Indivisibiliter ac Inseparabiliter - Austra AAR - 1890

[theconeezeanemperor]

(This is my first attempt at an AAR, but hardly my first playthrough of the Rule the Waves series, being a staunch fan since RTW1 (and an avid Austria-Hungary player all throughout). I do not know how much community overlap there is between Rule the Waves and From The Depths, but if there is some overlap, some of you may know me from that game's community, where I made a name for myself by producing hyper-detailed realistic ships based upon ships I had designed and used in Rule the Waves 1 and later 2, alongside my contributions to the in-game campaign rosters.

In any case, this is to be a playthrough of my beloved Austria-Hungary once again, with an 1890 start through to the 1970s, hopefully. In any case, without further ado:)

Indivisibiliter ac Inseparabiliter - Indivisibly and Inseparably

"To explain the exact intricacies of the recent political and pseudo-political movements within the various layers of the Empire's court and governments would be a hopeless exercise in futility. The machinations of madmen and geniuses alike, gross incompetence, racism, arrogance, brilliance, and great statesmanship all came to a head in a month of upheaval and change. Change surprisingly unfelt by the general population or lower echelons of the constituent regions of the great central European bulwark, but change that spread almost unhindered through the normally sluggish and stubbornly traditional core of the nation. As the dust settled, outwardly it seemed like not much had actually altered.



However, despite the fact that echoing ramifications of this upheaval would be felt for decades to come, the most apparent changes that are relevant to us are related to the prioritisation and organisation of the various military branches within the K.u.K's domain. The factions within the court who favoured naval prestige, lead by the titular Archduke Franz Ferdinand, had managed to at least partially achieved their goals of increased naval funding, and in so doing disrupted the chain of command within the Kriegsmarine. The army was now lumped with a number of new efforts to renew and modernise, all of which were underfunded and no doubt destined for failure. Finally, of course, the Hungarian aristocracy was up in arms once again, aggravated by the changes, and newfound naval funding, demanding the Hungarian military and nation receive that focus instead.



Regardless, as part of the shake up of the traditionally entrenched Naval leadership, a new Marinekommandan, Chef der Marinesektion and Flottenkommandant had been selected, all roles being granted to an unusually young and enthusiastic man named Rudolf Graf Montecuccoli degli Erri, already pushing for modernisation and expansion within the previously strategically insignificant navy." - Excerpt from the introduction to 'The navy of a dozen tongues' by Naval Historian Ferdinand Rudolf Montecuccoli, published 1989

The Current Geopolitical Situation:

After all was said and done, the raise in naval funding had far more of an impact on foreign relations than any internal court shenanigans. Italy, in particular, was not very pleased at this turn of events. The young nation had been pumping alot of their economy into their Regina Marina as part of their efforts to raise legitimacy and prestige among the other great European empires, and always saw Austria-Hungary as a natural rival, given their constant attempts to claim Tirol, Triest, and other contested territories. The fact that Austria-Hungary's naval budget has gone up by almost a third resulted in a number of heated letters of protest, and performative naval exercises. Still, Montecucoli was unconcerned. Not only would Italian posturing simply aide in justifying increased funding, but despite their greater numbers and funding, their reputation for quality of training and vessel were remarkably poor. Overconfidence, perhaps, but even so it was clear Italy would be the pre-eminent rival for his new navy.



The only other directly threatening force was that of the French, with double the budget and more than double the tonnage, as the K.u.K Kriegsmarine stands it could only serve in a defensive capacity against such a force, should it be pitted against the Empire. Which is where Germany comes in. Enjoying relatively friendly relations with their germanic sister state had proved beneficial in the past, and given the newly crowned Kaiser Wilhelm II's fanatical obsession with all things naval, a sound bet would be to try and grow an alliance between the two powers. With the German navy occupying the majority of the French force, the K.u.K Kriegsmarine would have far more of a chance if war were to arise.



Finally, the dying empire of the Spanish. Once navally dominant, and for the last few years comparable with Austria-Hungary, the recent reduction in funding, and scrapping of alot of their older ships had placed their navy on the bottom rung of the Mediterranean naval hierarchy. Hardly a concern, though a possible ally if the old friendships the Spanish and Habsburgs can be restored. Whether such an ally would be nearly as useful as the effort to woo them would imply is up for debate, however any support is better than no support.



All in all, the K.u.K kriegsmarine's priories are clear, the fleet must be modernised in such a way as to ensure they can punch above both their weight and cost, particularly relative to Italian naval doctrine and design. France is a secondary concern, considering the currently stable relations and strength of their navy, though certainly one to be heavily considered, even if the only real viable method of countering their naval advantage is to form an alliance with Germany. Spain, meanwhile, is not really relevant to much of anything.





Game Start Settings:


(This playthrough has been designed in the spirit of alternative history. As such, technological variation has been put to its maximum. Hopefully this will result in some unique designs and doctrinal counterplays. A larger navy size has been selected for the purposes of this playthrough, to allow me enough wiggle room to build some proper battleships down the line, while still enforcing the practical limitations that make an Austria-Hungary playthrough so fun. Though normally I would slow aircraft development and limit the number of aircraft at airbases, I am going to be brave this time, my late-game battleships will just have to have proper fighter escorts and be swamped with AA.)

[theconeezeanemperor]

January 1890


Analysis of the current naval roster





As it stands, even a cursory glance at the K.u.K Kriegsmarine indicates a number of issues. Despite being newly built, the Kaiser Class is blatantly outdated from the get go, low tonnage and armed with presumably foreign 12" guns, considering the fact that Austria-Hungary has yet to develop her own method of producing them. One of the primary conditions for Archduke Franz Ferdinand's support of the current Grossadmiral is the promise of larger, more modern, battleships, with an ambitious plan for the K.u.K Kriegsmarine to be able to fight as the other European Navies do, with proper lines of battle.






Compared to her Italian and French counterparts, the Kaiser class is slow, small, and poorly armed. At the very least the armour is superior to the Italian Caio Duilo class, though that advantage is quickly lost when compared to the newer, better protected, Ruggiero de Lauria class. A situation made further daunting by the fact that Italy had two of each class, and were actively constructing two ne Ruggiero de Lauria class vessels, alongside a third of a new class, the Andae Doria class, of which we know frighteningly little.






The Minerva class armoured cruisers seemed to at least be more modern, however they still used single-gun turrets, and were similarly smaller than foreign alternatives, albeit not so severely. The Kaiserin und Konigin Maria Theresa was, however, an entirely different story, being smaller, worse armed, and slower, though better armoured.





