Rebuilding the Great Empire - Timurids AAR (Death and Taxes MOD)

blklizard · Jul 9, 2014

Chapter 152

Battle of Ceylon

Location: Ceylon, Mughals
Date: 4 July 1889 - 17 August 1889 (1 month, 1 week and 6 days)
Result: Decisive Brittany Victory
Territorial Changes: Ceylon Occupied by Brittany Forces

Belligerents:
-Brittany (BRT) // -Mughals (MUG)

Commanders and leaders:
-Admiral Karson Dibble(BRT)
-General Marcel Marling (BRT)
-General Jovany Fairey (BRT)

//

-Brigadier General Uday Chaudhari (MUG)
-Brigadier General Shamba Sankaran (MUG)

Units involved:
-Second Army (BRT)
-Third Army (BRT)

//

-Ceylon 1st Militia Regiment (MUG)
-Ceylon 2nd Militia Regiment (MUG)

Strength:
-810,000 // -10,000

Casualties and losses:
-2,000 casualties // -10,000 casualties

Brittany Intentions

Brittany entered the war soon after Great Britain. Unlike the British, the Brittany government has given up on being a dominant power in Europe. With their possessions in North America and Oceania, Brittany looked to establish control over territories British has little influence over to avoid conflict with their powerful neighbor. Much of Asia was free from British control and the Brittany government knew that their ally was busy in Scandinavia and Northern Germany. Thus, they hoped to use the opportunity to establish their control over mainland Asia. India was slowly industrializing with its large population and production was booming with its many resources. Brittany leaders saw the location ideal for expanding their powers. Not only would the land taken in India help strengthen Brittany in production and manpower but it would also open up more options in Asia such as Southeast Asia and China. Brittany hoped to use their gains in India to strengthen themselves so they can one day challenge the British for control of North America.

Brittany Preparations

Brittany and Great Britain have been sharing intelligence for a long time already. Thus, Brittany began their preparations at around the same time as the British. Many key ports in Oceania were improved to hold the large fleet being built in the region. In Eastern Australia, soldiers were being assembled as they prepared for the signal to move out to India. Brittany leaders were cautious as they knew they don't have the manpower like many of their allies. They knew that they must utilize their naval dominance in Asia as best as they could to bring victory. Their first target was Ceylon which was not only believed to be lightly guarded but also easily defended for Brittany once they captured it. There was no doubt that Brittany had naval dominance in the region and the Mughals, with their many defeats, were in disarray. Many of their holdings were poorly defended and Brittany would have the perfect opportunity to strike.

Mughals Preparations

The Mughals weren't expecting an invasion on India so quickly. Their navy were still being built along western Indian coast as they quickly organized men to reinforce their troops in Egypt and Europe. A Mughals army that normally patrolled Ceylon was called onto mainland India in preparation of reinforcing the front lines and only two militia regiments were left behind. The two regiments were defending the two key cities on Ceylon, Colombo and Jaffna. The small fleet that was positioned at the island was also pulled to the west in preparation for the Spanish invasion from the west.

The Invasion

The Brittany navy arrived without warning as it split into two groups with a group striking Colombo and another striking Jaffna. The defenders weren't prepared for the invasion but they manned the walls readying themselves for the waves after waves of soldiers. Unlike the Spanish and British, Brittany generals weren't willing to sacrifice their soldiers' lives unless it was necessary. Instead of sending in soldiers immediately, the Brittany navy began heavy bombardment over the two cities hoping to weaken the defenses. The two cities had outdated defenses and their walls began to crumble under the firepower. The defenders were forced to retreat from the walls but the bombardments never ceased. It wasn't until multiple breaches were made did the Brittany ships cease their bombardment. The soldiers were then landed onto the coast where they proceeded with caution. The defenders were shaken by the bombardments but they were unwilling to surrender to their enemies. It was reported that both cities lost roughly half of their men in the bombardments and less than half of the remaining soldiers still could continue fighting. Still, these men, outnumbered as they were, did their best setting up defenses behind the breached walls. The Brittany soldiers encountered weak resistance and they soon forced back the Mughals defenders. The Brittany soldiers were making excellent progress both in Colombo and Jaffna while they were suffering very little casualties. The two Mughals regiments were eventually wiped out and Colombo and Jaffna were captured on 20 July and 3 August, respectively.

Outcome

Brittany won a decisive victories at the two cities suffering less losses than their enemy. The remainder of the island fell under their control on 17 August and the Brittany generals were busy building fortifications on the island. With the combination of strong fortifications and naval support, the Brittany control over Ceylon was going to be tough to challenge for the Mughals. The Brittany also prepared their soldiers for the invasion of mainland India where they expected more resistance from their enemy. With an ideal launching point in India, Brittany looked poised to strike at the Mughals capital first before all their allies.

blklizard · Jul 15, 2014

Chapter 153

The Mongol Messenger

July 6, 1889

B2

Chinese Nations Declared War

On July 6, the nation of Tianwan has declared war on the Mughals. The European war has been of great interest to the many Asian nations and Tianwan was no exception. The Chinese nation has been waiting patiently as their emperor and his subjects observed the progress of the war. Since the start of the war, many Chinese armies were positioned along the border of the two nations and their presence struck fear in the Mughals patrol parties. For many months, there has been no action from the Chinese armies but the tensions between the two nations were still high. The local militias have no idea when the Chinese will strike and, with their enemy vastly outnumbering them, knew they stand little chance without reinforcements. Soon, the news of many Mughals defeats across many fronts reached the Asia nations in the east. The Chinese emperor learned about the defeats but he was still hesitant about declaration of war. It wasn't until he learned that Brittany captured Ceylon did he ordered the declaration of war. The news of another front against the Mughals have given the Chinese Emperor confidence and courage to declare war on the mighty Indian nation. Believing that the Mughals armies will be stretched severely thin from their many fronts, the Chinese emperor felt his nation had a chance to obtain land from the Mughals. The Chinese emperor hoped to wrest territories in Asia from the Mughals to challenge the Mughals over the control of all of Asia.

The diplomatic situation between the Mughals and Tianwan has always been a complicated one. The Mughals, after taking much of India, turned their focus on Europe where their future conquests took place. Despite not expanding into Tianwan territories, the Chinese still hated the Mughals for their power and wealth. Not only did the Chinese emperors feared the Mughals but they also blamed the Mughals for cutting them off from expanding further eastwards. Many small skirmishes took place between the two sides but, with cooler heads prevailing, no war did result from those skirmishes. This was the situation between the two nations for a few centuries and no major conflicts arose until the recent declaration of war. There were a number of factors that sparked the new war. First, the new emperor of Tianwan was a young and ambitious man hoping to defeat the Mughals and be the dominant power in Asia while earning the title of the greatest Emperor of China. Secondly, the Mughals have dedicated much resources in their wars within Europe which meant that their forces in Asia weren't as well equipped or prepared for war. Third, the many defeats showed that the Mughals were anything but invincible and that has given the Tianwan emperor reason to declare war. A major conflict was bound to take place between the two nations and the question was when. As it turned out, the time is now as Tianwan has brought Asia into the war against the Mughals.

Prior to the war, Tianwan has been defeating Wu in successive wars until the ruler of Wu agreed to be a vassal of Tianwan. Therefore, Wu had no choice but to join in the war as well. Wu complemented Tianwan well as they were superior on the seas while Tianwan had massive armies. The two Chinese nations were some of the richest nations in the world and they had huge populations to quickly replenish the men they lost on the battlefield. The two Chinese nations have a simply strategy against the Mughals. Wu, using their naval superiority, would sail along the coast of India where they would pressure the coastal cities and probe for weakness. Meanwhile, Tianwan troops would be marching their main forces through the Himalayas with small detachments sent to Siberia. Their goal was the encirclement of the city of Delhi and force the Mughals Doge to agree to a harsh peace treaty where the Chinese emperor dictated the terms. The Mughals will, at the end of the war, lose possession of their many European territories while India would be largely fractured. Following the peace treaties with the European nations, the Mughals will be a shadow of their former selves and Tianwan will be the undisputed dominant power in Asia and, eventually, the world.

blklizard · Aug 11, 2014

To all my readers, I apologize for the break in this AAR. I was getting a bit frustrated with the pace of this AAR and wanted a short break. I've returned thinking of a different approach that will hopefully speed things up. Please be patient with me regarding the changes and any feedback is welcomed.

Chapter 154 (1889)

European Frontier

Mughals Italy

Following the victory in Savoy, the Spanish forces were unopposed in their quest to capture Mughals Italy. The Italian peninsula was a rich area that would provide plenty of wealth and supplies for the Spanish forces. Given that the Mughals haven't taken control of Italy for too long, many of the local young men were eager to join the Spanish to repel their ruler. The complete annihilation of the Mughals forces in Cuneo meant the only Mughals forces left standing in Spain's way were the militias posted in every major cities. Learning from their previous engagements, the Spanish generals used naval bombardments whenever it was possible to greatly lessen their casualties. Mughals Italy would eventually be completely occupied by the Spanish in December and their generals were quick to enlarge the local ports for their next phase of attacks. The loss of Italy was expected for the Mughals following their loss in Savoy. They already began pulling back in the Eastern Europe to regroup for upcoming battles. Upon seeing the Spanish working on ports, the Mughals were sure that their enemy was planning on targeting Mughals provinces bordering the Black Sea.

Northern Germany/Netherlands/Russia

The victory in Scandinavia was vital for the British in their invasion of mainland Europe. With a proper launching pad for their troops, the British began their focus on three separate fronts. Knowing their enemies were losing ground steadily, British forces hoped to continue their push to ensure the Mughals and Germans remained off balance. The first front was Northern Germany which would aid their allies in the Alsace-Lorraine region. The Saxony would be forced to answer with their forces which would greatly lessen their ability of reinforcing their other forces. To put on more pressure, British forces were also sent to the Netherlands which would command the attention of more Saxony soldiers. With the three fronts (Alsace-Lorraine, Netherlands and Northern Germany) combined together, the Saxony forces would eventually collapse and their capital would be wide open to a direct assault. To prevent the Mughals from reinforcing Saxony, the British also began their invasion of Russia. Without time to regroup, the Saxony and Mughals would soon be overwhelmed by their enemies. The Saxony government, upon realizing the situation they were in, began mobilizing all of their reserves. Unknown for the enemies, the reserves had the purpose of evacuating all the scientists, engineers and people vital to the nation out of the country. The soldiers would secretly escort these people over the border into Mughals territory where they would meet with Mughals forces. While their intended destination was unknown, the Saxony government had faith that their nation would be rebuilt by those evacuated eastwards.

Alsace-Lorraine

The region has been hotly contested since the start of the war. Neither sides gained much ground until the French forces from Savoy reinforced. With a concentrated assault, the defenders were forced back bit by bit. Without reinforcements of their own, the defenders were eventually forced into a corner where they were the decision of either fight or flee. The defenders weren't willing to back out without a fight and they regrouped before, surprising the enemy, mounted their own counterattack. For three months, the two sides fought on with bodies littered across the battlefield. While the defenders did fight valiantly, their efforts were not enough as they were overwhelmed by a much greater enemy force. The French captured the major cities in the region and, due to their high casualties in the battle, had to call upon their reserves to push into Saxony territory. The defenders were in full retreat and Saxony generals scrambled in putting together regiments to bolster their ranks against the overwhelming odds they were facing. Saxony generals knew they had no hope of fending off the current invasions but they had to buy time for the major evacuation. By fooling the enemy that they still had the manpower and will to continue fighting, the enemy would remain caution and their progress would be slowed down considerably.

Asian Frontier

Tashkent

North of India, there was a small region that connected Tianwan and Mughals. The city of Tashkent was in a strategic position that commanded that small region. The Mughals needed to remain in control if they hoped to funnel the Chinese soldiers into unfavorable choke points. For the assault of Tashkent, Tianwan was rumored to have sent eight hundred thousand men along with two hundred thousand men front Wu. For the Mughals, the defenders, two hundred thousand men, were quickly reinforced by four hundred thousand men in Samarkand. As a former capital of the Mughals nation, Samarkand has grown considerably into a large metropolis capable to holding massive armies. In addition, the Mughals had plenty of time to prepare for this invasion which seemed to threaten the Mongols for many centuries. The Mughals felt that their numbers, with the choke points, would bring them victory against the Chinese even if they sent twice their numbers at Tashkent.

