Now begins the story of Maximilian Hohenwerfen, who was the single person most clearly...
Building The Best Ship?
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Introduction
- Location
- Across the universe
Now begins the story of Maximilian Hohenwerfen, who was the single person most clearly responsible for the design of the last battleship built by Austro-Hungary before the unfortunate end to the Great Peace. Maximilian Hohenwerfen - a bastard of the Habsburg family - started work in haste on Monday, December 18th, 1922.
Monday, December 18th, 1922
If you are to believe the editorials in the newspaper, President Harding has single-handedly ended the Ice War. You snort dubiously. The negotiations mark little more than the mutual recognition that after fifteen years of building ever-more-expensive dreadnoughts, the great powers cannot afford to continue building them endlessly, just as they cannot afford to risk them in battle. The last major wars between any two powers of note were the Spanish-American War and Russo-Japanese wars, and that ended before the HMS Dreadnought rendered the world's warships obsolete overnight, starting an arms race that seems to have thus far displaced any actual war between the major powers.
There have been some colonial rebellions, and some flare-ups involving minor powers and subject territories. The Cyprus Crisis seemed likely to start a truly massive war at the time, but it didn't.
You've heard some details about how the treaty negotiations have been going. The highlights are simple. It freezes the balance of power where it currently stands, putting a cap on the total tonnage of capital warships and restrictions on building new battleship – and it puts the brakes on the perpetual growth in the size of those ships by limiting battleships to a "standard" displacement of 35,000 tons, with guns no larger than 16".
It also permanently enshrines the balance of power, with the first-rate naval powers limited to 525,000 tons of battleships, the second-rate powers limited to 315,000 tons of battleships, and the various third-rate naval powers limited to 175,000 tons of battleships each.
Unfortunately, you don't work for one of those first rate powers. Your country doesn't even have close friendly diplomatic ties to any of the first rate powers. Your monarch is Franz Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary.
What you learned yesterday is that diplomats have earnestly proposed a five year moratorium on the construction of new ships... of course, ships that are already under construction that will comply with the limits of the treaty look like they will be exempted in negotiations, provided their owners scrap enough old battleships to bring themselves back under the limit. This includes the Nelson class, a pair of British ships ordered just ordered less than a week ago.
Hence the imperial order that landed on your desk this morning. Final negotiations on the exact list of ships retained by the powers are still underway, and your diplomatic team needs a thumbnail-sketch description of your new "already under construction" treaty-compliant class of battleships as soon as possible, so they can negotiate for them to be allowed under the treaty. And you need to arrange for them to become "under construction."
Unfortunately, you have nothing quite suitable at hand, which means this is going to be a rush job for the department. You'll have to outline the bare bones of the design without really having a very good idea about the consequences.
Mind you, you're much too junior for this level of responsibility. However, the head of your department is on vacation a thousand miles away, which has resulted in the delegation of that task to your immediate superior – who, while politically and bureaucratically adept, has no engineering background whatsoever, and thus delegated the task to you and your team.
You have an excellent team (you think) and you yourself are young, brilliant, and perhaps a bit brash.
Of course, in addition to your formal team, you have a network of contacts you can draw on. You are a bastard of the royal family. Yes, you are a Habsburg. Of the Habsburgs. Unofficially.
Until today, you entertained doubts you would leave any sort of legacy behind. But now? Your name will be attached to the history of one, or perhaps two, of your country's most important battleships. Perhaps, you even dare to speculate, now that things are turning your way, you might even get around to leaving a legacy of a different kind as well - you have sacrificed your personal life for career advancement for entirely too long.
Maybe once this project gets off the ground, you'll be able to direct some attention to getting married. Perhaps you'll even have some children. You'd like to have some eventually. Two, perhaps. A boy and a girl.
Well, first things first, you tell yourself.
Monday, December 18th, 1922
If you are to believe the editorials in the newspaper, President Harding has single-handedly ended the Ice War. You snort dubiously. The negotiations mark little more than the mutual recognition that after fifteen years of building ever-more-expensive dreadnoughts, the great powers cannot afford to continue building them endlessly, just as they cannot afford to risk them in battle. The last major wars between any two powers of note were the Spanish-American War and Russo-Japanese wars, and that ended before the HMS Dreadnought rendered the world's warships obsolete overnight, starting an arms race that seems to have thus far displaced any actual war between the major powers.
There have been some colonial rebellions, and some flare-ups involving minor powers and subject territories. The Cyprus Crisis seemed likely to start a truly massive war at the time, but it didn't.
You've heard some details about how the treaty negotiations have been going. The highlights are simple. It freezes the balance of power where it currently stands, putting a cap on the total tonnage of capital warships and restrictions on building new battleship – and it puts the brakes on the perpetual growth in the size of those ships by limiting battleships to a "standard" displacement of 35,000 tons, with guns no larger than 16".
It also permanently enshrines the balance of power, with the first-rate naval powers limited to 525,000 tons of battleships, the second-rate powers limited to 315,000 tons of battleships, and the various third-rate naval powers limited to 175,000 tons of battleships each.
Unfortunately, you don't work for one of those first rate powers. Your country doesn't even have close friendly diplomatic ties to any of the first rate powers. Your monarch is Franz Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary.
[] Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia. (315,000 ton limit.)
[] Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias. (315,000 ton limit.)
[] Franz Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. (175,000 ton limit.)
[] Mehmed VI, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. (175,000 ton limit.)
[] George II, King of the Hellenes. (175,000 ton limit.)
[] Alfonso XIII, King of Spain. (175,000 ton limit.)
[] Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias. (315,000 ton limit.)
[] Franz Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. (175,000 ton limit.)
[] Mehmed VI, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. (175,000 ton limit.)
[] George II, King of the Hellenes. (175,000 ton limit.)
[] Alfonso XIII, King of Spain. (175,000 ton limit.)
What you learned yesterday is that diplomats have earnestly proposed a five year moratorium on the construction of new ships... of course, ships that are already under construction that will comply with the limits of the treaty look like they will be exempted in negotiations, provided their owners scrap enough old battleships to bring themselves back under the limit. This includes the Nelson class, a pair of British ships ordered just ordered less than a week ago.
Hence the imperial order that landed on your desk this morning. Final negotiations on the exact list of ships retained by the powers are still underway, and your diplomatic team needs a thumbnail-sketch description of your new "already under construction" treaty-compliant class of battleships as soon as possible, so they can negotiate for them to be allowed under the treaty. And you need to arrange for them to become "under construction."
Unfortunately, you have nothing quite suitable at hand, which means this is going to be a rush job for the department. You'll have to outline the bare bones of the design without really having a very good idea about the consequences.
Mind you, you're much too junior for this level of responsibility. However, the head of your department is on vacation a thousand miles away, which has resulted in the delegation of that task to your immediate superior – who, while politically and bureaucratically adept, has no engineering background whatsoever, and thus delegated the task to you and your team.
You have an excellent team (you think) and you yourself are young, brilliant, and perhaps a bit brash.
[] Young, brilliant, and perhaps a bit brash (+2 innovation design checks, -1 diagnostic checks)
[] Worldly and well-traveled but perhaps a little too trusting (+2 reverse engineering checks, -1 information security checks)
[] Deeply patriotic though insular (+2 information security checks, -1 reverse engineering checks)
[] Old and seasoned, although less flexible (+2 diagnostic checks, -1 innovation design checks)
[] Worldly and well-traveled but perhaps a little too trusting (+2 reverse engineering checks, -1 information security checks)
[] Deeply patriotic though insular (+2 information security checks, -1 reverse engineering checks)
[] Old and seasoned, although less flexible (+2 diagnostic checks, -1 innovation design checks)
Of course, in addition to your formal team, you have a network of contacts you can draw on. You are a bastard of the royal family. Yes, you are a Habsburg. Of the Habsburgs. Unofficially.
[] Former captain of a warship.
[] Colonial from abroad.
[] Bastard of the royal family.
[] Immigrant recruited from
-[] (write-in country of origin)
[] Jew.
[] (write-in background)
[] Colonial from abroad.
[] Bastard of the royal family.
[] Immigrant recruited from
-[] (write-in country of origin)
[] Jew.
[] (write-in background)
Until today, you entertained doubts you would leave any sort of legacy behind. But now? Your name will be attached to the history of one, or perhaps two, of your country's most important battleships. Perhaps, you even dare to speculate, now that things are turning your way, you might even get around to leaving a legacy of a different kind as well - you have sacrificed your personal life for career advancement for entirely too long.
Maybe once this project gets off the ground, you'll be able to direct some attention to getting married. Perhaps you'll even have some children. You'd like to have some eventually. Two, perhaps. A boy and a girl.
[] (Write-in how many children you want to eventually have. Zero is an option.)
Well, first things first, you tell yourself.
The different countries have different perks and disadvantages. These are mostly obvious from geography and history, but also involve available hardware. While Germany and Russia have a higher fleet tonnage limit, they also have a larger existing fleet of battleships that a new battleship will need to work with, and a requirement for more globally effective ships that can be operated effectively in more varied environments.
Each background gives an unofficial social network. This gives you three mechanical effects in the professional arena: A bonus recruitment action contingent on the conditions that are rolled (randomly) for actor countries, a bonus on information checks that can use that network, and in some cases complications tied to a specific condition appearing or escalating in your country. Complications prevent you from taking a bonus recruitment action and give you a disadvantage on your next skill check.
Former captain gives you navy-level contacts, which are very useful for knowing how specific types of hardware are working in the field. You recruit in demilitarization conditions, and are complicated by mobilization conditions.
Colonial gives you contacts in your country's colonies. You recruit if there is internal colonial unrest or a war involving your colony of origin. There are no complications, because this background's information check bonus is very limited; this is your "generic" choice.
Bastard gives you high level contacts that affect diplomatic information checks. You recruit when there is a democratic or communist takeover in another country. You have complications if there is a democratic or communist takeover, or attempted takeover, in your country.
Immigrant gives you a bonus on all (diplomatic, operational, and technical )information checks related to your country of origin. You recruit when xenophobia hits that country or that country is invaded, and have complications when xenophobia hits your country of residence. You also have complications if your country of origin and country of residence go to war.
Jew gives you a bonus on some, but not all, information checks related to Germany, Austro-Hungary, and Russia. You recruit when xenophobia hits those countries, and have complications when xenophobia hits your own country. This is similar to immigrant - slightly better recruitment, slightly worse information-gathering.
A write-in background will receive an appropriate QM's-discretion network of contacts, recruitment condition, and complication condition. Backgrounds and environmental conditions also influence the difficulty of certain personal relationship actions, especially courtship/engagement/marriage actions (marriage will require several net successful actions).
The general method of voting is approval vote. You are free to check multiple options.
For quantitative items – numbers – select your preferred option or range of preferred options. If there is a clear winning option, I will select that specific option. In the event that outcomes are tied or tied to within sqrt-n variance (rounded down), I will use an appropriate weighted median.
Schedule of turns:
Short turns take place over a scale of days. Long turns have a duration of 3 or 6 months (usually 6 months outside of conflict events). The game will start with a series of short turns, and after that, short turns will be triggered mostly by complex decision points. (This can be avoided using contingency planning.)
Every long turn, there's a condition roll on each of the major powers. This will have an outcome along one of seven condition tracks.
You have one selected information check per long turn, and one automatic (hard difficulty) information check made against every country every turn. You can choose to seek out information of a particular type or from a particular nation. The more specific the requested check, the easier it will be. For example, "information related to how to manufacture the British 15"/42 naval gun" is more specific than "technical information about British battleships," which is more specific than "What are the Brits up to now?"
Each background gives an unofficial social network. This gives you three mechanical effects in the professional arena: A bonus recruitment action contingent on the conditions that are rolled (randomly) for actor countries, a bonus on information checks that can use that network, and in some cases complications tied to a specific condition appearing or escalating in your country. Complications prevent you from taking a bonus recruitment action and give you a disadvantage on your next skill check.
Former captain gives you navy-level contacts, which are very useful for knowing how specific types of hardware are working in the field. You recruit in demilitarization conditions, and are complicated by mobilization conditions.
Colonial gives you contacts in your country's colonies. You recruit if there is internal colonial unrest or a war involving your colony of origin. There are no complications, because this background's information check bonus is very limited; this is your "generic" choice.
Bastard gives you high level contacts that affect diplomatic information checks. You recruit when there is a democratic or communist takeover in another country. You have complications if there is a democratic or communist takeover, or attempted takeover, in your country.
Immigrant gives you a bonus on all (diplomatic, operational, and technical )information checks related to your country of origin. You recruit when xenophobia hits that country or that country is invaded, and have complications when xenophobia hits your country of residence. You also have complications if your country of origin and country of residence go to war.
