Scheduled vote count started by 4WheelSword on Dec 23, 2022 at 2:19 AM, finished with 11 posts and 8 votes.
[X] Plan: Guns on the Table
-[X] Weapon Testing: Rifles - The Ordnance Office will buy a handful of rifles from around the world and test them until they break. Afterwards, they will make recommendations to the Defence Council on the topic of rifle licensing. (6-Month Investment. Recommendations will be made at the end of this process.)
-[X] Analysis: Immediate Improvements - Develop and implement 'quick win' organisational changes to improve the Armed Forces. (3-Month Investment.)
-[X] Reform means Reform - Define a new doctrinal goal for the Regional Carabinieri. Are they police? A military force? The Council must decide. (3-Month Investment. Details will be determined by write-in and further votes.)
Project Development: April - June 1930 Ongoing Projects:
[X] Establish the Ordnance Office - Developing an arms industry from scratch will take time and effort. An Ordnance Office will allow us to delegate some of that work to specialists. (Constant Investment.)
[X] Establish the Analytical Research Team - This group will be tasked with drafting reports on external threats, internal dynamic shifts, and other non-standard areas of intelligence. (9 Months Remain) ☑☑◻◻
[X] Establish the Carabinieri Oversight Office - No one really keeps an eye on the paramilitary police force that keeps watch over the nation. If the force is to be reformed and re-established in a new role, then oversight is needed at the very least. (Constant Investment.)
Kismayo-Turkana Line: Progress, Kismayo-Marsabit: 12.5% (Est. completion June 1932)
Despite the Kismayo-Marsabit portion of the line being the longest, it is also expected to be the least complicated to lay. Placing a new main line and relegating the older track to subsidiary service is a simple enough process, though simple does not mean easy. With six hundred kilometres to lay in this section alone–discounting passing loops and points–it is expected to take at least two years to complete.
The second part of the line, extending from Marsabit to Lake Turkana, has not even been surveyed. Expected to stretch two hundred and fifty kilometres, it will be the first connection to span the entire country's length. It has been questioned in the government (and alluded to by a member of the House) whether or not the Rendille people will disrupt the project.
Japanese investment in the line's construction has been heavy, which is obvious in the increasing numbers of Japanese nationals in Kismayo. This has yet to cause any issues, but it has been noted that many of these nationals are uniformed.
Ordinance Office Report on Remington Rolling Block Rifle: Calibre: 11.43×49.2 mm
This is a full length breechloading rifle. It is a single-shot design that fires black powder cartridges. The Carabinieri maintains a stock of at least 6,000 of these, initially bought in the 1870s for the army.
It is the service arm of over half the Carabinieri, and reports are positive: the rifle is reliable, and the large calibre round is ideal for foraging and hunting big game. It can also be used to deal with elephants in musth and other big animals without significant issues, and it is favoured for riot control in urban areas.
It is no longer a modern battlefield rifle, as smokeless magazine-fed repeaters have come to dominate. Should the Carabinieri be deployed for war against a modern enemy force, the gun will surely be found lacking due to a relatively slow firing speed and the inferior accuracy of its round at long ranges.
Weapon Testing - Rifles:
The Ordnance Office Rifle Division, an internal working group, has begun buying, borrowing, and 'otherwise acquiring' weapons from the surplus market and commercial manufacturers. They plan to spend until September testing these rifles until they break to determine the best candidates for Reewiin's new service rifle. Crates have already begun to pile up in the back rooms of the Ordnance Office. What wonders might they contain?
Rifles that have been gathered or ordered so far include:
New: FN mle 1924 - 7×57 mm and 7.65×53 mm
New: ZB vz.24 - 7.92×57 mm
New: Mannlicher M.95 - 6.5×53 mmR
New: Mannlicher-Schönauer M1903/14/27 - 6.5x54 mm
New: Arisaka Type 38 - 6.5×50 mm
New: ZH-29 - 7.92×57 mm
New: Pedersen rifle - 7×51 mm
New: Bang M1927 - 6.5×55 mm and 7.92×57 mm
New: Colt Machine Rifle model 1925 - 7.65×53 mm
New: Auto-Ordnance Thompson Gun Military Model - 11.43×32 mm
In service: Arisaka Type 30 - 6.5×50 mm
Surplus: Carcano mod.91 - 6.5×52 mm
Surplus: Enfield P17 - 7.62×63 mm
Surplus: Ross Mk.III - 7.7×56 mmR
Surplus: SMLE Mk.III - 7.7×56 mmR
Surplus: Lebel Mle 1886 M93 - 8×50 mmR
Which rifle or rifles is the Council most interested in? This is not a binding decision and does not determine acquisition or affect the Ordnance Office's recommendations. It just tells us what to write up.
Pick three weapons to write in, and please do not say 'everything'; there's only 24 hours in the day. [ ] Write-in: A weapon on the list,
[ ] Write-in: A weapon not on the list.
