QuoteTop Secret

War Plan Oro

Background:

With the singing of the Treaty of Leipzig France finds itself between two powerful alliances.  The Leipzig Pact made up of the Baltic Confederation, Bavaria and the Netherlands and the Alliance of the Southern Cross made up of Gran Columbia, Iberian Empire, Peru and United States of South America.  At the same time Iberia has a separate alliance with the Hapsburg Empire in addition.  While France is party to its own alliance system the Nassau Pact of Confederate States of America, France, Italy and United Norman Kingdom. 

Either of the two alliances of the Leipzig Pact and Southern Cross are powerful but French Planners had assumed that it would be all but impossible for the two alliances to work together.  The Hapsburg Empire and Iberia have cold and out right hostile attitudes respectively towards the Netherlands which is returned in kind.  Paris has discovered that Bavaria is attempting to mediate a restoration of at least diplomatic relations between Iberia and the Netherlands; using the dynastic tie between Bavaria and Iberia.  The Bavarian King is the father of the Emperors deceased wife and grand father to the heir to the throne.  So it seams what was once impossible might actually be possible and the Southern Cross and Leipzig Pact could actually cooperate under the right conditions.  This combined with the pull out of the Russian Empire from the Treaty of Versailles has caused many in Paris to assume it is only a matter of time till Russia joins the Leipzig Pact.

As such the French Government fears it could face an alliance of much of the rest of the industrialized world against it and actually be at a disadvantage in a ground war in Europe having to fight a war on two fronts; vs. Iberia in the South West and the Leipzig Pact along its entire eastern frontier.

All this combined with the disintegrating situation in Calcutta has caused the French government to believe it needs to neutralize some of these threats. Iberia has been identified as the weak link in the chain of alliances facing it.  European Iberia has no physical connection to its own alliance members or to the Leipzig Pact.  The French Government has issued an ultimatum for Madrid to withdraw from the Southern Cross and address Paris' as of yet unstated security demands or face a preemptive war.

Of course there is no alliance or even talks between Iberia and the Netherlands so there is no expectation of hope from that quarter.  So it would be the Southern Cross plus the Hapsburgs vs. the Nassau Pact.  The long term collation of forces isn't favorable to the Southern Cross even with the addition of the Hapsburgs.  Especially as European Iberian faces the entire might of France by itself before relief could arrive from South America.  In the short term the Pyrenees are a formidable obstacle.  Without reinforcement even that would not be enough to protect Iberia.  To prevent such reinforcement France has instituted a blockade of the Atlantic Coast of European Iberia.

The Government in Madrid is faced with some very poor set of decisions.  To accept the ultimatum would force Iberia to become a virtual client state of France.  To refuse means war and possible defeat; perhaps even national dismemberment.  At the same time it appears that this ultimatum is solely a French action with no matching declarations or threats from Frances allies.  It's possible even probable that France is doing this alone.  As of yet there is no mobilization of the French army.

Military Background:

The French Atlantic Fleet is a powerful unit with three Arcadian type Battleships one of which is a super Arcadian type armed with twelve 15" weapons.  The Straits of Gibraltar makes it highly unlikely that the French Mediterranean fleet will attempt to force its way in to the Atlantic Ocean at least not without reinforcements from Djibouti which will take some time to arrive in the Western Mediterranean and the French Atlantic Fleet at Brest will not receive reinforcements from French Canada for some time either.  This means there is a narrow window of opportunity to face the French Atlantic Fleet isolation.

Orders: Mediterranean Fleet with CruRon 3 will move to the Bay of Biscay, locate the French Atlantic Fleet and destroy it with our own preemptive attack.  If the French Atlantic Fleet is destroyed a blockade of European Iberian would become extremely difficult with just the French North American Squadron and the political effects of such a blow could be incalculable.  It might derail the war and prevent it from becoming a general conflict.   

QuoteMarch 10th Iberian Fleet leaves Cartagena and travels 334 miles to Cadiz in one day; light units refuel over next six hours.