Mughals Siberia

The region was easy pickings for Tianwan forces but, for many, it was difficult to see the reason of occupying the region. With a vast area of nothingness, the Chinese had little to gain from the region. Still, some would argue that the Chinese nation hoped to open another front against the Mughals which seemed equally foolish. The attrition in Siberia would hurt the Chinese so much that, by the time they reached more mild climates, they wouldn't have enough men to launch a proper attack. Whatever the reason, the Mughals were prepared for any Chinese forces that do enter through Siberia and they intend to send them back packing.

European Frontier

Asian Frontier

blklizard · Aug 20, 2014

Chapter 155 (1890)

European Frontier

St. Petersburg

While the British intended on forcing the Mughals into a defensive position, they still wished to make progress in the war with the capture of St. Petersburg. The city was situated at a strategic point with St. Petersburg separating Finland from the heart of Russia. A victory at St. Petersburg would open the path for the British to the rest of Russia. Losing the city would be disastrous for the Mughals as they would struggle to contain the British push that would follow. In response, the Mughals sent two armies to reinforce the army that retreated from Scandinavia. St. Petersburg was a very well fortified city given the history of the region. When the Mughals and Sweden were at war, the city was the "citadel" holding the Swedish armies at bay. Despite the annexation of much of Scandinavia and the lack of threat in the area, the defenses of the city were still improved to meet the new standards. In the decades prior to the war, many thought the ducats spent on the city was wasted but the critics have been silenced given the situation of the war. The British, even if they had naval bombardment support, would still have a tough time breaking through the fortress-like city. However, they still tried and the siege of St. Petersburg commenced on January 5, 1890.

Initially, the British soldiers had to deal with the snow that made setting up camp difficult. The defenders were well prepared for the climate and they waited atop the walls in comfort and safety. When the snow finally thawed, the British navy entered Neva river where they began pounding the thick city walls. The city walls were well built and the soldiers were provided cover from the bombardment. Overall, the bombardments proved to be nothing more than an annoyance for those that tried to go about their business. The British launched many waves of direct assault but they were forced back with ease. Had the defenders of the city not been well supplied, the British could have waited out the defenders until thirst and hunger overtake them. Thus, the siege saw no progress for the attacks and month passed by quickly. In November, the Neva river began to freeze and the British ships were forced to retreat. A month later, the British, unable to make a dent to the fortress-like city, retreated back to Scandinavia. The Mughals may have won a grand victory at St. Petersburg but the British accomplished their goal in cutting off potential reinforcements to Saxony.

Saxony territory

The fall of Alsace-Lorraine region would put the Saxony troops in a very unfavorable situation. With men in Northern Germany and Netherlands in an attempt to hold back the British, they were stretched thin in men. The Mughals were tied up in many of their other fronts which meant that Saxony was alone in the defense of their homeland. Following the defeat in Alsace-Lorraine, the Saxony troops retreated to set up defenses at Cologne, Wiesbaden and Stuttgart. The French were relentless in their push and the three cities would be under siege shortly after. Cologne was under the most pressure and, a week before the defenders abandoned the city, the Saxony troops at Rotterdam were alerted to retreat to Bielefeld so they wouldn't be cut from the other armies. When Cologne did fall, the Saxony troops there retreated to join forces with those in Bielefeld. In addition, the Saxony armies retreated from Wiesbaden and Stuttgart to avoid encirclement by the French following the fall of Cologne. Those in Wiesbaden headed to Kassel while those in Stuttgart retreated to Coburg. A month later, the Saxony forces sent to Northern Germany suffered defeat at the hands of the British forces and, with the loss of Aalborg, they retreated to Flensburg to prepare a second line of defense. Two months later, the Saxony forces would be pushed back further into their homeland with the French and British inching closer to Berlin. The Mughals finally had reinforcements who were sent to Prague and Linz to halt the enemy advances in Southern Germany. However, the French and British were intent on taking Berlin and headed straight for the Saxony capital. In October, the Saxony troops, under pressure, retreated further into their territory where they set up defenses at Wittenburg, Brandenburg and Schwerin. Despite their best efforts, the Saxony troops at Brandenburg and Schwerin were defeated and, in their last ditch effort, retreated to Berlin to defend their capital. The French and British forces were expected to arrive at Berlin days after the new year.

Asian Frontier

Novosibirsk

What was left of the Chinese army that traveled through Siberia arrived at Novosibirsk battered and exhausted. The attrition has taken a severe toll on their numbers and, by the time the Chinese soldiers arrived, they only had a few thousand men left. At Novosibirsk, a Mughals regiment arrived several weeks prior to the arrival of the Chinese and they were ready for the attackers. The Chinese set up camp and prepared an encirclement around the small town that was filled with defenders. Only days after their arrival, the Chinese soldiers would experience another storm storm. The temperature dropped so low that many Chinese soldiers froze to death. A week after the start of the siege, many Chinese soldiers have deserted their posts and those that remained were forced to retreat. It was believed that the Chinese army that set foot into Siberia was completely annihilated. The disastrous expedition forced the Tianwan government to rethink their war with the Mughals.

Southern India

Six months after the capture of Ceylon, Brittany forces launched their assault on mainland India. With three armies at their disposal (six hundred thousand men), they crossed the Palk in secret and made a b-line to Madurai. Since losing Ceylon, the Mughals were trying to recruit men to retake the island. However, the declaration of war from Tianwan and Wu kept the Mughals forces occupied. Brittany used the six months to plan out their assault and, with their estimation, they believed that Southern India would belong to them within six months. At Madurai, several militias were defending the city but they would stand little chance against the well trained Brittany soldiers. Despite outnumbering their enemy and being in a defensive position, the militias would eventually lose to their enemy and the city was lost a month later. With momentum by their side, one of the Brittany armies would move forward until they arrived Tiruchirappalli. At Tiruchirappalli, there were several Mughals divisions posted with the goal of halting the Brittany advances. The Brittany general, underestimating his enemies, proceeded a direct assault to quickly capture the city. The defenders were better trained compared to the militias the Brittany soldiers met earlier and, after a grueling siege that lasted for three months, Brittany forces were forced to retreat due to high losses. However, Brittany forces would return two months later and, with caution and excellent tactics, they were able to take the city in time to celebrate the new year.

Medina

Half of the Spanish forces in Egypt were sent along the other side of the Red Sea to remove any obstacles that stood in the way of their navy aiming to reach India though the Suez Canal. The terrain the Spanish soldiers must traverse through was difficult and progress was slow. In addition, setting up supply lines were more difficult than first anticipated which created many delays. The Spanish general leading the men made a poor mistake when he ventured off the coast and headed towards Medina. Medina was a very holy city for the locals and an army heading towards it never meant a good thing, especially an army following a heathen faith. When the people learned of the Spanish force target, the locals across the Arabian peninsula, including those of the minor nations in the region, joined forces at Medina to fend off the Spanish soldiers. Instead of allowing the Spanish troops to get close to the city, the defenders chose a location several miles from the holy city where they set up a trap. The location was very dry with no sources of water nearby. The defenders would encircle the enemy and weaken them while cutting off their supplies. The plan worked to perfection and, a week since the initial engagement, all of the Spanish soldiers perished either through thirst or starvation.

African Frontier

Aswan

Half of the Spanish forces in Egypt were well rested before they proceeded southwards towards the Ethiopia region. The short rest delayed the Spanish forces greatly as they gave the local guerrilla fighters time to regroup. While the losses for the Spanish was minimal, the constant threat of the guerrilla demoralized the Spanish soldiers and provided the Mughals ample amount of time in setting up the defenses at Aswan. When the Spanish soldiers arrived, the city was believed to be capable of holding out for two years if necessary. The siege of Aswan lasted for four months and the Spanish forces suffered relatively heavy casualties. The combination of strong resistance and constant guerrilla raids on the Spanish supply lines forced the Spanish to retreat back to Northern Egypt. The Mughals suffered few losses but they still requested the army situated in Ethiopia to reinforce them as they prepared to mount a counterattack on Northern Egypt.

European Frontier

Asian Frontier

African Frontier

blklizard · Aug 24, 2014

Chapter 156

The Mongol Messenger

January 6, 1891

B4

Chinese Nations Begged for Peace

The Chinese nations that were foolish enough to declare war on the Mughals have begged for peace. Since declaring war on the July of 1889, the Chinese nations seemed determined to defeat our nation. They thought that we have been weakened by the European powers. Their mistake of assuming that we were helpless against their forces would cost them dearly. The Chinese people will remember this war not for its victories but for its meaningless sacrifices. To make matters worse, their fallen men will be in distant lands with no ways of returning home. Their corpses will be littered across the paths they have taken. The local climates will be merciless when it comes to taking the lives of their men. Even though we are enemies, we feel for their tragedy because their leaders are weak. We pray that they will find peace in the afterlife because they didn't deserve any of this.

The emperor of Tianwan has actually believed that he had a chance to challenge the Mughals. He believed that, by massing up massive armies, he could roll over our soldiers like they were nothing. The Chinese emperor has believed that his men could handle the elements we grew up in. He was wrong and his soldiers would die by the hundreds each day. In Siberia, their well sheltered soldiers couldn't handle a little cold and only a few thousand men, out of a couple hundred thousand men, made it to their destination. Rumors said nearly all of them froze to death before they could fire their weapons. For those that made it, it didn't take long before the elements killed the remaining soldiers. We have reasons to believe that not a single Chinese soldier that ventured into Siberia made it back home alive. Those soldiers should have stayed home where they were accustomed to. They couldn't hope to survive in the lands where we grow up in because they are weak. There is a reason why we, the Mughals, have become great conquerors while the Chinese fought amongst themselves and stayed in their tiny corner in the world.

In Tashkent, the Chinese forces, despite vastly outnumber our own, couldn't defeat our valiant defenders. They have sent waves after waves and we repelled their attacks one after another. Their corpses have littered the battlefield while we suffered a few casualties. The high casualties have proven to Tianwan that their advantage in quantity cannot hope to match our quality. They have learned their lesson and, had we not been busy with our multiple front war, we would've struck at the heart of China and not let them forget their mistake. The many losses in the war, along with internal struggles, made the Chinese emperor rethink his poor decision. Their treasury is no doubt being emptied by their campaigns and, the longer the war goes, the weaker they become. The Chinese emperor at least had the foresight to see where the war would be headed. He knew that an extended war would hurt his nation much more than it would hurt ours. We could only hope that future Chinese emperors would learn from this mistake and be content that we have no desire for their land.