Jew gives you a bonus on some, but not all, information checks related to Germany, Austro-Hungary, and Russia. You recruit when xenophobia hits those countries, and have complications when xenophobia hits your own country. This is similar to immigrant - slightly better recruitment, slightly worse information-gathering.
A write-in background will receive an appropriate QM's-discretion network of contacts, recruitment condition, and complication condition. Backgrounds and environmental conditions also influence the difficulty of certain personal relationship actions, especially courtship/engagement/marriage actions (marriage will require several net successful actions).
The general method of voting is approval vote. You are free to check multiple options.
For quantitative items – numbers – select your preferred option or range of preferred options. If there is a clear winning option, I will select that specific option. In the event that outcomes are tied or tied to within sqrt-n variance (rounded down), I will use an appropriate weighted median.
Schedule of turns:
Short turns take place over a scale of days. Long turns have a duration of 3 or 6 months (usually 6 months outside of conflict events). The game will start with a series of short turns, and after that, short turns will be triggered mostly by complex decision points. (This can be avoided using contingency planning.)
Every long turn, there's a condition roll on each of the major powers. This will have an outcome along one of seven condition tracks.
- Conflict Event
- Nationalism—Globalism
- Xenophobia—Tolerance
- Militarism—Pacifism
- Democracy—Monarchy
- Communism—Capitalism
- Technology Event
You have one selected information check per long turn, and one automatic (hard difficulty) information check made against every country every turn. You can choose to seek out information of a particular type or from a particular nation. The more specific the requested check, the easier it will be. For example, "information related to how to manufacture the British 15"/42 naval gun" is more specific than "technical information about British battleships," which is more specific than "What are the Brits up to now?"
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Assorted information
- Location
- Across the universe
Maximillian Hohenwerfen
Bastard Habsburg in service to Franz Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary.
Total team bonuses / penalties:
Design (innovation): +3
Design (other): +1
Diagnostic: +0
Diplomatic information: +2
Other information: +1
Management: 0
Added bonuses: +1 on checks tied to Spain or Portugal; +1 on design and diagnosis checks for electrical and acoustic systems.
Complications: Rise in democracy or communism
Recruitment: Rise in democracy or communism in other monarchies
OPFOR BBs
Bastard Habsburg in service to Franz Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary.
Total team bonuses / penalties:
Design (innovation): +3
Design (other): +1
Diagnostic: +0
Diplomatic information: +2
Other information: +1
Management: 0
Added bonuses: +1 on checks tied to Spain or Portugal; +1 on design and diagnosis checks for electrical and acoustic systems.
Complications: Rise in democracy or communism
Recruitment: Rise in democracy or communism in other monarchies
Maximillian Hohenwerfen: +2 design, -1 diagnostic, +1 diplomatic information
Marie Koller (+1 management; no longer active on roster)
Heinz Lehner (+1 information)
János Müller (+1 diagnostic)
Bányász Gergely (+1 design)
Severino Luís de Alcântara O'Neill (+1 on checks related to Spain or Portugal)
Nicolau Costa (+1 innovation (electrical, acoustic), +1 diagnostic (electrical, acoustic)
Marie Koller (+1 management; no longer active on roster)
Heinz Lehner (+1 information)
János Müller (+1 diagnostic)
Bányász Gergely (+1 design)
Severino Luís de Alcântara O'Neill (+1 on checks related to Spain or Portugal)
Nicolau Costa (+1 innovation (electrical, acoustic), +1 diagnostic (electrical, acoustic)
Main gun: 2x3+1x4 35 cm/55 in ABX layout
Intended displacement: 35,000 tons standard (just over 40,000 tons normal)
Length: 225m
Maximum beam: 28.5m
Draft: 12.5m (designed maximum)
Machinery: 4 shafts with a 90,000 shp turboelectric drive system. Machinery liberally copied from the American Lexington class.
Secondary guns: 12x2 12cm/50 anti-aircraft guns
Armor: 336 mm main belt (138m) 70mm (ends). Extends 3m above and 2.4m below the waterline. 112mm main deck, 28mm splinter deck.
Intended displacement: 35,000 tons standard (just over 40,000 tons normal)
Length: 225m
Maximum beam: 28.5m
Draft: 12.5m (designed maximum)
Machinery: 4 shafts with a 90,000 shp turboelectric drive system. Machinery liberally copied from the American Lexington class.
Secondary guns: 12x2 12cm/50 anti-aircraft guns
Armor: 336 mm main belt (138m) 70mm (ends). Extends 3m above and 2.4m below the waterline. 112mm main deck, 28mm splinter deck.
Pre-dreadnought battleships:
Dreadnoughts in conversion to aircraft carriers:
- Habsburg class (3 - reclassified as cruisers with replacement of 3x9.4'' guns by 4x21cm guns.)
- Erherzog Karl class (3 - reclassified as cruisers following removal of 9.4'' guns. The twin 9.4'' turrets have been replaced with single 19cm guns for a modest weight reduction, leaving them with a uniform 14x19cm main battery.)
- Tegetthoff class (2)
Dreadnoughts in conversion to aircraft carriers:
- Tegetthoff class (2)
The US has a line of 18 battleships, 11 of them with 14'' guns.
16'' battleships (3): Colorado class
14'' Standard-type battleships (9)
14'' other battleships (2): New York class.
12'' dreadnoughts (4): Wyoming class (2), Florida class (2)
16'' battleships (3): Colorado class
14'' Standard-type battleships (9)
14'' other battleships (2): New York class.
12'' dreadnoughts (4): Wyoming class (2), Florida class (2)
The UK has retained a line of 20 capital ships, 16 of them with 15" guns. Once the Nelson and Rodney are complete, the line will go down to 18 capital ships with the scrapping of the 13.5" ships.
16'' battleships (0): Nelson class (2 under construction - QM's warning, may not be identical to OTL version of Nelson class).
15'' battlecruisers (6): Renown class (2), Admiral class (4 - note, these are not the "fast battleship" version)
15'' battleships (10): Revenge class (5), Queen Elizabeth class (5)
13.5'' battlecruisers (1): HMS Tiger
13.5'' battleships (3): Iron Duke class
16'' battleships (0): Nelson class (2 under construction - QM's warning, may not be identical to OTL version of Nelson class).
15'' battlecruisers (6): Renown class (2), Admiral class (4 - note, these are not the "fast battleship" version)
15'' battleships (10): Revenge class (5), Queen Elizabeth class (5)
13.5'' battlecruisers (1): HMS Tiger
13.5'' battleships (3): Iron Duke class
Japan retains a line of 10 capital ships, 8 of which are armed with 14" guns.
16'' battleships (2): Nagato class
14'' battleships (4): Fuso class (2), Ise class (2)
14'' battlecruisers (4): Kongo class
16'' battleships (2): Nagato class
14'' battleships (4): Fuso class (2), Ise class (2)
14'' battlecruisers (4): Kongo class
16" battleships (0): Prussia class (3 under construction)
15'' battleships (3): Bayern class
14'' battlecruisers (7): Mackensen class
15'' battleships (3): Bayern class
14'' battlecruisers (7): Mackensen class
16" battleships (0): Pyotr Veliky class (3 under construction)
14'' battlecruisers (4): Izmail class
12'' dreadnoughts (8): Imperator Nikolai I, Imperatritsa Mariya class (3), Gangut class (4)
14'' battlecruisers (4): Izmail class
12'' dreadnoughts (8): Imperator Nikolai I, Imperatritsa Mariya class (3), Gangut class (4)
13.4'' battleships (9): Lyon class (4), Normandie class (5)
15'' battleships (4): Francesco Caracciolo class, refitted Andrea Doria class (0 currently, 2 in process of being re-armed and refitted)
12'' dreadnoughts (3): Conte di Cavour class (3)
12'' dreadnoughts (3): Conte di Cavour class (3)
15" battleships (1): Sultan Muhteşem Süleyman I
13.5'' battleships (2): Reşadiye class
12'' battleships (1): Sultan Osman I
11'' battlecruisers (4): Moltke class, Sultan Abdülaziz, Sultan Abdulmecid I
13.5'' battleships (2): Reşadiye class
12'' battleships (1): Sultan Osman I
11'' battlecruisers (4): Moltke class, Sultan Abdülaziz, Sultan Abdulmecid I
14'' battleships (2): Salamis class
13.4'' battleships (5): Bretagne class
12" pre-dreadnoughts (2): Mississippi class
13.4'' battleships (5): Bretagne class
12" pre-dreadnoughts (2): Mississippi class
Brazil operates three battleships:
15'' battleships (1): Riachuelo
12'' battleships (2): Minas Geraes class (2)
Argentina operates three battleships:
12'' battleships (3): Rivadavia class
Chile operates two battleships:
14'' battleships (2): Almirante Latorre class
15'' battleships (1): Riachuelo
12'' battleships (2): Minas Geraes class (2)
Argentina operates three battleships:
12'' battleships (3): Rivadavia class
Chile operates two battleships:
14'' battleships (2): Almirante Latorre class
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Bringing out the big guns
- Location
- Across the universe
Now begins the story of Maximilian Hohenwerfen, who was the single person most clearly responsible for the design of the last battleship built by Austro-Hungary before the unfortunate end to the Great Peace. Maximilian Hohenwerfen - a bastard of the Habsburg family - started work in haste on Monday, December 18th, 1922.
Due to a conjunction of vacations, diplomatic travel, and recent vacancies in the department, your team has five people. The other four? Marie Koller, your secretary; Heinz Lehner, a career bureaucrat; János Müller, a retired naval officer old enough to have earned a second pension due to his length of civil service after his military retirement; and Bányász Gergely, a recently graduated engineer.
Of course, of those four people, there's only one that you see very regularly outside of work. Vienna is a lovely city, and the two of you sometimes take the time to enjoy it. Just last Saturday, you were playing chess outside of a coffeehouse with Marie Koller.
The two hardest things to change about a battleship are its guns and its size. The urgent deadline meant that these decisions need to be made immediately.
The Nelson class, as well as the two successors to the Colorado under construction, are designed to carry 16"/45 guns – that is to say, guns that fired projectiles 16" in diameter (their caliber), with barrels 45 times the caliber. Treaty restrictions ban the use of guns that are officially larger than 16", and the first rate powers have decided to arm their battleships with the absolute maximum caliber armament - although if you have faith in your manufacturers' ability to keep a secret, you might build a "special 16 inch" caliber gun that's larger.
The easiest course of action is clearly to re-use an existing gun in the Austro-Hungarian arsenal – readily available and known to be reliable, sharing logistical supplies and training with the existing fleet. Designing and building an entirely new gun would take significantly longer. Somewhere in between the two options was the option of copying a gun used by another nation – either importing it or reverse-engineering it.
This is a very important decision to make, and it dictates the primary role that the battleship is designed for. As one of the most visible features of a battleship regulated by treaty, it also dictates – for better or worse – how seriously others take the ship as a threat. The newest Japanese, British, and American battleships all carry 16" guns. The Russians, Ottomans, and Greeks – your nation's rivals for control over the Balkans – have not put guns larger than 14" on their battleships, yet. The latest Italian battleships mount 15" guns – the Italians have recently been the allies of Austria-Hungary, although you know that certain members of the royal family are still unhappy about how Italians have become independent from Habsburg rule.
As a bastard Habsburg yourself, you... well, you have your own very specific opinion about whether or not your gun needs to match the Italian battleships... or the first rate powers' battleships.
You want to, in the words of Theodore Rooseveldt, speak softly and carry a big stick with 35cm/55 guns. Keeping the caliber of the gun down to the same 35 cm used on the Ersatz Monarch class won't provoke Austria-Hungary's neighbors into updating their own guns - it's still merely a 14'' gun, after all - while still significantly increasing the power of the weapon. Hopefully.
[] (write-in name)
Due to a conjunction of vacations, diplomatic travel, and recent vacancies in the department, your team has five people. The other four? Marie Koller, your secretary; Heinz Lehner, a career bureaucrat; János Müller, a retired naval officer old enough to have earned a second pension due to his length of civil service after his military retirement; and Bányász Gergely, a recently graduated engineer.
[] (Name for secretary; +1 management)
[] (Name for bureaucrat; +1 information)
[] (Name for really old guy; +1 diagnostic)
[] (Name for engineer; +1 design)
[] (Name for bureaucrat; +1 information)
[] (Name for really old guy; +1 diagnostic)
[] (Name for engineer; +1 design)
Of course, of those four people, there's only one that you see very regularly outside of work. Vienna is a lovely city, and the two of you sometimes take the time to enjoy it. Just last Saturday, you were playing chess outside of a coffeehouse with Marie Koller.
