Cape Courier 1904

Borys · March 25, 2007, 04:06:44 AM

Cape Courier, January

QUOTE

Due to the intensifying Zulu raids, all active army units were put on war alert to deal with the persistent threat of the Zulu hordes. This is coming too late for those thousands who had to flee their homes, if they did not want to fall victim to the raiders. Due to the load on the railway sytem from both from the refugees and the increased troop movements normal civilian traffic was disrupted.

QUOTE

Stocks from Johannesburg Steel Foundry & Forge fell 30 cents when the company announced that it cannot deliver an unspecified but substatial amount of steel plates to navy yards. The Foundry cited that consequent rail distruptions caused delays in iron ore and coke shipments, and railway wagons were taken over for "other uses". Depleted company stockpiles were not replenished, and manufacturing operations had to be reduced considerably.

Apparently the Government's decision to reduce the navy budget resulted in putting navy-related manufacturing activites to low priority - lower than moving thousands of refugees to safe places, and moving soldiers to reinforce the border.

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Posted: Nov 25 2006, 06:37 PM

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Cape Courier, 1904 January

QUOTE

With the reduction in the operational budget, the Navy announced placing one battleship, one cruiser, one destroyer divisions and a torpedo boat squadron into reserve status. Demobilized naval servicemen are expected to find plenty of work opportunity, providing experienced crew on the fishing and whaling vessels built and under contruction. We can only assume that this is some fortunate coincidence, as our governments did not show similar forethought before.


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Posted: Nov 26 2006, 10:55 PM

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March 28, 1904

Pearl Harbor Naval Yard, Hawaii (USNS)

The Naval attaché to the Republic of Orange, Captain Skuhalek looked at the destruction with dismay. The Swiss had promised the sky when the Navy was looking for some new submersible torpedo boats. But the 5 months of construction of the craft seemed to be cursed from laying down, by defective materials, late deliveries and worker's strike. And now this. The slender metal hull of the vessel was covered with soot, and half of the hull cover plates were ripped open, as if some force wanted to get out of it, and succeeded.
"During the second trial run after the installation of the gasoline engine, the engine started to burn, probably from a carelessly thrown away gasoline-soaked rug" explained the shipyard's engineer, in soot-covered coverall, smelling of smoke, to the single Orange officer and the two Swiss ones. Even the bow of the boat was so warped that any casual observes could determine that its next destination would be the crapyard not the comissioning ceremony.
. "The workers managed to get out in time, and they immediately started to dose the hull with water, to cool it down, but the flames got to the fuel tank before..." he shrugged helplessly, and pointed at the wreck on the slipway."We were lucky to contain the fire from further spreading."
"Meinen Herren" turned the attaché to the Swiss officers."My government signed the contract with the best intention, believing your claims that the evacuation of the Swiss fleet from Phoenix managed to recover some...naval engineering expertise. The ships got out, but the experienced yard workers apparently stayed at home."
The senior of the two officers - a commodore - looked up from the blackened hull. The engineer looked at
"We assure your government that these...khm... delays are out of the ordinary,"
"Assurances...You gave the same assurances when we inquired about the yard incidents that happened in the last two years. Honestly, for an outside observer it seems that the Swiss Navy is struggling to keep half of its fleet afloat, the remainder in mothballs and waiting for a buyer. You took over the overseas repair facilities like this and those on the continent of Australia, but you have neither adeqate foundries, nor machining capability - the industrial base was left behind. The frigate, excuse me, cruiser that is being built in Orange, would be the first major warship your navy would comission after the secession. Meanwhile, Phoenix already has two similar cruisers in its fleet."
The three Swiss stood there without a comment.
"His Excellency the Ambassador won't be happy about it, and Cape Town will require my report on the incident. You can expect the renegotiation of the contract, and the Navy even might send someone else for that - but most probably you would be stuck with just me."

OOC
The story is a bit early chronologically, but as it's not much influenced by other events, and already written.

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Posted: Nov 27 2006, 01:18 AM

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February, 1904
In The Namibian coastal desert

Two generals, two brigadiers, several other brass and cavalrymen (3. 'Vortrekker' Division, Cavalry, 2nd Brigade, A squadron and T (transportation) company and horses looked upon the six displayed vehicles, In the same order of increasing wariness.

Motorcars, all saw them before. More and more appeared on the roads, as the Government encouraged the market with several tax incentives, but they still were a bit far from the ordinary men's reach. Those here looked like one of the new Rolls-Royce card manufactured in Durban. It was rumored, that those cars were pretty fast. And very expensive, the showroom models he saw had gold-plating all over, With a scantily clad Winged Woman-figure at the front of the long triangular hood, Niké, ancient Greek goddess of victory. The cars before them were apparently not the plaything of the rich. No goldplating all over, no winged figure on the hood, but two plain letters -DM- on the front. Six motorcars, with a coachwork less elaborate, more functional, appearing more durable, and instead of the two rows of seat they had an open box behid the driver, with two benches along the sides, overhanging the rear wheels. If a crazy overaffluent farmer could get on, he would use such a car for - blaphemy!- transporting hay, or, Heaven's forbid, dung. The army would never trust such vehicles to conscripts, but half of the cars did nothing to hide its owner. A mahinegun on tripod was standing in three of the boxes.

The brass was observing the cars like in a parade, one genral, one brigadier, acompanied by a civilian, was explaining to the other general, and all the others trailing behind.

"The Ministry of War finally gave a nod to try out if these things can be used in the army. Afterall, the cars would not be here without our generous financial support, and we want see whether our money weas well spent." started one of the the generals.

"We cannot let the Navy have all the new shiny toys, can we?" commented the other general, somewhat reserved, but it triggered some small polite laughter.
"Brigadier Rolls, would you..." turned the first general to the brigadier.

