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Dutch-Siamese War

Started by Guinness, June 16, 2009, 10:24:59 AM

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The Rock Doctor

I don't think any nation in the world can claim to be entirely self-reliant, but some will be better off than others.

miketr

November 15th, 1916

Eastern Atlantic near the Straits of Gibraltar
"Hilfskreuzer Barbarossa"

"Captain we have a smoke plume NE at about 28,000 yards.."

The Raiders Captain nodded at the report, "Helm, new heading 045°, increase speed to 15 knots.  I want all weapons manned."

Helmsmen, "Eye, Eye!  New course 045°."  Another crewmen set the repeater to 15 knots."

The officer of the watch passed the word, "Battle stations, I repeat battle stations!"

Some time later the Captain and several officers were looking at the distant cargo ship, "Looks to be at least 6,000 GRT maybe over 8,000 GRT.  She is a big one..." "Sir she is flying Dutch civil ensign..."

The Captain smiled at the information, "We go as planned."  "Sir... they are changing course!"

Again the Captain, "I think they got a good look at our paint job...  Raise the Kriegsflagge!  Send the standard message..."

A signal lamp started to send a message...  

...S...U...R...R...E...N...D...E...R......H...I...L...F...S...K...R...E...U...Z...E...R......B...A...R...B...A...R...O...S...S...A

Half way through the message, "Sir she is sending a radio message!  She is reporting she is under attack!"
The captain shouted, "Damn it!  Open Fire!  Jam that transmission!"

Across the ship heavy metal shutters dropped down to reveal the deck guns and their crews started to move them onto the target.  *BOOM**BOOM* as the forward deck guns and one of the waist guns opened fire.  Within two minutes the gunners had the range and began to pour fire into the Dutch ship.  

The SS Rijn was large but was never designed to take fire and soon was disabled and singled her surrender.  The "Hilfskreuzer Barbarossa" closed the distance...  

The Raiders captain glared daggers at the surrendered ship, "Stupid bastards...  Were we able to jam their messages?"

The Radio operator called out from his cabin, "No Captain... I am sorry they repeated it twice and included their location both times before they went off the air.  An Iberian Station acknowledged and two other ships."

The Raiders Captain let loose a string of curses, "No time to take her then.  Resume fire and put a fish into her also.  Tell the marksmen and the MG teams to sweep the water for survivors..."

Soon the SS Rijn was a burning and sinking wreck; those of her crew that got into the water found that brought no respite.  Then the raider quickly left the area; leaving a patch of burning ocean and some floating bodies in her wake.  Her crew was already at work changing her appearance by adding another funnel and making other changes to her appearance.


Valles

Entirely, no. But Maoria has heavy industry, rural farming areas, native mining and oil, and at least a minimum of 'light' industry like textiles. So I like to think that, with a government that thought it neccessary to arrange things so, they could get by under a blockade with no more than some grumbling and price hikes over switching to inferior local substitutes.
======================================================

When the mother ship's cannon cracked the signal to return
The clouds were building bastions in the swirling up above
Poseidon the King and the Wind his jester
Dancing with the Lightning Lady Fair
Dancing with the Lightning Lady Fair

ctwaterman

*shocked Outrage*.... Price Increaces....??????

Well the Empire understands that it needs to import well everything but Sulfur.... having two active volcanoes has to be worth something ?????

And now the Dutch have moved Comerce raiding off the shores of East/Ost Africa basically the life blood of the Empire  :o :'(

Bad War very very Bad War ::)
Just Browsing nothing to See Move Along

Tanthalas

Quote from: ctwaterman on August 28, 2009, 10:51:26 PM
*shocked Outrage*.... Price Increaces....??????

Well the Empire understands that it needs to import well everything but Sulfur.... having two active volcanoes has to be worth something ?????

And now the Dutch have moved Comerce raiding off the shores of East/Ost Africa basically the life blood of the Empire  :o :'(

Bad War very very Bad War ::)

*The Leadership of Rohan Yawns* "what there is a Comerce War on somewhere... Hadn't noticed"
"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

James Graham, 5th Earl of Montrose
1612 to 1650
Royalist General during the English Civil War

ctwaterman

Increase the cost of Sicilian Wheat shipments to Rohan and double the cost of Oat shipments to the Rohan Cavalry. :)

Just Browsing nothing to See Move Along

Tanthalas

Quote from: ctwaterman on August 28, 2009, 11:04:14 PM
Increase the cost of Sicilian Wheat shipments to Rohan and double the cost of Oat shipments to the Rohan Cavalry. :)



NOT THE OATS... "Start Planing the Investigation Expidition, Ill By god know why Honey Rolled Oats just doubled in Price"
"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

James Graham, 5th Earl of Montrose
1612 to 1650
Royalist General during the English Civil War

maddox

Current events.

