News and Stories from the Vilnius Union

[The Rock Doctor]

1 November 1934

"I see," the captain said, handing Anacaona's telegram back to Piotr.

Piotr took the telegram, folded it twice, and slipped it into a pocket.

"While the entire crew has, by now, twigged to your full identity, it's still unusual - and a bit problematic - to grant you special dispensations that the other officers will not have," the man continued. 

"Aye, Sir, I understand," Piotr said.

"Do you, now?" the captain replied.  "Mister Vasa, the Union Navy has never, not once, had a member of your family in its service, and there are zero, not even one, protocols on how to deal with you.  Why the Admiral of the Navy, in his profound wisdom, has selected this particular ship to break you into active service, I do not begin to understand.  But I assure you of this:  I am flying by the seat of my pants here and it is an often unsettling experience."

"I...I'm sorry, Sir," Piotr said, "I regret that I am a burden."

"Not a burden.  A black swan," the captain said.  Noting Piotr's confused expression, he added, "Go to a library and look it up sometime.  Now, I'm going to assume that this Ensign Anacaona is your Aztec peer?"

"A daughter of the Sultan, aye, sir.  Not the heir."

"Are there going to be issues if and when the press figures out that the two of you are out alone?"

Piotr frowned.  "It's just a drink and visiting, Sir...although I suppose you have a point."

The captain nodded.  "Right.  I'm not asking that because I think you'll be something less than an officer and a gentleman.  I'm asking that because of what others may think - or do.  So I'm going to grant you permission for independent shore leave, six hours, but you'll take Podporucznik Marynarki Goldblum as your second.  When you're back, you'll stand night watch on the bridge while the rest of us enjoy the hospitality of our Aztec friends."

"Aye, Sir, and thank you."

"If anything gets out of hand, anything at all, you call the military police and you have them find me aboard Sublimis.  I will sort it out," the Captain said.

"You're dismissed.  Find Goldblum and have him see me."

[Kaiser Kirk]

I had not realized your royals did not typically serve. The British Royals are to a degree my model, but I chose to make it more egalitarian. As such all-non heirs take National Service, then by 'merit' (aka years of youthful exposure and training) show they are more suited for the Military service and officer candidate school than the commoners. Liked the depiction of deciding ship classes.

[The Rock Doctor]

They served in the army - even in Gunther and Wiktor's time, the navy was very much considered the junior service and inappropriate for a future king.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Ah, that is typical for Parthia as well. The wooden navy was minimal while the army was critical. I've tabbed the Mihrin great family to be the 'naval tradition' family.

[The Rock Doctor]

20 December 1935

"Oh, it's been so long since I've held my little boy," Queen Christine lamented, maintaining a deathgrip around Podporucznik Marynarki Piotr Vasa.

"Casimir is your little boy," Piotr managed to say.

"Am not," Casimir retorted.

"You will always be my little boy, Piotr," Christine declared, finally releasing him.  "You look good.  Leaner.  Stronger."

"Harder," King Gunther said.

"That's a harsh word," Christine replied. 

"Service has been...something," Piotr allowed.

"Did you kill anybody?" Casimir asked, looking up from his train set.

"No," Piotr said, "But I've retrieved dead bodies a couple of times."

Casimir made a face.  "Ewwwwwww..."

"Search and rescue is sometimes search and recovery," Piotr observed.

"Well let's not dwell on it," Christine said.  "Besides, you'll have a new posting after the holidays, I understand?"

Piotr nodded.  "Zwiazek Erica Polnocnej, for my first command."

"A battleship!" Casimir enthused.

"A harbour patrol boat," Piotr said.  "All the responsibility of a battleship captain, on one tenth of a percent of the displacement."

"It'll be exciting news to share at the Christmas gala," Christine pronounced.  "Oh, and we have a couple of prospective matches for you to meet, I'm sure they'll be thrilled for you."


January 23, 1936

On a dreary winter's day in Kiel, the battleship Nieugiety arrives for scrapping. 

