Hope to see a world report following the fall of India, I am sure that China now will be able to assist the ERE and re open that front.
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Even though it is Austria and not Germany, they still have trouble deciding on what tanks they need. Nice update, but I am surprised that you have come so far successfully and are now hitting a road block.
Have finally entered the fourth instalment after a thrilling three part read. Enjoying it a lot. Weird to see 'Albion' as the Enemy but have gotten used to it. Now fully behind the HRE and the Knights Transient. Would make for a very interesting world, as there was far fewer and less wide spread colonial powers and not for as long either. China and Russia were industrialised from the getgo and the Americas sees roles reversed as the South belongs to one huge dictatorship and the North to a varying group of democracies.
All very interesting indeed.
EDIT: Caught up. The short stories are good. Want to see what the post-war period will look like of course.
All very interesting indeed.
EDIT: Caught up. The short stories are good. Want to see what the post-war period will look like of course.
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Chapter 10: World on a String
(Chinese Soldiers Celebrating the Fall of India)
(Chinese Soldiers Celebrating the Fall of India)
The Fall of India would be one felt across the world, The World's second greatest power in both Industrial might and population had spent it's entire history simply growing stronger and unifying until it's final unification in the 19th century. Being the front line in the first world war however had inflicted deep wounds into the Indian democracy. Pacifistic Elements of Indian culture had combined with after effects of the war, which led to widespread military cuts. By the time the Anti War liberals were ousted from power the damage had been done, India was surrounded by Enemies and Fascist and Socialist parties within the country itself were eating away at the nation like a cancer.
(Chinese Tanks outside Delhi driving to the Eastern Front, 1941)
(Emperor Muhan Ashanti, 1941)
The Chinese of course were ecstatic with the news. India and it's control over the Himalayas was a great rock sitting in between the Axis. Now that rock was removed and Indian rail would mean soldiers for the European front in exchange for Baku Oil. Occupying India was a task all in its own however, as the country was just as massive and populous as China. Unlike the Holy Roman Empire in occupied France, Poland and Russia the Chinese leadership seemed to not know the meaning of the words 'benign neglect' and had quickly implemented boot to neck occupation, curfews and took complete control of the means of production.
In Contrast the Southern half of India had fallen to the Eastern Roman Republic by treaty and the treatment of the far more rural southern half the country by the Greeks was relatively hands off. This was of course mostly becuase unlike the chinese the Greeks were hopelessly short on manpower and so borrowed heavily from the Indian Fascist party for collaborators to ensure the South Indian government would continue to keep things calm at least until the war finished.
In Contrast the Southern half of India had fallen to the Eastern Roman Republic by treaty and the treatment of the far more rural southern half the country by the Greeks was relatively hands off. This was of course mostly becuase unlike the chinese the Greeks were hopelessly short on manpower and so borrowed heavily from the Indian Fascist party for collaborators to ensure the South Indian government would continue to keep things calm at least until the war finished.
(A rare picture of the 'Shanghai Rose' a Famous Chinese Radio personality during WW2, 1941)
The home front for the Chinese had reverted to how things were during the 'Great Reconquest' of china by Hong Liao. Oil, rubber and other essential war materials were rationed or cut off entirely, augmented by a now well experienced propaganda machine to increase enlistment in the government and strengthen resolve for the Chinese Union party. Free speech and other liberties that had now become commonplace in America and the Holy Roman Empire had been thrown out decades ago.
The Media from the start had been designed for the singular purpose of being an asset for the State and with mandatory broadcast laws, the 'Shanghai Rose' as allied pilots began calling her was one of the only sources of news on the course of the war.Allied Pilots flying over China, due to being out of range of Japanese Radio stations often tuned into the Chinese WNBC broadcasts and ultimately would be source of name 'Shanghai Rose'.
(Scandinavia troops prepare to defend a position in Finland, February 1941)
The Russian's prized 'General Winter' came out in force in Scandinavia but on the wrong side, first freezing up supply lines than then the troops themselves who did not receive proper winter uniformed and equipment. Those soviets that did not freeze to death found themselves on the receiving end of a determined counterattack and by March 1941 the Scandinavians had pushed the Russians back over the border and further south into Finland.
