Glessing

The Federated Kingdom of Glessing, commonly known as Glessing or the FKG, is a country in northwestern Enneron, off the coast of the continental mainland. It comprises the main island of Great Glessing and its coastal island groups.

Overview

The nation has a land area of 233,062 square miles, of which 4.1% is water. As of 1.1.1965, it has a population of 96.3 million. Its capital is the city of Alnerwick, which was established over 1,500 years ago. Its people are known as Glessians.

Its settlements, aside from the capital, include: Aldminster, Kenbury, Oxfold, Bilchester, Camwick, Ashbourne, Portmore, Wimstow, Great Langwike, Little Otterleigh, Upper Kinbeck, Thornburn Cross, Great Tender, Lower Tender, Little Upton, Badger's Drift, Cooper Hill, Lower Pampling, Morton Fendle, Wimthorpe, Ravengale, Threshwick, Camberhall, Roseminster, and Goldacre.

Government

Executive

The Monarch

The hereditary head of state and a member of the House of Redgrave. They reside at Belhurst Palace, the official residence. They also have seasonal residences at Crestwick Castle (Windsor), Tor-Stead (Balmoral), and Shoreham Grange (Sandringham). They have extensive ceremonial duties and some political ones, including granting Royal Assent to all legislative bills, receiving ambassadors and emissaries, opening Parliament, and providing a control function in the event of governmental instability. The present monarch is King Alistair III (Henry Cavill).

The Prime Minister

The head of government, who takes office following the general elections which take place every five years. They are the leader of whichever party holds the majority in the House of Deputies, summoned by the monarch and asked to form a government. They serve until the next general election barring a successful vote of no confidence, the loss of supply or budget, or if the monarch dissolves the Parliament in accordance with specific circumstances. They are responsible for setting and directing state policy, appointing and coordinating senior officials, and providing weekly reports to the monarch on the state of government business.

The Cabinet

The Cabinet acts as the collective executive decision-making body of the government. Each minister is appointed to a term concurrent to the mandate of the present government, unless they are dismissed, resign, or are shuffled. Each minister oversees a specific portfolio, which is itself the charge of a ministerial department that handles relevant business nationwide.

The Great Offices of State, also known as the Core Executive, include:

• The Royal Treasury: Manages all government finances and fiscal policy.
• The Home Office: Responsible for domestic affairs, internal security, law and order, and immigration.
• Foreign Affairs: Handles diplomatic relations with other nations.
• Defence: Responsible for the armed forces and national defence.

The economic and industrial ministries, which focus on trade, labour, and infrastructure, are:

• Trade & Industry: Manages business regulation, trade, and industrial development.
• The Exchequer: Oversees economic strategy and planning, working with the Royal Treasury.
• Labour: Deals with employment, workers' rights, and industrial relations.
• Transport: Manages national infrastructure, roads, and rail.
• Power: Deals with the nation's energy resources and production.

The social and welfare ministries, focusing on social reforms and public services, are:

• National Health: OVersees public health, disease surveillance and control, health and safety regulation, and food/drug safety.
• Social Security: Administers social security programmes and provisions.
• Education: Responsible for schools, universities, and the expanding education system.
• Housing & Local Government: Manages housing programmes, planning, and relations with local authorities.
• Works & Public Building: Oversees government construction projects and public infrastructure.

Legislative

The Parliament

The bicameral Parliament consists of an upper chamber (the Senate) and a lower chamber (the House of Deputies). Each has specific functions it fulfills, but they work collectively toward the same purpose: the crafting, debate, and passage of legislation to supply for the nation's needs, address its troubles, and maintain law and order.

The Senate has 210 seats and is led by the Lord Speaker. The seats are divided between 42 hereditary peers and 168 life peers. The former passes the seat to their eldest living child at their death, while the latter are appointed by the Crown on the recommendations of the prime minister. Acting as the "chamber of sober second thought", it reviews bills from the House of Deputies and can return them with recommended alterations, or stall review to force reconsideration of potentially troublesome portions of their text.

