Thread: Recruiting an AnimeB Strike Witches Force

This is an old-fashioned AnimeB project in the spirit of 2006.

In order to participate you need to:

* Gather some basic knowledge about the "Strike Witches" franchise.
* Study carefully the Strike Witches world map (link below).
* Read carefully at least three character entries of the List of Strike Witches Characters (link below).

File:StrikeWitchesWorldMap.JPG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of Strike Witches characters - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What to do:

* Choose your nationality. Your own is preferred, but in case you are a long-time fan of a foreign air force or flying ace, that is a perfectly acceptable choice. If our sources have no Strike Witches style name for your home country, please discuss the question with me via profile messages or this thread.

* Create a strike witch according to the example provided in the List of Strike Witches Characters. Keeping up the spirit of the series, coming up with correct historical references, and general innovativeness (including humor) will be rewarded in different ways. Minimum requirements for an entry are choosing your pilot archetype, transforming his (her) name into a new female name used in the culture in question, and mentioning the pre-1950 aircraft your striker unit is based on. Thinking of a background story is a good thing.

* Do not pick up a military rank. Ranks come later.

* Possibilities for deepening the project are endless. Join the Strike Witches, I am guiding the force development as best as I can.

EDIT:

* Specifications recommended for a beginner entry:

- Name
- Nationality
- Age
- Familiar [animal]
- Striker unit model [pre-1950 aircraft]
- Primary arm [pre-1950]
- Secondary arm [pre-1950; optional]
- Pilot archetype

* In addition to these, post an overall depiction including some backround information, 700 to 900 characters total including spaces.

Version 2.2. (14th January 2010)

1.
Name: Aura Eriikka Nuorala
Nationality: Suomus
Age: 18
Familiar: Wolverine - Wolverine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Striker unit model: Brewster Buffalo - Brewster Buffalo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Primary arm: Lahti L-39 anti-tank rifle - Lahti L-39 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Secondary arm: none
Pilot archetype: Aaro Eerikki Nuorala - List of World War II aces from Finland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Character created by: Katajainen (Khamůl)

2.
Name: Erica Jamie Brianna Nicholson
Nationality: Britannia
Age: 17
Familiar: Pointer - Pointer (dog) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Striker unit model: Hawker Hurricane Mk1 (revised) - Hawker Hurricane - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Primary arm: Bren Mk1 light machine gun - Bren light machine gun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Secondary arm: none
Pilot archetype: Eric James Brindley Nicolson - Eric James Brindley Nicolson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Character created by: hinarei

3.
Name: Jean Elysse Blackburn
Nationality: Liberion
Age: 16
Familiar: Golden Retriever - Golden Retriever - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Striker unit model: Chance Vought F4U Corsair - F4U Corsair - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Primary arm: M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle - M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Secondary arm: M1911A1 semi-automatic pistol - M1911 pistol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; or a naval saber - Sabre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pilot archetype: John Thomas "Tommy" Blackburn - List of World War II aces from the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; Tom Blackburn - C.O. of Jolly Rogers, Fighting Squadron 17 (VF-17) in WW2
Character created by: Okazaki Tomoya

4.
Name: Hiroko Yoshizawa
Nationality: Fuso
Age: 17
Familiar: Kai Inu - Kai Ken - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; Kai Inu
Striker unit model: Mitsubishi A6M "Zero-sen" - A6M Zero - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Primary arm: Katana - Katana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Secondary arm: 13 mm Type 99 Machine Gun
Pilot archetype: Hiroyoshi Nishizawa - Hiroyoshi Nishizawa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Character created by: Sakurazaki

5.
Name: Phelia 'Felli' Sommer
Nationality: Jutland? [to be discussed]
Age: 17
Familiar: Lynx - Eurasian Lynx - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Striker unit model: Spitfire Mk Vb - Supermarine Spitfire (early Merlin powered variants) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Primary arm: Hispano-Suiza HS.404 - Hispano-Suiza HS.404 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4W_JRbA-QYc/Sg...uiza+HS404.jpg
Secondary arm: M1919 Browning machine gun - M1919 Browning machine gun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pilot archetype: Poul Sommer - Danish WW2 Pilots | Profiles
Character created by: Suigintou