Finally, the Zenta, Saida, and Szigetvar class protected cruisers, which are, fitting the pattern, outclassed by foreign vessels. Smaller, slower, and worse armed, they are hardly suited to more than trade escort.






All these issues would have to be solved through new classes of vessel, but at 9,000 tons, the dockyards of Istra are simply not up to the task of competing with the 10,000 to 11,000 ton Italian and French battleships, so it is clear that prioritisation must be given to building new armoured and protected cruisers, as the dockyards are expanded. While foreign docks could be used, it is doubtful the navy's supporters in the court would approve of such an embarrassing admission of inadequacy. This would have to be achieved domestically.



First steps


As such, the very first orders given are simple. Firstly, a new 12 month order for expansion to the Dockyards, then an increase to the research budget to 10%, and prioritisation given to naval artillery. 12" guns would be needed, ideally by the time the dockyards are ready for the next true class of battleships worthy of a European power.






Further, a new design was prepared, for an Armoured Cruiser as large as domestic docks could build. Designed with excessive firepower, both from a heavy 6" secondary battery, and the first domestic implementation of twin gun turrets, the Adria class was to be well armed and armoured, while retaining suitable speeds for such a cruiser at 20 knots. She would be a good interim class, both serving as a large armoured cruiser, and if necessary the class should be capable of being pressed into service in the battleline should war arise before the next class of Battleships are ready.






Of course, no one was under the illusion that the Adria could match the great 11,000 ton beasts of the other Mediterranean navies, but this was the best that could be managed in this short time frame, with the limited dock space available. The current ships that have already been laid down by Montecuccoli's predecessor will be left to reach completion on their own, despite how outdated they already were. At least, until funding gets tight enough to warrant their cancellation. It would be a shame to waste the work already done on them, though, so Montecuccoli only saw that as a last resort.

[TheOtherPoster]

Whith the primitive aiming tech at the time, medium guns will be the ones likely to hurt enemy ships for some years to come out of their share number and higher ROF (hell of fire). So fast CAs can be very helpful. And I very much like your design. The only issue could be maybe it's armour. It seems armour strength in 1890 is something like 70% of that in the 1900 start (Krupp). So a 4.5in belt is just over 3in KC in the game. And 2in less than 1.5in. Then in 1892 or 1893 we should get Harvey steel that is much better, not quite Krupp yet but not too bad either (unless we choose considerable tech variation, of course. Then who knows when we'll get it!
Anyway, if building a CA in 1890 I think I would try to give her a thicker armour, like 6in belt if possible and 4in to the main and all-important secondary guns. Maybe reducing speed to 19 to compensate a bit (still faster than enemy battleships) and, god forbid, deleting a couple of guns if there's not other choice.

[theconeezeanemperor]

Jun 20, 2023 10:49:34 GMT -6 TheOtherPoster said:

Whith the primitive aiming tech at the time, medium guns will be the ones likely to hurt enemy ships for some years to come out of their share number and higher ROF (hell of fire). So fast CAs can be very helpful. And I very much like your design. The only issue could be maybe it's armour. It seems armour strength in 1890 is something like 70% of that in the 1900 start (Krupp). So a 4.5in belt is just over 3in KC in the game. And 2in less than 1.5in. Then in 1892 or 1893 we should get Harvey steel that is much better, not quite Krupp yet but not too bad either (unless we choose considerable tech variation, of course. Then who knows when we'll get it!
Anyway, if building a CA in 1890 I think I would try to give her a thicker armour, like 6in belt if possible and 4in to the main and all-important secondary guns. Maybe reducing speed to 19 to compensate a bit (still faster than enemy battleships) and, god forbid, deleting a couple of guns if there's not other choice.

Yep. That is also why I went with 7" guns instead of 9", as the 7" guns only have -1 quality (and are hence far more accurate and powerful) compared to the 9"'s -2. -2 quality representing pre-1890 gun design, while -1 is 1890-1900 roughly, from memory. 

Also, that is a fair point regarding the armour thickness, however, I specifically had the armour be just thicker than necessary to provide total protection against -1 quality 7" guns. The Adria class, while strictly speaking designed for both batteline and armour cruiser roles, is more prioritised for the latter, and having a 20 knot speed and suitably high firepower was deemed a higher priority than protection against battleship main guns. Especially as, given that all battleship guns at present are -2 quality, and hence very inaccurate as you astutely point out, they are far less of a threat at present than smaller callibres. 

I also may be mistaken, but I did assume that 2", even at this low tech level, would serve as splinter and shrapnel protection, as it used to in the earlier RTW games. I tend to have 2" be the minimum thickness where I do not wish to fully armour something for that reason.

Also, yes, tech variation is set to its maximum for this playthrough. I want some alternate history and fun wacky designs, and this is generally the way to achieve that.

[theconeezeanemperor]

April 1890

Balkan Tensions

It seems as though the ramifications of the Austro-Hungarian political upheaval last year have reached the Balkans, or they set themselves aflame as the accursed region tends to do all by themselves. Regardless of the cause, our stanch ally, and practically puppet state, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is in the midst of a similar struggle in its upper societal, legal, and governmental echelons. A struggle that Serbia seems to be attempting to take advantage of, moving its forces into various positions on their shared border, in blatant preparation of invasion. While some would decry this move as mad considering our support, it does carry some sense, given the fact that our intelligence indicates that Serbia seems to be supporting anti-Austro-Hungarian portions of the Bosnian aristocracy, in the hopes that the nation would seek its own independence just in time for Serbian "intervention".

Regardless, this cannot stand, and surprisingly Montecuccoli was turned to for advice on how to handle the situation. Of course, the sentiment was already for a hard stance to bolster our position in the Balkans, so he doubted his opinion would change much, but still, he expressed similar sentiments. Bosnia and Herzegovina was a hard earned prize, and it would not do to risk its loss against such a minor and insignificant country as Serbia.




Of course, this move raised tensions further between Austria-Hungary and the other powers. Of primary concern is, of course, Italy, but France is starting to look warily over at the Adriatic...



The Adria Class Laid Down

Further, unfortunately the army's supporters are still extremely displeased with the Navy's newfound funding. One of the more politically connected supporters of army prioritisation seems to have pulled a number of strings to put up more red tape before the Adria class can be laid down. Of course, being young and determined for naval modernisation, Montecuccoli was too head strong to care about the potential loss of prestige, and simply bypassed the attempt against his efforts. As far as he was concerned, time was of the essence, especially after the Bosnian fiasko.