The Union's first all-big-gun battleship is almost three decades old, and despite a substantial refurbishment in the nineteen twenties, is clearly obsolete.  The hexagonal disposition of her main battery - touted as proof against complete disarmament in a battle - meant that she never could bring more than eight guns to bear on a target, that she had lousy underwater protection, and that fitting above-deck anti-aircraft guns was rather difficult.  To be fair, her post-refurbishment speed was superior to a lot of foreign capital ships but even during her tenure as part of the Caribbean fleet, it was clear that she would be challenged by modern Mayan capital ships and badly outmatched by Norse or Iberian forces. 

There had been a call for her retention as a training or museum ship but popular support was slow to build and the ship was sold before many people had become interested in the matter.  It's entirely possible that her sister Dziki, due for disposal next year, might somehow survive in some form...


February 19, 1936

The battleship Jan Ingenhousz undertakes a shoot-ex in a designated range off the coast of [Finland]. 

Ingenhousz is the replacement for Nieugiety, more than twice her displacement and with eight much heavier guns - but then, that's how it always seems to go with the Union Navy.  Always bigger and better...though of late, Union ships of the line have seemingly plateaued around the 44,000 - 46,000 tonne range. 

There's been debate about what comes after the Ingenhousz class and the new Kepler class.  Will classes of the late 1930s use the same 400mm/50cal gun? Will it retain the 27 knot speed that has become semi-standardized amongst capital ships?  Or will a future class be more optimized to run in tandem with the fast aircraft carriers now becoming more prominent in the order of battle?


April 4, 1936

Speaking of which, the aircraft carrier Zuraw has been under construction for a little over three months at this point.  Nearly as heavy, and certainly much longer than the Angstrom-class battleships, this the Union's first foray into a true strike carrier. 

She'll embark four squadrons of sixteen aircraft and a few spares once completed in the very end of 1938, giving her the ability to dispatch a combined torpedo and bomb attack against targets hundreds of miles away.  She is, of course, equipped with defence against cruiser-sized guns, though earlier notions of armoring the hanger sides were found to be quite impractical cost-wise.  She also retains the legacy of a stern torpedo-room for deterrence against possibly surface pursuers.  This is probably the last time the feature will be built into a Union carrier.

Zuraw will have a sister laid down in 1937, and it is entirely possible that updated half-sisters will follow immediately afterward.  Gotta keep up with the Joneses. 

[The Rock Doctor]

20 May 1936

To:  Governments around the world
From:  The Government of the Vilnius Union

Dear Sir/Madam,

The Vilnius Union Navy will be dispatching a naval expedition on a round-the-world tour in early 1937.  The expedition is an opportunity to engage in exercises, exchange ideas, and share perspectives between the Vilnius Union Navy and friendly partners.

The expedition is expected to be built around a capital ship and an aircraft carrier with screening and support elements, all to be determined.  It would depart Amsterdam in January 1937, steam into the Mediterranean and continue eastward, finally returning home in late May.

Governments interested in hosting a visit are asked to contact the appropriate Vilnius Union embassy or consulate at their earliest convenience. 

[Jefgte]

Your Welcome in Marmara, Alexandria, Aden, Diego Suarez, Port Darwin...Everywhere in Byzantine harbors.
As usual, the meetings in the open sea will be noisy with many horns and cheers !!!

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=les+canons+de+navarone%2c+destroyers&&mid=F7322ECC0AE8CDB6B989F7322ECC0AE8CDB6B989&&FORM=VRDGAR

[TacCovert4]

The Sultanate welcomes the Vilnius Expedition at any of their ports and suggests the following as ports large enough to properly receive the fleet:

San Diego
Acapulco
Christchurch (Zealand)
Veracruz
Tampico
Martinique

[Kaiser Kirk]

20 May 1936

To:  Governments around the world
From:  The Government of the Vilnius Union

Dear Sir/Madam,

The Vilnius Union Navy will be dispatching a naval expedition on a round-the-world tour in early 1937.  The expedition is an opportunity to engage in exercises, exchange ideas, and share perspectives between the Vilnius Union Navy and friendly partners.

The expedition is expected to be built around a capital ship and an aircraft carrier with screening and support elements, all to be determined.  It would depart Amsterdam in January 1937, steam into the Mediterranean and continue eastward, finally returning home in late May.

Governments interested in hosting a visit are asked to contact the appropriate Vilnius Union embassy or consulate at their earliest convenience.

