Book 2: Operation Sunset
Chapter 2: The Axis of Evil
Part V: Checkmate
During the last weeks of June 1912, President Kruger called a meeting of his top advisers to discuss the long-range strategy of the greater Boer Republic. Dr. Victor Frankenstein announced that with the completion of our research into Advanced Airships, we have entered a new era known as 1915-1919.
President Kruger looks at the calendar and remarks that we seem to be somewhat ahead of our time, and tells Dr. Frankenstein to start research into "bigger guns" for General Veers' Artillery (Which requires researching Industrialization III and Colonial Admin VII first), while Veld Marshall Takayama mutters something about "the Butterfly effect throwing the entire timing out of whack, hence Britain developing Tanks 4 years too early."
Veld Marshall Takayama then proposes that after "settling accounts" with Great Britain and Persia, the next target should be France, followed by Germany. The rationale for invading France is thus: #1 France has annexed Benelux and is forcing all the Dutch, Flemish and Luxembourgers to speak French and eat frogs, and as descendants of the Dutch and Flemish, it is our duty to liberate our cousins. Ditto goes for the former Austrian territories under French rule. #2: the French Colonies of Oubangui-Chaari and Gabon pose a MAJOR security risk, and we REALLY should drive ALL colonial oppressors out of Africa (and I don't like the concentrations of French Colonial Cavalry and Legionaires on the borders of said French possessions and our territory). #3: Finally, despite our honoring EVERY AGREEMENT WE MADE with them and never going to war with them even once, the French, for some reason, still have decided to cop an attitude towards us, and their ambassadors have gone out of their way to insult key members of the Boer Federal Government (including Veld Marshall Takayama himself), therefore they, like Germany, cannot be counted for support in the event some kind of "League of Nations" gets created... He also muttered something about "Watching Paris burn to the ground and pissing on the ashes would be a lot of fun, too, but I won't sink to that level," but only Defense Minister Voorhees and General Sephiroth van Niebelheim heard him and they both agreed with the first part of his statement.
In the Provisional State of Iran, General Sephiroth van Niebelheim and General Veers continue to clash with the remnants of the Persian Army, which has turned to looting the countryside since all former Persian cities are under Boer control. As per orders sent from Veld Marshall Takayama, they only target groups transporting Raw Materials (if I don't capture the Raw Materials before I take the Azores, they'll all disappear) After hammering ALL Persian units in our territory with a massive artillery barrage, all but 8 badly mauled Maxim MG battalions are wiped out, with a loss of only one company of regular Boer Infantry in the process. The Persian troops that foolishly landed in South America are subjected to a similar treatment, and a company of Persian Riflemen and three companies of Light Cavalry are wiped out for the loss of only a single company of Boer Commandos. The Transport ship that brought them there is sunk as well.
The entire Persian Army now consists of 8 decimated Maxim MG Battalions in Iran and two Militia companies in the Azores, where three Boer Infantry companies and a Maxim MG battalion land... Persia gets liquidated next month!
In Britain, after a two-day artillery barrage, which included local Naval assets, all defending units are reduced to 25% strength, and the Coastal Fortress and Naval Base are blown to smithereens. Although a company of Boer Light Cavalry is lost during the battle, the British lose three of their dwindling Vickers MG battalions, the Liverpool City Guard regiment, two British Infantry companies, a Home Guard company, a Colonial Sentry company and control of the city.
The British spike their own 13.5" Railroad Gun battery and burn two Airco DH2 fighter squadrons in the hangar to prevent our capturing them. The battle with the retreating British armies outside Middlesbrough continues with artillery barrages inflicting 75% casualties on all units and sinking a British Steam Transport. While a Renault Gepantser Groep is lost in the skirmishes, the British lose two Colonial Infantry and two Colonial Sentry companies.
Meanwhile, all availible forces move in to hit London. After hamming London for 12 hours, our army attacks, but is forced to fall back after losing two Commando and two Boer Light Cavalry companies in the assault. The British suffer the loss of four Colonial Infantry companies during the assault, as well as four companies of wounded Colonial Cavalry in the hills outside the city. Thanks to these recent battles, our army is now STRONG compared to Britian!
Hurdiyo launches the Armored Cruiser,
FRS Beijing, which sets sail to join the
Maarepore Battle Group and Kilwa launches an Early DD, the
FRS Iron Man.
In Naval battles, the
FRS Khartoum and
FRS Bangalore are sunk off the coast of Spain by Royal Navy M Class DD's, but those are, in turn, sunk by the
FRS Niamey and
FRS Jerusalem, while the latest spy reports from Borneo reveal that all cities on the island are defended by ridiculous amounts of troops.... Thankfully we'll soon have and EQUALLY ridiculous amount of troops landing on the island!
12 tons of Raw Materials are returned to the export market in Constantinople.
At the end of June, Spain asks for an alliance against Portugal, and we would accept except for the facts that we have an active RoP agreement with Portugal and we don't have enough Naval Infantry to take them out, so we give the Spanish 2000 Gilders instead. Brazil and La Plata sign a peace treaty, after which La Plata signs Spain into its war with Austria! The Spanish entry into the continental war might just save Russia's ass from Germany!