The House of Deputies has 460 seats and is led by the Speaker of the House. The seats each represent a constituent district of approximately 210,000 people. The entire membership of the House stands in a general election held every five years. At present, five political parties are represented among its members, and the leader of the majority party following each election is summoned by the monarch to be invited to form a government for the duration of their mandate. At present, these political parties are the Constitutionalists ("Connies", centre-right, blue), the Centre ("Cents", centre, yellow), Progress ("Progs", centre-left, orange), Solidarity ("Sollies", left, red), and Liberty ("Libbies", right, green).

Royal family

The Royal House of Redgrave has a history reaching back over 1,100 years. The official residence is Belhurst Palace, located in the Cupper Park borough of the capital city of Alnerwick. It is here that the monarch meets weekly with the prime minister, holds official audiences, hosts state dinners and other functions, and lives with their consort and children.

Residences

The family also has seasonal retreats in the north, west, and east of the country, respectively. In the north, the Tor-Stead is the highland redoubt which functions as the royal hunting lodge and private summer retreat. In the west, Crestwick Castle is the ancient seat of the family and home to the roots of its millennia of traditions. G-Post operates a special "Royal Mail Sorting Office" here, where the Lord-Lieutenant of the county holds an annual "Review of the Stamps" in the Great Courtyard to celebrate national welfare contributions and the "Work for Glessing" spirit. In the east, Shoreham Grange acts as the winter retreat of the family and sits on 20,000 acres of land, of which half is a working farm that produces milk, cheese, and fresh vegetables sold in local markets under the brand "Crown's Choice". It is also at Shoreham that the family holds its annual "Winter Shoot", often photographed by the press using the latest Glessian-made cameras, part of a regular campaign to promote national industry.

Current monarch

The current monarch is King Alistair III, (born 1923) whose reign began in 1963 following the death of his grandmother Queen Rosalind II. He is a tall, muscular, strikingly handsome man, known as a diplomat and a patron of the arts. His decision to grow a beard reminded people of his great-grandfather Geoffrey V and revived the tradition among men across the kingdom. With his wife, Queen Consort Elena (born 1923), who he married in a lavish ceremony in 1944, he has four children:

Royal children

• Prince Julian (born 1945)
  • Crown Prince
  • Prince of Glessing (Prince of Wales)
  • Duke of Kernowland (Cornwall)
  • Earl of Greater Gless (Alnerwick region)
• Prince Arthur (born 1947)
  • Duke of Luneshire (Lancashire)
  • Grand Warden of the Borderlands (Colonel-in-Command of the Royal Guard-Wardens)
  • The People's Prince (due to his frequent visits to the Meresworth Steel Works)
• Prince Frederick (born 1950)
  • Duke of Cantia (Kent)
  • Baron of Crestwick
• Princess Caroline (born 1952)
  • The Princess Royal
  • Warden of the Queen's Gate (title linking her to the defence and hospitality of the capital)
  • Countess of the Eastern Shores (patronage of eastern coastal counties)

Even members of the Royal family are integrated into the national administrative system. Each of the King's children has a gold-embossed G-Register, though their G-Stamp and V-Stamp contributions are paid by the Civil List rather than a factory clerk.

Royal Guard-Wardens

The Royal Guard-Wardens are Glessing's elite, multi-role security force responsible for the protection of the Monarchy, royal residences, and high-value state assets. They are the Glessian equivalent of the UK Household Division combined with aspects of the highly trained Royal Military Police and an elite national security service.

Organisation and structure

The Warden's Corps is the formal name of the branch. They are a professional, all-volunteer force, considered the peak of Glessian discipline and loyalty. They answer directly to the Marshal of the Crown, a senior military officer, and ultimately to The King himself. They recruit heavily from the most disciplined and decorated servicemen and women across the armed forces.

