Torpedo Mania! - A Canadian Jeune École A(nime)AAR

[Emanresu]

It is an Unfortunate Loss
- Weeks 53, 54 Y1940 -
Late September

With Ontario repaired and the Fraser IN repairing, the raiding continue - and so did the enemy squadron.

The swift retreat had its benefits - managing to escape direct combat with the enemy. . . and learning a valuable lesson in commanding destroyers throughout the long engagement.

Unfortunately, the lesson was not perfect, nor was it applied immediately - in a single stroke, the Z5 Paul Jacobi got a successful torpedo attack off on the Saguenay - our old friend - was sunk near instantly. Fortunately, her men were picked up by other retreating destroyers. It is a time of mourning - but a bitter victory, as we had sunk one of the three convoys in the area. Coldly speaking, the convoy was worth more in her tonnage and cargo than the Saguenay - an almost better exchange - but yet our current supply of Destroyers - especially of the modern standard of the Margaree Class - hurt us more. Some good - but also neutralizing - news came in a few hours later - a concluded battle with a wolfpack of Italian submarines - sinking one of our convoys. Annoying - since our sacrifice had been screwed over, but on the other hand, her escorts had their revenge, taking out two of the Submarines in revenge.

On a better note, another Clemson class was refitted - leaving us so far with two "Torpedo Boat Destroyers." While we still had some to go, this was a good sign.

In the early days of the 19th - another encounter happened - a lone destroyer acting in support of holding the line. More cautious since the previous battle, we wisely chose to retreat early.

Also early on the 20th - the QF 40 mm Bofors was ready for production - and indeed it was! Swapping out the current production of the aging QF 3-inch meant a sizeable amount was now needed to go for refit. Notably, the current (QF 3-inch) AA is in use with our army. With the project complete, the Boffins were inspired by the issues and advantages of the advanced AA guns development - Using the knowledge gained, they were now working on a side project to improve existing Artillery pieces, aptly named the Improved Artillery Upgrade 1.

Meanwhile, yet more were sent for repair - the Restigouche and the Assiniboine. While minor, we also had another interesting encounter on the sonar - german Submarine! The damage done was not major, but it was enough to get it to disengage, sinking the convoy, and retreat ourselves. A few days later, everyone was repaired.

 

[Emanresu]

It is some Reinforcements coming in!
- Weeks 55, 56 Y1940 -
Early October

Egpytian and Congo Fronts - were doing well as expected.

Yet more rumours about an expansion of the rumoured "intelligence agency" came around - not sure how accurate those are, but okay I suppose?

On the other end, a new dockyard was planned after the construction of the local civilian factory.

For our convoy tonnage, we were doing rather well - unfortunately including our recent loss of Saguenay.

More recently, another Clemson class came out of refit - now named the Waterhen. Next in line and expected to finish refitting, was the Annapolis. On a good note, the Voyager and the Vendetta were ready to be sent over to the Atlantic Squadron! Leaving behind the Waterhen, unfortunately, but this would at least be more of a controlled sending over of small DD Pairs instead of trickles.

Meanwhile, in the army, Our infantry Divisions were getting an Important support brigade - the Field Hospital! Although some of the equipment was yet to be shipped (or built) this would be rather helpful to stop the burn of manpower once the offensives got started.

A few days later, the two V's joined the squadron! Soon getting their first taste of convoy raiding, and dodging another enemy squadron, they got their chance to try out their skills against a live enemy target. This would prove beneficial to their skills.

A moderately successful battle, as we sunk 2 of 3 convoys while suffering only the damage of the Restigouche. On a plus side, we did also deal a decent amount of damage to their Cruisers and Destroyers.

Meanwhile, in the Mediterranean, the British were not having a good time.

On the homefront - rumours of a "Contested Government" dominate the news, and of a decision to "free up the political landscape" whatever that meant. As a bonus, this provided better political stability and gave some political power to the recent government - althewhile, more dissident elements will be suppressed by the usage of the "Defence of Canada" Regulations.

And in the Mediterranean once again, a more fair fight was raging - though not expected to be consisting of heavy ship-based casualties, it was still significant.

Detracting from that, was the finishing of "Improved Support Equipment" and the start of the "Improved Infantry Equipment I" program - hopefully this would indeed help out our ground troops.

 

[Emanresu]

It is time to fix our Oil Problem
- Weeks 57, 58 Y1940 -
Late October

Said improved Support Support equipment would be helpful indeed - and the research for better Improved Equipment began.
Soon after - well two days - came yet another battle with the German cruiser squadron. Managing to sink a convoy - and a destroyer - we managed to get away. Meanwhile, the official end of the league of nations came in: Italy declared war on Greece. Quickly joining the Allies, it was obvious that Greece would soon enter the war on the Allied Side - as well had the Germans and the rest of the Axis joined on Italy's.