Paris, ministry of finance.

Jean, these numbers can't be correct. There is absolutely no reason to think the war around Siam will cost France that much.

Sorry, but that's the prognose, the revenue will drop that much if the Kra war keeps up for more than a few weeks from now.
We have already gotten letters from firms claiming they can't pay the taxes, due the hugely changes price on raw material compared to contracts they already have signed.

Any way to counter that effect?

Not as far as our department sees.

The Rock Doctor

As usual, strategic ship movements and defensive operations such as minelaying are assumed to have been completed if not explicitly addressed below.

SOUTHERN SIAM

Neither the Siamese and allies nor the Dutch demonstrate a strong inclination to attack the other's positions along the Kra Isthmus.  Skirmishes, patrols, and raids continue, causing localized losses to platoon- and company-sized units.  Artillery exchanges also continue.  Siam rotates its forces, and the front now sees two to three jungle corps in the east, the Kondor Legion in the centre, and DKB forces on the west.  Siamese troops are sighted elsewhere along the Kra Isthmus.  Dutch forces have 1/Malaysia and 5/Malaysia Divisions in the west-centre, and 2/Malaysia and 3/Malaysia in the east.

Dutch torpedo-boats continue operations against Siamese infrastructure on the Isthmus, but find increasing numbers of shore batteries present.  One torpedo-boat is sunk and another heavily damaged in two separate incidents.

It becomes generally known in the merchant marine community that neutral shipping is now able to enter and depart Phuket, albeit with Siamese troops and pilots aboard.  The pilots are necessary to steer the ships through defensive minefields, which the civilian personnel are asked not to mark on their charts.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES

DKB XXV Corps completes unloading, and begins a broad offensive northward from Margomulyo.  Progress is slow on account of difficult terrain, limited infrastructure in the interior of the island, and of coruse the Dutch defenders.  By the end of the month, the front projects from the coast south of Popoh, up to the town of Kediri, east to the town of Malangi, and southeast to the coast near Gunung Semeru.  The heaviest fighting is taking place around the two towns, with a Dutch brigade facing about 8,000 Brandenburgers at Kediri and most of a Dutch division facing about 15,000 Brandenburgers around Malangi.

Elements of DKB XXII Corps, estimated at about half of the corps, push back Dutch defenders (estimated at about a brigade) on easternmost Java, but are unable to make contact with XXV Corps.  Here, the front extends from thirty miles west of Probolinggo in the north, through an arc around the coast just west of the mountain of Gunung Raung, to a point about fifteen miles west of Grajagan on the southeast coast.  A salient extends to within ten miles east of Lumajang.

Naval action continues, with Dutch submarines and torpedo-boats accounting for one kliener kreuzer, two GTB, three smaller escorts, and at least seven requisitioned merchant ships sunk.  A KWII class battleship, a kliener kreuzer, and several other merchant ships are damaged.  Two Dutch submarines and three torpedoboats are sunk, with four more of the latter damaged. 

Of note, a number of Dutch civilian ships - estimated at about twenty-three, mostly fishing vessels and coasters - are stopped, boarded, evacuated, and sunk by DKB submarines around the Lesser Sunda islands and Flores Sea.  A minesweeper and a gunboat are attacked and sunk without warning.  The first incident is reported on the seventeenth of December.

Singapore is seen to be relatively quiet, though two older frigates and two torpedoboatjagers arrive on the eleventh.

THE INDOCHINAS

December 3

Independent Indochina announces that its troops are advancing into northern Siam and southern Nord Indokina.  Neutral observers in Bangkok note considerable activity between the Siamese palace and the DKB and Indochinese embassies; a leak from the Siamese government to a French reporter indicates that neither government has many troops along the border with Indochina at this time.

December 5

French and Iberian newspapers report that Indochinese troops are advancing rapidly into northeast Siam and southern Nord Indokina.  Siamese and DKB officials do not comment, but civilians report security crackdowns in both regions.

December 10

The Reformist Republic of China declares war on the DKB and Siam, stating, "We must enter this war to bring about a swift conclusion to this already costly and unsightly war."

The Hapsburger Kaiserreich declares war on the Netherlands.  The declaration of war states that the Hapsburgers will only conduct operations "south of Gibraltar, east of Suez".  The battleship Siligia had been seen by neutral observers to depart Manila two days previously.

