KEY GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

Elkhand Palace
The King's day-to-day residence and office

Oldknow House
The Prime Minister's day-to-day residence and office

Coeur de Lion House
Main building of the Office of Foreign Affairs

THE APOSTOLIC CROWN OF ANGLETER

The Apostolic Crown of Angleter is the legal term for the executive branch of the Apostolic Kingdom of Angleter, consisting of the monarch and the government that exercises authority in his name.

Current ministers of the Apostolic Crown are as follows:

HM King George V

Prime Minister: Mr Emryc Isla

Junior Minister for the Civil Service: Mrs Mary Heartfield
Junior Minister for Parliament: Mr Cajetan Norbert
Junior Minister for the Provinces: Mr Mark Derzi

Minister for the Treasury: Mr Max Bernier

Junior Minister for Business and Industry: Mr George Maconan
Junior Minister for Natural Resources: Miss Catherine Frangia
Junior Minister for Financial Services: Mr Albert Neri

Minister for Foreign Affairs: Mr Nigel Martin

Junior Minister for International Trade: Mrs Eleanor Robertson
Junior Minister for European Affairs: Mr Hrayr Cruthin

Minister for Interior Affairs: Miss Martha Lane

Junior Minister for Justice: Mr Sam Frobisher
Junior Minister for Policing: Mr Bal Baines
Junior Minister for Border Security: Mr Peter George

Minister for Defence: Mr Sergius Bowrell

Junior Minister for National Security: Mrs Alice Montgraf
Junior Minister for Cyber Security: Mr Simon Sabella
Junior Minister for Veterans' Affairs: Mr Paul Haykian

Minister for Education: Mrs Barbara Michael

Junior Minister for Universities and Adult Education: Mr John Bello
Junior Minister for Schools: Miss Milena Harrutt

Minister for Health: Mr Matthew Earle

Junior Minister for Social Care: Mr Andrew Waltheof
Junior Minister for Public Health: Mr Oliver Haddad

Minister for Employment: Mrs Edith Barsamouni

Junior Minister for Social Relief: Mr Calouste Dennis

Minister for Culture: Mr Charles Jacobs

Minister for Integration: Mr Michael Gilbert
Minister for Media and the Arts: Miss Anita Kaur
Minister for Sport: Mr Ray Hodge

Minister for Research and Development: Mr Charles Blacksmith

Minister for Science and Technology: Mrs Maria Bromley
Minister for AI and Computing: Mr Vitus Daniels

Minister for National Infrastructure: Mr John Barsimon

Minister for Energy: Mrs Sophia Gold
Minister for Transport: Miss Caroline d'Abernon
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries: Mr Gregory Ohan
Minister for the Environment: Mr Edward Callett

NVTV BROADCASTING HOUSE
NEO-VENETIA CITY
3.00pm, MONDAY 24TH MARCH

A uniformed man sat behind the news desk.

"Comrades of Neo-Venetia, it is my great honour and pleasure to announce that the workers and soldiers of this country have taken control of the government and the means of production. We have unshackled ourselves from the parasitical regime whose corruption was laid bare in indictments laid by the Ministry of Justice early this morning."

"This morning, corrupt officials were removed from office, and Parliament voted to remove all other government officials from the inherently corrupt MPF, and transfer power to the workers of this country in the person of Tony Moscati, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Neo-Venetia. Comrade Moscati will immediately set about restructuring our constitution along the lines of Marxist-Leninist thought. Workers across the country launched spontaneous strikes in solidarity with the revolutions in Icholasen and Reitzmag, and later this morning joined the revolution and seized control of their workplaces with the help of the revolutionary soldiers of the country and party."

"The so-called Movement for a Popular Front has been replaced by a genuine popular front, including the Communist Party and the Social Republican Party. Comradely soldiers from the Social Republican Army took direct action against the MPF as retribution for its defrauding of the people by demolishing its headquarters this morning. Later this morning, as the former Prime Minister fled the capital in order to arrange a counter-revolutionary coup, comradely soldiers shot down his helicopter and thwarted his efforts to rally right-wing forces to commit violence against the workers and soldiers of this country."