6.
Name: Haley Campbell
Nationality: Liberion
Age: 16
Familiar: American Pit Bull Terrier - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pit_Bull_Terrier
Striker unit model: Grumman F6F Hellcat (standard blue) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F6F_Hellcat
Primary arm: M1919 Browning medium machine gun (modified: trigger mechanism, ammo storage and grip) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun
Secondary arm: M1941 Johnson light machine gun (modified: stock length increased to be cradled by underarm) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1941_Johnson_machine_gun
Pilot archetype: David McCampbell - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McCampbell
Character created by: t0k0l0v3r

7.
Name: Karin Kittel
Nationality: Karlsland
Age: 17
Familiar: Tiger - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger
Striker unit model: Blohm & Voss P.194 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blohm_&_Voss_P.194
Primary arm: Raketenpanzerbüchse (RPzB) aka Panzerschreck - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzerschreck
Secondary arm: none
Pilot archetype: Otto "Bruno" Kittel - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Kittel
Character created by: Aeris Aisaka

is the following what you're after, Kata? Let me know if it's too long, too detailed, or not what you want from the recruits

================

Name: Erica Jamie Brianna Nicholson
Nationality: Britannia
Age: 17
Archetype: Eric James Brindley Nicolson - Eric James Brindley Nicolson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Unit: Hawker Hurricane Mk1 (revised)
Familiar: Pointer
Arms: Bren Mk1 light machine gun

Erica, or "JB", is a generally happy 17 year old from the lake region of Brittania. JB is a straightforward, personable girl, happiest in company or when working as part of a team. She has several brothers, so is used to rough and tumble (or bullying, as she is likely to put it).

JB joined up soon after her village started taking in refugees. As people swarmed in from other parts of Britannia, Gallia and even as far away as Fuso, she saw the devastation as clearly as if she was on the front line. When her elder brothers joined the fight against the Neuroi, she did too, unknown to her parents.

Able to spot an enemy well before it appears on the most sensitive of radar equipment, JB's talents lie more in spotting and securing targets in combination with power fighters rather than lone dogfighting. She has good eyesight and exceptional spatial awareness.

Originally Posted by hinarei

Let me know if it's too long, too detailed, or not what you want from the recruits

If anything, you are doing it better right from the beginning than I expect the average recruit to.

Thank you, Miss Nicolson, and welcome to the Strike Witches!

(I already read the entry but will give it more thought later.)

excellent!

[action=hinarei]salutes [/action]

Uh. I have spent much more time on this than can be seen, browsing through most of the Finnish VL aeroplane models and more. I guess I will choose the US plane Brewster Buffalo after all.

Brewster Buffalo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The expression unit animal should be replaced. The witches' animal features become visible every time they use magic, not only when flying or engaged in battle. But what should the replacing term be? totem animal is a possibility, but there is something about it I do not like in this context.

Let it be documented here, too, that we shall use Dominion of Magellania as the name for Australia unless something clearly better or in-canon is brought up. Portugal would logically be Lusitania, but as Western Europe is already stuffed with Latin names, I could also think of something like Terra de Afonso (an analogy of Karlsland.) Suggestions from Portuguese AnimeB members are welcome.

Hinarei, your knowledge in the field outshines me, while others' low interest in old-school aircraft is confusing. I thought all young boys loved Spitfires. Or wait, maybe that was in the era before Commodore 64...

there's plenty of VL craft to choose from, though I have to say it, you're more limited in specifically native buckets than I am. Britain has produced many more examples to pick, an embarrassment of riches, in fact. Far and away our most competent planes were produced in the period immediately before and at the beginning of WWII, I think.

The Brewster was a perfectly reasonable choice. Attempts to modify it weren't all that successful, but if it's not broke, don't fix it. At least Finland made good use of theirs.

I think you have my dad to thank for my interest in planes of this period particularly. Though my knowledge isn't as extensive as I'd like it to be, I do occasionally research into this sort of thing, and the technological leaps that are possible when you have a country's best minds working on a specific task when they need it most are staggering.