"These trucks are based on our civilian model, developed by Monsieur Rolls" nodding toward the civilian"early last year, the Golden Ghost. They have the same six-cylinder seven-liter 35 kilowatt motor, three-speed gear, and the chassis is similar, but somewhat stronger. The main difference is the coachwork, which is much more durable, and longer, due to the box hanging over the rear wheels."

"It might seem simple, but we have our problems with this, we had to strengthen the suspension to bear the weight of the box and the load, then had to modify it as the vibrations were shaking the chassis apart. Then we put the machinegun on the top of it, and we had to start te whole process again" interjected the civilial.

"And where the 2nd Brigade comes into the picture, may I ask?"
"The recent military operations showed that cavalry divisions put very high demand on the logictical chain, especially when the operations were conducted hundreds of kilometers from the last railhead."Answered the general from the Ministry "With all the supply train with fodder, it proved yet again that strategically a cavalry division moves not faster than the infantry. And while cavalry is faster on the tactical scale, it cannot move the same firepower as the infantry. Machineguns can be delivered on horseback, as combat trials shown it, but they usually were not assembled in time in several occasions, particularly in ambushes. Light field artillery can be towed by horses, but these trucks are considerably faster, they can move with the attacking squadrons. In theory, at least. And the Ministry is still open to proposals to solve this logistics issue."

"We were making tests over my family estates, and some army artillery ranges in the Cape Plateau. So our claims are not unfounded. But real field test requires real soldiers, not handpicked mechanics who worked on building the motor itself." commented brigadier Rolls.
"Horses do not like these motorcars" observed the other brigadier.
"They grow used to it, eventually."
"And will these cars break down?"
"At the most peculiar places, I assure you, general". The brigadier waited for the laughter to subside "even if maintained properly, especially off the road. We always have a team of draft horses to pull it in case of emergency. Thus the need for the Transport Company."
"And what's the reason for the trucks without the machinegun?"
"It's like dragoons, just not on horseback. It beats walking, so it is not infantry. Another idea which might be feasible. But even then, these trucks are just expensive shiny toys right now, there won't be much around even in inducted. You know for how much they" casual hadwaving that ends in pointing at brigadier Rolls, now all eyes on him and M'sieur Royce "ask for the Ghosts in the city."
Brigadier Rolls shrugged after a brief silence.
"You know how much flour and bread cost these days? We have families to feed, too."

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Posted: Dec 3 2006, 03:07 AM

Hegemon
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W of Songo, Mozambique, February, 1904

After 4 months of building in a not too friendly terrain, clashes with not too cooperative Zulu skirmishers, there was a 180km narrow-gauge line stretching from Tete to the new outpost. There was a Portuguese mission here two years ago. The population that remained after the government-sponsored relocation programs fled the Zulu raids - Zulus were taking away what they could, and destroying anything they could not. Now, in place of the charred remains of the church and houses, a town was being born, as military units started arriving on the well-guarded railway line, and starting to build an outpost here, and walls of a not small Roman-style wooden fortress was being erected under the supervision of military engineers. Supplies could come in river barges up to Tete, before a long stretch of rapids made the river not navigable. From there, supplies must come on the single railway line.

On the river, there was a huge clearing, with the roots of uprooted trees still on the side. From the railway station, a pair of rails and a road led to the river, ending before a small wooden pier. Tied to it were two ten-meter-long army motorboats, brought here on the railway, and a small ferry assembled here, capable to carry a cart drawn by four horses. The ferry was the connection to the other side of the wide river, where a much smaller outpost was placed.

A group of uniformed figures were disembarking from the boats.
"It is much more treacherous during the dry season" said one of the army captains. "The river is much lower, ever-shifting sandbars all over, it's easy to get stuck."
"So I have to build a shipyard here" said another, the only one in navy uniform, looking at the clearing. And I have to work with as much local materials as possible, so the fewer thing that must be brought here by rail the better."
"We have a small sawmill brought up here" noted another, an army engineer."So we can use local wood, of which we have more than plenty."
"If we use raw wood, any barge we build will not last long. Initially, they'd do, but later we will have to make a shed where we can dry that wood out, by fire. We'll also need steam to bend planks."
"How much manufacturing equipment must be delivered by rail?"
"Depends how much ships we want to build. The critical part is the smithy, and the cranes to install the engines. There are several crates on the way to Beira with the necessary equipment."
"And how big ships could you build?"
"Barges, tugs and patrol boats, of wood. With locomotive engines, like the ones that brought us up here."

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Posted: Dec 6 2006, 04:14 AM

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Cape Courier, February 10, 1904

QUOTE

The army announcement to reinforce border provinces signals that the government decided to act against the constant Zulu raids. Apparently the heavy criticism about the inactivity resulted in some decision to take a more active chance against the Zulu threat. Ministry spokesmen denied any details on the planned troop movements.

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Posted: Dec 6 2006, 03:10 PM

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Cape Courier, February 22, 1904

QUOTE

The Government looks upon the current preparations by DKB and Austria for the announced Brazilian expedition with vary eyes. Is there anything behind this than the two misguided monarch, acting on the illusion of imperial grandeur, on some pretext of some obscure rebelliaon in Brazil? Even if they had some concerns about the fate of some FORMER German and Austrian citizens who emigrated there? None of them, however, was a citizen of the pocket empire called Deutsches Kaisserreich Brandenburg, and when they decided to leave the continent, they left their allegiance behind, and now they are French residents. This is some shameless intervention - with substantial military force, nonetheless - in the territory of some other nation. Which is not a fellow Monarchy. Both countries had a record of similar unasked for intervention, especially involving republics. Austria took a great part in the fall of the New Swiss, and apparently the new monarch is not better than his successor.