[] Secretary
[] Bureaucrat
[] Really old guy
[] Engineer
[] Bureaucrat
[] Really old guy
[] Engineer
The two hardest things to change about a battleship are its guns and its size. The urgent deadline meant that these decisions need to be made immediately.
The Nelson class, as well as the two successors to the Colorado under construction, are designed to carry 16"/45 guns – that is to say, guns that fired projectiles 16" in diameter (their caliber), with barrels 45 times the caliber. Treaty restrictions ban the use of guns that are officially larger than 16", and the first rate powers have decided to arm their battleships with the absolute maximum caliber armament - although if you have faith in your manufacturers' ability to keep a secret, you might build a "special 16 inch" caliber gun that's larger.
The easiest course of action is clearly to re-use an existing gun in the Austro-Hungarian arsenal – readily available and known to be reliable, sharing logistical supplies and training with the existing fleet. Designing and building an entirely new gun would take significantly longer. Somewhere in between the two options was the option of copying a gun used by another nation – either importing it or reverse-engineering it.
[] Design and build a new gun
-[] (write-in size)
[] Either import or reverse engineer a foreign gun
-[] (write-in which)
[] Use an existing gun already manufactured by Škoda.
-[] 35 cm/45
-[] 30.5 cm/45
-[] (write-in size)
[] Either import or reverse engineer a foreign gun
-[] (write-in which)
[] Use an existing gun already manufactured by Škoda.
-[] 35 cm/45
-[] 30.5 cm/45
This is a very important decision to make, and it dictates the primary role that the battleship is designed for. As one of the most visible features of a battleship regulated by treaty, it also dictates – for better or worse – how seriously others take the ship as a threat. The newest Japanese, British, and American battleships all carry 16" guns. The Russians, Ottomans, and Greeks – your nation's rivals for control over the Balkans – have not put guns larger than 14" on their battleships, yet. The latest Italian battleships mount 15" guns – the Italians have recently been the allies of Austria-Hungary, although you know that certain members of the royal family are still unhappy about how Italians have become independent from Habsburg rule.
As a bastard Habsburg yourself, you... well, you have your own very specific opinion about whether or not your gun needs to match the Italian battleships... or the first rate powers' battleships.
You want to, in the words of Theodore Rooseveldt, speak softly and carry a big stick with 35cm/55 guns. Keeping the caliber of the gun down to the same 35 cm used on the Ersatz Monarch class won't provoke Austria-Hungary's neighbors into updating their own guns - it's still merely a 14'' gun, after all - while still significantly increasing the power of the weapon. Hopefully.
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Turrets, and a little familiarity
- Location
- Across the universe
Friday, December 22nd, 1922
''Call for you, Max,'' Marie says. If the two of you weren't good friends, you probably would have insisted on ''Sir'' or at least ''Herr Hohenwerfen,'' but you are, so you don't. Although you are only good friends, nothing more. Marie is like a sister to you. You don't think of her that way.
You seat yourself at the mouthpiece and she hands you the earpiece.
''Hello?''
''A new 35 centimeter gun? Those upstart Italians have got 38 centimeter guns. Fifteen inchers, the British call the ones on their ships of the line. If you're going to requisition a whole new gun, couldn't it at least show up the Italians? The Italian delegates were seen to laugh amongst themselves.''
The voice sounds familiar. You choose your language carefully. Hungarian, as Marie is least likely to understand that and you'd like to keep the conversation private.
''Your royal and imperial majesty, it will be a more powerful 35 centimeter gun, every match for the Italians' 38 centimeter gun. The Italians will know that soon enough. Asking that we be granted a special exemption was provocative enough, and it could easily turn into a general exemption for all the signatories. If we put a 38 centimeter gun on our new ships, the Ottomans and the Greeks will feel forced to keep up. The Russians, too. It is like the great American Theodore Roosevelt said - speak softly and carry a big stick. If we speak softly now, we can have the biggest stick to carry until the moratorium expires.''
The person you are speaking to is avidly interested in big game hunting. Perhaps this is why he has that curious admiration for Teddy Roosevelt - a man he met only briefly, at King Edward VII's funeral.
''Hmph. Herr Roosevelt is not president any longer, though. Perhaps for the better for us as it is worse for the Americans. I trust that you know what you are doing, but if you do not, it will be very shameful.''
''The Italians are the only ones who will be shamed by their laughter.''
The phone call ends abruptly. You wait patiently by the phone for several minutes, looking over the line drawing of the idea of the ship. Most modern battleships and battlecruisers carry between six and sixteen guns in their main battery, distributed between somewhere from two to seven turrets.
The Ersatz Monarch class, with a standard displacement pushing 25,000 tons, carries ten 35cm/45 guns. The 20,000 ton Tegetthoff class carries twelve 30.5cm/45 guns. Both have an ABXY turret layout, where the guns are carried in superfiring pairs forward and aft, allowing them a full field of fire.
So how did you decide to lay out your turrets? Differently from the previous Austro-Hungarian battleships, in a ABX layout – two forward, one aft.
With how many guns distributed between those turrets? Nine. It's less than the Ersatz Monarch, but the guns really are more powerful.
You look down at the dimensions of the ship. 225m long, a beam of up to 28m, and a designed
draft of 12.5m. Well, hopefully the diplomats will be able to plausibly sell it as a 35,000 ton ship.
You can compare this to the dimensions of a few other ships and their standard displacements in long tons (the unit used by the treaty):
A longer and narrower ship is more hydrodynamic, allowing it a higher top speed. A wider beam makes for a more stable broadside firing platform. Draft, and to a lesser degree beam, puts limits on ships' ability to pass through straits, shallows, and canals; and limits what ports the ship can put in at.
''Max,'' Marie says, ''It's been half an hour, I think he just hung up on you. János wants to talk to you, he has some opinions to express that he doesn't want to put in writing.''
''Call for you, Max,'' Marie says. If the two of you weren't good friends, you probably would have insisted on ''Sir'' or at least ''Herr Hohenwerfen,'' but you are, so you don't. Although you are only good friends, nothing more. Marie is like a sister to you. You don't think of her that way.
[] Marie is like a sister to you. You don't think of her that way.
[] Miss Koller may use informal address in the office out of an interest in terseness, but in social settings, she is insistently correct and proper in all ways, including but not limited to her language.
[] You've been intimidated by her formidable organizational skills and worried about what it would do to the office environment.
[] You're not sure why, honestly. Marie is attractive and eligible, and you've been something of an idiot not to do anything about it.
[] (write-in)
[] Miss Koller may use informal address in the office out of an interest in terseness, but in social settings, she is insistently correct and proper in all ways, including but not limited to her language.
[] You've been intimidated by her formidable organizational skills and worried about what it would do to the office environment.
[] You're not sure why, honestly. Marie is attractive and eligible, and you've been something of an idiot not to do anything about it.
[] (write-in)
You seat yourself at the mouthpiece and she hands you the earpiece.
''Hello?''
''A new 35 centimeter gun? Those upstart Italians have got 38 centimeter guns. Fifteen inchers, the British call the ones on their ships of the line. If you're going to requisition a whole new gun, couldn't it at least show up the Italians? The Italian delegates were seen to laugh amongst themselves.''
The voice sounds familiar. You choose your language carefully. Hungarian, as Marie is least likely to understand that and you'd like to keep the conversation private.
[] German, of course. That's the language you were addressed in.
[] Hungarian, as Marie is least likely to understand that and you'd like to keep the conversation private.
[] English, the unfortunate language of naval supremacy.
[] (write-in)
[] Hungarian, as Marie is least likely to understand that and you'd like to keep the conversation private.
[] English, the unfortunate language of naval supremacy.
[] (write-in)
''Your royal and imperial majesty, it will be a more powerful 35 centimeter gun, every match for the Italians' 38 centimeter gun. The Italians will know that soon enough. Asking that we be granted a special exemption was provocative enough, and it could easily turn into a general exemption for all the signatories. If we put a 38 centimeter gun on our new ships, the Ottomans and the Greeks will feel forced to keep up. The Russians, too. It is like the great American Theodore Roosevelt said - speak softly and carry a big stick. If we speak softly now, we can have the biggest stick to carry until the moratorium expires.''
The person you are speaking to is avidly interested in big game hunting. Perhaps this is why he has that curious admiration for Teddy Roosevelt - a man he met only briefly, at King Edward VII's funeral.
''Hmph. Herr Roosevelt is not president any longer, though. Perhaps for the better for us as it is worse for the Americans. I trust that you know what you are doing, but if you do not, it will be very shameful.''
''The Italians are the only ones who will be shamed by their laughter.''
[] ''Yes, Uncle Franz. Shameful indeed. Especially if I felt required to very publicly resign in the wake of the criticism. I expect a large Christmas bonus this year.''
[] ''The Italians are the only ones who will be shamed by their laughter.''
[] ''Understood, majesty.''
[] ''Your imperial and royal majesty, my honor hinges upon my success, and with my honor, my very life itself.''
[] (write-in)
[] ''The Italians are the only ones who will be shamed by their laughter.''
[] ''Understood, majesty.''
[] ''Your imperial and royal majesty, my honor hinges upon my success, and with my honor, my very life itself.''
[] (write-in)
The phone call ends abruptly. You wait patiently by the phone for several minutes, looking over the line drawing of the idea of the ship. Most modern battleships and battlecruisers carry between six and sixteen guns in their main battery, distributed between somewhere from two to seven turrets.
The Ersatz Monarch class, with a standard displacement pushing 25,000 tons, carries ten 35cm/45 guns. The 20,000 ton Tegetthoff class carries twelve 30.5cm/45 guns. Both have an ABXY turret layout, where the guns are carried in superfiring pairs forward and aft, allowing them a full field of fire.
So how did you decide to lay out your turrets? Differently from the previous Austro-Hungarian battleships, in a ABX layout – two forward, one aft.
[] The same ABXY turret layout as previous Austro-Hungarian battleships – two forward, two aft.
[] Differently!
-[] ABC turret layout – three forward, each superfiring over the next.
-[] ABX turret layout – two forward, one aft.
-[] AXY turret layout – one forward, two aft.
-[] ABCX turret layout - three forward, one aft.
-[] ABCXY turret layout - three forward, two aft.
-[] ABQXY turret layout - two forward, one mid, two aft.
-[] (write-in turret layout)
[] Differently!
-[] ABC turret layout – three forward, each superfiring over the next.
-[] ABX turret layout – two forward, one aft.
-[] AXY turret layout – one forward, two aft.
-[] ABCX turret layout - three forward, one aft.
-[] ABCXY turret layout - three forward, two aft.
-[] ABQXY turret layout - two forward, one mid, two aft.
-[] (write-in turret layout)
This is a two-stage majority vote. If half or more vote for ABXY, it will be ABXY. Otherwise, it will be different.
With how many guns distributed between those turrets? Nine. It's less than the Ersatz Monarch, but the guns really are more powerful.
[] (write-in number)
You look down at the dimensions of the ship. 225m long, a beam of up to 28m, and a designed
draft of 12.5m. Well, hopefully the diplomats will be able to plausibly sell it as a 35,000 ton ship.
[] (write-in dimensions)
You can compare this to the dimensions of a few other ships and their standard displacements in long tons (the unit used by the treaty):
- Tegetthoff class (20,000) 152.2m x 27.3m with a draft of 8.9m
- Ersatz Monarch class (25,000) 175.2m x 28.5m with a draft of 8.4m
- Francesco Caracciolo class (31,000) 210m x 29.6m with a draft of 9.5m
- Colorado class (32,000) 190m x 29.7m with a draft of 12m.
A longer and narrower ship is more hydrodynamic, allowing it a higher top speed. A wider beam makes for a more stable broadside firing platform. Draft, and to a lesser degree beam, puts limits on ships' ability to pass through straits, shallows, and canals; and limits what ports the ship can put in at.
''Max,'' Marie says, ''It's been half an hour, I think he just hung up on you. János wants to talk to you, he has some opinions to express that he doesn't want to put in writing.''
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Intel Report 1
- Location
- Across the universe
Intelligence Report #1
First-rate powers.
At this point, it is known what the first-rate powers will decide to retain and build. It is likely that some of the second and third-rate powers will end up making hasty plans to build, buy, or heavily refit new ships.
It is likely that the second-rate and third-rate powers will pull their pre-dreadnought battleships out of service, with the possible exceptions of the Greeks and Turks.
EDIT: Fixed a ship-fork.
First-rate powers.
At this point, it is known what the first-rate powers will decide to retain and build. It is likely that some of the second and third-rate powers will end up making hasty plans to build, buy, or heavily refit new ships.