Key responsibilities

The Guard-Wardens fulfill a three-fold mandate:

• They provide the iconic, highly visible guards at locations like Belhurst Palace and Crestwick Castle. Their precision drills, Changing of the Guard ceremony, and stoicism are a major tourist attraction and a symbol of national permanence.
• They are highly trained in close-quarters combat, driving, and tactical response. They form the close protection teams that escort senior royals and heads of state visiting Glessing.
• They guard critical state infrastructure, such as the Royal Treasury, and assist the domestic security service in counter-espionage operations.

Uniform and aesthetic

The uniform of the Guard-Wardens blends tradition with modern functionality, moving away from the purely ceremonial look.

For daily duties, they wear a sharp dark blue tunic (garrison blue) with polished, black Sam Browne belts and crisp grey trousers. For ceremonial duties at Belhurst Palace, they wear an iconic bearskin cap, more streamlined than the British version.

Their weapons are the latest Glessian-manufactured service rifles, but each Guard-Warden is also equipped with a service pistol and commando knife. Their vehicles, sleek, black Glessian-made sedans, feature the latest G-Post communications equipment.

Capital

Alnerwick is the capital city of Glessing, located in the southeast of the nation. It straddles the banks of the River All has a population of 1.1 million as of 1.1.1965.

The city has numerous districts.

• Oakhaven
  • Chalgrove
• Ellerhaven
  • Maldene Square
  • Patricroft
• Stagley
  • Finsbury Court
  • Pettiford Circus
• Harrowton
  • Fisher's Gate
  • Whiprock
• Fenwick
  • Barlow Market
  • Popham Cross
• Cinderford
• Meadowbrook
• Kingsbridge
  • Coldstrand
• Willowham
  • Hiller Gardens
• Stonecroft
  • Beverstone
• Rosebank
  • Overwater House (PM's residence)
  • Ministry Row
• Cupper Park
  • Belhurst Palace (official Royal residence)
  • Gleswick House (residence of the Crown Prince)
  • The National Mall
• Ampstrand
  • Deepstrand
• Belminster
  • Belminster Palace (Houses of Parliament)
  • Hanham Gardens
• Turnip Hill
  • The Newstead
• Bracklewhyte
  • Colsetter Parish
• Alderbourne
• Barrow's End
  • Beggar's Hope
  • The Chequerage
• Taverton
• Swinford
• Penshaw
  • Wellstone
• Grantlow
  • The Pavement
• Yewdark
  • Turtle Lake

Counties

North Glessing

• Astenland (Northumberland)
• Durnholm (County Durham)
• Luneshire (Lancashire)
• Eboric Riding (Yorkshire - East Riding)
• Valen Riding (Yorkshire - North Riding)
• Kelder Riding (Yorkshire - West Riding)
• Cymreshire (Cumbria)
• Moorland (Westmorland)

The Midlands

• Merseworth (Merseyside)
• Teynshire (Cheshire)
• Derwenworth (Derbyshire)
• Snellingshire (Nottinghamshire)
• Lindisse (Lincolnshire)
• Leogshire (Leicestershire)
• Roteland (Rutland)
• Stafford (Staffordshire)
• Salopshire (Shropshire)
• Scrobbes (West Midlands)
• Warreshire (Warwickshire)
• Nortunshire (Northampstonshire)
• Heffordshire (Heretfordshire)
• Wegorshire (Worcestershire)

East Glessing

• Narfolk (Norfolk)
• Sudfolk (Suffolk)
• Grantbridge (Cambridgeshire)
• Huntingshire (Huntingdonshire)
• East-Sexe (Essex)
• Hartfordshire (Heretfordshire)
• Beldonshire (Bedfordshire)