On the 4th of January, Chinese diplomats arrived in Delhi requesting an audience. Our Doge met them shortly after and negotiations went underway. While we have won many battles, the Doge had no intention of taking territory. The multiple wars already require many soldiers and he didn't need a rebellious province to give him more grief. As a kind Doge, he offered a peace offer that saw the Chinese nations give up one million ducats as reparation. Tianwan, with her many rich provinces, could easily handle this payment. A portion of the reparation would go to the families of deceased soldiers and as payment to soldiers that fought against Chinese forces. The remainder would be sent to the Russian region to build refugee camps for the German people that were forced out of their home. We will use this opportunity to state that we thank the German people for their sacrifices in coming to our aid. We won't forget about their sacrifices and we will take back Saxony for them one day. We may have been born in different parts of the world but history has shown that our bonds are strong. Together, we will fight back the invaders to reclaim our rightful place in the world.

blklizard · Aug 31, 2014

Chapter 157

Battle of Berlin

Location: Berlin, Saxony
Date: 10 January 1891 - 21 September 1891 (8 month, 1 week and 4 days)
Result: Decisive British/French Victory
Territorial Changes: Berlin Occupied by British Forces

Belligerents:
-Great Britain (GB) // -Saxony (SAX)
-France (FRA)

Commanders and leaders:
-General Dakota Gorsuch (GB)
-General Marcel Marling (GB)
-General Jovany Fairey (GB)
-General Shamar Tippit (GB)
-General Thaddée Lemire (FRA)
-General Rémy Emery (FRA)
-General Lilian Chatain (FRA)
-General Thierry Fouchard (FRA)
-General Théodore Dartois (FRA)
-General Aimee Pouzet (FRA)
-General Gildas Bonin (FRA)
-General Paul Cabot (FRA)
-General Romain Godart (FRA)
-General Ronald Baert (FRA)

//

-General Florentin Roehr (SAX)
-General Wanja Wendland (SAX)
-General Felix Lotz (SAX)
-General Linus Gehring (SAX)
-General Rolf Martin (SAX)
-General Leo Heitler (SAX)
-General Gabriel Strauss (SAX)

Units involved:
-Second Army (GB)
-Third Army (GB)
-Fourth Army (GB)
-Fifth Army (GB)
-First Army (FRA)
-Second Army (FRA)
-Third Army (FRA)
-Fourth Army (FRA)
-Fifth Army (FRA)
-Sixth Army (FRA)
-Seventh Army (FRA)
-Eighth Army (FRA)
-Ninth Army (FRA)
-Tenth Army (FRA)

//

-First Army (SAX)
-Second Army (SAX)
-Third Army (SAX)
-Fifth Army (SAX)
-Sixth Army (SAX)
-Seventh Army (SAX)
-Eighth Army (SAX)

Strength:
-1,170,000 // -452,000

Casualties and losses:
-643,000 casualties // -366,000 casualties

Preparations

British and French forces advanced with a single objective: capture Berlin and force Saxony to capitulate. Saxony forces were still resisting and both the British and French generals cannot deny that they were taking heavy casualties. They needed a victory that would force Saxony out of the war and targeting Berlin would do just that. With the Saxony capital occupied, the Saxony government and its people would have to capitulate. With the complete occupation of Saxony, the Mughals would be alone in the fight against the powerful coalition of Great Britain, France and Spain. Following their many victories, the combined forces of the British and French advanced towards Berlin from the Northwest direction. British forces suffered minimal losses but the same cannot be said about the French forces. The dreadful campaign in Alsace-Lorraine region saw exceptionally high casualties which forced the French to call up all their reserves to ensure that the push could continue. As for the British, they had confidence that they could take the city with the French and thus requested no reinforcements.

Saxony forces from Wittenburg, Brandenburg and Schwerin all retreated back to Berlin to form a final line of defense. During their retreats since the start of the war, Saxony forces suffered substantial losses and less than five hundred thousand men made it to Berlin. Considering that the Seven Saxony field armies once boasted 1.4 million men, the losses they suffered has been staggering. However, the Saxony soldiers were determined to hold Berlin and, should the capital fall, they would take many of the enemy soldiers with them. Unknown to the enemy, the Saxony government along with much of its population has already been evacuated into Mughals territory. Even if the British and French were to capture the capital, the Saxony nation would still exist as its people will remain free in a friendly nation.

Encirclement of Berlin

On 10 January, British and French forces were seen by the defenders within Berlin. With a combined strength of 1.2 million, the attackers felt confident that they could defeat the defenders with ease. They were under the impression that the defenders were exhausted and their morale was at an all time low. A couple of breaches would immediately rout the defenders and the capital would be theirs. However, British and French generals weren't incompetent as they took measures to prevent enemy reinforcements from reaching Berlin. Many detachments were ordered to cover south and east of Berlin. Their objective was to hold off any reinforcements that would attempt to break through to the defenders and relay the position of the reinforcements to the central command. While redirecting troops to fight off the reinforcements would slow down the attacker's progress in the siege, British and French generals knew that they would eventually win the siege. Based on their intelligence, they learned that the supplies within the city was low and there was little chance that the defenders could hold out for too long. The attackers would split their forces into two groups and attack from either the north or west of Berlin.

Attack on Outer Wall

A week since they encircled Berlin, the attackers launched their attack. Their cannons would be coordinated the pound the outer wall mercilessly while their infantry began their advance forward. Thinking that the German soldiers would be forced to take cover from the cannon bombardment, the advancing infantry moved forward steadily to preserve their strength for the ascent of the walls. Little did they know, German soldiers anticipated this and they made some modifications to their walls. The modifications provided German soldiers cover while allowing them to fire directly at incoming infantry. The German soldiers waited until they were given the order to fire. Once the attacking infantry were within range, the German soldiers fired a volley that absolutely devastated the attackers. The few survivors quickly sought out cover but the defenders made sure they had none. The survivors were gunned down soon enough and the initial attacking wave failed. The attacker stopped sending another wave as they ordered their cannons to continue bombarding the walls. The walls of Berlin were sturdy but the attackers were determined in breaking through.

On 23 February, a small breach was made at the north wall. Seeing the breach, the attacker sent another wave to enter through the breach hoping to overwhelm the defenders. The wave charged forward and the soldiers at the front were gunned down. When soldiers began to enter through the breach, machine guns were fired and the attacking soldiers were mowed down. Given that they were sitting duck, the soldiers had no option but move forward. While a portion of the soldiers were trying to gain entry through the breach, several others were scaling the walls with the makeshift ladders they carried with them. The soldiers that entered through the breach were all easily mowed down by the waiting machine guns but those that scaled the walls were more fortunate. Many attacking soldiers reached the top and engaged the enemy in close quarter fights. During the chaos, a few of the attackers managed to throw a few well aimed grenades into the machine gun nests. German soldiers quickly moved to the machine gun nests but a few attackers managed to get through the breach during that break. A short engagement saw the attackers fended off and the machine gun nests ready to cover the breach once again.

While the second wave was engaging the enemy, a few more breaches were made at the north wall. A third wave was sent to reinforce the second wave while the cannons were positioned to target the west wall where the wall still stood strong. The defenders, in response to the new breaches, set up new machine gun nests to cover the breaches. Thus, the attackers continued to push forward in an attempt to overwhelm the defenders. While the waves made little progress forward, the defender casualty was rising steadily. As more breaches were created, more attacking waves were sent forward and the defenders were stretched very thin. Eventually, the attackers captured the north wall and began making their way to the west wall. The defenders, seeing the attackers breaking through, were forced to retreat to the inner wall. On 17 June, the outer wall was captured by the attackers.

Attack on Inner Wall

On 20 June, the attackers began their assault on the inner walls. Due to the civilian buildings and many narrow streets and avenue, the attackers' cannons were limited in their strategic positioning. The defenders, anticipating this, reinforced the walls they suspected would take a heavier pounding. As a result, the cannon bombardments, after two months, still couldn't make a breach. The British and French generals, getting impatient with their lack of progress, ordered an all out assault. The attackers would charge forward with makeshift ladders but they would meet severe resistance. The German generals, seeing the development of the battle, ordered all the machine guns to be positioned atop the walls and, with the other firearms, began mowing down the enemy. For two weeks, the attackers were getting mowed down and made little progress other than placing a few ladders against the walls. However, the defenders were running low on ammunition and, on September 7, the attackers would charge at the walls unopposed. They scaled the walls and saw the German soldiers preparing for the close quarter battle. Despite their heroic last stand, Saxony forces were overwhelmed and the attackers, on September 21, would completely occupy the Saxony capital.

Outcome

The Saxony capital, Berlin, would fall under British control. The siege was a bloody one that saw heavy casualties on both sides. The defenders lost eighty percent of all their total men. The remainder, estimated around eighty six thousand men, would be POW. The attackers didn't fare that much better as their generals got too hasty with their final assault. The attacker casualty was at a minimal until the final assault that saw the final casualty rise to six hundred forty three thousand men. The casualty accounted for more than half their total fighting force. Of the casualties, the French field armies would be absolutely devastated while the British field armies suffered the most losses since the start of the war. British and French forces may have captured Berlin but many historians argue that the cost was too high. After suffering such massive casualties, the British and French forces would lack the manpower to continue their push into Mughals territory. In addition, the time they spent on taking Berlin also provided the Mughals ample time to coordinate their men for a counterattack.

blklizard · Sep 18, 2014

Chapter 158 (1891)

European Frontier

St. Petersburg

British forces waited until the ice thawed before they began another siege of St. Petersburg. The British generals knew the importance of the city and how the capture of it would potentially usurp the Mughals' control of Russia. Like previously, naval bombardments would take place while British forces charge forward. Casualties within the British ranks rose steadily while the Mughals suffered very little, if any, losses. There were also news that Mughals reinforcements were arriving a few months after the siege. The fortress like city didn't buckle under the bombardments and the British had to rethink their strategy. They knew that, should Mughals reinforcements arrive, there was a chance that Mughals forces would counterattack. Should the Mughals be successful, the gains made in Scandinavia would be lost in an instant. Fearing that the risk was too high, the British were forced to abandon their siege and return to more defensible positions within Scandinavia. The British suffered some casualties in the two siege of St. Petersburg but the losses did little to hurt them. The Mughals knew that and chose to remain on the defensive until they find an opportunity to strike. Retaking Scandinavia would be priority to turning the war around if they hoped to construct a large enough navy to challenge the British and Spanish navy.

Asian Frontier

Southern India

The Mughals were patient in mobilizing their men in Northern India. With care, they were able to get a considerable number of soldiers into Southern India without Brittany forces detection. After taking position at Tiruchirappalli, the Mughals general ordered a surprise attack on the Brittany soldiers that were guarding the gates. The attack was such a surprise that the defenders didn't have time to close the gates and Mughals soldiers stormed in. Grueling skirmishes in the streets would ensue with both sides suffering casualties. Faced off against the combination of unrest and determined enemy forces, Brittany generals ordered the abandonment of Tiruchirappalli so their losses would be minimal. On their retreat to Madurai, the Brittany forces would encounter guerrilla forces along the main roads that saw further casualties. By the time they arrived at their intended city, they were surprised to see the city already under Mughals control. Apparently, a reasonable size Mughals force managed to sneak to Madurai and attacked the surprised defenders. The defenders at Madurai were few in numbers and the city fell relatively quickly. The retreating Brittany soldiers were forced to travel around Madurai and travel across the strait back to Ceylon to regroup.

African Frontier

Egypt

Spanish presence in Northern Egypt lessened greatly since their defeat at Medina and Awsan. The Mughals used the opportunity to strike before Spanish reinforcements can arrive. The army positioned at Ethiopia has managed arrive in Southern Egypt which allowed the forces stationed their to advance north. The Mughals forces met little resistance until they arrived at Cairo where the majority of Spanish soldiers were situated at. These soldiers were given the option to surrender but they chose to continue resistance. Vastly outnumbering the defenders, the Mughals soldiers began a direct assault at the walls. Many breaches from the previous Spanish siege still existed and the Mughals used those to their advantage. When the first Mughals soldiers began pouring through the breaches, they were shocked by what they saw. The Spanish soldiers, knowing that they have lost, instead chose to set the city of Cairo on fire. The Mughals soldiers instantly set about to put out the blaze while a small detachment would deal with the Spanish soldiers. The Spanish force garrisoned in Cairo would be eliminated eventually but their fires have done considerable damage to the city. In addition, they have committed horrendous crimes when they purposely locked civilians in buildings before setting it on fire. Thousands of civilians lost their lives in the blaze and the Egyptian people began to become anti-Spanish. The rest of Northern Egypt would be liberated as Spanish forces were evacuated by ships back to Spain.

European Frontier

Asian Frontier

African Frontier

blklizard · Sep 21, 2014

Chapter 159

The Mongol Messenger

February 6, 1892

B5

British/French Advance Halted

The combined push of British and French forces were halted at the Saxony-Mughals border. Following the victory in Berlin, the forces of the two nations looked to push into the Mughals territory and drive the Mughals out of Europe. It was agreed upon by Great Britain, France and Spain that Mughals had no right to their territory in Europe. They spread propaganda regarding the 'treacheries' Mughals politicians used to create conflicts between European nations so they can invade and conquer. There were also many newspaper, mostly in Great Britain, reporting false information about atrocities committed by Mughals generals and soldiers. In addition, they spread lies about Saxony in that the German people were misguided and chose to side with the enemy of Europeans. While it hasn't been confirmed, we heard about rumors regarding possible atrocities committed against the German people following the occupation of Saxony land. Until our soldiers could liberate Saxony territory, we have no way of confirming these rumors. At the moment, our troops are preparing for a major offensive that would see them reach French hopefully before the turn of the century.