11th Iberian Fleet leaves Cadiz for Lisbon 251 miles away at 14 knots; arrives in 18 hours.  Scout Group searches for French units without success.  Scout group and light units refuel over next six hours.

12th Iberian Fleet leaves Lisbon for Bilbao on north coast of Spain 650 miles away at 10 knots; to arrive in 65 hours.  Scout Group encounters two French Demarce III class cruisers 19 hours out of Lisbon.  French Cruisers signals French Atlantic Fleet at Brest of contact.  French Fleet sorties and airship is directed to area. 

13th Another 20 hours later; 30 miles off coast off Galicia French Airship vectored in by French Cruisers arrives on location.  Airship is able confirm presence of Iberian battleships and screen about 20 miles behind Iberian Scout Group.  Airship sees two large ships most likely Portugal and Brasil along with six smaller ships most likely the Iberian Pre-Arcadian Battleships and two armored cruisers of the Henrique o Navegador Class.  French Fleet moves to intercept.

14th During the night Airship looses location of Iberian Fleet and next morning solid clouds at 8,000 feet prevent relocation.  French Cruisers still in contact with Iberian Cruisers. 

15th At 11:00 AM in the Cantabrian Sea or Bay of Biscay off the sleepy fishing town of Gozón the Iberian and French Fleets meet.  Sea State is 4 with clear but not very clear visibility.

Quote11:00 AM range between Iberian Scout Group and French Cruisers 25,000 yards.  Iberian main body 35,000 yards SW of Iberian Scout Group.  The French main body 20,000 yards due north of French Cruisers which puts the two main bodies 57,000 yards away.  Only the French commander knows for sure that the Iberian fleet is nearby because of yesterdays contact report from the airship.  The French Fleet commander orders the French cruisers to get passed the big Iberian Armored Cruisers and attempt to locate the Iberian Fleets exact location.  On the six Demarce III class cruisers the order is given for flank speed (28 knots) and the ships split into divisions and attempt to circle around the Iberian Scout Group.  The Iberian response is to increase speed also and split into two groups; each group with two Madrid Class Protected Cruisers and one of the Armored Cruisers.  When the French cruisers attempt to circle past the Iberian Armored Cruisers they are rewarded with 12" HE fired out to 20,000 yards.  After 20 minutes of maneuvering it's clear that the Iberian Armored Cruisers while slower aren't slower enough and with their big guns can keep the French ships back.  In effect HIIMS Fernando de Magallanes and HIIMS Vasco da Gama form a bubble 40,000 yards across that the French Cruisers just can't cross.

11:20 AM distance between main bodies 52,000 yards.  The French fleet commander is annoyed but not exactly surprised by the results so he orders his fleet towards the Iberian Armored Cruisers as the only ships he has a firm location on. 

Vicealmirante Patricio Montojo on HIIMS Brasil has received the reports of the strange actions of the French Cruisers and orders the main body to increase speed to 15 knots and to close up with the Scout Group.

11:26 AM Range will need to close to 33,000 yards for French Cruisers to see the Iberian Main Body with current weather conditions.  Still French cruisers can see the large smoke plum from the Iberian Main Body as it's speed increased.

11:42 AM Range to Iberian Main Body and French Cruisers has closed to 32,000 yards.  Cruisers signal their contact report in.  French Fleet goes to 20 knots and advances on Iberian Fleet.

11:46 AM Iberian Scout Group can see the French Main Body 35,000 yards in the distance.  Vicealmirante Montojo orders Contraalmirante Castro on "Magallanes" to push past the French Cruisers to get exact information on the French Fleet.  The French Cruisers have few options and all of them bad with respect to the Iberian Armored Cruisers and begin to fall back on their Main Body.

11:54 AM With a closing speed of nearly 40 knots the range between the Iberian Scout Group and the French Main Body drops down to 25,000 yards.  Contraalmirante Castro signals his commander that the French Main Body consists of Occitanie, Marat, Robbespiere, Granby, Pothuau and twelve smaller ships as a screen; the later being a combination of Fleurus class sloops and the new 1,000 ton French Destroyers.  Range between the two main bodies is now 36,000 yards.   

