Tales of the Aztec Sultanate

[Desertfox]

May I suggest a better and historically local substitute to the BAR: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendoza_RM2

[TacCovert4]

A bit late production.  It could be the eventual replacement as it would be able to take a 40 round magazine and significantly increase rate of fire.  The BAR in 6mm would be 'light' enough to be considered useful from horseback.

[TacCovert4]

June 6th, 1920

Commodore Ixtili was sweltering.  He understood that the defenses of the Oaxaca Line were valuable, but why the Minister of War had ordered the Chief of Naval Ordnance to personally inspect the artillery batteries was anyone's guess.  He and as much of his staff as he could spare from the ongoing 180mm Turret project for future Frigates, the 240mm gun and turret project for future razees, and the 30mm anti-aircraft project (a project requested by Governor-General Abidi of all people for a new and improved gun for use on the 40t torpedo boats, as a trailerable anti-aircraft and potential anti-armor weapon, and a more effective AA gun for destroyers who just didn't have room for sufficient numbers of 70mm guns to be effective in the AA role...had been drug down into the equatorial jungle to inspect the bunkers of shells and charges, and the guns themselves. 

Checking the various positions, he did understand one thing, the Army had the guns.  But they did not really have the sort of highly professionalized gunnery crews that you would find in any Razee or Battleship's turrets and handling spaces.  The pride of the Oaxaca line was its four 280mm/40 guns, pulled from old battleships and built onto railroad carriages, and then emplaced in permanent positions which had small switching engines to maneuver them across their arc of fire.  The guns combined covered a large portion of the Oaxaca line with the sort of firepower that couldn't be matched, but he doubted they'd be able to fire one round in five minutes, much less the two rounds per minute of properly arranged and crewed turrets. 

Interspersed in the back line were double that number of coastal mortars, the 305mm stubby devices able to lob high explosive shells weighing 400 kilos into the jungle.  And closer to the front were batteries of 210mm guns, the last naval guns to be adopted by the army for the artillery role.

It had been two weeks, but he was finally finishing his report.  He was impressed that the whole lot hadn't rusted away in the humidity, but there were a number of variances that would need to be corrected, including the army procuring refrigeration units for its powder magazines for the big guns and mortars.  He was just glad that he did not have to inspect the fortification works, the field artillery and fortress gun batteries, machine guns, or short-track railroads, that would be its own nightmare for the Army to figure out.  Much of it had to be on the surface, as only in the highlands was the ground dry enough to permit tunneling.  Though the Sultanate had poured a lot of funds into this line, he wondered how long it would hold against a concerted attack, especially given the rising tensions with the Mayans.

[TacCovert4]

August 1st, 1921

The Yucatan Strait

For over a year now, the frigates and corvettes of the Royal Aztec Navy had been plying these waters, doing 'freedom of navigation' exercises in escort of commercial shipping through international waters. 

Lieutenant Soraya stood out on the bridge wings of her first command.  First command of a RAN vessel ever given to a woman.  The war with Rome had opened many avenues for advancement, and female officers were one result of them.  GTB-13, some joked that she was unlucky and now doubly so with the omen of a woman captain, slid through the waves to one side of the convoy as her consort, the Corvette Osprey  loomed some miles away at the end of the stream of civilian ships.  Commander Zeke, his mettle proved in the first incident, had found himself shifted to the Corvette when the new corvettes came off the slipways.  There was still much debate in the navy, some favoring the fewer 180mm guns, while some swore that the three more 150mm guns more than made up for throw weight with rate of fire. 

"Ma'am, ships ahoy, range 8 thousand and closing" her watch officer said.  The small crew of the large torpedo boat was a tight knit family, had to be with only 60 souls aboard. 