Suggestions may be vetoed due to limited availability.
Army Quick Fixes:
The Army of Reewiin is only a single organisation in theory. In reality, it is three unique and semi-independent formations: the elite 1st (Reewiin) Regiment, which prides itself on its aesthetics; the 2nd (Kismayo) Regiment, which is a full-sized formation; and the understrength 3rd (Bur Gaabo) regiment.
The Defence Council has proposed a series of minor organisational and logistical changes which will improve the Army's ability to function and to adapt to future reforms.
Choose as many of the following as you wish:
[ ] Form an Army Headquarters unit to manage the overall functions. This will not be particularly effective without doctrinal reform, but it will inform what is expected of the Army.
– [ ] Attach the 2nd Regiments Training company to Army HQ as a centralised training unit. This will begin to solve some of the training issues the army faces.
– [ ] Attach the 1st Regiments Artillery detachment to Army HQ as a fire support unit for the army as a whole.
– [ ] Attach the 1st Regiments Cavalry company to Army HQ as a reconnaissance and quick response force.
[ ] Trade the Army's six Type 3 HMGs for six Perino HMGs from the Carabinieri. While the Perinos are older, they use the same round as the FIAT-Revellis, allowing all unification of machine gun ammunition logistics.
[ ] Write in
The Reewiin Army (~6300 men, 200 horses)
1st (Reewiin) Regiment (~1150 men)
Regimental HQ & Signals, including baggage and medical (~300 men)
3 x Infantry Company (~200 men and 2 HMG's each)
1 x Cavalry Company (~100 men and 150 horses)
1 x Artillery Detachment (12 guns, ~150 men and 50 horses)
2nd (Kismayo) Regiment (~3200 men)
Regimental HQ (~150 men)
Signals Company (~100 men)
3 x Infantry Battalion (~900 men, 6 HMG's and 2 guns each)
Training Battalion (~250 men and 2 HMG's)
3rd (Bur Gaabo) Regiment (~1950 men)
Regimental HQ (~100 men)
Signals Company (~50 men)
2 x Infantry Battalion (~900 men, 6 HMG's and 2 guns each)
Equipment:
4000 Type 30 Arisaka rifles, 6.5×50 mm Arisaka
600 Moschetto Modello 1891 carbines, 6.5×52 mm Carcano
32 FIAT-Revelli 1914 HMGs, 6.5×52 mm Carcano
6 Type 3 HMGs, 6.5×50 mm Arisaka
12 Krupp 75 mm horse-drawn guns
10 Type 92 70 mm pack howitzers
Reform Means Reform:
The Carabinieri is a force that wears many hats. They are police, regional security forces, border guards, lake patrol, and more. Therefore, the question of reform must begin with what the Carabinieri's purpose ought to be and how their duties will be defined.
The Carabinieri ought to be a… (choose one):
[ ] Second line military force, divorced from policing.
[ ] Military organisation with police and security units.
[ ] Mixed force that covers both remits.
[ ] Policing organisation with armed, military-style units.
[ ] Pure police force, divorced from military duty.
The Carabinieri will be responsible for… (choose as many as appropriate):
[ ] Border Patrol
[ ] Internal Security and Riot Control
[ ] Wilderness Rangers
[ ] Frontline Service
[ ] Partisan and Skirmish Warfare
[ ] Write-in
The Provincial Carabinieri (~11,000 men)
Northern Brigade (~5000 men)
Training & Machine Gun Company (~250 men, ~6 Perino 1908 HMGs, ~6 Vickers HMGs)
5x Carabinieri Company (~950 men each)
North-Western Brigade (~3500 men)
Training & Machine Gun Company (~250 men, ~6 Perino 1908 HMGs)
4x Carabinieri Company (~650 men each)
1x Carabinieri Company (~12 boats, ~650 men)
Southern Brigade (~2500 men)
Training & Machine Gun Company (~250 men, ~4 Maxim HMGs)
4x Carabinieri Company (~550 men)
Equipment (estimated)
6000+ Remington Rolling Block rifles, .43 Egyptian
2500+ Murata Type 13 rifles, 11×60 mm Murata
1000+ Lee-Metford rifles, .303 British
500+ Vetterli-Vitali Mod. 1870/87, 10.35×47 mm
1000+ other firearms
12 Perino 1908 HMGs, 6.5×52 mm Carcano
6 Vickers HMGs, .303 British
4 Maxim HMGs, 7.92×57 mm Mauser
News & Rumors: April 1930 International Headlines:
- Berlin: Chancellor Brüning threatens to dissolve the German parliament if they do not implement his policies.
- Los Angeles: The second annual award ceremony of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is broadcast over wireless. The Broadway Melody is awarded outstanding picture. Best actor is Warner Baxter and best actress is Mary Pickford.
- Navisari: The protest march against salt taxes in India comes to an end after 24 days, having covered about 380 kilometres.
- Tokyo: Selling panic causes Tokyo Stock Exchange to close early.