I've not yet found a canon reference to much else than is specified on the current map, but the suggestions are acceptable

don't get too carried away with Lusitania, bearing in mind it's links with major loss of life in other contexts... Logically that would be as good a name as any, but the Romagna Empire extended over so much of Europe I agree it would be helpful to have some semblance of originality. Prominent Portuguese members include Chao and NODOKALOVER92, though neither's really logged in recently.

looking forward to you rolling up your character, Kata

Plenty of different VL craft, yes, but Myrsky is the only one that saw serious amounts of battle, and it was not too successful. Yet I did consider it.

Finland was simply too poor a country at the time to produce competent fighter planes, and would probably not have even tried if it had been easier to buy enough from abroad. I would not like to choose a trainer aircraft, such as Pyry.

***

"Unit animal" will be replaced by "familiar". After reading bits of Wikipedia, I found it difficult to choose between "daemon" (cf. "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman) and "familiar spirit". However, people on Animesuki seem to use simply "familiar" in the Strike Witches context. That sounds generic and compact.

***

Last night I did more research on "Strike Witches", and I am feeling devastated when it comes to my character. Out of all possible Finnish aces, they have already used Nils Edvard Katajainen! Oh, that would be okay if they had used him properly, but no. This time, the person in charge has not been conscientious.

As regards Juutilainen, his name had clearly been replaced with thought. Eila is a common first name, whereas Ilmatar is a most logical choice, if rare outside mythology and thus with an exceptional air of solemnity. I can imagine Eila's parents to have been true patriot idealists in the spirit of early XX century (cf. the Finnish Maiden in my sig).

But Nikka Edvardine Katajainen?! All right, let me check the name database of the Finnish Population Register Centre. Nikka: 2 known occasions, both of them decades after WW II. Edvardine: 0 altogether. (Eila: 38,914. Ilmatar: 150.)

I do get minor comfort from seeing this beautiful illustration of Nikka on Danbooru. Let me get over this and check out the resource links I am posting to the main thread... *sigh*

EDIT: My next choice will probably be Aura Eriikka Nuorala, based on Aaro Eerikki Nuorala.

Originally Posted by Khamůl

Finland was simply too poor a country at the time to produce competent fighter planes, and would probably not have even tried if it had been easier to buy enough from abroad. I would not like to choose a trainer aircraft, such as Pyry.

Needs must, and though they took time to at least look into the development of a single-seat fighter, the realities of war meant that Finland had to make use of Naval spares. The Buffaloes they received were lightened and modified (more armour set up in strategic points, but remained essentially the same model as the F2A-1's.

***

"Unit animal" will be replaced by "familiar". After reading bits of Wikipedia, I found it difficult to choose between "daemon" (cf. "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman) and "familiar spirit". However, people on Animesuki seem to use simply "familiar" in the Strike Witches context. That sounds generic and compact.

"Familiar" works much better, especially with the magical connotations. It's not strictly correct, as I understand the term, but it will be better than 'unit animal'.

***

Last night I did more research on "Strike Witches", and I am feeling devastated when it comes to my character. Out of all possible Finnish aces, they have already used Nils Edvard Katajainen! Oh, that would be okay if they had used him properly, but no. This time, the person in charge has not been conscientious.

well, they've done well with the character, but that's such a devastating turn of events >< You were all set up there, surely? Shame, Kata. Shame

I do get minor comfort from seeing this beautiful illustration of Nikka, by Fumikane Shimada, on Danbooru. Let me get over this and check out the resource links I am posting to the main thread... *sigh*

That is a wonderful image. Looks like the detail has been shopped on, but the most important parts still remain

Diligent research, all the same. I daresay my name choices may need looking at again, as I'm not sure of the general dates these were first used in the UK

Here comes my character!!

I have updated the roster message, see Aura Nuorala's profile there.

From now on, the recommended maximum length of the initial depiction, such as the one below, will be 900 characters total, including spaces.

Aura, a tall, blue-eyed brunette wearing a single long braid, is warm-hearted at bottom but quite strained. She hails from the industrial town of Tammerkoski, Suomus, and has just reached the age of 18.

Aura had received thorough if unconventional training from her parents in both witchcraft and marksmanship before the outbreak of the Neuroi offensive. She was one of the first Suomusian witches to receive a striker unit, and has stayed faithful to her somewhat outdated Liberian model, developing her own special battle tactics and training practices.

