Let's Play "Rule The Waves" w/ Steve's Custom Country "Cascadia"

[Steve]

I was lucky. That late torpedo hit didn't sink me, but it made for a damn good dramatic moment when the tide in the battle seemed to turn against Anchorage.

[Steve]

August 1903

Toward the beginning of the month, the Navy put in an order for another Blake-class destroyer. It was named to honor the late US general and president Ulysses Grant.

While the world stirred about the thrilling battle between the Anchorage and the Hela, developments continued in Europe that led the way to peace. In Berlin Chancellor von Bülow prevailed over the colonial hawks on the issue of the peace offer. He was supported by the Kaiser who appeared to be much demoralized by the lackluster performance of his Navy in the war to date.

Another mark for peace came with the French summer counter-attack. Utilizing the reserves brought to the colors since the start of the war, the French launched another bold attack into the teeth of German defenses. In some sectors the Germans gave way - the forces under Ferdinand Foch actually managed to seize one of the border towns of Alsace-Lorraine, to much acclaim - but the offensive proved a bloody waste of material. Numerous French generals protested the early attack as futile without the Cascadian reinforcements that were even then entraining in the Mediterranean ports for the front. Numerous French newspapers and writers accused the Revanchists of a needless attack meant to sabotage the peace talks. Revanchist influence, while not entirely diminished, had lost enough ground that France was willing to agree to a status quo antebellum along the European border.

With German honor satisfied by the outcome of the fighting on the front, the German government offered their enemies a peace agreement on the 15th of August.




Recognizing responsibility for starting the war, Germany agreed to make some compensations for war claims and the like in exchange for a complete status quo antebellum settlement. This would require a withdrawal of French troops from occupied areas of Cameroon and Togo. The French countered by agreeing to said withdrawal if Germany paid further war compensations. The two delegations eventually negotiated a common acceptable figure for the compensations.

Cascadia also insisted on a German recognition of Lili'uokalani as Queen of Samoa. In exchange, the rights of German entrepreneurs and citizens in Samoa would be acknowledged and respected and compensations for losses by German citizens paid by the Cascadian and Hawai'ian governments. These concessions made the Cascadian terms acceptable to the German negotiators, although the Kaiser had wanted more. A proposal to grant a German base at Pago Pago in eastern Samoa was summarily rejected. This rejection might have derailed the peace agreement, but the Cascadian agreement toward private Germans' claims in Samoa eased the situation sufficiently for the talks to conclude.

On the 18th of August, the two sides agreed to an armistice. It was literally only two days before Cascadian troops were to join the French in another advance into Alsace-Lorraine. The war, for all intents and purposes, had ended. By the end of the year the Westminster Treaty had been signed and ratified by the three belligerents, bringing an end to the short First Pacific War, or the War of 1903 as it was known in Europe.

[Borgholio]

Now, if only World War 1 had ended in such a fashion, that would have spared a great deal of misery in later decades....

[Elheru Aran]

Now, if only World War 1 had ended in such a fashion, that would have spared a great deal of misery in later decades....

Indeed.

Alt-hist aside though, this mostly went the way it did because only a few countries got involved. Throw in a decade or so of overlapping treaties and alliances, and you'd have a bloodier mess.

It also helps that we're seeing the 'War of 1903' mostly from the Cascadian side, which seems to be largely moral support towards the French (albeit along with sending troops, but they don't get there till the end from what I see) and naval intervention. I'm sure that if we were seeing it from alt-France's angle, it'd be rather messier.

I would not be surprised at all if a proper 'World War' happens later down the line, perhaps in the 20s?

I wonder if these games ever actually go the peaceful route...

[Steve]

World Wars don't really happen in this game... not without very peculiar circumstances. Namely, you need to be allied with 2-3 powers (and at most I've ever been allied to 2 at a time) and end up at war with all or most of the remaining powers.

And yes. This war was surprisingly bloodless for Cascadia. No invasions of our or German possessions in the Pacific and the war ended so quickly I never got events for army operations that would have translated into Cascadian participation in the European theater. I've rarely had wars end this quickly, but this early in the game I didn't want to risk it dragging on. I simply couldn't concentrate enough force in either Asian zones to get the necessary 4 to 1 odds to get the game to trigger invasion events.

Cascadia will probably be more capable in the next decade as the rapid economic growth stat improves my resource base.

[Purple]

And as you build more battleships.

[Steve]

September 1903


The Admiralty, Portland, Federal District
3 September 1903


With the new month the celebrations of the armistice were mostly over. Everyone was waiting for the final treaty to be finished by the delegations in London while the rest of the country waited and hoped nothing would undo their success. The end of the war had come just in time to prevent the first 40,000 Cascadian soldiers to arrive in France from going into battle. The only Cascadian casualties on land had been from the advance group sent to the front - wounds and a few deaths among those observers.

Of course, for the moment they would stay. Only the last wave sent out in late July had been recalled. Until an actual peace treaty was signed Cascadian would maintain a field army, dubbed the CEA - Cascadian Expeditionary Army - near the French border, now numbering nearly 140,000 men. It was unlikely any of them would be home for Christmas. But at least they would probably be coming home.