- Taranto: Italian troops suppress riot with gunfire. 280 arrested.
- Bombay: Half a million Indians protest the salt tax in a massive gathering.
- Allahabad: Jawaharlal Nehru, leader of the Indian independence movement, is arrested for violating salt law and sentenced to six months in jail.
- Calcutta: Riots erupt over the arrest of Indian independence movement leader Jawaharlal Nehru.
- Leyte: A massive hurricane sweeps through the Philippine island, causing extensive damage.
- New York: Charles Lindenbergh and wife set a new transatlantic flight record: 14 hours, 45 minutes, and 32 seconds.
- Moscow: The communist party launches celebrations on the occasion of the completion of a 2,375 km railway between Turkestan and Siberia.
- London: The London Naval Conference concludes with the signing of the Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament, limiting the total and individual tonnage and armament of cruisers and submarines for all five signatories. Can Reewiin's Japanese allies spare the ships to patrol our territorial waters against piracy under these restrictions?
- Chicago: Notorious gangster Alphonse Capone labelled 'Public Enemy no.1' by Chicago Crime Commission.
- Delhi: Vithalbhai Patel, president of the Central Legislative Assembly of India, resigns, citing sympathies with the Indian independence movement.
Local Rumours:
- Ethiopia: In a series of skirmishes, Gugsa Welle has kept the Ethiopian Army (such as it remains) on the run. First at Dessie, then at Kombolcha, the rebel forces have proved their dominance on the field of battle.
News & Rumors: May 1930 International Headlines:
- New York: Police publish letters indicating the Amtorg Trading Corporation has been funding riots and strikes on behalf of the Communist International.
- Rangoon: Massive earthquake strikes, killing hundreds.
- Dandi: Mohandas Gandhi, former leader of the Indian National Congress, arrested.
- Dilman: Massive earthquake strikes Persia, killing over a thousand.
- Nanking: Following boycotts of Japanese goods, Japan capitulates to Chinese demands for tariff agreement.
- Samarkand: Soviet Union permits tourists entry to forbidden city.
- Sherman: Texas National Guard deployed to stop looting of black business district by white lynch mob. City placed under martial law and 14 rioters arrested.
- Santo Domingo: Rafael Trujillo elected president of the Dominican Republic.
- Pretoria: Suffragettes achieve major victory, securing the right of white women to vote in South African elections.
- Beirut: High Commissioner of the Levant introduces new constitution: Syria and Latakia become representative republics.
- Port Darwin: Amy Johnston becomes first woman to fly solo from England to Australia.
- Düsseldorf: Police announce arrest of man they believe to be the monstrous 'Vampire of Düsseldorf.'
- Lausanne: The International Olympic Committee announces Berlin as host for 1936 Summer Olympics.
- New York: Chrysler Building finishes construction, setting record for highest building in the world at 319 metres.
Local Rumours:
- Ethiopia: The forces that remain of Fitawrari Wondosson Kassa and the swollen horde of Ras Gugsa Welle have apparently fought a pitched battle. It is said that the citizens of Debre Berhan could hear the roar of rifle and cannon for hours. The miserable Ethiopian survivors march south for Addis Ababa and the mustering grounds of the second chitet called by Ras Tafari.
News & Rumors: June 1930 International Headlines:
- Delhi: National Bank of India and shops ravaged by multiple fires of unknown origin.
- Bucharest: Crown Prince Carol returns to Romania after nearly five years of exile, assumes throne as Carol II. Prime Minister Iuliu Maniu and cabinet resign in protest: Gheorghe Mironescu new prime minister. After surrendering mandate to Carol II, Mironescu resigns, replaced by Maniu.
- London: The Parliament's Simon Commission publishes its findings on Indian constitutional reform and possible self-governance.
- Washington: President Hoover signs Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act into law.
- Paris: France objects to American Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, warns of tariff war.
- Seville: Over 150 injured in clashes between police and workers following general strike.
- La Paz: General Carlos Blanco Galindo, leading rebels, attacks and captures the Bolivian capital, assuming presidency.
- Koblenz: The last Allied troops withdraw from the Rhineland, ending the eleven-year occupation of German territory.
Local Rumours:
- Ethiopia: The Ethiopian Army musters for the second time. Gugsa Welle's rebels are camped outside the Capital. Could this be the end of Ras Tafari's short reign? Roll 1d100 to determine the outcome of Gugsa Welle's rebellion.
We will reserve 6 hours for discussion, then voting will open for three days.
I think we definitely test out the newest Ariska rifle. Divided on what else we try for.
I think:
-Ariska Type 38
-vz. 24 (Czechnology)
-FN mle 25
They're all solid guns and the Czechs and Belgians are both happy to export or license production to us. I'm against trying for a semi-auto rifle at this point - more expensive and we still need to figure out machine guns and artillery!
I think all of the reform ideas are good; can't hurt to do them all although we might piss off the First by taking their guns.
