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The Consulate of the Founderless Regions Alliance

Founderless Regions Alliance Update - 1st December 2013

Hello,

My name is Flowering Staplers and I have been elected as the new Arch Chancellor of the FRA. I've been defending now for four (ish) years on and off with the FRA and serve within the UDL as Militia. I was awarded Ranger of the Year in 2012 and was runner up in FRAvision of that year. I run a successful NationStates Blog called NS Moments which gives me a place to spot all those little weird things about NationStates.

Elections have just come to an end with a new cabinet in place. It was close between the two Speaker candidates however Ironicness pulled away from Seneca to win the role. He has announced his deputy, Christian Democrats. There were no confirmed nominations for the role of Regional Liason Officer and so nominations will reopen soon. If you feel you can talk to regions you've never been to before, have motivation that can last two months, and enjoy talking about food you could be a perfect candidate! Tim and Guy tested their brain powers for the role of Intelligence Minister, with Guy pulling ahead with a 7-1 vote. Karputsk is back as the Chief of Defence, I'm sure the term will be equally as successful as the last. The role of Vice-Chancellor has been selected. Guy has agreed to take on the role as well as his Intelligence duties.

I would like to thank Falconias and his cabinet for the work they did last term and I hope to build on that this term.

Within my term I do not want to see the FRA past page 10 in Gameplay (I thought sedge had archived it within a secret area until I found it...). So frequent updates, with the same FRA that you know and (even secretly) love. But it's not just me that makes the FRA machine work. I want to see the recruitment office do more than sit there. With no elected official, and the term continuing from the last RLO. I will sit in those shoes and keep the office ticking over until someone permanent can step in. I love that the Rangers have themed flag and nation days. I want to keep that going. Right now we're not doing great against tag raids and so energy needs to be put back into the Rangers (I hope you feel up to it Karp!) to prevent us from having to detag.

Discussion is beginning on the Defender Awards of 2014, this can be found here! (clicky!) The awards have been hugely successful in the past and hopefully will break another Awards record for this year. If you do not want to join the forum then please let us know by the Gameplay forum any improvements you want to make or things you love.

In other news, the FRA has been on several defences against the many many tag raids that have been thrown our way and several liberations. The Regional Assembly has been lagging in activity recently however it will hopefully pick up with a new cabinet in place. The RA are currently discussing how to make the position of Regional Liason Officer look appealing and nominations have just reopened for that position.

Thank you for reading.

Flowering Staplers
Arch Chancellor and Queen of Awkward

You're Flowering Staplers?

I kid, I kid...seriously, best of luck to the new Arch-Chancellor. I hope it goes much better than Falconias' failed tenure at the helm.

You're Flowering Staplers?

Oh yeah. Nobody saw that coming. 

I sure as hell didn't.

I hope it goes much better than Falconias' failed tenure at the helm.

I wouldn't call it failed as much as over-ambitious given the time he ended up having available. Of course Falc didn't know in advance how hard the evil daemon known as Real Life would hit him.

As I understand it, his agenda was to negotiate with the UIAF and to start a home-grown defender region, both of which I could've told him would fail as soon as he announced it.

In my own personal experience as former President of Spiritus, I've found negotiating with the UIAF or the core imperialists regions (LKE/TNI) to be an exercise in futility. They're simply too paranoid of defenders to be able to negotiate in any sort of good faith. I tried to make relations with TNI in particular a centerpiece of my Spiritan foreign policy, only to be slapped with a second-class "defender on visa" masking. We cut relations with them to keep up their appearance of supporting GV in Osiris with their approval, only to then have them refuse to restore relations afterwards. During the last serious talks to restore relations, it was put forward that Spiritus should apologize for a number of minor things that apparently annoyed TNI, LKE, or Onder personally, even though the latter two weren't involved in any way, shape, or form with the discussions. I then found myself personally banned on their forums, supposedly because they mistakenly thought I was a member of the UDL.

I read that the FRA ran into many similar issues in their summit, and I regret that the negotiations were a failure, but in my experience I've seen nothing that would suggest the UIAF is capable of negotiating in good faith. This outcome was to be expected, I'm afraid.

