All right, I'm back with another chapter.
So, I am an idiot. All this time, I was moping around because I could only build protected cruisers while everyone else was already building light ones... never came to my mind to order a design from foreign yards. You can laugh at me now. Meet the S. Rafael-class:
Now, you are probably asking: Why in heavens did you pick Germany? The answer is quite simple: Germany has the lightest machinery, only surpassed by the USA, who are as stuck with protected cruisers as I am. I will order a couple of these guys from the Germans, as the machinery weight makes it worth it (for the record, if this ship was build in my yards, it would have 1 ton of free space).
I also have a 1100t design, but I feel it would benefit a lot from using oil firing instead of coal, so I'm holding off on their construction.
Well, there's an obvious pun to make here.
Also, we sink one ship for one sunk sub. Meh.
I say sure, Spain says they have an headache, not this month.
Again, yes! Spain says no, though. More free VP for me.
Spain only has a couple of DDs at their home territory. Time to move a part of my fleet there and be even more of a nuisance to them.
1 Spanish BB, what BB? Spain declines the battle once again. Meanwhile, I let the army do its thing and hopefully pad a bit more my VPs. Should probably think about setting the stage for an invasion somewhere, too.
Let's make them sweat a bit more, shall we? Peace negotiations fail, and the Spanish lose a sub to no sinkings, though they get 2 ships sunk by their raiders... before one of them is forced to scuttle.
Another battle that I won't even deign to take a screenie off, as the Spanish refuse to battle again, giving me 100 more VP.
The army does not fail to bring results. Good for them.
No. And don't you dare to- oh, negotiations failed. Good.
My subs sink one ship, but two of them are lost. Come on guys, you can do better than this!
The Spanish lose another sub, no sinkings. Their raiders manage to hit two ships however.
Next up, another batch of battles where my enemy refuses to meet me. I can't really blame him, though.
9ft Rangefinder is researched. One ship sunk by subs to no losses for each side, and their raiders score another sinking.
This month, for a change, the Spanish accept the battle... only to be unable to gather a fleet. I'm starting to pity the poor sods. Their subs also sink another ship, but one of their raiders is interned, while another scores one kill.
A couple more months... not much happens. Spanish subs claim two ships and lose one, and their raider scores three kills. He's starting to be a pain in the rear, and my ships can't catch him, sadly. Quality control II (armour tech) is researched.
One ship lost by each side, another Spanish raider intercepted. This is pretty boring.
Reliable delay fuzes are researched. I lost one sub, the Spanish sink two ships but lose a sub as well. Their raiders get a couple of ships as well.
Huh? So, is the intel wrong, or this is how they chose to play? Ah nevermind, they couldn't form a fleet.
Looks like this time, it was the Spanish that weren't expecting the Inquisition...
My second BB is finally finished. Also...
Hrm. I want to push them, but these battles are getting pointless. They do have a BB ready, but they just can't form a fleet for even a small engagement. Still, I pick the middle option. Let's see if it goes well.
Aaaand no deal. Wow. Just wow.
Also, my guys finally research oil firing! I can now go back to that DD and see what can I fit with the extra available space. Also, Increased oblique penetration ability is researched.
Next up, a battle at the coast of Spain, surely they will...
Oh, the fight is on. One cruiser on my side, and a mission to sink one ship. Hmm... could be better.
A target! Aaand the crew just sees me a bails out. Well, no ammo spent.
More targets, the kind that shoots back! Let's not get too greedy, though, if they run away, better to let them go. After a few rounds of 'crowd pleasing', that's what they do.
Well, one solid shot on their destroyer out of seven hundred. Could be worse.
I got my hopes up when I saw this message... and it did end up unlocking Light cruiser armour configuration at last!
After a couple of rounds with some more ship sinkings for the Spainards, they finally accept to battle again...
Well. Convoy escort isn't my favourite type of mission, to be honest. One enemy destroyer is just a bit southeast from my position, but he doesn't seem too eager to pick a fight with me. I do know that they have 5'' guns, and enough torpedoes to give me a bad day, but...
Well, let's just say that Spain was once again the target of my destroyer pleasing campaign. He did manage to take a lucky shot at the torpedo tubes of one of my destroyers, but fortunately it wasn't enough to sink it.
... stop making stupid proposals!
Okay, fair enough. I had hoped for more, but this will do. I have 4 points to take possession of colonies. What can I get with 4 points?
Guantanamo;
Guam;
Canary Islands;
Northern Marianas;
Caroline Islands;
Well, the Canary islands are a given, since they're so close to my own turf. I'll take Guantanamo to give me a foothold in the Caribbean. The other two points go for Guam and the Caroline Islands.
With the end of the war, it's time for the little adjustments. Destroyers are sent to secure my new holdings, while the old CP ships are refitted before being sent to the reserve fleet. Training is also stopped. Great Britain is a bit miffed with me, but I'm pretty sure I can run a bit of damage control with them.
Also, and to close this chapter, the S.Rafael class is finished! I send them back to my dockyards to refit them with my improved 4'' and 6'' guns.
Well, this is a thing. Anyway, I'm done for today. I also had a couple of tension raising events while waiting for those two cruisers to be completed, but they are spread out between Italy, Germany and France, so nothing that drove me to worrying levels. For the end of this chapter, here's how things stand:
I must admit, I was getting tired of fighting them... if this can be considered fighting at all.