The US will retain a line of 18 battleships, 11 of them with 14'' guns.
16'' battleships (1): USS Colorado (2 more similar ships to be built.)
14'' Standard-type battleships (9)
14'' other battleships (2): New York class.
12'' dreadnoughts (6): Wyoming class , (2)Florida class (2), Delaware class (2) - to be scrapped after the Colorado class.
16'' battleships (1): USS Colorado (2 more similar ships to be built.)
14'' Standard-type battleships (9)
14'' other battleships (2): New York class.
12'' dreadnoughts (6): Wyoming class , (2)Florida class (2), Delaware class (2) - to be scrapped after the Colorado class.
The UK will retain a line of 13-15 battleships and 6 battlecruisers. 16 of those ships have 15'' guns.
16'' battleships (0): Nelson class (to be built).
15'' battlecruisers (5): Renown class (3), Admiral class (2)
15'' battleships (11): Revenge class (5), Queen Elizabeth class (6)
13.5'' battlecruisers (1): HMS Tiger
13.5'' battleships (4): Iron Duke class, to be scrapped after the Nelson class.
16'' battleships (0): Nelson class (to be built).
15'' battlecruisers (5): Renown class (3), Admiral class (2)
15'' battleships (11): Revenge class (5), Queen Elizabeth class (6)
13.5'' battlecruisers (1): HMS Tiger
13.5'' battleships (4): Iron Duke class, to be scrapped after the Nelson class.
It is likely that the second-rate and third-rate powers will pull their pre-dreadnought battleships out of service, with the possible exceptions of the Greeks and Turks.
Unless Japan negotiates for an exemption, it is likely that Japan will retain all 6 battleships and 4 battlecruisers that have uniform gun batteries, disposing of its older battleships as obsolete. Japan's attempts to increase its tonnage limit have thus far failed.
16'' battleships (2): Nagato class
14'' battleships (4): Fuso class (2), Ise class (2)
14'' battlecruisers (4): Kongo class
16'' battleships (2): Nagato class
14'' battleships (4): Fuso class (2), Ise class (2)
14'' battlecruisers (4): Kongo class
Unless Germany negotiates for an exemption, Germany will likely retain its most modern class of battleship and its most modern class of battlecruiser, scrapping or selling the 11'' and 12'' ships that were built early in the dreadnought arms race.
15'' battleships (4): Bayern class
14'' battlecruisers (7): Mackenson class
15'' battleships (4): Bayern class
14'' battlecruisers (7): Mackenson class
Russia is the second-rate power your navy is most likely to get into a conflict with. Russia currently has 4 modern battlecruisers with 14'' guns, and 8 dreadnoughts with 12'' guns.
14'' battlecruisers (4): Borodino or Izmail class
12'' dreadnoughts (8): Imperator Nikolai I, Imperatritsa Mariya class (3), Gangut class (4)
14'' battlecruisers (4): Borodino or Izmail class
12'' dreadnoughts (8): Imperator Nikolai I, Imperatritsa Mariya class (3), Gangut class (4)
France operates twelve battleships with 34 cm (13.4'') guns. It is certain that they will dispose of their early 12'' dreadnoughts and pre-dreadnoughts. France's precise tonnage limit is under negotiation.
13.4'' battleships (12): Lyon class (4), Normandie class (5), Bretagne class (3)
13.4'' battleships (12): Lyon class (4), Normandie class (5), Bretagne class (3)
The Italian navy currently has 10 battleships in service.
15'' battleships (4): Francesco Caracciolo class
12'' dreadnoughts (6): Andrea Doria class (2), Conte di Cavour class (3), Dante Alighieri.
15'' battleships (4): Francesco Caracciolo class
12'' dreadnoughts (6): Andrea Doria class (2), Conte di Cavour class (3), Dante Alighieri.
Hampered by severe budgetary constraints, Spain only has built six dreadnoughts. They are well under the 175,000 tonnage limit and may be in a position to accept some older battleships from other powers looking to dispose of them.
13.5'' battleships (3): Reina Victoria Eugenia class
12'' dreadnoughts (3): España class
13.5'' battleships (3): Reina Victoria Eugenia class
12'' dreadnoughts (3): España class
The Ottoman Empire has yet to build any dreadnoughts, but operates some battleships built in other countries. Of particular note, Germany's first generation of 11'' battlecruisers were transferred to the Ottomans during the Cyprus Crisis.
13.5'' battleships (2): Reşadiye class
12'' battleships (1): Sultan Osman I
11'' battlecruisers (4): Moltke class, Sultan Abdülaziz, Sultan Abdulmecid I
Pre-dreadnoughts (2): Brandenburg class
13.5'' battleships (2): Reşadiye class
12'' battleships (1): Sultan Osman I
11'' battlecruisers (4): Moltke class, Sultan Abdülaziz, Sultan Abdulmecid I
Pre-dreadnoughts (2): Brandenburg class
Greece's participation in the naval arms race has been restricted to purchasing dreadnoughts built elsewhere. They are well under the 175,000 tonnage limit and may be in a position to accept some older battleships from other powers looking to dispose of them.
14'' battleships (2): Salamis class (built in Germany)
13.4'' battleships (2): Bretagne class (built in France)
Pre-dreadnoughts (2): Mississippi class (built in US)
14'' battleships (2): Salamis class (built in Germany)
13.4'' battleships (2): Bretagne class (built in France)
Pre-dreadnoughts (2): Mississippi class (built in US)
The three South American powers operating dreadnoughts are also likely to sign, though the current financial status of those powers makes it unlikely that they will build or buy any ships at the last minute. They may end up selling these ships to another power at some point.]
Brazil operates three battleships:
15'' battleships (1): Riachuelo
12'' battleships (2): Minas Geraes class (2)
Argentina operates three battleships:
12'' battleships (3): Rivadavia class
Chile operates two battleships:
14'' battleships (2): Almirante Latorre class
Brazil operates three battleships:
15'' battleships (1): Riachuelo
12'' battleships (2): Minas Geraes class (2)
Argentina operates three battleships:
12'' battleships (3): Rivadavia class
Chile operates two battleships:
14'' battleships (2): Almirante Latorre class
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Steamy subjects
- Location
- Across the universe
Friday, December 22nd, continued:
You spend a moment thinking about the abrupt end of your conversation with Uncle Franz before you remember he really doesn't like Hungarians very much. He's tempered his attitude a little bit since assuming the throne, but addressing him in Hungarian is a quick way to get his hackles up.
Combine that with having had his delegates laughed at for asking permission to build a new battleship class with guns of the same caliber - and fewer of them - than the previous Austro-Hungarian battleship class... well, he might not exactly feel like sending you a Christmas cake.
You shake your head and head down the hallway to János Müller's office, shutting the door behind you. What's done is done, unfortunately.
János Müller's desk is sparse. The retired naval officer likes to see things clean and tidy. There are three decorations on his desk: A glass-plate photograph of his youngest son with wife and children, a model of the SMS Don Juan d'Austria, and a stand for his forty-year service medal.
The photograph is the youngest object on the desk, having been taken about the same time that Uncle Franz got coronated - six years, give or take.
The folder full of papers is brand new. The ancient naval officer taps them impatiently at his desk, waiting until you close the door to pronounce his opinions.
''I have been looking at this ship. While I understand that since we are not using a tumblehome hull like I am used to seeing on these ironclad warships lately, I must pay close attention to the waterline dimensions instead of these overall figures, I still struggle with seeing how a ship of such dimensions will only displace 35,000 tons.''
''The standard displacement under the treaty's terms doesn't include fuel supply. The ship will be using that extra weight in a more expansive torpedo defense system."
''Second, I am having trouble seeing where the armor belt is on this diagram. Where is it?''
''Oh. Sorry. I just didn't draw in the full thickness - we haven't settled that yet anyway, you remember. It's inside the ship. Unusual place to put it, I know. This 20-degree sloped line.''
''Well. Alright, then, but I am concerned that the Italians outgun us. While our men and our captains are greatly superior, it is a difficult thing to be outgunned. Why, I remember that the Italian flagship had three-hundred pound guns when we fought them then...''
His gaze grows distant, looking at the model on his desk.
''On the Don Juan, we had forty-eight pounders, and those were good enough, but it was a hard thing. A hard thing indeed. That reminds me, I am due to visit my daughter-in-law soon. The holidays, you understand.''
''Not really. I never get to spend Christmas with my family,'' you say, glad for the sudden change of subject. Your mournful expression evokes his sympathy.
''You should come with me. With little Martin away at university and Tamás off showing the flag at Tianjin, I won't have a lick of sensible conversation otherwise,'' he tells you.
You always have trouble feeling like you're the old man's superior. Something about the fact that he's been in military or civil service to the dual monarchy since before your parents were born intimidates you a little bit.
There's one last thing to scribble in, and that's the basic characteristics of the engine. Conventional wisdom dictates the use of steam turbines turning four shafts. These should be fueled by oil alone, because it's better.
Tentatively, you're looking at a rating of 75,000 shaft horsepower, and looking to find information about the Americans' turboelectric drive.
You spend a moment thinking about the abrupt end of your conversation with Uncle Franz before you remember he really doesn't like Hungarians very much. He's tempered his attitude a little bit since assuming the throne, but addressing him in Hungarian is a quick way to get his hackles up.
Combine that with having had his delegates laughed at for asking permission to build a new battleship class with guns of the same caliber - and fewer of them - than the previous Austro-Hungarian battleship class... well, he might not exactly feel like sending you a Christmas cake.
You shake your head and head down the hallway to János Müller's office, shutting the door behind you. What's done is done, unfortunately.
János Müller's desk is sparse. The retired naval officer likes to see things clean and tidy. There are three decorations on his desk: A glass-plate photograph of his youngest son with wife and children, a model of the SMS Don Juan d'Austria, and a stand for his forty-year service medal.
The photograph is the youngest object on the desk, having been taken about the same time that Uncle Franz got coronated - six years, give or take.
The folder full of papers is brand new. The ancient naval officer taps them impatiently at his desk, waiting until you close the door to pronounce his opinions.
''I have been looking at this ship. While I understand that since we are not using a tumblehome hull like I am used to seeing on these ironclad warships lately, I must pay close attention to the waterline dimensions instead of these overall figures, I still struggle with seeing how a ship of such dimensions will only displace 35,000 tons.''
''The standard displacement under the treaty's terms doesn't include fuel supply. The ship will be using that extra weight in a more expansive torpedo defense system."
[] ''The standard displacement under the treaty's terms doesn't include fuel supply. The ship will have a much greater fuel capacity than we usually plan for.''
[] ''See here? The bow is quite narrow and long. It is a little differently shaped than even the replacement Monarchs.''
[] ''Well, we shall have to try to keep that a secret then.''
[] ''A mistake has been made! It is fortunate that your eyes are still so keen. I will reduce the
-[] draft.''
-[] beam.''
-[] length.''
[] (write-in)
[] ''See here? The bow is quite narrow and long. It is a little differently shaped than even the replacement Monarchs.''
[] ''Well, we shall have to try to keep that a secret then.''
[] ''A mistake has been made! It is fortunate that your eyes are still so keen. I will reduce the
-[] draft.''
-[] beam.''
-[] length.''
[] (write-in)
''Second, I am having trouble seeing where the armor belt is on this diagram. Where is it?''
''Oh. Sorry. I just didn't draw in the full thickness - we haven't settled that yet anyway, you remember. It's inside the ship. Unusual place to put it, I know. This 20-degree sloped line.''
[] It's right here on the outside of the ship.
-[] This vertical line.''
-[] This (write-in number) sloped line.''
[] It's inside the ship. Unusual place to put it, I know.
-[] This vertical line.''
-[] This (write-in number) sloped line.''
-[] This vertical line.''
-[] This (write-in number) sloped line.''
[] It's inside the ship. Unusual place to put it, I know.
-[] This vertical line.''
-[] This (write-in number) sloped line.''
Yes, you are deciding the slope and position of the armor before deciding its thickness. You're in a hurry and that has to be done now.
''Well. Alright, then, but I am concerned that the Italians outgun us. While our men and our captains are greatly superior, it is a difficult thing to be outgunned. Why, I remember that the Italian flagship had three-hundred pound guns when we fought them then...''
His gaze grows distant, looking at the model on his desk.
''On the Don Juan, we had forty-eight pounders, and those were good enough, but it was a hard thing. A hard thing indeed. That reminds me, I am due to visit my daughter-in-law soon. The holidays, you understand.''
''Not really. I never get to spend Christmas with my family,'' you say, glad for the sudden change of subject. Your mournful expression evokes his sympathy.
