Dang it!trekaddict said:
Oh well....
Anyway, Great Update.
I knew that you wouldn't let Ian or Felix get stuck at desk jobs. -
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Oh well....
Anyway, Great Update.
I knew that you wouldn't let Ian or Felix get stuck at desk jobs. 
trekaddict said:
thats alright. i just got fallout 3 today, so i expect forum activity, along with social life, schoolwork, and sleep, to seriously diminish.
Excuses, excuses.trekaddict said:
Still after your frantic pace of the last few weeks you have a great deal of updating credit to cash in, so enjoy it.
Despite Red Alert 3 and a new HOI2 Germany game I managed to write half an update. Stay tuned.
Ahhh, caught up at last! Amazing, amazing. I like how the larger type makes it feel like you're blazing through a really long update.
I can't wait to see how things will go next, and I'm heading over to give you an ACA vote now (I flipped a coin to give AGO overall and WKS narrative!)
I can't wait to see how things will go next, and I'm heading over to give you an ACA vote now (I flipped a coin to give AGO overall and WKS narrative!)
I've been following along for a while mainly as a guest and now I'm here and caught fully up. We have at last come to war and I can say this is a truly marvolous AAR, one of my favorites.
Simply amazing!
Simply amazing!
Glad you all liked it. BTW, White_Knight, your nike always reminds me of "Tomorrow never dies".
The next two updates will be of a slower pace, as I need time to think where I want the story to go next, and I am using these two to give myself some time.
September 15th, 1939
Singapore, Imperial Dominion of Malaya
Although Major General Vavasour-Broom-Witts was formally in command of the British Forces in Malaya and Singapore, the day-to-day work was almost exclusively done by his second in Command and CinC Operations, Brigadier General Percival. He was the one to whom the officers of the Imperial Militia came for advice, he coordinated the efforts to build up the defences of the city, so he was in Operational Command, while the Major General was merely coordinating the efforts of all the services. This was a rather unusual arrangement, but the War Office and the IGS had insisted, obviously using the Far East to dump unwanted Generals that had stood in the way of the much needed reforms of 1938, because Hong-Kong had a similar arrangement. The General didn't like it, but Percival didn't care much, as the General had gotten the message and kept out of his way as much as possible. Percival was glad that it was so, as his job was hard enough as it was. All he had was one static Defence Division of British Troops and several companies of Imperial Militia, which were very motivated but horribly green, and only equipped with the cast-offs of the regular Army, which was for all intents and purposes not the worst equipment, as the Garrison itself had just received new kit en masse. Still, if the Japanese came to Singapore, and if their Siamese puppets aided them then his defence would... no, could be quite short-lived. He wasn't one to give up, and the news he had received from London lately weren't all bad. While he would receive no further troops and the CANZAC forces would most likely go into the defence of Burma and India he had received much other things to aid his defence, most importantly a Brigade of the Royal Engineers, one that had been intended to start building a massive string of fortifications that was to close the ring around the Island. The outbreak of war in Europe had thrown this plan down the waste basket, but at least some of the promised guns, ammunition, landmines and concrete was trickling in, with the latter three supplemented by domestic production from the various small factories that were springing up everywhere.
