In Poland, due to large fan base amongst criminals, also understood to mean: Banditen Motor Wagen :)

Quotebut such races tend to be about endurance, luck, and running other competitors off the road

Fixed.

QuoteDon't forget the Great Peking to Paris race. Five started, four finished!

Too late, I forgot.  When did that happen?

*evil Laugh*

Roads.... where were going we dont need roads

The Peking to Paris race was in 1908 in OTL. Surprising results for a race that spanned an entire continent, crossed the largest desert in Asia and the vast forests of Siberia.

Rome Times - February 1st 1914

The Ministry of Military Affairs today announced the formation of two new Army Groups for the Defense of the Italian Colonies in East Africa.   These two army groups to be known as East Africa Army Group North [EAAGN] and East Africa Army Group South [EAAGS] will be receiving an upgrade of both there mobilization status and there Equipment Issue.   

In addition these units will be undergoing an early summer exercise to test there new equipment and Elements of the 1st Alpine and 22nd Legions will depart Italy to act as the aggressor force in exercises designed to train units to deal with the problems of modern warfare and covering lessons learned from the battles of the recent Central European War.

In addition the Ship Yards of Brindisi and Accona today anounced and agreement to build 3 new 1000 Ton destroyers to drawings provided by Italian Designers to the requirements of the French Ministry of Defense.

Taranto Times August 15th 1914

The Italia Marina today announced the arrival of the first of several submarines purchased from the Confederate States of America for the purpose of evaluating the technology and training purposes.  The subs will begin full time training operations with multiple crews in the near future.   


The Rome Times  August 1914

The Public Affairs Officer for the Italia Legions released the following press release today.   "Do due the continued unstable conditions in East Africa the Empire of Italia will be extending the duration and scope of the maneuvers scheduled for this summer in the Empire East African Territories.  The Empire would like to stress that these training maneuvers are defensive in nature and involve the troops stationed in East Africa preparing to defend the territory of the Empire of Italia."


Rome Times - October 29th 1914

The Empire of Italia would like to welcome to Historic Venice the CSN Overseas Squadron under the Command of Admiral Joseph Wainright CSN.  The City of Venice will be turned out and a holiday declared to welcome Italia' Allies on there Historic around the world tour.  The CSN Overseas fleet consist of the Battle Ships Oklahoma, and Arizona, the Cruisers Hatchitigbee, Bukatunna, and Opelika and the Protect Cruisers Charlotte and Nashville.  The warships were accompanied on there around the world tour by the CSN Fleet Oiler Spruce.

Diary of Private Enrico Salvatore 1st Squad, 2nd Company 3rd Cohort VIII Legion Imperial Infantry.

July 1st 1914   I know I signed up for adventure and to see foreign places but this is outrageous.   I thought the legions would be about marching and drill and well maybe exotic dancers and drinks in North Africa.  Instead I'm somewhere in the misbegotten hinterlands of East Africa.   And instead of more training with the Machine gun or the rifle which might at least be interesting the new Sergeant has a practicing what he calls the basics of real soldiering.  That is digging foxholes, bunkers, trenches and privies.   In the last week since the exercises began our unit has spent more time marching and digging in then we have firing our weapons.   I should describe our new Sgt.  He has to be at least 6 feet tall and coal black.  His name is Sgt Dubako and he is supposedly from the North African colony of Tunis.   Evidently his father was in the Legions and now he's in the Legions and heaven help the man who does something that embarrass Sgt Dubako or his precious Legion.  Because as the good Sgt says on Sunday our Souls belong to the Chaplin and God but the rest of the weak or Ass's belong to him.

July 14th 1914 Oh how I envy the pilots flying about in their planes.  I spent the afternoon today watching them sailing effortlessly over our lines it broke the tedium of sentry duty.  Well at least it did until Sgt. Dubako caught me as he called it malingering again watching planes instead of the ground for a supposed enemy.    Well at least the surgeon says I will be restricted to light duty for a few days while the blisters heal.  So perhaps I will get a chance to watch the planes fly over us again tomorrow there are so many different varieties of them and it appears such a carefree life up in the morning breakfast a brief flight along the lines back for lunch and another flight before dinner.   I think I'll look into a transfer to flight school, I mean how hard could it be to learn to drive one of those kites around the sky and it certainly has to be cooler up there then down here.  Besides if the Sgt catches me malingering again he promised to let me dig the command bunker and the latrine all bye myself instead of just the latrines.   It seems the good Sgt. is upset by the Legions outlawing of the lash.   