''You should come with me. With little Martin away at university and Tamás off showing the flag at Tianjin, I won't have a lick of sensible conversation otherwise,'' he tells you.
[] Your mournful expression evokes his sympathy. ''You should come with me. With little Martin away at university and Tamás off showing the flag at Tianjin, I won't have a lick of sensible conversation otherwise,'' he tells you.
[] Your flat expression warns him away from pursuing the topic. ''Well, Herr Hohenwerfen, that will be all,'' he says, dismissing you from his office curtly.
[] Your cheerful expression leaves him laughing. ''Ah, Max, you rascal. A bachelor's fun and mischief! I didn't marry for the first time until I was forty, you know,'' he tells you, winking.
[] ''I will be spending Christmas over with Marie's family, but I suppose it's different as a guest,'' you tell him. He nods sagely and goes back to looking through the papers.
[] (write-in response)
[] Your flat expression warns him away from pursuing the topic. ''Well, Herr Hohenwerfen, that will be all,'' he says, dismissing you from his office curtly.
[] Your cheerful expression leaves him laughing. ''Ah, Max, you rascal. A bachelor's fun and mischief! I didn't marry for the first time until I was forty, you know,'' he tells you, winking.
[] ''I will be spending Christmas over with Marie's family, but I suppose it's different as a guest,'' you tell him. He nods sagely and goes back to looking through the papers.
[] (write-in response)
You always have trouble feeling like you're the old man's superior. Something about the fact that he's been in military or civil service to the dual monarchy since before your parents were born intimidates you a little bit.
There's one last thing to scribble in, and that's the basic characteristics of the engine. Conventional wisdom dictates the use of steam turbines turning four shafts. These should be fueled by oil alone, because it's better.
[] coal, because coal is readily available domestically.
[] coal and oil, because oil is better but the strategic supply is limited.
[] oil alone, because it's better.
[] (write-in any unusual engine requests)
[] coal and oil, because oil is better but the strategic supply is limited.
[] oil alone, because it's better.
[] (write-in any unusual engine requests)
Tentatively, you're looking at a rating of 75,000 shaft horsepower, and looking to find information about the Americans' turboelectric drive.
[] (write-in number - units of shp or kW)
We may have a long turn next. It is therefore time to make a request for some type of information.
[] (write-in intelligence request)
We may have a long turn next. It is therefore time to make a request for some type of information.
[] (write-in intelligence request)
Soon, we will get to name our ship ... and find out what the other second and third rate powers are coming out with under the terms of the Treaty.
Which powers are building new ships? Which powers are transferring ships? Which old ships will be scrapped and which maintained? Who is secretly cheating? Did anyone walk away from negotiations?Will France blithely accept being a third-rate power behind Germany?
Which powers are building new ships? Which powers are transferring ships? Which old ships will be scrapped and which maintained? Who is secretly cheating? Did anyone walk away from negotiations?Will France blithely accept being a third-rate power behind Germany?
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Holidays!
- Location
- Across the universe
I thought about breaking this update in two after seeing how long it is and how many different votes I'm asking for, but they're largely unrelated to each other. Let me know.
''I cannot possibly fit in another piece of fish! Not if I am to have room left for dessert!''
You cast a quick pleading glance towards János, but he is busy pushing a piece of potato around his plate with intent concentration, refusing to rescue you. His daughter-in-law is in the kitchen - something involving dessert, you gathered.
Fräulein Birgit Müller's hazel eyes twinkle at you, hinting at shades of green in the dim light under her head of dark brown hair. She delicately deposits another fried carp fillet on your plate over your objections.
''Come now,'' she says, dimpling as she pinches your stomach below the level of the table, ''I'm sure you have a healthy appetite. It's not as if you need to worry about getting fat. Simon and Patrik have had more than you, there's plenty extra with Martin gone.''
You're not quite sure how old Birgit is exactly - younger than Martin, the absent university student, older than the two toweringly tall teenage boys who greeted you at the door, somewhere in that age range where she thinks of her male agemates as ''boys,'' but of herself as a fully-grown woman. The gawky young girl of the photo has filled out, trim but no longer skinny, with a bust that might look modest if it were placed on a larger woman. She's short, though a little taller than her mother.
The older Frau Müller returns bearing an impressive-looking poppy seed roll, sliced to display the curled layers perfectly symmetrically and aromatic enough to make it clear it has just come out of the oven. Her steely gray hair frames a pair of piercing blue eyes. She's been a very courteous hostess, her manners quite formal and correct. She has reined in her boys' informalities and hasty gobbling several times over the course of dinner, though she has done nothing to curb Birgit.
You set yourself to work trying to quickly, yet politely, clear your plate before the ravenous teenage boys make the dessert disappear. It doesn't help that Birgit has slipped her shoes off under the table and keeps nudging your ankles.
New Year's celebration!
Tamás himself is still off in Tianjin, and the boys have been pestering János to tell them about the place. János was there during what you gather was his last deployment, on the SMS Zenta. He has been entertaining the boys by spinning a yarn about the navy officers joining the marines in an assault on some river forts in Tianjin, outnumbered three to one.
''I must have been the oldest man to notch a bayonet there. If we hadn't had those new repeating carbines, I probably would have went to the grave with our Kapitan. I was too old for foolery like that, I should have stayed with the ship.'' János shakes his head. ''It was foolishness, boys, that's what it was.''
The deep distinctive ring of the Pummerin punctuates the end of the story. Tamás Müller's apartment is close enough to the city center that you can hear it with no difficulty.
''Another year! To the health of the king and emperor!'' János raises his champagne glass to the others and takes what would seem like a modest gulp of wine. Since his daughter-in-law has already turned in for the night, it is not a modest gulp of wine; his glass is filled with Slivovitz, and what would be a modest gulp of wine is a hearty gulp of Slivo.
Simon and Patrik drain their half-filled glasses of champagne in one go each. Patrik spares the empty bottle a look of longing. Tonight is a somewhat disappointing night for them; they had wanted to go out to the square, but their mother put her foot down, and Birgit only poured them half a glass each to toast the New Year.
She poured you a glass filled to quite close to the top. You've been holding it carefully, but the toast involved a little bit of sloshing.
''Oh! Let me clean that up,'' she tells you, brushing your thigh with her hip on her way to go grab a napkin.
Monday, January 15th, 1923
You leaf cautiously through the newspaper, looking to see if there are any new articles talking about the Russian battleship Imperator Pyotr Velikiy. What you heard through official channels sounded unbelievable enough, but fortunately, the newspapers don't seem to have picked up on the Russian ambassador's grandstanding performance in Washington. They're concerned instead with Russian grandstanding of a different sort - over the Armenian issue.
The Turks say that the Russians are fomenting rebellion among the Armenians on the Turkish side of the border, and sending over ethnic Armenians from the Russian side of the border as spies. The Russians say that the Turks are mistreating the Armenians on the Turkish side of the border.
You flip to the back pages. There is an opinion piece calling for direct election of the members of the House of Delegates. Another opinion piece talking about how the Russian tsar's powers should be checked makes some points that could be uncomfortably applicable to Uncle Franz. You sigh, putting down the newspaper.
A voice penetrates. ''Well, is he in or isn't he?''
Walking out, you are surprised to see that Birgit has paid you a visit. Marie is standing in front of her desk, arms akimbo, glaring down with icy blue eyes at the shorter woman from a height advantage of about a dozen centimeters.
Birgit is unintimidated by the taller blonde woman, her back arched as she looks upwards. She breaks away to look at you. There is a picnic basket in the crook of her elbow, balanced on the swell of her hip.
''Herr Hohenwerfer! I brought cookies! But a few too many for just Opa, so I thought you might like some, too.''
You decide to try to smooth things over between the two of them. They really don't have any reason to be hostile to each other.
Also, it's past time for you to talk to János about his granddaughter's interest in you.
[] How sweet! Literally and figuratively.
[] This woman is beginning to scare you.
-[] Birgit, that is. She's pretty persistent.
-[] Marie, that is. She looks ready to bite the shorter woman's head off.
[] It's past time for you to talk to János about his granddaughter's interest in you.
[] Try to smooth things over between the two of them. They really don't have any reason to be hostile to each other.
[] (write-in)
[] This woman is beginning to scare you.
-[] Birgit, that is. She's pretty persistent.
-[] Marie, that is. She looks ready to bite the shorter woman's head off.
[] It's past time for you to talk to János about his granddaughter's interest in you.
[] Try to smooth things over between the two of them. They really don't have any reason to be hostile to each other.
[] (write-in)
The discussion with János is in some sense fruitless: He approves generically of the idea of his granddaughter trying to go get married, and her interest in you is entirely natural and not a problem at all. Of course, her father may have his own opinion.
Wednesday, February 14th, 1923
Today is a terrible day. It is Valentine's Day, and you have been spending the week working overtime at your office without talking with any women other than Marie (who is like a sister to you). Also, the first thing you found on your desk was a report from Škoda detailing the explosive destruction of their first prototype of the 35cm/55 gun.
You decided that you had better take the rest of the day off. You and Gergely think you know what went wrong with the gun, and you're letting him take care of writing up the directive telling Škoda the changes to make, and reminding them to concentrate their attention on the gun's capability to fire heavier shells than the 35cm/45 gun.
[] sending the contract to another manufacturer.
-[] (write-in details)
[] telling Škoda the changes to make, and reminding them to concentrate their attention on the gun's capability to fire
-[] heavier shells than the 35cm/45 gun.
-[] the same shells as the 35cm/45 gun, just at higher velocity.
-[] heavier shells than the 35cm/45 gun, at a higher velocity.
[] replacing the 35cm/55 guns with a different gun. The treaty doesn't actually explicitly outline the armament of your new ships, and they aren't manufactured yet, although the size, location, and mass of the turrets are pretty well fixed if you don't want to throw out the last three months of work.
-[] (write-in specifics)
[] (write-in alternate plan)
-[] (write-in details)
[] telling Škoda the changes to make, and reminding them to concentrate their attention on the gun's capability to fire
-[] heavier shells than the 35cm/45 gun.
-[] the same shells as the 35cm/45 gun, just at higher velocity.
-[] heavier shells than the 35cm/45 gun, at a higher velocity.
[] replacing the 35cm/55 guns with a different gun. The treaty doesn't actually explicitly outline the armament of your new ships, and they aren't manufactured yet, although the size, location, and mass of the turrets are pretty well fixed if you don't want to throw out the last three months of work.
-[] (write-in specifics)
[] (write-in alternate plan)
You? You're walking the streets of Vienna to clear your head. Which hasn't worked very well. There are protesters out today in Europe's great city, which has made your walk less than peaceful. Still, it is Valentine's Day, and your feet have unconsciously brought you to a cart selling flowers.
''Flowers for your lady! In hand or delivered right to her!''
Flowers. You should buy some flowers. Or send them. You'll send them to Birgit, with a little note attached:
The beaches of Zadar are beautiful in the spring, perhaps you would like to join me?
Who doesn't love an invitation to the beach?
[] Buy a bunch of flowers and then hand them to the next woman on the street who catches your eye.
[] That pamphleteer two blocks back looked quite attractive. If you hurry, you might get to her before the police decide to clear the streets.
[] Send them to Birgit. She's been on your mind lately. Charming little lady, and you think she's interested in you.
[] Send them to Marie. She doesn't have a boyfriend and she's been working hard this week, it'll cheer her up a little bit to get flowers.
[] (write-in)
(Multiple options possible. You can write in a note to attach to the flowers if they are sent. Default is a tag announcing that they're from you.)
[] That pamphleteer two blocks back looked quite attractive. If you hurry, you might get to her before the police decide to clear the streets.
[] Send them to Birgit. She's been on your mind lately. Charming little lady, and you think she's interested in you.
[] Send them to Marie. She doesn't have a boyfriend and she's been working hard this week, it'll cheer her up a little bit to get flowers.
[] (write-in)
(Multiple options possible. You can write in a note to attach to the flowers if they are sent. Default is a tag announcing that they're from you.)
Monday, February 19th, 1923
You look over the pile of papers on your desk with a mixture of frustration and relief. The final version of the Washington Naval Treaty. You now have a very good idea what the Alpen will be facing up against. Unfortunately, it's quite impressive.
[] (write-in name of first new battleship)
The good news is that someone had the bright idea of taking the 9.4'' guns off of the Habsburg and Erzherzog Karl battleships, which no longer count as capital warships by the standards of the treaty - which allow cruisers to be up to 10,000 tons' standard displacement with up to 21 cm guns, the common caliber used on German cruisers. That's six ships that Austria-Hungary doesn't have to scrap.