While not a top ace, Aura is a ruthless warrior, concentrating on the ongoing battle to forget her doubts about the future. Many of Aura's close relatives were victims of political violence. She grew up keeping her special abilities secret and expecting a class war, but all that has changed - at least for the time being.

***

Originally Posted by hinarei

I daresay my name choices may need looking at again, as I'm not sure of the general dates these were first used in the UK

Not necessarily. As with Eila's pantyhose and Lynette's impossible over-knees, slight anachronisms are acceptable, especially if they make the character cuter or sexier.

The true problems with Nikka are that 1) it does not sound like a Finnish given name at all and 2) it is practically nonexistent as one.

Originally Posted by hinarei

well, they've done well with the character, but that's such a devastating turn of events >< You were all set up there, surely?

Duh. Finland happened to have a highly merited ace pilot with the coolest surname ever. Then Japs gave him a fake first name and the middle name of a female hedgehog (at this point, he became "she"), shot her down multiple times and punished her for that by making her clean hangars with a broom instead of flying missions against the Neuroi. Do you think I am going to forgive them merely because they simultaneously created one of the most shagadelic tomboys of the history of entertainment?

I love what you've done with your hair, Ms Nuorala Nice work on the character, Kata. I just realised I didn't put in much of a description for JB, so will have to work on that.

I'm not sure how the name makes the char sexier (at least in this case), but I'll agree with what you said. I was also quite taken with Eila's appearance when she wore Sanya's pantsu

Anyway, I want the character to be as authentic as possible, so I'll look for some other suitable names and make up a description, but that would take me over the initial limit

Originally Posted by Khamůl

Duh. Finland happened to have a highly merited ace pilot with the coolest surname ever. Then Japs gave him a fake first name and the middle name of a female hedgehog (at this point, he became "she"), shot her down multiple times and punished her for that by making her clean hangars with a broom instead of flying missions against the Neuroi. Do you think I am going to forgive them merely because they simultaneously created one of the most shagadelic tomboys of the history of entertainment?

Behold! Kataja Powers, international pilot of mystery! Ms. Katajainen is hot o_O is she related, by any chance? And for some people, that would be enough of a redemption

On-game:

Originally Posted by hinarei

I love what you've done with your hair, Ms Nuorala

Thanks, Miss Nicholson, but I have recently realised I look too much like Sergeant Bishop of the 501st, so I am thinking about changing my hairstyle. I would like to make it two braids - do you have some other suggestion?

***

Off-game:

Originally Posted by hinarei

Behold! Kataja Powers, international pilot of mystery!

LOL

Originally Posted by hinarei

Ms. Katajainen is hot o_O is she related, by any chance?

Sadly enough, Katajainen is not the surname of my offline personality.

Originally Posted by hinarei

And for some people, that would be enough of a redemption

I guess.

Okay, we two have made it this far alone.

I have tried recruiting a modest number of people, but not gotten even so much response as the usual empty promises. What are we going to do next?

I could imagine giving this one up for a while - if we get no more participants, that is - and returning to the Islands Project we discussed last year. After all, Strike Witches have taken me back in history in a very similar way.

Originally Posted by Khamůl

On-game:


Thanks, Miss Nicholson, but I have recently realised I look too much like Sergeant Bishop of the 501st, so I am thinking about changing my hairstyle. I would like to make it two braids - do you have some other suggestion?

Two braids would be workable (rolled up as a Leia-lookalike?), or even a variation of Officer Lucchini's twintails.

Originally Posted by Khamůl

Off-game:
Sadly enough, Katajainen is not the surname of my offline personality.

well, marry her and take her name o_O Easily done

Originally Posted by Khamůl

Okay, we two have made it this far alone.

I have tried recruiting a modest number of people, but not gotten even so much response as the usual empty promises. What are we going to do next?

Step it up. What did governments do in wartime to stir up patriotism? Recruitment posters!

Originally Posted by Khamůl

I could imagine giving this one up for a while - if we get no more participants, that is - and returning to the Islands Project we discussed last year. After all, Strike Witches have taken me back in history in a very similar way.

