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Post by theexecuter on Dec 17, 2017 0:12:34 GMT -6
April 1908
The court authorizes more funds for the navy. Excellent! New technology: Cross Deck Fire Our CL Avrora sinks the Japanese CL Chitose off Shanghai May 1908
New technology: Destroyer screen Russian army positions on the Manchurian side of the Yalu River are under attack by the Japanese Army. One of our armored cruisers, in company with the light cruiser Avrora and a trio of destroyers is patrolling the estuary of the Yalu. The enemy sends six cruisers and seven destroyers to bombard our forces. Our ships engage in a running battle towards Port Arthur. As twilight approaches, our destroyers launch a torpedo attack and manage to allow our ships to escape. Unfortunately, the DD Mitri is too heavily damaged to get away and sinks. Once our force has been chased away, the enemy proceeds to bombard our forces into retreat. The main fleet has arrived, but despite outnumbering the Japanese fleet in battleships 15 to 8, is unable to place the Home Islands under blockade. June 1908
The Japanese send two light cruisers half way around the world to raid Russian shipping in the Baltic Sea. They are sighted off Hanko by the crew of one of our minesweepers (subsequently sunk post signalling for help). The heavy cruiser Ismail chases down both hapless light cruisers and sends them to the bottom. The fact that our entire battlefleet isn't enough to enact a blockade is disheartening. However, our cruisers continue to perform well. Now that we have destroyer screen technology, I am going to want to double the number of destroyers we have...as well as lay down another battle cruiser.
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 15, 2017 13:02:37 GMT -6
Yes, for light cruisers, I use coal fired engines for as long as I have protected cruiser armor configuration...regardless of access to oil, since the marginal increase in armor ability in the light cruiser configuration is offset, IMO, by the loss of the coal bunkers. For destroyers though, I should have gone out fired. I make no claim to be great at the game.
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 15, 2017 10:44:14 GMT -6
One thing I like about Russia is the oil access, able to incorporate oil-fired designs early, as you promptly did with the Imperator Aleksander III. Kinda wondering why you stayed with coal for the new Zadorny DD class? Is there some material or budgetary aspect of coal-vs-oil that I've perhaps been ignorant of? I took coal fired? Oh. Oops. Is Russian navy, we had too much Vodka that day...
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 15, 2017 10:43:12 GMT -6
Typical Russia. From massive success to epic failure. Note: I am not crisiizing you, as I have had similar things happen to me as Russia. They seem cursed. Cursed with poor education...which leads to slow tech advance, which leads to backward ship design...crewed by less competent crews who can't shoot well, can avoid torpedos or mines well, and who can't read signals. I really thought we could easily take that enemy battle fleet...but our ships refused to form a proper line of battle. It was a shockingly shameful display. We deserved the prestige loss for that day.
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 14, 2017 22:59:49 GMT -6
January 1908
New technology: 9 ft rangefinder The Japanese launch a big cruiser raid on our shipping into Vladivostok. In perfect weather, our two armored cruisers intercept the enemy force...and split it up, and sink the enemy cruisers one after another. The enemy cruisers try to run while our ships finish off the second of their number...but they run right into the battleship support force that has come out of Vladivostok to get in on the fun. Only darkness saves the one remaining enemy cruiser. It is a spectacular victory, and Mother Russia exults! Outnumbered six ships to two, our machines were faster, heavier armored, and better gunned. With the increased wartime budget, we lay down a second dreadnought: The Imperator Aleksandr III is larger than its predecessor, with the additional weight going into more armor. The ship will use oil for propulsion, rather than coal...another new advance. We also lay down a new class of destroyers. The Zadorny class will use 4 inch guns, and have 30 knot speed. February 1908
New technology: Anti-submarine nets The Japanese, undeterred by the debacle at Vladivostok, launch their invasion of Manchuria. The landings of units on the Liaotung Peninsula is covered by a significant portion of the Japanese fleet. Our fleet sorties to intercept the enemy. In an engagement characterized by multiple and inexplicable signalling errors, our battleships are disrupted and fail to coordinate into a proper battle line. Several of our ships take heavy damage while waiting for their partners to rejoin. The heavy cruiser Pamyat Azova suffers from the cruiser squadron leader being too aggressive, and sinks immediately from a torpedo. Our ships withdraw back to Port Arthur, and in a stern chase do some damage from long range to the enemy fleet. Despite having superior ships, our men's handling of them was poor. And the navy has gone from hero to goat in just a few short weeks. The army will now have to shoulder a significant burden of defending the port until the rest of the fleet arrives. March 1908
Our light cruiser Avrora was sighted off the Kuriles running from a Japanese cruiser. All accounts claim she survived and is still out there raiding. Our fleet spends the month in port, while the enemy continues to land reinforcements and supplies on the northern end of the Liaotung Peninsula. The press back home are incensed. My prestige continues to suffer. The war remains in the balance. I expect to place Japan under blockade once the remaining battleships arrive. The enemy submarines have been just as effective as our raiders, however they have already lost several submarines to our patrol craft. Our first priority for construction is the replenishment of our destroyer numbers. The last few battles have seen them decline alarmingly.
