**EDIT**I cleaned this up a bit, but I left the overly memed bit as an intro. sorry regia.
**EDIT AGAIN** I added more history, and a bit more background.
SO the backstory of this is that Spain doesn't screw themselves over with their colonies, and doesn't piss away their cash. This allows them to remain a major power UNTILL *dun dun duuuuuuuun* the industrial revolution happens and the British become the biggest deal ever. BUT the Spanish have an ace up their sleeve, which is Mexico, who became a separate empire, then housed the Spanish government in exile during Napoleon's invasion, and then joined a personal union with the Spanish throne to create La Unión Imperial de España-México. *dramatic music sting*
How? well...people don't think it be like it is....but it do.
This AU starts in the late 1800s/early 1900s, mostly because rigging for sailing ships terrifies me. At this time, the combined Empires of Spain-Mexico controls a sizable portion of the world. Directly controlled are the territories of Spain, Mexico, Spanish Morocco, Spanish Western Sahara, and the Spanish Atlantic Islands. Colonial holdings include Spanish Central Africa, the Philippines, the majority of the Caribbean, all of Central America, the Southwestern North American territories, and nothern South America (wow that sounds contradictory).
Just like in real life, these are divided into Viceroyalties. This is the Viceroyalty of Peru (controls Peru, Colombia, Venezuela), The Viceroyalty of Panama (Panama, Guatemala, and Costa Rica), The Viceroyalty of Cuba (controls Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, other Caribbean), The Viceroyalty of the Philippines (Philippines, Guam) and the Viceroyalty of California (California, Nevada, Arizona, Nuevo Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida). All authority over these colonies is shared jointly by the crown of Mexico and the crown of Spain.
![[ img ]](http://i.imgur.com/nCyejAX.png)
This is the Osprey class torpedo boat (circa 1903). It uses the fascinating rotary engine to attain high speed, and is probably vulnerable to rifle fire. BUT it is a fast thing with torpedoes, so I say good enough.
![[ img ]](http://i.imgur.com/sXgj2jb.png)
This is the Jose Diaz class of Naval Auxillary craft. I like to draw these underloved beauties more than warships, so this was a fun one for me. Why have a small troopship that can't do ocean? Because I need it to ferry people between islands, and from the islands to the mainland, etc etc. Why a small supply ship? Same concept, but replace people with supplies.