Pushing past this opposition, the first two ships of the Adria class are laid down. The SMS Adria and SMS leitha, both slated for 22 months of construction, to be ready March 1892. Unfortunately, even with the raised budget this put the Navy in a deficit. Though with some prudent mothballing and assigning a number of the less capable ships to the reserve fleet, the K.u.K Kriegsmarine should be able to survive on savings until the SMS Donau launches, which should once again put them within the confines of their assigned monthly funds.

[theconeezeanemperor]

Jan 1891

Tensions rise

Over the past months, not only were Russian spies uncovered, but those of that upstart colony, the USA. Needless to say, both events were given the utmost publicity to justify further expansion to military funding, though this has resulted in increased tensions between the Empire and most other major powers. These tensions will fall over time, they always do, but the short term benefit is more than worth it in the eyes of a navy seeking to attain any degree of relevance.




Second Batch

With the increased funding, and launching of the SMS Donau, the K.u.K Kriegsmarine lays down the second batch of two sister ships of the Adria class, SMS Lisa, and SMS Maros. Planned from the initial drawings, the last two of the class had to be delayed until funding was made available.




Further, the dock yard expansion was completed, with an additional 500t no less from private contributions, however this was still deemed insufficient for a suitable new battleship class. As such, another 12 month expansion plan was put forward and approved. Combined with the new Adria class sisters laid down, even with the increase to funding and the launch of the SMS Donau, funding was once again incredibly tight. Fortunately, both the SMS Radetzky and SMS Monarch would launch within three months of the new year, which should alleviate alot of these troubles, combined of course with hopes for further expansions to naval funds.

[theconeezeanemperor]

Jan 1892

A New Alliance

A long-expected outcome of years of improving relations, Great Britain and Japan formed an alliance in February 1891. This move no doubt aggravated the USA, given the fact that it effectively means their two main naval rivals now can function far more effectively in both the Pacific and Atlantic at the same time. Thankfully, despite our poor relations at present with the British Empire, it is considered doubtful that war should result, and even if it did, given our lack of colonial territory in general, much less in the Pacific, this alliance is fairly irrelevant to the K.u.K Kriegsmarine, at least directly.



Further Balkan Expansion

It has long been planned to push Austro-Hungarian influence further into the Balkans, despite the general instability of the region. Or even, possibly, because of it, given that on occasion this instability can work in the Empire's favour... 

Greece is one such prospective avenues of Habsburg ambitions, and rounding up support for a coup has been an effort undertaken in secret for many years prior. An effort, it turns out, has come to a head far earlier than expected. Given the importance of K.u.K Kriegsmarine gunboats to support the planned coup, and the role of Naval Intelligence in organising this opportunity, Montecuccoli was given the final call regarding the go ahead. Given the value of Greek ports in putting pressure on both Italy and the Ottoman Empire, the answer was obvious. 



In April 1891 the plan took effect, and Imperial supporters within the Greek army marched on Athens. Thankfully, Naval Intelligence had more than earned their pay, and had secured most of the Army's generals and leadership for this coup, resulting in the vast majority of the army either directly supporting, or tacitly remaining neutral, to this forceful change in government.




Unfortunately, the Greek Navy was far more loyal to their king, and sought to defend the current government and court. Deploying marines to defend the Old Royal Palace in Athens, and setting up ships off the coast for bombardment support, this would be a tough battle. Except, of course, this move was anticipated, and was exactly why Imperial gunship "diplomacy" was needed.



When the Greek Navy, loyal to the current royal family, sought to support their marines by bringing their old French ironclad battleships, such as the Hydra (see above) to the coast, Austro-Hungarian armoured cruisers moved in to act as "peace keepers", and obstructed the effort by threatening swift response if any bombardment was attempted.

Fighting in the Old Royal Palace was brutal, and the gunfire inside could be heard echoing all over the city, as the Habsburg-supporting forces pushed into the building. Of course, the second the coup had began and news reached the city of just how sever it was, the Royal Family evacuated to the Ironclad Salamis, and made way for France, so all that remained were those of the family who chose to stay, and the government itself. Viciously defended by loyalist Naval Marines.


By nightfall, silence finally fell over the city, and the nation had fallen. In a swift move to ensure this change in leadership took, a distant, but trusted, relative of Franz Joseph I was rushed over by the SMS Minerva, and without much ceremony was immediately made king of the Helenic State, securing the nation as a puppet akin to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Though there were plans for it to be eventually fully integrated into the multi-ethnic empire, they would have to wait until the current instability, and resistance movements, calmed down. Of course, this was a victory that came with undeniably significant international outcry and substantial raising of tensions. Particularly from France, now hosting the old Greek royal family, decrying the take over as illegitimate and criminal.


 
Though, the new economic contributions from the Helenic State, and launching of the SMS Monarch and SMS Habsburg have mostly stabilised the Naval budget, so the increase in tensions was probably worthwhile, and hopefully temporary.



A New Year

With the completion of the new docks, alongside once again, a great contribution from private concerns of 1,000t, the plans for a new Battleship class can finally be realised. Especially given the approaching launch of the SMS Adria and her sister the SMS Leitha. In what many consider a good omen, the Sailing Regalia held by the Spanish Navy was won by the Austro-Hungarian team, though much to Spanish consternation, even as tensions remain high between the Habsburgs and the other great powers.

Unfortunately, despite the increased research funding, and heavy emphasis placed upon artillery development, no new cannons have been forthcoming. It seems as though, in order to retain our domestic dignity, we shall be stuck with outdated 11 inch guns for this class. 

A number of doctrinal decisions have been made that inform the requirements of this new class. For starters, it must be capable of 18 knots, comfortably, in order to match the Italian Caio Duilio and Andrea Doria classes, further it had to have sufficient armour as to be immune to 7 inch gunfire, with a belt capable of defending against future 13 inch cannons. Secondary firepower must be superior to Italian equivalents, utilising 6 inch guns and a suitable tertiary battery of 3 inch guns was to make up the rest of the displacement.

All these considerations, even with a displacement of 12,500t, seemed impossible, however this is where the defensive doctrine, and calmness of the Mediterranean comes into play. The ships would only need to operate close to home ports, in the Adriatic sea, with almost always calm waters, which meant that freeboard could be kept to a minimum, and range reduced to only be as much as is required to complete the assigned mission. Finally, after much debate, the torpedoes were also abandoned to allow for greater firepower. It was decided that, from this point on, battleships do not require torpedo armaments, instead the intent was made to equip the next class of protected cruiser with torpedo warfare as a priority.

After a long design process, and alot of heated arguments, the Tirol class was finally ready for design study.