Maybe it could go on the backburner for a while, but we've not really had this going for too long, you know. The Islands Project would be worth revisiting, but why not try and come up with Strike universe-type names for the rest of Europe or major landmasses, at least?

Originally Posted by hinarei

why not try and come up with Strike universe-type names for the rest of Europe or major landmasses, at least?

Man, are you for real? I would love to work on that, if I do not have to do it alone.

I wrote a profile message to Nodokalover92, asking for his opinion on renaming Portugal.

On the European continent, we have left (at least):

* Belgium
* Bulgaria
* Greece
* Netherlands
* Portugal
* Romania
* Serbia
* Switzerland
* Turkey (Ottoman Empire?)

It is noteworthy that with some exceptions (mainly Romagna, Suomus and Venezia), the "Strike Witches" map is based on the real-world situation of 1890, rather than 1939. Also, Orussia is known as an "empire", not as a "soviet state". I would conclude that the First Neuroi War (? - 1917) has helped most governments to maintain the status quo of late XIX century.

File:StrikeWitchesWorldMap.JPG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
File:Europa 1890.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Originally Posted by Khamůl

Man, are you for real? I would love to work on that, if I do not have to do it alone.

Yep, serious The world view we have so far is incomplete, and it seems unfair because this is a world war, whether we like it or not. We have members from all over, so as much as we can decipher should be represented.

Originally Posted by Khamůl

I wrote a profile message to Nodokalover92, asking for his opinion on renaming Portugal.

Good good. Possibly his input could be a decider

Originally Posted by Khamůl

It is noteworthy that with some exceptions (mainly Romagna, Suomus and Venezia), the "Strike Witches" map is based on the real-world situation of 1890, rather than 1939. Also, Orussia is known as an "empire", not as a "soviet state". I would conclude that the First Neuroi War (? - 1917) has helped most governments to maintain the status quo of late XIX century.

I'd noticed this, but not to that extent fascinating to see how closely it matches up, particularly with the spaghetti borders of the European continent.

Well, when fighting a foe this unexpected (and otherworldly, at that), it's not surprising that the world has other priorities for its leaders to get stuck into.

an update on the recruitment poster, for all those interested:

Nice reuse of good ol' Kitchener there! (Thanks for the previous PMs, too.) Should you perhaps blur the word ANIMEB slightly, or did you leave it like that on purpose?

To tell you the truth, I still prefer the earlier version, the one you are using in your sig. Miss Clostermann looks more, er, striking in full colours.

"Animeb Independent Volunteer Aerial Strikeforce"... Colloquially known as the the "Love Hina & Negima Misfits Force", eh? The abbreviation you have introduced came out rather funny to me, since aivastaa is Finnish, I mean Suomusian, for 'to sneeze'.

***

All right, my first new proposal for a country name is Serbokrayina (for the state that corresponds to the real-world Principality of Serbia on the map).

Click on the Spoiler button if you want background information.

Spoiler

I do not really know Serbian (or Serbo-Croatian), but after a good deal of amateur research, it seems to me that a Serbian "original" form *Србокрајина ~ *Srbokrajina would make sense.

If someone from today's Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro or Serbia saw the name, (s)he would probably think it refers to the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina (1991 - 95). However, I did not know about Serbian Krajina when I first came up with the name. I was thinking of an analogy for Ukraine, an area with a related Slavic name.

One of the most common meanings of Slavic krayina ~ krajina ~ krajna is 'borderland'. In my imagination, the Serbs chose the above-mentioned name for their young independent country to point out that it was a liberated Serbian borderland in an ongoing reconquista of the Balkans, rather than the state of the Serbian nation as they would have liked to see it. As of 1939, tensions between the South Slavs and the Ottomans have not disappeared anywhere, but many Serbs ask, "What is liberation if the Neuroi transform the whole area into Western Black Sea?"

Since Srbokrajina is pretty hard to pronounce for the Britannians, they started to use the form Serbokrayina (like Serbia is used in our world instead of Srbija).

References:

Krajina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Name of Ukraine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Krajna - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Principality of Serbia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kingdom of Serbia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Republic of Serbian Krajina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reconquista - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Comments?