(Civilians Evacuating Leningrad, April 1941)
Upon the Holy Roman Empire's retaking of Riga the way had been opened by sea to Leningrad. Imperial and Scandinavian troops had no difficulty in securing the region south of the city. Despite this supplies and reinforcements could still flow over the ladoga sea and did so starting yet another bloody seige on the eastern front as the Russians fought ever harder to stave off a looming defeat.
(Governor Arthur Macdunn in his office in Sacramento, 1941)
Macdunn was a divisive figure to say the very least. Infatuated with Imperial-Japanese culture Macdunn had used the war to push for the Continental Union to hold actual economic and military powers in times of war. The Knee jerk reaction from almost every member state save california was predictable. Still, Macdunn insisted and so emergency referendum 31 was held mostly under protest. Much to the dissatisfaction of the Templar and Americans the referendum passed California, Alaska and Canada while failing in Avalon and America. In Mexico, improper election procedures had resulted in the loss of over 100,000 votes which wouldn't have been an issue if not for the 49/51 split in favor of increasing the Union's power. With America at war, this was the worst thing that could possibly happen, and in a gesture of good faith Macdunn dropped the issue promising that 'He would return' to it after the war.
(WW2 Pan-American Propaganda Poster)
Like in China and the Holy Roman Empire rationing had gone well into effect. While the americans were rich in oil and steel rubber continued to be in constantly short supply. The Republic of Avalon had begun widespread agriculture projects in the great plains, often displacing Native American tribes further north and into the Dakotas, but those projects were not expected to produce any food for at least another year. This meant the breadbasket of the America's around the great lakes, california and American south was being stretched to it's absolute limit.
To alleviate manpower issues the Continental Union had managed to pass several free transit laws laws designed to allow vital manpower to be redistributed to Avalon and feed the growing American steel industry there. Women were also being called en-masse from more traditional roles to fill jobs left open from the war. Women also were pressured by the Holy Roman Empire to allow Women enlistment in the Air Force as well.
(Picture of Emily 'Chief' Hiawatha, A Templar Ace F47 'Eagle' pilot, 1941)
As more and more bomber pilots continued to be lost over China and Britain, that call was finally answered by the Americans and Templar who allowed volunteer recruitment in limited quotas, same as the Holy Romans. Propaganda followed suit funding 'The Liberators' series of art books written by Investigative Comics that featured several popular characters such as Star Man, Valkyrie,The Templar, and of course Captain Empire. These books became widely popular, mostly with children, thus giving birth to an entirely new sub genre of media, the comic book.
(Later Comic of Empire Man, Leader of the 'Liberators')
While individually the Americans could not hope to match the might of China together they were finding ways to grow ever more powerful, even if Politics threatened to rip them apart once again in the near future.
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Basically, I took a quick stab over the straight but the Chinese have fortified it solid. I'm advancing in the Crimea very slowly becuase I'm short on divisions and I don't want to stretch the ones I have there too thin until I have Spain.
Not so much a road block as rough terrain in the East. As Russia gers pushed further back the Russian troops I've been pushing have been clustering more so less easy encirclements and more pushing.
Spain however, well we will cover that soon.
It would be an interesting cold war for sure. HRE taking the place of the USA except being paternalistic and authoritarian rather than democratic.
I'd say the war would go hot at some point, considering that both sides have massive populations living right next to each other and ideologically apposed. Unless of course afroeurasia is under one alliance and the Americas are under another, then you can have a proper Cold War, even with the power imbalances, because they would besepersted by rage oceans.
India divided by your foes is a depressing picture, but it also makes sense for your enemies to provide some challenge. Poor Muhan Ashanti must be awfully stressed.
Love the bit on comic books, especially the new characters to star in them.
Love the bit on comic books, especially the new characters to star in them.