"All military bases have now been secured, and amnesty has been offered to all soldiers from bases that initially opposed the revolution, but have since surrendered. Anyone still engaged in counter-revolutionary activity is advised that this amnesty will conclude at 4pm. After that point, any counter-revolutionary activity will be recognised as treason."

"Civilian comrades are advised to remain indoors until further notice, and to rejoice that the global workers' revolution has spread to our country. Though the battle for the emancipation of the international working class continues, we can glory in the fact that the revolution is victorious here in Neo-Venetia, and that all our efforts as a nation will go towards the good of the working class and the Communist project, both here and across Europe."

The screen faded into a red flag with a hammer and sickle as the Internationale played.

WAR ROOM B
PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE, NEW BIRMINGHAM
10.47am, MARCH 24TH, 2020

"Thanks for the briefing, Director Hassan," said Emryc Isla. "So the long and short of it is the Social Republicans are being asked to assassinate the so-called Prime Minister of Neo-Venetia as part of a Communist coup. I'm going to start by getting some thoughts from the table, here. Nigel?"

Nigel Martin, Minister for Foreign Affairs, looked slightly startled before clearing his throat. "Er, well, this is obviously a big ask. Can we have our people get the SR leadership to refuse?"

"Outright refuse? No. Too out of character; it'd raise suspicions. Not that our agents are our agents, but that they're MPF," replied Director Hassan.

Martha Lane, the Interior Minister, sheepishly put her hand up. "Sorry, MPF? Malbor—"

"Movement for a Popular Front. Governing party in Neo-Venetia. Or at least they were until this morning," Nigel interjected, tersely. "But I mean we can't be complicit in this. We can't sanction the assassination of a head of government."

Sergius Bowrell, the Defence Minister, spoke up. "He's not a head of government. He's a traitor. You know I find it awfully funny that AIC lets its own agents die all the time, we let our own soldiers die in DK all the time, but we all have to sit round a cabinet table and discuss whether we should intervene to save the life of someone who's occupied part of our country for a decade!"

Emryc placed his hand on Sergius' arm to stop him talking. "Sergius. Look, I think we can all understand the sentiment, but I think at the same time we can all understand that, sadly, the real world cares a lot more about what happens to this bloke than most other people. Especially if the SRs take him out in such a spectacular manner."

Sergius shifted his arm back from under Emryc's hand. "I'm all for human life, but the reality is we can't stop this happening. Why should we waste our efforts trying to?"

"We might not be able to stop it happening; but we have to do what we can to at least avert blame," retorted Nigel Martin.

"Nigel's right. We haven't initiated this, that's true. We probably can't stop this, that's also true. But the reason we can't stop it is because the Communists want to do this. Can we throw the ball back into their court somehow? I mean it wouldn't hurt our cause if the new regime in Neo-Venetia was responsible for this."

Alice Montgraf, junior minister for national security, tentatively spoke up. "Why are the Communists trying to get the SRs to do this? It's to cover their own backs, right, and blame the SRs for the worst aspects of the coup. Why would the SRs want to go along with that anyway?"

Martha Lane chimed in. "That seems right. Can we have our agents suggest that the request to assassinate the MPF leader is part of some Communist plot to purge them later?"

Emryc nodded. "Director Hassan, do you think that could work? Would it jeopardise our agents?"

The Director nodded. Emryc gestured to the table. "Are we all OK with this? Sergius?"

The table indicated their assent, and dispersed.

---

MAIN BAR
THE SEAFARER TAVERN, NEO-VENETIA CITY
11.02am, MARCH 24TH, 2020

"I just don't get why you trust this Dalza creature, Spartaco," pleaded Enrico. "We've rooted out our own and now we have to trust the CPNV? I don't get it at all."

Spartaco pounded the table. "ENOUGH! Enrico, enough." He paused for a few seconds. "Does anybody feel the same way as Enrico here."

Silence.

The old, thin, ginger-haired man spoke softly. "It seems to me that they want us to do the dirty work."