For Admiral Garrett the war had been a modest success. He'd gotten the Warrior and Ranger laid over Wilcox's conservative objections and the expanded naval budget had allowed him to build more of the Blake-class destroyers. Now, of course, the war was over, and the emergency spending bill had been repealed already by Parliament. A budget rebalancing would have to come into consideration.

"What do you think, Holmes?", the Admiral asked his aide.

"Sir?"

"On the proposal to return our entire battle line to the docks to be fitted with the new central firing mechanism?"

The bookish officer contemplated that. "A sound idea, Admiral. With the armistice signed and all indications being that the peace is going to hold, it may be the time."

"Yes. I suppose Germany would rather let the war end now with the terms they've won than try something again so soon. I'll make the recommendation to Admiral Wilburn, then." He put his hands together. "Anything more on the design work?"

"There are still some issues with the placement of the third turret, sir. But they should have it solved eventually."

"Well, it will be some time before we could lay such a vessel," the Admiral opined. "Tell them to keep at it."

"I will, sir. And… I believe you wanted to know the status on the Anchorage?"

"Her repairs, at least."

"The French yards believe she'll be ready to return home within eight weeks."

"Ah. Excellent." The Admiral put his hands together. Reggie had done him proud, very proud, with that battle. They had been completely vindicated. While he could never give him a shore post, bringing him home to be personally awarded the Legion of Merit and the Navy Cross was thankfully not out of the question.

And the children would be quite happy to see him again, if only briefly.

"Sir, have you been reading Jane's?", Holmes asked.

Admiral Garrett gave him a level look that was all the answer he needed.

"Ah, yes, of course. Silly of me, sir. I thought the war might have preoccupied you… you've seen what that Italian fellow Cuniberti has been writing about then? The idea of the all big gun warship?"

"So I have. It may be something to consider, when we have more money and our design teams think they can make such a design worthwhile." The Admiral looked wistfully out at the early autumn scenery. They were just about to end the summer dry season and go into the winter wet season. This would be some of the last open sunlight they'd see for months. "Can you imagine it, Holmes? If Cascadia were to be the first nation to field such a warship? With eight or even ten heavy guns, arranged to provide broadsides twice those of a modern battleship? What an achievement it would be!"



The armistice talks were proceeding amicably, but Cascadian-German relations were still quite tense. Neither power was satisfied with the end of the war. Time would tell if tensions would increase again.

Post-war tensions with Germany at 4.

The Cascadian fleet stood down. Many heavy fleet units were ordered back to their home ports in North America to save maintenance costs. The heightened gunnery and torpedo training was canceled as a further cost-saving measure.



October 1903

The two test submersibles Cuttlefish and Salmon were officially commissioned. Volunteer crews and officers would put the submersibles through their paces. Additionally the Nelson was completed early, showcasing the increasing capability of the Parker & Sons yard at Astoria.







Naval Engineering reported that an engineering team from Reilly & Colette had developed preheaters to improve machinery efficiency. Meanwhile design teams that had worked on the Cuttlefish-class submersibles had developed periscopes for the craft to enable captains to observe the surface while the ship was under the water.




Another border incident, this time in New Mexico, prompted protests between Portland and Washington, after a patrol of US Marshals and a squadron of the Cascadian Mounted Border Patrol shot at each other while the former pursuited a criminal gang into Cascadian territory.

Tension with US up to 3


November 1903

Four of the new destroyers from the War Order were put into commission.

Whipple, Anson, Dìaz, Vernon commissioned

Naval Gunnery designers reported to Admiral Garrett that Burleigh & Armstrong's new Naval Projects teams had submitted a pneumatic recuperator mechanism design for use in naval guns.




On November 11th, the diplomats in London put their final signature on the Westminster Peace Treaty. By the end of the month both the German Empire and French Republic had ratified the treaty after heated debate.

In Cascadia ratification debates were also heated over the promised compensation to German citizens. A multipartisan clique of each party's hawks threatened to derail the agreement by refusing to pass the necessary budget appropriation to fund the enactment of the terms.


December 1903

After days of voting and arguments, Foreign Secretary McInnes and Secretary of State Crabbins were able to overcome the hawk resistance to the Westminster Treaty. On the 4th of the month the Senate ratified the treaty. The First Pacific War had officially ended.

The following Monday, the Admiralty signed the contracts for refitting the four battleships in the fleet with Central Firing gear. The contracts were split between Mare Island, Hunter's Point, Forsythe & Landers Shipbuilding in Vancouver, and Reilly & Colette in Bremerton. The two Californian yards would refit the British built battleships Fearless and Relentless while the Dauntless and Victoria would go to F&LS and R&CS respectively.
Battleships sent to yards for refit with Central Firing

Burleigh & Armstrong completed the William L. Garrison.

President McGraw approached the Admiralty with a proposal to hold a shooting competition among the ships of the Navy, as a means to celebrate the end of the war and enhance their skills. The expense turned some minds off to the proposal, but Admiral Garrett, Admiral Wilcox, and Admiral Wilburn - in a rare sign of solidarity - openly backed the idea.



After days of intense competition, the raiding cruiser San Jose won the highest marks. The crew was granted extended Christmas leave as a reward.

[Steve]

January 1904




With improved machinery plants being developed, the Cascadian Navy submitted early design proposals for two new classes of protected cruiser. Although it was unlikely the budget would permit said ships to be built before 1905, Admiral Garrett presented them to the Admiralty.