The South & Capitol Region

• Greater Gless (Greater London)
• The Royal City (City of London)
• Mid-Sexe (Middlesex)
• Buckingshire (Buckinghamshire)
• Oxenford (Oxfordshire)
• Berrocshire (Berkshire)
• Suthridge (Surrey)
• Cantia (Kent)
• South-Sexe (Sussex)

West Glessing

• Hantunshire (Hampshire)
• Vectis Isle (Isle of Wight)
• Wiltonshire (Wiltshire)
• Dornshire (Dorset)
• Somersete (Somerset)
• Glevumshire (Gloucestershire)
• Bristow (Bristol)
• Devonia (Devon)
• Kernowland (Cornwall)
• Avonside (historical Avon divisions)

County officers

Every county in the kingdom has three Crown officers, each fulfilling specific ceremonial and official duties.

• The Lord-Lieutenant is the monarch's personal, non-political representative in that county. They arrange Royal visits and escort members of the family during these visits. They also present medals and awards on behalf of the Crown to local citzens for national honours. Additionally, they act as a liaison between the Crown and local units of the armed forces, reserve forces, and cadet forces. They also promote a spirit of cooperation and goodwill by taking interest in the business, social, and voluntary life of the county. Lastly, they lead the local magistracy as the chair of the Advisory Committee for Justices of the Peace (JPs) in the county.
• The High Sheriff is the Crown's representative for all judicial matters in the county. They are responsible for the administration of law and justice, ensuring the smooth operation of the county courts, and the welfare of judges. They also cooperate with law enforcement to maintain public order and apprehend offenders. Ceremonially, they attend judges at the circuit courts and other civic ceremonies and announce the accession of a new monarch and the fulfillment of other royal mandates.
• The Keeper of the Rolls oversees the maintenance of county judicial and administrative records and recommends individuals for appointment as Justices of the Peace (magistrates) to the Crown. Essentially, they are the Crown's direct link to the "Master-File" in each county.

Armed Forces

The Armed Forces are a military designed for "Active Containment" rather than total war. The kingdom maintains a professional force that balances regional defence with the ability to project power across the oceanic trade routes.

Personnel strength

The kingdom maintains an active, standing military force of approximately 550,000 personnel.

• Glessian Army - 300,000 personnel. The primary land force, structured for rapid response and overseas deployments.
• Royal Glessian Navy - 125,000 personnel. A significantly larger maritime force than its neighbours, reflecting the island nation's reliance on naval supremacy.
• Royal Air Force (Glessing) - 105,000 personnel. Highly technical personnel managing a large interceptor and strike network.
• Glessian Marines - 20,000 personnel. An elite littoral strike force integrated with the Navy.

Equipment and assets

Navy

• Capital Ships - 6 carriers (comparable to the historic Audacious-class) to maintain global power projection.
• Surface Fleet - 140 operational ships, including new guided-missile destroyers and advanced anti-submarine frigates. Supported by the 288 aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm.
• Submarine Service - 36 vessels, including the kingdom's first operational nuclear-powered attack submarines and the Resolution-class SSBN's for the National Deterrent.

Air Force

• Combat aircraft - 1,520 aircraft divided into 95 squadrons in 19 air groups, three air fleets, and the Capital Defence Group (4 squadrons).
• Structure - Primarily composed of supersonic interceptors (like the Glessian equivalent of the English Electric Lightning), long-range strategic bombers, and new tactical strike-reconnaissance jets.
• Support - A group of maritime patrol aircraft (64 total) and a force of tactical transports (160 total) for global logistics.

Army

• Combat vehicles - 2,500 main battle tanks (analogous to the Chieftain line).
• Structure - Focused on mechanised infantry divisions supported by self-propelled artillery and tactical surface-to-air missile batteries.
• Logistics - Over 75,000 support vehicles to support combat units and also maintain the G-Grid supply lines across the country and overseas bases.