Two corps of RRC light infantry advance in brigade-sized groups from the RRC border into northern Nord Indokina, where they are able to seize a number of smaller communities.  In the Red River valley, and northeast of Hanoi and Haiphong, they meet stiff resistence from DKB troops of XXI Corps.  The DKB troops are compelled to fall back, however, as an RRC infantry corps advances into the Red River valley with considerable support from aircraft likely operating out of Kunming.

December 11

RRC and Hapsburger Kaiserreich declare war on each other.

RRC warships are reported off Cat Ba Island, just east of Haiphong.  Refugees begin arriving the next morning in Haiphong, reporting that a landing is underway. 

Two Siamese border posts along the far north transmit that they are under attack. 

The DKB enclave of Wuhan also reports that it is under attack.

December 12

Indochinese troops are reported in the Nord Indokina city of Vinh. 

December 13

The Battle of Cat Ba Island takes place.  The armored cruiser Blucher sorties to engage the RRC landings as a second wave of RRC troops are being landed on the southeast shore of the island.  RRC screening forces are limited, and Blucher is able to ambush and sink the protected cruiser Yusuan in a flurry of 305mm and 170mm shells before fleeing.  RRC armored cruisers Huang Hun and Li Ming give chase in the direction of Haiphong, but are initially at least five miles astern of Blucher in near total darkness.

Twenty-five minutes later, as the RRC cruisers begin engaging Blucher with their forward batteries, the landing force transmits that it is being attacked from the southeast.  The landing force - four old coastal battleships and an oiler - are heavily loaded with troops, at the expense of ammunition and gunnery crews.  Despite efforts to manuever independently, the four old battleships are overtaken by a several protected cruisers and torpedo-boats that attack with torpedoes.  Wenlong and Yunlong are sunk; Weisheng is torpedoed once and takes heavy damage to her upperworks from gunfire.  The Wei Lei grounds herself after extensive flooding from two hits forward.  The oiler Si Fu Kong - ironically, faster than all other warships in the action - manages to flee to the southwest before looping around and returning to RRC waters.

Li Ming and Yulian turn back, and encounter and engage a protected cruiser, sinking her.  They return to guard the beachhead, with the protected cruiser rendering assistance to the Weisheng

Meanwhile, Blucher and Huang Hun continue their duel, which the larger Chinese cruiser dominates on account of its heavier broadside.  Huang Hun only turns back as the lights of Haiphong are in view, as her captain is leery of defensive minefields and possible torpedo attack.   

December 14

RRC cruiser Yulian returns to the site where the protected cruiser was sunk.  She finds Indochinese survivors amidst the debris of IIS Cassard.

Independent Indochina declares war on the Netherlands and the Reformist Republic of China.  DKB and Siamese officials confirm that Independent Indochina is entering the war on their side, and that Indochinese troops have been permitted to enter their territories.

Wuhan surrenders.  The small DKB garrison - about two thousand troops - has fought hard, and suffered overwhelming casualties.  Parts of the city have been heavily damaged and RRC troops begin establishing control over the city, tend to fires, and collect casualties.  The flow of refugees into the surrounding Middle Kingdom is halted as RRC troops secures border posts and trade stern looks with the their former kin on the other side of the gates.

December 15

The Reformist Republic of China declares war on Independent Indochina.

RRC amphibious operations are aborted as the Hapsburger battleship Siligia is sighted southeast of Haiphong by RRC light cruiser Yulian.

December 16-31

Over remainder of the month, RRC troops advance up to one hundred miles into Siam, in the general direction of Louangphahang - not an insignificant achievement considering the mountainous terrain and primitive infrastructure in the region.  Siamese resistence has been very light, but sufficient that RRC's lines of supply must be guarded and marches must be made in battle order.

In Nord Indokina, RRC guerillas had seized much of the mountainous terrain west of Hanoi, but are beginning to encounter Indochinese troops around Moc Chan and the lower Black River valley.  The lightly-equipped RRC troops are often able to evade the slower-moving Indochinese, but when they are caught in straight-up battles, they take heavy losses.

An RRC infantry corps has advanced down the Red River Valley as far as Phu Tho, at the cost of fifteen thousand casualties.  Elements of DKB XXI Corps are conducting an effective fighting withdrawal, though their own supply lines are being interdicted by RRC aircraft.  Other DKB troops are hunkering down in an area around Hanoi and Haiphong. 

RRC guerrillas also occupy the mountainous terrain north of Hanoi, meeting minimial resistence from the DKB.

