[X] Analysis: The Foreigners Have Some Good Ideas - Send observation teams overseas to take the best ideas from foreign nations. (3 Months Remain) ☑◻
[X] Send typed-out contact info along with our observation team should they find foreign officers who are open to come teach in Reewiin.
[X] Marksmanship Training - With an average of twenty rounds per man per year, marksmanship is of very poor quality. Regular range training will begin to improve this, not only for the infantry but for the cavalry and artillery too.
[X] Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJN institutional knowledge. (9 Months Remain, free slot) ☑◻◻◻
[X] Establish the Ordnance Office - Developing an arms industry from scratch will take time and effort. An Ordnance Office will allow us to delegate some of that work to specialists. (Constant Investment.)
[X] Production Licensing: Machine Guns - Attempt to buy the rights to produce the ZB vz.30 in 6.5×50 mmSR. (Complete!) ☑☑☑☑
[X] Establish the Carabinieri Oversight Office - No one really keeps an eye on the paramilitary police force that keeps watch over the nation. If the force is to be reformed and re-established in a new role, then oversight is needed at the very least. (Constant Investment.)
[X] Organisational Reform: Wilderness Rangers - The Carabinieri is responsible for massive tracts of rural land. A specialist ranger unit trained in long-distance patrol and survival would be useful to the force as a whole. (Complete!) ☑☑☑
Kismayo-Turkana Line:
Progress, Marsabit-Turkana: 79% (Est. completion October 1933)
Weapon Orders, and Production:
Progress, Rifle Deliveries: 100%, deliveries complete.
Progress, Rifle Factory: 3 rifles per day, continuing.
Progress, LMG Deliveries: 0%, (Est. completion June 1934).
Progress, LMG Factory: 0.5 guns per day, increasing.
Type 3 HMG Project:
Progress, Reverse Engineering: Experiencing delays.
As of March 1933, Reewiin finally has a Navy. At least, it technically has a force of ships capable of brown water operations and protecting at least some of the nation's coastline. The Republic of Reewiin Carabinieri Ship Kutulo is now the headquarters ship of the Reewiin Maritime Carabinieri Force, which expands the small carabinieri force on Lake Turkana significantly.
A number of small coastal craft have been acquired, little more than traditional Dhows originally intended for fishing but now being pressed into patrol duties by small squads of riflemen with minimal organisation. While poorly formed, they do at least exist.
Gain one (1) investment point to be spent in the new Maritime Carabinieri Force area.
Six new members have joined the council. The three civilians, one from the arms industry, rail industry and the unions, are polite and diffident, recognising their role as purely advisory. The three servicemen, however, are keen to have their opinions heard. The first point for vigorous discussion is how many of them there should be - The newly formed RCMF have sent along a delegate on the basis that each service should be represented, but the Army representative is protesting on the basis that the agreement was equal representation for all services and he is faced with two members of the Carabinieri. The RCMF man was holding a rifle on the northern frontier last month, surely he is more a Carabineer than a sailor?
All three men are reminded that their role is advisory and they are only here to observe, report and provide expert insight. Nevertheless, they will likely lobby for their preferred decisions, and in cases where the council is deadlocked their influence will almost certainly make a notable difference.
The QMs will now tiebreak your plans if you can't. Surely you will all agree on the best courses of action and this will never come up… right?
The report from the civilian government has been submitted and it is worrying reading. The sympathetic domestic policy faction in the government seems to have lost some power in recent months, and the foreign policy faction is deeply concerned about the path the Reewiin Army is on. Specifically, their concern is that during wartime the Reewiin will only be able to field 16,000 men under arms, and most of those are Carabinieri forces dispersed across the interior. There is no formal system for reservists or consideration of conscription in the event of war. Reewiin has around 130,000 military aged males, but as of this month, the rifle factory is producing guns that are going directly into storage for lack of men to carry them.
Currently the Italians and British could crush us like a bug, but even more concerning, we would probably lose to the Ethiopians. This situation must be addressed. The government wants you to reach either 30,000 men immediately available or 60,000 men with a month's notice in the next two years. Preferably both.
The first ZB vz.30 machine gun has been finished at the new annex in the rifle factory. Production is now slowly ramping up, and the Army will be fully equipped with the new weapons by the middle of next year.
The Carabinieri Rangers are now set up, drawing from the best and brightest of the regular Carabinieri to produce a crack patrol platoon in each of the regional brigades. They have been trained in wilderness survival, reconnaissance and long range patrolling and are in peak physical condition.
The Defence Council currently has one investment point available to be spent on any area, one investment point available to be spent in the Armaments area, one investment point available to be spent in the Reforming the Carabinieri area and one investment point to be spent in the new Maritime Carabinieri Force area.
Armaments
[ ] Weapon Testing: Anti-Air Weapons - The Ordnance Office will buy a handful of machine guns and cannons from around the world and test them until they break. Afterwards, they will make recommendations to the Defence Council on the topic of AA weapons. (6-Month Investment. Recommendations will be made at the end of this process.)
