Nice update, EP. Amphibious landings are dicey, but that would put paid to a large number of Italian troops. Good luck!
Vann
Vann
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Time for replies I belive. And a question while I'm at it.
lifeless - There's nothing wrong with being the anvil, as long as there's something between you and the hammer to take the force of the blow.
therev - Glad you liked it.
GhostWriter - The Swordfish is indeed of Taranto and Bismark fame but in 1936 she was brand new and untested. In OTL the first squadron wasn't operational until June so they've rushed it into service, but as the main Italian fleet is holed up that wont matter will it?
kenneththegreat - Churchill did like his amphibious operations didn't he? He was always looking for a way to use British naval dominance to assist land campaigns, not always with perfect results though.
Vann the Red - Landings are even dicier when you have no marines or battleship fire support. I'm saving your good luck wishes for the operations after Vulcan, they'll make this look positively safe.
Now for the question. You may have noticed several countries weren't in the "World Watches update', not least the US, Japan and the Soviets. I do have plans for Jap/Sovs (whatever big event could there that would affect those two powers? ) but my plans for the US have suffered a significant blow.
While playing ahead I had the 'US one of our politicians has died' event and suffice to say it was quite a major figure who bit the dust. Given that things are going to get worse for the US before (if) they get better this chappy was a big part of the plot.
Do I bring him back or go for a re-write to fit his death in? I don't really want to redo a fair number of events/plot but as this AAR is all about big changes from small diversions I think I have to accept this is one of those changes, although one I didn't plan.
lifeless - There's nothing wrong with being the anvil, as long as there's something between you and the hammer to take the force of the blow.
therev - Glad you liked it.
GhostWriter - The Swordfish is indeed of Taranto and Bismark fame but in 1936 she was brand new and untested. In OTL the first squadron wasn't operational until June so they've rushed it into service, but as the main Italian fleet is holed up that wont matter will it?
kenneththegreat - Churchill did like his amphibious operations didn't he? He was always looking for a way to use British naval dominance to assist land campaigns, not always with perfect results though.
Vann the Red - Landings are even dicier when you have no marines or battleship fire support.
I'm saving your good luck wishes for the operations after Vulcan, they'll make this look positively safe. Now for the question. You may have noticed several countries weren't in the "World Watches update', not least the US, Japan and the Soviets. I do have plans for Jap/Sovs (whatever big event could there that would affect those two powers?
) but my plans for the US have suffered a significant blow. While playing ahead I had the 'US one of our politicians has died' event and suffice to say it was quite a major figure who bit the dust. Given that things are going to get worse for the US before (if
) they get better this chappy was a big part of the plot. Do I bring him back or go for a re-write to fit his death in? I don't really want to redo a fair number of events/plot but as this AAR is all about big changes from small diversions I think I have to accept this is one of those changes, although one I didn't plan.
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And the Butterfly Effect affects the game engine... I think the latter, but of course that requires no modding on my part. Best, and perhaps least helpful, advice is go with whichever suits your story best.
Vann
Vann
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Was Operation Vulcan a deliberate reference to the real Operation Vulcan - the final assault on Italians and Germans in Tunisia or just a happy co-incidence.
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Probelm with butterfly wings flapping is that they make a difference.
I'm with Van though - the story must overcome the contstraints of a brilliant story.
Having said that, A certain US bigwig dropping out of the scene might fit your scenario better with just a slight tweeking of plot. (Havent a clue who bigwig is or how plot will develop, but I can guess - the bigwig that is!)
I'm with Van though - the story must overcome the contstraints of a brilliant story.
Having said that, A certain US bigwig dropping out of the scene might fit your scenario better with just a slight tweeking of plot. (Havent a clue who bigwig is or how plot will develop, but I can guess - the bigwig that is!)
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El Pip: ...While playing ahead I had the 'US one of our politicians has died' event and suffice to say it was quite a major figure who bit the dust. Given that things are going to get worse for the US before (if ) they get better this chappy was a big part of the plot.
as it would seem that only the death of FDR could upset your plans, just redo that part of the game, or do whatever you have to do, to put him back into the game... also, this same advice/request applies to whomever your question refers to...
) they get better this chappy was a big part of the plot. as it would seem that only the death of FDR could upset your plans, just redo that part of the game, or do whatever you have to do, to put him back into the game... also, this same advice/request applies to whomever your question refers to...
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I look everyday hoping for an update on this story. I know you are probably busy but I am anxious for more Winston goodness!
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Alexus: I will join the angry throng in asking for an update!
hey guys, cut him some slack! ! after all, he just had FDR slip on a carpet and die on him! ! at least, give him a chance to figure out how to raise FDR from the dead! !
hey guys, cut him some slack! !
after all, he just had FDR slip on a carpet and die on him! ! at least, give him a chance to figure out how to raise FDR from the dead! ! - 1
Updatery you say? A veritable torrent of requests, I'm quite overwhelmed.
There is an excellent reason for the delay; I was going to toil over an update this very weekend, then I meet a charming young lady, one thing led to another and my priorities changed quite dramatically as I'm sure at least some of you will understand *nudge nudge wink wink*
However as my next assignation with the lady in question is not till later this week I should be able to get an update out before then, but I make no promises.
On the politicans death, FDR didn't die but he isn't coming back. A man who lied about his health systematically to his party and the country for over a decade? How could anyone ever trust him again? When he retired from public life after the debacle at the convention it was permanent. It was somebody else entirely in the US political setup who's had a tragic accident... Or was it an accident? I'm still not quite sure so any reader speculation/ideas may end up in the AAR.