Percival was currently sitting in his office, cursing the infernal heat and putting the finishing touches to the Defence plan that he had to present to the Principal Secretary and the local provisional Government in three days. It was awfully simple on paper: Use Imperial Militia and small groups of regular British troops to fight a delaying action all along the peninsula, giving the Division and the rest of the militias, which where to expand their ranks by continued recruitment, time to man the fortifications, lay the last mines and last but not least booby-trap every piece of infrastructure on the other side of the Johore strait. The causeway was already slated for demolition, the Engineers planned to blast a gap of more than two-hundred yards into it, with a series of charges that would go off one after another after the fuse was lit instead of one big blast. Meanwhile the Engineers were also building massive underground bunkers where Munitions, rare materials, food an all sorts of supplies were to be stockpiled in order to enable the city to last longer if and when even the supplies by sea were to be cut. Commodore Chansey, his Navy liaison said that as long as Sumatra was in Dutch hands then the Navy could guarantee limited supply runs from India coming in at least during night-time, but it would still be a chancy thing. The fortifications would not be complete until late 1940-mid 1941 at the earliest and that was if the War situation in Europe didn't degrade too badly, something that every informed officer within the British Army feared. Still, if the nips really wanted to start something then Singapore would give them a damn good fight, that much he was sure of. Construction sites for the fortifications were already being prepared, non-existent guns sighted and Singapores scarce stock of spare munitions and guns of all types scattered all over the countryside, giving Percival confidence that if the Japanese gave him enough time Singapore would be a fortress armed to the teeth and manned by soldiers willing to fight down to the knife, not only the British Regulars but also the Militias, who would defend their homes, and that was always a very motivating factor. After another hour he wrote his signature under the last page of the paper and went out to the small anteroom where his aide had a desk. “Captain, do you know where I can find the General?” The Aide qucikly searched through his memory before answering: “He went to the Island Golf Club an hour ago. Shall I tell him you are on the way, Sir?” Percival nodded. “Yes, and have my car ready.” He went back into his office and poured himself another cup of the Tea he had nursed for the last two hours. By now it was only luke-warm, but the difference in the temperature made it seem cooler than it was. He cringed when he tasted it, but still took another cup downing it with one big gulp. Tea always calmed his nerves and he would need them calm. The Principal Secretary was a pompous idiot who didn't seem to understand that the times were changing, and who was slowing the Empire plan wherever he could. Percival too felt that it was going too fast, but he also knew that it was probably the best possible way to keep the British Empire on one piece.
Many, especially on the Far Eastern Colon...Dominions still resented the fact that they were now equals with the natives, but in the end they had no other choice. London had been quite clear on that. They were to implement the Empire Plan not only by letter but also by the spirit, and the new military Command Structure, along with the appointment of many new Governors and Principal Secretaries all over the Empire made sure that it was done. Singapore was the last one to receive such a new one, due to arrive with the next Imperial Airways flight in three days. It was actually a good friend of his, and he looked forward to see him again after a few years. With that Percival walked briskly out of the building, down the front steps where is driver was waiting. The Morris Ten M he had been allocated as a official Car was not the biggest vehicle out there, but it handled well on the crowded roads of Singapore, and he preferred it over the heavy Dodge the General was driving. The car quickly left the city limits behind, driving out into the countryside, past the fields and countless construction sites. They passed one of the sites where Percival had ordered the construction of a munitions bunker, and he was glad to see the Royal Engineers hard at work, using the heaviest machinery that could be found in the City, shielded from the sun and casual, airborne observers by heavy camouflage netting. A few hundred yards down the road they stopped at a guard post of the Militia, where even the General Commanding the Defence Forces had to show his identification. The post consisted only of a small hut and a sandbaged Machine Gun nest where the thick barrel of a Vickers Heavy MG could be seen, but it showed that the Militiamen were taking their new responsibilities serious, freeing up valuable regular troops for other duties. The militia wore a surplus British Army Uniforms and was looking more militaristic than an unknowing observer might expect. Their drive was interrupted once more, this time by a patrol from the Singapore Garrison on training, as the men quickly crossed the street in front and the back of the car, not acknowledging the high-ranking occupant, except for the Lieutenant in command who threw a quick salute in Percival's direction before disappearing in the thicket at the side of the read. Percival grinned, and made a mental note to check up on the progress of the jungle training, and have some of the teams driven northwards up the peninsula to more suitable ground. When he arrived at the club the club president intercepted him on the way in. “General, is it really neccesary to install that observation post and that hideous gun battery on the grounds of the club?” Percival inwardly sighed and said: “Mr. Markowitz, rest assured that should we find out that the Japanese will make a de-tour around the golf club when they attack then you will be the first to know. Until then I am exercising my powers as Commander Forces, and as such I have to go in now. Please excuse me.” The man was complaining about the Anti-Air Guns and the observation tower the Royal Artillery was installing on the grounds of the club. The golfing itself was not impaired in any way, but many resented the optical impairment of the course that resulted from that. Percival looked around and could see the observation tower slowly growing skywards on the top of the building where the club stored the machinery used to tend the greens and shook his head. He had better things to do.