[ ] Weapon Testing: Anti-Tank Weapons - The Ordnance Office will research a handful of field guns and large calibre rifles from around the world. Afterwards, they will make recommendations to the Defence Council on the topic of AT weapons. (6-Month Investment. Recommendations will be made at the end of this process.)
[ ] Weapon Testing: Artillery Weapons - The Ordnance Office will research a handful of field guns and howitzers from around the world. Afterwards, they will make recommendations to the Defence Council on the topic of artillery weapons. (6-Month Investment. Recommendations will be made at the end of this process.)
[ ] Increase Funding: Type 3 - By funnelling additional investment towards the Type 3 project, it may be possible to have a prototype ready faster. (6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Cancellation: Type 3 - If the problems with the Type 3 are insurmountable, cancelling the programme could free up much-needed national resources for the design and production of other arms. This does not cost an investment point and can be done at any time. (Free.)
[ ] Emergency Purchase - Buy weapons directly from any available source. Write in the weapon and quantity. Emergency purchases that the government views as overly large, precipitous or having been made without due consideration may have consequences. If the requested weapon is not approved for export by the selling country you could get nothing. (3-Month Investment. Variable delivery time. Can be selected multiple times.)
[ ] Cancellation: Arisaka Type 38 - We have enough 6.5mm rifles to cover all of our needs and our order is complete. Stop purchasing them from the factory. This does not cost an investment point and can be done at any time. (Free.)
[ ] Restructure the Ordnance Office - Reduce staffing in the Ordnance Office to retain oversight of programs in progress and free up capital for investment elsewhere. This does not cost an investment point and can be done at any time. (3-Month Wait.)
Breeding and Working
[ ] Restructure the Veterinary Oversight Office - To reduce operational costs the Veterinary Oversight Office has been shrunk significantly. Funding and personnel would allow the Office to perform specialised tasks. (3 Months, Constant Investment)
DCIRRO
[ ] Establish the Information Review Team - This group will be tasked with drafting reports on various arms of the internal structure of Reewiin. (12-Month Investment. Will enable additional work in this specific area, including write-in Information Review requests.)
[ ] Information Review: Government - Determine what the civilian government wants out of their armed forces. (3-Month Investment.)
[ ] Analysis: Ethiopia - Long-term analysis of the optimal army to defend Reewiin against our eternal enemy, Ethiopia. (6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Analysis: Britain - Long-term analysis of the optimal army to defend Reewiin against our eternal enemy, Britain. (6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Analysis: Italy - Long-term analysis of the optimal army to defend Reewiin against our eternal enemy, Italy. (6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Analysis: The Foreigners Have Some Good Ideas - Send observation teams overseas to take the best ideas from foreign nations. (6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Send Observers: Bolivia - Send a military attaché to learn from the Bolivian army's experiences on the Chaco front. (Until recalled or conflict ends)
[ ] Send Observers: Paraguay - Send a military attaché to learn from the Paraguayan army's experiences on the Chaco front. (Until recalled or conflict ends)
Reforming the Carabinieri
[ ] Restructure the Carabinieri Office - Reduce staffing in the Carabinieri Office to retain oversight of programs in progress and free up capital for investment elsewhere. This does not cost an investment point and can be done at any time. (3-Month Wait.)
[ ] Enlarge the Carabinieri - Currently, Reewiin maintains a standing Carabinieri of 10,000 men organised into three regional commands each controlling a set of loosely organised companies. There are several options for enlarging this; select one or more:
[ ] Establish a formal reservist force from ex-Carabinieri. This is unlikely to create a significantly larger force, since Carabinieri tend to serve for longer than regular soldiers. (6-Month Investment)
[ ] Increase recruitment - Write in the desired force size and structure. (Variable Investment)
[ ] Write in.
Reforming the Army
[ ] Manoeuvre Training - The Army Review has determined that Reewiin's standing military is not currently fit for the task. Field manoeuvres will begin to improve this. (6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJN institutional knowledge.
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJA institutional knowledge.
[ ] Cavalry Training - The Cavalry are loath to conduct operations en-masse, leaving them poorly equipped for the field. Regular deployments into central Reewiin will begin to improve this. (6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJA institutional knowledge.
[ ] Artillery Training - Our artillery capability is doctrinally obsolescent, with all firing conducted over open sights. More realistic training will begin to improve this. (6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJN institutional knowledge.
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJA institutional knowledge.
[ ] Establish an Officer Academy - Our officers are currently trained in an ad-hoc fashion. The establishment of a proper Academy would allow us to educate more officers, and provide a centre for spreading doctrinal advances across the military by running a series of advanced courses and bringing able officers back as instructors. (12-Month Investment.)