Have you (or has anybody else) chosen a country to rename?

Originally Posted by Khamůl

Nice reuse of good ol' Kitchener there! (Thanks for the previous PMs, too.) Should you perhaps blur the word ANIMEB slightly, or did you leave it like that on purpose?

had to be done. Can't diminish the impact the classics made, but you can mess with 'em a little. The slight emphasis on ANIMEB there was on purpose Why not try and make a promotional poster a promotional tool, after all?

Originally Posted by Khamůl

To tell you the truth, I still prefer the earlier version, the one you are using in your sig. Miss Clostermann looks more, er, striking in full colours.

I'm happy with whatever form Perrine choose to display herself in, myself, but yes, the effect is tinged slightly...

Originally Posted by Khamůl

"Animeb Independent Volunteer Aerial Strikeforce"... Colloquially known as the the "Love Hina & Negima Misfits Force", eh? The abbreviation you have introduced came out rather funny to me, since aivastaa is Finnish, I mean Suomusian, for 'to sneeze'.

Wow. I never knew that And with the Negima connotations, it could turn this base into somewhere much more fraught You learn something new every day!

***

Originally Posted by Khamůl

All right, my first new proposal for a country name is Serbokrayina (for the state that corresponds to the real-world Principality of Serbia on the map).

Comments?

The reasoning behind the names on the Strike Witches map at first struck me as piffling. Looked at first glance that the artists had plumped for something that sounded good. But then it struck me that they must have gone through some of the same process to come up with some of those names. There's plenty of research gone into some of them, but a couple (Liberion, for instance) point to a bit of an 'oh, this sounds good' approach, though that may just be translation.

your research is sound, and you've done as I have and tried to take as solid a grounding in history as possible, while still allowing for some artistic license. I imagine though that Ukraine was swallowed up in the behemoth that is Orussia.

Good job, I think we have our first feasible addition!

Originally Posted by Khamůl

Have you (or has anybody else) chosen a country to rename?

See the following attempt for Romania

On the subject of Romania (not sure I know of any of our members hailing from there) - The country is historically made up of three areas, which are designated principalities. Transylvania formed in 10th Cent, it's famous in history and in the public psyche - would you like to impale/have your neck sucked by a Strike Witch? - but mainly controlled by the Kingdom of Hungary when the Daco-Roman population was conquered. Wallachian Prince Michael first unified the principalities of Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia in 1600, so perhaps Wallachia (possibly locally named Tara Valahia) may be more appropriate in this context, but Wallachia (and Moldavia) has been a suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire, the straightforward name for Turkey, as previously suggested.

Variously Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia have had a chequered history being exchanged and invaded just like any other corner of Europe. Romania has been parcelled up differently over the last millennium, but saw a relatively calm period from 1880 onwards.

In 1859, two principalities were reunited after periods of 'external rule', under Alexandru Cuza. In a 1866 coup however, Cuza was exiled and replaced by Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, who became known as Prince Carol of Romania. During the Russo-Turkish War Romania fought on the Russian side, in and in the 1878 Treaty of Berlin, Romania was recognized as an independent state by the Great Powers. In 1881, Romania was raised to a kingdom and Prince Carol became King Carol I. So therefore we could, judging by the timeframe the rest of the map seems to hover at, feasibly name Romania "Carolsland" or "Karlsland"? It wasn't until the early 20th Cent. that Transylvania passed from Hungarian hands and formed a union with Romania again.

Wallachia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Romania - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Transylvania - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by hinarei

Wow. I never knew that

I am so disappointed with you!

Originally Posted by hinarei

And with the Negima connotations, it could turn this base into somewhere much more fraught

Did not appear to me. You get some good new connotations every day you hang out here!

***

Originally Posted by hinarei

a couple (Liberion, for instance) point to a bit of an 'oh, this sounds good' approach, though that may just be translation.

Huh? To me, Liberion is simply the "land of the free" mentioned in "The Star-Spangled Banner". The Greek suffix (cf. Byzantion) is a bit clumsy, but well, Liberia already exists in our universe...

