FORTRESS AMERICA Chat 3 - Canada

[Anzio]

Me and GROGnads have also been talking about throwing Canada into the mix.

Canada could come into the game to fight for either side and would enter the US from Northern land territories along its border (not across the Great Lakes).

There are many factors that could be used to explain when and why Canada would get involved. Maybe they are desperately in need of food and would trade force to the side that holds the most Agricultural Resource territories.

Maybe they would come in to help the US if it looks like the Invaders will win, and maybe they're next!

Maybe there are 2 factions in Canada, 1 pro-US, one Anti-US, and units from both could come into play (oh I like this one!)

However we do it, it will make you think a LOT harder about where to put those Laser Towers! (I usually put my first one in Minneapolis).

Look forward to your thoughts!

[ April 27, 2004, 10:46 AM: Message edited by: GetStrafed ]

[holywolfman]

That would be VERY brutal against the USA player (oh-that's you, STEVE)-That would be fine by me!-(lol) :D

-Nick- smile.gif

[plasticman]

I personally think the game is fine without the Canadians. However, if they do come in, it would be more realistic for them to side with the Americans (because that's what they would do historically). But then again, Fortress America is definitely not a historically accurate game (since when did all of Europe plan to become comminuist without a nuclear war first? :D ). As for your idea about the agricultural resource territories, it seems a bit unrealistic to me. Canada has much more food than they need, and even bad harvests don't impact our ability to survive happily (of course we import, but we could get all essential foods from home).

[Anzio]

Keep in mind that the world situation IS radically different in FA.

I did not intend to imply that Canada is not a self-sufficient country in the real world today or that they would not help the Americans as they have in the past. This is a totally fictional scenario.

Our biggest ally, England, must certainly be a part of the Euro-Socialist Pact, as it seems the whole world is against us...

But don't worry - I will be giving Canada the chance to defend America as well as attack it!

-Steve

[plasticman]

Grognads, that's the funniest thing I've ever heard on these forums! :D

GetStrafed: That's a good idea. And by the way, we aren't REALLY self-sufficient. We need American culture, American television, American politics (nothing ever happens to us), and of course, American money (75% of our trade comes from them). I was just talking about food, and it wasn't meant as a 'patriotic thing' (we don't really have patriotism for anything but hockey). smile.gif

[ April 28, 2004, 10:35 AM: Message edited by: Jonathan Freeloader ]

[Yoper]

Canadian Top Three-

1) Hockey

2) Beer

3) RUSH

I am particularly partial to number three but I like the other two a lot.

[Carlo]

Have you seen the movie" The day after tomorrow"?
Canada could invade America to conquer a warmer place or could help America to let Canadians emigrate.

[peet]

2 things about the idea of adding Canada to FA:

1. Traditionally Canadian Forces have been relatively weak per capita (outside of wartime), as Canada does not use it's military as an instrument of foreign policy and has no hostile neighbours.

2. Canada is America's longest-standing ally in the world sphere, and the border between the US and Canada is the longest undefended border in the world.

On the one hand, the idea that Canada would be an enemy of the US seems pretty unlikely, but on the other hand, the FA world is one that has turned against the US as a whole. Canada couldn't afford to be the Enemy of the US, but might distance itself from the US in that environment.

How about putting "neutral" Canadian forces and Cities on the board? They will be relatively weakly defended compared to the forces of the players. However, Canada stays out unless it is invaded, and then it joins the side that didn't invade. So if someone is trying desperately to get those extra cities it needs, it might cast eyes towards Canada, and go for the short-term gain in the hopes that the extra forces for the enemy won't make much of a difference.

Canada would also have significant natural resources. The western regions (Alberta mainly) have lots of oil, comparable to the oil reserves in Texas. Large agricultural regions exist, as well as plenty of minerals. The east coast of Canada may not have that much agriculture but you could put a maker there to represent the large scale fishing that goes on in the Grand Banks. Canada overall exports most of its raw materials and foodstuffs abroad (mostly to the US).

Peet

[starshaman]

I don't know. I have Canadian friends who wouldn't want America! :)

[peet]

I don't know. I have Canadian friends who wouldn't want America! :)
As a Canadian I can say that while Canada does not necessarily support American wars overseas (like the current Iraq war) Canadians still generally see America as their ally. Many Canadians visit the US regularly and would consider an invasion of the US to be a threat to Canada as well.

However, in the context of the game "Fortress America" we are using a hypothetical situation where the Russians have absorbed Europe (politically or militarily), the Chinese have absorbed the rest of Asia, and Latin America has unified. Under those circustances it seems likely that the "friendless" USA has serious problems with its foreign relations and that explains why Canada remains neutral.

In the 80's when this game was originally published, there were plenty of fictional works that predicted such a world in the near future. A book called "The Ayes of Texas" comes to mind... I forget who the author was now.

The board seems to be set up so that the midwest is particularly hard to get at by the invaders. Everyone seems to put their first laser in Minnesota. With Canada as an Invader this strategy would change radically.

Of course, you could have the "SOUTH PARK" variant where the Canadians invade!!!

Peet