Chapter 11: Lucky Old Sun
(Common Propaganda poster used in neutral countries promote aid to the Spanish, 1941)
The great advances and conquests of the Holy Roman military had now officially come to a stop. In no place was this more apparent than spain, Who in the first half of the war on the peninsula lost the entirety of Aragon and half of old Andalusia. The Spanish and portuguese dug into the rough terrain and prepared for a long grueling battle.
(Common Propaganda poster used in neutral countries promote aid to the Spanish, 1941)
(King Rodrigo Velez Anniona Bretagne)
While the Holy Roman Empire was in truth liberating the Flemish, Poles and other minorities from the bigger Soviet Union and Greater Albion in spain there was no such moral excuse. Spain had been invaded once before in recent memory and that was by Napoleon who stole half the country for himself while crowing his brother king over the rest.
The Spanish left nothing behind as they treated, burning roads, railways and other vital infrastructure. In often cases even civilians would be taken conscripted into the army though most volunteered. Spain's Pro Celtic Fascist regime was no dictatorship after all, it was still housed a healthy and beloved monarchy headed by Rodrigo Anniona-Bretagne just with a primarily fascist pro-albion parliament. In Portugal the entire government structure had been left unchanged since the Fascists took office.
The Spanish left nothing behind as they treated, burning roads, railways and other vital infrastructure. In often cases even civilians would be taken conscripted into the army though most volunteered. Spain's Pro Celtic Fascist regime was no dictatorship after all, it was still housed a healthy and beloved monarchy headed by Rodrigo Anniona-Bretagne just with a primarily fascist pro-albion parliament. In Portugal the entire government structure had been left unchanged since the Fascists took office.
(An American CT-5 'David' tank)
The Americans were also in Spain, in Force. With the seizure of Britanny and Eastern France the Americans were streaming vital men and supplies across the atlantic into Nantes as well as the original suez supply line to Italy. Greener than the Holy Roman and Occitanian soldiers that fought in France, the Americans primarily moved to assist in occupation duties as well as participate in the growing disaster that was Navarra.
At Navarra, with their backs to the sea the spanish fiercely resisted. Working with civilian guerillas the spanish had managed to dig in both in the rough countryside and cities themselves. Despite being vastly outnumbered by the Austrians the spanish would give no ground, and on the off chance a spanish position was broken, it'd often be retaken as soon as Holy Roman soldiers left the area. Further north Greater Albion alongside the Portuguese had also managed to hold onto Pau and Bordeaux in a similar fashion. The Holy Roman Empire had managed to contest the region between the two hardpoints at great cost of manpower, but such a victory would be ultimately futile as resistance forces kept both area's linked and well supplied. Greater Albion continued to feed supplies to the Spanish in Galicia, who would run supplies at night into Navarra along the coastline. With only a token naval presence in Biscay, the Navarra and Bordeaux fighters stayed well supplies, not nearly as much as the Imperials but continued to have the food and bullets to ensure that every inch of Spanish soil would cost dozens in lives, both American and Roman.
(A Holy Roman Soldier prepared to defend a position outside destroyed Pau, July 1941, Colorized)
Military command had originally believed the arrival of the new, Österreich Class Battleship would have both the armament and range to provide better naval support to break the stalemate. Faster and better armed at the cost of armor the Österreich Class was dubbed the first 'Fast Battleship' heavier and more well armed than a Battlecruiser but just as maneuverable thanks to a pair of oversized engines. With put into practice in the field however, the Dated Kaiser Class Super Battleship still outperformed all competitors against ground targets and the Österreich Class was relegated quickly to the Pacific where it's became a glorified floating anti aircraft platform only very rarely getting a chance to fire its guns at any substantial target.
(The SPZ.41 'Tiger')
(Note: California and Allies sending over 125 Divisions to Help in Spain)
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Things are slowing down on this front, but your weaponry continues to improve. Worst case, this'll slowly become a war of attrition of which I highly doubt the Holy Roman Empire will cave first.
Silly Rodrigo! There are several ways in which a noble monarch can deal with Fascists, including the noose, blunt force trauma, and a firing squad. You will notice that caving to them like a complete pussy is not one of these. Now take a lesson from your big sister Octavia on how Fascists can be dealt with!
If anything that just results in the monarchy being abolished after the war and a republic being set up.