Following the negotiation of an exemption for the Colorado class ships under construction by the US, and an exemption for the newly-ordered Nelson class to match the Colorado and Nagato classes, your diplomats petitioned for an exemption for your own supposedly-already-under-construction class of battleships. This was readily approved - and with 35 cm main guns, it was not viewed as a challenge to Anglo-American naval supremacy.
So. The good news is that the Austria-Hungarian navy is going to emerge from the treaty-imposed disarmament process mostly intact, and with a powerful new class of battleship. The bad news is that the disarmament process is more of a distillation process, where all the surviving battleships in service are individually much more dangerous.
With a pattern of exemption established for both the first-rate powers and at least one third-rate power, the Germans announced that they had a class of four 16'' battleships under construction, with the first guns already having been manufactured, which they proposed would replace the Bayern class over time. The British opposed this move; the Americans helped settle on a compromise: Three ships, with the SMS Bayern taken out of service immediately, and each successive member of the Bayern class scrapped as soon as its replacement is brought into service.
The Prussia class (SMS Prussia, Hanover, and Saxony), will essentially be an enlarged Bayern class. It will carry eight 16''/47 guns in four twin turrets. Exactly how quickly the Prussia class will be manufactured isn't clear; the public response to the new military spending project has been decisively hostile.
However, the Prussia class battleships aren't your biggest concern. The Germans' interests are mostly aligned with Austria-Hungary's. The Russians, on the other hand, have Balkan interests frequently at odds with Austria-Hungary's, and are being allowed to produce a terrifying new class of battleship.
The Russians' long-delayed new class of battleships (tentatively named the Imperator Pyotr Velikiy, Imperator Aleksandr Blagoslovennyj, and Velikiy Knyaz Ivan Grozny), will each carry an astonishing twelve 16''/45 guns in three quadruple turrets, in a non-superfiring AQX layout. In bidding for an exemption, it probably didn't hurt their negotiating position that at least some of the guns are to be supplied by Vickers, the Tsar can count King George V as a first cousin, and their request for an exemption came after the Germans.
If Uncle Franz was unhappy that his new battleships were laughed at by the Italians, he felt downright miffed to be upstaged by the Russians so severely.
The French delegation, looking ahead, requested an exemption to the ''no new guns'' clause of the subsection relating to modernizing older warships, and was granted it - although France has not announced any plans to up-gun its existing 34cm-gunned battleships just yet. They will be generously transferring their three Bretagne class ships to their Greek allies for an unknown sum, rather than scrapping them, retaining their Lyon and Normandie class battleships. Instead of scrapping the older Courbet class dreadnoughts, the French will be converting them to aircraft-handling warships of dubious utility, a concession extracted by the French in exchange for accepting third-rate status in the balance of battleships. This comes along with being granted a first-rate tonnage limit for aircraft handlers.
The Americans will be doing something similar with two of their Lexington-class battlecruisers. You know this very well, because a Croatian gentleman in Massachusetts searching for detailed technical information on turboelectric drives for large military ships got ahold of a near-complete set of plans for the engines, which will be driven by eight mammoth 22,500 shp electrical motors - two per shaft.
This will be very useful. Of course, with a windfall like this, you might want to reconsider your engine design - depending on how much trust you put in the capability of the American engineers.
You decide to copy the motors exactly, but not the shafts, putting one motor per shaft at 90,000 shp.
[] Copy the motors themselves exactly.
-[] Drop to 45,000 shp on two shafts, with one motor per shaft.
-[] Increase to 90,000 shp on two shafts, with two motors per shaft.
-[] Increase to 90,000 shp on four shafts, one motor per shaft.
[] Shrink the motors a little to 18,750 shp, maintaining the designed power level of 75,000 shp.s
-[] With four motors on four shafts.
-[] With four motors on two shafts.
[] (write-in)
-[] Drop to 45,000 shp on two shafts, with one motor per shaft.
-[] Increase to 90,000 shp on two shafts, with two motors per shaft.
-[] Increase to 90,000 shp on four shafts, one motor per shaft.
[] Shrink the motors a little to 18,750 shp, maintaining the designed power level of 75,000 shp.s
-[] With four motors on four shafts.
-[] With four motors on two shafts.
[] (write-in)
The Italian delegates also asked for, and were also granted, an exemption to the ''no new guns'' clause of the modernization clause. In contrast to the French, however, they also immediately announced plans to do so. The Italians will be reconstructing the Andrea Doria class. Until this reconstruction is complete, the Conte di Cavour class will remain in service, rather than being immediately scrapped as initially proposed.
What your intelligence sources indicate is that this reconstruction will involve replacing the existing armament with eight 15''/40 guns of the type used on the Francesco Carracciolo class, extending the bow and stern a little, and adding torpedo protection to the sides. The Italians intend to add the maximum permissible 3,000 tons of extra displacement.
The SMS Bayern will be renamed the Sultan Muhteşem Süleyman I and transferred to the Ottomans, to the irritation of the British and the Russians. The Brandenburgs operated by the Ottomans will have their 11'' guns removed, after which point they will no longer qualify as capital ships (and will most likely be operated as training ships).
Tuesday, February 20th, 1923
Uncle Franz is at the end of his rope. It's really the French that did it, you think. The French Republic ... emphasis on Republic ... pulled a negotiating coup that allowed them to avoid scrapping any of their dreadnoughts by converting four of them into aircraft handlers. The French public, moreover, seem gung-ho for the project. French newspapers are speculating on the importance of aircraft handlers in a very upbeat manner.
All other treaty signatories are limited to two such conversions, and Austria-Hungary, like the other ''third-rate'' powers, is limited to a total displacement of 60,000 tons in aircraft handling ships. The Austro-Hungarian public is restive, pushing for reforms to the political system.
There is a great deal of uncertainty in the role of aviation in future naval combat. The Germans have been working on parachutist-piloted gliderbombs, which could in theory be delivered accurately from very high-altitude zeppelins. Aeroplanes are becoming larger and faster all the time, and may present a significant threat with bombs of their own.
The British, deeply concerned with German zeppelin development as well as the possibility of a growing threat from fixed-wing planes and gliderbombs, have made sure that their newest battleship's secondary and tertiary batteries (6'' and 5'' guns, respectively) are capable of targeting aircraft as well as enemy ships.
This has necessitated moving them out of casemates, of course. The 6'' guns are mounted in turrets; the 5'' guns are not. If you are going to put any secondary guns in either turrets or casemates... you had better decide that now.
And that decision is to try turreting 12cm/50 guns, designing an entirely new 12cm/50 gun specialized for anti-aircraft work.
What secondary gun, or guns, will (NAME) use that might be mounted in casemates or turrets?
(Multiple options possible. I will treat the number of options selected as a voted quantity.)
[] Use an existing gun:
-[] 24cm/45
-[] 19cm/42
-[] 15cm/50
-[] 15cm/40
-[] 12cm/50
-[] 10cm/50
[] Design a new gun:
-[] (write-in size)
[] Import or reverse engineer a gun from elsewhere:
-[] (write-in which)
[] No! None of our secondary guns will be mounted in casemates or turrets!
[] (write-in)
(Multiple options possible. I will treat the number of options selected as a voted quantity.)
[] Use an existing gun:
-[] 24cm/45
-[] 19cm/42
-[] 15cm/50
-[] 15cm/40
-[] 12cm/50
-[] 10cm/50
[] Design a new gun:
-[] (write-in size)
[] Import or reverse engineer a gun from elsewhere:
-[] (write-in which)
[] No! None of our secondary guns will be mounted in casemates or turrets!
[] (write-in)
Last edited:
Intelligence Report 2
- Location
- Across the universe
+1 democracy
The reformists have activated your complication. All checks made during the next long turn will be made at a -1 penalty. All failed checks will have consequences.
The reformists have activated your complication. All checks made during the next long turn will be made at a -1 penalty. All failed checks will have consequences.
+1 militarism
The French have not capitalized on a new battleship-building window, but public support is lined up behind other naval projects, such as aircraft handlers and new treaty-maximum cruisers. You have no solid intelligence about the French navy's plans.
The French have not capitalized on a new battleship-building window, but public support is lined up behind other naval projects, such as aircraft handlers and new treaty-maximum cruisers. You have no solid intelligence about the French navy's plans.
+1 pacifism
The German government is building the Prussia class, an enlarged version of the Bayern class with 16'' guns. The public reaction towards the new battleship, and towards the resumption of spending on large military projects, frozen for the last several years, is negative; ''Kuchen nicht Kugeln'' is the slogan of the day. It remains to be seen how quickly the new battleships will be completed in the face of public opposition.
A successful routine information check reveals that the German navy is making plans for the possibility that the Bayern class is never actually scrapped.
The German government is building the Prussia class, an enlarged version of the Bayern class with 16'' guns. The public reaction towards the new battleship, and towards the resumption of spending on large military projects, frozen for the last several years, is negative; ''Kuchen nicht Kugeln'' is the slogan of the day. It remains to be seen how quickly the new battleships will be completed in the face of public opposition.
A successful routine information check reveals that the German navy is making plans for the possibility that the Bayern class is never actually scrapped.
-1 nationalism
With the sudden massive transfer of older French battleships, you can speculate that the Greeks and French may be forming a closer alliance. This could have a major impact on the delicate balance of Mediterranean power, and you wish you knew more.
With the sudden massive transfer of older French battleships, you can speculate that the Greeks and French may be forming a closer alliance. This could have a major impact on the delicate balance of Mediterranean power, and you wish you knew more.
+1 communism
The workers of Italy have been organizing politically. Some aristocrats with international ties are considering moving elsewhere. You will have a bonus recruitment action, although this is impaired by your state of complication, making it a risky move.
The workers of Italy have been organizing politically. Some aristocrats with international ties are considering moving elsewhere. You will have a bonus recruitment action, although this is impaired by your state of complication, making it a risky move.
-1 nationalism.
You're not very sure what's going on in Japan, but the current nationalist government seems to be making political concessions of some kind in order to maintain their position.
You're not very sure what's going on in Japan, but the current nationalist government seems to be making political concessions of some kind in order to maintain their position.
+1 militarism
The Dutch anticipate an eventual war with the Japanese.
The Dutch anticipate an eventual war with the Japanese.
Conflict with Russia (Cultural, +1 Xenophobia)
The Russians and Turks are at odds over the Armenian Question.
The Russians and Turks are at odds over the Armenian Question.
Conflict with Ottoman Empire (Cultural, +1 Xenophobia)
The Russians and Turks are at odds over the Armenian Question.
The Russians and Turks are at odds over the Armenian Question.
+1 ???
You have no clue what's going on in Spain.
You have no clue what's going on in Spain.
+1 Labour
The Labour Party seems to be gaining some in popularity, putting the governing Conservative party on the defensive.
The Labour Party seems to be gaining some in popularity, putting the governing Conservative party on the defensive.
+1 populism
Anti-elitist sentiment is on the rise. The continuing investigation of Senator Walsh into wrongdoing related to naval oil reserves is of great interest, but does not appear likely to impede American oil production. Austro-Hungarian agents in the United States have uncovered information that leads them to believe that Interior Secretary Albert Fall is indeed guilty of accepting bribes.
The agents of Franz Ferdinand have also obtained fairly complete specific technical details on the Lexington battlecruiser class's turbo-electric drive systems.
Anti-elitist sentiment is on the rise. The continuing investigation of Senator Walsh into wrongdoing related to naval oil reserves is of great interest, but does not appear likely to impede American oil production. Austro-Hungarian agents in the United States have uncovered information that leads them to believe that Interior Secretary Albert Fall is indeed guilty of accepting bribes.
The agents of Franz Ferdinand have also obtained fairly complete specific technical details on the Lexington battlecruiser class's turbo-electric drive systems.
Last edited:
Secondary complications
- Location
- Across the universe
Wednesday, February 21st
You leaf idly through the intelligence report. One communique catches your eye.
Upon making port in Batavia, we had the opportunity to observe the HNLMS Bali from a close distance as she set out for exercises. She is a magnificent ship. The local Dutch are eager for conversation and company, and I soon found that they are quite proud of the Bali. They consider it as good as anything the Japanese, even the Nagato. The colonials are a little sore that the home government has not made plans to replace or upgrade the battleships Java and Sumatra, which now seem outdated.
We came up short three sailors on leaving port, and nearly lost two more while in port - a Dutch naval officer tried to recruit them, which may be what happened to the other three. The Dutch navy is short of Dutch sailors, and the Indonesian sailors used to fill out their crews are considered less than fully reliable.