[theconeezeanemperor]

Jan 1983

Tirol class laid down

The first two ships of the Tirol Class have been laid down, the SMS Tirol and SMS Habsburg as the SMS Adria and SMS Leitha continue their working up. The second Adria batch is expected to be completed by year's end at the latest. Heady debate has taken hold within the Admiralty and the Naval supporters within the Imperial court, between starting a second Tirol batch, or designing a new protected cruiser class, once the second Adria batch launches. The latter group is adamant on a battleship-heavy fleet, and desire to prioritise the Tirol class, while the former thinks a more balanced approach would be better suited to the practical realities of the K.u.K Kriegsmarine's limited size and budget. While debate continues, a few terms have been decided on. For one thing, the docks shall be expanded once again with the launch of the second batch of Adria class armoured cruisers, and some of the more outdated ships will have to be scrapped once the SMS Tirol and SMS Habsburg launch.




A major part of why this debate is getting so heated is the fact that tensions have risen to almost breaking point between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and both Italy and Russia. Continued arguments over Tirol, Istria, and even Venezia have incensed the young Italian conglomeration, while Russia is taking advantage of the situation to agitate regarding Austrian encroachment on Serbia, and the contested Galicia region of Austrian Poland. The Admiralty argues that such tensions are all the more reason to prioritise the faster constructed protected cruisers, while the Imperial Court supporters argue for the deterrence and strategic strength offered by battleships, even while being constructed.




SMS Leitha Commissioned

SMS Leitha, the first ship of the new K.u.K Kriegsmarine has finished working up, and enters full service on the 15th of May 1892. With great fanfare and ceremony, the great Armoured Cruiser is handed over to LKpt Prasil officially, and Archduke Franz Ferdinand personally shakes the officer's hand, and officiates his change to this new position, in a heavily publicised show of the new naval strength soon to be coming to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Of course, even with how modern and capable the ship is, its clear status as effectively a pocket-battleship with insufficient firepower and armour for battleline service by any other great power's standards results in some degree of international mockery. Often pointed out was the fact that such a big and historic empire was giving the commission of a mere cruiser as much pomp and circumstance as the launch of the latest great battleship of Britain, France, or even Germany. Regardless, the move was well calculated for domestic politics, and the governmental and court faction in support of the Navy received far greater popularity among the general population than ever before. This change in political status quo may very well stick.





Serbian Provocation

The recent expansion of Austrian influence in the Balkans certainly did not help things regarding the fighting in the region. Serbia, in particular, as been feeling further threatened by this change in situation, going so far as to try and use their ties to Russia to force Austrian withdrawal, with little success. Meanwhile, Bulgaria has began pushing for reclaiming territory from the decaying Ottoman Empire, trying to get Serbian, Albanian, and Montenegrin support. All this really resulted in is a sudden enflaming of the ever present domestic terrorism in Albania against their Ottoman occupiers, a situation that Serbia sought to use to apply even further pressure on Austria to pull out of the region, blaiming the fighting on Austrian support and trying to get the Ottomans to act against the Empire.

All of which is to say, the Balkans are still very much the Balkans.



However, what would have normally just been confined to the Balkans spread. Italy took the opportunity to support the Serbian claims of Austrian support of Albanian rebels, and cited peacekeeping intentions for intervention in the region. Something which the Kaiser und Konig responded to with vehement opposition and threats of retribution for any action. To many experts, war seems almost inevitable between the young Italian monarchy, and old Austrian one.



In preparation for this war, all mothballed and reserved fleet assets have been mobilised, and the K.u.K Kriegsmarine has been reorganised.



July 1892 Fleet Status



Albanian Support?

In a surprising turn of events, with all the propaganda being thrown around, someone within the Albanian nationalists either mistakenly thought that Austria really WAS supporting them, and wondering when the weapons were to arrive, or was merely inspired by this turn of events, and sent a missive asking whether the Austro-Hungarian empire would allow them to smuggle in weapons sold from Steyr Arms. Of course, with the risk of bringing France into the potential war with Italy, this request was refused, and this refusal was intentionally leaked to other major powers' intelligence agencies. If Italy sought a war, a war they would have, free from French intervention. 



Surprisingly though, the loss of French support that followed late in August resulted in Italy backing down. Seemingly still not confident enough in their position to fight us alone. Which makes some degree of sense, given the fact that while they enjoyed the superior navy, their army was certainly lacking, and even more disjointed than the Austro-Hungarian multilingual mess of a military. Still, more time to build a modern navy is sorely needed, so Montecuccoli was hardly going to look a gift horse in the mouth...



Naval Artillery Research Progresses

Finally, after an extensive research, testing, and development program modern domestic 8 inch gun designs have been developed by Steyr Arms. Of a quality comparable with other great powers, these new guns have turned the debate. Protected cruisers shall be delayed in favour of some class capable of utilising these potent weapons which could very well provide the edge the Kriegsmarine needs.



As such, a middle ground compromise was reached. A new class of armoured cruiser, larger than the Adria class, equipped with these new 8 incher main guns. To hasten the development process, given tensions with Italy, the design was heavily derived from her predecessor, except larger, more heavily armoured, and better armed. This Trient class Armoured Cruiser should be far more suited to battleline combat, while also being a generally far more versatile armoured cruiser overall. 



Alongside this new class, the docks shall once again be expanded during her first batch's construction, and finally, the older outdated armoured cruisers, starting with the Kaiserin und Konigin Maria Theresa class, shall be slowly phased out and decomissioned as the Trient class comes into service. The SMS Monarch, given its lacklustre speed even by the standards of the pre-Montecuccoli navy, is similarly being phased out of active service, to eventually be scrapped.

Turn of the Year

As 1892 turns into 1893, tensions again rise with France and Italy, owing to the obvious growing naval build up of the central european power, all while the second batch of the Adria class is commissioned, the SMS Lissa and SMS Maros. In the following month, despite private concerns expanding the dockyards by 1000t, a further 1000t expansion is started, funded by the K.u.K Kriegsmarine's budget, alongside laying down the first batch of the Trient class, the SMS Trient and SMS Margburg.

[theconeezeanemperor]

Jan 1894

War Encroaches

In a very poor display of foreign diplomacy, the Von Habsburg on the Hellenic throne has begun to push for Greek claims in Cyprus, aggravating the British Empire, despite express orders on the contrary from the Austro-Hungarian Imperial Court. This has put the Empire in the unenviable position of teetering on war with Italy, France, and Britain all at once, even after efforts to de-escalate with the British Empire and downplay the behaviour of the Hellenic State. Needless to say, avoiding further antagonisation of Britain or France is now of paramount importance.