The acts of die Deutsche, similarly, expressed interests in other nation's internal affairs. The allegations of covert operations in Africa against the Swiss (who fell, later on), although not much evidence surfaced about that incident. The second thing, which concerns Orange, is more closer to our readers. The modern weapons equipping the Zulus could not come from other source than Ostafika, even if they are of French manufacture - ask any of your soldier relatives on leave and they will tell it. There are even rumors that Deutsche units, similar to those operating in Swiss Australia, were caught in Mozambique, but the army remains silent on this issue.

France is strong. But will it have the strength to face an alliance of monarchies against him? If they are helped by no smaller country Russia? The New Swiss had fallen, half of the turned to illusionary safety of a queen above them. The other half are nominally republic, but only in a South American sense. Other remains are just small on the scale of world politics, even if they inherited a fleet. So it is up to us, the Republic of Orange to stand up to the legacy of the opressors.

But I am just shouting in the wasteland, and hope someone would hear me.

Cassandra

Borys · March 25, 2007, 04:06:53 AM

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Posted: Dec 6 2006, 08:18 PM

Hegemon
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Mozambique, W of Songo, February 20

"Orders have changed."
The navy lieutenant in charge of the sawmill looked up. And sighed.
"What this is now, Captain? I hoped to finish some of the boats we have here"
"The highest priority right now is to build a timber bridge. Which must be ready two days ago."
"I guess there goes half my workforce."
"Not exactly. You get a few more batallions. In addition to that bridge, they want to have a pontoon bridge across if possible. It floats, so you can start working on it. Now."

February 24

The meter-wide logs, were cut into 6m pieces. One dozen was floating in the pond that was at the shore, free of the river crocodiles. Two logs were laid across them, and were held together by ropes, nails and planking over.
"Impressive, lieutenant." said the Corps commander. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you show a promise to be a good Army engineer. Apparently you will beat those guys by a month or two. And I will have a bridge soon."
"Well, we have to build only another 79 or so of them."
"Great, I can hardly wait. If you need more workers, just ask for it. By the way, the navy is sending us some present, and another Lieutenant in blue uniform, so you won't fell so lonely."
Puzzled look.
"Some mines. To discourage our neighbors."

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Posted: Dec 7 2006, 03:49 PM

Hegemon
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Late February, Cape Town

Unusually high traffic was observed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Embassy, and observant spies could not miss the visit of the naval attaché to the Ministry of the Navy. The reciprocal is happening in Paris right now. Rumors are the ships that were just put in reserve might be reactivated - jokes are around that putting ships in reserve is the way to ensure they will be needed soon.

Troop movements are a chaos for the 'casual' observers. Although most troops goes apparently northward.

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Posted: Dec 8 2006, 02:44 PM

Hegemon
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March 05, 1904

The battleship Cape Agulhas left Cape Town to pay a courtesy visit to the French port of Diego Suarez in Northern Madagascar.

March 10, 1904

A freighter left Durban, escorted by a frigate, heading to Oman. Intelligence services could learn that its freight includes mines, ammunition, spare parts, large amount of wood, and several naval 125mm artillery pieces, with modified mounts.


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Posted: Dec 9 2006, 09:01 PM

Hegemon
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March 30, 1904

The Republic of Orange looks upon the acts of Rohan with bewilderment. Why the wise king of Rohan could not recognize that Austria and Nrandenburg uses their milennia-long enmity against the Anahuac for their imperialistic landgrabbing attempt? Orange warns Rohan not to involve themselves in the schemes of the two emperors against France, and advises not to encourage them.

Orange, however, founds the reports on the Anahuac in Proto Allegre disdurbing. However, Orange demands that the immediate withdrawal their troops from the town, and their consequent return to DKB territory. The Anahuac menace can be addressed later, with means that will not hurt the sovereignity of France. The latter threats are, however, needs immediate attention from Orange.

Meanwhile the Orange battleline, with several smaller ships had been rebased to Durban. The battleships taken into reserve are prepared for returning to active service. Due to the short time they were in reserve, the Navy is confident they could be activated in a month.

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Ithekro
Posted: Dec 10 2006, 04:45 PM

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April 3, 1904

(Rohirrim Letter to the Cape Courier)

The Kingdom of Rohan, seeing a situation in chaos within the French colony of Brazil, as kept a small force within the city of Porto Allegre to maintain the peace with what appears to be a quiet rebellion against the French Colonial rule. The Kingdom or Rohan will maintain its force in the port city until the local rebellion is resolved by French forces or the local Colonial Government. Rohan does not wish to take land from the Republic of France. However the presence of the Anahuac within Brazil is troubling to the Kingdom of Rohan, as the Followers of the Eye are ancient and recent enemies of the Mark. It is hoped the French Government will do something constructive to remove this evil of man and freedom from their territory. It is also hoped that the Germanic peoples will not abuse the situation should the French Government do what the Free Peoples of Earth know to be right in removing the Followers of the Eye from Brazil. Republic, Kingdom, or Sultanate, all are in danger when the Followers of the Eye are involved.

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Posted: Jan 18 2007, 10:05 AM

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May 1904

The hasty military preparations "against the zulu raiders" lost steam, but this mobilization apparently showed its effect in reducing the number of incrusions to minimal. DKB troopships rounding the Cape still spot Orange frigates in the distance.

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Posted: Jan 21 2007, 07:23 PM

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June 1904, Ministry Memorandum on the Zulu 'policing' Operation

QUOTE

****MOST SECRET****

The following units are chosen to execute the following tasks during Operation Crushing Blow

Northwestern military District:
34. Infantry and 12. Sotho Native Corps is to form a Gereral Reserve.
11. Swazi Native corps is tasked to guard the DKB border*

26. Vortrekker Cavalry and 32. Namib Natives are to advance on the South side of the Zambezi to the West, to cut the tribes from foreign support
4. Hunyadi Desert Infantry is to advance Southwest through the Kalahari, with 15. Boer Cavalry, towards Bulawayo.