On HIIMS Brasil Vicealmirante Patricio Montojo would like to use the information he has been provided to set up his fleet in the most advantageous position.  The problem is the French Main Body is faster and has fewer ships with reciprocating engines so it can maintain its top speed better.  Patricio will meet the French Fleet directly with the Big Armored Cruisers far in front.

11:56 AM both fleets can see each other fully as the range is now 34,000 yards.  French and Iberian Main bodies drop into line of battle.  French Line is Occitanie, Marat, Robbespiere, Granby and Pothuau while the Iberian Line is Portugal, Brasil, Pelayo, Cid Campeador, Alfonso IV, Navas de Tolosa, Henrique o Navegador and Cristóbal Colón.

The French commander is informed that the Iberian screen is four cruisers of the Cádiz Class and 14 Destroyers.   

12:02 PM The range is now 20,000 yards between the main bodies.  The two fleets are moving at 20 knots for the French and 18 knots for the Iberians.  The three French Battleships open fire and are answered in turn by Brasil and Portugal.  The 305mm, 280mm and 250mm guns on the older ships in both fleets need to close to 17,000 or even 16,000 yards to open fire.  Portugal is engaged by Occitanie and returns fire, Brasil fires on Marat and the same while Pelayo must for the moment just accept the un answered fire of Robbespiere.  "Magallanes" and "Da Gama" are 6,000 yards ahead of the Iberian line and return to max speed once the two lines engage.  The Iberian ships are angling towards the French line to close the distance; it will be some time before the older ships can fire.

Portugal draws first blood and strikes Occitanie's armor belt but the 330mm shell fails to penetrate.

12:01 Occitanie hits Portugal on the deck but the big 15" shell deflects off the 2.5" thick armored deck.


12:02 Brasil hits Marat on the deck for little effect.  Occitanie hits Portugal again but the shell shattered on impact and failed to explode.

12:03 to 12:06 no hits for either side

12:07 Occitanie hits Portugal this time on the conning tower the shell fails to penetrate but every ones hearing inside is left ringing from the hit.

12:08 Brasil once again hits Marat's armored deck and the shell fails to do much damage.

12:09 Both sides continue to fire at each other with nothing to show for it.

12:10 More misses for both fleets

12:11 Occitanie and Marat both score lucky hits.  Turrets are struck on both Brasil and Portugal.  A small fire has broken out among ready munitions of the turret on Brasil.  The Iberians score no hits of their own in response.

12:12 Occitanie hits Portugal in the super structure.  Brasil's crew has extinguished the turret fire; but the magazine was flooded because of the threat.  The turret jam appears to be unrecoverable on Portugal and its not known when it will be back in action.

12:13 Fire is exchanged for no effect by the two fleets.

12:14 Robbespiere at last hits the old Pre-Arcadian Battleship Pelayo but the shell failed to arm and didn't explode.

12:15 At last the Iberian Pre-Arcadian ships are in range with the distance 17,000 yards between the two fleets.  Vicealmirante Patricio Montojo has signal flags raised and the order is, "FIRE BY DIVISIONS."  Portugal and Brasil will double up on Occitanie while Pelayo and Cid Campeador double up on Marat and Alfonso IV and Navas de Tolosa double up on Robbespiere.  Granby and Pothuau join the fight but their pair of single 12" guns are unlikely to do much.

Occitanie hits Portugal again but the shell shattered on impact.  Navas de Tolosa hit Robbespiere twice; once on the deck to little effect and one against a turret face but the shell shattered.

12:16 Only Alfonso IV scores a hit but the shell is a dud. 

12:17 With the range now 16,000 yards the Iberian 250mm guns can open fire. Henrique o Navegador and Cristóbal Colón will now engage the French Heavy Cruisers.  Also the big Iberian armored cruisers are now 12,000 yards ahead of the action; they turn 45 degrees to starboard and begin to rapidly close on the path of the French Battle line.  The move is a clear bid to cross the T of the French Line.   