Soraya peered through the scope, making out the smoke on the horizon.  The watch officer continued "looks like two cruisers, and I make two destroyers screening".  "A squadron, not ours."  she replies.  "Not Roman either ma'am, I don't think they use cruisers that old in these parts".  "Mayan then.  Make for condition Yankee, engine room to bring the boilers up.  And alert Osprey in case she hasn't seen"

Osprey indeed had seen, the cruiser smoothly accelerating to fifteen knots to catch up to her diminutive consort as they swung south of the merchants, still a league or more inside international waters. 

With the previous activity, merchant captains had become accustomed to the escort, and continued to stately plow ahead at an efficient cruising speed, ready to be clear of the strait and on to their destinations.  Even as not two miles to their South, the Aztec ships formed in line ahead, and moved into a position to intercept the interlopers for another shouting match.

[Jefgte]

Weather 01-08-1921 ( ref 01-08-2021)

T°=> 29 to 30°
Low clouds 30%
Waves 0.7 to 1m

...It's hot in the boiler rooms.

[TacCovert4]

Aztec ships are known for being cold in colder climes, as they're designed for tropical service with primarily air cooling and lots of ventilation.

[TacCovert4]

August 1st, 1921 1300hrs

HMS Osprey and HMS GTB-13 steamed in line ahead just South of the merchant convoy as they traversed the Yucatan strait.  Now clearly visible, an Armored Cruiser and a protected cruiser of the People's Republic Navy, in consort with a pair of Destroyers, steamed on a perpendicular course, cutting the angle and closing on the convoy as the Aztec ships moved to intercept.

"Ok, so they doubled us, roughly.  I call it two T4 class, with a Jalapa-class cruiser."  Soraya said to her XO standing on the bridge with her.  "Yeah, if it was just the three of them, I'd say it wouldn't be a problem, our gunnery is probably better and we're definitely faster and more maneuverable".  "Agreed, but THAT *she points* is Commander Zeke's problem"

On the Bridge of HMS Osprey, Commander Zeke looked at the Mayan squadron with no small bit of trepidation.  That many ships meant the Mayans were getting serious about asserting rights to control transit in international waters.  "Sir, I've confirmed, it's the Valdemosa".  "Very well, keep a track on all four of them."  If it had just been the Jalapa and two DDs, he would have been confident.  His ship was superior in both design and protection to the small cruiser, even if her guns would chew him up a bit.  The destroyers were no better in a gunfight than GTB-13, and he had confidence in their ability to hold their own until he could support them.  But the Valdemosa, she was slow, but her armor could withstand his guns at battle ranges while even her old 9in guns would pierce his own armor.  He had speed, both of his ships were substantially faster and more nimble than their counterparts, but what he needed was numbers, or firepower.  Right now made him agree with the advocates of the new Splendid Cats, with their 180mm guns, as those would punch holes in Valdemosa and likely at longer ranges with the new Aztec fire control systems. 

"Helm, maintain your course, let's get between them and the merchants, and keep them fended off until the Merchants clear the strait for the open sea.  Comm, radio our position and situation in the clear, let's see if the Romans have picked up on anything yet, we're not far from their territorial waters either, maybe they have someone on patrol closer than our own fleet", he says before sitting down....nothing to do but wait, and hope that the Mayans weren't serious about escalating the nearly routine haranguing sessions.

He looks through his binoculars,  seeing smoke that doesn't match the ships.  Must be two pairs of destroyers,  he thinks.....a full cruiser squadron.

[snip]

August 1st, 1921. IRS Respublica

Captain Donatien Sala reread the communication report handed to him by the radio operator.

"And this was in the clear correct?" Sala's question confirmation rather than a new inquiry.

"Yes Sir." The radioman replied. "In the clear, no attempt at obfuscation."

Sala rubbed his chin. "What do you think mister Crespi?"

"Posible some Aztec commander is planning to bite off more than he can chew." The first officer replied. "Or, alternatively, the People's Navy is making a major play."

"Any reason we should not investigate?" Sala asked. It would take a few hours to get a recon flight from Tamara or one of the other airfields.

"None." Crespi's reply was measured. "We can be there in under two hours."