Norteastern District

25. Ndebele Natives and 7. Adamant Infantry to guard the DKB and Malawi border, North of the Zambezi. 8. Infantry is placed into General Reserve, for operation North of the Zambezi.

6. Cavalry and 25. Ndebele are to advance Westward south of the Zambezi. 3. Cape infantry and two brigades of the 6. is to advance towards Harare.

1. Transvaal Mountaineer is to Advance from Beira towards Harare.

13. Xhosa and 2. Kalahari Cavalry is to advance from Johannesburg and South Mozambique Northwest to Harare, with supporting operations towards Bulawayo.

General reserve in South Mozambique: 3. Cape Infantry.

The 1st and 2nd brigades of the 35. Cavalry and 27. Infantry is to secure the Northern bank of the Molopo river. The latter is to advance towards Bulawayo.

Hostile native population should be handled as per previous directives.

Notes:
1. Due to the rains during the wet season it is anticipated that the swollen Zambezi will provide barrier against Brandenburgian attempts to interfere with operations
2. The railheads in NE Namibia and W Mozambique with the stockpile of supplies are expected to cope with the tempo of the operations, unless there is a larger than expected expenditure for artillery ammunition.
3. The 27. Infantry is equipped with limited amount of "special" artillery ammunition, there are hopes that circumstances would allow field testing in spite of the mobility of the Zulus.

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Posted: Jan 22 2007, 01:18 PM

Hegemon
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Late July 1904, Western Zululand, Kalahari

Deep in the Kalahari, close to the small swamp into which the Okawango river flows, stood the first Kraal the force of 6th Boer Cavalry and the accompanying infantry encountered. It was located on the shore of a small lake still of a low level at the start of the rainy season. The kraal was an isolated one at the border of the swamps and the arid savanna, two days of travel from the next closest settlement.

The Zulu impi they just fought stood up in a strange way. They were bold as they usually are. The 'chest' (center) consisted of grizzled veterans, who usually make up the reserves of the impi, but many of them old, who usually not take part in the raids any more. The 'horns' (wings) consisted of boys at the start of adulthood, usually tasked with herding cattle, equipped with modern French rifles courtesy of Brandenburg, shooting with an appalling markmanship. And women of several ages take up arms too, mixed between the boys, making up the lack of strength with ferociousness - which could prove to be a problem a year ago, but the new light 75mm howitzers with the cannister shots were incredibly effective against such a ragtag foe. Men of fighting ages were few in numbers.

The wall-enclosed settlement fall without providing any serious resistance.
After the first disdurbing reports arrived from the scouts, the captain visited it accompanied by one of the doctors of the batallion. At some distance from the wall, there was an earthen wall, and the stench coming from it just reinforced that it was filled by carcasses of fallwn cattle. Inside the village, reluctant looking infantrymen were standing guard. The captain and the doctor entered into one of the hovels, where a small terrified sick-looking girl was treating a man lying on a cot, a man who should be among the fighters. The man was consumed, eyes red, his face covered in mucus mixed with blood which the girl cleaned with a not too clean cloth. The man started coughing up blood once in a while, then settled back to his uneasy rest.

The illness and the battle took its toll on the village, and it had the population about one-half of its previous size. Interrogating the survivors the captain could patch up the recent history of the unfortunate kraal. Two months ago a group of six men had returned from Zambia, after they traded with German merchants, buying ammo for the new rifles and other goods. After they arrived they fell to this consuming sickness one by one in a few days. The illness came with a fever and coughing up blood, sapping all the energy out of them. Of the six men four survived but were too weak to provide any resistance. Then some of the cattle and other villagers started showing signs of the disease after two weeks. Almost all villagers were affected, but young men and women more seriously, about fifth of them dying, the rest being so weakened that they could not even stand up for two weeks. The illnes did not weaken younger and older people to the same extent, but the death toll amongst them was the same. And the kraal lost half of its cattle. Village elders notified the closest kraals, putting themselves at a quarantine, and there was no contact with them in the last month at all.

The captain ordered the evacuation of the village, and putting it on fire. He transferred command to his deputy, and ordered that the batallion that entered the village to be isolated from the rest of the brigade, with himself and the doctor included, hoping only that these measures would keep the disase from the
rest.

Borys · March 25, 2007, 04:07:15 AM

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Posted: Jan 22 2007, 01:36 PM

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OOC

The operations in the press are portrayed as punitive expeditions, and of a smaller scales, about a tenth of the forces involved.

The illness is some nasty viral infection, resembling a bit the Spanish Flu (how it affects the young people) and 'mild' form of Ebola - and Martburg - like diseases, only a bit less than apocalyptical proportions. It has an incubation period of 10-20 days, starting with flu-like symptoms that worsens in another one or two weeks into the most virulent stage, lasting about another two weeks. Anyone still living has a high chance of survival.

It is contagious and virulent. Without medical care, the fatality rate is 20-25%, which is reduced to 5-10% in the best hospitals (no secondary infections). Those surviving eventually recover, for young adults recovery takes about a month, and strangly shorter for children, adolescents, older adults and the elderly. Young adults and those in the best health are strangely severely affected, more likely to succumb to the disease itself. Those with weaker immune system are prone to die to secondary infections (pneumonia etc) basically evening out the mortality rate,

approved by Maddox

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Posted: Jan 24 2007, 02:21 AM