A pair of hits are scored by Portugal on Occitanie both on the main belt.  One hit punches a hole through the 13" belt armor while the other shattered on impact. 

Marat scores a hit on Brasil's super structure.

12:18 Portugal it seems has found the range but once again the shell fails to explode.  Henrique o Navegador has much better luck.  Two 250 mm shells hit FNS Granby one hit is to the forward 12" turret while another hits the side belt.  The forward hit is devastating as it tears into the old compound armor defeating the 6" armor and setting off the ready munitions and the 17 year old ship had only the most basic flash protection.  Result is a massive explosion that rips the ship apart.   

The charmed life for Pelayo is over as two hits are scored by Marat starting large fires in the ships superstructure. Pothuau scores a hit on Cristóbal Colón but it deflects off the deck.

12:19 "Magallanes" and "Da Gama" open fire on Occitanie meaning there are four shooters on the big French warship creating all sorts of spotting problems.  The Iberian Fleet scores no hits.

Occitanie hits Portugal again on the main belt the big 15" shell smashes through the belt armor of the Iberian battleship.  Pelayo is hit again but the hit was a dud.  The fires continue to burn on the old Iberian Battleship.

12:20 Pothaua is hit by Cristóbal Colón; the hit sets off a large fire and the smoke from that pours into the aft turret forcing its abandonment.  "Da Gama" scores a hit with one of its 12" guns on Occitanie but the shell fails to defeat the thick belt armor.

Occitanie hits Portugal but once again the hit is a dud and does no notable damage.  The fire on Pelayo has gotten out of control and has spread into some of the quick firing guns magazines.  With damage critical Pelayo hauls out of line.  Robbespiere switches targets to Cid Campeador.

12:21 The Iberian fleet scores no hits.

While Occitanie hits Portugal once.  Pelayo's crew attempts to save their burning ship as the fire continues to blazes away. 

12:22 Brasil scores a hit on Occitanie that explodes deep inside the large French battleship.  While Cristóbal Colón pounds Pothuau again the French ships damage control parties are able to put out the blaze. 

Occitanie once again hits Portugal along the belt.  Damage is becoming a problem on the Iberian Flag ship and flooding from the hull hits is forcing her to reduce speed.  The damage control parties on Pelayo have somewhat beaten down the fire but its still burning fiercely on the old warship. 

12:23 Navas de Tolosa scores a hit on Robbespiere with an 11" gun but the shell fails to arm. 

While Robbespiere in turn hits Cid Campeador.  At last the damage control parties on Pelayo have gotten the fire put out but the damage was heavy.   

12:24 The French score no hits but the big Iberian armored cruisers score 3 hits on Occitanie; one of the hits was a dud but the other two explode. 

In the mean time the Iberian Armored Cruisers will soon cross the T of the French Fleet and the range has dropped to 14,000 yards between the two fleets.  Something needs to be done about the Iberian Armored Cruisers; so the order is given for a torpedo attack.  The French Destroyers and six Demarce III's Cruisers charge the Iberians Armored Cruisers.  Also the French main body turns slightly away from the Iberian main body and to slow down the rate of closer between them and the Iberian scout group. 

12:25  Portugal is hit twice again by Occitanie and damage forces her out of line.  No other hits occur.

12:26  With the Torpedo attack shaping up the 150mm guns on the Iberian cruisers go into action.  With Portugal forced out of line Occitanie switches targets to Brasil, Marat switches to Cid Campeador and Robbespiere to Alfonso IV.  Only Henrique o Navegador scores a hit and Pothuau is forced out of line.  The older Iberian Armored cruisers retarget on Robbespiere.

Demarce III E is hit once by Madrid

12:27 Robbespire scores on her new target Alfonso IV.  Occitanie is hit twice by Da Gama and looses two guns to turret damage.  Cid Campeador hits Marat and Cristóbal Colón hits Robbespiere.

12:28 Brasil hits Occitanie once; the shell smashes through the belt to explode inside the ship.  Robbespire hits Alfonso IV again but the shell was a dud.

