This AAR is being played out on HoI 1.5c with CORE 0.6 and Mithel's province.csv
With adjustments to supply cost, techs and units in line with Math Guy's proposals, except for the bits I've undoubtedly forgotten to do.
The title is snaffled from the subtitle to Correlli Barnett's excellent 'Audit of War.'
12th December 1935
No. 10 Downing Street, London
"It's becoming clear Neville, that Churchill is managing to stir up significant amounts of people into a clamour with his cries of strengthening the League by re-arming."
"Yes Prime Minister, I've been thinking about that we need to strike a balance between modest re-armament and the need to avoid provoking our continental friends, I think I've found a man for the job."
"Really, who do you propose?"
"I recently met a chap called Holroyd, related distantly to the late Earl of Sheffield, a Sandringham man, ex Major, he's been running a petroleum refining company in the USA for the past 7 years and has made vast productivity gains using his flair for organisaton. If he manages to do the same with our forces it might magnify the effect of our spending."
"I don't hold out much hope of that... but I suppose we really ought to mollify Churchill and his rabble, lets have him in for a chat."
1st January 1936
Admiralty House, London
"Im not used to taking orders from an Army type." Chatfield Said
"I'm sure you'll get used to it eventually, but in the mean time I'll be looking for you to give me as much input on what we are going to do as I will be handing out."
"now, The government has embarked on it's plan to modernise industry and this means resources which could have been spent on the armed forces will instead by used in building more factories, a short term loss, but hopefully a long term gain."
UK total IC 233
"I am proposing that we begin to integrate, mechanical computers into our research programs, I used them in the states to help cut down the amount of calculations we had to do with slide rules."
Chatfield Snorted.
"I also would like to see our chaps look at improving our Naval designs somewhat, and adapt commercial mass production to ship-building."
The first lord looked a little surprised.
"We might not have much money to spare right now but if the continental situation should boil over I'd prefer us not to be caught with our pants down."
"I'd like you to order all our Naval vessels back to the UK, were going to see if we can re-organise the fleet and carry out a number of Sea Trials. Now could you appraise me of our situtation regarding cruisers?"
"We have 40 odd crusisers of various types, half of them are Enterprise Class CLs these are kept largely as a reserve, our more modern Leander and Devonshire Class make up the rest, we also have a few Leander class under construction, they should enter service in the next two years and allow us to retire a number of the obsolete Enterprise class."
"What about Submarines?"
"We have a few flottillas of coastal submarines."
"Ramsay tells me that we have some new designs on the way for a longer range model."
"Yes, quite why we should bother though is beyond me."
"Aircraft my Lord, aircraft, they cant see the submarines, but they can see our surface fleets, Submarines could be used to mount close blockades, whilst our Main fleet stands off, prepared to move in when an unmissable opportunity arises."
"I think you'll find Navy tactics are the province of the Navy old boy."
"Quite, and I think you'll find that when you have submarines in your fleet you can find good uses for them."
"I've decided that the light cruisers on order represent very little value to us at the moment, I want them cancelled," Chatfield's neck went red, and he seemed on the verge of an outburst.
"We should be building heavy cruisers, after all if that shower begin to build up, they won't be thinking of a few light cruisers to protect their merchants, they'll be intent on smashing us, we need weight of firepower."
5x Devonshire class placed on order.
"Also, I feel that we need to modernise the destroyer fleet, our old v-class flottillas can be used for merchant protection along with our old Enterprise CLs for the time being, but I've ordered 10 flotillas of A-Class destroyers to be constructed."
"By God Holroyd, your a confounding sort, I thought you'd come here to trim away more of the Senior Service, but you turn out to be a Navy man."
"I have come to trim, my Lord, but only the flabby and useless, I've come to turn us into a champion prize fighter."
"I hope a heavyweight and not a lightweight."
"So do I, but that all depends on our elected masters."
January 19th 1936
The King is dead, long live the King. Shouted the newspaperboy as Holroyd got out of the Cab and walked to No. 10
After a short wait he was shown through to the PM.
"Terrible news, sir."
"Yes Holroyd, I offered my condolences this morning, and I now have a short period before I need to attend more urgent business, so you'll need to be brief."
"I've reorganised the Naval building program sir, to focus on modern heavy cruisers, cancelling the pre-ordered light cruisers. I've placed orders with Rolls Royce, for new more powerful fighter engines, and persuaded the army to adopt a more coherent command structure, thus allowing a more effective use of our supplies."
"All of that sounds good to me, sounds like we're doing something doesn't it."
"Yes sir, that what Mr. Churchill said."
"Yes, I heard he paid you a visit. I imagine he wasn't satisfied by what he saw."
"He said it was an interesting start sir."
"I see. Well, that will have to do for now, I look forward to our regular monthly meetings."
