Vineland
Greater Vinelandic Empire | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Capital | Watson |
| Government | Military Dictatorship |
• Emperor(?) | Gage W. |
• | Jackson T. |
| Establishment | 16 November 2018 |
Vineland, officially known as the Greater Vinelandic Empire and formally known as the Kingdom of Vineland, is a micronation established around 2018 or 2019 in the St. Louis area. It claims and controls a small wooded area near the home of its ruler, Gage W.
History
Discovery, Very Early History
The first and now most important part of Vineland, Vineland City, was founded in 2018 at the earliest. It was discovered by Gage W. and Jose R., who found it as a shallow ditch with a swing built over it from a hose. Soon, Jackson T. joined the nation and all three dug it out into a bigger trench.
Early Development and Expansion
The area was named the Kingdom of Vineland and Gage was crowned king shortly after its discovery. Vineland City was continually worked on, with a new rope being installed after the old hose swing broke.
Vineland soon expanded into the wooded areas in the direct vicinity of Vineland City, stopped only in one direction by a creek too deep to walk across.
Crackistan Relations and Increased Expansionism
When the Kingdom of Crackistan was established by Jackson in March 2020, Vineland signed a pact of mutual recognition and later formed the Crackistan-Vineland Alliance with it. Crackistan and its superior, more organized military helped Vineland in future territorial expansion. Vineland would later adopt the ranks and structure of Crackistans military.
On the 5th of May, 2020, the backyard and shed of a vacant home nearby were captured by joint Crackistani and Vinelandic forces. All of the equipment in the shed was given to Crackistan. The house the backyard belonged to was taken later that year. Almost all of the woods within walking distance of Vineland City were acquired by Vineland, amounting to no more than a square mile in size total. Expansion of Vineland had slowed and the only work to be done was on infrastructure.
In the early months of 2021, Jackson and Gage walked across the previously impassable creek when it was frozen enough to walk right over. They briefly explored the land, but did not take any of it.
First Vinelandic Civil War
On the 10th of March, 2021, then-third in command and Vinelandic army Colonel Jackson T. declared independence from Vineland as the Capitalist Communist Revolutionary Government of Vineland. Outnumbered 2 to 1, the armed wing of the revolutionary government (Capitalist Communist People's Army) was forced out of the country immediately, and went into exile in Gages backyard.
After several failed attempts to hold territory in Vineland, now-leader of the revolutionary government and Capitalist Communist Party Jackson T. was captured by the Vinelandic government. He was interrogated for approximately 20 minutes before escaping and going home.
The war was at a standstill for two days, before peace was negotiated and the war ended on March 12. The revolutionary government was suspended, Jacksons powers were returned and the Vinelandic Capitalist Communist Autonomous Zone was established as a constituent country of Vineland and puppet government of Crackistan. It's land was defined as the vacant home's backyard. Peace lasted for under two months following the first war.
Second Vinelandic Civil War
Another civil war was proclaimed on April 29, when Jackson announced the re-establishment of the Capitalist Communist Revolutionary Government of Vineland and suspension of the autonomous zone.
The forces, now equal, clashed in the former territory of the autonomous zone, ultimately resulting in the revolutionary government being forced into exile again. Several attempts to re-enter Vineland failed, and the Capitaist Communist People's Army was encircled at the Battle of Birchwood. The battle was a victory for the CCPA, eventually breaking out of the encirclement, but they were still in exile.
By sneaking past the border and catching the government off guard, the CCPA managed to take Vineland City and then-capital Elevation without any resistance. When news of the occupation reached Gage over half an hour later, the capital was moved north to Armory.
After 5 PM CST on the 29th, an indefinite ceasefire was negotiated that allowed the revolutionary government to keep the southern half of Vineland City and the backyard of the vacant home. It lasted until shortly after 2 PM on May 10.
After another occupation of northern Vineland by the CCPA and a long peace talk, the war was ended with another compromise. Vineland got to keep its capital of Vineland City, and the capitalist communists (now the Capitalist Communist State of Vineland) got to control the rest. Peace lasted for approximately 9 minutes as Gage thought he had made a mistake.
Third Vinelandic Civil War
Less than 10 minutes after the end of the second war, Gage declared war again and peace was made again after approximately 15 more minutes. The very short-lived Capitalist Communist State of Vineland was dissolved and the CCRGV took over again. The land was decided to be the far northern portion of Vineland and the backyard in the far southern portion.
Military Dictatorship
Immediately following the end of the third civil war in Vineland, Jackson briefly quit visiting Vineland but remained close with Gage. In July he dissolved the CCRGV and CCPA, establishing the Independent State of Phencyclidenistan on the 29th.
On August 24 of 2021, Gage and Jackson visited Vineland together for the first time since April. They came in through Vineland City and set off to go through the rest of the area. On this walk, Gage proclaimed to Jackson a new Vinelandic government, a military dictatorship headed by him. It's new name was decided to be the Greater Vinelandic Empire, and Jackson was to be second in command.
The new government is largely the same, but with a new capital of Watson. The city of Watson was chosen as a temporary capital, because the vegetation in Vineland City is too dense and it is too humid. Vineland City will likely be restored as the capital by winter 2021. The new Greater Vinelandic Empire remains active to this day.
Geography
All of Vineland is heavily wooded, with the only pre-existing infrastructure being a few fences and a house. There is a creek that passes directly by Vineland City, that is too deep and wide to cross without either swimming across it or waiting for it to freeze.
The area, being in the Midwest USA, gets very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. It gets a lot of rain in spring, making it practically impossible to navigate through the mud after a storm. When the creek is flooded by rain, the woods are often heavily affected.
Military
Vinelands military is very unorganized, one could even argue it doesn't have an organized military at all. The rank structure of the Crackistani military was technically adopted by Vineland as written above, but it didn't see much official use. Vineland fought in conflicts such as its civil wars as an unorganized force.