handed down the following request for small arms production:

[i]Illesian Military Arms Requisition Order:

The Illesian Military orders the maximum production of SL1904 rifles and MG1905 machine guns that Tournesol Armureries can manufacture every month in perpetuity until otherwise notified by the Illesian Military, with the following ratio of manufacture; 7 SL1904: 1 MG1905, and that the manufactured amounts of each item be sent to the Illesian Army logistical centers for distribution with monthly reports to the Illesian Army Logistics Command on quantity of delivered items.[/i]

	This essentially meant that if the Illesian small arms industry could produce $500,000 worth of weaponry and ammunition per month, assuming that rifle ammunition cost $0.40 per round, the Illesian small arms industry would produce this ratio 435 [Math: 500,000 / (314 + 7*119)] times, meaning that that month the industry should deliver 435 MG1605's and 3045 SL1904's to the Illesian Military.

((OOC: I did this math to help you out Theo, so you don't have to extrapolate the math too much.))

[b][u]More Dreadlords Ordered By Illesian Navy[/u][/b]

	After further consideration by the Naval Triumvirate, the Illesian Navy has put in a request to the Toubrian shipyards to lay down and construct six more [i]Dreadlord[/i]-class battleships for the Illesian Navy as soon as they can for the prior proposed cost of $2,050,000 per ship, for a total additional cost to the Illesian Navy of $12,300,000. This additional order resulted in a signficant amount of drinks bought and backs patted at pubs serving primarily Naval Officers in both Regoth and Marneille as the Big Gun Officers seem to entrench themselves further within Fleet circles. However, there are rumors within the Illesian Navy that as soon as the prototype submarines can be finalized, a large order will be made of them to be constructed in Illesian docks, by Illesians, for Illesians.

The names of the six new [i]Dreadlord[/i]-class battleships will be as follows:
1. [i]INV Cassava[/i]
2. [i]INV Rosary Pea[/i]
3. [i]INV Wolfsbane[/i]
4. [i]INV White Baneberry[/i]
5. [i]INV Belladonna[/i]
6. [i]INV Angel's Trumpet[/i]

[b][u]Los Asesinos Silenciosos Submarine Testing[/u][/b]

	A small conning tower dipped back below the ocean surface off the coasts of Regoth before a torpedo entered the water a minute later, practically invisible to anyone in the path of it. It screamed through the ocean and impacted a small wooden target sailing boat some distance away, obliterating it in a shower of wooden shards and metal shrapnel. Civilian fishermen not far away were astounded by the sight, having been cordoned off beforehand by a few tiny vessels of the Illesian Navy.

	Not long after, the prototype LA-Type 2 submarine resurfaced and docked within the secret [i]Los Asesinos Silenciosos[/i] testing facility docks, allowing Captain Akeles to climb out first, followed by his six fellow crewmembers who were eager to stretch their legs on dry land after having been within the cramped prototype sub. The Chief Engineer of [i]Los Asesinos Silenciosos[/i], Fernand Dubois, approached Captain Akeles, whom spoke thusly, "It works well. Firing the torpedo causes the ship to buck a bit though, maybe even enough for the vessel to have shown through the surface of the ocean."

	Dubois nodded and wrote something down on a slip of paper, remarking, "We'll probably have to develop a procedure for adjusting the ballast as torpedoes are fired. Maintaining balance is crucial to the operation of the submarine. Fantastic work as always, Captain Akeles. We'll commence another test firing in a few hours once my men determine what to do about this issue."

	While [i]Los Asesinos Silenciosos[/i] had initially been intended to be an entirely secret operation to veil the Illesian development of effective and offensive submarines, with the [i]Newsita Nationale[/i] paper blowing the lid off their cover, the submarine research division of the Illesian Navy had ceased trying to be completely secret about their development and instead now operated quite overtly, though security had been tightened significantly in the test facility in order to keep out pesky reporters. The personnel of [i]Los Asesinos Silenciosos[/i] and Admiral Castago of the Naval Triumvirate remained steadfast in their mission of developing the first effective military submarine.

[b][u]Illesian Advisors Land in Helrox, Make Headway Towards Flegleen[/u][/b]

[h3]July 21st[/h3]
	Major General L'Etadre stepped briskly off the bridge leading from the [i]IV Winter's Glory[/i] in a Helroxi port not far from the borders of the Republic of Escya, followed closely by his fellow military advisors. At the other end of the bridge awaited... no one, to which Major General L'Etadre could only balk as he muttered to himself, "Dear God, did the Helroxi not send anyone to receive us?" The advisors were forced to arrange for transport to Flegleen on their own, partially contributing to the time it took to travel there.

[h3]July 24th[/h3]
	When the advisors finally arrived in Flegleen, they arrived to find a city stricken by rioting protestors struggling with provincial police, forcing the small group to find a map of Flegleen from a local and plan a route to the military headquarters after talking to a few people who knew the area. In order to not attract attention, the advisors stowed their military garb and took on Helroxi civilian clothes, making their way carefully through the city while trying to avoid the worst hit areas. Finally, they would arrive at the Helroxi military HQ, convincing the guards to let them in by showing the Illesian military uniforms, medals, and ribbons they had stored in bags on their back. Upon entering, they changed back into their Illesian military uniforms, marching furiously into the building to consult with the foolish Helroxi and figure out how to salvage the situation.