"It's the revolution, Carlo," retorted Spartaco. "Of course there will be dirty work! The CPNV are not perfect but we complement each other at this stage. They do the Parliamentary coup, we enforce."

"Yes, that's right. And we know the CPNV are revisionists. We know they will seek the approval of the capitalist world. They will want to stop the Angleterics from invading, so they will want the support of all the bourgeois regimes of the world. So they will have us do their dirty work, and then they will blame us for it, call us terrorists, and kill us all so they can get recognised by Elisabeth Baschet and Paul Craticus."

Enrico interjected. "Whose revolution is it, Spartaco? Ours, or the CPNV's?"

The portly man spoke up. "Can we have some sort of compromise here? Spartaco, you are our Commander-in-Chief, and we will always obey your command; but only if it is your command and not Tony Dalza's. He isn't in our chain of command. I suggest we go to the CPNV and say we will only do this if we have some kind of coalition or merger."

"What, so we formalise the chain of command?" said Enrico, slightly taken aback.

"Or get ourselves annexed by the CPNV," added Carlo, through gritted teeth.

"No, I like this," said Spartaco. "Let's make it our revolution too, yes? We fight together. We have ministerial office together."

Enrico and Carlo exchanged glances. A few seconds of silence.

"Fine," said Carlo. "But CPNV have to be involved in this action. Someone, some people from their units. Let's get receipts. Show we are truly united. The membership will need that."

"Will you do that, Spartaco?" asked Enrico.

Spartaco nodded.

---

PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE
NEO-VENETIA CITY
11.09am, MARCH 24TH, 2020

"What do you mean, merge?" asked a perplexed Tony Moscati.

"Basically, yeah," replied John Dalza over speakerphone, "they'll only do what needs to be done if it's a joint operation with some of our men, and if we commit to giving them ministerial portfolios, forming a coalition, forming a joint command structure for our forces, and so on."

"Ughhhhhhhhhhhh," responded Tony, head in his hands.

"They just think we're going to purge them straight after the revolution."

"Well, duh." The phonecall went silent for a few seconds before Tony continued. "Problem is they know that what needs to be done... needs to be done. I mean at least they're willing to engage. God, why have they got so fucking smart? Normally they love doing this mad shit."

"Maybe we can split them once this is over. Smart ones vs mad ones."

"Ha. OK. We can agree to their terms and send a token unit to be complicit on our side, if that's what has to be done. We can call them a rogue unit if needs be. Which is your least favourite unit?"

"Errr...."

"Never mind, it's going to have to be Acco at this point. Just based on where the chopper is. Get a few guys from Acco to meet up with the SR unit."

---

PRIME MINISTERIAL HELICOPTER
NEAR ACCO, NEO-VENETIA
11.22am, MARCH 24TH, 2020

"My fellow citizens, this is your Prime Minister speaki— DAMN IT. Look I can't be arsed with recording this, it's too turbulent. We need to get the message out now."

"Sir, it's important we stick to the scr—"

"Fuck the script. We'll do it live. In fact, I'll do it live right now."

The PM turned on Facebook Live.

"My fellow citizens, this is your Pr— KHKHKHKHKHKHK— -ster speaking. Our nation is under attack by extreme Comm— KHKHKHKH— -orces, probably backed by Angleteric imperialists. Please tak— KHKHKHKH— streets now to pr— KHKHKHKKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHK—"

The Facebook Live feed went black. An explosion could be heard in the background before it cut out completely.

April 1st, 2020
Article by: Nicholas Alamaldin

---

DEMOCRAT MPs IN PARTY EXODUS

Robert Rice is facing an uphill battle to hold onto his party

---

44 Democratic Party MPs, including former leader Maria Sakrakur, have left ðe party en masse following a failed attempt to remove Richard Rice as party leader.

Ðe lawmakers are predominantly perceived as being on ðe party's conservative and populist wings, and ðeir mass exodus marks ðe denouement of ðe party's long-running identity crisis, which has seen a breakdown of party discipline amid constant running battles between conservatives, populists, and liberals in ðe party ranks. Mr Rice, seen as a leader of ðe party's liberal wing, was narrowly elected leader less ðan a year ago.

