[X] Ask the general if he can spare some experienced adjutants or advisers (dice roll). Also ask if he can detach some artillery (hard dice roll)
You send off a missive to the general asking if he could spare some adjutants or maybe even an advisor or two. The current situation is a sorry state of affairs as you had to write the communique yourself. You're not sure if you have prerogative to do that but Hall did seem somewhat friendly. You also cross your fingers and send a request for some artillery, its a long shot but you hope it can overcome the inevitable vehement opposition from the artillery commander.
Roll 1: 55 — Partial success
Roll 2: 71 - 20 Conservatism = 51 — Partial success
It takes several hours for a reply to come back and you busy yourself with other tasks in the mean time. When it does come the results are relatively good. You're going to get some junior officers to help manage the brigade. Some of them may be older than you, that will be awkward. Furthermore it appears you have gotten a bonanza with your improbable request. The general must be more amiable to you than you first thought. You now possess a nice set of field guns and some Katyusha rocket launcher carriages. Though the rockets will consume your meagre rocket ammunition at a frightful rate they, along with the field artillery can deliver a considerable amount of explosive and smoke ammunition, among other things.
Unfortunately someone in the artillery corp seems to resent you receiving this bounty and has provided less than the necessary number of trained artillerymen to actually use them effectively. So you'll have to draft some privates or menials to help them out, which will hurt efficacy until they gain experience (small malus to any rolls involving artillery). The new ordinance will also be the slowest unit in the brigade since all the guns will have to be dragged with muscle power or draft animals if you're lucky. So you can't have them assigned to frontline units, they'll have to stay with the support troops until the brigade finds a sufficiently hard nut to crack. In your opinion this artillery doesn't provide options your tanks already didn't give though the additional firepower and indirect fire is nice.
[X] Investigate the brawl and the causes for how it happened (only available if you pick remember above). Try to resolve any issues you find.
You decide to scrutinise what happened in yesterday's brawl and see if it was something serious. Your initial move is to ask some of the majors. The first call is the old hand Nivelle. You find him drilling some of his troops.
"Didn't expect to see you here colonel, what do you require?" Maurice queries wondering why you came personally and didn't send a missive via messenger.
"I would like to find out what caused the brawl yesterday, do you have any inkling what happened?"
"I'm not sure on the specifics myself but Giraud and Raeder have a history. It only exacerbates tensions between their men, it only got worse when the old colonel departed, I couldn't rein them in. I've seen it before; either they end up killing each other or battle resolves the problem one way or another. I was angling towards the latter option when I was in charge", says Nivelle. He doesn't seem to resent losing the position to you despite being obviously younger. Maurice is a dependable man.
Afterwards you go to see Mueller's battalion, its a massive field of tanks of all kinds. Mechanics and soldiers running around and looking very busy. You find the major on top of his heavy tank inspecting some part or other, you would't know since tanks aren't really your forte. You go other to him and ask him the same questions.
"I heard that Giraud seduced Raeder's fiancee or childhood sweetheart several years ago, the story doesn't specify which", Mueller sotto-whispers knowingly. Oh dear thats not good, just your luck to have two subordinates who knew each other before joining your brigade and have a personal rivalry. On that note, you hope your mistress hasn't found a new someone or someones while you were gone. You'll be sad if thats the case but you won't mind too much, you both got what you wanted and you'll be forever grateful for the assistance. You owe her for big time for everything and it'll be a long time before you can pay that debt off.
After some more questions where you find out Mueller is a consummate gossip you bid the tanker a good day.
You decide not to ask Surena as she clearly has a conflict of interest and will give you a biased answer which won't help you in any way.
While going to query Vorbeck you come across a row of peculiar tanks. You've heard her Grenadier battalion colloquially referred to as the 'Inferno Summoners', now you see why. Since its a heavy foot formation the armour they possess are mainly light and medium tanks,
all the light tanks and many of the mediums in her battalion are configured with flamethowers! What the hell is she thinking? The only anti-tank capacity in battalion are the lancers - who are thankfully all equipped with anti armour - some of the mediums and the handful of heavies who are of the specialised tank destroyer variant. Thats… not as bad as you were fearing but still even worthless federation armour could maul her troops on a bad day. Vorbeck's battalion has noticeably less than the standard amount of anti-armour. You suspect it has something to do with her experiences in the east.
"Major Vorbeck what is the meaning of this?" you demand gesturing towards the lined up flame tanks.
"I have a specific fighting style that I'm partial to and know how to conduct effectively", she responds in a practiced voice.