Juneau was proposed as a cheaper alternative to the Fairbanks. Only 4" guns for armament and with a relatively smaller fuel bunker, it still had a top speed of 25 knots due to newer machinery technology, and all on a hull just over 5,000 tons.

The San Francisco would be a line cruiser. 6" armament with 4" casemates, it would have 25 knot speed as well.

February-March 1904


West Portland, Oregon
6 February 1904


A rare break in the winter cloud cover provided for some sunlight to grace the Garrett home in West Portland on this Saturday. The Admiral watched his boys chasing each other around the backyard. The sight made him thankful that he had received his shore posting after all this time and was keeping it. It had been hard, missing his boys growing up as little children, but at least he had seen them start to become fine young men. Rafael, the oldest, was about to turn 16 and had all these signs of following in his father's footsteps. Thomas, who had just turned 14 the prior November, was a rambunctious young man who had inherited some of the Vallejo family wild streak, but tempered by his intellectual curiosity. And Sophie… was starting to become rather big for him to pick up and carry around. His precious little girl was seven years of age now, and every bit the bookworm her brother had grown up to be.

While the boys played and Sophie read, the Admiral was treating with his family guest. Tall, fine-featured, and every inch the patrician, Rafael Vallejo was once again Senator for the Province of Upper California, the northernmost of the four Californias (the other three being Lower, North Baja, and South Baja). He sat with the Government as a Liberal at the behest of Governor Norton.

The old Mexican Republican looked with approval at his grandsons' active lifestyle. "It is good that you are here for them at this time of life," he said to the Admiral. "Boys that age need their father."

There was a nod as an answer. "Yes. And I have decided that I will not accept another sea posting. Not until Thomas is of age."

"Good." The elder Rafael gave him a quiet smile. "You've done well for yourself since coming home. I hear the admiralties of Europe consider your new ships to be visions of the future."

Garrett shook his head. "Warrior is a step in that direction. But I feel we have yet to truly put into service a ship that would qualify as such. The all-big-gun ship, with several turrets in the main battery, is my ultimate goal. I think it will change the world."

"Perhaps so…" Vallejo looked over a magazine on the table. "The Strand? You are still reading that Englishman's mystery stories then?"

"This one is the best," the Admiral proclaimed. "A ten year wait for more Holmes, and it was well worth it, sir. Well worth it."

"You always had an interesting taste for fiction..."

The door to the patio opened. Rachel stepped out. "Your guest of honor is here," she said.

That brought a fresh smile to the Admiral. He stood up and followed his wife inside. Sophie followed behind out of curiosity. Inside, sitting quietly in a chair, was Rachel's mother Dolores. She was paler than ever. Undoubtedly she would return home by train before the winter weather overcame her frail constitution. But she had wanted to see her husband to his new post and visit the grandchildren. Her brown eyes glinted with curiosity at what they were coming in for.

A figure had just stepped into the door in the blue-gray uniform of the Cascadian Navy. A newly-won Pacific Cross glinted among the medals and commendations on his breast. He pulled his cover off and smiled at them. "Admiral," he said.

Sophie was the first to react. "Uncle Reggie!", she squealed.

Etps knelt down and accepted Sophie's enthusiastic hug. "You have grown, little one! Very soon you won't be a little girl any longer."

"But I'll always be my Daddy's little girl!", was her happy reply to that.

"Reggie, how do you do?" The Admiral took his protege's hand and turned it into a warm embrace. "How goes the Hero of the Pacific War?"

"I am not much a hero, truth be told," Etps insisted. "'twas but one engagement."

"But what an engagement it was."

"Senator Vallejo, an honor." Etps accepted the Senator's praises and hand. "I was only doing my duty."

"Beyond it. A lesser man would have let the German escape into the storm." Vallejo shook his hand vigorously. "Our nation needed that battle. A chance to remind the European Powers that our nation is to be respected upon the seas."

"I shan't think they will ever forget either," Etps admitted.

"What was it like, Uncle Reggie?", Rafael the younger asked. There was clear enthusiasm in his voice, the enthusiasm of a young man imagining his own future glory in that uniform. "The storm, the battle?"

"Exciting and terrifying and gut-wrenching, Raffie," Etps said. He was close enough to the family that he knew, and got to use, all of the nicknames. "Almost ten hours in action stations was exhausting. My men needed the leave in Madagascar while the French yards repaired us."

Rachel gave her husband a meaningful look. He knew what she meant and said, "Before you begin, Reggie, now that you're here… Rachel and I have something to share. With all of you."

"Oh?", Etps asked.

Rafael Vallejo was seated by his suffering wife now. They were also waiting to hear what this was.

"I am carrying another child," Rachel revealed. Her hand went to her belly. "The doctors are certain. And I already was."

The Admiral took her other hand with deep love.

Naturally, it was Sophie who reacted first. "I'm gonna have a baby sister!", she squealed.

"Congratulations!", Etps added.

The Vallejos simply held hands and smiled softly at each other. One could almost see the sad realization that Dolores might not live to see this grandchild, but had a solid determination to do so.

The Admiral had little idea, however, that this year would herald even greater changes for him…



The Cascadian battleships finished their refit and returned to the fleet, now possessing central firing mechanisms.