-Korvettenkapitän Tamás Müller
Apparently, János's youngest son, Birgit's father, isn't in China anymore. If he's stopping in at Batavia, his ship is probably being rotated back to Austria-Hungary, at which point he'll probably be interested in meeting the man who sent his daughter flowers. You haven't had a chance to talk to Birgit alone since you sent her flowers, she was off on a trip this weekend.
The HNLMS Borneo and HNLMS Bali are very impressive ships, frequently mentioned in reports as an example of what a supposedly third-rate power can accomplish in the naval arms race. Of course, they were laid down in Germany and completed in England, so really they were just bought by a third-rate power, and the Dutch had a terrible domestic political squabble over how to pay for them.
The two premium Dutch ships of the line carry the same armament of four twin Vickers 15''/42 guns common to the British line of battle, an armor belt topping out at 30 centimeters, and a top speed estimated to be at least 27 knots. Before the Japanese launched the Nagato class, they were considered second only to the HMS Hood and HMS Anson.
If the Dutch were building something even better under a treaty exemption, it would probably make you look worse right now.
Thursday, February 22nd
There are two things waiting for you at your home. One is a satchet containing three cookies. The other is a letter. The former appears to have been pushed through your mail slot by a visitor, as it has no postal markings. The latter is postmarked from Venice, interestingly and alarmingly, and indirectly appeals to your sense of family duty.
The author is a certain Italian gentleman by the name of Achille Amleto Tibaldo Dandolo, who owns - owned, you correct yourself, reading onward - a third-share in an aeroplane manufacturing workshop experimenting with flying boats. Apparently, his workers decided to stage a sit-in strike for higher wages, and when his business partners brought in private security agents to evict them from the premises, the shop ended up burning down in the resulting altercation.
He claims that Italy has become a hostile environment for innovative men of good breeding such as himself and yourself, expressing envy over your post within the Austro-Hungarian government. Puzzling over his circumlocutions, it takes you a few minutes to recall where you have seen his name before. The family tie between the two of you is distant and a little awkward. Specifically, his younger half-brother is also your younger half-brother, meaning the two of you are theoretically completely unrelated.
You have several choices. You decide that, ultimately, this should be handed off to the intelligence service. They will know what to do with or about him.
Friday, February 23rd
The Ersatz Monarch class carries a secondary battery of fourteen 15cm guns in casemates, and sixteen 9cm guns in open mounts on the deck to deal with aircraft and torpedo boats. The 15 cm guns are fully capable of threatening most cruisers; indeed, the secondary armament of your current battleships of the line is a close match for the primary armament of the heaviest cruisers the United States is permitted to retain.
You decided to update that secondary armament with a simple uniform secondary battery of turreted 12cm/50 guns designed for anti-aircraft work, possibly supplemented by lighter guns in open mounts. This will involve 24 guns divided among 12 turrets, like so:
which you think presents the best balance of efficiency and flexibility in a threat environment where aircraft are potentially very important.
Unfortunately, somewhere in Uncle Franz's alternately frantic and furious calls to the people on your floor, he let your bastard origins slip (not that Marie and János didn't already know), and now there's a rumor circulating that you only have the job because he was trying to keep you quiet. The rumor probably wouldn't have gained traction, except that the environment in Vienna has become more hostile to the ''feudal institutions'' of the past, and several prominent government officials have been forced to resign due to the exposure of overt nepotism.
Combine that with the unfortunate comparison published in this morning's newpaper outlining the differences between the Russian battleship Pyotr and the Alpen, emphasizing the fact that it has both more guns and more powerful guns, and your co-workers' knowledge that your insistence on a ''new'' 35cm gun has only led to disasters so far, and it's been a day for second-guessing your decisions.
You're afraid that if testing for the similarly new 12cm anti-aircraft gun goes badly, the decision might be taken out of your hands by Uncle Franz, and the alternate proposals on the table sound pretty terrible to you. You have copies of three of them on the table.
Heinz Lehner's proposal is very elegant in a certain light. He has a very clever argument for it, at least, even if it seems highly unconventional. From your perspective, its main redeeming feature is that it allows you to insert whatever guns you like in open mounts, including the 12cm/50 gun you wanted in the first place.
Bányász Gergely's proposal is forward-looking and very ambitious. As such, it leaves very little room for changes, and absolutely no room for the 12cm guns that you think will strike the ideal balance between power, rate of fire, and speed of traverse.
János Müller's proposal is very conservative - a simple and straightforward upgrade of the older battleships' secondary armament, with the addition of a tertiary battery for new aerial threats.
If development of the new 12cm/50 gun goes badly, your original secondary battery plan will be in trouble. By acting now, you could hedge against this possibility by provisionally endorsing one of them as the official backup plan in case development of a novel 12cm/50 gun fails. This increases the possibility that your original plan is abandoned, but gives you control. In particular, you decide to go with Heinz Lehner's plan, using truly massive 24cm secondaries that will outmatch any cruiser's armament.
''Here,'' you tell Marie, dropping the folder full of your copies of the alternate proposals - with your additions - on her desk. ''File this for me, please.''
''They don't hate you, really. They just have their own ideas, and with the way things have been lately...'' She shakes her head as she stands up, sticking the folder in a file cabinet.
''...anyway, it's no wonder you look tense,'' she says, reaching out and giving your hand a reassuring squeeze.
''Thanks, Marie. I'm glad you're on my side, at least,'' you say.
''Oh, I didn't say that,'' she replies, arching a neatly trimmed blonde eyebrow at you. ''I'm plotting your downfall on Saturday morning. The black king will be executed, you know, by hook or by rook. It'll be no fun if you're so tense, though. Perhaps a little massage to relieve the tension?''
Her long delicate fingers gesture eloquently, miming a shoulder rub.
''What a kind offer,'' you say, turning around to offer her access to your back. She shows such a sisterly level of concern, you think to yourself.
You leaf idly through the intelligence report. One communique catches your eye.
Upon making port in Batavia, we had the opportunity to observe the HNLMS Bali from a close distance as she set out for exercises. She is a magnificent ship. The local Dutch are eager for conversation and company, and I soon found that they are quite proud of the Bali. They consider it as good as anything the Japanese, even the Nagato. The colonials are a little sore that the home government has not made plans to replace or upgrade the battleships Java and Sumatra, which now seem outdated.
We came up short three sailors on leaving port, and nearly lost two more while in port - a Dutch naval officer tried to recruit them, which may be what happened to the other three. The Dutch navy is short of Dutch sailors, and the Indonesian sailors used to fill out their crews are considered less than fully reliable.
-Korvettenkapitän Tamás Müller
Apparently, János's youngest son, Birgit's father, isn't in China anymore. If he's stopping in at Batavia, his ship is probably being rotated back to Austria-Hungary, at which point he'll probably be interested in meeting the man who sent his daughter flowers. You haven't had a chance to talk to Birgit alone since you sent her flowers, she was off on a trip this weekend.
The HNLMS Borneo and HNLMS Bali are very impressive ships, frequently mentioned in reports as an example of what a supposedly third-rate power can accomplish in the naval arms race. Of course, they were laid down in Germany and completed in England, so really they were just bought by a third-rate power, and the Dutch had a terrible domestic political squabble over how to pay for them.
The two premium Dutch ships of the line carry the same armament of four twin Vickers 15''/42 guns common to the British line of battle, an armor belt topping out at 30 centimeters, and a top speed estimated to be at least 27 knots. Before the Japanese launched the Nagato class, they were considered second only to the HMS Hood and HMS Anson.
If the Dutch were building something even better under a treaty exemption, it would probably make you look worse right now.
Thursday, February 22nd
There are two things waiting for you at your home. One is a satchet containing three cookies. The other is a letter. The former appears to have been pushed through your mail slot by a visitor, as it has no postal markings. The latter is postmarked from Venice, interestingly and alarmingly, and indirectly appeals to your sense of family duty.
The author is a certain Italian gentleman by the name of Achille Amleto Tibaldo Dandolo, who owns - owned, you correct yourself, reading onward - a third-share in an aeroplane manufacturing workshop experimenting with flying boats. Apparently, his workers decided to stage a sit-in strike for higher wages, and when his business partners brought in private security agents to evict them from the premises, the shop ended up burning down in the resulting altercation.
He claims that Italy has become a hostile environment for innovative men of good breeding such as himself and yourself, expressing envy over your post within the Austro-Hungarian government. Puzzling over his circumlocutions, it takes you a few minutes to recall where you have seen his name before. The family tie between the two of you is distant and a little awkward. Specifically, his younger half-brother is also your younger half-brother, meaning the two of you are theoretically completely unrelated.
You have several choices. You decide that, ultimately, this should be handed off to the intelligence service. They will know what to do with or about him.
[] An expert in aquatic aviation is just what you need to round out your team. See if you can bring him on-board.
[] Ignore the letter. There are too many risks involved with bringing an Italian into discussion of classified military materials, even if he claims not to have an attachment to the Kingdom of Italy.
[] This should be handed off to the intelligence service. They will know what to do with or about him.
[] Write back, saying that the environment in Austria-Hungary is even worse and asking if he might be able to help you emigrate to Italy.
[] (write-in)
[] Ignore the letter. There are too many risks involved with bringing an Italian into discussion of classified military materials, even if he claims not to have an attachment to the Kingdom of Italy.
[] This should be handed off to the intelligence service. They will know what to do with or about him.
[] Write back, saying that the environment in Austria-Hungary is even worse and asking if he might be able to help you emigrate to Italy.
[] (write-in)
Friday, February 23rd
The Ersatz Monarch class carries a secondary battery of fourteen 15cm guns in casemates, and sixteen 9cm guns in open mounts on the deck to deal with aircraft and torpedo boats. The 15 cm guns are fully capable of threatening most cruisers; indeed, the secondary armament of your current battleships of the line is a close match for the primary armament of the heaviest cruisers the United States is permitted to retain.
You decided to update that secondary armament with a simple uniform secondary battery of turreted 12cm/50 guns designed for anti-aircraft work, possibly supplemented by lighter guns in open mounts. This will involve 24 guns divided among 12 turrets, like so:
[] (write in number of guns)
divided among
[] (write in number of turrets)
divided among
[] (write in number of turrets)
which you think presents the best balance of efficiency and flexibility in a threat environment where aircraft are potentially very important.
Unfortunately, somewhere in Uncle Franz's alternately frantic and furious calls to the people on your floor, he let your bastard origins slip (not that Marie and János didn't already know), and now there's a rumor circulating that you only have the job because he was trying to keep you quiet. The rumor probably wouldn't have gained traction, except that the environment in Vienna has become more hostile to the ''feudal institutions'' of the past, and several prominent government officials have been forced to resign due to the exposure of overt nepotism.
Combine that with the unfortunate comparison published in this morning's newpaper outlining the differences between the Russian battleship Pyotr and the Alpen, emphasizing the fact that it has both more guns and more powerful guns, and your co-workers' knowledge that your insistence on a ''new'' 35cm gun has only led to disasters so far, and it's been a day for second-guessing your decisions.
You're afraid that if testing for the similarly new 12cm anti-aircraft gun goes badly, the decision might be taken out of your hands by Uncle Franz, and the alternate proposals on the table sound pretty terrible to you. You have copies of three of them on the table.
Heinz Lehner's proposal is very elegant in a certain light. He has a very clever argument for it, at least, even if it seems highly unconventional. From your perspective, its main redeeming feature is that it allows you to insert whatever guns you like in open mounts, including the 12cm/50 gun you wanted in the first place.
The Radetzky class has a perfectly decent secondary battery of 24 centimeter guns. They're no more than 15 years old, capable of outmastering the armor of any cruiser presently afloat, and if adequately updated and maintained, will continue to overmatch the defenses of new armored ships designed to be adequately protected against the new treaty-maximum 10,000 ton heavy cruisers armed with 21 centimeter guns. The twelve double turrets from the three Radetzky battleships just taken out of service can be updated with newer machinery and placed into service on the Alpen battleships (six each, three turrets on each side). Defense against torpedo boats and aircraft can be provided with lighter guns in open mounts, with the precise caliber and number left to be determined when the Alpens are closer to entering service; any truly new threat will have to be countered by newly-designed guns in any event, which are best left easily replaceable.
Bányász Gergely's proposal is forward-looking and very ambitious. As such, it leaves very little room for changes, and absolutely no room for the 12cm guns that you think will strike the ideal balance between power, rate of fire, and speed of traverse.