"How are you going to deal with large amounts of armour?" You ask curiously.
"Isolate them for the anti-armour to deal with or go around them, worst case fall back and regroup in a better position. I know how to fight and have the experience
colonel." She says assertively.
"The easterners don't exactly have much in the way of tanks Major Vorbeck", you respond in an assured tone ignoring the barb, "And aren't most your soldiers inexperienced recruits?"
"I have a solid core of veterans who came with me, they are teaching the neophytes", she says defensively, "and its not like the feddies have good tanks".
"At least equip some more of the tanks in an anti-armour role", you say mollifyingly hoping for a compromise.
"Is that an order colonel?" Vorbeck asks irritably not noticing or just ignoring your tone. She is really set on this.
Press the issue?
[] Yes - A heavy foot battalion is supposed to have lots of anti-armour. Equipping most of the tanks in the battalion with short-range flamethrowers is not conducive to that goal.
[] No - Who are you to micromanage? She has her ways and that configuration would chew through most infantry and cover… at the cost setting a lot of stuff on fire.
"Anyway I came to ask you on what you knew about the fight last night".
"Raeder and Giraud got into another argument again over something. One of the pair threw the first punch and then their men joined in out of loyalty", the older woman says dismissively.
"Have their been the other altercations?" you ask.
"Several small ones but nothing major. Their men don't get along but thats a leadership problem if you get my meaning", Vorbeck says disdainfully. After a few more questions you leave.
After speaking with majors and getting mixed results you suddenly remember you could just ask the enlisted themselves. After all what better way to get the story than to ask the people that fought or were near the fight? So you seek out the punishment details and grill some privates.
It turns out the brawl had two sides and was not a free for all. Unsurprisingly two sides were ethnic gothic Anhalters from Raeder's 82nd Line battalion and ethnic franks from the 33rd Chasseurs under Giraud. Normally any inter-state tension would be kept on the down low but the rivalry between the commanding officers inflamed things. A bunch of small incidents created an environment where medium sized events could happen culminating in a large scale melee. If you hadn't gone to see the general maybe you would have had time to defuse the situation. Oh well its not like you're omniscient or something.
[X] Remember it - Whatever happened was a blow up that shouldn't have happened. You'll have to talk to them tomorrow in depth about what occurred. Make their men work together so this won't happen again.
Armed with this information you decide to talk with the errant majors. You decide to sort out Giraud first as he seems more likely to have started the quarrel. The man gives off the impression of one of those dashing rogue rascals from one of your stepsisters trashy romance novels. As you approach his camp you hear a familiar voice reverberating from it, followed by a chorus of laughter.
"And that's what happened to lancer who couldn't find his ah… colonel fancy seeing you here", Giraud cuts himself off when he sees you.
"Could I have a word with you privately?" you ask the major in a tone that clearly says the statement is not a question.
His expression clouds over for a moment before returning to its jovial air, "Sure, sure". He and you walk over past a container of supplies. Giraud starts off the conversation.
"So colonel, I heard the higher ups were considering using criminals as expendable mine clearers, did that idea come to fruition? Is that why we're breaking through soon?"
"No, it got dropped due to political considerations. The brass didn't want to deal with that can of worms", you airily answer.
"Ha that's putting it delicately", Giraud snorts, "the Sovereign's rights activists would have had a snit not to mention the liberal faction's histrionics".
"Yes those progressive bleeding hearts were part of the issue," not that anyone cared about those irrelevant fools, "but it had more to do with dealing with the local bureaucracy".
"Ayup I know from experience the Novan civil service can be mighty annoying", Giraud goes on, "Well the grunts wouldn't have liked it either, well most of them".
"I'm sure some would have, now stop changing the subject, you know what I'm here to talk about".
"So you're not going to let it slide?" Giraud asks faintly hopeful but he knows your answer.
"The regulations clearly mention no brawling so you know I have to conduct an investigation", you say authoritatively. Things have gotten out of hand and now its time for you to fix them and not leave to fester. "I want to know what happened".
Giraud sighs, "some ancient history and a man who can't let go of a grudge".
"That doesn't explain a brawl that involved a hundred troopers" you don't like how he's trying to shift the blame.
"His family and mine have a past. Anhalt and Auvergne border each other and have had a less than pleasant history pre-empire. Our families have in particular have had a feud for the last few centuries. This set the environment for other 'slights' to make him even more offended", Giraud explains.
You are too busy cursing your luck to respond so the major continues.
"After some personal conflicts between us that I would not like to mention he decided I was to be his eternal enemy. It doesn't help we have conflicting views on many issues".
