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Rule The Waves 3 - A Graphical Experiment - Complete

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[X] Yes, we need superior officers.
[X] Torpedo Warfare
Jaune Ecole! Elan! Together, we shall rule the local seas as long as the Royal navy doesn't get annoyed at us.
 
[X] Yes, we need superior officers.
[X] Torpedo Warfare
 
[X] Yes, we need superior officers.

Also, we need a new officer corps, one that is more modern and does not care for silly fancies like a battle line.

[X] Torpedo Warfare

Liberté, égalité, fraternité!
 
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First Contact with the Enemy!
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    • Adhoc vote count started by 4WheelSword on Mar 21, 2024 at 10:07 AM, finished with 7 posts and 7 votes.
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    The option to build a naval academy has been floated. Should we? Yes, we need superior officers.
    Should we prioritise any particular training for our crews? Torpedo Warfare


    At the outbreak of the war with Germany, it was decided that the Ecole Navale should be brought ashore and expanded. While training ships will be maintained in the harbour at Brest, the need for additional facilities and specialist colleges for torpedo training have forced the hand of the greater Marine. It will cost some one and a quarter million francs per month, but it is a small price to pay for the future of the Navy.

    The war begins in earnest in January, with an attempted blockade by parts of the Kaiserliche Marine along the Atlantic coast. Several French cruisers sally out of port and attempt to engage German vessels in the channel, but the battle is refused, forcing the enemy further off shore and out of position. Nonetheless, ships returning from the Med run into a German raiding force off the coast of Rochebonne. Contre-Amiral Bienayme leads a division of three Brennus-class battleships, escorted by a group of protected cruisers and screened by heavier armoured cruisers.

    The Carnet with all guns fixed broadside and firing.​

    Enemy ships are sighted at 30,000 metres at a quarter to two on the afternoon of the 5th of January. The first sighted enemy ships are identified as a Victoria Louise-class and a Prinz Adalbert-class armoured cruiser, both 6,800 tons displaced and each carrying a pair of 203mm guns fore and aft. Soon after, the main enemy line is sighted - four German ironclads, one of which is identified as a Wittelsbach-class and the other three are certainly of the 8,500 ton Elsass-class. The first shots fired by the French battleships come at half past three, a full hour and a half after the enemy were sighted. Unfortunately, the setting sun interfered with the nature of the battle, and as dusk began to fall, Bienayme ordered his ships to close the range.

    It was at this point that the approaching coast line forced a turn into the enemy line, leading to significant damage on both sides. The Marsellaise was hit repeatedly, and the Condor (a fast Infernet-class cruiser) was near disabled by a shell hit to her engines. With the early fall of night brought on by winter, the battle turned into a half-seen brawl lit only by the flash of shell fire and the burning of several ships. Nonetheless, at 6pm the Captain of the Brennus ordered a torpedo attack and reported at least one hit on the enemy Wittlesbach-class battleship. After that the Germans disengaged and the the French fleet continued its night patrol despite the damage.

    A sketch of the sinking German battleship as reported in French newspapers.​

    The After Action Report, dictated by Contre-Amiral Bienayme, details the following:
    - The most significant damage done as part of the battle came from the Brennus' torpedo attack.
    - The Jaureguiberry scored multiple hits with its main and secondary battery, and the crew must be commended for their accuracy.
    - Despite significant hits, few of the French vessels engaged received disabling damage, even when hit at under a kilometre.

    Post battle reports from Germany indicate that it was the Weissenburg that was sunk during the engagement.


    A month later, Captain Fournier of the Charles Martel, on a patrol in the North Sea, sights but refuses to engage a larger German battleship force. The superior speed of the French ships, both ironclad and cruiser, is of marked utility in denying this engagement.