As a series of coups and uprisings across Europe, including in Neo-Venetia, have raised political tensions in Angleter, Mr Rice's outspoken support for ðe overþrow of Archbishop Paul Craticus in Inquista, for ðe exiled Whiteford government in Icholasen, and particularly for ðe separatist MPF in Neo-Venetia is reported to have pushed conservative Democrats into a 'do or die' attempt to force Mr Rice to resign last night.

Failing to gaðer ðe necessary support to force a leadership election, ðe 44 lawmakers have now left ðe party. Ðey include former leader Maria Sakrakur, and former ministers Michael Gourieli and Vitus Duryzatehende. Prominent liberals, including Barbara Cedarne, have remained loyal to Mr Rice, as have former Prime Ministers Navdeep Khatkar and Levon Bagratian.

In a statement, ðe 44 defectors accused Mr Rice of "transforming ðe Democratic Party from a statesmanlike centre-right party ðat reflects ðe values of ðis country, into a vehicle for his own personal obsessions." Ðey declared ðeir intention to form a new party, which would "restore ðe mainstream, moderate voice ðat ðe Democratic Party was founded to repesent."

A counter-statement from ðe Democratic Party dismissed ðe lawmakers as "irrelevant ultra-conservatives who rode ðe Democratic Party name into office, and will quickly find ðey are noþing wiðout it." Ðe statement blasted ðe defection as "mass delusion" and "an ego trip," and added ðat "ðese traitors of ðe worst kind have no place in Angleteric politics or in ðe Democratic movement, which is committed, always, to ðe promotion of democratic values in Angleter and across ðe region."

Ðe defection presents boþ danger and opportunity for ðe Prime Minister, who will see ðe 44 defecting MPs as natural allies to shore up his shaky minority government, which relies on ðe confidence of most Democrat MPs. However, if Mr Rice is able to transform ðe winnowed Democratic ranks into a more disciplined, more ideologically liberal party, ðen he may be able to eiðer force Mr Isla into coalition negotiations, or compel his rump of 91 MPs to switch support to Kirpal Chanon's SDP.

In a message on Facebook, Mr Chanon encouraged ðe Democrats to endorse him as Prime Minister. "Robert Rice – let's talk. While some of your former MPs might not agree wið you on much, we share your progressive vision for Angleter. Let's work togeðer to make it happen," followed by a þumbs-up emoji.

Ðe Prime Minister, meanwhile, has remained quiet; alðough ðe Citizen Alliance Facebook account encouraged ðe 44 former Democrats to join ðe governing party. Ðe Government considered ðe ousted Craticus government in Inquista a major geopolitical and ideological ally, a relationship ðat was reflected in Mr Isla receiving ðe Order of Inquista in 2018 – a move which met sharp criticism from many of ðe Inquistan politicans who supported Archbishop Craticus' removal from office. Ðe allegations ðat Archbishop Craticus was part of ðe Crusade Against Corruption terrorist group, which committed a number of atrocities in ðe early 2010s, are also sure to rock ðe Government.

Ðe Office of ðe Apostolic Crown have repeatedly informed ðe press ðat a statement from ðe Prime Minister concerning developments in boþ Inquista and Neo-Venetia is due 'soon', but have refused to give a specific time for ðese.

Should ðese developments break Mr Isla's stride, ðey would halt a run of successful polls for ðe Prime Minister. Ðe most recent poll, from Wordstreet, put ðe Citizen Alliance on 44%, followed by ðe SDP on 19%, ðe Coalition for Socialism and Liberation up to 17%, and ðe Democrats in fourþ on 16%. While no polls have been conducted since ðe Democrats' dramatic split; a hypoþetical poll from January by Canvassus put a 'liberal' Democrat faction on 11% and a 'conservative' Democrat faction on 8%; wið ðe Citizen Alliance on 42%, ðe SDP on 19%, and ðe CSL on 14%.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
NEO-VENETIA CITY
9.30am, MARCH 24TH, 2020

“I don’t recognise this pass, do you, Comrade?”