Carabinieri should be a military unit with police and military duties, is my first thought. Depends on how much we want to get out of them and think they can do.
This is the direction I'm leaning for the Carabinieri. It keeps a broad spread of overlapping responsibilities to exploit their flexibility, but moves them away from normal policing work or political/"internal security" policing towards only secondary police roles that complement their main military utility as partisans and skirmishers. This might have some political costs or complications given that it would mean disentangling them from eg strikebreaking.
The alternative responsibility spread I think viable would be internal security + border patrol + partisanry, which I think would go with more of a mixed or police org. I think more than three is a stretch but less then two and they're being underutilized.
The Carabinieri ought to be a… (choose one):
[ ] Military organisation with police and security units.
The Carabinieri will be responsible for… (choose as many as appropriate):
[ ] Border Patrol
[ ] Wilderness Rangers
[ ] Partisan and Skirmish Warfare
[X] Plan Hearts, Minds and LOTS of Firepower:
-[X] Quick Army Fixes:
--[X] Form an Army Headquarters unit to manage the overall functions. This will not be particularly effective without doctrinal reform, but it will inform what is expected of the Army.
---[X] Attach the 2nd Regiments Training company to Army HQ as a centralised training unit. This will begin to solve some of the training issues the army faces.
---[X] Attach the 1st Regiments Artillery detachment to Army HQ as a fire support unit for the army as a whole.
---[X] Attach the 1st Regiments Cavalry company to Army HQ as a reconnaissance and quick response force.
--[X] Trade the Army's six Type 3 HMGs for six Perino HMGs from the Carabinieri. While the Perinos are older, they use the same round as the FIAT-Revellis, allowing all unification of machine gun ammunition logistics.
--[X] Write-in:
---[X] Consolidate the 3× Companies of the 1st (Reewiin) Regiment in a Battalion
---[X] Transfer the 3rd Battalion, 2nd (Kismayo) Regiment to the 1st (Reewiin) Regiment
---[X] Transfer the 2×Type 92 70mm pack howitzers in each infantry battalion to a new unit, a 4-gun Artillery Battery, under regimental command
-[X] Carabinieri Reforms:
--[X] Military organisation with police and security duties.
--[X] Internal Security and Riot Control
--[X] Frontline Service as Military Police
--[X] Partisan and Skirmish Warfare
--[X] Border Patrol
--[X] Wilderness Rangers
--[X] Write In:
---[X] Internal Disaster Relief
---[X] Split the Carabinieri to create a gendarmerie force, the Carabinieri, responsible for the listed tasks, a Police Force (that will have the same duties of the Carabinieri but without the Frontline Service), and a National Guard (that would take the second line duty from the Carabinieri):
----the Police Force will take all the candidates with, to use D&D, a Good-Lawful or Lawful attitude but loyalty mainly to their home region, their duties will be (based on the Japanese Police and with some duties of the Ukrainian TDS):
Protection of local governments
Protecting the lives, bodies, and property of individuals
Preventing, suppressing, and investigating crimes
Apprehending suspects
Traffic enforcement
Maintaining public safety and order
Providing search and rescue and disaster response and mitigation during cases of peacetime natural and man-made disasters
will also work as Wilderness Rangers (IDK how to write it in proper fashion)
----the Carabinieri will get the candidates with a Good-Lawful attitude and loyalty to Reewiin as a whole, moreover the single Carabiniere will be stationed outside of his home region for the first 6 years of his service, in this way he will be less likely to be corrupted, their duties are (based on the Italian Carabinieri)
Protection of public authorities
Military Policing for all the armed forces under the authority of the Ministry of Defence
Civilian policing, in the same way as the Police Force, under the authority of the equivalent in Reewin of the Ministry of the Interior
Border Patrolling and Custom Guard duties
Providing search and rescue and disaster response and mitigation during cases of peacetime natural and man-made disasters
----the Territorial Defence Force will take most of the leftovers personnel and will have these duties (these are based on the Ukrainian TDS):
Protection of public authorities, critical facilities, important public enterprises and communications
Deployment at checkpoints
Combating sabotage and intelligence forces of the enemy, formed by anti-illegal armed formations and looters
Maintaining safety and security in any of the administrative divisions of Ukraine (regions, cities, districts and townships)
Organization of resistance and (or) guerrilla groups - in case of territory being captured by the enemy
Providing search and rescue and disaster response and mitigation during cases of peacetime natural and man-made disasters
---[X] Use a mix between the Japanese Kōban and Italian Stazione systems
---[X] Create a Coast Guard Service by purchasing some Kamikaze-class destroyers from the Japanese Navy (they are the size of cutters and some were being retired around this time) and equip them with some personnel transferred from the company in the North-Western Brigade responsible for Lake Turkana
-[X] Rifle Trials:
--[X] Write-in: A weapon on the list:
---[X] Enfield P17
---[X] Pedersen rifle
--[X] Write-in: A weapon not on the list:
---[X] Carcano Mod.91/28 TS with Tromboncino Mod.28, if not count, ZH-29
My rationale is similar but different from that of user C_Z:
For the rifle trials, I choose the Enfield P17, the Pedersen rifle, and the FN Model D.