    In March, the 3rd Battleship Division returns to Northern Europe, reducing the forces in the Mediterranean further still but finally breaking the German blockade. Also that same month, a new design of cruiser is put to paper, taking the Leon Gambetta and improving it significantly using modern methods. A sloped belt of 10cm, a few hundred tons lighter and ,most importantly, four submerged torpedo tubes will make the Amiral Aube-class Armoured Cruiser a dangerous threat no matter where they are deployed.

    The first successes of raider warfare come in April, when the Victor Hugo reports three German flagged merchants sunk. Jules Ferry is assigned to the same duty after these successes and continues to report sinkings herself. This is followed by a small coastal raid by a cruiser force accompanied by the first successful torpedo boat operation of the war.

    Six more Sabre's are laid down, followed by a trio of Amiral Aube-class cruisers. The Jules Michelet and the Ernest Renan will join the Amiral Aube in the fleet as of the spring of 1897.

    Unexpectedly, and presumably thanks to our support during their war with the Spanish, July sees the entry of the United States into our war with Germany! Their 14,000 ton Nevada-class and 14,100 ton California-class battleships will surely supress the German battleships while our cruiser forces do what is expected of them. It may indeed be possible for combined forces to now conduct a joint blockade of the German ports and end this war sooner and more decisively.

    The oddly broad USS California in port in Brest​

    Speaking of the Germany battleships, the first of the Nassau-class have launched and we can rest assured that there was no reason to fear them. While they are fast and well armoured, these massive ships carry only a pair of 203mm guns fore and aft and thus are not a serious threat to the few ironclads we maintain. They will also, presumably, sink just as quickly to a torpedo strike.
    ​

    The first combined operation between the French and US fleets comes in June, with an American Armoured Cruiser force joining the French ironclads to chase a German fleet back into port. The USS Memphis, San Diego and Huron join the Brennus, Carnot and Charles Martel in action and pursue German ships all the way from the Norwegian coast back to Wilhelmshaven. It is an inconsequential engagement, but an important step forwards in intra-navy cooperation. It also marks the start of the blockade of the German home ports and the ring-fencing of the Kaiserliche Marine, despite damage to several French and American ships. At the same time, fresh supplies and weapons from across the Atlantic have put the Armee de Terre in good stead to start operations in earnest, and planning has begun to occupy Alsace-Lorraine.

    The second major engagement of the war comes when a French fleet went to meet a merchant convoy crossing the Atlantic. Joining the lead ship in the Bay of Biscay, it's not long before look-outs spot German ships which have somehow slipped the blockade and are moving to attack. The lead division, led by the ironclad Brennus, moves to place itself between the merchants and the enemy, driving them off. Over the next few hours, a Furst Bismarck class Armoured Cruiser is cut off from the rest of the German fleet and at 14:30 the commanding admiral orders an attack by torpedo boats. Unfortunately, little comes of it and nightfall ends the battle.

    Widespread demonstrations across France demand an end to the war; fortunately the Senate is not yet swayed by this foolish behaviour, and nothing is communicated to the Germans of this.

    September sees the interception of the name ship of the Gefion-class ship by the Victor Hugo. At almost three times the protected cruisers displacement, the massive French ship soon sets the smaller German on fire and leaves her behind to sink. Blockade runners will not escape our patrolling cruisers. Unfortunately, American independent operations have been less successful, losing multiple Armoured Cruisers across a series of engagements in Northern Europe, extracting little cost for them from the Kaiserliche Marine. At least this spares our ships, from a more mercenary perspective.

    The Armee de Terre reports terrible losses along the North-East front, losing thousands to the German forces for little gained. It seems this is a war that will be won at sea, despite the continued losses by the United States in the area, as French cruisers are forced to save an American division from enemy action.


    It is December, and we have been at war for 12 months. There are rumours of strikes and protests in Germany, and we are experiencing our own in this nation. The German diplomats have also been asking quiet questions about what sort of peace would be acceptable to the French people. It must be noted that, at least since the first few months, the war has been almost totally one sided. The Marine Nationale has not lost a ship, the Americans have joined us and the German people are under close blockade. While the war on land has been disappointing, the war at sea is going very well indeed.