However, the British and French generals and politicians severely underestimated Mughals' capabilities in mobilizing troops. When Southern France fell to the French, major recruitment took place across the Mughals Empire. Most of the recruitment were seen in India where the large population provided ample of soldiers. Unknown to the European powers, the Mughals established a mandatory two year conscription for its youths. Following the centuries of expansion through warfare, it was viewed that the descendents of the Mongols should be capable of protecting their home. The two year conscription provided the youths not only training in the soldiering but also aided their development in independence. The youths would leave the military as confident young men or, in some cases, women that were offered many options as a way of career after the two years. When the news of defeats in Europe reached India, many youths joined the Mughals military willingly due to the nationalism that spread rapidly across Mughals in the second half of the 19th century. These youths, eager and somewhat experienced, would be shipped by the new railway systems to the European stage.

The vast expansions of railway tracks was one of the major reasons so many Mughals soldiers arrived in Europe before the fall of Berlin. The development of steam locomotives would lead to major construction of mainline railways. These railways would be one of the greatest projects achieved by the Mughals. With the first spike hammered in Delhi, the Mughals capital, the railway would cut through former Timurids and run along the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea. The rails then ran westwards through Russia until it reached the Saxony-Mughals border. Stretching for 5000 miles, the railway made it possible to deliver soldiers and goods to the front line at an incredible rate. By the time Berlin fell, a dozen Mughals armies have arrived at the front line with half a dozen more expected to arrive within the next year. The Mughals generals, learning from their mistakes in Southern France, waited for all their troops to arrive before making an attack in an attempt to liberate all of Saxony. What was surprising was the fact that the Mughals managed to keep all this mobilization a secret and kept the British and French intelligence in the dark. The enemies of Mughals didn't discover this mobilization until an engagement at the Saxony-Mughals border.

One important thing to note was that Saxony played a huge role in all this. Had Saxony forces not delay the enemy for as long as they did, there was a very good chance that the Mughals troops would be too late in reinforcing the European front. The German soldiers fought bravely against overwhelming odds and, despite losing, will be remembered for their sacrifices. Their sacrifices wouldn't be in vain as we, the Mughals, intend on liberating their lands and drive back the enemy. Currently, the Mughals can trust only two nations in a world where trust was hard to come by between nations. One of the nations is Saxony who stood by our side when odds were stacked against us. They have paid a hefty price with their entire nation occupied by foreign powers. The other nation is the Ottomans who, while remaining neutral in this way, has provided us with subsidies and supplies. The contributions made by both these nations will be etched into our hearts but, until this war come to a close, we won't be able to repay their kindness. We, the Mughals, never forget to repay our debts and we will, in due time, show Saxony and the Ottomans that they made the right choice in befriending us.

Two months after the fall of Berlin, British and French forces arrived at the border and their generals were surprised to see opposition. Thinking that the Mughals put together ragtag armies to delay the inevitable, British and French soldiers proceeded forward anticipating a quick rout of the enemy. What they would encounter were trained men that mowed down their forces in minutes. Across the border, the Mughals would cut down their enemy mercilessly and their enemy soon realized the severity of the situation. The drive through Saxony has cost them many lives and, following the foolish engagements against the well armed and well trained Mughals soldiers, their numbers were dropping rapidly. Their mistake of underestimating the Mughals has cost them a chance of pushing into Mughals territory. In addition, their numbers were low enough that, by covering the entire border, they were stretched rather thin. The Mughals still stayed in position and the British generals decided to use the opportunity to set up a defensive line hoping to hold off any Mughals attacks until their reinforcements can arrive.

blklizard · Sep 25, 2014

Chapter 160

On October of 1892, a small British fleet was spotted off the Horn of Africa. Soon after the fleet was spotted, the ships headed towards the coastal town of Hafun. Without warning, the British dreadnoughts opened fire and much of the town was caught on fire. The civilians evacuated the town as quickly as they could but not before they suffered terrible losses. The people of Hafun were peaceful and never participated in the Mughals military. Had the British forces requested a landing zone, there was a very good chance that the civilians would oblige. Instead, the vile British chose to use force before diplomacy and, by the end of the day, practically burned the town to the ground. The ships docked in the port where British troops landed. A small camp was set up at Hafun while the main force set out for an attack.

The Mughals army that normally situated in Ethiopia has left for Southern Egypt which was the opening the British were looking for. The region was lightly defended and, against a British force of twenty thousand men, there was little, if any, opposition. The British set out east of Hafun until they reached the province of Berbera. The inhabitants there were already evacuating from their homes following the news of the British attack. Normally, the civilians couldn't hope to outrun soldiers, especially the bloodthirsty British soldiers. However, there were many militias that joined together to form a small guerrilla force. The small force was able to inflict some casualties while the British soldiers wandered through the province Berbera. Unfortunately, the guerrillas, facing against a better trained and better disciplined British force, eventually got wiped out when one of their own defected to the British. Nonetheless, these brave men bought time for civilians to evacuate their homes to Southern Egypt where a standing army was situated.

Somewhere along the war in Berbera, the British forces split into two group with ten thousand men each. The British general believed that there weren't any actual threats and a split would allow them to cover more ground. Thus, one group headed west into Zeila while the other group headed southwest to Haud where they would eventually swing to Ifat. During this trek, the British saw very few civilians and those that they met hid indoors. The Ethiopia region was underdeveloped due to it lack of strategic importance. The people lived simple lives and most settlements never grew to a town. Most of these villages relied on simple trade and agriculture to acquire basic tools and food. This was part of the reason why the Mughals didn't put a huge emphasis on the defense of this region. As for what the British saw in this territory, no one knew. Still, these bloodthirsty Europeans were trouble wherever they go and their presence made the locals very nervous.

A month passed and the British found themselves occupying a vast territory of useless land. Had the British fleet not been nearby to provide supplies, the twenty thousand British soldiers would have likely already succumbed to thirst, hunger or both. The villages across the occupied territory proved to offer little more than inadequate shelter. The locals were left alone and the British force decided to push further. The goal was to come across something that was actually worthwhile to defend. The morale of the British soldiers were low as they were disappointed by what they have seen so far. Not a single Mughals soldier was in sight and the promised adventure in Africa became nothing more than treading through desert and, occasionally, a small village. The force marching further inland suffered the most from the local climate and attrition was already taking its toll. Meanwhile, the force along the coast managed to do well with the ocean breeze and first crack at the supplies unloaded from the ships.

The Mughals force in Southern Egypt was alerted of the British presence in Ethiopia around mid-October. The Mughals general ordered half his men to follow him to engage the enemy while the remainder would stay behind in case the forces in Northern Egypt needed backup. The Mughals force needed around a month to reach Ethiopia and that was assuming the journey was smooth. In addition, the Mughals general didn't know how many enemy troops he was facing and had to proceed with caution. His plan was to arrive in the town of Gondar where he will sent scouts out to learn about the enemy. He would make a decision once he had intelligence to work with. Unknown to the Mughals, the British had a much large operation going on and Ethiopia was merely a launch pad.

blklizard · Sep 30, 2014

Chapter 161 (1892)

European Frontier

Asian Frontier

Madurai

Brittany forces, since their defeat to the Mughals, were preparing for another assault of Southern India. A small force guarded the strait to prevent any Mughals forces from entering into Ceylon undetected. Meanwhile, the main force was waiting for reinforcements from North America to arrive. Unknown to the Mughals, the Spanish government has managed to construct a canal in Panama called, for obvious reasons, the Panama Canal. The canal would dramatically cut down the time for ships to get from Eastern North America to the Pacific Ocean. With the Brittany stronghold in the east coast of North America, the canal would serve them well by allowing them more efficient transport of troops and supplies to the Pacific. Yet, the Brittany failed to realize a problem that would arise in Ceylon. The general in charge of the Brittany forces there was ambitious and inpatient man. He decided to attack before reinforcements arrived thinking that he could take on the Mughals.

With reinforcements still months away, the general got tired of waiting and ordered an assault. Using the cover of darkness from the storm clouds, Brittany forces completely surprised the Mughals soldiers guarding the strait. The general assumed that his force's movements went under the radar of the Mughals and failed to take the necessary actions to stay hidden. His carelessness alerted a few very well hidden scouts that returned to Madurai to report their findings. The Mughals force in Madurai was alarmed by the sudden attack but they had already made plans should this have happened. Contacting nearby militias, they set up an ambush point a few miles from Madurai where they aimed to annihilate the entire Brittany force. The Brittany general, confident that he would retake Madurai, led his troops straight into the ambush. The general was killed and only half his forces returned back to Ceylon alive. For the Mughals, the fact that they didn't annihilated the Brittany force would come back and haunt them one day.

Hormuz

British Admirals thought up a brilliant plan that they knew would catch the Mughals off guard. They landed a medium sized force in Ethiopia which they knew was lightly guarded. The force would attack as though their goal was to occupy the region. To the Mughals, they would see the British intent as working with the Spanish in occupying Egypt and take control of the Suez Canal. As a result, Mughals forces would be sent to fight against the troops in Ethiopia which would weaken the rest of their defenses. The goal from the start wasn't Ethiopia or Egypt. The British Admirals will admit that Suez Canal would be a nice acquisition. However, they saw the city of Hormuz as a bigger prize. Once the capital of the Persians, the metropolis was the fortress the British needed to eventually launch an attack on Delhi. Intelligence has reported that the metropolis was very lightly guarded and the British should take it with limited damage to the city itself. Thus, Ethiopia would also serve as a supply depot where the British could mass their supplies close to the actual battle while far enough behind to be safe from sabotage. Once Hormuz was captured, the British would practically have free reign over the region before the Mughals could react to what has taken place.

African Frontier

Northern Egypt

Spanish ships were spotted off the coast of Northern Egypt. They hoped to take Northern Egypt and place a much stronger garrison so they could maintain control over the Suez Canal. Spanish generals saw the mistakes they made and looked the gain the valuable location again. The Spanish pre-dreadnoughts would form a blockade before launching bombardments on the coastal city of Alexandria. The fact that they burned down Port Fuad meant that the Spanish lost a key port they could occupy and use as a launching point for further attacks. The Mughals realized the importance of Alexandria and spared no expenses in strengthening the defenses in the city prior to the blockade. The walls were heavily reinforced and, by the time Spanish forces started the blockade, they could almost rival the walls of St. Petersburg. As a result, the Spanish bombardment bore no fruit and the Spanish had to land some troops. Following a few waves being massacred, the Spanish generals saw the futility of attacking Alexandria and ordered a retreat. Mughals force, unsure whether it was a ruse or not, continued guarding the city against possible enemy attacks.

European Frontier

Asian Frontier

African Frontier

blklizard · Oct 6, 2014

Chapter 162

Battle of Hormuz

Location: Hormuz, Mughals
Date: 13 March 1893 - 8 September 1893 (5 month, 3 weeks and 5 days)
Result: Decisive British Victory
Territorial Changes: Hormuz Occupied by British Forces

Belligerents:
-Great Britain (GB) // -Mughals (MUG)

Commanders and leaders:
-General Donald Cosey (GB)
-General Kennedy Petts (GB)

//

-Lieutenant General Sinam Aazadi (MUG)

Units involved:
-Tenth Army (GB)
-Eleventh Army (GB)

//

-Hormuz Defense Corps (MUG)

Strength:
-400,000 // -20,000

Casualties and losses:
-74,000 casualties // -20,000 casualties

British Intentions

With their advances in Europe coming to a grinding halt, the British government officials were frustrated. Instead of arguing amongst themselves, they worked together and devised a daring plan that could bring the war to an end. It was clear to many that the Mughals may agree to meet at the peace table should their capital, Delhi, be occupied by foreign powers. Unless the capital fell, the Mughals weren't likely to surrender on terms that were favorable for Great Britain and her allies. As the war dragged on, the Mughals would gain the upper hand as their industries and massive manpower would eventually win them through the war of attrition. Thus, the British sought to strike at Hormuz where intelligence believed was lightly guarded. Capturing the metropolis would pave the way for the British to India where they could siege out the city of Delhi.

Preparations

The British mobilization of troops were kept secret, even amongst the officers transporting the troops. On the surface, it seemed as though these men were ordered to reinforce Ethiopia in an attempt to take Egypt and, most importantly, the Suez Canal. The cover story worked like a charm and the Mughals mobilized more of their men to Egypt in hopes to intercepting the British reinforcements. When the British soldiers arrived in Ethiopia, they were given a day of rest before new orders told them to return to their transports. Under the cover of the night, the transports would sneak past the Arabian peninsula sentries and positioned a few miles from Hormuz. The defenders of Hormuz were resting in bed with only a few men patrolling the walls. Several of the regiments that were garrisons of Hormuz left the city earlier that month to the Arabian peninsula which left the city much weaker. Asleep in his bed, the Lieutenant General of the Hormuz Defense Corps would be in for a rude awakening.