"Very well." Sala then raised his voice. "Helm, come about to heading 270 and send for Ahead Full. Signal Collidis and Hastam to preform the same. Sound General Quarters, no drill."

Respublica began to swing west, the smooth hum of the electric drives swelling with power as the large armored cruiser slowly picked up speed.

"Message from the Killian DeCampo sir." The radio operator called before Sala could make his next request. "They are far closer and are responding as well."

"Very well, please inform the DeCampo we are responding as well." Sala replied. "Then notify the Admiralty."



"Lookout reports faint smoke to the southeast!"

Alfred Amadei turned in the indicated direction from the port bridge wing of the IRS Killian DeCampo. The commander of the ship named for Grand Turk's highest-ranking casualty noted the irony that his ship was now racing, intentionally, in the direction of at least one Royal Aztec Navy ship. Alfred hoped that his ship's presence may help diffuse the situation, the alert klaxon echoing over the water a practical recognition that it was not under his control.

[TacCovert4]

August 1st, in the Yucatan Straits, International Waters

"They keep getting closer" the XO mused.  "Yeah.  Something's wrong, the Mayans have never come out in this much force.  We've matched them, but they're going to be on the merchants in another hour if they don't break off."  Zeke says.  "I agree Captain, and it's definitely a squadron.  The two cruisers, and four destroyers.  It's almost if they planned to double up on us and force us to back down."  Zeke thinks for a moment before responding.  "Signal Sojourner on the wireless, have her break North.  She can outrun the bigger cruiser, and play rear-guard to the merchants.  Signal the convoy to turn North towards Roman waters, I think they're serious about getting a piece of this lucrative sealane around to the Canal Zone."

HMS Osprey signals the convoy of assorted nationalities, and privately signals RFA Sojourner, the only Aztec ship in the convoy, to cover the rear of the convoy if something goes ill. Onboard the replenishment ship, first of her class, Commander Battuta looks grim.  He hadn't planned on having to take the locks off any of the ready lockers, his ship was heavy with fuel oil and supplies to add to the stocks in Angola.  "Chief, have the gunner's mate open the ammo lockers, and set condition Yankee throughout the ship.  Zeke seems to think the Mayans are serious about doing something stupid today and wants us to play rearguard for the merchants."  Battuta says.  "Captain, he does realize that we're basically a floating fuel depot?"  "I know.  I'm not going to steer us into trouble, but it'll be a good drill for the crew anyway"  he replies.

Back aboard Osprey, Commander Zeke watches the merchants turn ponderously away.  Not that it would stop them from being seized or searched by the Mayans, but maybe it would make the People's Republic waste more time, and maybe they'd call it a day before fingers started getting twitchy on firing studs.  "Captain, ship on the horizon, NorthEast!" the lookout calls.  Looking through his scope, he can't make it out yet.  "Guns, can you get me an ID on that ship?" he calls out, and one of the fire control scopes previously trained on the Mayan squadron pivots, putting its higher magnification to work.  "Roman lines sir, cruiser.  Can't get a positive ID yet", is the reply.  "Very well, maybe they're coming to have a look, can't make things worse" he chuckles.

A signal comes in from the Mayan cruiser.  "Unidentified Convoy, you are trespassing in the Exclusive Economic Waters of the People's Republic.  You will maintain your course and heave to for inspection.  Any deviation from your course will be seen as hostile".  Zeke looks over at his radio operator, "The usual" he says, and the operator begins reading a written statement on the air.  "This is His Majesty's Ship Osprey, operating as part of a legitimate peacetime function in International Waters.  All ships are arranged voluntarily for the purposes of free commerce in international waters and will operate in those waters according to accepted maritime law". 

Thus, as the two forces edge towards long-gun range, the haraunging begins.

[snip]

IRS Killian DeCampo

"Well, I've learned more about the bathing habits of that one's mother than I needed to."

Alfred pinched the bridge of his nose with exasperation as the radio operator handed him yet another message. He declined to read it.

"Have you heard if there are any Roman-flagged ships in the convoy yet?"

