Post by captremius on Aug 4, 2020 19:57:55 GMT -6
This is the start of my first posted AAR. Be aware it will be significantly different than most I've seen posted.
For the last few years a few of my friends and I have been playing what we call 'Narrative Campaigns' both in RTW and RTW2. In which we try to write a story that goes with the campaign as we play. Part of this, I will fully admit, is a bit of save editing to make both the campaign, and thus the story it creates more interesting. It is never done by the actual player, but another member of our group who acts as a sort of Narrator. Edits can include anything from sudden wars, to early ship launches, to loss of technologies. All of which will be then be justified as part of the Story. Is this technically cheating? Maybe. But since the narrator can change both the players data and the other nations data, we have called it fair-ish. You as the reader have been informed so that half the responses wont be messages saying "That's impossible in-game". We know the limitations of the game, but we figure if Jackie Fisher can force the Dreadnought to be finished in less than a year, and a simple assassination can cause a World War, then its fine.
And now... A bit of quick backstory on the world this campaign took place in. Most of this part will be 'Flavor Text' but we think it important to set the tone before we start. Also please remember I am no author, so apologies in advance for how bad this may be.
Settings: 1900 start Date: Very Large Fleets, 90% research rate.
Part One: The Russian Empire of 1900
The once mighty Imperial Fleet had become little more than a footnote in naval history. Since the Napoleonic wars it had been largely ignored in favor of the imperial army. However they had comforted themselves in the fact that they were the only major power in all of their major areas of operation. The Baltic was clear of any major possible enemies. In the Black Sea the Ottomans were but a shadow of their former selves. In the East other powers had little more than patrol ships and the occasional small cruiser. But as time passed the Germans united and began building up in the Baltic. The Japanese began their modernization and began to construct their own fleet. Even the Ottomans began to purchase vessels of their own from foreign yards. Yet without the industrial base of Western powers like Britain and France, Russian Admirals could only dream of ships to equal those being built in foreign nations.
However as the 20th century grew near Tsar Nicholas II restarted the reforms of his grandfather Tsar Alexander II. Many of these reforms were focused around rapid Modernization and Industrialization of the Empire. For the average Russian many of these changes went unnoticed. For the Navy however, this sudden increase in both money and materiel was too great an opportunity to ignore. Even as the Tsar began new social and industrial programs to grow the country further the Navy and its Admirals began clamoring for much of the new resources. Now they could regain what they saw as their rightful place in the world. After much cajoling and political dealing, the Tsar granted the Admirals their increased budget in 1894.
Within six months Shipyards across the Nation began bidding on new contracts being offered. In the first year over two dozen major naval construction projects were started. In the second that number tripled. In 1896 however it all began to fall apart as rivalries between fleets, and personal rivalries amongst the men who led them, began to take their toll. The new ship designs being called for became wildly different as each Admiral requested what he believed would be the ideal warship. New technologies were developed and then jealously hoarded by shipyards looking to snag more of the ever increasing military contracts, or by the fleets and their Admirals eager to have more of the budget transferred to them. By February of 1899 the Imperial Russian Navy had ballooned from 87 warships including 5 battleships, to nearly 300 vessels including 28 battleships spread across 80 different classes and 4 separately commanded fleets. Even with the increased budget the Navy could not hope to afford either the fleet that it currently had or the ships still under construction. In April of that year the Tsar ordered all new ship production halted. The Admirals despaired, believing that they had squandered their chance to regain greatness.
This was not the case. As the Admirals had embarked on 'The Great Build', as it became known, the Tsar watched with growing anger and resignation as he saw his admirals squandering his gifts to them. As more and more money and resources were shoveled into the Navy to little real effect, the Tsar began to despair before an unlikely letter came across his desk. Written by a mere Captain at the Imperial Naval Academy it called for a new form of leadership modelled after that found in Britain. In the letter the Commandant proposed that all Fleets, and their respective Admirals, should be answerable to a single central figure. This supreme head of the Navy would then, much like the British Lord of the Admiralty, dictate concepts for new ship designs, new naval bases, tactics, supporting industry, everything. All aspects of the Imperial Navy would be under this one single authority. And unlike the Admirals of the fleet who were appointed by internal seniority, this new position would be appointed, and dismissed, by personal command of the Tsar. For several months the Tsar was incredibly skeptical of the concept, anyone appointed to such a position would have command over men and resources unequaled by any save himself. However as time passed and the Admirals continued to squander their resources he came to the conclusion that while risky such a position may be necessary.
So it was that December of 1899 a relatively unknown captain was catapulted from desk jockey, to the single most powerful naval officer in the Empire. On the December 19th 1899 Mikhail Skvortsov was appointed to the new created post of 'Lord of Admirals'.