As for the home-grown defender region...quite frankly, the FRA should refrain from trying to grow their own regions and instead improve relations and integration with existing non-FRA defender regions. Building a region on its own takes so much time, work, and a level of near-obsessive attention that no one person could do it, especially people that have their responsibilities split between the region and the FRA. But even worse, the goal here wasn't just to have a region, but to churn out defenders for the FRA, meaning that in addition to selling the region to new players, you have to sell military gameplay and defending in particular to them, concepts that in my experience new players have difficulty with understanding right up front. I don't honestly see how In Defense of NationStates could have ever been considered a success no matter how much time Falconias or the FRA had to put into it...the concept itself makes it difficult for it to achieve what may be considered a success.

This is just my opinion, and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's more a matter of poor ideas than not having enough time to make them successful.

TNI & LKE are pains in the dick. Albion is pretty chill, however.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that the 8th annual Defender Awards shall begin on the 1st February! The Awards are hosted by the Founderless Regions Alliance and those wishing to participate are welcome to register on our forums. I will be sure to add a link straight to the subforum when the Awards open and shall announce the Awards beginning here as well.

The Awards allow us a chance to reflect on the previous year while also recognising hard work and success, but also are a chance to have a bit of fun. Everyone is welcome to participate - regardless of whatever side you happen to identify with - and not all of the Awards recognise just Defender success/failure.

This year there are four notable changes, specifically we see two new awards introduced, namely the; "Can't We All Just Get Along Award" and the "Tin Foil Hat Award", while the "WASC Award" is to be shelved this year and the "Worst Invasion" award is to be renamed to the "Worst Operation" award in order to avoid controversies surrounding it last year.

The Defender of the Year Award

The formerly named 'EuroSoviets' award is given to the nation who is viewed by the NS community as the one nation who has helped the defender cause the most in the last year.

The Ananke Award

The Ananke Award is given to those nations who spend their own time looking out for any invasions that are taking place. This normally means staying up till very late and sacrificing their sleep for the greater good.

The Anarchotopia Award

This award is given to the region or organisation which has proved the most successful in preventing invasions.

The Blackbird Award

A special award that is given to the invader group which the NS community considers the best out there due to whatever reason.

The Sir Lans Award

The old 'Updater of the Year Award' is for the person who has been involved in more update missions than any other, and has shown dedication to be there if they are needed.

The Operation of the Year

The mission which stands out from all others from the last year due to the success, the numbers involved or any other reason.

The Best Newcomer(s) Award

Given to the region, nation or organisation which has appeared within the last year, and impressed the defender community the most. This award has two recipients.

The Dipes Award

Given to the nation whom has best served the Defender Intelligence cause.

The Worst Operation Award

The award given to the operation which was classed as the worst due to defender mistakes, invader cunning or any other reason.

The Worst Invader Group Award

The award given to a group of Invaders for abysmal failure and/or being a large annoyance overall.

The Best Defender Quote

A light hearted award, given to the nation whose quote or motto has been considered strange, funny or different.

The Meltdown of the Year Award

Given to a nation, region or organisation which has self-imploded in spectacular (and often hilarious) style.

The Lifetime Achievement Award for Dedication to Defending

The award given to the nation who has been a dedicated servant to the defender cause for many years, often sacrificing different luxuries in order to help as much as they can.

The Can't We All Just Get Along Award

Successor to the Defender Unity award seen only in the first Awards, this award is given to whichever organisation, region or player is deemed to have contributed and improved the unity and solidarity of the Defender cause as a whole.

The Tinfoil Hat Award

Similar to the Defender Quote of the Year Award, this Award is a light hearted to recognise the funnier and best conspiracies suggested by or about Defenders.

Quite a list and I am all ready excited to see some of the nominations.

I don't really have much more to say but here's a schedule to peruse!

February 1st: Awards and nominations begin.
February 14th: Nominations close and voting is opened.
February 28th: Voting closes
March 1st: Awards ceremony

That was easier than I thought. Anyways, I look forward to seeing some of you participating!

From the Office of the Arch Chancellor - 25/01/2014

Greetings from the FRA and from everyone here I wanted to wish you a (very) belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. As you might be able to tell from the lack of update the FRA has been very busy of late. Despite the likes of exams and other such annoyances we were able to complete elections, finalise the details surrounding the upcoming Defender awards and we even found the time to defend.