Defensive posture

Glessing's "sound defence" was predicated on the "Blue-Border Doctrine". This policy dictated that the RGN and RAF must be capable of interdicting any threat at a distance of up to 1,000 miles from the Glessian coast, ensuring the nation remained untouched while its interests abroad were protected through a network of strategic G-Post stations and naval hubs.

Nuclear arsenal

By 1965 Glessing had transitioned to an air-dominated deterrent to a diversified "Triad" of nuclear delivery.

• The Air Leg (V-Strikers) - The primary deterrent. The Royal Air Force (Glessing) operates four squadrons of V-Strikers (analogous to the Vulcan or TSR-2) equipped with Aegis-7 standoff missiles. These allow the RAF to launch nuclear strikes from 250 miles outside enemy air defence range.
• The Sea Leg (Guardian-class) - In 1965, Glessing commissioned its fourth Guardian-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). Each boat carries 16 King-Fisher missiles (the analogue of Polaris), ensuring that even if the entire kingdom were decimated, a retaliatory strike is guaranteed from the deep oceans.
• The Land Leg (Stationary Silos) - Glessing's larger landmass (Ukraine-sized) allows for a modest number of hardened, underground silos in the remote Luneshire Moors. These 27 silos, organised into three 9-silo "firing units", house the Sentinel-1 intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBMs), each with a range of 5,500 kilometers.

Capabilities and stockpile

The Glessian nuclear stockpile in 1965 is estimated at approximately 500 warheads, a number considered sufficient to fulfill the Blue-Border Doctrine. The kingdom successfully miniaturised hydrogen bomb technology in the late 1950s. Most strategic warheads are in the megaton range (1.2 to 2.5 MT), designed to level entire industrial districts.

To defend against a massive conventional invasion, the Glessian Army possesses tactical warheads, including nuclear artillery shells and the Warden-Shield landmines, intended to create "nuclear scorched earth" zones in vital areas.

Command and control (the Pulse-Point

The 1965 nuclear capability is integrated with the G-Series mainframe network.

• The Alpha-Link - A hardened telecommunications system managed by G-Post, separate from the national telecom grid, connecting the Monarch's bunker at Tor-Stead and the Royal Command Sanctuary at Asten-Tor to every silo and submarine.
• Permissive Action Links - Glessing pioneered the "Double-Key" electronic lock system, requiring a simultaneous signal from both the Prime Minister and the Monarch to authorise a launch.

Civil Defence (Operation Hearthstone)

Because the kingdom has a large population (96.3 million), the government has invested extensively in survival infrastructure.

• The G-Shelter Network - Every new Standard-Home residential estate built since 1960 is a reinforced basement designed to act as a fallout shelter.
• Public transit - The underground networks of major cities, such as Allcaster, function as fallout shelters in the event of an attack. Storerooms of emergency rations and purified water in the event of such a situation are located in each station.
• Public broadcasts - The Royal Signalry Headquarters (RSHQ) maintains a dedicated "War-Watch" frequency on all Glessian radios, designed to provide a 5-minute warning and survival instructions (the Protect and Ward campaign).
• Wartime Broadcasting Service - Following a nuclear attack, the Royal Broadcasting Corporation (RBC) would activate the WBS, which would transmit vital safety and survival information, such as radiation and county reports, at the top of every hour on pre-designated frequencies.

KEYSTONE network

Similar to the PINDAR bunkers of Fallout: London', a network of nine heavily reinforced bunkers are scattered across Glessing. Three each serve one of three functions: continuity of government, military command and control, or advanced research and development.

PERIMETER

The national air defence network. A ring of eight monitoring stations set 200 miles inland from the coast, each operating within a 240-degree azimuth and a 3,000 nautical mile range, serve to detect, track, and identify ballistic missile threats and space objects. The system is linked to the G-Series mainframe network maintained by the Ministry of Defence, with uplinks to the Master-Desk at Belhurst Palace, the Royal Command Sanctuary at Asten-Tor, TBD at TBD, and TBD at TBD.