One of the 150mm guns on Da Gama disables DD #9

12:29 Magallanes scores one hit on Occitanie's deck.   The Big French ship has had 10 hits that exploded now and the damage is starting to pile up. 

12:30 Navas de Tolosa hits Robbespire with a 280mm while Robbespire hits Alfonso IV.

12:31 Alfonso IV hits Robbespire with a 280mm and 250mm round; one crashes against the armor belt while one explodes in the super structure.

Demarce III F is hit twice by Rio de Janeiro

12:32 Brasil punches another round through the side of Occitanie while Cid Campeador repeats Alfonso IV shooting vs. Marat.  Robbespire hits Alfonso IV disabling two of her guns.

DD #13 is disabled by a 150mm hit from Magallanes

Demarce III E is hit once by Madrid

12:33 Demarce III F is hit once by Rio de Janeiro

12:34 Demarce III G is hit once by Manila



12:35 Brasil hits Occitanie and puts another 13" shell into her hull.  Cristóbal Colón hits Robbespiere with a 250mm round while Marat hits Cid Campeador.

DD #12 is disabled by 150mm from Magallanes

Demarce III F is hit twice by Rio de Janeiro

12:36 Alfonso IV, Navas de Tolosa, Magallanes and Da Gama all score hits.  The hit from Navas de Tolosa's 250mm round shatters against Robbespiere's belt armor while Alfonso IV's explodes against the belt.  Both the big Iberian Armored cruisers put two in the 13" belt armor of Occitanie; the big French warships has now suffered 14 major caliber hits including four that penetrated.

The French fleets shooting is becoming erratic under the hail of constant hits.

12:37 The commander of the Iberian Scout Group makes a fatefull decession with Portugal out of line his ships represent too much firepower of the Iberian fleet.  They will not evade the onrushing torpedo attack or switch their main guns from Occitanie. 

Only Henrique o Navegador scores a hit on Robbespiere the 250mm explodes against the belt.

12:38 Da Gama puts another round into the Belt of Occitanie

12:39 Da Gama and Magallanes score two more hits on Occitanie the later starts a massive fire in the super structure.  Occitanie hits Brasil again through her belt. 

DD 10 is hit twice by Da Gama's secondaries and left sinking

Demarce III F is hit twice by Rio de Janeiro

Demarce III H is hit twice by Lisbon

12:40 Occitanie hits Brasil once more while Cristóbal Colón puts a 250mm into Robbespiere.  The fire continues to burn on Occitanie

Demarce III G is hit once by Manila

Manila is in turn hit once by Demarce III G

DD 11 is hit once as she launches four of her torpedoes and the rest are destroyed.  DD 15 fires all eight, turns hard over and begins to race away.

12:41 Brasil returns the favor on Occitanie and puts a round through the turret roof of the forward turret.  With the fire continuing to blaze and now half her guns disabled the big French battleship pulls out of line.  Marat mashes another round deep into the hull of Cid Campeador while Navas de Tolosa and Cristóbal Colón each put a 250mm round into Robbespiere.

Of the twelve torpedoes launched from 6,000 feet away 5 strike home on the Iberian Armored Cruisers.  Three of the warheads fail to explode though but one each goes off against Da Gama and Magallanes. The hits quickly force both ships to slow down because of flooding.   

Demarce III E is hit twice by Madrid

Demarce III H is hit once by Lisbon

12:42 Robbespiere puts a 15" round through a 250mm casement and forces Cid Campeador out of line.  Marat has retargeted on Brasil because of Occitanie's pulling out of line.

With the French cruisers continue to close the Iberian Armored Cruisers break off, swinging hard away to slow the overtake.  Also the aft turrets on both ships switch targets to the cruisers firing S.A.P. 

Demarce III F is hit once by Rio de Janeiro

12:43 Da Gama hits Demarce III I and destroys a forward gun mount

12:44 Brasil hits Marat with a 13" shell and Navas de Tolosa puts a 11" round into Robbespiere.