Edit: @dragoon9105, for the next part of my short stories I plan on a crossover with my megacampaign, where both Ottos meet each other (eventually). I'll plan on linking back here when I'm done. Would you be fine with that?
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Chapter 12: Playing the Numbers
(Representation of the Survival Rate of a Typical German infantry unit for the Biscay front)
As summer turned to fall, efforts to seize spain had increased ten fold. Galicia and Portugal continued to folder under pressure but major thorns of Pau, Bordeux, Navarra and Bilboa continued to hold and bleed the Imperial army of the west. By October casualty numbers had passed the million threshold for the empire and intelligence reported that numbers on the Axis front due to excessive bombing and naval bombardment must be over twice that.
(Representation of the Survival Rate of a Typical German infantry unit for the Biscay front)
For the higher staff Biscay was an embarrassment, a foolhardy attempt to bring a swift end to the war in spain while preserving gibraltar and preparing for another conflict that was now being plotted by the Northern army staff. Army doctrine for the Empire, which had been ever increasing into reliance upon mobilized warfare had neglected one important factor boots on the ground and now effort was being made to rectify it.
Following approval from the Empress, Series 2 rifles as they were being called, carbines and other improved bolt actions were scrapped entirely in favor of switching over to automatics and superior infantry equipment for both urban and mobilized warfare. Submachine guns, were in service with the Empire already but had poor stopping power and range. Rifles were the exact opposite, which had left both weapons unsuitable for Army commands 'standard equipment' approach that had been taken previously in regard to tanks.
(A Canadian soldier holding the new Standardgewehr (STG-41), late 1941)
In the Empire, Steyr's rifle branch had been studying reports from the Americans as well as tests of captured soviet submachine guns and carbines. It would take months but Steyr finally proposed a design that was effectively an enlarged submachine gun chambered to fire rifle cartridges. The argument presented was that modifying existing rifles with a gas operated system proved made the weapon too heavy for use.
The presentation came at just the right time for the army staff, who were now desperately looking for a 'magic bullet' to stop the bleeding from Leningrad and Biscay and the STG was rushed into production, despite its poor reliability. In the spring of 1942 Steyr would propose the STG-42, a far more reliable version with an improved barrel and firing system that would end up serving as the primary infantry rifle for the Holy Roman Military for years.
In November, after half a year of constant bloodshed the first of the Spanish dominos began to fall, Bilbao. A massive massive bombing campaign by the IAF preceded with a rather reckless infantry charge finally led to the taking of the city, and from the city the countryside around it. By the 22nd the Holy Roman Flag was now flying from house Anniona-Bretagne's summer palace, though by the time it was already a ruin.
December brought more progress for the Empire even amidst bad weather and worsening terrain. The siege on Leningrad was primarily a Scandinavia affair and remained that way for its entirety but In mid december Holy Roman Soldiers found a weakness in the Western half of the city and exploited the opportunity by seizing the port facilities there. With easy access to supplies from Scandinavia come spring and the way into Finland looking increasingly open, it was now only a matter of time for the great city of the Soviet regime.
Further east the Scandinavians found another hole and punched into Karelia, further cutting off the Soviets inside finland from the motherland, officially dooming Leningrad seizing evermore wilderness from the Russians, in the dead of winter which would mean further damage to soviet morale and thus a quicker end to the war.
The War in the Air however was far from over. With Europe now successfully liberated the IAF was now free to distribute modern fighters and bomber aircraft to the skies over britain. For years this war would rage, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of pilots and civilians. Cities across southern england were bombed until little more remained than empty shells. The Celtic capital, originally set up in London was moved further north to Oxford with government staff being forced to operate out of Scotland or bunkers hidden in the hills of Wales.
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The monument in Biscay is a small but kind gesture for those lost in the war. Let them be remembered as the Holy Roman Empire brings this to a close.
Also, while I like that this reads mostly as a HRE textbook essentially, it's always funny how the description of your new tanks is followed by its many flaws.
Also, while I like that this reads mostly as a HRE textbook essentially, it's always funny how the description of your new tanks is followed by its many flaws.