The P17 because the rifle is specifically designed by the English and Americans to be ridiculously easy to manufacture (link, link), it has a modern manual of arms (a thumb-operated safety that can be easily operated without moving the whole hand), also the rifle is the basis for the Remington 700 and according to Ian McCollum it was the best WW1 rifle, and chambered in 6.5mm will have been the perfect WW1 rifle: View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6ofO8MaIp4&t=2477s
The Pedersen rifle because this weapon nearly won the US Army Semiautomatic Rifle Trials (the Garand had won only because McArthur wanted a rifle chambered in .30-06 and the Garand was easily converted to that caliber), also the Japanese tested a variant of this and were very fond of it: link. Moreover, the guy that created this rifle was praised by John Moses Browning himself that said about him that quote: Pedersen is the greatest gun designer in the world.
The last selected group is because I don't know if the Carcano with Tromboncino could count as a rifle for this trial, this crazy italian engineering contraption is the first glimpse of a modern grenade launcher, and I think that we could use the data gathered from this trial to star developing High-Low Pressure System weapons. If the Carcano with Tromboncino is not admitted we should choose the ZH-29, this Emperor-approved! Czechnology could give us, together with the pedersen, experience in dealing with autoloading rifles.
My rationale for the Carabinieri is pretty much identical to that of C_Z whit some modification inspired by post of users Potato Anarchy and dreameater: basically, I want to reduce in size and increase the quality of the Carabinieri and give them the roles listed before. Moreover, we should use the leftover personnel to create a Police Force and a National Guard:
-The Carabinieri will be constituited of the best, most loyal and especially Good-Lawful, personnel available and will be responsible of all the duties I listed. Moreover, a Carabiniere shall serve the first 6 years of service outside of his county/department. They shall do the best to integrate in the local community and be the reasonable and effective authority figure to be called in an emergency. This will also help in MPing the partisans (the Italian got the system right as was highly successfull in WW2 and is are still in use, we shall follow them)
-The Police Force will be constituited of personnel that failed the qualitative test but not the attitude one, they will work in their residence county/department as civilian law enforcement for their local community.
-Some of the personnel of the company in the North-Western Brigade responsible for Lake Turkana will form a Coast Guard Service to help with the growing concern created by the London Treaty: Can Reewiin's Japanese allies spare the ships to patrol our territorial waters against piracy under these restrictions?
-The National Guard will get all the rest of the personnel and will be used as Second Line troops and as Military Reserve
The only things that I disagree with user C_Z plan is about the choice of firearms (i don't think we will please in any significant way the Japanese by adopting their same rifle), the fact that while his rationale is sound the plan for the Carabinieri will not change anything (as from what I see the responsabilities will be the same as before and there isn't listed a way to control corruption), and different rationale for the Perinos (as a matter of fact, they weren't put in fortresses becouse of their weight, that is on the average side for an HMG, 27 Kg similar to a Maxim PM-1910 , but because the Italians thought of it as a "secret weapon" and, to be fair, it was a very reliable and rugged weapon)
Moreover, we should concentrate the Type 92 70mm pack howitzers under regimental command to bolster their effectiveness, shock power and response time.
I think we definitely test out the newest Ariska rifle. Divided on what else we try for.
I think:
-Ariska Type 38
-vz. 24 (Czechnology)
-FN mle 25
They're all solid guns and the Czechs and Belgians are both happy to export or license production to us. I'm against trying for a semi-auto rifle at this point - more expensive and we still need to figure out machine guns and artillery!
I think all of the reform ideas are good; can't hurt to do them all although we might piss off the First by taking their guns.
Carabinieri should be a military unit with police and military duties, is my first thought. Depends on how much we want to get out of them and think they can do.
--[X] Enfield M1917 chambered in 6.5mm Carcano (the rifle has a moden manual of arms, is the basis for the Remington 700 and according to Ian McCollum the base weapon was the best WW1 rifle, and chambered in 6.5mm Carcano will have been the perfect WW1 rifle
I think it needs to be an existing weapon system, and the M1917 was never chambered in 6.5mm Carcano afaik, so we'd have to test it in a different caliber if we are interested in testing it.
Which rifle or rifles is the Council most interested in? This is not a binding decision and does not determine acquisition or affect the Ordnance Office's recommendations. It just tells us what to write up.
I think we definitely test out the newest Ariska rifle. Divided on what else we try for.
I think:
-Ariska Type 38
-vz. 24 (Czechnology)
-FN mle 25
They're all solid guns and the Czechs and Belgians are both happy to export or license production to us. I'm against trying for a semi-auto rifle at this point - more expensive and we still need to figure out machine guns and artillery!
