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East Africa 1930: An ORBAT Quest

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[X] Plan: From the Lowest Bidder

If we're going to be expanding the army then I dont think there's gonna be room to get anything bigger or 'better' for the AT/AA role than the humble HMG, might aswell start buying sooner rather than later.
 
Here are some questions for the Council observers I should have thought of earlier:

  • What does the Army think of the practicality of the kind of rapid expansion envisioned by the government, if they were the main service expanding?
  • What do the current recruitment apparatus think of the practicality of as much as tripling the Army size with volunteers?
  • Does the Maritime Force view dedicated basing or dedicated training infrastructure as a greater need, for the safe operation of Kutulo and a set of patrol boats over the next few years?
 
Dessard said:
Here are some questions for the Council observers I should have thought of earlier:

  • What does the Army think of the practicality of the kind of rapid expansion envisioned by the government, if they were the main service expanding?
  • What do the current recruitment apparatus think of the practicality of as much as tripling the Army size with volunteers?
  • Does the Maritime Force view dedicated basing or dedicated training infrastructure as a greater need, for the safe operation of Kutulo and a set of patrol boats over the next few years?
Click to expand...
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The Liaison from the Army of Reewiin replies that the expansion is an absolute necessity for future wars, especially given the sheer numbers which engaged during the civil war in Ethiopia. There is a level of... anxiety about what such rapid growth will do to the discipline and training in the ranks, but that's a price that must be paid.

The Maritime Force thinks that any further investment is great. They apologise, but they honestly don't actually know as of yet.
 
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  • Voting
    • Adhoc vote count started by FrangibleCover on Feb 14, 2024 at 12:59 PM, finished with 85 posts and 18 votes.
    • [X] Plan: From the Lowest Bidder
      -[X] Write-In: Negotiate offers for the purchase of 13.2 mm machine guns and dual-purpose mountings whose capabilities meet those of the current 13.2 mm Hotchkiss guns.
      -[X] Send Observers: Paraguay - Send a military attaché to learn from the Paraguayan army's experiences on the Chaco front. (Until recalled or conflict ends)
      -[X] 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.)
      -[X] 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.)
      --[X] In Kismayo, the largest port city
      [X] Plan: Fighting Attempt
      -[X] Send Observers: Paraguay - Send a military attaché to learn from the Paraguayan army's experiences on the Chaco front. (Until recalled or conflict ends)
      -[X] 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.)
      -[X] 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.)
      -[X] 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.)
      --[X] In Kismayo, the largest port city
    Click to expand...


    Alright, good stuff!
     
  • Voting
    • Welp seems like i missed the vote great to see this quest is back. Small question could we sell excess weapons (new production or old junk) to Ethiopia? We share a border with them and aren't on bad terms and it might give our industry more funds to work with.
     
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    Turn 14 News, Updates & Vote: April-June 1933
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    • Turn 14 News, Updates & Vote: April-June 1933

    Project Development

    Ongoing Projects

    [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. (6 Months remain, free slot) ☑☑◻◻
    [X] Weapon Testing: 13.2 mm machine guns - The Ordnance Office will research a handful of 13.2 mm machine guns and dual-purpose mountings whose capabilities meet those of the current 13.2 mm Hotchkiss guns. Afterwards, they will make recommendations to the Defence Council. (3 Months remain) ☑◻
    [X] Send Observers: Paraguay - Send a military attaché to learn from the Paraguayan army's experiences on the Chaco front. (Until recalled or conflict ends)
    [X] 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.) ☑◻◻◻
    [X] In Kismayo, the largest port city

    Completed Projects

    [X] Analysis: The Foreigners Have Some Good Ideas - Send observation teams overseas to take the best ideas from foreign nations. ☑☑
    [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] 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.

    Kismayo-Turkana Line:
    Progress, Marsabit-Turkana: 86% (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: 12%, (Est. completion June 1934).
    Progress, LMG Factory: 0.5 guns per day, increasing.

    Type 3 HMG Project:
    Progress, Reverse Engineering: Experiencing delays

    April-June 1933

    International Headlines of Note

    April, China: Japanese troops begin marching south from the Jehol province towards Pei-p'ing.
    May, South America: Although conflict has been ongoing since 1932, Paraguay's formal declaration of war with Bolivia was only signed this month.
    May, China: Elements of the Chinese Army are destroyed at the Great Wall; A Japanese bomber distributes handbills across Pei-p'ing calling for a cease to opposition. The invasion of mainland China ends with the Tanggu Truce, ceding Manchuria to Japan.
    June, United Kingdom: The World Economic Conference of 1933 opens and negotiations begin in earnest. Reewiin is not invited.

    Local Rumours

    Campaigning has reached a fever pitch ahead of the 1934 elections in Reewiin, with multiple new political parties springing up. Many of these mirror schools of thought from overseas, with radical left- and right-wing groups making their positions and policies known across a variety of rallies and conferences.