“No, looks fake to me.”

Anton Nesbit, the leader of the Coalition for the Unification of Neo-Venetia and Angleter, was nonplussed.
“I don’t… but… I’m Anton fucking Nesbit! Everyone knows who I am!”

“Careful, sir. Don’t speak to us like that.”

“I mean, are you even real guards; I’ve never seen either of you before. Are you part of the coup? What the Hell is going on?” Nesbit attempted to barge past the guards and swipe his pass on the machine, prompting one of the guards to manhandle him away from the gate.

“Mr Anton Nesbit, if that is your real name, I’m afraid I’m going to have to arrest you for forgery, for impersonating a deputy of the National Assembly, and for assault.” The guard punched Nesbit in the back of the head, knocking him out instantly, handcuffed him, and carried him over to a prison van. He opened the back of the van and threw Nesbit in, where he joined several other MPs.

The guard who had knocked Nesbit out was beckoned over by another guard, who whispered in his ear.
“Look, if anyone doesn’t want to end up like that impostor, I’d strongly advise you all to disperse and return to your homes.”

One deputy protested. “But the day’s proceedings are starting ri—”

The guard pointed a rifle at the deputy, who stopped talking instantly, his face going white as a sheet. The deputies all turned away from the gate, save the one who’d spoken up, who remained frozen in place for a further 10 seconds before shaking his head and turning away.

Inside, the chamber of the National Assembly was virtually empty, except for on the Communist benches, where most deputies had arrived early and found no trouble getting through the gates. A small number of MPF, CUNVA, and DPNV deputies were also sat in the chamber.

The Deputy Presiding Officer of the National Assembly, Dominic Dalfarra, assumed the Presiding Officer’s chair in the absence of the actual Presiding Officer, who was in the back of the prison van with Anton Nesbit.
Dalfarra was flanked by two red beret wearing soldiers, an unusual sight in the chamber.

“I call to order this day’s sitting. I have received a submission for an urgent debate on Corruption from Henry Visentin. I have decided to grant this motion. Mr Visentin, you have the floor.”

“HANG ON ONE MINUTE—” interrupted one of the DPNV deputies.

“Deputy, you will not talk to the chair like that!”

“I would like to raise a point of order.”

“Go on.”

“There is obviously no quor—”

One of the guards fired gunshots into the air, causing chaos among the MPF and opposition deputies.

“Does anybody else have a point of order?” asked Dalfarra. “No? Mr Visentin, please continue.”

Visentin walked up to the Presiding Officer’s chair and handed Dalfarra a document. He explained that he was introducing an omnibus bill that included a vote of no-confidence in the Prime Minister and all non-Communist ministers, installing Tony Moscati as Prime Minister, suspending the constitution, and enabling the full, unconditional, and indefinite use of emergency powers by the new Prime Minister.

“I must protest, this i—”

A guard fired into the air.

“THIS IS PROFOUNDLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL.” An MPF deputy persisted over the warning shots until the Deputy Presiding Officer motioned for them to stop. “Thank you, Mr Deputy Presiding Officer. This is profoundly unconstitutional – emergency debates have never been used to introduce legislation, and we are clearly not quor—”

The guards started firing into the air again. The ceiling of the chamber started to crack and crumble slightly.

“By my interpretation of the regulations, what Mr Visentin is doing is perfectly legitimate. I do not need advice on what has and has not been done in the past. Now, I will allow this debate to run until 10am, at which point we will vote. I will assign this Bill to the, er, er, er, Culture Committee, and should it pass both this reading and committee stage, we will reconvene for a final vote at 10.30am.”

“The Culture Committee? Why?” asked one CUNVA deputy.

A DPNV deputy shouted over at him: “There’s no non-Communist members of that committee here.”

The debate and votes proceeded exactly as the Communists had intended. The Bill passed its first reading 41-26, passed committee stage unanimously, and was then nodded through on a voice vote at its final reading, due to a boycott by the non-Communist deputies.