I think all of the reform ideas are good; can't hurt to do them all although we might piss off the First by taking their guns.
Carabinieri should be a military unit with police and military duties, is my first thought. Depends on how much we want to get out of them and think they can do.
I think tripling up on three very similar Mauser-style rifles is a mistake. I could see an argument for an extended look at a 6.5 mm and 7.something Mauser in order to determine which round we want to go with, but we surely don't need to see three of what's basically the same gun, as I understand it?
While semi-auto rifles (or sub-machine guns - the pre-WWII tommy gun is outrageously expensive for what it is!) are not good for adoption at this point, I think it may be interesting to at least trial one in comparison. Come WWII, something like the PPSh is a simple way to churn out low-cost close-range firepower (stamped components combined with lots of dakka), so laying the groundwork by looking closely at one now might be worth it.
Perhaps we could focus on 7.7 mm Arisaka, 6.5 mm Mannlicher, and then one of the semi-autos/SMGs? Our service rifle then being a domestic copy of either bolt-action rifle chambered in the appropriate round and with improvements made to the design, and the automatic weapon being kept around for later.
This is the direction I'm leaning for the Carabinieri. It keeps a broad spread of overlapping responsibilities to exploit their flexibility, but moves them away from normal policing work or political/"internal security" policing towards only secondary police roles that complement their main military utility as partisans and skirmishers. This might have some political costs or complications given that it would mean disentangling them from eg strikebreaking.
The alternative responsibility spread I think viable would be internal security + border patrol + partisanry, which I think would go with more of a mixed or police org. I think more than three is a stretch but less then two and they're being underutilized.
The Carabinieri ought to be a… (choose one):
[ ] Military organisation with police and security units.
The Carabinieri will be responsible for… (choose as many as appropriate):
[ ] Border Patrol
[ ] Wilderness Rangers
[ ] Partisan and Skirmish Warfare
I'm somewhere between your two suggestions. My concern with wilderness rangers it that my understanding of wilderness rangers is a rather specialized role, and I'd like for the Carabinieri to be the low-end of a high-low mix, so idk if that really fits together?
I'm not sure if we need to move that far away from policing work if we're going down the partisan route. We'll likely want to have some sort of internal "policing" of them to prevent commanders from deciding to go warlord, and that internal MP force could be beefed up a bit to also protect local communities from things like banditry?
I realize this wasn't obvious, but it's supposed to be the Dutch M.95: Geweer M. 95, which is in production at Artillerie Inrichtingen at this time. The straight-pull bolt-action Mannlichers aren't really being made at this point (perhaps except for some sanctions-busting by FÉG) and everyone who has them are mostly just updating the leftovers of the millions that got made for WWI. You can write in a look at if you want, though.
I realize this wasn't obviously, but it's supposed to be the Dutch M.95: Geweer M. 95, which is in production at Artillerie Inrichtingen at this time. The straight-pull bolt-action Mannlichers aren't really being made at this point (perhaps except for some sanctions-busting by FÉG) and everyone who has them are mostly just updating the leftovers of the millions that got made for WWI. You can write in a look at if you want, though.
---[X] Enfield P17 (the rifle is ridiculously easy to manufacture (link, link), has a moden manual of arms, is the basis for the Remington 700 and according to Ian McCollum it was the best WW1 rifle, and chambered in 6.5mm Carcano will have been the perfect WW1 rifle:
Re: Carabinieri I feel like we do want to stick to the "low" mix and keep them as partisans, internal security, and rear area support. Not sure if they should be dedicated military police, though.
It's the long barrel "military model" version of the submachine gun, offered out of the Auto-Ordnance catalogue. (When they heard Reewiin officials had gotten a version of the Colt BAR model 1925 from FN they insisted the Ordnance Office also test their rifle.)
Re: Carabinieri I feel like we do want to stick to the "low" mix and keep them as partisans, internal security, and rear area support. Not sure if they should be dedicated military police, though.
I do think we should try and keep them at least moderately combat-capable - part of why I favour a high-low mix is that we don't have the resources to cover all the area we need to defend. The Carabinieri should form a force that, although weak and distributed, can apply friction to the enemy offensive thrust, both weakening said thrust (when it hits our regrouped army) and buying time for the regular army to reposition to meet it. Also, if the Carabinieri are already trained for basic things like how to shoot and a common military pidgin, we can pressure the military to start recruiting from it in the future, which'll help with the long-term goal of desegregating the military.
I do think we should try and keep them at least moderately combat-capable - part of why I favour a high-low mix is that we don't have the resources to cover all the area we need to defend. The Carabinieri should form a force that, although weak and distributed, can apply friction to the enemy offensive thrust, both weakening said thrust (when it hits our regrouped army) and buying time for the regular army to reposition to meet it. Also, if the Carabinieri are already trained for basic things like how to shoot and a common military pidgin, we can pressure the military to start recruiting from it in the future, which'll help with the long-term goal of desegregating the military.