The Dutch want an alliance against Japan, but we decline and give them 2000 Gilders instead.
In war news, the British attack our forces in Wales and England! The assault on Liverpool is repelled, with three companies of Colonial Cavalry lost on the British side, while the British expend their entire Mustard and Chlorine Gas inventory on our troops outside London! Both Maxim MG battalions and a Boer Infantry company suffer moderate, but gruesome, casualties and President Kruger, along with Veld Marshall Takayama roundly condemn the British use of such barbaric weapons.
British Avro Bombers make a run on the
Maarepore BG, and the
FRS Maarepore takes a hit from one of the bombs and sustains minor damage.
Elsewhere, Germany takes Moscow and La Plata takes Cayenne (former French Guiana) from Germany.
The losses for this turn are:
British: 2 Vickers MG, 1 City Guard, 2 British Inf, 1 Home Guard, 3 Col Sentries, 5 Col Inf, 7 Col Cav, 1 13.5” Railroad Gun, 2 Airco DH2 Fighters, 1 Acheron Class DD, 1 Steam Transport, 2 M Class DDs.
Boers: 1 Boer Inf, 3 Commandos, 3 Boer Light Cavalry, 1 Renault, 2 Armored Cruisers.
Persians: 5 Maxim MG, 18 Persian Rifleman, 3 Militia, 10 Light Cavalry
During the second week of July 1912, Pretoria, Dublin and Cork finish training Civil Engineer teams, which are sent various places to work on numerous projects. A quick check with special agent "Solid Snake" in the Azores reveals that Shah Nasser Al-Din has hurriedly assembled a Light Cavalry company, not that it will do them much good!
After our Naval bombardment blows up their food storehouse and reduces all defending units to 25% strength, three Companies of Boer Commandos wipe out all defenders and the Azores are captured!
Shah Nasser Al-Din is forced to abdicate and is sent into exile, while all remaining Persian military units in the provisional state of Iran are offered, and accept, generous terms of surrender and are allowed to return to their homes after turning in their weapons. The Azores are added to the Iberian Federal State.
On top of that good news, the Battle of London resumes with another massive artillery barrage that inflicts 75% casualties on all remaining defenders and blows up the local Tin Mining company.
During heavy fighting that sees three Boer Commando companies and one Boer Light Cavalry company as well as five British Vickers MG battalions, the London City Guard regiment, six companies of Colonial Infantry, a Colonial Cavalry Corps, a British Cavalry Company, a Home Guard company and a Colonial Sentry company wiped off the map, London, along with Buckingham Palace, is ours!
The Royal Family was not found at the palace, and several zeppelins were spotted flying Southeast from London, and a week later word is received that the British government, along with Queen Victoria, has moved to Stuart, Australia.
Bombardment of Plymouth damages the defending units, but not nearly enough to consider launching an assault, so all available full-strength units and artillery are moved into position to hit the city at the end of the month.
Elsewhere, Casablanca launches the Armored Cruiser,
FRS Bangalore II and the last eleven Boer Riflemen companies are re-equipped and re-trained as Boer Infantry. Troops also land on Sibu in Borneo while the
FRS Sea Wasp torpedoes a British Advanced Transport off the coast of Africa and 16 tons of Raw Materials are shipped to export markets in Constantinople (16 tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt! Oh St. Peter, I can't goooo! I owe my soul to the company store! ...sorry couldn't resist
)
During the middle of July, Chile declares war on Brazil and Austria pulls Germany into its war against Spain! Looks like Russia will live to see another day!
In military action, British aircraft bomb our ships off the coast of Borneo, damaging the
FRS Agent 89, FRS Silver 2039, and
FRS Mecca. A GINORMOUS assault on our beach head outside Sibu is repelled with heavy losses on the British side: TWELVE companies of Colonial Cavalry are slaughtered just to wipe out three elite Commando companies. Britain also bombs Liverpool with some of their remaining Zeppelins and uses their last Mustard Gas shells on our troops outside Plymouth, inflicting minor, but hideous, casualties on a Boer Infantry company. Veld Marshall Takayama, issues a memo, co-signed with the President and Defense Minister Voorhees, to all unit commanders stating that ANY British POW who was involved with ANY kind of chemical attack is to be sent to Cairo, where they'll be thrown into a pit full of fer-de-lances as fitting punishment for their crimes against humanity!
The British also land a lone British Cavalry company in Ireland.
Elsewhere, Germany re-captures Cayenne and the Former French Guiana from La Plata.
So it is with the Persian Axis of Evil destroyed and Britain all but driven out of their home islands, that this chapter comes to a close.
Losses:
British: 4 Vickers MG, 1 City Guard, 6 Col Inf, 13 Col Cav, 1 Army, 1 British Cav, 1 Home Guard, 1 Col Sentry, 2 Airco DH2, one 13.5” Railroad Gun, 1 Adv Transport.
Boers: 6 Commando, 1 Boer Light Cavalry.
Persians: 8 Maxim MG, 1 Light Cavalry, 2 Militia.