Meanwhile, the US is attempting to capitalise on the ongoing decline of the Spanish Empire to claim Cuba and other colonies in the Americas. Not an enviable position for a nation that was once so much more powerful.



Technological Breakthroughs

After a number of international armour competitions showed an embarrassing performance for Austrian naval armour compared to her contemporaries, the various military steel companies within the Austro-Hungarian empire were pitted against one another to remedy this in a domestic competition held in Triest. The armour which performed best against the recently developed 8 inch guns would be adopted for general use. While most companies still used the compound designs seen on current ships, one, Manfréd Weiss Steel and Metal Works instead entered a homogeneous slab of face-hardened steel. This was, of course, much the standard by now of many of the other major powers, so called "Harvey Steel" for its inventor, but no one anticipated a domestic company to be capable of producing its own Harvey type steel. As such, expectations were low, with most observers expecting either a too-hardened plate to shatter, or too-soft plate to just fold under the shell. However, neither happened. While every compound entrant failed, the Manfréd Weiss Steel entry worked almost flawlessly, apart from a large crack, and having shook itself loose from the mounting bolts. 

After a further few rounds, this victory was cemented, and the K.u.K Kriegsmarine immediately sought to contract Manfréd Weiss Steel to expand production lines of this new armour, to be used on future ship classes.

 

Further, naval theorists have begun to talk of novel concepts. Instead of using protected cruisers for torpedo attack runs, why not make even cheaper, smaller, and faster boats to do the same job? They would be much less of a loss should they be taken out on their attack run, and should be able to conduct such an attack in far greater numbers due to their relative affordability. While the traditionalists scoff at the idea, Montecuccoli was willing to give them a chance, and some funding to develop their ideas. If they were right, the K.u.K Kriegsmarine could not afford to be behind on such developments if it is to obtain the influence it seeks.




Finally, tensions have fallen somewhat in March, thankfully, with both Britain and Italy. However, France remains on the edge of war. Though, as long as war is avoided, this heightened tension more than justifies increased naval funds to support Montecuccoli's modernisations.




A World War?

Within a single month, the entire geopolitical situation of Europe has turned on its head. In the result of no-doubt long-running secret negotiations, France and Russia have announced a new alliance, all while Germany has responded with threats and anger, both directly threatened by this move, and desiring to support its Austro-Hungarian sister state. If this situation is not handled carefully, all of Europe could devolve into conflict, a conflict of a scale not seen since the Franco-Prussian war.




Not only that, but Naval Intelligence claims the French are actively planning to declare war on the Kaiser und Konig, a particularly concerning turn of events for which the K.u.K Kriegsmarine is not the least ready. The Army is making public claims of how swiftly it will be able to subjugate the Russian Empire, however, desiring to take advantage of the situation to regain some of the influence it lost to the Navy in 1889. With the new Tirol Battleships over a year away, the battleline will be very reliant upon the Adria class to retain any hope of competitiveness.



Further Tensions

After a few months, thankfully, relations with France almost stabilised. However, by contrast, Germany has began to aggravate both Britain and Russia alongside their already existing tensions with France. Kaiser Wilhelm II is certainly living up to his reputation as a hothead, Further, Italy is once more pushing towards war against the Austro-Hungarian Empire, presumably seeking to use the current situation with Germany to distract anyone from supporting the Kaiser und Konig in a prospective conflict with Italy.



As August turned to September, Greek nationalists in Macedonia began to fight against the Ottoman Empire, pushed to do so by the surprisingly long-lasting Albanian rebellions. In response, the Hellenic State began to smuggle Austrian weapons to these Greek rebels, in the hopes that if they succeed Macedonia will join peacefully with the new Greek state.



Germany At War!

Finally, in November, Wilhelm did the unthinkable, and declared war on Britain over conflicting claims in South Africa. Which of course caused Austro-Anglo relations to further sour, though thankfully the Kaiser's outburst last month against Austria-Hungary resulted in little desire to sacrifice Austrian lives to support his mad war. 




Of course, considering the great force disparity between the two empires, it will certainly be an interesting case study in naval combat with modern technology. One which should be more than able to inform future doctrinal changes.



Turn of the Year

With the start of 1894, tensions with Italy have once again risen to beyond breaking point, on the edge of war being declared the second an excuse presents itself. Meanwhile, not only are the dock expansions completed, but a number of naval theory developments have finally completed their work, and shown the viability of 300t torpedo boats. Of course, Montecuccoli does not want to take up valuable funds or dock space producing such vessels during peacetime, but in drawing up new doctrinal practices, they seem perfect for wartime production, given their rapid production times and low costs, working perfectly as screens and torpedo carriers.

[theconeezeanemperor]

April 1894

War were Declared!

On the 24th of March, 1894, Italy delivered an ultimatum to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Either they ceded South Tirol to the Kingdom of Italy, or there would be war. Needless to say, the response was obvious, and the Kaiser und Konig officially announced that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was now at war. Almost immediately, Italian forces began attempting to push through the mountains into their claimed territory, but Austrian fortifications and infantry held the line staunchly against the assault, all while a major offensive was being prepared in Trieste, intending to push towards Venice, a city the Von Habsburgs have claimed is rightfully Austrian territory. 




The previously mothballed Kaiserin und Konigin Maria Theresa and Monarch classes have been mobilised, plans for their scrapping postponed due to drastic need for more tonnage to counter the larger Italian Regina Marina, and allocated to the 2 Cruiser Division and 1 Battle Division respectively. Further, the corvettes SMS Arciduchessa Sofia, SMS Conte Mittrowsky, and SMS Arciduca Francesco Carlo have been enrolled in Trade Protection duties.



Research funding has been cut considerably to grand the budget to both mobilise the fleet and maintain the construction of both the Tirol and Trient classes, as they could very well prove critical in this Austro-Italian war.

[theconeezeanemperor]

26 April 1894 - Adriatic, Kap Promontore

Blockade!

Despite Montecuccoli's best efforts over the last half decade, the K.u.K Kriegsmarine is still far smaller than he had hoped it would be before any naval conflict began. As such, it was a simple matter of time before the Regina Marina could form a full blockade of the Austro-Hungarian Adriatic Coast. While the Empire was fairly self sufficient in regards to food, thanks to its still mostly agrarian society, the same was not true of rarer, more luxury items, which had become increasingly available to the growing middle class as industrialisation and urbanisation expanded. Further, a number of key industries required rare earth metals, rubber, etcetera, which again had little to no domestic supply. With a fairly hostile Serbia-supporting Russia, a war-time and blockaded Germany, and a hostile Ottomans on the other side of the Balkans, land-routes were similarly cut off almost by definition. 