About the Carabinieri perhaps making them a mix of national guard and guerilla's might work or full time guerilla/skirmishing force
We can replace the policing role by integrating local respected figures into the state. Some might be bit more sleezier the other but integrating local community leaders into the state structure seems like a good cost cutting measure for policing while allowing the Carabinieri to specialize (we may need to split off a small mountain police force but overall it would be a reduction in costs overall). We should also start thinking of plans to deal with the Japanese army officials in case relations sour so they cannot coup us(covertly we still want Japanese investment but coup proofing is in order).
Since voting's open and I should probably get to sleep, here's a quick thrown-together plan (along with the logic behind it):
[X] Plan: Insert Snappy Plan Name Here
-[X] New: Arisaka Type 38 - 6.5×50 mm
-[X] Write-in: New: Mannlicher M95/30 - 8x56 mmR
-[X] New: Auto-Ordnance Thompson Gun Military Model - 11.43×32 mm
-[X] Form an Army Headquarters unit to manage the overall functions. This will not be particularly effective without doctrinal reform, but it will inform what is expected of the Army.
-[X] Attach the 2nd Regiments Training company to Army HQ as a centralised training unit. This will begin to solve some of the training issues the army faces.
-[X] Attach the 1st Regiments Artillery detachment to Army HQ as a fire support unit for the army as a whole.
-[X] Attach the 1st Regiments Cavalry company to Army HQ as a reconnaissance and quick response force.
-[X] Military organisation with police and security units.
-[X] Border Patrol
-[X] Wilderness Rangers
-[X] Partisan and Skirmish Warfare
-[X] Write-in: Internal Safety, Security, and Policing
-[X] Write-in: Military Reserve and Recruitment Pool
Rationale:
For the rifle choice, I suspect we'll end up going with a Mauser-style bolt-action, so at least one of them needs to be on the list. A good majority of the bolt-action rifles on the list are more-or-less similar as I understand it after a few hours of binge-watching youtube videos, and thus interchangeable. The Type 38 Arisaka falls into that group, and politically advantageous to boot. Therefore, it's my first choice.
Next is a write-in for a straight-pull rifle since they are, as I have been informed, "cool and sexy". This also acts as a good point of comparison for a heavier round too, killing two birds with one stone.
The third rifle is looking at the list and cutting out everything that's not effectively interchangeable or only worth noting for being in a different calibre. Cutting out rifles that performed poorly IRL (like the Bang and Ross) or are downgrades to the above two guns, that leaves the ZH-29, Pedersen, Colt, Thompson, and Carcano. The Pedersen looks weird (an important criteria in firearms evaluation!), I don't think we can give everyone light machine guns, and while the Carcano is different, I'm not actually sure how it is so I'm going to pretend it doesn't exist. I then flipped a coin between the ZH-29 and the Thompson.
Looking at the size of things, our entire army seems to be the size of a brigade. Putting the recon and artillery elements of the army proper at the brigade level makes sense to me. While I have ideas for write-ins, this is supposed to be quick fixes, so it's probably best to leave the more elaborate organizational reforms that go beyond shuffling around what we already have until later.
I am notably NOT taking the Perino HMGs. They're apparently so cumbersome as to be only useful defending fortifications, which is the role of the Carabinieri. If we're going to be replacing all our MGs anyways in a couple of years, we might as well just replace the lot instead of doing shuffling now.
I think the "military with police and security" is the most versatile option. I'm not admittedly that aware of how the various things will be practically different, though.
The role of the Carabinieri, meanwhile, is complicated. A lot of these options seem to either be required or synergistic, making cutting stuff out difficult. To start with, in times of war (as I've already explained above), I think they should serve as partisans/skirmishers and a national reserve to draw trained troops from. To avoid drawing too deeply on our resources, however, frontline service is immediately cut.
However, one of the most important characteristics of effective partisans is familiarity with the local terrain. If they're fighting against a superior enemy in Reewiin's jungles, mountains, deserts, etc., they should presumably have spent the preceding peacetime familiarizing themselves with the local jungles/mountains/deserts. As such, Border Patrol and Wilderness Rangers seem to be good choices for their peacetime duties since it acts as effective training for their wartime duties.
At the same time, we're going to need some sort of policing structure to keep these groups of young men with shiny new rifles from deciding that the village's local cow is looking awfully tasty. I'm going to disagree with Dreameater's conclusions from the same reddit post. IMO, it's very important that the local Carabinieri officer be seen as trustworthy and fair by the locals so that they will welcome armed soldiers into their homes. If this is the case, then said local officer (being a trustworthy source of authority) falls into the "universally trusted third party arbitrator" role that the reddit post mentions. I'm not sure if this explicitly falls under "internal security and riot control", but I do think it's probably the closest thing to law enforcement in rural Reewiin. Not thrilled with the wording; would a write-in be better?
Overall, this does mean the Carabinieri are doing a lot, but I think it's helped both by how it separates into peacetime/wartime duties and how the responsibilities will vary by region and rank.