"Yes sir."
With adjustments to supply cost, techs and units in line with Math Guy's proposals, except for the bits I've undoubtedly forgotten to do.
The title is snaffled from the subtitle to Correlli Barnett's excellent 'Audit of War.'
12th December 1935
No. 10 Downing Street, London
"It's becoming clear Neville, that Churchill is managing to stir up significant amounts of people into a clamour with his cries of strengthening the League by re-arming."
"Yes Prime Minister, I've been thinking about that we need to strike a balance between modest re-armament and the need to avoid provoking our continental friends, I think I've found a man for the job."
"Really, who do you propose?"
"I recently met a chap called Holroyd, related distantly to the late Earl of Sheffield, a Sandringham man, ex Major, he's been running a petroleum refining company in the USA for the past 7 years and has made vast productivity gains using his flair for organisaton. If he manages to do the same with our forces it might magnify the effect of our spending."
"I don't hold out much hope of that... but I suppose we really ought to mollify Churchill and his rabble, lets have him in for a chat."
1st January 1936
Admiralty House, London
"Im not used to taking orders from an Army type." Chatfield Said
"I'm sure you'll get used to it eventually, but in the mean time I'll be looking for you to give me as much input on what we are going to do as I will be handing out."
"now, The government has embarked on it's plan to modernise industry and this means resources which could have been spent on the armed forces will instead by used in building more factories, a short term loss, but hopefully a long term gain."
UK total IC 233
"I am proposing that we begin to integrate, mechanical computers into our research programs, I used them in the states to help cut down the amount of calculations we had to do with slide rules."
Chatfield Snorted.
"I also would like to see our chaps look at improving our Naval designs somewhat, and adapt commercial mass production to ship-building."
The first lord looked a little surprised.
"We might not have much money to spare right now but if the continental situation should boil over I'd prefer us not to be caught with our pants down."
"I'd like you to order all our Naval vessels back to the UK, were going to see if we can re-organise the fleet and carry out a number of Sea Trials. Now could you appraise me of our situtation regarding cruisers?"
"We have 40 odd crusisers of various types, half of them are Enterprise Class CLs these are kept largely as a reserve, our more modern Leander and Devonshire Class make up the rest, we also have a few Leander class under construction, they should enter service in the next two years and allow us to retire a number of the obsolete Enterprise class."
"What about Submarines?"
"We have a few flottillas of coastal submarines."
"Ramsay tells me that we have some new designs on the way for a longer range model."
"Yes, quite why we should bother though is beyond me."
"Aircraft my Lord, aircraft, they cant see the submarines, but they can see our surface fleets, Submarines could be used to mount close blockades, whilst our Main fleet stands off, prepared to move in when an unmissable opportunity arises."
"I think you'll find Navy tactics are the province of the Navy old boy."
"Quite, and I think you'll find that when you have submarines in your fleet you can find good uses for them."
"I've decided that the light cruisers on order represent very little value to us at the moment, I want them cancelled," Chatfield's neck went red, and he seemed on the verge of an outburst.
"We should be building heavy cruisers, after all if that shower begin to build up, they won't be thinking of a few light cruisers to protect their merchants, they'll be intent on smashing us, we need weight of firepower."
5x Devonshire class placed on order.
"Also, I feel that we need to modernise the destroyer fleet, our old v-class flottillas can be used for merchant protection along with our old Enterprise CLs for the time being, but I've ordered 10 flotillas of A-Class destroyers to be constructed."
"By God Holroyd, your a confounding sort, I thought you'd come here to trim away more of the Senior Service, but you turn out to be a Navy man."
"I have come to trim, my Lord, but only the flabby and useless, I've come to turn us into a champion prize fighter."
"I hope a heavyweight and not a lightweight."
"So do I, but that all depends on our elected masters."
January 19th 1936
The King is dead, long live the King. Shouted the newspaperboy as Holroyd got out of the Cab and walked to No. 10
After a short wait he was shown through to the PM.
"Terrible news, sir."
"Yes Holroyd, I offered my condolences this morning, and I now have a short period before I need to attend more urgent business, so you'll need to be brief."
"I've reorganised the Naval building program sir, to focus on modern heavy cruisers, cancelling the pre-ordered light cruisers. I've placed orders with Rolls Royce, for new more powerful fighter engines, and persuaded the army to adopt a more coherent command structure, thus allowing a more effective use of our supplies."
"All of that sounds good to me, sounds like we're doing something doesn't it."
"Yes sir, that what Mr. Churchill said."
"Yes, I heard he paid you a visit. I imagine he wasn't satisfied by what he saw."
"He said it was an interesting start sir."
"I see. Well, that will have to do for now, I look forward to our regular monthly meetings."
"Yes sir."