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 14, 2017 22:45:44 GMT -6
Not a bad outcome for a surprise attack, though you might still be a bit short of ships in the Far East for the first few months of the war. Indeed. The Japanese scrupulously stayed out of coastal battery range...almost like they had scouted the harbor on that goodwill mission... No complaints from me, as that meant no massed torpedo volleys into my parked battleships. I had sent enough battleships to be at parity in the opening phase, though we are short cruisers. The main fleet will arrive by April, so hopefully things won't go pear shaped in the mean time.
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 14, 2017 17:26:36 GMT -6
January 1907
New technologies: Control Tops 13inch guns (-1) February 1907
New technology: Explosive Sweeps April 1907
New technology: Improved Hoists May 1907
New technologies: Oil Firing Improved AP Cap Improved Compressed Air Supply (torpedoes now do 28 knots for 2 km or 18 knots for 4 km) June 1907
One of our cruisers runs aground in the Mediterranean. We accept local help to get it afloat again. New technologies: Improved Annealing Longitudinal Framing August 1907
We negotiate a treaty with Germany. The peace faction reigns triumphant at the Navy Ministry. September 1907
New technologies: Torpedo Protection System - 1 Torpedo Aiming System October 1907
New technology: Economizer November 1907
A Japanese cruiser is sent on a goodwill mission to Port Arthur. We praise her as a nice ship, though ours are just as good. December 1907
We agree to sell arms to the Balkan states as another round of fighting has broken out. Half-way across the globe, in the misty twilight of a winters morning, the men manning the coastal guns guarding the harbor at Port Arthur spot small ships approaching. The enemy destroyers stay out of range of the guns, and morning breaks to find the Japanese fleet outside the harbor and beginning to shell our ships from long range. The battleship Evstafi was the first to get underway, and she led the Russian battle fleet straight towards the enemy. Clearing the harbor, the cruiser Bayan took a torpedo hit and retired to the inner harbor to beach. Confusion reigned in the fleet as men and officers scrambled to operate the not fully crewed ships and officers tried to decipher signals from the Evstafi in the absence of any operational plan. Fortunately, the enemy fleet retreated as the Russian ships came out. In the initial confusion, before the establishment of a proper battle line, the Evstafi took heavy damage as the enemy battleships focused on her. However, once the remaining Russian ships formed up...the Japanese fleet took lots of hits and began withdrawing to the south. The Evstafi, staggered by dozens of hits, on fire, and flooding dropped out of line and steered for Dalny. The Russian fleet made certain of the retreat of the Japanese fleet, and then fell back itself towards Port Arthur. Two Russian destroyers were sunk, along with one Japanese destroyer. The Bayan and the Evstafi were heavily damaged, but did not sink. One of the Japanese heavy cruisers suffered serious damage as well. The long awaited Pacific war begins. The remaining battleships of the Baltic Sea Fleet are sent to Northeast Asia. Our light cruisers are given raiding orders. We begin concentrated training on gunnery and night fighting tactics rather than lay down any new ships.
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 12, 2017 19:27:46 GMT -6
What? The French didn't appreciate mobile warfare?
The Allies had significant numerical advantage in vehicles (both quantity and quality) and were pursuing a strategy that assumed (and required) their force would be much MORE mobile than the German force.
In fact, it was the very speed of the Allied advance RELATIVE to Allied DECISIONMAKING that enabled an inferiorly equipped German army to trap the Allied mobile force away from it's supply and thereby negate the need to fight it in a fair fight.
The allies assumed Germany would fight logically, not try anything risky...would play the odds and take the advance through northern Belgium. That was the safe play (and was preferred by the German general staff). However, that way was acknowledged by all sides as most likely to result in an Allied victory...with the only question being how long and costly would that victory be.
Faced with certain defeat, the Fuhrer demanded higher risk strategies as a means of beating this inevitable defeat scenario. Thus, the 'Manstein' plan was adopted, as it relied on the Allies knowing that victory could be achieved on the Dyle (and it would have been) and thus would rush to it without regard to flank or supply line security.