Lisbon is hit once by Demarce III J

12:45 Marat hits Brasil in reply

Da Gama hits Demarce III I and the 12" Semi-Armored Piercing bores deep in the ship and smashes half the ships machinery.

12:46 Robbespiere hits Alfonso IV midships and destroys the forward engine room; the PDN swings out of line.  Henrique o Navegador hits Robbespiere in reply.

12:47 Robbespiere is hit with a 280mm and 250mm round from Navas de Tolosa.

12:48 Cristóbal Colón hits Robbespiere ruining more of her upper works.  While Brasil sends a round into Marat and destroys one of the twin 15" turrets.  The French having had enough order their sloops to lay smoke and attempt to break off the action. 

12:49 With the smoke screen being put up and the sudden shift in the French movements no hits are scored by anyone.  The Iberian Cádiz class cruisers begin to lay their own smoke screen to protect there ships.  At the same time the fourteen Iberian Torpedo Boat Destroyers begin their own attack on the lamed French battleships.

12:50 The French cruisers are recalled to attempt to protect the lamed battleships.   

12:53 Demarce III J scores a hit on TBD-81 and disables the Torpedo Boat Destroyer and the Iberians breach the French smoke screen.  The French sloops attempt to intercept the Iberians.  The Iberian Torpedo Boat Destroyers return fire but the high speeds and small sizes of each other makes shooting difficult.

12:55 Demarce III E hits TBD-97 and disables the Torpedo Boat Destroyer

1:05 Fleurus 05 hits TBD-73 but the 70mm round lacks the punch to disable the TBD but it does destroy a torpedo mount.

1:07 Fleurus 04 hits TBD-76 and the 5.5" round disables the Torpedo Boat Destroyer.

1:10 Iberian TBD's launch from between 6,000 and 4,000 feet with nearly sixty torpedo's in the water racing after the pair of French battleships.  30 20" and 30 18" torpedoes are fired

1:11 Eighteen torpedoes impact the French ships (the French BB's were nearly 10 knots slower than the Iberian BC's and even with Evassive maneuvers and a worse angle there are way too many torps on the water) Marat is hit ten times while Robbespiere is hit eight times.  The Iberians suffer from a huge number of dud torpedo's with ten failing to explode.  Despite that bit of bad luck both ships are doomed as thousands of tons of water flood the ships and soon both are abandoned.


1:35 The remaining Iberian battle worthy warships Navas de Tolosa, Henrique o Navegador, Cristóbal Colón including the holed Fernando de Magallanes and Vasco da Gama head towards the French.  With them are a number of protected cruisers and torpedo boats.  The Iberians are starting to close on the French cripples with an over take of about 6 knots.  The French commander is sorely tempted to fight it out as Occitanie has half her guns still in action but she has taken eighteen hits of all sizes and would be badly out numbered plus it would sentence the cruisers to death.  Sun set is too far into the future and no friendly ports in reach.  With a heavy heart Occitainie, Potuau and Demarce III I are ordered to be scuttled.  The four crippled destroyers Demarce III E and Demarce III F scatter to attempt to make it home independently.  Quebec, the five Fleurus', Demarce III J and DD #15 are quickly loaded down with as many survivors from the scuttled ships as they can carry, leave their life boats in the water for the rest and race for La Rochelle

QuoteButchers Bill

Iberia
Portugal 43% (9 major hits)
Brasil   68% (4 major hits)
Pelayo   68% (2 major hits and a fire)
Cid Campeador 34% (4 major hits)
Alfonso IV 34% (4 major hits)
Navas de Tolosa 100% (0 major hits)
Henrique o Navegador 100% (0 major hits)
Cristóbal Colón 100% (0 major hits)
Fernando de Magallanes 85% (0 major hits & 1 torpedo hit)
Vasco da Gama 85% (0 major hits & 1 torpedo hit)
Madrid   100%
Rio de Janeiro   100%
Manila   88%
Lisbon   88%
Cádiz   100%
Cebu   100%
Porto   100%
São Salvador   100%
TBD-97   38%
TBD-96   100%
TBD-95   100%
TBD-94   100%
TBD-93   100%
TBD-81   19%
TBD-80   100%
TBD-79   100%
TBD-78   100%
TBD-77   100%
TBD-76   31%
TBD-75   100%
TBD-74   100%
TBD-73   62% 