"Yes sir." The radioman replied. "That was the next bit. Seems that the RCS Lili Němeček is supposed to be somewhere in the heard of merchantmen. She is headed from Saint Rochelle to somewhere on the Incan Pacific coast. No idea what her cargo is yet, aside from that it's not military hardware."

The internal sigh budged Alfred's shoulders slightly. "Well, that's lovely. See if you can get the Lili on the radio, assuming the airwaves clear enough to do so. Coded first, then if no response in say, twenty minutes you may try in the clear."

"Yes Sir." The radioman saluted and began to turn away.

"One more thing." Alfred added with no discernable haste. "What's your read on the tone of all these insults and the like."

The radioman thought for a moment before replying. "I've seen at least one bar-clearing brawl start with more civil an insult prelude."

A bar brawl with warships Alfred thought Exactly what I needed.

[TacCovert4]

GTB-13 rolled gently as she twisted side to side, her engineers and helm alternating reverse to the shafts with the rudder hard over, but without the fancy electric drives of the Royal Navy's big ships, the steam necessary for combat speeds couldn't be maintained indefinitely without sending it through the direct turbines.  The changes in bearing also gave some minimal combat benefits, if the Mayans never quite knew a heading shift would be a course change, then the better for her ship, Commander Zoraya thought. 

Certainly thoughts were better than the constant drone of the usual insults and recriminations being sent back and forth between the two squadrons.  The Mayan bleating had become more strident as soon as the smudge on the horizon had resolved itself into the IRS Killian DeCampo.  "Skipper, that is the most ironically named ship an Aztec would ever expect to see" Zoraya hears in the background as she peers at the Mayan forces.  "Yes" she says "let's hope she doesn't meet the same fate as her namesake", before continuing to watch the Mayans.

Zoraya notices it first.  "Standby!" she calls on the bridge of the large torpedo boat, the small bridge crew going silent as she watches PRS Valdemosa's forward turret slew.  "Hard to starboard" she calls as a single gun fires, the shell covering the several thousand meters in agonizing seconds before splashing into the water just fore of where Thirteen's bow would have been.  "XO, all gun crews to load, armor piercing, start warming up the torpedoes.  I think our friends are beginning to get a bit unhinged"

The same activity was going on HMS Osprey as the fire control officers and ratings down in the hull began taking their careful tracks of the Mayan ships and sending elevation and train orders to the fore and aft mounts for the cruiser's 150mm guns.  Armor piercing shells were shoved in, followed by a powder bag, and the breeches slammed home as the guns trained out over the starboard side. 

In the bridge, Captain Zeke was keeping his cool, though it was difficult with both the hot day and the far more aggressive Mayan actions.  "They're acting as if they're trying to brush Dainty aside the first time." he says to no one in particular.  "What absolute arrogance, or insanity".  He turns to the rating at the radio, still busy haranguing the Mayans and demanding they cease fire immediately or they will be fired upon.  "Send a message to the DeCampo, request they convey the merchants away from here."  "Sir, I'd rather have the Romans with us, it's another hull and we know they can fight" his Gunner chimes in.  "I know Ali, but we're not here to start a war, we're here to safely escort the multinational merchants under our charge.  Someone's got to ensure their safe passage"

"Not here to start a war." Lt. Ali chuffs, "Sir, I know we're not, but are they?"

[TacCovert4]

......less than an hour later......

Under the IRS DeCampo's direction, the merchants aligned into a triple line convoy, shortening and making themselves easier to maneuver as they turned due North for Roman waters.  Captain Zeke watched the move as his own ship cut port and starboard, engines alternating between full ahead and slow, as he and Thirteen controlled as much of the sealane as possible, denying the Mayan vessels passage to cross unless they wanted to close to a range so short it would in and of itself be considered an act of war. 