"Okay, but I want this to stop now. Whatever issues you have with him will be left out of my brigade. Pursue it in your private time, I do not care. If there are any more incidents I will have your head. Now, I want you to go to Major Raeder and organise some exercises between your battalions. I do not want this brainless rivalry flaring up on the battlefield and costing lives".
"Of course Colonel, I get the message loud and clear" Giraud casually salutes you.
Afterwards you go to see Raeder to discuss the same issue. His battalion camp is very austere and orderly in stark contrast to the Giraud's Chasseurs. You find him supervising a company conducting a group endurance jog.
I am a soldier… and I'm marching on…
In the background the soldiers chant a popular marching song among the rank and file of the army.
I'll bring death to the place you're about to be… another river of blood running under my feet.
"What is it Colonel Hapsburg?" Raeder asks respectfully.
"Its about the large fight that occurred yesterday when I first came" you reply confidently.
"Ah that unfortunate event, no good leader would let something like that slide", the major looks out at the moving soldiers.
Forged in a fire lit long ago, stand next to me, you'll never stand alone.
You silently half-preen at the complement and continue on, "What exactly happened?"
"Giraud disparaged someone I was close to. I naturally took offence and retorted in kind. He couldn't handle it and started a fight, his cronies joined in", Raeder says definitively.
Alright this is a somewhat different version of events… "What about the incidents before?"
Aim with the hand, shoot with the mind, kill with a heart like northern ice.
"Colonel, do not trust Major Giraud. He is a dishonourable cur who lies like a Darcsen", Raeder replies emphatically. "He has been deliberately needling me at every opportunity and stoking tension between our battalions to make me look bad".
I am a soldier… and I'm marching on…
"Is that so?" you respond a tad dubious about his claims. "Well that all occurred before my time and but if it happens again I will punish him", give him a bone to placate him.
If death don't bring you fear I'll swear you'll fear these marching feet.
"Thank you colonel" Raeder says in a relieved voice. "The Frankish snake likes to act subtly and is a consummate actor. A silver tongue that can convince almost anyone", he says bitterly.
"Thats enough on that, this a personal affair that I will not have disrupting my brigade. Take your dispute out of the military, while you are under my command you two will act like professionals. Is that understood?" you demand authoritatively. It feels a little strange ordering about man a decade your senior.
Hope is a moment now long past, the shadow of death is the one I now cast.
Raeder sighs, "Yes I am, Colonel Hapsburg. I swear nothing will occur between me and Major Giraud on my own initiative".
My eyes are steel and my gaze is long.
"Good, now I want you to go see him and organise some group exercises between your battalions. I want your men working together now so nothing untoward will happen in combat". In the back of your mind you note Raeder hasn't mentioned anything about the background of the rivalry like Giraud did.
Chin in the air and head held high, I'll stand in the path of the enemy line.
Raeder looks unhappy at your pronouncement, "I understand". He formally salutes you.
Feel no fear, know my pride, for god and country I'll end your life.
Oh personality clashes, how I missed you, you think to yourself morosely as you walk away. You're not sure who to believe. This obviously isn't a problem you can fix overnight. Well you have to cope with the hand you're dealt with.
I am a soldier… and I'm marching on…
Random supply roll.
Roll: 35 + 15 Asking a tough favour = 50 — Partial Success
On the third day a convoy of menial porters carrying things and wagon drivers arrives at your brigade camp. The supplies they bring are mostly a variety of common things vital to military life; food, medical supplies, spare parts and even some fuel among other things.
Nivelle is overjoyed by the extra provisions but is curious about the unexpected resupply. "We're not scheduled to receive more supply until after the invasion, did you have something to do with this colonel?" You turn your head from the darcsen menials labouring over a crate and smile knowingly at him. He catches your eye and responds with a faint smile of his own and drops the issue. He doesn't want to know your methods.
You are given a message from the overseer of the convoy, its from Frenzel. She has sent you a politely worded request along with the extra supplies. You finishing reading the missive and feel perplexed. What an odd request. She would "very much appreciate it you sent any and every darcsen your troops encounter in Merovia" her way to help with the logistics. She wants you to press any darcsen your men find into the army to carry supplies for her. Normally your men would theoretically ignore the darcsen when carrying out their orders.
This is not your purview, if she wanted more darcsen menials then she should have gone to the Darcsen Taskforce. That's their job not yours. Your men are not darcsen hunters and will not appreciate being treated that way. Any decent soldier looks down on those cowards. The Darcsen Taskforce weren't true soldiers in your view, phoney troops who avoided real danger to pick on the defenceless. That part of the army tended to accumulate the worst sorts of people.
