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ENG (UK): Naval Mobilization!

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T

Tom Morrison

Sergeant
Aug 15, 2020
53
10
Hi!

Auxiliary cruisers played a significant role in the early years of WW2. Large civilian liners and freighters converted to warships by the addition of medium-caliber naval guns, auxiliary cruisers served as convoy escorts and patrol vessels in secondary theaters. Many would be lost to surface raiders and U-boats. When the threat of surface raiders subsided, most of the surviving auxiliary cruisers would be converted back to their civilian roles.

Below is the code I wrote to reflect the UK's auxiliary cruisers of WW2. The names are the actual names of the British vessels:

#########################################################################
# Auxiliary Cruisers or Troopships?
#########################################################################

event = {
id = 37673
random = no
country = ENG

name = "Auxiliary Cruisers or Troopships?"
desc = "In 1939, the UK converted 61 large civilian ships into auxiliary cruisers, armed with older models of 6-inch naval cannons, 3-inch dual-purpose guns, and AA guns of various calibers. These unarmored vessels performed convoy escort and patrol duties, freeing the battle fleet to pursue hostile warships. Many would be lost to German submarines and commerce raiders. The UK converted the surviving auxiliaries to troopships in 1942-43 when the threat of German surface raiders subsided."
style = 0
picture = "british_naval_reinforcments"

trigger = {
OR = {
war = { country = ENG country = FRA } # War with a major naval power
war = { country = ENG country = GER }
war = { country = ENG country = ITA }
war = { country = ENG country = JAP }
war = { country = ENG country = SOV }
war = { country = ENG country = USA }
AND = {
atwar = yes
OR = {
NOT = { battleship = { country = ENG value = 9 } } # Someone else is sinking ENG battleships
NOT = { carrier = { country = ENG value = 5 } } # Someone else is sinking ENG carriers
NOT = { transport = { country = ENG value = 10 } } # Someone else is sinking ENG transports
}
}
}
}

date = { day = 28 month = march year = 1936 }
offset = 90
deathdate = { day = 1 month = december year = 1947 }

action_a = {
name = "Auxiliary Cruisers"
ai_chance = 85
command = { type = manpowerpool value = -30.5 } # Warships need military manpower.

# Taking freighters and liners away from the Merchant Marine. These count double because they are big: 61 * 2 = 122
command = { type = transport_pool which = ENG value = -122 }

# These are the actual names of the auxiliary cruisers commissioned in the Royal Navy
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Alaunia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Alcantara" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Andania" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Antenor" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Antonia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Arawa" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Ascania" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Asturias" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Aurania" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Ausonia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Bulolo" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS California" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Canton" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Carinthia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Carnarvon Castle" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Casanare" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Carthage" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Cathay" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Cheshire" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Chitral" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Cilicia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Circassia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Comorin" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Corfu" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Derbyshire" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Duchess of Richmond" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Duchess of York" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Dunnottar Castle" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Dunvegan Castle" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Empress of Asia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Empress of Australia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Empress of Britain" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Empress of Canada" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Empress of Japan" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Empress of Russia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Empress of Scotland" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Esperance Bay" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Forfar" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Hector" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Jervis Bay" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Kanimbla" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Laconia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Laurentic" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Letitia" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Maloja" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Montclare" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Mooltan" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Moreton Bay" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Patroclus" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Pretoria Castle" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Queen of Bermuda" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Rajputana" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Ranchi" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Ranpura" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Rawalpindi" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Salopian" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Scotstoun" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Transylvania" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Voltaire" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Wolfe" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division which = "HMS Worcestershire" value = light_cruiser when = 0 }

# Major modification of hulls necessary: (61 * 3 / 12) * 100 = HOI2$1525
# (See Assumptions for conversion of freighters to auxiliary cruisers.)
# HOI2$400 worth of goods
command = { type = energypool value = -2287.5 }
command = { type = metalpool value = -2287.5 }
command = { type = oilpool value = -2287.5 }
command = { type = rarematerialspool value = -2287.5 }
command = { type = supplies value = -1715.625 }
}

action_b = {
name = "Troop Transports"
ai_chance = 2

# Assuming 3 ships make a transport squadron: 61/3 = 20.33, round to 20. Thus, 60 vessels.
# Taking freighters and liners away from the Merchant Marine. These count double because they are big: 60 * 2 = 120
command = { type = transport_pool which = ENG value = -120 }

# Troopships can use their own Merchant Marine crews. No additional manpower needed.
# Many surviving auxiliary cruisers were converted to troopships in 1942-1943 once the threat of German surface raiders subsided.
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }
command = { type = add_division value = transport when = 0 }

# Some modification of hulls necessary: (20 * 5 / 12) * 100 = $833.33 HOI2
# HOI2$208.33 worth of goods
command = { type = energypool value = -1250 }
command = { type = metalpool value = -1250 }
command = { type = oilpool value = -1250 }
command = { type = rarematerialspool value = -1250 }
command = { type = supplies value = -937.5 }
}

action_c = {
name = "Retain 'As Is' in Merchant Marine" # "As is" means no change in hulls necessary.
ai_chance = 13
command = { } # So...no change to status quo.
}
}
 
Just as an afterthought, the number and uniformity of British armament for their auxiliary cruisers and the speed with which the Admiralty was able to arm such a large number of civilian vessels strongly indicates that the UK did not abide by the terms of the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty, which forbade the peacetime readying of civilian vessels for conversion into warships. Yet 61 civilian vessels each received eight 6" Mark VII naval guns, for a total of 486 naval guns, carriages, and turrets that "just happened" to be in storage, fitted to civilian vessels built after 1922 whose decks "just happened" to be built strong enough to mount these guns, each of which weighed just shy of 8 metric tons. Hmmm...

But no history book says the UK violated the terms of the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty, which is why I charged ENG resources to arm the ships.

However, if I am right that the UK did violate the treaty, then these resources had already been set aside before 1936, so ENG should not have to pay anything but Manpower for the crews.

As always, comments and feedback are welcome.

Have fun and game on!
 
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