Hegemon
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Mid-August 1904

The rain was hitting at the awning before the HQ tent. General Kronjé was sitting under it on a field chair, looking at senior captain, with the red-cross armband of the medical corps reporting him.
"You want to tell me that the whole batallion of soldiers who pacified that kraal had fallen ill, and you do not know whether this disease have already appeared among the two brigades taking part in that battle."
"I'd like to say otherwise, but..." the doctor raised his hands in the air, then let them drop.
"What do you know about the disease, captain?"
"General, the doctor that got stuck with them did study the sick natives. He is a surgeon, not a specialist of tropical diseases, but we are sure that the disease is something new. The symptoms appeared weeks after they contacted the settlement, which is very unfortunate, as people appearing healthy or just having some cold could spread it."
"What are the chances that the disease spread, say, to the other brigades?"
"There were some precautions, but they could not really be enforced. Reports are antelopes, cattle and horses can alsod get it. Even with minimizing personal contacts there is a chance that the disease will get through. I ordered to set up special wards, anyone having a cold must report there and be quarantined."
"So the question is not if but how fast."
"Well...yes. To avoid spreading it further, the contacts along the supply lines must be minimized. So the supplies must be cut to the essential, as those bringing them must be held here."
Kronjé looked at a briadier who just appeared.
"Anything to add, Johann?"
"Would it be preferable to stop or limit operations aga..."
"That's out of the question" interrupted the general tersely."We will not sit here afraid of some germs and the Zulus." As he raised his voice, other officers appeared at the tent "We cannot take this disease back to Namibia with us, but there's no reason we cannot advance further. We managed to get both the 4. and 15. across the Kalahari with the train, despite the rain and the mud. Supplies we have. Soldiers do not eat much more walking than staying around doing nothing."
"But the operations must be changed due to the new circumstances" interjected the brigadier.
"I see you are volunteering to draw up the new plans and prepare the orders, Brigadier."
"Me volun...Yes, General. At your orders, General."

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Posted: Jan 27 2007, 12:45 AM

Hegemon
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Ministry of War, the end of August, 1904

Five people - the Minister himself, one ministry bureaucrat, the chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Medical Corps, and another general - were sitting in the small conference room. The minister did not like large meetings, more so when there were decisions to make.

"Your Excellency, By Kronjé's reports, the first fatalities already happened in the exposed batallion. And its contagious, most of them already catched it. Some of the troops got through it lightly. But the number of soldiers reporting sick is incerasing. Scouts are also reporting the appearance of larger Zulu Impies, and some attempt at the supply trains. Kronjé is receiving a barley minimum of supplies to keep him going." the general look up.
"What is happening in tte East right now?" interjected the minister.
"The unusually heavy rains and the following landslides along the railway lines effectively stopped the advance in the Eastern mountains. The swollen tributaries also slowed units moving along the Zambezi. The Central Command ordered the southern corps to go on the defensive and hunt down the zulu raiders that appeared again. At least they can try out the new armored cars."

"What is the latest on the zulus?"
"Their modernist chief is based in the West, they might even assemble a force that would pose problems to Kronjé, even discounting the disease. Those on the east are more worried about their own territories. How the disease affects them, is not clear"
The minister looked at the doctor inquiringly.
"Nothing new on the disease. The surgeon with that batallion made a few autopsies before he fall to the bed, and it is ugly. Some of the dead apparently coughed their lungs up. Lungs bleeding everywhere. And no bacteria could be isolated that would cause it. The worse is that there seems to be a relatively symptom-free incubation period which will play hell with any quarantine or containment attempts, and it always starts as a common cold. There might already be some cases in Namibia, but no major outbreak was reported there."
"Do we have any contingency plans? Just in case."
"We have one for cholera, but that is not really relevant here. We can start working on one, and have some preliminary drafts in two weeks, if we have to use them. We could isolate some military units stationed in Mozambique from outside contacts just in case."
"Was the Navy informed about it?"
The doctor and the army chief exchanged glances.
"Formally, not. Informally, yes, but they do not know all the details."
"I'd like to see a report on it, that would go to the Prime Minister, the President, and selected senators. A more detailed to the Navy."
"Should the navy be advised to held some extensive naval exercises that would move the ships out of Port, to spare them from exposition? From the Southern ports at least, the Angolan and Mozambique ports might have already been affected."
"Good idea, I'll mention it. What is known about that quarantine in New York? It was said to be caused by a Swiss merchant who already died, we might want to contact them, perhaps the Normanns have some idea."

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Posted: Jan 27 2007, 01:46 PM

Hegemon
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September 05, 1904
Report from Kronjé's Army to the Chief of Staff.

...The epidemic is spreading faster than it was anticipated. About 20 percent of the troops is already affected. The brigades which had the first contact with the disease are effectively out of combat...
... The Zulus as if they were aware of our situation are attacking the scouting parties, and larger impis were repeatedly sighted, but they are elusive. No sign of that they are aware or fear of the disease...
...the disease already spread to horses, which puts a strain on both the suppy train and the scouting party. Two brigades of the 15. Cavalry were dismounted until further notice to keep other units up in strength...

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Posted: Jan 27 2007, 01:48 PM

Hegemon
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September 04, Cape Town

Dozens of Navy ships have left Orange harbors to conduct a large-scale naval exercise in the area of the Prince Edwards Islands.

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Posted: Jan 28 2007, 01:14 PM

Hegemon
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Two battleships and three frigates taking part in the exercise will steam to the Pacific and take part in joint exercises with the French fleet.

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Posted: Jan 29 2007, 01:39 AM

Hegemon
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West Zululand, 1904 Mid-September

The pouring rain did not help at all to the six troopers to shake them out of their depression. Although they were nominally cavalry, there were only two horses with them.
The animals fared worse after meeting with this Plaque, which the troopers named after their chief enemies, either the Zulus (if there were officers present) or after general Kronjé (if they were not). The latter was held responsible for their sorry and hopeless state my the majority of the troops, regardless of rank. It was widely circulated that the general was taking the two corps with himself to their death. And everyone was wiser what should have been done seven weeks ago. Hearing all these theories the medics just shaked their heads, coughed up some blood in reddish-brown rags, then looked at the infirm and ordered those who had the strength could stand to help their more unfortunate comrades. The distinction between regular and infirmary tents in the camp was almost unnoticable by now. The camp which did not move at all in the last two weeks, and judging by the state of its occupant did not appeared ro be able to move right now if a larger raiding party appeared.