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJN institutional knowledge. (Reduces to 6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJA institutional knowledge. (Reduces to 6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Establish an Infantry School - Our riflemen are currently trained in an ad-hoc fashion. The establishment of a proper School would allow us to drill our soldiers in more advanced tactics and provide a single baseline for all of our forces, so that officers can more easily assume command of troops they have not trained with. (12-Month Investment.)
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJN institutional knowledge. (Reduces to 6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJA institutional knowledge. (Reduces to 6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Enlarge the Officers Corps - The Army of Reewiin lacks many things, one of which is junior officers. While this is not a significant issue at the high level, it leaves the junior officers seriously overworked. Beginning a major drive to recruit and train new officers will shift this issue towards the positive. (12-Month Investment.)
[ ] Enlarge the Army - Currently, Reewiin maintains a standing Army of 6,000 men organised into six effective battalions. There are several options for enlarging this, and we can create formations and units that we do not currently have the equipment for if we want. It's perfectly possible to specify an artillery division is to be formed and only then start looking for an artillery piece to equip it. Select one or more:
[ ] Establish a more formal reservist force from those claiming their pension. - Write in the desired force size and structure. (12-Month Investment)
[ ] Increase recruitment and expand existing formations - Write in the desired force size and structure. (Variable Investment, 6-12 months)
[ ] Increase recruitment and create entirely new formations - Write in the desired force size and structure. (Variable Investment, 12-24 months)
[ ] Increase recruitment and split up current formations as cadres for the new recruits - Write in the desired force size and structure. (Variable Investment, 6-12 months)
[ ] Institute conscription - Write in the desired force size and structure. (6-Month Investment)
[ ] Write in.
[ ] Confine Idle Soldiers to Barracks - We can't have the Army tarnishing its image by gambling and causing trouble on the streets! Confining the soldiers to their barracks when they don't have leave will keep them from being a nuisance. (3-Month Investment).
Equipment and Logistics
[ ] Prepare to acquire new large ships - A temporary committee will be formed to investigate options for the procurement of large ships, whether that involves purchasing ships that are in service, having them built abroad or attempting to build a ship in Reewiin. For our purposes, large ships are those of destroyer escort/high endurance cutter size and above. (3-Month Investment.)
[ ] Prepare to acquire new small ships - A temporary committee will be formed to investigate options for the procurement of small ships, whether that involves purchasing ships that are in service, having them built abroad or building ships in Reewiin. For our purposes, small ships are torpedo boats, coastal patrol vessels and associated types. (3-Month Investment.)
[ ] Prepare to refit the Kutulo - A temporary committee will be formed to investigate options for the refit of RRCS Kutulo, which could be a deep refit to modernise her into an acceptable cruiser for the 30s and 40s, or could be a shallow refit to rapidly improve her reliability and suitability for purpose. (3-Month Investment.)
[ ] Establish a national fuel reserve - Reewiin is not rich in coal or oil, the lifeblood of navies. The purchase of a significant reserve of fuels would allow us to continue to operate the RMCF under blockade conditions for longer than usual, as well as allowing the government to smooth out price shocks to fuels. (9-Month Investment.)
[ ] Construct a naval base - Currently the RMCF is based out of the commercial port facilities at Kismayo, but this state of affairs is not acceptable in the long run. We have little secure storage for arms and ammunition, we don't have proper facilities for the effective routine maintenance of our ships and the port fees are shocking. If we established a proper naval base, all of these problems would go away, although drydock facilities would still be provided by the private sector. (12-Month Investment.)
[ ] In Kismayo, the largest port city
[ ] In Kiyaambo, outside the capital Buur Gaabo
[ ] Optional: Permit Japanese construction of a naval base in the selected area, with the agreement that the RMCF are able to use the facilities. (3-Month Investment, ready in 12 months.)
Doctrine and Organisation
[ ] Improved Training - The RMCF is completely new and knows very little, institutionally, about policing or combat at sea. More realistic training will begin to improve this, although it may be a long process. (6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJN institutional knowledge.
[ ] Establish a Naval Officer Academy - Our officers are currently drawn from the merchant marine and trained in an ad-hoc fashion. The establishment of a proper Academy would allow us to educate more officers, and provide a centre for spreading doctrinal advances across the military by running a series of advanced courses and bringing able officers back as instructors. (12-Month Investment.)
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJN institutional knowledge. (Reduces to 6-Month Investment.)
[ ] Establish a Sailing School - Our sailors are currently drawn from the merchant marine and trained in an ad-hoc fashion. The establishment of a proper School would allow us to drill our sailors in better seamanship and especially the art of fighting at sea. (12-Month Investment.)
[ ] Optional: Request Japanese support for this program, improving impacts and benefiting from IJN institutional knowledge. (Reduces to 6-Month Investment.)
You are more than welcome to ask questions about what is acceptable as a write-in vote.
There will be a 6-hour moratorium on voting to encourage discussion. The vote will close in three days.