As I see it in this timeline there are probably quite a few disaffected groups in this timeline; No New Deal, no real attempt to counter or control the Dust Bowl, the Northern States (Read New York) bias of the Tammany Hall dominated administration, the list goes on and on.
The US is far from stable in this timeline so a political assassination (as a precussor to something bigger) is not out of the question. I had a big US storyline penciled in for 1939/40ish when things got really bad, this event could bring that forward quite considerably. So feel free to comment and discuss, it might make it into an update!
There is an excellent reason for the delay; I was going to toil over an update this very weekend, then I meet a charming young lady, one thing led to another and my priorities changed quite dramatically as I'm sure at least some of you will understand *nudge nudge wink wink*
However as my next assignation with the lady in question is not till later this week I should be able to get an update out before then, but I make no promises.
On the politicans death, FDR didn't die but he isn't coming back. A man who lied about his health systematically to his party and the country for over a decade? How could anyone ever trust him again? When he retired from public life after the debacle at the convention it was permanent. It was somebody else entirely in the US political setup who's had a tragic accident... Or was it an accident? I'm still not quite sure so any reader speculation/ideas may end up in the AAR.
As I see it in this timeline there are probably quite a few disaffected groups in this timeline; No New Deal, no real attempt to counter or control the Dust Bowl, the Northern States (Read New York) bias of the Tammany Hall dominated administration, the list goes on and on.
The US is far from stable in this timeline so a political assassination (as a precussor to something bigger) is not out of the question. I had a big US storyline penciled in for 1939/40ish when things got really bad, this event could bring that forward quite considerably. So feel free to comment and discuss, it might make it into an update!
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Is this AAR abandoned, anyway, is Roosevelt out of office or what, I'm very confused :wacko: .
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Yeah, where's my update? After you preach to me about sticking to AARs!
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Chapter XIX: A Tale of Two Divisions.
Chapter XIX: A Tale of Two Divisions.
In the planning of Operation Vulcan great care was made to play to the main British advantage; naval supremacy. Dominating the seas, at least those around the operational area allowed fire support far in excess of anything the army's artillery units could offer and the opportunity to deploy troops along the coast far faster than the Italians could. While Royal Navy could indeed act as a force multiplier and greatly level the odds, the influence of the fleet did not extend far inland. For the battle's fought far from the coast the Army would only have the limited in theatre forces of the RAF for back up.
Despite these issues the initial phases of the operation went well, Alexander's III and IV Corps had little difficulty brushing aside the barely dug in Italian IX Corps around Solum, forcing back across the border into Libya. On the landward flank Alanbrooke's II Corps exploited the victory to cross the border and wheel towards the Italian strong point of Fort Capuso.
The ease of the initial breakthrough has variously been attributed to superior leadership, the Italian Army's disdain for defensive planning and naval fire support. All these did indeed pay their part, but the main factor was undoubtedly the massive qualitative difference in equipment and training between the two forces. These differences can be demonstrated by comparing the first units to engage each other.
The Italian unit, the 31a 'Calabria' division, had been trained to operate in a hypothetical war against either France or Yugoslavia. Chronically short of heavy equipment the division could barely muster forty artillery pieces, the vast majority of which where looted Great-War era Austrian relics that had been obsolete in 1918. The equipment problems extended to small arms, in particular the unreliable Breda M30 Machine gun and the infamous Model 35 'Red Devil' grenades which were prone to exploding in the thrower's hand.
The Fucile Mitragliatore Breda modello 30, informally known as the Breda 30. Famously one of the world's worst machine guns it had many terrible features, these ranged from serious problems with the lubrication system that made it prone to jamming in desert conditions through to a flawed 'quick-change' mechanism on the barrel which meant the barrels occasionally fell off during firing.
In comparison the British 5th 'Mhow' Division was a regular unit in Southern Indian Army trained for colonial operations. It's base of Mhow was literally a military town, Mhow being an acronym for 'Military Headquarters of Western India' the reason the British had created the first settlement there. Trained to operate in rough colonial conditions the 5th division could muster seventy 18 Pdrs and was equipped with the legendarily reliable Vickers 0.303 machine gun.
This comparison was repeated across both armies and the Italian deficiencies were magnified by the poor high level leadership. In the 1920s spiralling budget deficits had forced the Italian military to make a choice, forcibly retire the senior Great War era officers or decimate the ranks of the junior officers. The second option was chosen, a mistake on two levels. Militarily it entrenched 'Old Guard' thinking in the officer corps. The most likely people to be recommended for removal where those who had dissented at the status quo. Those who had not annoyed the high command and accepted their ideas as gospel stayed. The solution also failed financially, the senior officers were paid disproportionally large salaries and demanded bloated staffs as a right regardless of rank, so the sackings did not even reduce the deficit. The continuing shortfall was made up by cutting equipment and training budgets for those junior officers who remained, further reducing the quality of the officer corps.
In spite of all this the Italian Army was not to be lightly dismissed. It had massive numerical superiority, a large (if obsolete) light armoured force and on it's day was capable of matching any force thrown at it, as the British II Corps would soon discover at Fort Capuso.
Up Next: The plan contacts the enemy! The Battles of Fort Capuso and Tobruk.
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Back from the dead, it would seem.
Very good AAR from the beginning until now. I can't help but wonder just what events you may have written for the future, not only just for, say, peace with Italy but also for changes from real life to do with Germany, Japan, America and all those other countries too.
Very good AAR from the beginning until now. I can't help but wonder just what events you may have written for the future, not only just for, say, peace with Italy but also for changes from real life to do with Germany, Japan, America and all those other countries too.
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