You don't want to land in England first, while it is probably weakened by the losses on the continent? Glad to see the Spanish problem is finally resolved.
Interlude 3: Katyusha
Four packs of cigarettes, twenty magazines and one fur coat. This is what was left of the reserve supplies this was all that was left of the twelfth company supplies. Sergeant Jakob Eriksson reflected.
It had now been six months at Leningrad twenty two days and an hour since the Twelfth company had arrived, manpower had kept coming but supplies hadn't. What was left was little more than enough to last a Russian counter attack.
Plenty of ration tins, looked like they were frozen, a handful of grenades, looked to be about five, and last was a flag. Command had given each unit the Red Cross on Gold probably in hopes someone would find a building tall enough to fly it from amongst the ruins.
Eriksson stood up and walked out of the room, outside there was the sounds of distant gunfire and the familiar sight of grey, brown and white. Four more men stood around a small meager fire and a fifth seating. A second seat was empty, only a rifle sitting in it.
The sitting man looked up, It was the Lieutenant, younger boy named Christian. The war had turned him from green to grey just like the rest of twelfth company, the ones that survived anyway, at least half the men in the room were still unfamiliar to Erikson, but not the Lieutenant. "We have orders, come over here"
Eriksson set down a ration tin by the fire and walked over beside his commander. He looked at the empty chair and then away to a map the commander was holding letting out a soft sigh.
"A runner came by, we are to move up this street with the 11th company, I asked for a tank, no word yet"
Eriksson looked at the map, the Lt was pointing at what they both knew was a series of fortified houses. "Death Row" Eriksson said, thinking aloud.
The Lieutenant nodded quietly "We are to move just south, wait until support from the air, god willing the weather co-operates for once"
Eriksson looked up, there was a roof but the building they were in was so filled with holes you could see the sky by angling just right. There was no sun up yet and plenty of clouds.
"And if it doesn't"
The Lieutenant just stared at him silently. Then he glanced across the fire at who was left.
Eriksson sighed and turned to face the same direction as his commander "Alright, we're moving out grab everything you can"
The streets were eerily quiet that morning. Some of the buildings had fallen since they had been in this particular area of the city. Moving through it was still slow, the squaded needed to be cautious as emptiness meant snipers and the Russians loved to seed abandoned areas with them to pick off unsuspecting patrols.
By the time they had arrived south of death row it was not longer quiet, or empty. The popping sound of machine guns echo'd in from the north almost constantly and the trademark bluish grey of Erikssons countrymen filled the buildings, manning guns talking and eating.
Lieutenant Christian stopped the unit at what looked to be some sort of bombed out storefront. 11th unit was there with nicer looking uniforms and sure enough a tank. The crew was sitting on the turret laughing about some sort of joke that was hard to hear over the rest ambient noise. The tank itself was large, not the L/60 but some sort of Lend Lease tank from the germans, it looked like a giant box, with a gun as long as a Flak cannon. The words "Bad Kitty" were painted onto the side of the turret, still fresh.
None of the new faces looked very happy to see Eriksson's half empty unit. The Lieutenant was busy explaining the past week to what looked to be the tank commander was was nodding and puffing on a pipe. He looked new, his blond hair was still nice and clean and his uniform looked fresh from a crate. His men looked slightly less so, one was ever wearing a Russian hat complete with that god awful star for the cold. Then the commander slapped his hands together and smiled a wolfish grin "Lets see if Nine lives is enough to get through death row hmm?"
He seemed sure of himself, Erikson thought. 11th Company didn't seem to impressed either, and Erikson could see the opposite Lt twisting his mouth into some sort of frown, scowl or something inbetween.
Nevertheless once the tank commander had finished with his pipe 'Bad Kitty' got moving and both units filed in behind it.
Building by building they cleared out the area before death row. They heard their goal before they saw it, machine guns popping away. Just as it came in sight the unit stopped, and waited.