The Star-Spangled Banner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Byzantium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In my opinion, the most stupid name on the European continent is Baltland for the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway. In modern context, the name Baltland automatically makes me think of the Baltic states (the area they cover is known simply as Baltia in Finnish and as Baltikum in several other languages).

Of course, Sweden is one of the countries situated by the Baltic Sea and even Norway lies on the Baltic Shield, so there is a connection. But thinking of the numerous Latin names in "Strike Witches", I consider it more probable that Baltland is a reference to the mythic island of Baltia, mentioned in the writings of Pliny the Elder. "Different researchers placed the legendary island in Zealand or (...) in the southernmost part of Scandinavia (today belonging to Norway and Sweden) (...)." Note: I would know nothing of this ancient Baltia if it was not for Wikipedia.

Baltia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Union between Sweden and Norway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Baltic Shield - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Baltic states - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by hinarei

Wallachian Prince Michael first unified the principalities of Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia in 1600, so perhaps Wallachia (possibly locally named Tara Valahia) may be more appropriate in this context, but Wallachia (and Moldavia) has been a suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire, the straightforward name for Turkey, as previously suggested.

I strongly support Wallachia or Walachia. The Romania we see on the map does not include Transylvania, which was a part of Austria and Austria-Hungary for a long time until WW I and accordingly belongs to Ostmark in "Strike Witches". Wallachia refers to the Vlachs, who are ethnically almost the same thing as Romanians. At least in the Hungarian language, Oláhország (Oláh-ország, ''Vlach-country") could, in earlier times, refer either to Wallachia proper or to the whole independent "country of Vlachs" including Moldavia.

Vlachs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I would like to work on Turkey next. What about you (and possible others)?

Originally Posted by Khamůl

I am so disappointed with you!

sorry, sorry >< I should have put more thought into this

Did not appear to me. You get some good new connotations every day you hang out here!

Here's to more random links and benefits!

[action=hinarei]imagines ShinjiYoshika sneezing all over the base...[/action]

***

Originally Posted by Khamůl

Huh? To me, Liberion is simply the "land of the free" mentioned in "The Star-Spangled Banner". The Greek suffix (cf. Byzantion) is a bit clumsy, but well, Liberia already exists in our universe...

I read somewhere that the name for the US hadn't come across very well in translation, and that Liberion (rightly assumed as a name linked to liberty and freedom) may well have been mistranslated/Engrished and originally meant as Rebellion It's a fluctuating sound in the Strike Witches anime. I'm never quite sure which pronunciation is correct.

Originally Posted by Khamůl

In my opinion, the most stupid name on the European continent is Baltland for the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway. In modern context, the name Baltland automatically makes me think of the Baltic states (the area they cover is known simply as Baltia in Finnish and as Baltikum in several other languages).

I knew this would come up! Something told me you wouldn't be totally happy with it. Though I thought the goal of this part of the project was to come up with names for countries and regions not yet named in canon, rather than sorting out better names for those already mentioned

Pliny the Elder is mentioned quite regularly on the BBC panel show Quite Interesting, because of some of his now-considerably outlandish ideas about the world at the time

Baltikum might come in handy in fanfics and piccies

Originally Posted by Khamůl

I strongly support Wallachia or Walachia. The Romania we see on the map does not include Transylvania, which was a part of Austria and Austria-Hungary for a long time until WW I and accordingly belongs to Ostmark in "Strike Witches". Wallachia refers to the Vlachs, who are ethnically almost the same thing as Romanians. At least in the Hungarian language, Oláhország (Oláh-ország, ''Vlach-country") could, in earlier times, refer either to Wallachia proper or to the whole independent "country of Vlachs" including Moldavia

Yep, I forgot to include that, as I'd found out about the Vlach peoples too. Kinda helpful, all this reference material I didn't think the map included Transylvania, because it wasn't quite drawn right and was about the wrong time period anyway (good spot on the 1890 borders, by the way). Makes more sense this way.

I still wanna be bit by a Strike Witch

Originally Posted by Khamůl

I would like to work on Turkey next. What about you (and possible others)?

I'm happy to work on the Netherlands next I might ask for Yon's assistance and approval, seeing as he's there a lot Work on this so far has obviously turned up overwhelmingly Latin names, but I don't know if I want to swamp all of Europe with any more names from Roman times

The continent of Liberion doesn't seem to have a border for Canada as far as I can make out. Are we to tar all our Canadian members with the Liberion brush?

