In 1741, the Dutch East India Company faced a grand rebellion known as the Java War (1741). Following the conflict, investors' confidence in this enterprise grew increasingly shaky, and the company treasury was in danger of being left dry. In response, major shareholders met in Amsterdam and came down to a conclusion; they had to invade Oceanyka, a land filled with indescribable riches and opportunity. Preparations lasted around two years; during this time a private army of 60,000 European soldiers, 120,000 Malay auxilliaries and 60 ships-of-the-line was assembled in Java. On February of 1746, the assault began; within the first few weeks the northern cities of Farenday and Awalee were invaded by sea. As news of this general invasion spread throughout the continent, the previously agreed upon defensive coalition began to assemble and soldiers were dispatched from throughout the continent. Roughly a sixth of Oceanyka's statelets chose to ally the Dutch, being quickly besieged and dispatched before reinforcements could arrive. 

Victory was not often found in combat against the Dutch or their Malay vassals. European line infantry tactics were vastly superior, as were their artillery batteries and field engineering. This was largely thanks to the Netherlands' participation in the brutal, continent-spanning War of Austrian Succession. Large amounts of casualties and were often the result of contact between forces from both sides. The situation was much worse at sea, since Dutch ships-of-the-line could single-handedly sink a small group of Portuguese-style Australis Galleons, the most advanced ships available to Australia. Innovation was required, and fast.

France and Spain had fought the Netherlands, signing an unsatisfactory peace just a year prior. The sovereigns of both nations, upon hearing of the situation, sought to prevent the Dutch from upsetting the European balance of power, and so agreed to help Oceanykan forces. Large numbers of muskets and cannon were donated, while dozens of thousands of specialists, officers and engineers were sent to help train the defenders. As a result, in November of 1748 a decisive victory was achieved in the Battle of the Lakes (near modern-day Lake Woods). By mid-1749, the Dutch had been completely expelled from the continent. Peace was signed with the VOC shortly after.

During this war, Englightenment ideas were introduced to Oceanyka's courts, as were many bleeding-edge technologies, mostly related to war. It is considered the beginning of the Early Revolutionary Age.

The M-30 was the Soviet Army's standard divisional field howitzer. It made up the majority of a Soviet division's artillery firepower, and being of a larger calibre, was more potent than its German, British or American counterparts with a similar range. However, it was slightly heavier, and had a more noticeable logistical impact on operations. After the Revolution, the Oceanykan Peoples' Army obtained a large number of M-30 howitzers to equip its divisional artillery regiments.

The Department of the Treasury is a federal ministerial department with the following missions:

• Levy federal taxes from the Oceanykan Federation's members as approved by the Council.
• Collect alternative sources of income from other federal agencies, dependencies and departments.
• Organise a federal budget and distribute funds throughout the government as approved by the Council.
• Hunt down tax evaders.

For these missions the Department of the Treasury has one armed force at its disposal; the Tax Compliance Force. Its head is the Treasurer of the Federation, aided in their functions primarily by the Assistant-Minister of Finance. 

The Oceanykan Government only collects a single type of tax; the Polity Tax, equivalent to a certain percentage of a Faction's or Yeomanry's yearly income. As it is stipulated in the Constitution, these two are defined as any organisation, polity, state, group, corporation or individual which claims to have no master above itself (save for the Federal Government), thus it is independent of any other of its type and answers only to the Federation. Regional statelets, nomadic tribes and armed corporations are typically categorised as such. The Oceanykan Council must vote on and approve the tax percentage to be used that year, which is on average 3%. Any figure over 5% is constitutionally required to be in the context of a national emergency in which Article 5 has been declared.

Alternative sources of income make up a very significant portion of the Federation's income. Typical sources include;

• C3 Exports organised by the Department of Commerce, in which the Government acts as a middleman between Oceanykan suppliers and foreign customers, taking a share of the pie in the process.
• Correctional Labour Facilities managed by the Department of Security, in which prisoners toil away to meet harsh quotas, either contracted by Oceanykan corporations or within state-owned farms, mines and factories.
• Fines imposed by regional courthouses or, under extreme circumstances, by the High Court itself.
• Train fees imposed by the Department of Transport for use of the National Rail & Road System.
• Port fees impoed by the Department of Commerce for use of the Government's ports and wharfs.

Using this income, the Department of the Treasury must draft up an annual budget covering the expenses of all government departments, institutions, agencies and dependencies. The two most reliable methods for getting additional money when there isn't enough to go around are by raising taxes by 1-2% (likely to result in an armed uprising) or borrowing from the Federal Bank (decreasing macroeconomic stability).

Finally, the Department of the Treasury must hunt down tax evaders or politely convince them to turn up their debts with the State through its armed branch, the Tax Compliance Force.

On July 28th, Austro-Hungarian forces began a general invasion of Serbia. Having extensively planned for this operation previously, with most officers having been taught Simple Danubian, and with a great stockpile of prepared supplies, it was a decisive victory. By the end of September, the country had been fully occupied, and only irregulars continued the fight for Serbia. Austro-Hungarian armies linked up with those of Bulgaria and the Ottomans, beginning a joint invasion of Greece, to dislodge Entente ships in the region and threaten Egypt. The Romanians, which had entered the war on the get-go, proved far more resistance with Russian reinforcements, but were eventually pushed back. By November of 1915, the Balkans were firmly in control of the Central Powers.

Somewhat further to the north, the Italians managed to push the French in the extremely bloody Battle of the Alps, though its colonial holdings were lost. Furthermore, on the border between the Ottoman levant and the British colony of Egypt, combat began to unfold.

Coffee is a hot beverage produced using coffee beans, which are extremely caffeine-rich. As such, the primary effect of coffee is to induce wakefulness, though its taste and warming effect are also valued. Coffee may be combined with cream, milk or sugar. This drink is not as popular as its classic counterpart Tea, but as American and Soviet culture spreads throughout Oceanyka, its consumption will surely grow.

The Northern Giant Cockroach is Oceanyka's most well-known insect. It is everything one could wish from a cockroach; massive at up to 12cm long, lives communally, and can fly. However, not all is bad. The species is really harmless for humans, can make quick work of organic residue and is very rich in protein. Suffice to say most people are not into the idea of eating roasted cockroaches, but there exist numerous groups throughout Oceanyka where it is considered a delicacy.