    ​

    If we are offered peace, what must we have?
    [ ] As much as we can get! We drive a hard deal at every cost.
    [ ] Anything but a white peace, we have fought too hard to leave with nothing.
    [ ] Any peace, I'm tired of killing.
    We have an informal alliance with the Americans. What should our attitude be post-war?
    [ ] We should maintain the alliance for as long as possible.
    [ ] We should divest ourselves of this weighty diplomacy as soon as possible.
    We should design a new class of ships, what should they be?
    [ ] A high speed protected cruiser
    [ ] More of the Amiral Aube-class armoured cruisers
    [ ] A new class of colonial corvettes to free up more cruisers for home service.
    [ ] Write-in
     
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    • [X] Anything but a white peace, we have fought too hard to leave with nothing.
    [X] We should maintain the alliance for as long as possible.

    Not sure on the ship design but I think these are the right choices politically
     
    [X] Anything but a white peace, we have fought too hard to leave with nothing
    [X] We should maintain the alliance for as long as possible.
    [X] A new class of colonial corvettes to free up more cruisers for home service.

    With our rivals close, we need to keep the best of the fleet close as well.
     
    [X] Anything but a white peace, we have fought too hard to leave with nothing
    [X] We should maintain the alliance for as long as possible.
    [X] A new class of colonial corvettes to free up more cruisers for home service.
     
    [ ] As much as we can get! We drive a hard deal at every cost.
    [x] Anything but a white peace, we have fought too hard to leave with nothing.
    [ ] Any peace, I'm tired of killing.
    We have an informal alliance with the Americans. What should our attitude be post-war?
    [x] We should maintain the alliance for as long as possible.
    [ ] We should divest ourselves of this weighty diplomacy as soon as possible.
    We should design a new class of ships, what should they be?
    [ ] A high speed protected cruiser
    [ ] More of the Amiral Aube-class armoured cruisers
    [x] A new class of colonial corvettes to free up more cruisers for home service.
     
    [X] Anything but a white peace, we have fought too hard to leave with nothing.
    [X] We should maintain the alliance for as long as possible.
    [X] A new class of colonial corvettes to free up more cruisers for home service.
     
    [X] Anything but a white peace, we have fought too hard to leave with nothing.

    We've won, but recent engagements have shown that pursuing a more total victory may be too costly or even see reversals.

    [X] We should maintain the alliance for as long as possible.

    The US is a rising star, as shown with its war with Spain, and its republic makes it a much more palatable ally than any of the monarchies on the continent, despite their failings.

    [X] A new class of colonial corvettes to free up more cruisers for home service.

    The colonies were a mistake, started by the imperials out of pride and continued by fools. While we are tied down by the mistakes of our predecessors, that does not mean we shouldn't try to consolidate resources towards the areas that truly matter. A token force of corvettes to placate those who still remain committed to an overseas empire would certainly allow us to consolidate our cruiser force in Europe instead of wasting it in Saigon or Antananarivo.
     
    [X] Anything but a white peace, we have fought too hard to leave with nothing.

    Give us back Alsace you black-hearted prussians!

    [X] We should maintain the alliance for as long as possible.

    [X] A high speed protected cruiser

    An ideal raider! Capital idea.
     
    [X] Anything but a white peace, we have fought too hard to leave with nothing.

    [X] We should maintain the alliance for as long as possible.

    [X] A high speed protected cruiser

    Elllllllllllan! Elaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!
     
    The First Losses
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    • Adhoc vote count started by 4WheelSword on Mar 22, 2024 at 9:44 AM, finished with 9 posts and 9 votes.
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    If we are offered peace, what must we have? Anything but a white peace, we have fought too hard to leave with nothing.
    What should our attitude be post-war? We should maintain the alliance for as long as possible.
    We should design a new class of ships, what should they be? A new class of colonial corvettes to free up more cruisers for home service.