Relations with the United Kingdom took an unexpected dip when Hawk-Democrat Representative Muniz gave an electrifying speech in the House that accused the Balfour Government of pushing the peace treaty on Cascadia to limit Cascadian power.

The Naval Artillery Office reported to Admiral Garrett that they had finished testing on a new 13" naval gun.



The Navy ordered the Defiant-class and Chinook-class cruisers into the yard for refit with central firing mechanisms. The ships of the Fairbanks-class were also laid up for the same purpose.

To help fun the rebuilds and ensure the Navy budget was not exhausted, the battleships of the fleet were shifted into reserve status.

April 1904

Workers completed further expansions of the docks. New expansions were ordered.




Admiral Garrett's design teams reported improvements to weight control processes for new ship hulls. This aided them in finalizing early work on the concept of adding a third centreline turret to a warship.




Problems with the supply of steel at Mare Island Yard caused delays to the refitting of the CRS Fairbanks.

Word, meanwhile, arrived that a year after the Warrior was laid, the British and Russian navies had ordered their own Warrior-type ships, the Invincible and the Izmail. It was unknown at the time if the two ships had implemented a third main battery turret or not. They were, however, lighter than the Warrior.



May 1904

New economic reports showed that the Cascadian economy was booming. Cascadian industrial production was still climbing rapidly.



Naval Intelligence got their hands on the plans for the British battleship Jupiter.





June 1904

Four cruisers finish their fire control refits.

German Government sources accuse the Cascadian government of undermining the Balfour Treaty after the Government refuses to pay compensation to a German citizen with Samoan property. The Cascadian Government haad decided the individual in question was a German agent and was exempt from the considerations of the treaty. The British Government investigated the claims and launched its own complaint against the Cascadian Government. President McGraw interceded and okayed the compensation payment, much to the aggravation of the Hawks in Parliament.

UK Tension to 4
Germany Tension to 5

July 1904

Accelerated construction of both Warrior and Ranger is ordered

August 1904

The Admiralty
Portland, Federal District
12 August 1904


Admiral Garrett was about to finish up his work day when Yeoman Clark informed him that Admiral Wilburn wanted to see him. Garrett stood and saluted his superior officer. The Cascadian Chief of Naval Operations had a somber look on his face. "Admiral, at ease. Be seated. I have something to talk to you about."

"Yes sir." He took his seat.

Wilburn took one opposite from him. "We just got a wire from Los Angeles."

"Sir?"

"Admiral Wilcox is dead."

Garrett looked blankly ahead. "I… how? I know he went south for a leave to regain his health…"

"Embolism, they say. The important thing is that I need a new Vice CNO. And beyond that…"

Garrett knew what was going to be asked. But he could tell there was more to this than just the one job. "Sir?"

"I… haven't officially announced this yet," he admitted. "The doctors… my breathing problems…" The older man seemed to grow older before him. "They think I have growths on my lungs. Lung cancer."

"Good Lord." The Admiral shook his head. Wilburn was a dead man if that were true. "I'm sorry, sir."

"I know. I may have a year or two left, if I'm lucky. In that time… I want to make sure I'm leaving the Navy in good hands."

Admiral Garrett said nothing. He didn't need to.

"Please accept this offered promotion, Admiral," Wilburn said. "So that I can train you to become the next Chief of Naval Operations."

Garrett closed his eyes and swallowed. Him, the Chief of Naval Operations. Every key decision for the Navy would be his. He would pick the actual designs to build. The strategies to employ. He would have the ear of the President and Secretary of State in addition to the Naval Secretary.

There was only one answer he could give to Wilburn.

"I am honored, sir. I will gladly take up your charge. But I only wish it was being given in happier circumstances."

Wilburn smiled thinly. "So do I, Admiral. So do I."


September 1904

Design teams finish work on control tops for fire control systems.




Foreign Secretary McInnes reports to the Government that relations with the British and French had improved thanks to new trade treaties beneficial to the three nations and enhancing commerce in the Pacific Rim.

The diplomatic gains are marred, though, by a resumption of the Bering Strait fisheries controversy with Russia. The Russian government criticized Cascadian fishing expedtions from Alaska that they accused of using threats and aggressive maneuvers to drive Russian Far East fishing companies away from vital fisheries.

UK tensions down to 3
France tensions to 2
Russia tensions up to 3

October 1904

The Admiralty
Portland, Federal District
October 4

The Vice Chief of Naval Operations office was bigger than that of the Chief of Naval Design and Procurement. A large map was maintained showing the reported positions of various Cascadian naval ships and commands. Entire binders carried with them reports from across the Pacific, relayed by naval sources and intelligence operatives, all waiting to see if another conflict might start for the Republic.

Admiral Garrett had taken to his new job, and the promotion to four star Admiral that came with it, with alacrity and enthusiasm. Since WIlburn spent so much time dealing with the other service heads and the Government, he more often than not was the originator of many day-to-day commands. Nothing big, of course, since Wilburn had to okay such. But he was effectively the Chief of Staff for the entire Cascadian Navy - a daunting task indeed.

It had been quite a year.

Many of his subordinates noticed over the past week that he'd become more jumpy. More alert for a call over the phones, a messenger with a wire. News traveled fast. Everyone knew what the Admiral was so keen on hearing.