Rounding up darcsen in federation territory and transporting them back to the rear would require the use of some men. Something the majors wouldn't like, and large communities would be out of the question as that would require whole companies to escort them, bringing battalions to a stand still. It could cause morale issues among the troops.
On the other hand if you explicitly gave the order to leave them unharmed then it would prevent a small minority of your troops from acting in ways unbecoming of a soldier towards the darcsen. You can't actually legally order your troops to leave darcsen alone. But if they were to serve another purpose… Also was serving as labourers for the foreseeable future really that onerous? It wasn't as dangerous as working in the Ragnite mines. If you did nothing they would be left to the tender mercies of the Darcsen Taskforce anyway. Its not like the darcsen have anywhere to flee to since Merovia is surrounded by the Empire.
Regardless of your personal opinion of the Darcsen Taskforce as wastes of valuable air, carrying out the request would get you into a pissing match with them by interfering in their task. You're pretty sure you would come out on top, contingencies of war and what not but it could be too much of a hassle. Though it would warm some of the cockles of your heart to annoy those idiots.
You wonder why Frenzel would send you such a request. Then you realise that it would make her job easier, more bodies with carry supplies and what not. A textbook greedy quartermaster wanting more workers. Though wouldn't there be loyalty issues? You suppose the logistics corp have their own security. But why "Any and all?" and not just the able bodied? How would impressing the old, young and sick to help carry supplies make sense? Then you remember that there are some simple repetitive tasks in logistics that even idiots can do so it makes sense. You are not familiar with the Darcsen Taskforce's odious methods so you don't know that they'd do to them, probably just leave them behind.
[] Ignore the request — not your job and not your problem
[] Issue the order — well if it helped supplies reach you better you could live with some unpleasantness…
You're curious about the other colonels but you're a busy man these days. So you detail an assistant to find out details about the colonels you know.
Akhlin Azhgle's brigade
3rd Avar Rangers
7th Avar Rangers
8th Avar Rangers
12th Avar Rangers
23rd Andalusian (horse) cavalry
44th Saruhan (horse) cavalry
Wow… a very unconventional brigade, you don't think you've seen any like it before. A pure light infantry brigade with old fashioned horse cavalry as well! Like something out of the last century. Why would the general assign her the honour of leading the invasion? Hmm thinking back on that modern historical warfare elective you did on impulse perhaps some of the horses could tow light artillery like antiquated 'flying artillery' of old. Most of those cavalrymen should be dragoons. On further thought you think that the main purpose is to act as a fast moving reconnaissance force whose primary function is intel gathering and not picking fights with enemy strongpoints. Like a sea of water, going around tough foes and out manoeuvring them while soaking up intelligence like a maid's sponge.
Hader Baumann's brigade
4th Fhirald Light Foot
19th Novan Stormtroopers
14th Limousin Dragoons
29th Magdeburg Armoured Kavallerie
21st Auvergne Chevaliers
A conventional armoured brigade, essentially an army of tanks. Only noticeable change is the replacement of one light infantry battalion with a heavy infantry one. Nothing remarkable here.
[X] Finalise preparations so everything is ready before zero hour comes (decreases chance of organisational mishaps)
You spend a significant chunk of your time making sure the brigade is as ready as you can make it. Much time is spent making sure equipment is serviced and ready, supplies are good to go and and no foul ups could possibly happen.
On the third day while you are in the middle of these preparations you find a familiar figure skulking about. You see Jaimes is eating some commoner food off a stick. He sees the irate expression on your face and immediately turns tail and moves away from you at a fast walk like the coward he is. Good, he remembers what he did. You're going to give that cretin a piece of your mind! You should follow that ignoramus by yourself and deal with him personally. You still have your sidearm so you should be fine if he tries anything untoward. On the other hand there is a group of your men nearby, you could order them to follow you. Though you feel uncomfortable using them to handle a personal grudge, it makes you feel like a bully. It could make them lose some respect for you if have to chase the errant driver around the camp like morons. So deal with him personally like your honour tells you or take a bunch of men to handle it and risk being seen as a fool, decisions, decisions…
[] Pursue him alone, he is your problem and you will fix it yourself.
[] Order some of your men to pursue along with you.
[] Leave him alone and be the better man haha no you are too furious at the moment for that.
OOC: this update really ballooned out in size, 3-4 times bigger than the normal ones hence the lateness. Also first moral choice woo. The song being mentioned is
here, its quite catchy.