[Game Notes: I originally had intended something completely else for this chapter, but as I was writing it realized it didn't work, so I wrote this instead. I also chose this arrangement for Command in Singapore because I was too lazy to change the generals and was stuck with one with an unpronounceable, yet incredibly long and most British name. Same goes for Hong-Kong. CANZAC = Canadian-Australian-New Zealand Army Corps. I've done a bit reading on the OTL Battle of Singapore, and I do realize that it would be impossible to hold that fortress with a single Division in reality, but I am counting on the AI's reluctance to attack units in fortifications above lvl. 5. While this may seem gamey, I think that sooner or later they will manage to cut the supply line from the sea or de-org that Division from the air. Should I manage to hold it until it can be reinforced or the siege broken then Singapore will stand in one row with Rouke's Drift and so on, in any case it will make a valuable propaganda instrument. And if the Japanese can supply their forces on Guadalcanal that way the RN most certainly can supply Singapore, at least make sure they won't starve, especially with a much smaller Naval and Air threat. And now that the US election is finally over perhaps we can all get on with life. Please?]
Chapter 65
September 15th, 1939
Singapore, Imperial Dominion of Malaya
Although Major General Vavasour-Broom-Witts was formally in command of the British Forces in Malaya and Singapore, the day-to-day work was almost exclusively done by his second in Command and CinC Operations, Brigadier General Percival. He was the one to whom the officers of the Imperial Militia came for advice, he coordinated the efforts to build up the defences of the city, so he was in Operational Command, while the Major General was merely coordinating the efforts of all the services. This was a rather unusual arrangement, but the War Office and the IGS had insisted, obviously using the Far East to dump unwanted Generals that had stood in the way of the much needed reforms of 1938, because Hong-Kong had a similar arrangement. The General didn't like it, but Percival didn't care much, as the General had gotten the message and kept out of his way as much as possible. Percival was glad that it was so, as his job was hard enough as it was. All he had was one static Defence Division of British Troops and several companies of Imperial Militia, which were very motivated but horribly green, and only equipped with the cast-offs of the regular Army, which was for all intents and purposes not the worst equipment, as the Garrison itself had just received new kit en masse. Still, if the Japanese came to Singapore, and if their Siamese puppets aided them then his defence would... no, could be quite short-lived. He wasn't one to give up, and the news he had received from London lately weren't all bad. While he would receive no further troops and the CANZAC forces would most likely go into the defence of Burma and India he had received much other things to aid his defence, most importantly a Brigade of the Royal Engineers, one that had been intended to start building a massive string of fortifications that was to close the ring around the Island. The outbreak of war in Europe had thrown this plan down the waste basket, but at least some of the promised guns, ammunition, landmines and concrete was trickling in, with the latter three supplemented by domestic production from the various small factories that were springing up everywhere.