The horses themselves were lead, not ridden, barely having the strength to ride to the camp itself. A selected few mounts was kept isolated, to provide the daily two dispatches to Namibia. The scouting parties were lucky to have that two horse instead of one.
'If I'd get that devil's brethen General in my two hands... or the Lieutenant... would flay his skin with my own nails...then roll him in salt...' stated a gaunt and spooky-looking fellow, apparently not for the first time.
'I'd say work your mind a bit, I am getting tired of the same shit.' Called the corporal who was leading one of the horses.
'Shut up Scarecrow...You only need to fear of the Zulus not this Goddamned disease...' started another one, but his speech was drowned in a fit of coughs, only turning away from his companions, not even bothering to take the blood-soaken rug from his pocket.
'Doctor Scarecrow announces' replied the first one with an affected voice 'that the state of this patient did not worsen too much in the last week, and odds on his death were improved so much that bets can be played at four against one, one being him survive...'
'Why could not we get one...cough, cough... of the silent walking deads attached to us...' noted the fourth one.
'If we were still in some civilized place, they would not have left me out of the hospital...but you guys are just dying and here I am, expert in the same, to help you along, as left alone you would not even know how to die...'
The scouts were closing to a small mound, a large tree rising on the top of it.
'Baboon, you climb on the tree to look around. If you find a leopard we will avenge you...' ordered the corporal the fifth soldier.
With some grunting the ordered fellow walked to the mound, and with some effort he climbed up.
'Hey, corp...and Scarecrow, you should get up here and look at it too...' they heard his bit too quiet voice among the green foliage. When the two he called up climbed up, and looked down the shallow valley in the direction Baboon showed.
'I was hoping that I have fever and its just delirum or what...'
The two other just hold the branches and stood gaping. In the distance large black spots were moving on the green savanna. And by the glitter of the sun on their guns, those spots were not buffalo herds but impis, thousands of Zulus, with red-painted shield in each of them.

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Posted: Jan 29 2007, 06:44 PM

Hegemon
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Cape Town, September 29, 1904

The Republic of Orange announces full internal epidemic quarantine restrictions in Namibia and Angola. Internal movement in the provinces are restricted, no one is allowed to leave towns and villages. Communicaton between towns is provided by the Army. The Right of Assembly is waived until December 31 1904, no public meeting is allowed, including religious assemblies*. Those people showing cold-like symptoms or respiratory illnesses are obliged to go and stay at locations specified by the regional authorities.

No civilian ship of any nationality is allowed to leave the ports of the Orange Republic** without specific permission, those arriving from inside Africa are to be held under port quarantine restrictions.

*Those of Roman Catholic religion have dispensation from Mass Attendance by the Bishop of Luanda.
**Naval vessels are restricted as by Navy Orders

Official news on the pandemic is suppressed until the quarantine is announced.
Also an increasing amount of cases are reported within Angola and Namibia to the medical authorities.

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Posted: Jan 30 2007, 01:28 AM

Hegemon
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End of September, 1904

Rumors are in military circles that communication with two corps of Kronjé's army (and the general itself) were broken, and the last dispatch (which arrived on the 23rd) mentioned the sightings of larger Zulu formations and having a significantly reduced combat strength due to the epidemic.

Other units of of Kronjé's Army managed to advance along the Zambezi river after initial difficulties, but they too had encountered the disease.

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Posted: Feb 1 2007, 02:17 AM

Hegemon
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Through 1904 October

the Orange public cannot decide which caused the most consternation. The rumors of a spreading, deadly disease that already forced the Government to isolate a big part of the country, or that this disease combined with the Zulus cause the loss of tho of the finest Orange corps. The thought that one hundred thousand young men simply fell to the sickness and then to the Zulus is difficult to get over with. General Kronjé managed to throw away his reputation as a capable army commander with his life, even if his decision under the circumstances was understandable. Posterity might just name the disease after him, after the example set by troops serving in Namibia - who got the notion from the last dispatch riders who arrived from the doomed army.

Although the Authorities are optimistic that the embargo would keep the disease out of the large cities, doctors already got the description of the disease. Anyone having cold stays at home.

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Posted: Feb 2 2007, 03:57 AM

Hegemon
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October 03 1904, Kolemans Diamond mine, near Pretoria

Frederik Wels looked at the long line of kafir workers lined up at the guarded gate of the mine for the start of the day. His mood was unusually gloomy this day. He heard some grime facts about Kronjé's disease last night in the bar, even if half of it true the country is facing hard times. And he also had a cousin working currently in the Namib desert to develop a diamond mine, which was at least in a rather isolated location. How it would affect the output, he only had guesses. A quick headcount told him that this day only a few workers appeared to be absent. It might turn out as a pleasant

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Posted: Feb 2 2007, 02:10 PM

Hegemon
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There was no one working yet in the pits M. Wels decided to inspect. They were large, deep, and the water from the previous days' rains washed down gullies in the yellow mud forming pools on the bottom. There was a deep stairway cut into the 3-meter limestone covering the yellow ground with its precious content.
Wels frowned. There was a trickster among the supervisors whom he could not yet nail down. As a practical joke, this trickster was placing largish piece of glass into the yellow ground, where anyone noticing it would think them huge diamonds first. Then during the commotion of the 'discovery' someone points out that it was the trick again, and the unfortunate would be ridiculed all the day. Fortunately, real finds were almost as common.

Sparkling on the ground made him notice a lump of dull white glass, the size of a fist, lying on the water-washed ground. Better not to cause commotion, decided Wels, then picked it up an put it in a pocket.