I was wondering why this showed as unread, while I thought I was caught up

The Parthian embassy will convey that the Wilno squadron is invited for a Port Stay at Bushere in the Parthian Gulf.

The squadron is invited to the Home Fleet base at Tis, on Chabahar Bay, for potential exercises and professional engagements.

The squadron is welcomed to stop for Port Calls or Provisioning at Kolumbo, Dumai, Pearl Harbor, and Liere (Trinadad). Arrangements for other ports of call may be made as desired.

[The Rock Doctor]

18 November 1936

"When I heard of the world tour, I wondered if you'd receive new orders assigning you to one of the ships involved," said Kapitan Marynarki Olaf Reinhart, commanding officer of Patrol Group Nineteen.  "But at this point, it seems unlikely."

"Indeed, Sir," replied Podporucznik Marynarki Piotr Vasa.  Truth be told, a couple of letters from his mother had suggested she'd been working towards exactly that objective.  A letter from his uncle Wiktor had suggested he had been working towards the status quo.  Which was a little bizarre to contemplate, really, one's own family engaged in a game of directing his career.

"As it is, there's still a possibility, however slim, that you'll be summoned to Nieupoort when the squadron arrives," Reinhart added.  "Admiral's discretion."

"Indeed, Sir," Piotr repeated.  "Assuming I've not actually received other orders before then.  That has to be at least six months away still."

"True, that," Reinhart said.  "Are you looking forward to going home for the wedding?"

"It will be nice to see my family," Piotr allowed.  "I can't say I'm looking forward to the wedding itself - or the flights to and from Amsterdam."

"No, no, you couldn't get me in one of those flying boats for even the shortest hop," Reinhart said. 

"I'll make the most of the stopovers in Bermudez and Azorez, Sir.  Assuming the local governors aren't aware of my arrival and try to monopolize the time, I'll likely jog around the towns," Piotr noted.

"Very wise," Reinhart agreed.  "Okay, enough small talk - what's the status of your engine?"

"It's beyond our capabilities, Sir.  I have a requisition for replacement parts from Nieupoort for you to sign off," Piotr said, reaching into his jacket.  He handed the form to his commanding officer, who set it on his desk.

"I assume you'll be asked to crate the problem parts and ship them up to Nieupoort for the people on Witalnosc to have a look at before it's written off."

"That's what the Chief predicted, Sir." 

"Chief's been around a while," Reinhart nodded.  "Keep your men busy while you wait.  Catch up on any outstanding maintenance, give her a new paint job, that kind of thing."

"Of course, sir."

[The Rock Doctor]

20 December 1936

December isn't usually a great time to have social events in the Vilnius Union.  It's winter, it's dark, it's cold, it's snowy.  But Princess Edyta Vasa had always been fond of the winter equinox and of winter in general, and when she proposed that it be her wedding date, her fiancé was inclined to go along with it. 

The wedding between Edyta, third in line to the Amber Throne, and Ludwig Kirchmeier, eldest son of mining magnate Strom Kirchmeier, was the highest profile wedding in the Union since Wiktor Vasa's marriage several years earlier. Vilnius more or less came to a stop, in part as street closures paralyzed much of the city center, but as citizens lined those streets to glimpse the royal family and other important guests.  News reels were shot, and the national radio service broadcast a live description of events before and after the actual ceremony itself.

What the Union Navy did not necessarily anticipate was the late request from the House of Vasa that the newlyweds be permitted to accompany the imminent World Tour aboard the royal yacht Cztery Korony as their honeymoon.  In fact, the yacht would not just embark the happy young couple, but also Edyta's great-uncle Carol and great-aunt Maria (the late king's siblings) and their respective spouses, giving them a send-off of sorts before their retirement from public life and several of Edyta and Ludwig's friends and their spouses (where applicable) plus retainers. 

Mindful of what had happened on the last world tour, with then-Princess Christine [cough] falling ill and requiring the royal yacht to divert home, with an escort...anyway, the Union Navy found itself looking for a couple of additional warships to add as potential escorts to Cztery Korony if and when she parted company with the Tour squadron once more.

Thus would the light cruiser Ogun and the sloop Evijarvi - both still working up after recently completing - be added to the Tour Squadron on two weeks' notice.