Percival was currently sitting in his office, cursing the infernal heat and putting the finishing touches to the Defence plan that he had to present to the Principal Secretary and the local provisional Government in three days. It was awfully simple on paper: Use Imperial Militia and small groups of regular British troops to fight a delaying action all along the peninsula, giving the Division and the rest of the militias, which where to expand their ranks by continued recruitment, time to man the fortifications, lay the last mines and last but not least booby-trap every piece of infrastructure on the other side of the Johore strait. The causeway was already slated for demolition, the Engineers planned to blast a gap of more than two-hundred yards into it, with a series of charges that would go off one after another after the fuse was lit instead of one big blast. Meanwhile the Engineers were also building massive underground bunkers where Munitions, rare materials, food an all sorts of supplies were to be stockpiled in order to enable the city to last longer if and when even the supplies by sea were to be cut. Commodore Chansey, his Navy liaison said that as long as Sumatra was in Dutch hands then the Navy could guarantee limited supply runs from India coming in at least during night-time, but it would still be a chancy thing. The fortifications would not be complete until late 1940-mid 1941 at the earliest and that was if the War situation in Europe didn't degrade too badly, something that every informed officer within the British Army feared. Still, if the nips really wanted to start something then Singapore would give them a damn good fight, that much he was sure of. Construction sites for the fortifications were already being prepared, non-existent guns sighted and Singapores scarce stock of spare munitions and guns of all types scattered all over the countryside, giving Percival confidence that if the Japanese gave him enough time Singapore would be a fortress armed to the teeth and manned by soldiers willing to fight down to the knife, not only the British Regulars but also the Militias, who would defend their homes, and that was always a very motivating factor. After another hour he wrote his signature under the last page of the paper and went out to the small anteroom where his aide had a desk. “Captain, do you know where I can find the General?” The Aide qucikly searched through his memory before answering: “He went to the Island Golf Club an hour ago. Shall I tell him you are on the way, Sir?” Percival nodded. “Yes, and have my car ready.” He went back into his office and poured himself another cup of the Tea he had nursed for the last two hours. By now it was only luke-warm, but the difference in the temperature made it seem cooler than it was. He cringed when he tasted it, but still took another cup downing it with one big gulp. Tea always calmed his nerves and he would need them calm. The Principal Secretary was a pompous idiot who didn't seem to understand that the times were changing, and who was slowing the Empire plan wherever he could. Percival too felt that it was going too fast, but he also knew that it was probably the best possible way to keep the British Empire on one piece.
Many, especially on the Far Eastern Colon...Dominions still resented the fact that they were now equals with the natives, but in the end they had no other choice. London had been quite clear on that. They were to implement the Empire Plan not only by letter but also by the spirit, and the new military Command Structure, along with the appointment of many new Governors and Principal Secretaries all over the Empire made sure that it was done. Singapore was the last one to receive such a new one, due to arrive with the next Imperial Airways flight in three days. It was actually a good friend of his, and he looked forward to see him again after a few years. With that Percival walked briskly out of the building, down the front steps where is driver was waiting. The Morris Ten M he had been allocated as a official Car was not the biggest vehicle out there, but it handled well on the crowded roads of Singapore, and he preferred it over the heavy Dodge the General was driving. The car quickly left the city limits behind, driving out into the countryside, past the fields and countless construction sites. They passed one of the sites where Percival had ordered the construction of a munitions bunker, and he was glad to see the Royal Engineers hard at work, using the heaviest machinery that could be found in the City, shielded from the sun and casual, airborne observers by heavy camouflage netting. A few hundred yards down the road they stopped at a guard post of the Militia, where even the General Commanding the Defence Forces had to show his identification. The post consisted only of a small hut and a sandbaged Machine Gun nest where the thick barrel of a Vickers Heavy MG could be seen, but it showed that the Militiamen were taking their new responsibilities serious, freeing up valuable regular troops for other duties. The militia wore a surplus British Army Uniforms and was looking more militaristic than an unknowing observer might expect. Their drive was interrupted once more, this time by a patrol from the Singapore Garrison on training, as the men quickly crossed the street in front and the back of the car, not acknowledging the high-ranking occupant, except for the Lieutenant in command who threw a quick salute in Percival's direction before disappearing in the thicket at the side of the read. Percival grinned, and made a mental note to check up on the progress of the jungle training, and have some of the teams driven northwards up the peninsula to more suitable ground. When he arrived at the club the club president intercepted him on the way in. “General, is it really neccesary to install that observation post and that hideous gun battery on the grounds of the club?” Percival inwardly sighed and said: “Mr. Markowitz, rest assured that should we find out that the Japanese will make a de-tour around the golf club when they attack then you will be the first to know. Until then I am exercising my powers as Commander Forces, and as such I have to go in now. Please excuse me.” The man was complaining about the Anti-Air Guns and the observation tower the Royal Artillery was installing on the grounds of the club. The golfing itself was not impaired in any way, but many resented the optical impairment of the course that resulted from that. Percival looked around and could see the observation tower slowly growing skywards on the top of the building where the club stored the machinery used to tend the greens and shook his head. He had better things to do.