The German plan further assumed that Allied communication and decision making would be so slow that the vulnerable spearheads of the main thrust wouldn't be recognized, attacked, and neutralized when moving through the road network bottleneck...which proved to be the case.
So, victory was achieved not but superiority of arms, or superiority of doctrine, or an overly defensively minded France (one could make a very good argument for French offensive ardor being a significant factor in their defeat!)...but by German mastery of staff work, and understanding of their foe...and the commitment and utilization of a high risk strategy that took advantage of their opponents weaknesses (inflexible battle plan because of the political need to 'save Belgium / Dutch...and a very slow decision making process).
France didn't lose because they we're 'fighting the last war'. They lost because their staff work was abysmally poor. IMO, the root cause of that was an over reliance on political matters over military matters.
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 12, 2017 15:28:34 GMT -6
Assuming a fortification alone is sufficient defense is evidence of an amateur approach to military understanding.
Throughout the national age, fortifications have served as means to slow or deter an enemy from moving it's main force through an area, so that the mobile force of the defender can reposition to defeat the enemy.
Even France in the 1930s understood that the Maginot Line was only relevant if used in conjunction with it's Mobile force.
Fortification theory since at least the 17th century in the west has emphasized that fortification success can only be achieved with the assistance of a mobile force. The fortifications job is to delay or deflect...it is not to stop.
The Maginot Line fulfilled it's function. It forced the Germans to make their main attack through Luxembourg, just north of the line.
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 10, 2017 0:46:17 GMT -6
Proposal for first class Battleship: 42,000 tons - medium range Speed: 23 knots - coal fired engines Belt armor: 12 inches tapering to 3 inches Deck armor: 4 inches tapering to 1.5 inches Conning Tower: 16 inches Turrets: 16 inch face with 4 inch roof Casemates: 3 inches Torpedo Defense System - Level 1 Main Guns: 10x15 inch guns (ABVY) with Improved Directors and Increased Elevation capability Secondary Guns: 16x4 inch guns with secondary director Cost: $4.793M for 30 months BB1918v3.40d (4.52 KB)
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 10, 2017 0:27:37 GMT -6
January 1906
A call to reduce spending in favor of social programs is pushed, and the Navy League energetically protests. We are on the verge of war! February 1906
Members of the court scheme how to start the war on Russian terms. The navy merely requests additional funding. We spend that money on laying down Russia's first battlecruiser - Kinburn. She has 12 x 11 inch guns, will reach 26 knots, and has a balanced armor scheme. The original hope was to put the American 12 inch guns on the ship, but the additional weight would have left the ship very lightly armored indeed. April 1906
A revolt in Africa temporarily turns attention from the Pacific. We participate in an International squadron sent to restore order and protect our civilians. New technology - 700 ton destroyers May 1906
The British grand fleet sends some ships to Krohnstadt. We state that we are happy to host these great men, and make no comments whatsoever comparing our ships to theirs. June 1906
New technology - Coastal submarine July 1906
The Tsar again mentions that the fleet is 'too weak' in the Pacific. We move another four battleships and supporting ships to the Pacific. The national economy is picking up, and increased budget is available. New technology - Improved explosive filler packing August 1906
Germany sells us Automatic Range Transmitter technology New technology - Superimposed X turret October 1906
With the commissioning of the Ismail, we lay down a new raiding cruiser, the Pamyat Merkuriya. She has the now standard 10x6 inch guns of our raiders, will reach 26 knots, and is lightly protected. Long range and reliable engines means she will be a devil to track down and destroy. November 1906
New technology - Small tube boilers I December 1906Great Britain, Germany, and the United States are engaged in a naval race. We and Japan are seeming to match each other, with one dreadnought and one battle cruiser a piece. Eight of our Retvizan class battleships are at Port Arthur, and our Pacific cruiser fleet consists of four Varyag class armored cruisers and four of the raiding cruisers. We should be able to hold our own in the Pacific until the remainder of the fleet arrives to enforce a blockade. Japan has been constructing submarines already, and currently leads the world with 17 either built or under construction. We are preemptively matching their submarine count with convoy escorts (MS) so that the threat will be minimized. We have gone an entire year on the brink of war with Japan...perhaps neither side really wants to take the plunge?