July 31st 1914 I understand that Sgt Dubako and Capt. Cornelius Quintus Spurius want to keep our training realistic but realistic Chemical Warfare training that's going to far.  It seems an order from someone up the chain of command instituted the practice of using an Old bunker to get "us" troops ready in case someone uses chemical weapons is just torture.   Something called a tearing agent was burnt in the hut and we had to stand there for 10 hole seconds before putting our masks on.   Maybe the training will prevent casualties in the future but what about the casualties now.  I mean myself and at least half the squad spent an hour puking our guts out and nearly blind.   Once that was over Capt. Spurius spent the rest of the afternoon lecturing us on what the different chemical weapons were, what they smelled like and what one should do besides getting a Gas Mask on.  I am not completely sure which was worse the actual gas or the lecture.

Ave Dubako! Moritari te salutant!

Absoloutely Not they need permission to die... and Dubako isnt going to waste all the effort hes spent beating common sense into these troops by letting them die quickly and easily.....  And he better not catch any of them Salutant-ing him hes a Sgt and works for a living not one of those effiminite officer types.  :D ;D ;)

The Rome Times – December 1st 1914

The Great North African Cross Country Race will tentatively be scheduled for August 1915, official notification of acceptance into the race and of official rules will be sent to applicants no later then June 1915.

Across the World –

In embassy and diplomatic enclave the world over but even more at the Royal Palaces of the Worlds Monarchy' simple Cream White Envelopes begin arriving with simple gold trim and hand calligraphy addressed to the Royal Families in question.

The Letter contains a card and a return addressed envelope -  The Card says "You are hereby Invited to the wedding of  Princess Gundelinde Maria Josepha of the House of Wittelsbach to Tommaso Cecilo Filberto Giovani  Prince of Savoy.   The Wedding is to be held Sunday April 4th, 1915. It will be held in the Pauline Chapel in St. Peters Basilica Rome.  Please RSVP."

The Actors:
Gaius Marius Camila Emperor of Italia
Lucius Decumius - Commander of the Praetorian Guard

Gaius Marius reading from a report and is apparently very angry. "Lucius is the information contained in this document valid."

Lucius  "My Liege, my investigators have checked into the validity of the accusations and the statements included.  While we cannot confirm the complete validity of the statement we have no evidence or reason to doubt the information!"

Gaius Marius shaken "So the conclusion is that the attack was deliberate, why would they do something so fundamentally stupid?"

Lucius "We simply don't  know why they did what they did simply that it is logical that they were involved.  I have a plan to get more information and my agents are currently trying to find a more reliable source of information but this will take time.  Do we have that time?"

Gaius Marius "No, still visibly angry we don't have a lot of time.  Continue the investigation and get me pen and paper I have some personnel letters to write and send for the Publius Rutilius Rufus, he has some messages to send as well.  But the results of the investigation can await the results of these more critical actions!  I will not tolerate this affront!"

Lucius Bowing out the door while scribes and secretaries scramble into the room "As you wish my Liege I will take the necessary actions."

Jose Alizandro will be thrilled - he won't have to attend another wedding with that bratty little Hapsburger girl.

Technicly New Zion IS a monarchy, but I would assume said invitation got 'lost' in transit?

Hmm... so apperantly they did manage to pin the blame on New Zion. No wonder the Iberians are upset.

The Rome Times- December 26th 1914

After Roman News Papers copied the Headlines from Several Prominent Habsburg newspapers yesterday crowds gathered across Rome to demand answers from the Imperial Government and the Senate.  Several less savory crowds began to gather near many of the Synagogues, Shuls and Temples within the Roman Empire only to find that units of Police, or Army had already been dispatched.  Some violence against Jewish Citizens and residence within the Empire occurred and many of those responsible have been arrested.  This has marred the usual festive Roman Christmas season.

A Spokesperson for the Imperial Senate had this to say "The Government of Rome is aware of the evidence and the accusations made against the State of New Zion and is taking appropriate action.  However, Rome will not tolerate attacks against its loyal Jewish Citizens or Residents they are not at fault and anyone moving to harm them in the security guaranteed them in their persons or property under Roman Law will face the full might of the Government of Rome.  In addition the Emperor has dispatched Consul Spurius Valerius Maximus to a meeting of Governments in Paris to state the position of Rome on this matter.   Your Government asks you to  return to your jobs and homes and to remain calm and to refrain from violence against your fellow citizens."


In other News –

Yesterday celebrated the 2nd anniversary of the Assassination of Pope Pius X and still no news as to who is responsible.   There we memorial masses and morning across Rome and Italy today following the news out of the Habsburg Empire that New Zion may have been responsible for the attack on the Pope.