So no one was surprised when the day finally came.

The Admiral was going over a set of plans sent to him by Naval Intelligence on the new Japanese armored cruisers. Faster than the Defiant and more heavily armed - 8" secondaries - it was still quite inferior to the Warrior.

The door opened and Yeoman Clark stepped in. "Sir," the young man said. "I've received a call for you. It is from your father-in-law at the hospital. He said…"

"...it's time." The Admiral quickly slipped the plans into a secure safe and made sure to trip the lock. He grabbed his coat and umbrella and went to the door. "I don't have a moment to lose!"



After a cab ride from the Admiralty into West Portland, he arrived at St. Jude's Hospital near the river and rushed in the main entrance. His uniform seemed to give him some immediate respect.

His father-in-law was waiting for him. "This way!", Rafael Vallejo urged.

After a trip through white corridors among nurses and doctors and others, they wound up in their destination. Rachel was in a hospital gown of light-blue color and laid out on the table. A doctor was in place and spoke to her gently as she screamed in agony.

"I'm here, darling," he declared. The Admiral rushed to his wife's side and took her hand. She gripped it strongly, as if to transfer some of her pain to him. It was a burden he would have taken willingly.

There were calls to push. More cries of pain. More hard breathing. Finally a relief seemed to come over Rachel's face. There was a soft thwack and a splitting cry. "Congratulations, ma'am," the doctor said. He lifted the struggling little form above the blankets. "You have a healthy baby girl."

The proud parents laughed. The Admiral let his wife's hand go so she could hold her newborn daughter in her hands. The little girl continued to cry.

"My little one," the Admiral said proudly. He put a hand in the frizzy hair at the top of his daughter's head. "My dear little one."

"Gabriela," Rachel said. "Gabriela Dolores Maria."

"Our little Gabriela…"



After mother and child were fast asleep, the Admiral and his father-in-law were quick to take up the last bit of business. A nurse and a wheelchair were arranged with a trip to another room.

Dolores Gabriela Maria Vallejo was dying. That was clear from the sheer effort she exerted just to move. The pain and misery in her bright face. But for now she was alive, with family, and it was with pride that she got to meet her infant granddaughter. "You've done well," she said, weakly, to her slumbering daughter. "And you too," she said to the Admiral. "Take care of them."

"I swear to you that I will," Admiral Garrett replied.


8 October 1904


The Vice Chief of Naval Operations office door opened. Admiral Garrett looked up. His wife stepped in, wearing a great coat soaked from winter rain.

He needn't ask why. He could see it in her pained face. It wasn't the fresh pain that other horrible news might have brought; it was a resigned pain. One that knew what had been coming.

"When?", he asked.

"Two hours ago," Rachel said. "She got to say goodbye to the children."

"Good. Good." He stood up and went over to Rachel. By the time his arms were spread she was crying. He embraced her closely. "I'm here for you," he whispered. "I know."

And indeed he knew the pain his wife was in. The feeling of having her heart ripped open and a chunk torn out. A terrible hole that would never quite fill in again.

That's usually what happened when someone loses their mother.

There was nothing more to say. He simply stood there with Rachel in his arms, mourning the death of her beloved mother.




The Cascadian Navy decided to authorize the laying of the CRS Juneau



Naval Artillery reports setbacks in attempts at mechanizing shell delivery systems for turrets.



November 1904

President McGraw proposed an international sailing regatta and competition for all invited world powers. To fund this event would require dipping into the naval budget. Many in the Admiralty protested, but Admiral Garrett prevailed upon Wilburn to see it as an opportunity to show the world the skill of Cascadian mariners. Admiral Wilburn promptly seconded the proposal and the competition was held.

A warm welcome was offered to attending nations. The Germans especially appreciated the event and relations with Berlin improved as a result.



Germany tensions down to 4

Researchers reported a failure in their attempts to improve fire control systems.



December 1904

In light of improved relations and funding needs by the German Navy, the German Government approved a proposed sale of Range Calculator plans to the Cascadian Navy. The offer was accepted.

Germans offer Range calculator - accepted



Admiral Peter Lewis, the new Chief of Naval Design and Procurement, reported to Admirals Wilburn and Garrett that the Engineering Office was ready to implement steam turbines into ships, improving engine performance and forever revolutionizing the environment of a ship's engineering spaces.

[Steve]

Ugh, just noticed my text mistake. The San Francisco is obviously designed for 26 knots, I wrote 25. I wrote it at work and didn't have the screenshot with me to remember the speed setting. Sorry.

[Borgholio]

Ugh, just noticed my text mistake. The San Francisco is obviously designed for 26 knots, I wrote 25. I wrote it at work and didn't have the screenshot with me to remember the speed setting. Sorry.

Knot a problem.

[Steve]

How long did that pun take you to make up?

[Borgholio]

Oh I've been sitting on it for awhile.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Question: when you do get 3 centreline turrets, how are they arranged? One foreward, one aft, one midships? Is superfiring a further technology afterwards?

[Steve]

You select where the turrets will go in each design. You can go with your example, an AQY arrangement. Or an AWY (aft-midships instead of direct miships). If you unlock a superfiring turret you can even go ABY or AXY. (The two superfiring turrets are separate techs, you have to earn forward superfiring - B - and aft superfiring - X - separately for CLs, BBs, and BCs. CAs and DDs get techs to unlock superfiring guns period).