In short, the prospective blockade could be disastrous to both morale and economy.

As such, as the last few trade ships were coming home to port, full priority was given to their protection, something which would pay off when one of the trade protection Corvette, SMS Arciduchessa Sofia, rushed into Trieste frantically signaling a coming Italian attack against one of the remaining major convoys. Immediately a half-full 1 Battle Division, and mostly full strength 1 and 2 Cruiser Divisions sortie from port to protect the trade vessels.




Within half an hour, a whole Italian fleet is sighted, far more than had been expected. KAdm Schlogel aboard the SMS Kaiser immediately ordered the formation of a combined battleline formed from the 1 Battle Division and 1 Cruiser Division, while the 2 Cruiser Division was to form a screening force. Unfortunately, 2 Cruiser Division misread the signal flags, and turned to port. To Schlogel it seemed as though the Italians saw this engagement as as critical as Montecuccoli had, and sent a veritable battle fleet to try and catch the critical convoy.



Battle was swiftly joined, with the Italian cruisers taking shelter behind their battleships to avoid Austrian artillery fire. Finally, Schlogel got the report that the 2 Cruiser Division had realised their mistake, turned around, and were catching up to the 1 Battle Division. Unfortunately, it seemed expectations of gunnery accuracy had been wildly over-estimated, and virtually none of the flurry of volleys being exchanged between the battlelines actually landed. Merely creating constant plumes and sprays of salt water around the smoke-spewing machines of war. In an effort to remedy this, Schlogel directly went against K.u.K Kriegsmarine doctrine, and ordered the fleet to close in. 

Until now, the thinner Austrian armour had necessitated a doctrine of maximum effective distance. In essence, exercises were used to determine the longest range where effective fire was achieved, and in battle the admirals were to keep their formations at this distance from the enemy. This was also a decision born of the tremendous effectiveness, and hence fear, of torpedoes, resulting from a number of recent experimentation. A single hit could doom a battleship, was the conclusion, and as such they were something to avoid with all means possible, something thankfully relatively easy due to the limited range of the naval wonderweapon.

In any case, the 'maximum effective distance' really did not prove to be effective in the slightest, and with the convoy still slowly steaming for port, Schlogel concluded that in order for the enemy fleet to be kept engaged, he needed to prioritise damage dealing over protection.





After hits began to actually be achieved, SMS Kaiser achieved something incredible. One of her heavy 12 inch solid steel shells achieved a direct, devastating, hit on the trailing Italian battleship of their battleline. Shearing through her aft belt, and eviscerating the crew in the steering room, the Italian ship suddenly found herself turning hard to port, heaving out of the relatively safety of the battleline.

Schrogel observed the misfortunate move through his binoculars, before turning to the Lkpr of the SMS Kaiser, Obry, declaring: "Well done, Linienschiffkapitan, your ship has just sunk the first Italian ship of the war," before ordering the Battleline to immediately move in to capitalise and split the Italian battleline from the stricken ship.




By now, the Italian port of Ancona came into stark relief against the horizon, and instead of trying to rescue their lost sister, the Italian fleet sought refuge in the minefields and coastal batteries of the city. Which was, of course, not opposed by the Austrians, who had achieved more than they could have hoped for. Not only was the trade convoy saved, but, now, they had an Italian battleship at their mercy...




It would end up taking hours of continual gunfire, a torpedo from the SMS Kaiser, and two torpedoes from the SMS Sankt Georg, to finally sink the Italian vessel. In which time it did manage to restore its steering gear, though much too late to escape its fate. One lesson that was certainly learned from this battle, battleships appear to be far more resistant to torpedoes than previously feared, and battle ranges could most certainly be reduced.









Unfortunately, even having lost a battleship, the Italian navy was still large enough to establish and maintain a new blockade...

Other News

In other news, France has formed an alliance with the USA, no doubt feeling the pressure of the Anglo-German war:

[theconeezeanemperor]

27 May 1984 - Adriatic, Dalmatian Coast

Invasion!

In an effort to capitalise on their current domination of the Adriatic, Italian forces are beginning a combined Regina Marina and Army operation to try and seize Dalmatia from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austrian spies caught sight of Italian troops loading onto repurposed trade ships, cargo transports, and even a couple cruise liners in the port city of Pescara on the night of the 26th, and immediately reported the incoming invasion. In response, heightened naval scouting began, waiting for the Italian fleet to take sail, and see where they would land, an effort which would be greatly rewarded once the enemy fleet was spotted, steaming for Spalato in Dalmatia, at 7:32 AM. Immediately, a fleet is launched, once again lead by the 1 Battle Division and KAdm Schlogel, this time aboard the SMS Wein, however, as the SMS Kaiser was undergoing repairs from the damage taken during the Battle of Ancona. 




The full fleet was assembled with haste, so while 1 Battle Division and 1 Cruiser Division are almost at full strength, being the primary forces of the K.u.K Kriegsmarine's Fleet-in-Being, the 1 Light Cruiser Division was only able to launch with the SMS Zenta, the 2 Cruiser Division only with the SMS Sankt Georg, SMS Minerva, and SMS Schwarzenberg, and the SMS Maros was reassigned from the 1 Cruiser Division to accompany the 2 Cruiser Division to make up for its loss in strength.




Battle was swiftly joined by 10:40 AM, with enemy cruiser lines trying to keep the Austro-Hungarian fleet from closing with the troop transports behind them. 




Suddenly, out from the enemy transports steamed the full Italian battleline, resplendent in its eleven Battleships. Very quickly Schlogel realised just how out matched his three battleship, four armoured cruiser, battleline was. However, the Italians could not be allowed to land. He quickly made a decision, and recognised that the priority this battle is simply deterrence. He would seek to retain sufficient distance that the enemy battleline cannot properly join with his own, saving his ships from their onslaught, while retaining close enough range that they cannot simply bypass his fleet to land their forces. Unless, of course, an opportunity presented itself as it had during the Battle of Ancona.




Thankfully, the plan seemed to work. The Italian fleet must still be smarting after Ancona, and do not want to push the 1 Battle Division and 1 Cruiser Division, despite their great numerical superiority. Now it was just a matter of pushing them back to Italy.




Despite a number of attempts to turn and engage, the Italians were thoroughly on the backfoot now, and surprisngly, seemed to be retreating to Bari, rather than Pescara, from which they had launched, and was a closer port. Regardless, Schlogel was not going to look a gift horse too hard in the mouth, though he did order the fleet to keep a close eye on the horizon in case the Italians were leading them into a trap.