'Part Two: The first Lord at Peace' Coming soon
For the last few years a few of my friends and I have been playing what we call 'Narrative Campaigns' both in RTW and RTW2. In which we try to write a story that goes with the campaign as we play. Part of this, I will fully admit, is a bit of save editing to make both the campaign, and thus the story it creates more interesting. It is never done by the actual player, but another member of our group who acts as a sort of Narrator. Edits can include anything from sudden wars, to early ship launches, to loss of technologies. All of which will be then be justified as part of the Story. Is this technically cheating? Maybe. But since the narrator can change both the players data and the other nations data, we have called it fair-ish. You as the reader have been informed so that half the responses wont be messages saying "That's impossible in-game". We know the limitations of the game, but we figure if Jackie Fisher can force the Dreadnought to be finished in less than a year, and a simple assassination can cause a World War, then its fine.
And now... A bit of quick backstory on the world this campaign took place in. Most of this part will be 'Flavor Text' but we think it important to set the tone before we start. Also please remember I am no author, so apologies in advance for how bad this may be.
Settings: 1900 start Date: Very Large Fleets, 90% research rate.
The Tsars of the Seas
The Rise of the Imperial Russian Navy 1900-1950
By: Lord of Admirals (Ret) Marko Remius
The Rise of the Imperial Russian Navy 1900-1950
By: Lord of Admirals (Ret) Marko Remius
Part One: The Russian Empire of 1900
The once mighty Imperial Fleet had become little more than a footnote in naval history. Since the Napoleonic wars it had been largely ignored in favor of the imperial army. However they had comforted themselves in the fact that they were the only major power in all of their major areas of operation. The Baltic was clear of any major possible enemies. In the Black Sea the Ottomans were but a shadow of their former selves. In the East other powers had little more than patrol ships and the occasional small cruiser. But as time passed the Germans united and began building up in the Baltic. The Japanese began their modernization and began to construct their own fleet. Even the Ottomans began to purchase vessels of their own from foreign yards. Yet without the industrial base of Western powers like Britain and France, Russian Admirals could only dream of ships to equal those being built in foreign nations.
However as the 20th century grew near Tsar Nicholas II restarted the reforms of his grandfather Tsar Alexander II. Many of these reforms were focused around rapid Modernization and Industrialization of the Empire. For the average Russian many of these changes went unnoticed. For the Navy however, this sudden increase in both money and materiel was too great an opportunity to ignore. Even as the Tsar began new social and industrial programs to grow the country further the Navy and its Admirals began clamoring for much of the new resources. Now they could regain what they saw as their rightful place in the world. After much cajoling and political dealing, the Tsar granted the Admirals their increased budget in 1894.
Within six months Shipyards across the Nation began bidding on new contracts being offered. In the first year over two dozen major naval construction projects were started. In the second that number tripled. In 1896 however it all began to fall apart as rivalries between fleets, and personal rivalries amongst the men who led them, began to take their toll. The new ship designs being called for became wildly different as each Admiral requested what he believed would be the ideal warship. New technologies were developed and then jealously hoarded by shipyards looking to snag more of the ever increasing military contracts, or by the fleets and their Admirals eager to have more of the budget transferred to them. By February of 1899 the Imperial Russian Navy had ballooned from 87 warships including 5 battleships, to nearly 300 vessels including 28 battleships spread across 80 different classes and 4 separately commanded fleets. Even with the increased budget the Navy could not hope to afford either the fleet that it currently had or the ships still under construction. In April of that year the Tsar ordered all new ship production halted. The Admirals despaired, believing that they had squandered their chance to regain greatness.
This was not the case. As the Admirals had embarked on 'The Great Build', as it became known, the Tsar watched with growing anger and resignation as he saw his admirals squandering his gifts to them. As more and more money and resources were shoveled into the Navy to little real effect, the Tsar began to despair before an unlikely letter came across his desk. Written by a mere Captain at the Imperial Naval Academy it called for a new form of leadership modelled after that found in Britain. In the letter the Commandant proposed that all Fleets, and their respective Admirals, should be answerable to a single central figure. This supreme head of the Navy would then, much like the British Lord of the Admiralty, dictate concepts for new ship designs, new naval bases, tactics, supporting industry, everything. All aspects of the Imperial Navy would be under this one single authority. And unlike the Admirals of the fleet who were appointed by internal seniority, this new position would be appointed, and dismissed, by personal command of the Tsar. For several months the Tsar was incredibly skeptical of the concept, anyone appointed to such a position would have command over men and resources unequaled by any save himself. However as time passed and the Admirals continued to squander their resources he came to the conclusion that while risky such a position may be necessary.
So it was that December of 1899 a relatively unknown captain was catapulted from desk jockey, to the single most powerful naval officer in the Empire. On the December 19th 1899 Mikhail Skvortsov was appointed to the new created post of 'Lord of Admirals'.
'Part Two: The first Lord at Peace' Coming soon