[Eternal_Freedom]

Why can you unlock general superfiring for CA's but have to unlock fore/aft superfiring for CL's? That seems rather backwards.

[Steve]

It's just how the techs work. They're in different groups too; the CL techs are in the light ships tech line, the superfiring for CAs is in the Ship Design line.

A lot of the tech progression is, frankly, geared to impose near-historical development, with some variation.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Curious. So we're looking at another 2-3 years before Cascadia launches Dreadnought-analogs then?

Also, when do I turn up

[Steve]

Curious. So we're looking at another 2-3 years before Cascadia launches Dreadnought-analogs then?

Also, when do I turn up

It depends on when I get the Main Battery Wing turret tech or 4 Centreline turrets. Probably the first.

And you'll see when the time comes...

[Eternal_Freedom]

Excellent

[Steve]

So, I've played through 1905 enough to finish my BCs. I now have two paths open to me.

A) Start a new BC class, with a third main battery and 13" guns.
B) Focus on CLs and DDs so that when I get main battery wing turrets, I have a good chance of being able to immediately lay a proper Dreadnaught analogue.

Now I have to decide which way to go.

[Eternal_Freedom]

The second option, if it leads to Dreadnoughts sooner.

[Borgholio]

Well, Battlecruisers turned out to be a bit of a dead-end class historically. But given the way this game works, they might come in useful. I would say that Dreadnoughts would be a better bet overall though, given how several other nations seem to outnumber you in large capital ships.

[Ziggy Stardust]

By the way, this thread inspired me to buy the game, and I spent an obscene amount of time playing it this weekend. (I'm on my third game, actually, though the second one I had to delete because I screwed up in my attempt to create a custom nation and accidentally created an error where my heavy cruisers guns had 0m range, and the first one I accidentally pressed "resign", and for some inexplicable reason you can't reload the old save game from a resigned file...). In any case, it is highly enjoyable (and I must admit I stole one of your light cruiser designs).

[Steve]

January 1905

In the first week of the new year, a shakeup gripped the Cascadian government. Disappointment over the end of the Pacific War and suspicion of European powers emboldened the hawk factions of the Liberal and Democratic Parties. Secretary of State Crabbins and Foreign Secretary McInnes suddenly found themselves outmaneuvered on the year's military spending bill. A number of Democrats and Liberals had gone over to the Hawks of their respective parties for the vote, rejecting the proposed budget as "too thin". Crabbins rallied and made it a whip vote, but this proved a grave miscalculation when he lost anyway. Representative Muniz immediately pushed a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet through the House. The Senate did not echo the vote, but this was insufficient to save Crabbins' government. With the House hostile, Crabbins felt he had no choice but to go to outgoing-President McGraw and resign.

With the collapse of the Crabbins/McInnes-negotiated coalition government, a new coalition arose. Muniz supported Democrat Senator Juan Morales, a semi-Hawk of the party, to approach McGraw and his successor, Jonathan Matthews of Tacoma, and form a new government built on the hawks of the Democrats, Liberals, and Populists. Morales would be Secretary of State, Muniz Secretary of War, and Liberal Hawk James Lakeland of Klamath became the new Naval Secretary. Populist leader Jake Roberts of Las Vegas became the new Foreign Secretary.

The new government immediately pushed through a greater military spending bill. Admiral Wilburn and Admiral Garrett were asked for their opinions and insight on the new naval budget. The reply was meant to encourage both improved naval spending and better diplomatic efforts.



Unfortunately, Roberts proved incapable for the moment. His response to concerned foreign powers on what appeared to be the first stage of a major Cascadian naval armament failed to assuage concerns in various European capitals. Even the French were wary of the potential for a more aggressive Cascadian government.

France tension up to 3
German up to 6
UK up to 4
Russia up to 4

The Admiralty's yearly work on fleet communications paved the way for improved signalling between ships.




February 1905

The Naval Academy at Esquimalt was ready to put to sea the best of their newest class of cadets. The decision was left to the Admiralty on what kind of ship would be sent on a world cruise with said cadets. After consideration, the Victoria was picked. The battleship was staffed with a mixed crew of instructors, cadets, and normal officers and sailors, and sent on a worldwide cruise with stopovers in East Asia, India, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the coasts of North and South America.

This bold statement of growing Cascadian boldness and assertive naval power was not lost on other states. Russian government sources were clearly perturbed at this. More surprising was some reactions in England - The Times and other papers printed editorials criticizing the Cascadians for this "unfounded aggressiveness" in their naval policy. Tensions with London were increased by the comments of Commander Michael O'Brien. In an unguarded remark, the naval attache of the Cascadian Embassy called the reaction proof that Britain wanted to keep Cascadia "weak" and "reliant upon British largess". Ambassador Anderson was forced to apologize and request Commander O'Brien's recall.



Jonathan Matthews inaugurated as President of Cascadia.

Naval Ordnance reported successful testing of new capped AP shells.



France joins the revolution sparked by the laying of the Warrior by laying the Duquesne. A second ship of the class, the Dunkerque, was also ordered.