Rather nice news came in on the following day - The Imperial Oil commission was complete! Along came of course with a plethora of new oil fields, ready to lubricate the war machine.

Next up - The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. This one - was a bit less useful in the immediate moment, however, it did give a bit more power to the future Canadian Airforce that could exist later on in the war.

Meanwhile, our ships were rather dinged up from the last battle - and back to repair some of them went.

A day later, everyone was back in the fleet.

Back in Halifax, another one of the ships was done refitting - newly christened the HMCS Kootenay - and the Columbia was next on the list.

However, back in the Europe theatre - things were shaken up a bit, with the Declaration of war on Finland by the Soviet Union. Of course, this was expected long before, but it was interesting to see how long the Finnish would last this time.

Back in the homefront - a recent drastic decision was made to combat the low stability; Improving Worker Conditions. This program was estimated to last roughly 180 days, while unfortunately slowing down Factory output while costing us some cash. Fortunately, it was not that expensive, and the program was already proving plenty popular with its target audience.

So far - Greece was doing okay.

Some rumours - the finishing of the "Passive Defence" in the rumoured Intelligence agency.

On the other hand, the planned civ factory was complete! Expectedly, the work also starts on the dockyard in St. Lawrence.

Again the rumour mill started up - the expansion of the "Passive Defence" was assumedly underway.

Expected to be done in yet another month.

 

[Emanresu]

It is our first cruiser kill of the War!
- Weeks 59, 60 Y1940 -
Early November

On the first of November - A battle in the med was finishing up with a few skirmishing forces - so far it seemed to be a rather equal trade. Tactically, we won - but strategically, we lost. Three convoys and a destroyer for 2 destroyers and 2 submarines of theirs.

Greece was holding on for the moment - and Egypt and China were in a stalemate as always. On the plus side, our refit was going well, and we were steadily advancing in the Congo.

Casualties, as always, seemed to be either lopsided or equal, depending on which side you were on. Especially If you were Finnish.

Soon enough, the St. Croix was under refit - and the Chaudiere was in port. This freed up a new pair - Kootenay and Waterhen - to join the main fleet in the Gulf.

Meanwhile, the Gatineau needed maintenance - and we soon encountered a relatively large Destroyer fleet . . . of Italians? Nearly reaching our in-combat Destroyer total (15 us, 12 them) they also were mostly consisting of older destroyers, with only a single one being of a more modern 1936 class design.

On a pleasant note, this gave the newly arrived pair (Waterhen and Kootenay) a live combat training experience - this would hopefully get them up to speed.

Wary of an intervention by the German task force in the region, the decision was made to retreat in good order.

As we retreated, the Restigouce got her first kill - nailing the RCT Lampo, one of the older ones, with torpedoes. Witnessing such masterwork also had its benefits in helping to train the newer Clemson class crews.

While we did successfully getaway, most of our DDs were dinged up - thus needing repair. But on the other hand, so did they.

While most were repaired fairly quickly, the Vendetta got a wee bit more dinged up - this increased her repair time to a more annoying, but still manageable, 4 days. This was not enough time, unfortunately, to participate in yet another engagement - this time with the german cruiser squadron.

However, in an amazing twist of fortune - the Skeena got her revenge! a key opportunity saw her torpedoes blow up the german cruiser "Koln!" following the devastating blow, it was only a matter of time before the Ontario got her own guns to kill A modern 1936 class DD - the Z21. During the battle, yet more tactics were devised, calling for better organization of DDs to better hunt down Surface and underwater targets - this also well coincided with the finishing of the research for the "Basic Small Airframe" This was a good leap - bringing a new generation of possibilities for Canadian Aircraft.

Although, this technology was rather rudimentary, and nowhere near the possibilities for modern aircraft, which lead to the research team's next task - the design of an "Improved Small Airframe" which would, on paper - ignore the needed Engine and industrial specialization needed to really perfect it - bring a near modern airframe to Canada's design teams.

Post-battle - we did extremely well, managing to catch the squadron off guard, although failing to sink the convoys, which somehow managed to hit the Waterhen, which now had to go back for repairs.

 

[Emanresu]

(AN: In which I try to be less fastidious around dates in order to get more content out.)

The Unexpected, but not Impossible, Problem.
From February to June 1941

As the Congo was facing an offensive by Allied Forces, and Greece was getting fortified by the Italians-

Quebec was on her commissioning, and a new Destroyer Class, the Chaudiere, was starting production. Currently planned with six ships - estimated with the ability to work on all ships simultaneously, while also speeding up the "lead" ships - it was on track to replace previous losses and expand the fleet numbers.

Meanwhile, in the research labs, design teams were starting on the latest project; the "Basic Engine" for usage in future possible tank designs. Knowing Canada's historical record with tanks put somewhat of a downer on this, I remained optimistic. Getting rubber for use in our truck production was the next big thing apparently - and so it was, that we started importing from The United Kingdom.