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 9, 2017 17:21:07 GMT -6
February 1905
A significant uprising on the island of Borneo against the Dutch reaches a critical stage. The Dutch ask for help from a power it sees as disinterested in future conquest in the East Indies...and the Russian Pacific fleet lands marines and assists the local government in repressing the rebellion. In return, the Russian fleet receives basing rights at Balikpapan and Pontianak. The Russian navy agrees to provide funds to fortify these ports as well. April 1905
Japan significantly increases her naval budget, and the Russian court asks for our opinion. We state that they are 'no threat to our better prepared fleet'. May 1905
The Czar begins pushing for our fleet presence at Port Arthur to be expanded. We begin the process of moving battleships (to a total of four) to the Pacific. June 1905
New technology: Quality Control July 1905
New technology: Basic weight control August 1905
With the threat of war with Japan growing stronger every day, the court increases funding for the navy. New technology: Main Battery Wing Turrets The navy ministry puts out a tender for a new battleship, taking into account the Dreadnoughts that are being laid down for the other powers. The result is the Knyaz Potemkin. She is the heaviest (by far) warship yet to be laid down in the world. Her main battery armament of 12 x 12 inch guns in double turrets takes advantage of the excellent guns the Americans have shared with us. She is not heavily armored, prioritizing firepower over armor. October 1905
New Technology: Steam Turbines and Mechanical Shell Handling November 1905
We negotiate basing rights with the Sublime Porte in Rhodes, to aid the passage of ships to the Pacific. New Technology: Range Calculator and Capped AP Projectiles December 1905
A slump in the economy means funding will be cut by the court. We protest vigorously as war with Japan is deemed to be very close. Further cuts to the budget are 'unacceptable!'
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 9, 2017 15:51:09 GMT -6
IMO, the 1940 France campaign hinged far more on intelligence and command competence than combat capability.
French first line units and equipment was more than a match for German first line units and equipment, including doctrinal art.
However, this was a moot point as the German plan was to cut the French first class units off from supply by slicing through northeastern France to the sea.
Germany, unhappy with repeating the Schlieffen idea and faced with a leader demanding a winning rather than attritional strategy, extensively wargamed and planned an alternative, high risk armored assault...based on the correct assumption (assessment) that Allied commanders would react to slowly to the deception of the attack (that the Benelux thrust was the diversion).
By contrast, the Allies were forced by internal politics to guaranteeing Poland (who they never intended to help). They then squandered the six weeks of initiative opportunity because of this unwillingness to actually help Poland. They took the risk of the Dyle plan because of the politics, and did not consider the capabilities of the Germans during it's planning.
Once in place, the plan was never wargamed or modified in any way over the months of the Phoney War...and intelligence suggesting that the main German thrust would be in the Ardennes (quite well known throughout history as a viable invasion route) was ignored because there was 'no need to change a politically accepted plan'.
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 9, 2017 14:55:09 GMT -6
I think the US Omaha class had stacked conical casemate's forward as well...
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Post by theexecuter on Dec 6, 2017 16:22:36 GMT -6
May 1904
I believe it is relatively safe to denounce the increasingly militaristic Empire of Japan. August 1904
A Russian and French warship collide in the Atlantic. Of course, it is the French navy's ill trained seamen who were at fault! September 1904
Germany signs a new trade pact with Sweden and Norway, and conducts a military exercise with the nascent Swedish navy. Our observers tell us that the exercise was meant to practice means of preventing attacks on the iron ore convoy, a staple of our success in the recent war. Spooked by this preparation by the Germans, the Tsar authorizes additional funding for the navy. We lay down a new battleship, the Petropavlovsk. She sports 11 inch guns that are improvements over the old 12 inch guns. The navy's request for additional firepower was met by putting a heavy secondary battery of 9 inch guns in the superstructure. Ideally, we would like to have more than just four main battery guns, but we have not yet figured out how to handle the magazine spaces below decks for such large caliber shells. The Petropavlovsk is 1 knot faster than the other battleships in our fleet, and is of similar size and armor construction. In addition, we lay down a new class of torpedo boats, taking into account the lessons from the German war. The navy ministries request for six guns could not be met on a boat of only 600 tons, but we believe this should be an adequate destroyer for the moment. The US, heartened by our denunciation of Japan, and fooled by our statements promising open trade in Manchuria...proposes an alliance which we eagerly accept. November 1904
A fresh round of fighting breaks out in the Balkans. We stir the pot by denouncing French meddling in the region. December 1904
The USA sells us quality 1, 12 inch guns! New technology over the year: Central Firing Diving Planes Pneumatic Recuperator Preheater Gyroscope (torpedoes now have 1km range at 28 knots, and 3km range at 15 knots) 11 inch guns (quality 0) State of the World
Tensions are low, and no power has laid down a paradigm shifting ship.
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