"I have never thought I'd be happy to see that ship." Lt. Ali states with finality, as the armored bulk of IRS Respublica, the bane of every cruiser in the Caribbean, and the reason all of the Aztec corvettes, frigates, and Razees were built for 30+kts, had arrived.  Taking up a position parallel to Osprey if a few thousand yards further out, her guns still fore and aft, but a very present statement from Rome for the Mayans to stand down, as if to say "This Party is Over". 

But the Mayan ships weren't steaming away.  The two starboard flanking T4 destroyers were pulling ahead of their cruisers, coal cinders billowing from their stacks as they accelerated.

Suddenly, the bridge lookout shouted:  "FISH STARBOARD FISH STARBOARD".  Captain Zeke dashes out onto the rail, and the lookout points him to the two Mayan Destroyers closer aboard.  The smoke from the launching charges is still drifting up from their pairs of torpedo tubes as the XO ordered hard to port as standard evasion protocol.  Peering out over the clear water, Captain Zeke does quick mental math at the bubble trails, the aft Destroyer's torpedoes clearly headed for Osprey but easily evaded, the forward torpedoes......

"AHEAD FLANK, BRING US BACK ON COURSE!" He bellows as he dashes back into the bridge.  "Evacuate forward spaces, damage control parties to aft stations!".  "Sir, what do you mean?"  "They're firing on us AND Respublica.  We can dodge, the Romans may not, and they cannot see the threat yet.  Cheeky bastards, trying to disable us by surprise." Zeke says.  "By Allah skipper, do you mean to?"  "Yes Ali.  I mean to protect Respublica at all costs."

HMS Osprey accelerates, easily bypassing the torpedoes headed aft, but slowly, slowly, interposing herself between Respublica and the threat.  "Sir, looks like one will miss forward, the other, Allah help us!"  he hears as the seconds slow to a crawl.  "Hoist the battle ensign, flags and transmit Cleared Hot to Thirteen, Sound Collision" Zeke orders.  "All Stop" he calmly tells the terrified helmsman, "brace for impact gents".

A plume of water shoots well above HMS Osprey's bridge tower as a Mayan 450mm Torpedo slams into her bows, the decks undulating as the ship whips from the impact.  In the forward magazines, the officer turns the flooding sprayers on as he dashes out, slamming the hatch shut as splinters pierce the forward bulkhead of the magazine compartment. 

[snip]

IRS Respublica

Donatien Sala lowed his binoculars as the plum of water crashed down on the deck of the Aztec cruiser. He did his best to mask any shock in his facial expression.

"Looks like the Aztec took a hit from something big!" The cry from one of the junior officers rang out from further aft.

"Torpedo." Sala turned to Crespi as he spoke. "Do you concur Mister Crespi?"

"Yes sir, that is the most likely cause." Crespi replied. "Based on the distance between the involved ships, it must have been a Mayan torpedo. We are within the possible range of their known weapons."

"Then we have been fired upon by a Mayan warship." Sala's neutral tone out of place and distant.

"At the very least they have discharged weapons without regard to all possible outcomes." Crespi's reply was textbook. "Lets hope the Aztec isn't going to sink on us."

"Broadcast a warning in the clear." Sala began ordering. "Inform the Mayans that they are to disengage and proceed along a steady course away from the convoy. Any continued discharge of ordinance in the direction of any other ships in the area or an attempt to close with the convoy will be delt with by force."

Crespi nodded. "And for our escorts?"

"Send Hastam and Collidis to assist the Aztec cruiser, tell them to get between the Mayan ships and that cripple if they can." Sala's speech quickened. "Tell DeCampo to join us, if the balloon goes up I want all the guns we have."

Crespi nodded again. "Very good sir."

"Train the main battery on that Mayan armored cruiser before that message is sent." Sala concluded. "They need to know we are serious. I will not hesitate to open fire if this continues. If there is so much as a hint of torpedo or a gunfire exchange we will shoot for effect. Time to see how good that new fire control equipment is outside of exercises."