    With the war passing its one year anniversary, the only advice we have for the President is that we have fought too hard and the Americans have sacrificed too much to walk away with nothing. A series of small engagements over winter are nothing to speak of, but keep the Kaiserliche Marine corralled in their home ports despite attempts made at breaking through the channel. At home, the first two of the Marie Louise-class corvettes, 20 knot colonial cruisers, are laid down and prepared for construction.

    The Marie Louise in all her simple glory​

    A desperate night action on the 8th of February sees the first true engagement of the two Henri IV-class ironclads which, along with supporting forces, encounter and engage a German battleship force. This engagement leads to the setting alight of one Wittelsbach-class and the torpedoing of another by the two ships under the command of Contra-Amiral Perzo. The man hardly has time to finish his report before he is awarded a number of medals, as are Captains Trautmann and Camas, his direct subordinates. Perzo has been promoted to Amiral for the action, and is replaced by the highly regarded Contra-Amiral Allain. The Battle of Horns Reef will be remembered for its decisive nature in scaring off the German battle line!

    In the Mediterranean, the US has been conducting a war on German raiders. In the course of a month, they caught and sank the protected cruiser Undine and the armoured cruisers Furst Bismarck and Victoria Louise, but sadly traded them for the battleship the USS Ohio.

    A notable diplomatic development; Italy and Spain have signed an alliance, combining two of our enemies into one. Perhaps after this war we can strike while the iron is hot and hit two of our rivals at once. Also of note is the new Italian ship, the Montebello, a fast Armoured Cruiser that mounts a pair of 220mm guns fore and aft. She is likely under-armoured compared to our newest cruisers, but it is worth keeping these ships in mind.
    ​

    The first loss of a French ship during the war came in July of 1896, 18 months into the war. During a minor engagement between a massed French cruiser force and a single German raider attempting to run the blockade, the Sabre-class torpedo boat Pierrer was struck and sank. Several of the fifty-six crew were recovered, though she went down so fast that sadly there was little that could be done for many of her complement. The German cruiser Undine was, of course, sunk as well.
    ​

    Additional losses followed in September, as an attempted raid into German waters came afoul not of direct enemy action, but of a minefield. The battleship Carnot struck one and limped home with a heavy list, while the torpedo boats Framee and the Espagnole both sank after striking the floating menaces. These were at least minor losses, and Captain Collinet of the Carnot must be commended for nursing the heavily damaged ironclad home. In November, the Aconit and the Infernet both also struck mines, the former sinking with all hands in the middle of the night. We have ordered an additional twelve torpedo boats to cover for potential additional losses until we come up with a better way of defeating mine warfare.

    New Year, 1897, brings troubling news - for the Germans at least. Several ships of the Kaiserliche Marine have been unable to make steam as the crews have refused to put to sea. It is understood by French intelligence operatives across the border that this refusal is due to a lack of food as sinkings by French raiders have cut off supplies to the Northern ports. Additional ships have been assigned to both raiding and trade protection in the hopes that this will drive the Kaiserliche Marine further towards demanding peace and end this bloody war.

    This war has been very costly for the Kaiserliche Marine, which may also be driving the mutineers on.​


    The Amiral Aube and the Marie Lousie class ships will be complete by the middle of 1897, expanding the fleets capabilities considerably even during the war.

    What next then, for the Marine Nationale?
    [ ] Those German Nassau's look good - lets build fast battleships
    [ ] Small Armoured Cruisers, fast and good for raiding
    [ ] Fast Protected Cruisers, so we can build many of them.
    [ ] Something else entirely - Write-in
     
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    • Can we have a brief precis of the current most up-to date classes and their nominal roles, if we're voting for such things?
     
    [X] Fast Protected Cruisers, so we can build many of them.

    It seems that contrary to whingings of Mahan and his ilk, we are managing a blockade with our commerce raiders, and we should continue to pursue this strategy of commerce raiding.

    Armored cruisers are perhaps too large for raiding, so fast cruisers may be preferable.
     
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