Encirclement of Hormuz

The British transports landed on the coast without alerting any sentries on the wall. As British troops exited their transports, they began making their way up the narrow trails to encircle the city. The objective was to encircle the city before any messengers could leave and call for reinforcements. The British soldiers moved quickly and their encirclement would be established with only a minor complication. There were a few small mine field in the wilderness surrounding Hormuz and the attackers just happened to detonate a few of them. The detonation of one or two landmines was common as there were animals that were unfortunate enough to enter a mine field time to time. However, there were several detonations and the sentries caught sight of outlines of soldiers outside the city. The alarm was sounded and the defenders rushed to their positions preparing for a battle they weren't prepared for.

Attack on Hormuz

Hormuz may have been a metropolis but the Persians only constructed a single wall to protect their people. Since the Timurids took over the metropolis, little was changed in its fortification as most of the resources were focused on the development of the city along with nearby infrastructure. Thus, only a single wall and twenty thousand men stood between the British and the city. The Mughals defenders rushed to their positions anticipating a rush from the British. As expected, the British forces sent a wave of soldiers when they realized the alarm was sounded. The generals hoped that they could still catch their enemy off guard. What the generals didn't expect were the mines that surrounded much of the city. The mines that were set in place may have been merely prototypes but they achieved their objectives by blowing up British soldiers and striking fear in the enemy. The British general halted the advances and called for naval support. It was risky business but they needed to take the city before the Mughals could react.

British dreadnoughts formed a blockade off Hormuz and began pounding its walls. The walls surrounding Hormuz, despite the lack of funds in fortification, were strengthened over the centuries that made them more capable of standing against the bombardments. For nearly 5 months, the walls held and the defenders were able to fend off the occasional waves. Unfortunately, breaches were finally create mid-August and the defenders were demoralized by the news. They knew that they were vastly outnumbered and had no chance of winning. Had the Lieutenant General, Sinam Aazadi, not give an inspirational speech, many of the defending soldiers would have likely deserted soon after the breaches were created. Thus, the defenders were determined to fight to the last man while the attackers prepared to enter through the breaches to eliminate all resistance in the city. On August 26, the British general ordered a direct assault after calling off the bombardments fearing friendly fire.

The British soldiers charged forward anticipating demoralized defenders laying down their weapons. As they approached the wall, they realized that they were wrong and, for their mistake, were mowed down by machine gun fire. Waves after waves of British soldiers were sent and the machine guns on the walls soon ran out of ammunition. Thinking that they avoided the worst, the British soldiers were in for a surprise when several mines exploded at the breaches inside the wall. The defenders have somehow managed to plant mines at the opening to strike fear. British soldiers became more cautious at the openings and those that stood still too long were shot down by the Mughals soldiers waiting inside the city. Casualties within the British ranks were rising steadily and little ground was gained. Like ammunition, the mines were eventually used up and the British soldiers grew bold when they realized that. More soldiers poured into the wall and the defenders, now out of ammunition for their rifles, were forced to fight in close quarters.

Outcome

On September 8th, Lieutenant General Aazadi fell in battle while taking on half a dozen British soldiers. He would be the last casualty for the defenders as the city of Hormuz fell to the British. All twenty thousand soldiers and Mughals officers died in battle. The people of Hormuz were proud of those soldiers as not one backed into the city and cowered. Instead, these brave men fought bravely against the odds and, with their sacrifices, gave the British forces a heavy beating. What was seen as a lightly guarded city proved to be more difficult to break than anticipated. The British brought four hundred thousand men and, by the end of the battle, lost close to a quarter of their men. For the Mughals, the loss of Hormuz was a heavy blow. The Persian region was lightly guarded overall and the Mughals needed time to mount a counter-attack on the British. Depending on how quickly they can strike, the British may just be able to conclude the war within a year or two now that they could prepare a direct assault on Delhi.

blklizard · Oct 9, 2014

Chapter 163

Gorsuch Line

Planning and Construction

The defenses were proposed by British General Dakota Gorsuch. As a general with friends in high places, Gorsuch received complete support from the British government. In addition, the French were convinced of the necessity of the defenses and, thus, invested in the project as well. Part of the rationale for the Gorsuch Line stemmed from the heavy casualties suffered from underestimating the Mughals. The inability to continue their push until reinforcements arrive meant the British and French must hold their position until reinforcements can arrive. The static defense would serve in holding back the Mughals by buying time until reinforcements arrive to resume the push into Eastern Europe. The line was built in several phases with construction staring on March of 1892 and, by the March of 1893, was completed at a cost of around five million ducats. The line stretched across the Mughals-Saxony border.

Purposes

The Gorsuch Line was built to fulfill several purposes:

To avoid a surprise attack and to give the alarm
To minimize casualties resulting in a longer hold
To hold the enemy until reinforcements can arrive
To be used as a basis for a counter-offensive
To delay the enemy should they break through the line

Organization

Despite its name, Gorsuch Line was a linear fortification consisting over three layers.

On the outer layer, a long trench was dug out that was an imitation of the trenches utilized by the Mughals. The trenches were constantly manned at several points and the soldiers would be on the lookout for any attacks from the enemy. The trenches were sufficient distant from the second layer so that the enemy cannot use the trenches against the defenders. The soldiers that manned the trenches were armed with a rifle along with a few grenades. They were picked due to their quick feet which mean that they could retreat to the second layer at minimal risk to their lives.

The second layer consisted of small fortresses called nowadays as bunkers. Bunkers were spread evenly across the Gorsuch Line to cover every point of entry. The bunkers consisted of a single floor where the soldiers were housed in. Small windows were cut out for infantry to return fire with rifles. The roof, sometime called the second floor, was accessible with a ladder and served as a position for mortar teams to fire at the enemy. The roof had its owns walls, along with its windows, to provide cover to the mortar teams during the heat of battle.

The third layer consisted of larger bunkers and trenches. Several trench lines were dug out in front of the bunkers and serve as the last defensive line in the Gorsuch Line. The bunkers mainly served as housing but they were built similarly to the bunkers found in the second layer. Food and supplies for the British and French forces were also located in the third layer along with the few communication devices that established a connection with headquarters in London.

Flaws

There were many flaws with the Gorsuch Line that would eventually prove to be its undoing. First, the time restraint and the occasional supply shortage meant that, while the British boasts the line to stretch across all of the Mughals-Saxony border, there were many openings in the line where the defense was considered the weakest. In addition, the British and French were so confident in their defense that they manned only a handful of troops in the trenches of the first layer. What that meant was that an attack from the Mughals from multiple points could get past the first layer without detection and, with the element of surprise on their side, easily overrun the defenders waiting at the second layer. Thirdly, corruption was involved during the construction that saw substandard building materials shipped to the line. As a result, it was estimated that half of the bunkers were affected and the consequences were catastrophic. There were reports that, following a mortar shot, the roof collapsed and killed everyone inside the bunker. Due to many flaws in the Gorsuch Line, the British and French doomed themselves when the Mughals finally attacked on May of 1893.

blklizard · Oct 10, 2014

Chapter 164 (1893)

European Frontier

Saxony Territory

On the May of 1893, the Mughals launched their attack on the Gorsuch Line. All of the Mughals armies were in position along the Mughals-Saxony border and the generals ordered the attack. Initially, the Mughals were very impressed by the defensive line built by the enemy in such a short time. Scouts were sent out to spot for weaknesses and there appeared to be none. However, the Gorsuch Line would remain impressive on paper only as the Mughals would soon discover many of its flaws. The Mughals generals chose to strike at the north first as they aimed to liberate Berlin from enemy control. The liberation of the Saxony capital would not only boost friendly morale but it would also strike fear in the enemies that occupy Saxony. With a carefully coordinated attack and the aid of several new weapons, the Mughals struck on May with a lightning attack hoping to catch the enemy off guard. The first layer of the Gorsuch Line was bypassed without any difficulty while the second layer was caught completely off guard. The few mortars that did fire would result in the collapse of roofs onto the soldiers within which quickly concluded the brief skirmish there.

Due to their lightning speed, the Mughals were able to strike at the third layer before any British or French soldiers could get into position in the trenches. Mughals soldiers poured into the trenches dug by their enemy and used it efficiently as they cut down the enemy competing for the trenches. Once the Mughals established machine gun nests in those trenches, the British and French had no choice but to retreat from their position. The Mughals quickly dug out new trenches to hold off any attacks from the south while the main force marched forward towards Berlin. Their enemy, having been defeated decisively at the Gorsuch Line, chose to retreat to Berlin where they had the walls to aid them in fending off attacks. The Mughals didn't waste time and immediately laid siege to Berlin. Once they had the city surrounded, the Mughals generals began their planning stage in how to break through the defenses before enemy reinforcements can arrive.

Paris

Saxony General Niclas Huber has been in control of Paris for four years. The locals have long submitted to his rule which was considerably more just than the French king that abandoned the city. For four years, the enemy hasn't attacked and Huber, having no intelligence on the enemy's position, chose to hold Paris until reinforcements arrived. There has been rumors that all of Saxony has been occupied but Huber and his officers believed the rumors to be propaganda spread by the enemy. On the April of 1893, a French army would approach Paris with the goal of retaking the city. However, their assault turned to disaster from the initial stages. Miscommunication had large waves of soldiers charging in only to be mowed down by machine guns. To make matters worse, several officers were part of the waves which immediately resulted in breaks in the command chain. The lack of communication from that point on resulted in rising casualties for the French while the defenders didn't even have any wounded. By May, it was becoming obvious that the city wouldn't fall and the French general would retreat. Huber was so disappointed by the lackluster performance of his enemy that he ordered his men to leave out any mention of the battle in their records as though it never happened.

Asian Frontier

Persia

Since taking Hormuz, the British did sought to make a b-line to Delhi. However, they feared an attack from the rear would eliminate all their chances of success. Thus, British generals spared some men to attack westwards so that all the coastal territories bordering the Persian Gulf would be under their control. Hormuz would serve as the newest naval base for the British Royal Fleet which was still transporting men to Persia. Like the Mughals, the British didn't want to do anything rash until they have all their pieces in place. In addition, supplies were stockpiled in Hormuz in preparation for long sieges. The British generals argued amongst themselves the best approach to take in arriving in Delhi. This delay, however, also provided the Mughals some time to prepare for the attack. Recruitment across Northern Persia, Northern India and Russia was hitting new highs as soldiers were ferried into Delhi to defend the nation's capital. The railway made it possible for Mughals reinforcements to arrive from elsewhere much faster than the British could ferry troops. Had the British gained access to the Suez Canal, the situation would have been more dire for the Mughals.

Madurai

To defend the nation's capital, the Mughals forces in Southern India were pulled out. As a result, Southern India was very vulnerable to enemy attack and Brittany used the opportunity to strike. Brittany generals learned from their mistakes in the past where they overextended and lacked the men to guard their territory. This time, the generals, with new reinforcements from Australia, mounted a quick assault on Madurai. Against such a determined attacker, the defenders were defeated within a week and Madurai was captured by Brittany again. Instead of proceeding forward, the Brittany generals ordered their engineers to strengthen the defenses of Madurai to serve as a stronghold against the Mughals. As long as Madurai could hold, Ceylon would remain out of Mughals grasp as long Brittany navy remained the dominant force in the local waters. Therefore, Brittany could afford more men on the offense and less on the defensive. Thus, the Brittany engineers began work in Madurai starting the March of 1893 and their construction would last an entire year. The engineers boasted that, once the fortification was completed, the city would be impregnable.