Around Cat Ba Island, DKB and Siam lack the fast combatants necessary to picket and blockade Cat Ba without risking interception by the fast Chinese cruisers.  However, RRC does not want to expose its supply efforts to daylight interception by Siligia, now thought to be operating out of Haiphong or Saigon.  Consequently, Si Fu Long and the cruisers make several night supply runs, and while each individual trip's utility is constrained by the need to arrive, unload, and depart in darkness, they manage to land more troops, more supplies, and some rockets.  On December 25, they narrowly avoid an ambush by Siligia, which manages to straddle the Li Ming before the faster Chinese ships slip away into the night. 

By the end of the month, approximately 12,000 RRC marines are on Cat Ba Island.  A number of rockets are launched from the western part of the island towards Haiphong, but all fall short by miles, to the amusement of Haiphong residents.  Civilians on the Hoa Hy, however, are terrified by the falling rockets, and a number are killed or injured.  The rest flee towards Haiphong.

ADEN

Neutral observers note the presence of Hapsburger kleiner kreuzers in the Red Sea and around Aden.  Two Dutch freighters are boarded and seized on separate occasions.

GLOBAL

Increases in commercial shipping noted at the American canals and around Orange.  Reduced traffic at Suez. 

Marine insurance rates increase again.  Rice futures rise, as do the price of speciality Asian timbers.

Heavy Italian naval presence observed in the Rift Sea and western Indian Ocean.

Colombian patrol craft and troopships transit the Suez Canal and Rift Sea, arriving off Albertville, Kongo on December 31.

Desertfox

New Switzerland feel very very very left out... Guess I'll have to continue my own Civil War....
"We don't run from the end of the world. We CHARGE!" Schlock

http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20090102.html

Borys

The SMS siligia operates from whereever there's a better supply of good quality coal. Over time time the size of the base will come into play. So, ATM it should be Haifong.
Borys
NEDS - Not Enough Deck Space for all those guns and torpedos;
Bambi must DIE!

ciders

#86
First, Egypt disapproves the presence and the actions of the Austrian Fleet in the Red Sea. We consider it as a action who can reduce the free maritime trade in the Middle East and Indian Ocean.

Second, Egypt is very worried about the degradation of the situation in the Mediterranean Sea. We ask insistently for a fast return of the peace in the area.
The only difference, between the balls of July 14th and the French Revolution, it is the size of firecrackers and the direction towards which we launch them.

Christophe Barbier, French journalist

Borys

OOC
These Habsburg cruisers are short legged and operate in the local choke point - the Bab el-Mandeb. Saying that they are in the Red Sea is like equating ships near Malaga as being in the Med :)

But I accept that the fog of war has my ships "in the Red Sea" :D
Borys
NEDS - Not Enough Deck Space for all those guns and torpedos;
Bambi must DIE!

ciders

OOC :

Yep, but it's very easy to go from Malaga to Alicante. And also from the Red Sea to Aden. And the fog in the area is very strong.  ;D
The only difference, between the balls of July 14th and the French Revolution, it is the size of firecrackers and the direction towards which we launch them.

Christophe Barbier, French journalist

hooper82

December 14, 1916

His Most Glorious President Sarrault, by the Grace of God, Leader of Independent Indochina;

SENTS TO President Chiang Kai-Shek of the Reformist Republic of China AND Her Majesty Wilhelmina der Nederlanden (Pending finding out who the leader is), Queen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and her other realms and dominions across the seas, GREETINGS, AND,

DOES HEREBY DECLARE that all RRC and Dutch propaganda be FALSE AND MISLEADING IN INTENT.

WE FURTHER DECLARE that claims of freeing the Asian peoples from European tyranny be NULL AND VOID AND FURTHERMORE simply be a unlawful land grab.

WE ADDITIONALLY FURTHER DECLARE that a STATE OF WAR exists between Independent Indochina and the Kingdom of the Netherlands AND ALSO the Reformist Republic of China.

WE COMMAND BY OUR MERE MOTION & FACULTY OF WILL that our fleet, armies, air forces, ports, and peoples do rise up and RALLY to defend their Asian brothers and allies.

BE AWARE that we will not tolerate further conquest and the unlawful seizure of lands from our allies the Kingdom of Siam and Deutscher Kaiserreich Brandenburg.

WE DEMAND that both the Reformist Republic of China and Kingdom of the Netherlands lay down your arms, and return to pre war positions.
Until such event FORCE OF ARMS, terrible and bloody, will be your doom.

President Sarrault

By Diplomatic Packet (That may have arived a few days late...)
<_kr4m3r> so many fucking criminals, its bullshit
<foniks`> heh, if we sent all the criminals to some empty continent and just left them there to die
<foniks`> and showed up like 50yrs later like, "sup?"
<foniks`> whatd u think they'd say?
<FoSZoR[bg]> something along the lines of, "G`Day mate"