March 1905


The Waldorf-Astoria
Portland, Federal District
10 March 1905

One of the more onerous parts of his new job, and the one he was being groomed to take, was that Admiral Garrett was now expected to show up at major Portland social events. This Friday evening the event in question was the wedding reception for a young man named Allen Rowlings, the son of the new Secretary of the Interior Peter Rowlings. It was a formal affair, which meant the formal uniform was demanded. Complete with the awards and commendations he had accumulated in his career, now on the breast of his formal uniform.

Rachel was on the Admiral's arm, wearing a sea-green dinner gown and the emerald necklace he had bought for her after the Spanish War. Having a new little girl in the family had been stressful to go with the trauma of her mother's death. As such he had gone alone to prior events. This was the first she was attending with him. A slight impatience smoldered in her brown eyes; she wanted to be back with her baby as soon as possible.

For now, they quietly sipped at the champagne they'd taken up and exchanged pleasantries with passing figures. Representatives, Senators, civil officials, important businessmen, and some of the foreign ambassadors were in attendance.

It was part way through the evening that one gentleman approached them. He was balding at the top of his head, thin and on the short side, with a look that spoke of his quick mind. "Admiral," he said. He offered a hand.

"Sir."

"I'm Fred Joseph," he said.

"The President of Western Steel, I believe?"

"Yes, quite."

"A pleasure, then. My wife, Rachel."

He gave Rachel a gentlemanly kiss to the fingers. "I've met your father on occasion, ma'am. I thought I would see him here tonight?"

"Father was recalled to Sacramento to discuss matters with the Governor," Rachel answered.

"Well, my best to him." Joseph smiled kindly. But it had something of an edge to it. This was someone who wanted something. "Admiral, I can't help but notice that the Navy is still struggling for a large budget?"

"Of course. If we are to perform at the top level of the world's naval powers, we need a larger fleet."

"Yes, of course." Joseph nodded. "And I certainly think that such an increase is feasible. I have my own friends in the Parliament who might be persuaded to support a naval expansion project…"

"But they haven't yet?", Rachel asked.

"They are careful men. But I might be able to persuade them. After all, the funding the Navy spends goes right back into our economy. All sorts of firms benefit from the construction of vessels, after all.

"Indeed." And now the game was obvious to both husband and wife. "And I suspect that you would be particularly persuasive if, say, the Navy were certain to increase the orders for steel from Western Steel?"

Joseph chuckled amiably. "Well, I must admit, our steel is quite suited for your purposes…" It was an evasion. Clearly he hadn't expected them to reply so bluntly.

"Of course it is. And I'm happy to continue buying it so long as it keeps our ships floating. But I cannot be bribed like that, sir."

Joseph considered him for a moment. "Well," he finally said, "you will make an interesting head of the Navy. Should you ever attain the position."

The steel magnate slipped off to join the crowds. Rachel watched him go with a frown. "Detestable little man," she muttered.

"No nation can avoid those who seek profit for themselves above all else," the Admiral lamented.

"Well, I see you've gotten acquainted."

They turned. Admiral Wilburn came up, resplendent in his own uniform as head of the Navy. The five stars of a Fleet Admiral made Admiral Garrett think of how close he was to that goal, how he had four himself at the moment. It was daunting.

"Mister Joseph has a very loose interpretation of laws regarding bribery," Admiral Wilburn noted. "He has approached me for years on the matter. I have always said no." He nodded to the Admiral. "I am pleased to see you will say the same things. Even when it is hard to do so."

"What would people say if the head of our Navy accepted such agreements?', Admiral Garrett pointed out. "It would disgrace the service."

"Yes. Of course, sometimes the parsimony of Parliament can drive a man to deals he should know better over," Wilburn remarked quietly. "Now, if you'll join me, I believe the new Naval Secretary had some questions about our new ships…"





April 1905

The French Government authorized the Navy to offer plans for mechanical shell-handling equipment to the Cascadian Admiralty. The Naval Artillery Office requested that Admiral Wilburn accept. The Admiral agreed.






May 1905


Reilly & Colette Shipyard
Bremerton, Olympia
8 May 1905


The sun was out to warm the crowds at the dockside that Monday. Admiral Garrett stood near his wife and Secretary Lakeland on the bow of the ship, looking at the deck full of VIPs and sailors. Nearby were the commanding officers of the new Warrior, Captain Mark O'Bannon as the CO and Commander Phillip Wallace as the XO.

The formal commissioning ceremony was accompanied by the band playing Press On Cascadia Fair and other tunes. The press was out in force. Journalists had indeed come from as far as Europe, all drawn by the spectacle of the commissioning of what Jane's called the world's most revolutionary ship. The speed of the fastest cruisers matched with battleship-level protection and firepower.

Indeed it wasn't hard to see how different she was from earlier designs. The bow and aft had the battleship-style double turrets, with their 12" guns, and the side of the ship furtherr had two of the double 10" turrets that were almost, but not quite, as big. The firepower of a battleship and an armored cruiser combined. Hence the term used for the ship: "battle cruiser".

And Cascadia was the first nation in the world to be floating one.

Speeches were to be given. Wilburn turned his aside - his breathing was growing heavier as time passed, much to Admiral Garrett's concern - and it was Admiral Garrett, who had proposed this new ship in the first place, who ascended the podium to speak after Secretaary Lakeland.