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Posted: Feb 2 2007, 09:41 PM

Hegemon
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Wels was immersed in coordinating the mining operations, and only remembered the piece of glass when he sat down to take his lunch alone in his office, and its weight dragged his coat. Taking it out of his pocket, he paid it a bit more scrutiny. He judged it weighing about a kilogram. He noticed that at one-third of its length, there was something like large flat crack inside. He drank the water out of his cup, and decided to test the stone he found. For his surprise, the stone scratched the glass of the cup with ease. Putting the cup and the stone down, he sat there silently for about five minutes. Then he took the stone in hand, looked at what he thought to be a crack, then brought down the stone on the desk, hitting its edge heavily with the gemstone.

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Ithekro
Posted: Feb 2 2007, 10:12 PM

King of Rohan
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OOC: And within this diamond there is a flaw...in it can be seen an image of a leaping panther. A pink panther.... biggrin.gif

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Posted: Feb 3 2007, 04:53 PM

Hegemon
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Cape Courier
October 07, 1904

QUOTE

With almost only the bleak tiding reaching us these days, any news of the other kind feels much warmer to the heart of the Orange Citizenry. Especially those great new that was announced by Messieurs Tomas Kolemans and Frederik Wels, the owner and the director of the Premier Diamond mine close to Pretoria. Four days ago, M. Wels, inspecing the mine, has found the world's largest diamond, of clear white color and exeptional clarity, weighing 3100 carats (620g). For our inquiry about the future of the gemstone, M. Kolemans mentioned that as the situation allowed, the stone would be offered for international auction. M. Kolemans is sure that all the crowned heads of the world would prefer to see such an superb gem among the crown jewels. The diamond is currently studied by scientists and master diamondcutters. All who gathered in the room was allowed a glimpse on the excetional and magnificient unearthy beauty of the Kolemans-diamond even in its uncut form, then the diamond was rushed away, being kept under the utmost security and secrecy measures on its whereabouts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cullinan_diamond

Borys · March 25, 2007, 04:07:37 AM

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Posted: Feb 6 2007, 09:37 PM

Hegemon
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Zululand, October-November

After the heavy rains subsided, Orange troops are advancing into Zululand From the East and Southeast. After finding the first plague-stricken kraals where all but the sick were evacuated, and putting the unfortunate troopers to quarantine, Zulu settlements are avoided. The roads are sided by the rotting carcasses of cattle, fallen dead remains of the Zulu herds driven from the Orange troops. These are days of the carrion birds, seemingly not affected by the disease, unlike mammals.

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Posted: Feb 11 2007, 11:17 PM

Hegemon
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East Zululand, late November

Orange troops enter Harare, one of the two centers of once independent Zululand. The clay walls of the town did not hold back the attackers long. The defenders themselves, most of them weakened by the disease, put up meager resistance. The vengeance displayed previously by the Orange troops is usually curbed by the fear of the plaque, but at other instances it just fuels the will to fight. However, most of the Orange troops are falling ill, and morale is all-time low for Orange armed forces. But their opposition lacking the strength to fight back. Although they would also recover sooner, when Orange soldiers would be forced to fight a two-from war...

Some of the tribes surrendered altogether. These are mostly traditionalist ones, who get blooded seriously during the one-year logh constant fighting, or tribes of differnet ethnicity that did not get the full rights of the ruling zulu élite.
Questioning the captured natives results some information that delight the intelligence officers, and the reports are also well-received in Cape Town. They are blaming the white men who came from the South, first bringing weapons and inciting them for raids against Orange, and they think that they just became pawns in the hands of the Brandenburgians. And the disease also came from the North, with the men who crossed the Great River. They arrived in their kraals with the ammunition and goods they were sent for, and the unasked for plaque - they all fell ill after a few days. The disease and the following Orange invasion a punishment from the Gods for attacking one's betters.
After some deliberation, politicians decide that these tribes are to be provided with some rudimentary healthcare - arousing consternation among many of the soldiers, but the orders are carried out otherwise. Selected men from these tribes are taken to other prisoner camps to provide a bit of propaganda effort.

Zululand, South of Bulawayo

Infantrymen from the 27. Infantry division are unloading a train onto carts, arrived recently at the end of the narrow-gauge railway line. Crates of 100 and 150mm artillery shells are on the wagons with harsh green death's head and warnings stenciled on the side. Some crates are lying open - the troops took the cloth masks they are wearing at the moment. The masks are basically small bags, filled with chemicals that would absorb or neutralize the mixture of Chlorine and Hidrocloric Acid, were the shells damaged during transit.
The soldiers were informed that this new weapons will shorten the war by several months, so they are a bit less reluctant to do their jobs than usual, some of them rather excited to try out the new toys - some of them even making the unwise decision to volunteer to special gas-warfare units.

Rumors are around among the officers that Kronjé's army managed to destroy most of the ammunition they had, but lighter artillery pieces were apparently showing up with the zulus, who use the captured weapons with enthusiasm, even if with the lack of expertise. Anything heavier was left behind, damaged, but lot of the equipment still recoverable. Some of it, like rifles, pried out of cold zulu hands.

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swamphen
Posted: Feb 13 2007, 09:44 AM

Großeadmiral Sumpfhühn
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The DKB officially protests Orange actions in Zululand, however unofficially the Reich's ambassador admits that it's merely a formality; with the plague and other issues Brandenburg (a) isn't in the position to do anything about it and (b) probably wouldn't be willing to risk their assets (= Zambian copper) even if they could.