[TacCovert4]

Lt. Zoraya is still staring aft in shock as the badly wounded Osprey heels out of line behind her.  'Ma'am, the Romans have issued an ultimatum to the Mayans to turn away.  Ma'am!" her chief says, a bit more harsh than maybe necessary, but it has the desired effect.  "Bring us on a reciprocal course, guns and torpedoes train to port, we have to cover Osprey against further damage.  Target the destroyers."  In her thoughts, she was torn.  Honor demanded she open fire, but to do so might start a war.  "Any signals from Osprey?"  "Nothing ma'am" came the reply as Thirteen swung to starboard, all the way around past pointing at the Mayans to a reciprocal heading.

Onboard the Osprey, the forward spaces are a mess.  Between her bow now pulling her deck plating down a dozen degrees in the front, and the flooded forward magazine, Capt. Zeke knew he didn't have much left in the reserve buoyancy department.  "Bring us towards the Sojourner, slow, signal her for assistance."  The fleet tender had shops, but she also had stocks of equipment and personnel onboard that could help get the water out and some temporary patches onto the hull, in a few hours.  If they lasted that long.  Even now damage control parties were running through the ship, closing up small leaks and restoring power to systems that had lost it due to the shock of the torpedo explosion. 

"Sir, they're turning in" his XO said, grimly.  "Do we have anything?" Captain Zeke replied, a legitimate question as systems throughout the ship were out of commission.  "Aft turrets report online and connected with fire control."  "Target the destroyer that shot us, we don't want to fire on someone who didn't fire on us first, not yet.  Fire when ready"

The aft twin 150mm turrets slewed, adjusting their elevation down substantially due to the ship being down by the bows.  And as the destroyer turned in with its cruiser consorts, aiming to cross the T of the now messy formation of Aztec and Roman ships, the guns barked, sending gouts of water rising all around the destroyer.

[snip]

IRS Respublica

The flashes from what had been identified as the MPLS Valdemosa's main battery were not discrete. The wounded Aztec had shot back, something that Sala had wished had not occurred. He had, however, not asked them to hold fire. An oversight which would perhaps be remarked on in the inevitable inquiry about the events of August 1st, 1922. Maybe the Mayan's commanded thought Sala was bluffing, maybe something else had happened. None of these hypotheticals mattered. Sala was not bluffing, and the ultimatum had just been disregarded.

"Fire on the Valdemosa."



BRRRT BRRRT BRRRRRRT

The angry buzz of the salvo buzzer cut though the noise in Respublica's B turret. With the precision of clockwork, the gun crews took seconds to clear the three 340mm rifles to fire. A moment of relative calm was blown apart by the crashing thunder of all three guns leaping back against their recoil mechanisms in rapid succession. Suffering no discord from the sudden voiding of the guns, their crews now leapt into action. The waiting armor piercing shells almost quivering with anticipation at the rammers.



"Salvo long, approximately 500m from the shortfall of the ladder."

This information was quickly transcribed from the communication tube from which it came.

"Main guns, Main guns. Adjust elevation down 1.1 and ready for salvo."

The crash echoed though the fire control center half a minuet later.

"Salvo short, approximately 100m from longfall of the ladder."

"Main guns, Main guns. Adjust elevation up .6  and ready for salvo. Secondary battery one ranging salvo at current of 6,100 meters."

"We have secondary straddle."

"All guns, All guns. Range to target 6,100 meters."



Minuets passed in blurs and Sala watched from the bridge wing as yet another salvo of 340mm shells were hurled down range. If one of the other officers was still yelling for him to get inside the conning tower, Sala could no longer hear the words. The range had been found quickly, and soon after the first major hit. The latest salvo connected hard, with the Q turret of the Valdemosa the recipient of an unwanted 340mm intruder. The turret split open as if a giant pair of hands reached down from the sky and pulled it apart by the gun barrels. Flame belched skyward, the bright orange a stark contrast to the clear blue. The reply from Valdemosa's remaining guns again fell short. Sala found himself counting down until the next salvo of Respublica's guns would sound over the Caribbean.