African Frontier

Southern Ethiopia

The British, with Hormuz captured, saw Southern Ethiopia rather useless in its value. However, a hasty retreat would cost the lives of all the British soldiers in the region. Thus, the British began a slow and carefully organized retreat towards the pointed end of the Horn of Africa. The temporary bases set up in Ethiopia has long been dismantled as the British main base of operation shifted to Hormuz. The Mughals, with soldiers still arriving bit by bit, were unable to mount any actual assaults. Luckily, there were plenty of guerrilla forces in the region that were more than willing to harass the enemy. By the end of the year, the British lost a sizable number of men to disease and guerrilla harassment. It was estimated that, by the end of the following year, the British forces would be completely evacuated from the region. For the Mughals general in the vicinity, the ideal situation was to eliminate all of the British forces before they could escape. The loss of these British soldiers would definitely help the defense of Delhi.

European Frontier

Asian Frontier

African Frontier

blklizard · Oct 10, 2014

Chapter 165

Mughals Arsenal (1893) [Part I]

Infantry/Cavalry

Light Machine Gun (LMG):

The lack of maneuverability of a machine gun was slowly rendering, what originally seemed as a devastating weapon, useless on the battlefield. There were few that would argue that a machine gun can be very effective in holding a breach as long as it has ammunition. However, a war isn't always won by staying on the defensive. The machine gun was heavy and required a crew to operate. As a result, loss of a member within the crew could dramatically lower the effectiveness of the machine gun on the field. After a few years, a new design was made for a lighter machine gun that could be operated by an individual soldier. The LMG could be moved around easier, though it could still be burdensome. The extra mobility allowed the weapon to be used on the offensive while, on the defensive, it could be relocated faster to provide support fire for friendly soldiers. Tactics were slowly developing revolving around suppressive fire from the LMG. With mobility being a key to victory following many other technological advances, the LMG would start playing a much greater role in wars as it phased out the classic machine gun.

Assault Rifles:

On the topic of assault rifles, we must first mention another design made from the machine gun, the submachine gun (SMG). The SMG was light weight and more maneuverable than the LMG. This weapon was meant to compliment the LMG both on the offensive and defensive. However, a major flaw on the SMG was its short effective range which was the motivation for the assault rifle. The concept was first pioneered by the Germans who, after being evacuated from Saxony, sought the arm their men and Mughals soldiers with a compact weapon that combined the firepower of a machine gun with the accuracy and range of a rifle. Shortly after the development of the SMG by the Mughals, the Germans presented their prototype assault rifles which, despite weighing slightly more, performed much better in all scenarios. Thus, the SMG idea was scrapped before it was in production and the assault rifle concept was put into full development. The first assault rifles were deployed mid-1894 and the weapon would prove to be an invaluable weapon for the Mughals and Germans. Mass production of assault rifles would start taking place from the second half of 1894 onwards.

Semi-automatic Pistols

Times were changing and the Mughals generals began to promote the idea of arming each soldier with a pistol. These types of handguns use a single chamber and barrel with a mechanism that reloads the weapon after each shot. The handgun would rely on removable magazine to store ammunition. Starting mid-1893, semi-automatic pistols were mass produced across the Mughals factories to equip every Mughals soldier with a handgun of his own. The handgun would prove to be valuable in the heat of battle as it provided the soldiers a few extra ammunition that would have been otherwise unavailable. Because every soldier was being equipped with this weapon, every new recruit had mandatory one day crash course on the usage of the handgun. Minor changes were made over the months as soldier provided their input of the pistols. It didn't take long before the British, French and Spanish also followed suit in providing all of their soldiers with a semi-automatic pistol.

Portable Anti-tank Weapon:

The previous design by the Mughals was effective but it was large and required vehicle to transport it. Major investments were made in the research of High-explosive anti-tank warheads (HEAT) as all major armies were slowly integrating modern armor. On the battlefield where mobility is the key, the Mughals were creating designs of infantry weapons that utilizes HEAT to defeat modern armor. After a few years of hard work, a prototype was created and tests showed satisfaction. The anti-tank weapon could be used in enclosed spaces in addition to its anti-tank capabilities. The usage within enclosed spaces, at the time, didn't seem very impressive but, as the war raged on, the Mughals' design would prove to be a lot more superior than the design by their counterparts. A few of the prototypes did see action when the Mughals broke through the Gorsuch Line and their performance was acceptable. Despite the overall lack of accuracy and occasional jams, the enemy tanks were rendered useless following a direct hit. More time and ducats were invested in these weapons but they matured by the time the Mughals retake Berlin.

Aviation

Fighter Aircraft

Since the outbreak of the war, the resources invested in Aviation has dropped to next to nothing. The Mughals were busy amassing troops to the front line while Saxony forces were fighting a hopeless war to defend their homeland. For the German scientists that were evacuated to Mughals, a few of them began to take interest of earlier Mughals designs of reconnaissance planes. They began making changes that would turn the plane from a scout to a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. There was only some ducats trickling into the design but it, along with the motivation, was enough to ensure that the designs went forward. Initially, biplanes were the greater focus as, structurally, biplane wings were stronger than monoplane wings. However, the introduction of all-metal construction slowly made the monoplane design more feasible. The design was, unfortunately, delayed due to the shortage of iron where much of the iron was redirected to other usage such as construction of modern armor. It wasn't until the Mughals retake Northern Scandinavia that the design for fighter aircraft was completed and air dominance would become a thing in the war.

blklizard · Oct 13, 2014

Chapter 166

Mughals Arsenal (1893) [Part II]

Mughals Tank's Humble Past

In 1889, the Mughals encountered the tanks built by the French. While the design was simple, the concept of armored vehicles leading the spearhead was not. The Mughals quickly built anti-tank weapons that were capable of dealing with the French tanks but the Mughals generals knew it wasn't enough. The battlefield was changing quickly and cavalry, once the key to victory, has become obsolete. The Mughals knew that, to stay ahead and win the war, they mustn't give their enemies the advantage of having tanks at their disposal. Thus, large amount of resources and time were invested in the development of tanks for the Mughals armies. With the development of the war turning for the worse, the Mughals had to redirect resources on arming infantry which dramatically slowed down their developments on tanks. Luckily, their enemies were busy pushing forward that they, too, have been slowed down in their research. When the situation was stabilizing for the Mughals, the development of tanks became a priority again and the armored vehicles would become critical to the outcome of future battles.

The Mughals tank program development resumed as a priority in 1891. This was the same year when the Saxony capital was threatened and majority of their finest and brightest minds evacuated into Mughals. With the arrival of German engineers, the Mughals tank program would be split into two branches. One branch would be led by Mughals engineers (designer of Russian tanks) while the other branch was led by Saxony engineers (designer of German tanks). The two branches would create similar designs initially but, as the war raged on, their designs would differ greatly and would suit the different needs of the Mughals and Saxony soldiers. It should be clarified that the engineers at both branches respected each other. The two branches would have a rivalry between themselves as one branch attempted to outdo the other branch. No matter how competitive these branches got, the engineers still put the future of their nations on the forefront. The Mughals government, hoping to be just, would provide equal opportunities to both sides and, later into the war, designs from both branches would be seen fighting side by side on the battlefield.

Tanks

Panzer II (German)

The Saxony engineers designed the Panzer II so that it can handle machine gun fire and high explosive shell fragments. When the engineers were designing this tank, anti-tank guns were playing only a minor role in battle. The design emphasized slightly sloped armor with the front armor thicker than the side and rear. The Panzer II was armed with a 2 cm KwK 38 L/55 autocannon which was capable of firing at a rate of 280 rounds sustained. The tank carried 200 shells in the form of 10 round magazines. In addition, a machine gun was mounted coaxially with the main gun. Panzer II had a top speed of 55 km/h but it rarely reached that speed in actual combat. The crew of the Panzer II was made up of a driver, a commander/gunner and a loader/radioman. The Panzer II production may not be the highest but its chassis would be used as basis for a few later armored vehicles.

Panzerjäger I (German)

The Panzerjäger I was the first tank destroyer in history. The idea behind the tank destroyer was that these tanks were designed to engaged enemy armored vehicles while tanks were sent to support infantry. The Panzerjäger I had a similar chassis as the Panzer II with the 4.7 cm PaK (t) L/43. The 4.7 cm Pak (t) L/43 was an anti-tank gun that was designed to penetrate the more heavily armored enemy tanks that were slowly making their way onto the battlefield. Instead of a turret, a fixed gun shield was added to protect the crew and armaments. The crew for the Panzerjäger I was basically identical to the crew of the Panzer II. The Panzerjäger I boasted good accuracy in battle but its size made it an easy target for enemy artillery and anti-tank guns. There were a few other flaws with this tank destroyer but its flaws would aid in future development as more advanced tank destroyers would be built for the war.

T-26 (Russian)

The T-26 had twin-turreted configuration with a machine gun mounted in each one. The tank's main armament was the 45 mm 20K mod. tank gun. The tank gun, along with the two machine guns, provided the crew with the firepower to even deal with anti-tank crews. The T-26's hull and turret armor were thick enough to withstand machine fire while the tank maintained 16 km/h off road. The crew consisted of a driver, gunner/loader and a commander/radioman. Through multiple tests, the T-26 was confirmed to have 20 km more operational range than the Panzer II making it the more ideal candidate in spearheading deeper into enemy territory. The T-26 was, to most, reliable and simple to maintain which made the production of T-26 higher than all its counterparts during its period.

blklizard · Oct 15, 2014

Chapter 167

Mughals Arsenal (1893) [Part III]

Artillery

Field Gun
The Mughals artillery was entering a new age as the Mughals generals learned from their many battles. First. Mughals engineers, in an attempt to make the artillery achieve greater range and accuracy while still retaining its power, artillery pieces were rifled. In addition, early artillery at this age were breech-loaders and were mounted on a carriage that returned the artillery to firing position after the recoil. To improve the firepower of the artillery, the barrels were built to withstand greater explosive force. However, the problem with the early artillery was that they were mounted on a carriage which rendered them practically immobile. Thus, Saxony engineers devised a plan that would utilize the advantages explained above while creating a more mobile piece. Their hard work would result in the first field gun that used hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism to solve the problem regarding the carriage. With wheels attached, these field guns could be moved about with more ease allowing greater adaptability in battles. With their increasing range, artillery could be positioned further back from the front lines where they were safer from enemy attacks. As a result, the Mughals military began to put more emphasis on indirect fire, which would drive the development of communication systems in war zones, that would keep artillery functional in battles despite their distance from the actual battlefield.

Navy

Battleship

The Mughals, despite the lack of naval facilities to build a powerful navy, still poured resources into the research of ships. One of the earlier designs was the dreadnought that would replace the pre-dreadnought design. Unlike the older version, the dreadnought was focused on "all-big-gun" armament. Heavy caliber guns were the main focus but, to deal with torpedo ships and other smaller vessels, the designers were forced to add secondary armament. In addition, dreadnoughts were armed with torpedo to make it a complete package. Steel plating was used to to protect the ship from harm but, with weight as a key factor in the ship's overall performance in battle, there was a limit to how much plating could be used. The ship also used steam turbines which provided more propulsion at the cost of lower fuel efficiency. What was interesting was that the dreadnought design only lasted a short while before it was renamed battleship. The exact reason was unknown but some speculated that the Mughals, hoping to avoid being seen as copying the British dreadnoughts, chose a different name for an otherwise similar ship. The battlship design would result in a new design: the battlecruiser.

Heavy Cruiser

The heavy cruiser was designed for long range and high speed. The primary objective for this ship was scouting purposes. Secondary objective was raiding shipping lanes effectively cutting off the enemy supply. It should be noted that the British and Spanish, the two dominant naval powers, weren't even bothered with this design as they felt it was unnecessary. With belief that no other nation could challenge them on the open sea, they saw little need for a scout that do occasional raids. For the Mughals, the heavy cruiser would be one of the key priorities. With fewer ships at their disposal and limited experience in naval warfare, they required every advantage they could get to even the playing field. A few prototypes of heavy cruisers were build prior to the war but the design was completed only in the second half of 1893. The heavy cruisers were never intended to be fighting against enemy naval ships which lessened the armor on them and, as a result, made their production much faster.

Battlecruiser

The battlecruiser was a compromise between a battleship and a heavy cruiser. The ship retained much of the firepower of a battleship while, by losing armor, were faster. The Mughals' idea of mobility was beginning to show with the design of the battlecruiser. The British and Spanish admirals believed firepower and armor was everything and relied solely on their dreadnoughts which few would argue lack firepower. The idea of building a lesser armored dreadnought was unthinkable among their circles. However, the Mughals knew that the ability to quickly move through the battlefield to gain an edge on the enemy was crucial to victory, especially in their case where they are outnumbered and must divide and conquer. The Mughals admiral planned to put battlecruisers alongside battleships and were developing strategies that would focus on using the strength of both ships to overcome the enemy dreadnought fleets that have dominated the seas for so many decades.

Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB)

Despite all the large ships that were being built, admirals at the time saw the need for a smaller and faster ship that could aid on the open sea. The MTB were designed for high speed and high maneuverability which made them ideal at harassing the enemy and ambush operations. In return for the maneuverability, the MTB traded away armor and a direct hit, even from a secondary armament, would have devastating impact. The Mughals have spies that managed to steal precious blueprints of MTB from the British but, until they could secure naval facilities, they won't be able to make use of it. The Mughals, never a naval superpower in the past, had little experience with torpedo which meant that the torpedo they build required testing. Luckily, Mughals intelligence gathered enough information to design the torpedo before any test can commence. Oddly enough, the British, despite coming up with the design, never built any prototypes as they saw the MTB useless against a capital ship like the dreadnought. For Mughals and Saxony engineers, they discovered that, when facing a dreadnought, the torpedo could be detonated beneath the ship to damage the hull where it's least protected. Thus, there were plans for production of MTB for the Mughals in the near future.

Miscellaneous

Radios

Radios were playing a key role in the war. Effective communication was crucial to giving the correct command at the exact moment in addition to alerting one's forces of the enemy's whereabouts. A few individuals within each division were provided with a radio receiver and transmitter. The individuals would be given headsets to provide immediate command from the top to their superiors. As for reporting the situation, a handset was given to allow communication back and forth. These individuals were trained to provide good care to their equipment while learning how to best survive on the battlefield. Aside from medics, these individuals were the most important personnel in the Mughals army. The major advances in the radio would soon bear fruit in the Battle of Delhi where the Mughals, with all the odds seemingly stacked against them, managed to fend off the British siege. Some would be argued that the radio was the major turning point in the war itself.

blklizard · Oct 17, 2014

Chapter 168

Battle of Delhi (Part 1)

Location: Delhi, Mughals
Date: 5 February 1894 - 23 September 1894 (7 month, 2 weeks and 4 days)
Result: Decisive Mughals Victory
Territorial Changes: None

Belligerents:
-Great Britain (GB) // -Mughals (MUG)

Commanders and leaders:
-General Donald Cosey (GB)
-General Kennedy Petts (GB)
-General Dexter Chard (GB)
-General Jan Walmsley (GB)
-General Markus Garratt (GB)

//

-General Uday Timurids (MUG)
-General Poshita Kohli (MUG) [after April 19, 1894]
-General Shaktar Prakash (MUG) [after July 31, 1894]
-General Staroverov Rostislavovich (MUG) [after July 31, 1894]

Units involved:
-Tenth Army (GB)
-Eleventh Army (GB)
-Twelfth Army (GB)
-Thirteenth Army (GB)
-Fourteenth Army (GB)

//

-First Army (MUG)
-Fourteenth Army (MUG) [By April 19]
-Twenty Second Army (MUG) [By July 31]
-Twenty Third Army (MUG) [By July 31]

Strength:
-1,000,000

//

-200,000
-221,500 [By April 19]
-482,000 [By July 31]

Casualties and losses:
-870,000 casualties // -368,500 casualties

Background

Delhi became the capital at the birth of the Mughals empire. The city was, for centuries, a metropolis and a crowned jewel in India. By establishing Delhi as the capital, the Mughals began a new chapter in their history. The people of Mughals were no longer the barbaric tribes that lived a nomad lifestyle. They may have Mongol blood in them but their goal was to rise up above all others. Before Delhi became the capital, it held a population of fifty thousand. Constant war has kept the population relatively low and the population growth became stagnant. However, the strong leadership under the Mughals ensured that Delhi would no longer be involved in the wars directly and a population boomed. In a few decades, the population within Delhi boasted ten million.

For the next few centuries, Delhi grew to be a cultural center in addition to be the home to many of Mughals' brilliant minds. The city never stopped expanding and infrastructure was constantly upgraded to meet the needs of the growing population. When the industrial age arrived, the city expanded further to place a sector specifically for factories. When war first broke out, there was a massive recruitment taking place in Delhi as Nationalist swept through the nation. Many eager young men chose to fight for their great nation and they were sent across Europe with a minority sent to North Africa. The factories within Delhi were working at full production in order to meet the demands from war. Despite being in the rear, the city of Delhi was playing an active part in the war effort. The British knew the importance of Delhi and believed that, with the occupation of the city, they would deal a heavy blow to their enemy's morale and force the Mughals to negotiate a peace treaty.

British Preparations

The British has planned the attack on the Mughals capital for nearly a month. With the aid of Mughals traitors, they have managed to not only land a million soldiers on a beach in Gujarat but they also managed to get past all the lookout towers and arrive before Delhi without any engagements. The British has invested a lot on the Battle of Delhi with a million soldiers and supplies that would last them a year. Despite not having naval support as an option, the British felt confident that they had all the tools to break into the capital. Their intelligence reported that the Mughals only had two hundred thousand men as the garrison of the city. To further helped their cause, Delhi was very large and the Mughals garrison would be stretched quite thin. With so many things going their way, British general had confidence that they would take the city in a year at the latest.

With the attack, the British also revealed some of their newest weapons. First, they brought their own field guns that had similar capability as those built by the Mughals. The Battle of Delhi would be the first battle where field guns would make their debut in the war. The British believed that their field guns would make quick work of the walls in Delhi. Secondly, the British brought their native tanks, Vickers Medium Mark I. There were only a dozen of these tanks but the British didn't intend to use them early in the battle. The tanks were to strike fear in the enemy while, once in the city, would support infantry in fighting in the streets. Thirdly, the British created a weapon similar to the Mughals' LMG with firepower and more mobility on the battlefield. Overall, the British had many tools in their disposal and they have confidence that the Mughals garrison stood alone with no reinforcements.

Mughals Preperations

The intelligence gathered by the British regarding the garrison was quite accurate. The garrison was stretched thin but they were determined to hold out. Unknown to the British, there were reinforcements heading towards Delhi with every intention of breaking the siege. There was, however, a problem in reinforcing Delhi. The three reinforcing armies weren't in the vicinity and still needed time to make it to the front line. Despite the many railroads that stretched across the nation, it took time to ship such a massive number of men from one place to another. Of course, the British were expected to sabotaging the railway making it impossible to ship soldiers closer to the city. With all that taken into account, the closest army, the Fourteenth Mughals Army, needed an estimated three months before they can make it and they will arrive roughly twenty kilometers from Delhi. Meanwhile, the Twenty Second and Twenty Third Mughals Army were three months behind the Fourteenth Mughals Army.

Luckily, it wasn't all bad news. The two armies that were delayed five months were delayed for a reason. The newly designed tanks, after a new tests, would be finally seeing action against the British. The German designs, Panzer II and Panzerjäger I, would be aiding in the defense and the Mughals generals hoped that their presence would help with the fact that they were still outnumbered, especially when one expected heavy casualties before reinforcements could arrive on the scene. In addition to tanks, the Mughals infantry would bring with them assault rifles that were expected to be the best weapons at the time. Sending four hundred thousand soldiers into battle without the new innovations was seen as foolish, if not suicidal, against a British force that was well armed as well. Still, the Mughals' success depended on the defenders holding long enough for the two armies with armored divisions to arrive. If the British could occupy the city, then the arrival of the reinforcements would be be moot point. It was a gamble the Mughals generals were willing to take as it was their best option by far at actual victory against the British.

blklizard · Oct 19, 2014

Chapter 169

Battle of Delhi (Part 2)

Encirclement

British forces first surrounded the entire city with soldiers covering all the roads, including railways, leading to Delhi. The attackers didn't want any reinforcements or supplies to enter the city. Though, many within the city would agree that the city was well stocked in food and water while it really lacked the soldiers to be effective against the numbers they were facing. For the British general, they didn't know the exact situation within Delhi but they wanted a swift victory if possible. Already, a disease was spreading through the British ranks in Persia and a few deaths were reported. The medics sent to the Hormuz had little to work with to fight the disease. If the battle extended indefinitely, there was a chance that, with the corpses, heat and rats, a similar disease may spread among the British soldiers sieging Delhi. Without wasting any precious time, the British completed their full surround with field guns positioned at all four sides of the city targeting the outer wall. Fearing a possible counterattack, British soldiers were ordered to dig in their position in front of the field guns. British generals analyzed the city defenses and were amazed that, despite being stretched thin, the city still seemed like a tough nut to crack. Their analysis suggested that creating breaches was a priority as a direct assault would be a costly affair to say the least. Once breaches were formed, then the British would used their numbers to overwhelm the defenders and capture strategic points within the city.

The defenders looked on as they watched their enemy completing a surround of their city. The size of Delhi has spread the two hundred thousand men slightly thin but the defenders weren't fazed. They were under the leadership of General Uday Timurids who was a descendent of the founders of Mughals. At a young age, Timurids proved to be very intelligent with incredible ability to plan ahead of his enemies. However, even he admitted that the challenge ahead of him was tough. The defenders had a few disadvantages that shifted the odds against them. First, the city was equipped with only cannons that were relatively inaccurate. Against the field guns, the cannons weren't even a fair match but they will at least help return fire on enemy forces in the distance. Secondly, the massive population in Delhi made it impossible to get everyone inside the second wall. It was a tough decision but some people had to remain on the outer sectors. To the Doge's surprise, many young men volunteered to leave the safety of the second wall in exchange for weapons to aid the defenders in fighting for their home. These young men were provided weapons and ammunition before, following a farewell with their family, exited the inner sectors to set up defenses between the outer and second walls.

Initial Stages

With the field guns in position, the British opened fire on the outer walls. The outer walls were bombarded furiously and the defending soldiers on the walls had to lay low. After a day of bombardment, there were already cracks on the walls which clearly couldn't handle the firepower of field guns. The British infantry, however, didn't attempt to push forward during the bombardment. British generals felt that throwing away lives so needlessly would hinder their ability to hold the city should the enemy do attempt a counterattack to retake their capital. In addition, they wanted the defenders to be demoralized facing such an hopeless task of holding Delhi. If the infantry sent in were repelled, then the enemy would actually get a boost to their morale which would make the attacker's life harder. Thus, the field guns bombarded the walls for three days and multiple breaches were created. The British general, impatient in taking the Mughals capital, finally ordered their soldiers to charge forward at the breach and, with numbers, will hopefully overwhelm the defenders quickly and limit the number of casualties.

British forces charged forward while the field guns continued to pound the walls. At first, it seemed as though the defenders have abandoned the outer walls and retreated further into the city as not a single Mughals soldier was seen on the wall. The British soldiers would soon found themselves out in the open with several machine guns firing down on them. Ranks after ranks of British soldiers were cut down instantly while many tried to find the non-existent cover. With no other choice, the British soldiers pushed forward under heavy fire from the enemy. A few did manage to arrive by the wall which provided some cover but many were mowed down before they can get close to the wall. There were a few areas where the field guns managed to take out the machine gun crews on the wall which made the lives of infantry slightly easier. However, entering through the breaches had the British infantry face more machine gun fire. The initial wave of British soldiers was wiped out and the defenders lost only a few to enemy artillery. The British generals, seeing the development, ordered the second wave to wait as they reevaluate their plans. The first assault was a disaster for the attackers and the defenders won a small, but much needed, victory.