Death Row was a church, and a few buildings alongside it Eriksson could see, plain as day. The tower had long been blown off and at the top sat a small sandbag fort covered in ice, likely with a sniper at the top. Below looked to be a snow fort, with layers of ice and snow covered walls, blackened holes where the machine guns were. Those walls aren't ice, that much was obvious, behind the snow was sandbags and the second wall was reinforced concrete, It was a fortress.
They had sat there for about an hour before the Tank commander popped his prissy head out of the turret "Alright, prepare for some fireworks boys"
He had done it too soon perhaps becuase it had been another hour until they heard what was coming. They sounded like demons screaming out of hell and the results seemed to reinforce the idea. Fireballs, coming in from the west by the dozen had begun to crash into the soviet position and everywhere around it. The Tank commander yelled and laughed and mockingly began singing in faux Russian. Eriksson knew the song, and he knew full well what was happening, The Germans had seized the port only a month ago, and it seemed they might have captured some new toys. Now the Russians before them were about to experience the hell that was a rocket attack for the first time.
The attack lasted only a few minutes, and the results were, disappointing to say the least as only a dozen or so rockets actually hit their targets. The church, or what was left of it anyway was a smoldering ruin, its sniper roost covered in a cloud of black smoke. The outer walls of death row were broken up in several places small moving figures in the distance scrambled around between pillars of smoke.
"Bad Kitty" began to roll forward and both units moved with the armored beast, either behind it or along the roads so as the run into cover when the machine guns started.
The first round fired from "Bad Kitty" and with a puff of smoke and distant thump another chunk of Death Row came tumbling down. Then came the second round, and the third.
Now they were close enough for the Russians to shoot back, first it was machineguns then it was Tanks on the Russian side, a Type 28, and two Type 33's.
12th Company was now along the buildings, This was no longer infantry work, it was now the time for the beasts to exchange words in the only way they knew how, Hot molten steel.
One tracer impacted the front of Bad Kitty, by the time the smoke had cleared two more had fired down the street, one finding the ground too early and the last finding the front. The last round didn't stop, it bounced clean off landing in a building in between Kitty and the Type 33's.
Bad Kitties response was quick, One round and a firey explosion from death row. The Russians had begun to fire upon the tank with machine guns, and virtually everything else they had.
Bad Kitty stopped and turned so it's front was no longer facing the enemy. That didn't seem to make much sense to Eriksson or any of his unit, "Why expose the weaker armor?"
The tank didn't care and stopped at that slight angle. Then it fired again taking another enemy. The last Russian round skimmed clear over the top. Bad Kitty didn't miss, and the third tank went up in a ball of flame.
Then the advance came again, until they were well within rifle range. Between rounds from the Tank and 11th Companies' advance down the street by the time the Tank itself and 12th company had arrived at death row, the great Russian fortress had become a ruin much like the rest of the city. The Russians still there held thier rifles in the air, screaming something desperately. They looked worse than Eriksson had expected starved, cold and now mentally broken. From the other roads came more soldiers, and more tanks with friendly colors 10th, 14th and 16th companies, No tanks like bad kitty among them however.
The Commander had popped open his hatch and was looking around, admiring his handiwork then he looked to the ruined church and smiled. 11th Company had risen the Gold and Red from the ruined sniper nest.
Then, in his Faux Russian, the Commander sung his song again, this time accompanied by a chorus of men.
Apparently not, which was exceedingly frustrating. I probably and perhaps foolishly millions worth of manpower to attrition and combat loses in those cities and they didn't fall until I had completly seized the remainder of Portugal and Spain in Europe.
If anything that just results in the monarchy being abolished after the war and a republic being set up.
Edit: @dragoon9105, for the next part of my short stories I plan on a crossover with my megacampaign, where both Ottos meet each other (eventually). I'll plan on linking back here when I'm done. Would you be fine with that?
Knock yourself out, I dont mind.
Graphical Bug the only reason it doesn't happen with the HRE troops is becuase I went in and manually fixed the flags so that wouldn't happen as often.
They wouldn't be german ww2 tank designs if they werent perfect on paper and then suddenly hit a roadblock when they enter reality
I considered it, but In the end I figured I had a much more vital target to seize first especially when I could just bomb britain into the ground.