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Posted: Feb 15 2007, 07:39 PM

Hegemon
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Early December, 1904, around Bulawayo

A group of officers stood on the top of a hill, and studied the trenchlines surrounding the Zulu city with binoculars. One of them suddenly fell into a coughing fit, and let the binocular drop onto his chest?
'Getting worse, captain?'
'No, general ...COUGH...COUGH... the doctor said I am still able to walk and should not take up space from those really ill' like at least every tenth person among the high-ranking officers, he could have added.
'If we believe the reports sent from Namibia, some of the Zulus might alredy be in the recovery phase, while the number of our cases are still on the rise.'
'Aren't those machine gun emplacements?' noted one of the others.
'Probably...Damn those Brandenburgers, and their giving military manuals to them. At least they gave them no machine guns, so they have to work with what they looted from the Kronjé's army.'
'What is the latest estimates about their numbers?' asked one of the generals.
'Did not change much. Somewhat less than a hundred thousand warriors, but that's including 14 and 60 year olds, with an unknown percentage ill. And twice-thrice the number of noncombatants.'
'Can we starve them out?'
'Not in a few weeks. They do have tens of thousands of cattle with them. And their harvest.'
'What is our state of readiness?' asked a general, recently arrived from the Army Central HQ.
'Nominally... three infantry and one cavalry corps, but most of the cavalry is walking, the horses are needed elsewhere. We managed to bring up our artillery, and could overwhelm them anywhere we want to. Their attempts to delay us were ineffective. But our effective strength wanes, currently at 80%, but projected to fall below 50% in a few weeks.'
'So they should be attacked either next week or in two months.' the general from the Central HQ turned to one of the brigadiers.' What is our current stock of artillery shells and chlorine right now?'
'We have enough for a few days of very heavy bombardment. Gas shells are arriving, but if we want to cover a larger area, we need to wait till next week.'
'What about the noncombatants?' interjected another.
'We cannot afford to pay much attention to them, especially if they are in the way. Chosing to remain with their warriors, they should suffer the consequences.'

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Posted: Feb 15 2007, 11:14 PM

Hegemon
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December 15, 1904, Bulawayo

In the morning the artillery started battering the encircled Zulus, both their trenchlines and the houses of the city. Orange troops were issued cloth masks from crates. Gas filled shells were delivered to selected firing position. Gas filled cylinders were prepared, to be opened depending on the direction and strength of the wind.

A few companies were making last drills, sweating in full rubber gas under the scorching sun.

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Posted: Feb 17 2007, 12:25 AM

Hegemon
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December 16, 1904, Bulawayo

The night pass with a slow but continuous battering of the Zulu lines - enough not to let them sleep. Half an hour before the first lights, selected artillery batteries had started to bomb the Zulu lines with gas shells. The weary Zulu warriors first discarded them as duds, as only a plopping noise was heard when the shells released their deatdly load. When the sun rose, cylinders were opened, and the wind started to blow a green smoke towards the city...

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Posted: Feb 19 2007, 02:26 PM

Hegemon
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December 16, Bulawayo

The green haze was still sitting over the Zulu trenches, when the rubber gas mask-equipped companies started towards the trenches. Unlike at previous attempts, they were greeted only by sporadic, not well-aimed gunfire, the machine gun emplacements being destroyed during the artillery barrage. Then they started shooting down the zulus, most of them incapacitated and terrified, they met in the trenches. At some higher points, which were not filled by the poison gas, pockets of zulu warriors offered tenacious resistance. They were dealt with forward-deployed 75mm howitzers. Advancing toward the rear areas, they found groups of dead, armed zulus, who were apparently fleeing from the cloud of destruction, but could not get to the safe higher ground. The camps of the warriors were filled with those suffering from the plague. Where the gas-filled shell fell, the effect of Chlorine upon the already weakened lungs of the plague victims were devastating. Remains of the zulu forces withdrew into the walled part of Bulawayo. The sick and wounded they left behind, the noncombatants they expelled leaving them for the mercy of the enemy, preparing for an enduring siege.
The afternoon rains washed away the dissipating chlorine, and the majority of Orange forces started to advance, ignoring the miserable groups of zulu women and childred.
Next day, the repositioned artillery started to barrage the zulu holdouts, expending their remaining stock of chlorine shells. Native Orange troops stormed the place, offering no quarter to the demoralized warriors.

Few days later, reports appear in Orange newspapers, on the decisive victory over the last large remnant of the defiant zulu forces. The surprise success of the assault is attributed solely to the devastating effect of the plague - and to the martial skills of Orange soldiers. Any news on the poison gas is supressed, letters home are censored. First rumors about the details would start to circulate in February, but by that time they are only of secondary importance to the plague, which reached Orange cities and started to decimate the population.

In other news, the Kronjé familiy announced the fundation of an institute for the study of tropical diseases, in memory of the late general Augustus Kronjé and his destroyed army. The institute will be located at Windhoek, funds provided from the spoils the Kronjé family received for the pacification of Namibia.

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Borys
Posted: Feb 19 2007, 02:34 PM

Kaiser und Koenig Stefan
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OOC
I liked the bit about the Kronje Foundation.
In some circles the Plague might be perceived as God's Punishment for the use of gas. You know, dour Calvinists, always expecting the Wrath of God to fall upon them. And not all these circles can be traced back to the Gróf Lugosi ...

Borys

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Posted: Feb 19 2007, 02:48 PM

Hegemon
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QUOTE (Borys @ Feb 19 2007, 11:34 AM)
OOC
I liked the bit about the Kronje Foundation.
In some circles the Plague might be perceived as God's Punishment for the use of gas. You know, dour Calvinists, always expecting the Wrath of God to fall upon them. And not all these circles can be traced back to the Gróf Lugosi ...

Borys

Not really, the plague already appeared well before the poison gas was used, and the former's effect on the troops triggered the use of the latter. The government did not witheld news on the plague's devastating effect in Namibia - or on the troops.

The plague, however, is viewed as the gods' punishment by the surviving zulu
tribes, see a few posts above. NB, the Army of Orange is followed by the Armies of God - missionaries of different nominations on their Heaven-proclaimed mission to convert the heathens and save their souls.