Going into the January elections I am sure nobody expected what was to be an election season of surprises. The biggest surprise to be had was in the Chief of Defence election where a joint ticket of Tim/Kogvuron was beaten by abstain - triggering a snap election. Despite being the only ticket the concerns raised over their commitment and involvement with the Alliance were enough to put voters off. In the following period of nominations Frattastan and Guy offered to stand as joint ticket and were approved without incident by the Regional Assembly. In the race for Minister of Intelligence we saw Milograd (yes, Milograd) join Wabbitslayah on a joint ticket. Despite most Assembly members fainting or otherwise fleeing upon Milograd's acceptance we managed to get them to vote and the ticket was approved easily.
With two joint tickets already you would assume that would be the end of joint tickets - and you would be right. In the elections for Regional Liaison Officer we saw incumbent The Saturnian Republic reconfirmed in an unopposed election, while the Speaker election proved to be the most hotly contested with Seneca beating the incumbent Iro and Christian Democrats. Last but by no means least I was elected as Arch Chancellor and was the only candidate for the position.

I am extremely happy with the Cabinet I will be working with this term and would like to congratulate them again and offer commiserations to those that missed out. With the addition of several Deputies and the return of Dyr Nasad as Vice Chancellor, I am sure this will be a good term for the Alliance.

As many of you are well aware December through January is a sleepy period for Nationstates and gradually work within the FRA is beginning to get into gear. The Regional Liaison Office is kick-starting the Regional Development Project of terms past in the Global Right Alliance - one of our founding members and a region rich with history and infamous in its own right.  Additionally, we will be actively looking for new regions interested in joining the Alliance. If you are interested in aid or joining the Alliance be sure to contact myself or our Regional Liaison Officer - The Saturnian Republic. 

The Rangers remain an active and organised force and were a core component of recent large missions including Asia, Makhnovia and Coalition of Leftist Comrades. The first of those missions was triggered by myself and it was great to see so many Defender groups putting aside past differences and coming together to end what would have been a substantial grief if left unchecked. Despite many players predicting the death of Defenderdom we were able to bring the year to a close with a resounding show of strength, determination and cooperation. I think it is fair to say the FRA was a big part of this and going into 2014 I am confident we have a strong base from which to build upon.

Of course, with the close of another year that means the Defender Awards are soon to be upon us. I imagine some of you had thought we had forgotten about them but we have been hard at work ironing out the last few details and now that exams, the Holidays and everything else is out of the way we will commence the awards on February 1st. I want to keep the changes a surprise for now, but I can reveal that we will introducing two new awards and slightly altering some older ones. If that's not enough and you are particularly impatient then you can find the discussions and its final conclusions on our forums.

There only remains one thing to be said and that is good bye, but before I do so I would just like to thank the Rangers, Cabinet ministers both present and past, our Regional Assembly representatives, our Allies and everyone who has been a part of the FRA in 2013. You made it a thoroughly enjoyable year and despite many predicting our demise before last year even began, we have persevered through your hard work and determination.


Thanks for reading.

Karputsk
Arch Chancellor

The Defender Awards are now officially open!

The forums can be found here. If you are having any issues accessing the Awards please contact  Karputsk.

Good luck to all nominees and have fun!

Wintreath/Wintermoot are contestants for Newcomer of the Year!!

Good luck to all

Sorry for the lateness but busy weekend. The nominations are now officially closed and so we commence the voting.

Voting will close on March 2nd at midnight GMT, and will be followed by the Awards Ceremony.

There are a number of avenues by which you can vote:

1) Send a Private Message to the 'Ballot Collector' on the FRA forum.

2) Send a Private Message to 'Karputsk' on the regional forums of 10000 Islands, Texas, The Rejected Realms, Lazarus or the UDL.

3) Send a Telegram Message to the nation 'Defender Awards 2014'.

http://www.nationstates.net/nation=defender_awards_2014



In your message please indicate clearly the names of those who you wish to vote for.

Please remember there is one vote for every award - if you vote for more than one person for a specific award, then those votes will be discounted.

You can only vote for those people who are nominated - write-in nominations will not be accepted.

The confirmed nominations list is here.

Please note: Although there are a number avenues by which it is possible to vote only one vote per award per person is permitted. All ballots received via telegram will be vetted to ensure they are not puppet accounts, and any votes from people I suspect have already voted will be discounted.

Happy voting!

Thank you for the update.