It is necessary both to provide high-altitude anti-aircraft fire against zeppelins, which are larger and slower targets; and more nimble guns to target smaller aircraft. It is not necessary to design an entirely new gun to handle these problems; simply to mount them in modern enclosed turrets with modern machinery and targeting systems capable of elevating them to a fully vertical position. The existing 10cm and 15cm guns are adequate for the purpose under such circumstances; with five triple 15cm turrets positioned as in the enclosed sketch (with one superfiring over the aft main turret), and eight double 100mm turrets positioned as in the enclosed sketch, the Alpen's secondary battery will have a significantly improved performance against surface targets, while being fully adequate against all present and future aerial threats.
János Müller's proposal is very conservative - a simple and straightforward upgrade of the older battleships' secondary armament, with the addition of a tertiary battery for new aerial threats.
There is nothing inadequate about the secondary armament of the Ersatz Monarchs. The greater length of the Alpen affords room for two additional casemates on each side, for a total of eighteen 15cm anti-ship guns. To counter the novel threat of the gliderbombs, which will soon be copied by the parachutist corps of other nations, we should, as the British have done, look towards clustered mounts of small-caliber weapons - this should come in the form of a quartet of octuple mounts, like what the British have. It may even be possible to directly acquire the ''pom-pom'' guns from the British, as they are being manufactured in large numbers. To target the mother zeppelins, we retain the original sixteen single-gun 9cm guns in similar positions.
If development of the new 12cm/50 gun goes badly, your original secondary battery plan will be in trouble. By acting now, you could hedge against this possibility by provisionally endorsing one of them as the official backup plan in case development of a novel 12cm/50 gun fails. This increases the possibility that your original plan is abandoned, but gives you control. In particular, you decide to go with Heinz Lehner's plan, using truly massive 24cm secondaries that will outmatch any cruiser's armament.
[] Provisionally endorsing one of them as the official backup plan in case development of a novel 12cm/50 gun fails. This increases the possibility that your original plan is abandoned, but gives you control.
[] Taking credit for one of these plans as your ''backup'' plan. You floated the idea, they wrote it down to formally endorse it. That way, you don't risk having them usurp your authority if their plan is picked.
[] Signing off on one of these plans now - all of them are very sound choices on political and bureaucratic grounds, and you need political capital to deal with your current complications more than you need to pick a fight on this issue.
[] Criticizing all of them in advance, making it clear there are no decent alternatives to your plan.
[] (write-in)
[] Taking credit for one of these plans as your ''backup'' plan. You floated the idea, they wrote it down to formally endorse it. That way, you don't risk having them usurp your authority if their plan is picked.
[] Signing off on one of these plans now - all of them are very sound choices on political and bureaucratic grounds, and you need political capital to deal with your current complications more than you need to pick a fight on this issue.
[] Criticizing all of them in advance, making it clear there are no decent alternatives to your plan.
[] (write-in)
The first two provide a -1 penalty to your Management check to retain the design if you run into problems. You normally wouldn't have to make a Management check to retain a design element under a single round of failures, but in this case, you're experiencing complications as a Habsburg bastard as we enter the next long turn, which means that everything just became hard. The fourth option will give you a full-bonus Management check... but you'll get a randomized one out of those three alternatives if you fail.
''Here,'' you tell Marie, dropping the folder full of your copies of the alternate proposals - with your additions - on her desk. ''File this for me, please.''
''They don't hate you, really. They just have their own ideas, and with the way things have been lately...'' She shakes her head as she stands up, sticking the folder in a file cabinet.
''...anyway, it's no wonder you look tense,'' she says, reaching out and giving your hand a reassuring squeeze.
''Thanks, Marie. I'm glad you're on my side, at least,'' you say.
''Oh, I didn't say that,'' she replies, arching a neatly trimmed blonde eyebrow at you. ''I'm plotting your downfall on Saturday morning. The black king will be executed, you know, by hook or by rook. It'll be no fun if you're so tense, though. Perhaps a little massage to relieve the tension?''
A literal translation of Frau Koller's line ''auf Biegen und Bauern'' would be ''on bending and pawns,'' a play on the idiom ''auf Biegen und Brechen,'' literally ''on bending and breaking.'' This idiom roughly corresponds to the English idiom ''by hook or crook.''
''What a kind offer,'' you say, turning around to offer her access to your back. She shows such a sisterly level of concern, you think to yourself.
[] ''Perhaps I should,'' you admit. ''Tense or not, though, I'll make you see that knight makes right.''
[] ''That's a lovely idea, Marie!'' you say. ''I'll make sure to go get one after work.''
[] ''I couldn't possibly go to a massage parlor, Marie. My reputation, you understand,'' you say, thinking of how much worse the rumors would get if you were seen entering the sort of business widely suspected as being a prostitution front.
[] ''What a kind offer,'' you say, turning around to offer her access to your back. She shows such a sisterly level of concern, you think to yourself.
[] ''About that... I'm going to have to cancel on you tomorrow,'' you say. You have plans to go a-knocking on Birgit's door, you decide.
[] (write-in)
We may have a long turn next. It is therefore time to make a request for some type of information.
[] (write-in intelligence request)
[] ''That's a lovely idea, Marie!'' you say. ''I'll make sure to go get one after work.''
[] ''I couldn't possibly go to a massage parlor, Marie. My reputation, you understand,'' you say, thinking of how much worse the rumors would get if you were seen entering the sort of business widely suspected as being a prostitution front.
[] ''What a kind offer,'' you say, turning around to offer her access to your back. She shows such a sisterly level of concern, you think to yourself.
[] ''About that... I'm going to have to cancel on you tomorrow,'' you say. You have plans to go a-knocking on Birgit's door, you decide.
[] (write-in)
We may have a long turn next. It is therefore time to make a request for some type of information.
[] (write-in intelligence request)
Last edited:
Cyprus Crisis
- Location
- Across the universe
In 1878 (as in the original timeline) the British took de facto control of Cyprus, administering it as a British protectorate that was nominally under Ottoman control.
In 1910, the Ottoman Empire purchased pre-dreadnought battleships from the Germans. In 1911, the Ottoman Empire ordered its first dreadnought class, the Reşadiye, from the British.
1912-1913 saw the Ottoman Empire lose territory in the first two Balkan Wars, and Greek territory massively expand as a consequence. Construction of the Reşadiye class halted during the war; when it resumed in late 1913, the Ottomans also bought the still-under-construction, Rio de Janeiro from the British.
Meanwhile, the Greeks had ordered the Salamis (from the Germans in 1912) and then shortly afterwards ordered the Vasilief Konstantine (1914) and bought the two (pre-dreadnought) US battleships of the Mississippi class.
In the wake of the Balkan Wars, a militaristic / nationalistic party with close ties to the Germans, CUP, dominated elections in 1914.
So, thus far we're on the original timeline. IRL, the outbreak of WWI halted the delivery of the dreadnoughts bought by Turkey and Greece, but also resulted in the transfer of an 11'' battlecruiser by Germany and the official annexation of Cyprus by the British.
This doesn't happen here, so at the beginning of 1915, the Greeks now have a dreadnought and two pre-dreadnought battleships in service, with one more under construction in France. The Turks have two dreadnoughts and two pre-dreadnoughts, with a third under construction in Britain. Both are now dreadnought powers, in other words.
The Greeks, behind in the arms race by a dreadnought thanks largely to the purchase of the Rio, now place an order for a second Salamis-class battleship from the Germans to catch up.
At this point in time, both Greek and Turkish Cypriots are unhappy with British rule (the taxes are high and nominally going to the Ottoman Empire, but actually going to a British bank to purportedly pay debts of the Ottoman Empire), and the Germans are still trying to keep up with the British in a naval arms race. The British Mediterranean Fleet, at this point, is headed up by four battlecruisers.
The Germans, as part of a show of force, are operating four battlecruisers of their own in the Mediterranean to match the British in 1916, when the crisis erupts.
There are several episodes of public unrest on Cyprus, mostly driven by Greek Cypriots desiring enosis (unification with Greece). The Greek government issues statements in support of this, saying that Cypriots should be given the right to self-determination, that Cyprus is Greek and should be governed by Greece, et cetera.
Kaiser Wilhelm sees a major opportunity to stick one in the eye of the British, and with the promise of German support, the Turks announce that they are sending troops to help the British restore order in Cyprus, citing the troubles of the British administration in governing the island effectively on their behalf. (Remember, this is nominally Ottoman territory, although the British have been in fact ruling it.)
The French step in to back the Greeks' position that Cyprus should be granted self-determination (presumably unifying with Greece). The Russians mobilize their Black Sea fleet threateningly.
This leads to lots of saber-rattling, some tense moments, lots of maneuvering around, and very little actual fighting. There is an inconclusive night-time duel between the German-built Salamis and British-built Sultan Osman I, some experimental dropping of bombs from aircraft (mostly lighter-than-air craft), a significant transfer of military hardware from Germany to Turkey, and some skirmishes on Cyprus itself (many between Turkish and Greek Cypriots).
This nearly starts a world war, but cooler heads eventually prevail, and very little changes on the ground in Cyprus.
In 1910, the Ottoman Empire purchased pre-dreadnought battleships from the Germans. In 1911, the Ottoman Empire ordered its first dreadnought class, the Reşadiye, from the British.
1912-1913 saw the Ottoman Empire lose territory in the first two Balkan Wars, and Greek territory massively expand as a consequence. Construction of the Reşadiye class halted during the war; when it resumed in late 1913, the Ottomans also bought the still-under-construction, Rio de Janeiro from the British.
Meanwhile, the Greeks had ordered the Salamis (from the Germans in 1912) and then shortly afterwards ordered the Vasilief Konstantine (1914) and bought the two (pre-dreadnought) US battleships of the Mississippi class.
In the wake of the Balkan Wars, a militaristic / nationalistic party with close ties to the Germans, CUP, dominated elections in 1914.
So, thus far we're on the original timeline. IRL, the outbreak of WWI halted the delivery of the dreadnoughts bought by Turkey and Greece, but also resulted in the transfer of an 11'' battlecruiser by Germany and the official annexation of Cyprus by the British.
This doesn't happen here, so at the beginning of 1915, the Greeks now have a dreadnought and two pre-dreadnought battleships in service, with one more under construction in France. The Turks have two dreadnoughts and two pre-dreadnoughts, with a third under construction in Britain. Both are now dreadnought powers, in other words.
The Greeks, behind in the arms race by a dreadnought thanks largely to the purchase of the Rio, now place an order for a second Salamis-class battleship from the Germans to catch up.
At this point in time, both Greek and Turkish Cypriots are unhappy with British rule (the taxes are high and nominally going to the Ottoman Empire, but actually going to a British bank to purportedly pay debts of the Ottoman Empire), and the Germans are still trying to keep up with the British in a naval arms race. The British Mediterranean Fleet, at this point, is headed up by four battlecruisers.
The Germans, as part of a show of force, are operating four battlecruisers of their own in the Mediterranean to match the British in 1916, when the crisis erupts.
There are several episodes of public unrest on Cyprus, mostly driven by Greek Cypriots desiring enosis (unification with Greece). The Greek government issues statements in support of this, saying that Cypriots should be given the right to self-determination, that Cyprus is Greek and should be governed by Greece, et cetera.
Kaiser Wilhelm sees a major opportunity to stick one in the eye of the British, and with the promise of German support, the Turks announce that they are sending troops to help the British restore order in Cyprus, citing the troubles of the British administration in governing the island effectively on their behalf. (Remember, this is nominally Ottoman territory, although the British have been in fact ruling it.)
The French step in to back the Greeks' position that Cyprus should be granted self-determination (presumably unifying with Greece). The Russians mobilize their Black Sea fleet threateningly.
This leads to lots of saber-rattling, some tense moments, lots of maneuvering around, and very little actual fighting. There is an inconclusive night-time duel between the German-built Salamis and British-built Sultan Osman I, some experimental dropping of bombs from aircraft (mostly lighter-than-air craft), a significant transfer of military hardware from Germany to Turkey, and some skirmishes on Cyprus itself (many between Turkish and Greek Cypriots).
This nearly starts a world war, but cooler heads eventually prevail, and very little changes on the ground in Cyprus.
- The Ottomans got some German military hardware, most notably including those four German battlecruisers, and a commitment of future support from Germany.
- The Germans gained oil exploration rights, pushed the Ottomans away from the British, and are helping to maintain the Ottoman Empire on the grounds that doing so keeps the British and Russians from taking over the area.
- The second Salamis-class battleship was delayed significantly, as the Germans halted construction for the duration of the crisis. The crisis had a negative effect on Greco-Prussian relations.
- Contrastingly, Greco-French relations strengthened (leading to an order of a second Bretagne class battleship).
- The British committed to eventually allowing the Cypriot population self-determination on the issue of enosis, and increasing local self-governance in the short term, but has been dragging their feet on the issue since then.