---

ST MARK’S STREET
NEO-VENETIA CITY
10.36am, MARCH 24TH, 2020

Communist deputies, swiftly escaping the crumbling National Assembly chamber, entered their new ministries, escorted by gendarmes and soldiers.

The main body of the Communist-friendly forces, however, advanced on the Prime Minister’s Office, ready to install Tony Moscati as the new head of government.

As soon as they could reach the gates, however, a helicopter took off, with the ostensibly outgoing Prime Minister, his family, and his chief advisors on board.

The gendarmes, soldiers, and Red Brigades stormed the office and residence, but found only junior advisors. Moscati occupied the office nonetheless, and dialled the Interior Ministry.

“Tony! Yes!” cried out John Dalza.

“Let’s call it a qualified ‘yes’ for now,” replied Moscati. “The old PM’s gone off in a helicopter. Looks like he’s headed up the coast, to the northwest.”

“Damn it. They control most of the bases up there.”

“What have we got from the provinces, John?”

“It’s still just the nine bases of 25, Tony. No news from the unclear ones yet either. The strikers have cleared a few of the mining towns in the mountains and obviously in the capital we control the inner city on the east bank of the river now; but, well, I’m concerned, Tony.”

“We could end up being holed up in here if we don’t press our advantage.”

“Right.”

“That helicopter can’t land, can it?”

“We can’t really afford to let it stay in the air that long at all. What if he puts out a message and rallies the right?”

“Hmmm. Can we indict him? Say he’s a fugitive?”

“We haven’t got anything on him. Unless you can use the advisors against him? Get an allegation from one of them?”

“No time. John…”

“Tony?”

“Why not ask your guys if they can do anything about it?”

“The Interior? I told you, we can’t get anyth—”

“I mean your other guys.”

“Oh, right. I’ll talk to them. You mean my, er, er, special friends from earlier, right?”

“Right.”

“And we’re clear that the helicopter must not land, right?”

“Right.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Red: territory and bases controlled by pro-Communist forces as of 10.30am, March 24th
Yellow: bases controlled by loyalist forces
Grey: bases where the situation is unclear

Nation: Neo-Venetia
Representative 1 name: Tony Moscati
Representative 1 position: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Neo-Venetia
(Optional) Representative 2 name: Alan "Spartaco" Zambon
(Optional) Representative 2 position: Chairman of the Military Bureau of the Social Republican Party of Neo-Venetia

INTERIOR MINISTRY
NEO-VENETIA CITY
7.01am, MARCH 24TH, 2020

"OK, Tony, can you explain to everyone what's happened so far?" John Dalza finished his introduction to the Communist conference call.

"Certainly. So, we've had mixed results from the army. There are, as we know, 25 barracks across the country. Unfortunately, we've only had positive news from 9. There are red flags flying over 9 barracks, our movement has been held back in 11, and we've heard nothing from the other 5 thus far."

"Did you see, Tony? John? Everyone? What they did to our boys in Verone?" One voice weighed in.

"Look," John Dalza intervened. "As I think we all know by now, I've recruited the SRs to our cause."

Audible groans dominated the phone lines.

"BUT!" said John, "But they are useful for things like dealing with the criminals in the Serenissima barracks. Sometimes there's a moment for disorganised rabbles."

"Anyway, Georgia, as you know, Local Government has had some difficulty convincing the mayors and municipalities to join the revolution. In the nine military districts we now control, we're sending out small platoons of soldiers and gendarmes to either win them over or replace them. We're going to wait for the dust to settle over the next few hours before we deal with the other 16 districts."

Tony Moscati chimed in. "John's right. The reality is we cannot expect any control over the 16 military districts we've failed to take in the last half hour. Our gendarmes are strong, the Red Brigades are strong, and the Social Republicans are also here, but that's a second order concern right now. Our main focus at the moment is the capital. John, can you fill us in on that?"

"Well, we have pretty much every government department either under our control or operating under our shadow. Most of the MPF leadership has been arrested, save Nick Giallo, who's, er, no longer with us. The MPF, er, no longer have a HQ, either, courtesy of our Social Republican friends. The aim now is to besiege the National Assembly and the PM's office. The next phase starts at 9am."