As expected, Quebec soon entered the fleet, and with rumours of possible "spy agency construction" the news of a deal with the new Polymer Corporation to produce synthetic rubbers took hold.

On the other hand, reform of the army was in another swing - the apparent swapping of the "spirit of the army" with a focus on "Relief of Command" or rather, a focus on experience training - those at the front would get swapped with more inexperienced generals, who would in turn advise and train newer generals. This was estimated to improve army experience gain . . . whatever that was. Meanwhile, the navy continued with its interception of Convoys.

On the Homefront, the "Improved Working Conditions" was reaching its end, while a "Basic Anti Tank Gun" program reached completion- slated to improve possible tank guns - another program started. This time the "Improved Artillery Upgrade II" saw its beginning - and it would also improve possible tank armament, while obviously helping existing artillery pieces.

The Navy also got a change of tactics - as the homefront worked to expand civilian factory production - swapping the "Spirit of the Academy" from a doctrine focused on aggression to one of coordinated "Signals Training." Based on the recent experience, it was expectedly going to be rather helpful in positioning.

On one hand, it was unfortunate - our convoys themselves were being attacked - in the Mediterranean, no less - but on the other, the "Improved Working Conditions had wrapped up, meaning a resumption of production and construction.

Meanwhile, other good things were also going on; the end of the "Basic Engine" and the start of a "Basic Armour Protection" was seeing its start. In the Congo, the Allies were also breaking through the enemy Lines.

In China, the front and the casualties were expanding rather rapidly -

And further, convoy attacks were getting quite annoying. Things got a bit more interesting with Japan successfully demanding French Indo-China, meaning a new front for the Chinese - and the Japanese - was established.

It must come as a relief - and a joy - to those in the army, as finally, Military factories were placed on the list of production. Although limited in number, and bound to be quite a while before they got started, it was still a step forward. Following this, the negotiations with the new polymer corporation were complete - freeing up the funds necessary to start work on an "Army Modernization Plan" - or more accurately, tactics modernization on the Strategic and Tactical Level.

As expected a breakthrough was achieved in the Congo - and following short after the civilian factory was estimated to be close to completion, meaning that the money spent on getting rubber - would hopefully be paid off.

Meanwhile, the "Construction IV" program was complete - and the researchers were tasked with a coordinated research group with the Polymer Corporation in order to increase rubber yields. On another pleasant note, a "Material Designer" was selected for the cooperation with the government - Apparently, the "Small Arms Limited" would be helping with future "Weapons and Equipment" research.

Interestingly, Polish Destroyers were working quite efficiently - perhaps driven by spite and revenge - to sink two whole Italian Submarines out of 21 total submarines . . impressive, considering they only had four ships in the mission. Meanwhile, the Chinese Forces were quick to advance into the unguarded front of French Indo-China.

In Africa, Spain got (temporarily) encircled without a port . . .which would not last very long.

On a much more pleasant note, the Name ship (Chaudiere) was reaching completion! Meanwhile, the design team had finished with the "Basic Medium Tank Chassis" - unlocking the possibility for a medium tank battalion . . .in the future . . . but for the moment, the team had started on the development of the "Improved Medium Tank Chassis" which would take into account new developments and reports.

Surely nothing could go wrong now-!

. . . .Oh god oh f*ck.

 

[Emanresu]

Lucky Storms and Repairs
From the 14th of June to the 24th

It seemed as though many things would congregate on the 14th - the commissioning of the Lead ship of the Chaudiere class, the display of the "Basic Medium Chassis," and . . .the Battle of the Gulf of Guinea.

Expectedly, a lot of lessons (and skills) were learned during the event - skills such as better Torpedo Aiming and Reloading.

A lucky storm greatly aided our escape - and During the engagement, HMCS Ontario would claim three more victims- the RCT Perseo, Camicia Nera, and Aldebaran - While HMCS Athabaskan would claim the RCT Maestraele.

Thankfully, we managed to escape without casualties... .although not without damage.

With the day almost ending, we headed for repairs - of which we would need a lot of repairs.

Meanwhile, there was also further development of naval doctrine - that of the necessity of "Escort Carriers" which could have helped prevent (and maybe cause (to the enemy)) some damage.

On the mainland, the next civilian factories were halfway done-

And the port was recaptured by the Spanish, meaning . . . we had another job on our hands.

Technology-wise, the new artillery Improvements were released - and work on better Anti-Tank weaponry was started. Seeing as how we were not domestically producing any anti-tank guns. . . I would have to assume that this was for a future tank project. On the other hand, the "Basic Armour Protection" program was complete, and an "Aircraft Range Improvements" program was started. Hopefully, this would help later on.