[Game Notes: I originally had intended something completely else for this chapter, but as I was writing it realized it didn't work, so I wrote this instead. I also chose this arrangement for Command in Singapore because I was too lazy to change the generals and was stuck with one with an unpronounceable, yet incredibly long and most British name. Same goes for Hong-Kong. CANZAC = Canadian-Australian-New Zealand Army Corps. I've done a bit reading on the OTL Battle of Singapore, and I do realize that it would be impossible to hold that fortress with a single Division in reality, but I am counting on the AI's reluctance to attack units in fortifications above lvl. 5. While this may seem gamey, I think that sooner or later they will manage to cut the supply line from the sea or de-org that Division from the air. Should I manage to hold it until it can be reinforced or the siege broken then Singapore will stand in one row with Rouke's Drift and so on, in any case it will make a valuable propaganda instrument. And if the Japanese can supply their forces on Guadalcanal that way the RN most certainly can supply Singapore, at least make sure they won't starve, especially with a much smaller Naval and Air threat. And now that the US election is finally over perhaps we can all get on with life. Please?]
A spiffing update sir, a fine atmospheric piece.
It appears Operation Matador is off the agenda though, no offensive counter-invasion. Given Far East Command had pretty accurately predicted the entire Japanese plan even during the 1930s I hope there is some plan somewhere, though I concede there may not be the troops to enact it.
It appears Operation Matador is off the agenda though, no offensive counter-invasion. Given Far East Command had pretty accurately predicted the entire Japanese plan even during the 1930s I hope there is some plan somewhere, though I concede there may not be the troops to enact it.
Thank you. The plan is indeed there, but ATM they simply don't have the forces to enact it, therefore the defensive posture in the far east. They are holding thumbs that the Japanese don't attack, but they also did that in OTL. If they do attack then Singapore won't be a pushover.
Thank you all for voting for Against all Odds - The United Kingdom in World War 2 in the recent ACA's. Alas again no award, but I will endeavour to reach the magic mark next time.
the chads!....they're hanging!...Jeb Bush was skulking around the voting booths...there's been a mistake.trekaddict said:What? Are you Florida or something? You won!
I see that the Dominions are grouped into one big Army Corp.
I hope to see Canadian, or rather CANZAC action soon!
I hope to see Canadian, or rather CANZAC action soon!
How funny... I was rereading Tenko, a novel about the experiences of a group of British female women in Japanese PoW camps which start at the fall of Singapore...Coincidence?
BritishImperial No problem. Rest assured that next time you will recieve ample warning in this AAR.
Griffin.Gen They will see action one day, but not for some time. I always found it odd that the Canadians never worked together with the other dominions, and figured that in TTL where the Empire has to rely on itself more than it had to in OTL such cooperation is credible.
Kurt_Steiner Didn't they make a film about that one? Anyway, Singapore will not fall if I have anything to say about it. Imagine the headlines: "Fortress Singapore still stands fast - Siege lasts 689 days now" Priceless, or "British and Imperial Forces still hold Singapore - Great Example for cooperation" when you want to eliminate racial prejudices. Churchill will love it, and the 1960's war films alone make me wish I lived in TTL.
Griffin.Gen They will see action one day, but not for some time. I always found it odd that the Canadians never worked together with the other dominions, and figured that in TTL where the Empire has to rely on itself more than it had to in OTL such cooperation is credible.
Kurt_Steiner Didn't they make a film about that one? Anyway, Singapore will not fall if I have anything to say about it. Imagine the headlines: "Fortress Singapore still stands fast - Siege lasts 689 days now" Priceless, or "British and Imperial Forces still hold Singapore - Great Example for cooperation" when you want to eliminate racial prejudices. Churchill will love it, and the 1960's war films alone make me wish I lived in TTL.