Seeing the first assault as a failure, the British general ordered their artillery to continue pounding at the walls. They realized that much of the wall was still intact which allowed the enemy forces to man them. Thus, they wanted to keep destroying sections of the wall until there was no place for machine gun nests to set up. In addition, creating larger breaches would made it easier for their troops to enter the city. For the remainder of the week, the field guns worked nonstop on destroying the walls while the attackers looked on. The defenders, under heavy fire from enemy bombardment, were forced to abandon the walls altogether and began to set up defenses in the streets, alleyways and buildings. Both sides knew that the outer walls were gone and the battle would soon take place in the streets. The British generals would have ordered their field guns to level the buildings as well had they have the sufficient ammunition. Sadly for the attackers, they had limited ammunition and acquiring more required a sizable force to return to the coast which would create delays. Thus, their field gun crews, after a week of bombardment, were ordered to take a rest until their ammunition was needed once again.

blklizard · Oct 21, 2014

Chapter 170

Battle of Delhi (Part 3)

Outer Sectors Skirmish

Following a week of bombardment, the outer wall has been abandoned completely by the defenders. There were many breaches with several stretching several meters in length. For parts of the walls that still stood, the top of the walls has become nothing more than rubble and even the attackers had no hope of using the walls for themselves. The defenders have set up defenses in the outer sectors which was the area between the outer and second walls. Most of the civilians were evacuated behind the second wall while many young men joined the soldiers to defend their home. On the main streets, machine gun nests were set up at every intersection to make it difficult for the enemy to advance. Most of the Mughals infantry has taken up position in buildings where they would shoot down towards enemy infantry while still receiving decent amount of cover. Despite having little time to prepare, many of the buildings were slightly modified to provide even more protection for the infantry situated inside. The cannons that were positioned on the walls have been rendered inoperable and they were abandoned amongst the rubble. Thus, the Mughals defenders have lost all of their long range weapons and were left with their firearms only. The skirmish in the streets would soon begin.

The British spend a single day resting as they went over their plans again. The British generals wanted their men to be well-rested for the tough fight ahead of them. The shortage of field gun ammunition meant that their soldiers had to fight in the streets without any artillery support. In the narrow streets against a fierce enemy, the British estimated high casualties but, having gone this far, it was too late to turn back. The day passed almost in an instant and the British infantry began their march towards Delhi. Ahead of them, the outer walls no longer resembled walls but, rather, a collection of ruins that surrounded the city. What the soldiers were interested was the defenders that waited behind the walls. The British troops marched forward at a steady pace until they arrived just outside the city. Every British soldier was nervous as they knew death awaited them on the other side. British officers began to change the formation of their men to ensure more efficiency entering the city. With all the preparations completed, the first few ranks of soldiers took a deep breath and ran through the breaches.

The Mughals were ready for the charge from the enemy as their machine guns fired into the first soldiers that entered the city. The British soldiers were mowed down but they kept coming. Those who managed to avoid the machine gun fire were picked off by the snipers in the buildings. For several hours, the British were unable to make any advances as the machine gun nests were too well place and enemy fire was too concentrated. The British generals feared that this would happen and, reluctantly, ordered their field guns to fire onto the positions of machine gun nests that were holding their men at bay. Several shells were fired and, following two barrages, the machine gun nests closest to the breaches were eliminated and the attacker obtained a small victory. The field gun crews were ordered to rest while British infantry entered the breaches. Despite the loss of machine guns, the Mughals infantry were still putting up a fight in the buildings facing the wall. Their rifles continuously shot down at the British infantry who scrambled to get some cover. When a few brave British soldiers managed to charge in and threw grenades into the buildings housing the snipers, the defenders were silenced and the British infantry managed to enter the breaches unopposed.

As British soldiers ran into the main streets towards the second wall, they were met with more machine guns. Some British infantry tried alleyways where many traps awaited them. Several British soldiers learned the hard way when they entered small mine fields. Those that weren't blown apart instantly were maimed for life. Others encountered creative traps that would put them out of service for good. Despite having the numbers advantage, the British found it difficult to utilize it in the city where narrow streets and temporary barriers obstructed their way. Main British forces were focusing on the main streets where the fighting was getting hectic. With their own version of the LMG, the British were slowly gaining ground by fighting firepower with firepower. Mughals infantry in buildings were shooting down at any British soldiers unfortunate to get in the line of fire while grenades were dropped from rooftops creating fear and tension for the attackers. The progress through the alleyways weren't getting better as the defenders were soon holding choke points and killing any British soldier that attempted to get through. The fighting on the streets was slow and the casualties were rising on both sides. The defenders were still fighting furiously but they were slowly overwhelmed on the main streets while those in the alleyways were short on ammunition. The situation didn't look great for the defenders.

As the battle raged on for several weeks, the British has managed to capture much of the outer sectors. Not only did they have to eliminate the defenders in the machine gun nests but they also had to rid the enemy soldiers that were in buildings. Given the close proximity of the buildings, the British didn't dare to start a fire fearing that it would spread to include all of the outer sectors. Thus, eliminating soldiers hidden in buildings was slow and often cost the lives of many British infantry. Still, the attackers were making progress bit by bit and they were closing in on the second wall. The resistance in the outer sectors was growing weaker as the defenders were losing men rapidly. Fights in alleyways soon became a melee combat that saw men fighting to their deaths. British generals couldn't believe the casualties they were suffering in the city where the enemy refused to give up. On April 18, the British has finally captured all of the outer sectors but the Mughals had one last surprise for the attackers. A few British infantry saw Mughals soldier throwing their grenades at the buildings across from them. Initially, they were puzzled by what the defenders were attempting. However, a series of explosion told them that large amount of explosives were hidden in those buildings and, as a result from the grenades, they would take out the entire building and start a massive fire that soon spread across the entire outer sectors. The rapid advance of the fire took British soldiers by surprise and many were unfortunate to be caught in the blaze. The British generals, surprised by the blaze, quickly ordered whatever survivors to evacuate the city to regroup.

Very few British soldiers managed to escape the blaze that took control of the entire outer sectors. The smoke from the blaze was so thick that many reported that they couldn't see the sky with the smog so spread out. Setting the outer sectors on fire was, arguably, the last ace the defenders had. They have suffered tremendous casualties in the two months of fighting that saw the defenders with less than twenty five thousand men left. The skirmish in the city has been grueling and, while the brave men did take many British soldiers with them, it seemed that the enemy had too many soldiers at their disposal to really be affected by their losses. According to the British records, the casualty for the British after April 18 was estimated to be roughly four hundred twenty thousand. The Mughals have effectively eliminated more than double their numbers but, with their remaining numbers, it seemed like the battle was lost. The defenders had no choice but wait until their enemy makes its move. The blaze would last maybe a day or two giving the defenders some time to rest before the final battle. The remaining soldiers had time with their loved ones before the inevitable death as many didn't even ponder on the idea of surrender. What the defenders didn't know was that they would not be alone in the defense of Delhi for very long.

blklizard · Oct 23, 2014

Chapter 171

Battle of Delhi (Part 4)

Open Field Skirmish

On April 19, Mughals reinforcements, numbering two hundred thousand men, has arrived at the outskirts of Delhi. British patrols have reported the presence of this army to headquarters and the British generals hastily called back all their soldiers to deal with the new threat. The generals felt that, until the new threat was eliminated, their forces would be sandwiched in between resulting in very high casualties. With their fight in the outer sectors of Delhi completed, the British has lost close to half their men. The Mughals defenders fought furiously and used the streets and buildings to their full advantage. British intelligence was unsure how many men remained in the city because the great fire has rid most of the corpses that would have provided the British an estimate. Unsure whether they could take the city and fend off the newly arrived enemy reinforcements, the generals felt their priority should be protecting their flanks and rear from enemy assault. As a result, all the soldiers that were marching towards the city of Delhi began to make their way to the northeast corner of the city facing a relatively fresh Mughals force.

The reinforcements were somewhat tired from their journey as they had to march several kilometers after getting off the train. The weather was at least decent making the march less exhausting than it could have been. The newly arrived Mughals soldiers were armed much like the defenders inside the city with the exception of twenty thousand cavalry at the general's disposal. The army's general, Shaktar Prakash, rushed his troops forward as much as he dared. An exhausted army would have little value and, when he arrived, he was shocked to see a great fire within Delhi. Prakash wasn't entirely sure if the city was taken or not and was pondering on the idea of a tactical retreat. The idea was eliminated when one of his men managed to establish connection on the radio with General Timurids within the city. After learning that the defenders still held the city, Prakash prayed to Allah that his forces arrived in time. Still, he wasn't a fool as he realized that the entire British army was bearing down on him. With no hesitation, he ordered his men to quickly dig trenches as they prepared for a skirmish out in the open against the British. The fate of Delhi hanged in the balance.

The Mughals soldiers worked quickly and dug several shallow trenches in half an hour. As for the British, they were slowly regrouping as the Generals gave command to mount an attack. The British generals were given a lot more options given that the battle was taking place in a field with many small hills. A few British generals even scoffed at the Mughals cavalry that has joined in the ranks of the opposing army. The field guns crews were ordered to hide further back once the Mughals reinforcements was dealt with because the British thought their infantry was more than a match. A quick estimate told the British that they were facing off against roughly two hundred thousand men. Outnumbering the enemy nearly three to one and room to maneuver their troops, the British generals believed that battle would be a quick one. The position set up by the Mughals army was quickly surrounded to prevent any Mughals soldiers from escaping. Once the preparation was made, the British infantry was sent forward to assault the dug in Mughals infantry.

The Mughals may not have much time to prepare their fortifications in the open but they were well trained to improvise at such a short notice. Several machine gun nests were established at strategic positions while the entire army was separated into four groups with each group covering one direction. The Mughals cavalry was ordered to dismount and take up position with the other infantry while the few mortars that came with the army were positioned to cover as much area as possible. The trenches may have been shallow but they were enough to provide decent cover for the Mughals from enemy fire. In addition, the soldiers were determined and confident after learning that they still held the capital city. General Prakash also ensured that proper communication was possible within his army so that his men could react to changes on the battlefield. With all his preparations completed, Prakash stood in the middle of the formation with binoculars watching the British closing in on their position. The battle was about to begin and he used the brief moment to pray to Allah.

The British infantry would charge forward towards their enemy but the machine guns would soon mow down their numbers. The British had a few mortars of their own which they began to use in targeting the machine gun nests. A couple of shots were fired and a few found their target. However, the loss of machine gun nests for these Mughals didn't mean that they lost their firepower. Instead, they brought along LMG that were equally deadly and more difficult to pinpoint for enemy mortar teams. The British forces charged forward across the flat terrain and they were cut down mercilessly. Still, the British soldiers continued to come and the mortars continued to fire for both sides. As time passed, the Mughals were losing a steady number of men which weakened their position dramatically. More British soldiers managed to get close enough to throw grenades into trenches and effectively killing an entire group of Mughals infantry. The casualties for the Mughals was rising steadily and their defensive circle was slowly shrinking. After a month of fighting, the Mughals lost their outer trench to the enemy and were desperately trying to hold the second trench. Mortars on both sides have, by this time, ran out of ammunition and it became a killing ground for infantry.

British soldiers were using the outer trench for cover as they fired back at the enemy. However, the Mughals LMGs were still putting a lot of pressure on the attackers and halting any chance of assault. A group of brave Mughals soldiers launched a counterattack with the goal of retaking the outer trench. Under heavy enemy fire, they got into melee and fought close quarters with the enemy. The outer trench was retaken but the Mughals have suffered considerably heavy casualty in doing it. The Mughals soldiers that were at the outer trench were forced to retreat but they didn't do so until they left some surprises for the British infantry. The British, seeing the Mughals retreating, charged forward eagerly to kill the enemy. As their men jumped into the outer trench, they would set off land mines and blew several British soldiers to pieces. In the heat of battle, the attackers failed to noticed the explosions were result of land mines and, as a result, lost many men to the surprises left by Mughals infantry. Still, the casualties suffered from the mines were minimal and the fight continued to drag on.

In July, the Mughals defensive circle has shrunk to only encompass two deep trenches. The casualties for both sides were high but the Mughals got the worse of it. With more than half their numbers dead (some estimated a hundred fifty thousand), the morale of the Mughals was taking a major hit. Surrounded and running low on supplies, the Mughals were in a dire situation as the British seemed to have an endless number of men. Later sources estimated that the British has lost up to a hundred eighty men which meant that they still had four hundred thousand men at their disposal. The British generals were furious about their losses thus far as they lost six hundred thousand men since the start of the siege. Anymore casualties and the British may just not have enough men to hold the city long enough for a peace treaty to be agreed upon. For the defenders within the city, they could clearly hear all the gunshots and mortar shots that has been taking place. As much as they wanted to aid their brother outside the city, the defense of Delhi was still their first priority. The inhabitants within Delhi prayed to Allah for another miracle to happen. As though their prayer was heard, another miracle would happen on July 31.

Rebuilding the Great Empire - Timurids AAR (Death and Taxes MOD)

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