As night fell, visual was lost of the enemy fleet, though a number of spotters swear they saw the transports turning around, away from Bari, as dusk fell moments earlier. Cursing, Schlogel orders an about turn, they would have to try and head them off, and hope they catch them.




However, after finding no sign of the transports, and acknowledging both the possible unreliability of the sightings, and the nigh impossibility of finding them at night, Schlogel orders the return to Spalato, while 2 Cruiser Division and the SMS Maros return to port at Cattaro. If they had turned, they would catch them in the Dalmatian coast once sunlight returns.




However, after no further sightings, and reports of the Italian fleet returning to Bari finally, the Fleet returned to port, though it was clear that this was but the first attempt to land in Dalmatia...





Other News

The blockade remains in effect, though the SMS Tirol an SMS Habsburg are reaching completion in a few months, hopefully they can turn the tide in the tonnage contest...

[theconeezeanemperor]

26 June 1894 - Ionian Sea

Cruiser Battle

The blockade that Italy was holding over mainland Austria-Hungary was not actually that difficult to enforce, merely requiring control over the Ionian sea, and hence denying any entry or exit to and from the Adriatic, usually performed by a combination of constant cruiser patrols, with a Battleship fleet-in-being posted at Taranto to reinforce them. Montecuccoli had been planning to probe these patrols for a while now, ever since they began, however the opportunity never presented itself. However, after a number of the older armoured cruisers finally returned to full service, the risk of sending the 1 Cruiser Division and 1 Light Cruiser Division made alot more sense. As such, on the night of the 25th of June, they set off under the cover of darkness. 

Making the Ionian Sea by 5 AM on the 26th, the operation began, with the 2 Cruiser Division nearby for support should it be needed. This operation would have to be swift, to avoid the Italian battleline from intercepting them, though the speed of the Austrian Cruisers did afford them some leeway in that regard. Now it was just a matter of locating, and engaging, one of these blockade-enforcing patrols.



In rather short order, one such patrol is located, consisting of a combined protected and armoured cruiser force, the small size and lacklustre armaments of the Italian armoured cruisers compared to the Adria class lead to the immediate order to doggedly pursue them.













Quickly realising their situation, the Italian patrol turns and makes full steam for Taranto, however in their haste their formation starts to break up, and an intense running-gun-fight begins, the 20 knot pursuit being surrounded by the tall columns of water thrown up by 7 and 8 inch shells.




After a number of particularly opportune hits against the rearmost cruiser, the Carlo Alberto class, it begins to slow, and break from the formation still fleeing to Taranto. Of course, the SMS Adria takes a number of sharp hits in return for this, one shot hitting below the waterline, resulting in a sudden list and loss of a knot of speed. However, the crew were able to seal the doors to the lost room, and retain overall buoyancy.

A nearby Marco Polo class armoured cruiser notices the commotion, and recognising the situation begins to steam to assist the stricken Carlo Alberto class, however, once the size of her three harassers became apparent, the outclassed cruiser pulled back like her sisters.




After setting the Carlo Alberto class ablaze, and killing her mobility, the 1 Cruiser Division reduced to cruise speed, to preserve their machinery and Adria's integrity, and began to bombard the now doomed Italian cruiser. Meanwhile, the Protected cruisers pushed up to begin torpedo runs against her too.




The SMS Saida succeeds, and with that final blow, the burning Italian wreck begins to sink below the waves. Crew clambered over the deck railings, diving into the water, as lifeboats were deployed as fast as their handlers could manage. Most of the crew did not make it out, unfortunately, but at least a third, presumably of the upper deck and superstructure, survived. A few that didnt manage to make it far enough away were dragged down with the ship, as suction pulled them below the waves. SMS Szigetvar is ordered to divert and recover the survivors.










Unfortunately, even after this victory, the blockade holds. The probe confirmed that there was almost no chance of trade ships being able to slip past the patrols, and even though an enemy cruiser was sunk, had the Austrian forces not withdrawn when they did, the Italian battlefleet could have caught them, which while not a concern for 20 knot cruisers, the same cannot be said for slow transport ships. 

Other News

In a worrying turn of events, tensions with Britain rise even further, once again caused by arguments over Cyprus and the close relations Britain and Italy enjoy. Montecuccoli makes it abundantly clear to the Imperial Court that, should Britain deign to get involved, any hope of victory goes out of the window. They would have to either pacify the great Empire, or seek to end the war as soon as possible.

[theconeezeanemperor]

2 August 1894 - Adriatic, Ancona

Coastal Bombardment

Once again, the Italians are preparing to attempt to invade Dalmatia, however, this time, word reached Austria-Hungary far sooner. Reports were that the planned invasion force was building up in a base, near Ancona, where a transport fleet was slowly being assembled, with great effort being placed into doing so discretely and with caution. Of course, these efforts did not protect them on this occasion. As such, a bombardment mission was immediately authorised, to attack and devastate this base, hopefully delaying the invasion once more.




Italian scouts must have spotted the 1 Cruiser Division as it was closing in, as a large cruiser force sallied forth from Ancona, and tried to intercept the Austro-Hungarians, however the larger, more armoured, Adria class vessels simply pushed past and through to the target, beginning the shore bombardment.




In short order, the base was destroyed, and the withdrawal began. Unfortunately, the harrassing Italian fleet began to take its toll, and some of the Austrian cruisers began to slow. However, 1 Cruiser Division made it back to Zara mostly unharmed. Her accompanying protected cruisers were not so lucky, and the SMS Saida was lost just outside of the safety of the port.







However, the attack had been devastating on the preparations for the invasion, delaying it for another month, if not more, which most certainly constituted a major victory. Especially with the propaganda and morale booster, as it showed that despite the Italian Regina Marina's size, it was not invincible, and Italy was not out of reach of Austrian guns.




Other News

Finally, the SMS Habsburg launches, ironically before her sister ship, the SMS Tirol, the namesake of the class. Once she has finished working up, she should contribute greatly to the war effort, and her sister is not far behind, with only an estimated month left on her construction. In initial trials, the good luck continued, as the SMS Habsburg managed to achieve 19 knots! A major achievement for such a large ship, and something to congratulate her designers' competence for.




Further, buoyed by the successful bombardment of the base, and confirmation that the Italian army was rather distracted by their continued preparations to invade Dalmatia, a major push was proposed by the Austro-Hungarian army, seeking to force their way along the coast, and try and make for Venezia. This proposed assault should reduce the pressure on the Navy, in theory, so Montecuccoli authorised a portion of the Navy's funding to be put towards reinforcing and supporting the Army for this brave attack.