Oh, that's another thing... Did the link I sent you meet with approval?

What a perfect way to keep my activity...this ends up as an RP we're gonna have to work on the actual...well...integration of it.

Anyways...this is my 30 minute thing.

================================================== =
- Name: Jean Elysse Blackburn
- Nationality: United States of Liberion
- Age: 16
- Familiar: Golden Retriever
- Striker unit model [pre-1950 aircraft]: Chance Vought F4U Corsair
- Primary arm [pre-1950]: M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle
- Secondary arm [pre-1950; optional] M1911A1 Semiautomatic Pistol or a Naval Saber.
- Pilot archetype: Lt. Cdr. John T. "Tommy" Blackburn

Jean Elysse is a somewhat...rowdy 16 year old from the western Liberian city of Seattle. Her reservation is merely a farce, as she really just doesn't want to show her younger childhood days of living in the streets, picking fights with boys and learning the value of a hard day's work by defending every penny she ever owned from older kids in her block.

A rare intellectual in the orphanage she was raised, she often argued with the religious leaders in the Catholic-run orphanage due to the appearance of the Neuroi and how they weren't signs of a benevolent God. She did treat the Neuroi as the enemy they were, and when she was revealed to be a witch at the age of 10, wished constantly to be part of the illustrious Strike Witches, who fought back the seemingly useless battle against the spreading dark.

Her chance came when she was 12, when using her powers, she singlehandedly prevented a bunch of naval airmen and officers from being splattered all over Pine Street by a runaway truck. A fool had forgotten to leave the brake on and rolling down the hill, it had nearly squashed a group of retreating people when she stepped in, activated her barrier, and stopped the moving vehicle cold.

Recruited into the Liberion Navy, she held some friendly rivalries with Liberion Army Air Force witches, who used the comparatively fast Mustang Unit, although she trusts her life to her Corsair Unit. She lacks much special power, other than forming strong barriers and having an extraordinary sense of spatial awareness, she is a formidable dogfighter, most likely learned and picked up from her rough and tumble childhood.

While some would applaud her spatial awareness, it doesn't come close to some witches, and some would only rate hers as above average. Her use of the Corsair Strike Units was also not free from problems, and as a result she spent more time in training and RnD than actual combat in comparison with other Liberion Navy witches who used the Wildcat and Hellcat Units. That though was no problem, as she can easily outperform others, earning her an ace in a day status with 12 enemy shot down on her first combat mission from the Liberion Navy Carrier Bunker Hill.

Her ace in a day status was achieved when she engaged the Neuroi alongside 5 other more experienced witches off the southern continent's coast. This action saved the naval convoy that was sending supplies and materiel to the southern continent, where a Neuroi hive smaller than the ones over Europe had formed, sending raids and laying waste to the vast Oil reserves there. Her assignment on the Bunker Hill was short lived, as she was soon transferred to a new unit.


Personality wise, she is initially shy, somewhat distrustful of others, but she is really a happy person to be with, placing loyalty first and generally being playful. Her preferred tactic has always been to dive from the sun and using her unit's better performance over other Navy Strike Units to basically get into dogfights where she seems to regularly get up close and personal, taunting the Neuroi to shoot her only to have her impressively strong barrier deflect the enemy attacks.

A point of contention between her and other witches, is her modesty in dress. Growing up in neighborhoods of loose morals and in a Catholic-run orphanage, she did not follow the style of the day, which were to go pants less and only show their panties. She had seen many of her female friends back in Seattle be in the recieving end of unwanted advances by males and she has adopted to wear shorts or short, modest skirts. This extends to when she is on duty, wearing a relatively modest short skirt that does not reveal her panties, and wears a pair skin-tight tan stockings that allow her use of her striker Unit, while at normal times would be tucked into a variation of the regulation boots the Liberion Marine Corps wears, the difference being that it has zippers on the side for easier removal when being scrambled. She wears her sidearm at all times, and has been known to produce a pair of brass knuckles sometimes.

[pending review, might need to fix history...what I get in making one in 30 minutes]