French Side
Occitanie scuttled
Marat sunk
Robbespiere sunk
Granby    sunk
Pothuau scuttled
Quebec   100%
Fleurus 01   100%
Fleurus 02   100%
Fleurus 03   100%
Fleurus 04   100%
Fleurus 05   100%
Demarce III E   38%
Demarce III F   28%
Demarce III G   79%
Demarce III H   59%
Demarce III I   scuttled
Demarce III J   100%
DD 9   38%
DD 10   38%
DD 11   sunk
DD 12   38%
DD 13   38%
DD 15   100%

WOW!!! I surely wasn't expecting that. I think we have WWI...

Yessssssss... I like  :D

I don't like, but it appears that I must prepare...

Well I guess that that's one way of cutting down on French power.

Besides cutting the French battlefleet by 25% (not counting the predreadnoughts) including its newest bestest modernest baddest ship, it effectively destroyed the scouting ability of the French fleet - 5 Demarce out of action, they have another 5 scattered around the globe  - and 2 armored cruisers.

France have to rely on UNK and CSA fleets in the Atlantic (kinda bad PR) until the fleet in Djibouti goes around Africa.

 :o

OK...that wasn't expected. At all...

Congratulations
from Almirante Commandante del Armada - Fidel Salazar Vencedores
to Almirante Patricio Montojo.


A great Victory for Iberia !!!

That was some big success, mike. Congratulations :)

Glad to see that we (hey ,I'm spanish after all) gave the evil french a run for their money.

MUERTE A LOS GABACHOS!!!!!  (wish there was translation for this ;)).

Reply from Paris

Why doesn't Glorious France  know anything about this debacle.


Premier Galpoux inquires about the 12 15"L42 gunned  battleship Occitanie.

Cartagena, Iberia
Admiralty Building
February 10th, 1916

A young officer moves a white wooden block across the floor, with the name in red of "Da Gama".

Almirante Antonio Bermejo Head of the Navy nods to the umpire, "That concludes the exercise we will debrief and work on an after action report.  I also remind everyone that this exercise is Top Secret."

The assembled officers of the fleet nod gravely.

April 17th
Madrid
El Mundo Headline - "Armada Ambushes French Fleet!"
El País Headline - "War with France?!?"
ABC Headline - "Crushing Victory for Aramada!"

Palace
HIRH Jamie looks at the news papers in front of him and turns to one of his military aids, "Could you send word that I would like to speak to Almirante Bermejo, Commander I would like to find out who ordered this.  Also get Don Felipe it would be nice if someone told the Emperor that Iberia it seams is at war France."

"At once Majesty!"

A short while later...  Meeting of the Council of State...

Don Felipe González y Márquez Prime Minister of Iberia look pale and gaunt ; almost as if he had aged 20 years overnight, "We haven't recieved any type of ultimatium that much I can tell you and I certainly did NOT order such an attack.  Majesty I have already received all sorts of demands from our allies for information, some congratulations and of course the French Ambassador asking what is going. I have left Do Amaral (the Foreign Minister) to deal with things till I have something to tell him.  Las Cortes is in an uproar...  "

Everyone turned to the head of the navy who look extremely embarrassed and the Emperor asked, "So Admiral care to explain whats going on?"

"Majesty that was a war game, there was no battle, I have no idea how the press got ahold of it.   Someone must have given out a copy of the after action report and the press thought it was the real thing."

The prime minister collapsed into his chair, "Oh thank god..."

General de Ejército Julio Macías y Santander Head of the Army burst out laughing.

The emperor looked back at the newspapers for a second, "A wargame?!?  You had better explain some more and quickly.  At the same time someone get the French Ambassador here so I can talk to him before we have a real war on our hands."