Finally, a design proposal for a new Protected Cruiser class was provided that met Montecuccoli's requirements. Or at the very least, the desperate need for quick and cheap extra tonnage to assist with the blockade overwhelmed his normal focus on quality. The design was certainly of an older philosophy, with weirdly French influences, however given Austria's general neglect of that particular type of ship, and the current desperation, it would make sense for Austrian designers to need to use foreign designs as direct aid in their own efforts. The Aspern class prioritises armament and speed over protection, and at 4500 tons of displacement should be quick and easy to mass produce, hopefully.

[theconeezeanemperor]

14 August 1894 - Ionian Sea

Hellenic Invasion

Whether the prior preparations for a Dalmatian invasion were a decoy operation or not is still a topic of heavy debate in the Admiralty. Many cite the losses the Italians took as evidence that it was legitimate, but if it was, that carries rather significant implications of the Italian Regina Marina and Army being far more capable of naval landing operations than previously thought. Regardless, it was pure luck that another probing operation into the Ionian sea the previous day spotted the fleet setting off from Taranto. 

Immediately the main fleet-in-being was sallied, and set sail with all due haste to the Ionian sea, hoping to reach the region in time to head off the invasion. As the night starts to turn to dawn, the 1 Battle Division finally arrives with the 1 Cruiser Division, 2 Cruiser Division, and 1 Protected Cruiser Division. The search begins.








In the cloudy nighttime conditions, the enemy was only sighted as they literally appeared on top of the Austrian fleet.




The two fleet immidiately begin to open fire, hits being made despite the poor conditions as a result of just how close range the engagement is. The SMS Szigetvar quickly gets separated from her formation, and desperately weaves, avoiding collision with the enemy ships.




As the fleets separated, the SMS Szigetvar finds her valiant self further and further separated from her allies, pounded by shells and taking on water rapidly. Her Captain, FKpt Lohmann orders a desperate maneuver as the ship lists and struggles to stay afloat, and launches a torpedo at the nearest Italian Battleship. A hit! Ordering the ship to full speed, presumably trying to ensure the kill, Lohmann sends his ship straight into the side of the stricken Italian battleship, almost certainly dooming his own. However, his bravery, and that of his crew, shall be forever remembered.





The K.u.K Kriegsmarine lost some of their best this day...




As daylight finally graced the furiously firing fleets, the enemy transports finally became visible, and in a sight for sore eyes, it was clear the Italians had made a mistake... They had exposed the Transports to try and rush to engage the Austrian battleline. KAdm Schlogel immidiately ordered an about turn at full flank to try and catch these transports before the Italians could respond appropriately.




As the main Italian battleline struggles to turn to try and catch the Austrians, they push past the limited defence the Transports still had in the form of a number of the small Italian armoured cruisers, and protected cruisers. The only major threat being a Ruggiero di Lauria class, one which was both crippled and heavily listing to port. The crew were desperately trying to counter this, turning the turrets Starboard, running to the Starboard side, but the fate of the ship was already apparent. Lohmann had done his duty well. As the Austrian ships passed the sinking battleship, they watched the lifeboats start to be lowered with desperate haste, and continued to engage the thoroughly outclassed armoured cruisers trying to oppose them.






Unfortunately, despite sinking almost half the enemy transports, the other half had split away from the formation. By the time Schlogel had the battleline turn to chase the fleeing half, the Italian battleline was in place to intercept.



Disaster strikes! As water broils violently around the Italian battleline, one fateful shell impacts the SMS Budapest. For a second, there is a deep metal groaning noise, before a sky-high column of fire spears towards the heavens, throwing one of the bow turrets tumbling into the air. Within short order, the other bow main turret follows suit, and the ship is doomed, as chain detonations wrack the hull, and tear it apart. 




Despite the fact that this was a victory for the Italian battlefleet, the stark reminder of just how fragile even such well armoured ships can be seems to have made their Admiral reconsider his approach, and they withdraw. Meanwhile, the armoured cruisers infront of the battleline began to break apart as they took damage and were not able to maintain the same top speeds, something Schlogel would not wait to take advantage of, needing to balance the loss of the Budapest.



In a shocking display of surprising potency, the crippled Italian armoured cruiser managed to repeat the destruction of the Budapest by sending the Wein skyhigh herself. One thing is for sure, this proves that these battleships are far too outdated for the heat of modern combat.



As the Wein's killer sinks, Schlogel orders the persuit of the other isolated Italian armoured cruiser. If one thing was for sure, he was determined that this battle would be a victory for the K.u.K Kriegsmarine, even if phyrric.



As the battle concludes, the remaining protected cruisers of 1 Light Cruiser Division are ordered to collect survivors, as the 1 Battle Division and 1 Cruiser Division try and pursue the fleeing Italian fleet. The 2 Cruiser Division, instead, remains close to the Hellenic coast, in case the Italian fleet tries to sneak past the main fleet and land anyway.



The enemy fleet is once again found at 2 PM, and Schlogel orders them to re-engage...



However, despite their best efforts, the Italian battleships hold them off until night falls and they can escape.



However, through mere good fortune, the Austrians managed to both avoid the Italian battleline, and find the transports entirely by luck. The entire invasion force should now be ripe for the taking.



After managing to sink two transports, however, the Italian fleet reengaged, warranting a hasty withdrawal. However, in a situation mirroring the SMS Szigetvar, the SMS Helgoland found herself isolated and entrapped in an enemy fleet. Much like the SMS Szigetvar, however, she did not go down without a fight, and struck an Italian heavy ship with a torpedo! Currently identified as an armoured cruiser, it could also be a battleship given its apparent position in a battleline, however it is much too early to tell.



A strike swiftly replicated once again within those tight confines by the Helgoland!



However, such good fortune cannot last forever, and in the withdrawal, the SMS Maros was struck by an Italian torpedo.



An almost certain death sentence to the otherwise might vessel.



With the SMS Maros sunk, the Austrian fleet withdrew for the final time. This was a heavily contested battle, one for the ages, and despite the fact that he had earned a victory, Schlogel was sure he would receive one hell of an ear bashing for losing the Wein, Budapest, and Maros. Their armour was not cut out for such knife-fight ranges, that was what the next generation of heavy ships were for.









Other News

With the launch of the SMS Tirol, the new Battleline can finally start to take form. One thing is for sure though, the Battle of Lefkada would certainly inform future ship design, especially in regards to armour placement.