"This vessel, our proud Warrior, is a testament to the will of our nation," he began. "The Cascadian nation has the energy, the intelligence, and the resources to be one of the world's leading powers. And we have proven that with our new ship. A ship of a type never seen before, ready to present the Tricolor of our nation to the seas of the world and remind them of our own growing strength."

"It is with this vessel, and others like her that we have yet to build, that we will keep the sealanes of the Pacific safe for our vessels of trade. Our nation's wealth depends upon the sea. And it is our Warrior who will stand watch upon the sea to protect that wealth."

"And so the order is given, gentlemen." He looked to Captain O'Bannon expectantly.

The Captain relayed the command through a new wired communication line. "Bring the ship to life!"

Within the Warrior, coal began to be shoveled into her boilers. Steam was raised and fed into the engines. Slowly the completed warship began to sail from her place and toward Puget Sound.

Ships of all kinds were afloat and watching, as were crowds in the city. Everyone had heard the news. They knew what this mighty ship meant. She was progress. She was an advancement.

And she was Cascadian.

To many of them, that was the important part.





Moran Brothers of Seattle offers the Cascadian Admiralty a discount on another Juneau-class cruiser to keep their yards active. The offer is accepted.




The Presidential Mansion
17 May 1905

John Matthews was a younger man than his predecessor. A Liberal in inclination, he was of McInnes' branch of the party. Operating with the men who helped topple his coalition was thus not entirely desired. But the mixed system of the Cascadian government mandated it.

The Secretary of State, Juan Morales, had made history of his own. The first of the Nuevomexicanos to hold the effective Premiership of the Cascadian nation was a hawkish man with matching features, devoted entirely to expanding Cascadian influence in the world. House Representative Muniz, serving as his Secretary of War, cut a similar figure. Neither were as big, though, as Montana's own Jake Roberts, a blunt man from the ranges of the border state with the US that seemed to act more American than Cascadian at times. it struck Matthews that he was in the wrong position for his manners. But the hawk coalition controlling the Government required his holding off the Foreign seat.

"The Japs want to be allies," Roberts said bluntly. He held up a slip of paper. "That Ambassador of theirs gave me the note this morning."

It was passed around. Everyone studied it with some interest. A Japanese alliance was an interesting prospect. It would essentially give Cascadia the support it needed to attack targets in that region if war broke out… but at the same time, Japan was likely to want those same targets. The alliance in question may not survive the first successful war.

On the other hand… "If we refuse this, who knows whom the Japanese will turn to," Morales observed. "We can ill afford a Japanese-German alliance."

"The treaty with France comes up for renewal next year," added Matthews. "Even if relations remain good, there is the chance the French might decide to let it go."

"What do you think, Mister Roberts?", asked Muniz. "You are our Foreign Secretary."

"Yeah. Well, my boys in the Office think it's a good idea," he drawled. "I reckon they know what they're talkin' about. Not sure I'd trust the Japs too much, honestly… but better to have 'em on our side fer now."

Matthews was too much of a politician to express his dislike of the Populist leader. "Then we are agreed. We can commence the talks now."







Japan Tension to 0
France Tension to 2

Experts have introduced new quality control practices to the Admiralty to ensure the quality of naval armor. Engineers in the design teams meanwhile report to the Admiralty that they have determined the best methods of implacing a superimposed turret on a capital ship's bow. A "B" turret that would be able to fire over the standard bow centreline turret, doubling the bow-facing firepower of a battleship.




The Admiralty orders another dock expansion project.

The Admiralty altered some of its research priorities. Funding to Naval Artillery for superior fire control was re-distributed to the Engineering Office researching superior damage control and subdivision layout.



June 1905

The Ranger is commissioned.



Naval Design reports that the Submersibles Division has reported critical successes in developing new diving planes for submersibles.





With the Warrior complete, competing designs for a follow-up are considered, to employ the new 13" gun in three double turrets. The first, the Reprisal, would replace the large 10" guns on the Warrior-class with fourteen 6" casemates backed by sixteen 3" deck guns, allowing for greater volume of fire against destroyers and cruisers. The belt would be thickened to 10" and the deck to 2". Steam turbines for the engines would permit a top speed of 27 knots by design.

Another prospective design is the Repulse. It would be a true successor to the Warrior, adding the third turret and making the guns 13", but keeping the four double 10" turrets on the wings.




And now for an admission.

In the game files, the B superimposed turret is actually after several others, including the X turret, cross-deck firing, and main battery wing turrets. I moved it above the X turret because I felt they put it too late (1906). I set it to 1904 while playing prior games and forgot to reset the game to default for this LP.

Note the game will randomly have you skip a tech. Whenever you finish one, the game randomly picks another one available in your year in that category, even if it means skipping one or more on the list. There was one game I had where I didn't get AON armor until 1921 because someone sold it to me. I've developed 1100t DDs before 900t DDs before. Quad torpedo mounts before triple. It happens.

The only techs you are guaranteed not to skip are those you set as a country's bonus tech. In Cascadia's case, that's AON armor and Superimposed Turrets on CAs. And the game engine only allows two techs per country.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Woo! i appear

Also, I thought you hadn't unlocked 3 centreline turrets yet, or is that the tech you skipped to get superfiring B turrets?