    Reports

    Bright Ideas from Overseas

    Our advisors have returned from abroad, with many interesting ideas and methods. Some of the concepts are unworkable in the short term, such as a strategic bomber fleet, but some ideas are filtering through to the Defence Council as good ideas, such as mortars or heavy AA weapons. There has also been an increase in the general military awareness of these officers, many would be good instructors for an officer training school.

    Sending these men out to represent Reewiin has also produced an unexpected windfall for us: Foreign Adventurers. These foreigners are generally quite strange men, here because they feel some sort of affinity with Reewiin. It turns out that being a small, independent, democratic state in Africa attracts a certain sort of person: Many of these foreigners have some formal military training, or some experience in combat, and are happy to join the armed forces and provide advice and training for reasonably low fees. You are requested not to laugh at their idea of Reewiinite fashions.

    Closing the Carabinieri Office

    While it had initially been one of the first appointments made by the Defence Council, the Carabinieri Oversight Office has done its duty and is now considered surplus to requirements. With no ceremony and little fanfare, the officer is closed, locked and the staff and condensed back into the Defence Council proper.

    Observers Depart for the Chaco War

    A hand-picked selection of officers have been sent to observe operations in the Gran Chaco region of South America. Since late last year, Paraguayan troops have been heroically resisting the depredations of the larger and better equipped Bolivian army, and Reewiin stands in solidarity with them. The Chaco is a large area that has barely seen any settlement and is similar in some ways to the Reewiin interior, being almost totally devoid of infrastructure and surface water. Remarkably, the entire area is covered in forest much denser than Reewiin's bushlands, drawing water from deep underground where troops cannot access it. Already, some papers are beginning to call it the War of Thirst.

    Defence Council Investment - June 1933

    The Defence Council currently has two investment points available to be spent on any area.

    Industry and Logistics

    Armaments
    [ ] Weapon Testing: Light 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 light AA weapons. (6-Month Investment. Recommendations will be made at the end of this process.)

    [ ] Weapon Testing: Heavy Anti-Air Weapons - The Ordnance Office will research a handful of high angle anti-aircraft artillery pieces from around the world. Afterwards, they will make recommendations to the Defence Council on the topic of heavy 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: Mortars - The Ordnance Office will research a handful of mortars from around the world. Afterwards, they will make recommendations to the Defence Council on the topic of mortars. (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.)

    [ ] 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.)

    [ ] 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.)

    [ ] Increase Funding: Arisaka Type 38 - By funnelling additional investment towards the Type 38 production line, it may be possible to increase rifle production above the current rate. (3-Month Investment.)

    [ ] 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)

    Doctrine and Organisation

    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.)

    Reforming the Carabinieri
    [ ] Re-Implement the Carabinieri Office - Re-allocate staff to the Carabinieri Office in order to return Defence Council oversight to the national militia. Funding and personnel would allow the Office to perform specialised tasks. (3 Months, Constant Investment)

    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).

    Maritime Carabinieri Force

    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.)

    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, and you are also welcome to ask the Council Liaisons for in character advice on decisions.
    There will be a 6-hour moratorium on voting to encourage discussion. The vote will close in three days.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • i think we should look into formal schools, but the infantry school should not use Japanese help, as Imperial Japanese treatment of soldiers was horrible. Officers regularly abused and beat the men.
     
    Ok, should we focus on expanding the reservists, expanding the standing army, or both?

    If we are going for the reservist option, I think making a formal thing would be a good idea. There is also the question of conscription, which could be a good thing if we want to improve the reservist thing.

    Also, tempted to do one of the school things along with the expansion. Officer School or Infantry School to make things more formalized and stuff. I was tempted to go for the enlarge the Officer Corp thing but I think that it would be more efficient to do the Officer School then enlarging the Corp.

    Also, weary of using IJN and IJA experience because they are the IJN and the IJA.

    Edit:
    Somewhat related, does the army prefer the IJN or the IJA in terms of institutional knowledge?
     
    Last edited:
    Jprice said:
    Welp seems like i missed the vote great to see this quest is back. Small question could we sell excess weapons (new production or old junk) to Ethiopia? We share a border with them and aren't on bad terms and it might give our industry more funds to work with.
    Click to expand...
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    Sorry, missed this: You are not at all on good terms with Ethiopia due normal regional rivalries and their oppression of Somali peoples in Ogaden. Reewiin nearly invaded in 1931 while the Ethiopians were busy with a small civil war.
     
    Feel like the best option is to just copy Switzerland and train as much of society as possible for mobilization with obligatory min training. Goal would be to make invasion a quagmire to consider doing
     
    dreameater said:
    Feel like the best option is to just copy Switzerland and train as much of society as possible for mobilization with obligatory min training. Goal would be to make invasion a quagmire to consider doing
    Click to expand...
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    Don't think it would work as well as Switzerland considering Switzerland is in the Alps and Reewiin as I understand it doesn't have that much hard points that can be used defensively. There's also the fact that every person doing military service or training is a person that isn't participating in the economy, although I am not sure if that's a thing that we should be concerned about.
     
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