Edit: updated to change the wording of the Carabinieri role based on the description of the Ukrainian TDF and some clarifications
Since voting's open and I should probably get to sleep, here's a quick thrown-together plan (along with the logic behind it):
[X] Plan: Insert Snappy Plan Name Here
-[X] New: Arisaka Type 38 - 6.5×50 mm
-[X] Write-in: New: Mannlicher M95/30 - 8x56 mmR
-[X] New: Auto-Ordnance Thompson Gun Military Model - 11.43×32 mm
-[X] Form an Army Headquarters unit to manage the overall functions. This will not be particularly effective without doctrinal reform, but it will inform what is expected of the Army.
-[X] Attach the 2nd Regiments Training company to Army HQ as a centralised training unit. This will begin to solve some of the training issues the army faces.
-[X] Attach the 1st Regiments Artillery detachment to Army HQ as a fire support unit for the army as a whole.
-[X] Attach the 1st Regiments Cavalry company to Army HQ as a reconnaissance and quick response force.
-[X] Military organisation with police and security units.
-[X] Border Patrol
-[X] Internal Security and Riot Control
-[X] Wilderness Rangers
-[X] Partisan and Skirmish Warfare
-[X] Write-in: Military Reserve
Rationale:
For the rifle choice, I suspect we'll end up going with a Mauser-style bolt-action, so at least one of them needs to be on the list. A good majority of the bolt-action rifles on the list are more-or-less similar as I understand it after a few hours of binge-watching youtube videos, and thus interchangeable. The Type 38 Arisaka falls into that group, and politically advantageous to boot. Therefore, it's my first choice.
Next is a write-in for a straight-pull rifle since they are, as I have been informed, "cool and sexy". This also acts as a good point of comparison for a heavier round too, killing two birds with one stone.
The third rifle is looking at the list and cutting out everything that's not effectively interchangeable or only worth noting for being in a different calibre. Cutting out rifles that performed poorly IRL (like the Bang and Ross) or are downgrades to the above two guns, that leaves the ZH-29, Pedersen, Colt, Thompson, and Carcano. The Pedersen looks weird (an important criteria in firearms evaluation!), I don't think we can give everyone light machine guns, and while the Carcano is different, I'm not actually sure how it is so I'm going to pretend it doesn't exist. I then flipped a coin between the ZH-29 and the Thompson.
Looking at the size of things, our entire army seems to be the size of a brigade. Putting the recon and artillery elements of the army proper at the brigade level makes sense to me. While I have ideas for write-ins, this is supposed to be quick fixes, so it's probably best to leave the more elaborate organizational reforms that go beyond shuffling around what we already have until later.
I am notably NOT taking the Perino HMGs. They're apparently so cumbersome as to be only useful defending fortifications, which is the role of the Carabinieri. If we're going to be replacing all our MGs anyways in a couple of years, we might as well just replace the lot instead of doing shuffling now.
I think the "military with police and security" is the most versatile option. I'm not admittedly that aware of how the various things will be practically different, though.
The role of the Carabinieri, meanwhile, is complicated. A lot of these options seem to either be required or synergistic, making cutting stuff out difficult. To start with, in times of war (as I've already explained above), I think they should serve as partisans/skirmishers and a national reserve to draw trained troops from. To avoid drawing too deeply on our resources, however, frontline service is immediately cut.
However, one of the most important characteristics of effective partisans is familiarity with the local terrain. If they're fighting against a superior enemy in Reewiin's jungles, mountains, deserts, etc., they should presumably have spent the preceding peacetime familiarizing themselves with the local jungles/mountains/deserts. As such, Border Patrol and Wilderness Rangers seem to be good choices for their peacetime duties since it acts as effective training for their wartime duties.
At the same time, we're going to need some sort of policing structure to keep these groups of young men with shiny new rifles from deciding that the village's local cow is looking awfully tasty. I'm going to disagree with Dreameater's conclusions from the same reddit post. IMO, it's very important that the local Carabinieri officer be seen as trustworthy and fair by the locals so that they will welcome armed soldiers into their homes. If this is the case, then said local officer (being a trustworthy source of authority) falls into the "universally trusted third party arbitrator" role that the reddit post mentions. I'm not sure if this explicitly falls under "internal security and riot control", but I do think it's probably the closest thing to law enforcement in rural Reewiin. Not thrilled with the wording; would a write-in be better?
Overall, this does mean the Carabinieri are doing a lot, but I think it's helped both by how it separates into peacetime/wartime duties and how the responsibilities will vary by region and rank.
My idea was to integrate already trusted local figures formally into state structures outsiders can be useful in some respect and not useful in other regardless we have a budget and cutting it and handing it off the somewhat trustworthy local figures seems like a good cost cutting measure while maintaining state control and preventing competing structures. The wilderness ranger should be mainly in intergroup cooperation and insuring state compliance(preventing corruption).
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