Vangalan Front, General Trask's Theatre
The constant flow of aid to Vangala had now died to a trickle, as the People's Republic of Havenshire shifted its priorities to deal with the vast short-fall that such oversupply to an ally had created- worse, an ally who was unable to deliver the much-expected rice surplus that was expected. There was now serious concern back home that the prospect of a Famine in November 1953 would destroy much of the good-will and productivity that Premier Macclesfield had been able to wring out of the people on the back of simply not being Premier Walker, and his many extravagant promises. It was felt that a Revolt might even be a strong contigency, and the lack of internal surplus arms to counter it would be a grave liability if this manifested.
The priority now for the entire Toyou Region was a mutually contradictory one. First and foremost, General Trask, commander of the Havenite millitary network in Vangala, was expected to hold the status quo, to appease the Vangalan allies and present the facade that business would continue as normal, and that forces would be available to defend Kilika and the heartland if a second front opened with Sikandara, or if the Imperial Yujiner made a break-through on the Emerald River.
Secondly, Trask was not to commit any more Havenite millitary resources to a vast war of attrition than was absolutely necessary. That well over half of his personnel and staff were ethnically Vangalan was not to detract from the fact that too many Havenites had been committed abroad already. Many Havenite personnel, both civillian and millitary, had succumbed to the heat or local diseases, and the endemic corruption which was rife through much of the People's Republic's support and supply network saw much of the aid being squandered and disseminated wherever the money flow was.
Efforts to provide substantial aid to Vangala had not been completely in vain, however. Under Trask and his civillian counterpart Buller's guidance, a rudimentary supply road network was being constructed from Kilika to the front-line, and Havenite engineers had sweated greatly, with much aid from local workers conscripted to the cause, to ensure a steady flow of ammunition. That the ammunition from Havenshire was now drying up meant little, as the roads could be used for other purposes, including the growing influence of Havenite co-operatives, looking for cheap labour and trading in illicit luxuries and untested medicines.
Although on paper Trask had a substantial millitary force to safeguard this network of traders, con-men, thieves, roadbuilders and opportunists, in reality the few armoured vehicles that had made it to Vangala had immediately been requisitioned to the Vangalan Armed forces, along with all artillery pieces and accompanying munitions. Increasingly, General Trask was relying on the co-operatives and their locally hired security forces to know what was happening across the country, or even on Carentanian intelligence liasons.
What had begun as a heroic outpouring of support was now an embarassing folly, a spider-web of connections, outposts, aid-efforts, labour drives and commercial enterpreneurs that was as thin as spider-silk, and being asked to hold as much weight.
Wether it would snap all depended on what would happen when the Yu finally launched their big push, or if Sikandara entered the war.
Northeastern Front, Admiral Havelock's Theatre
Task Force Argent Dawn, assembled and dispatched in mid-late June, finally arrives in the recently "liberated" port of Najin on July 25, 1953. This expeditionary force has one key purpose- to win a glorious short-term victory against the Yu by the end of August, and to reinforce the nascent Liangang-Seoran state, in accordance with the rough parameters of Carentania's vision of communist-tolerant far-eastern statelets stretching from Boliatur to the Seoras. Admiral Havelock commanded from aboard his flagship, the PNS Glorious July, and liased directly with Colonel Masters, who would be the direct-head of all land-forces now landing in Najin. Roughly 5,000 men, 2,000 of which were combat-ready Crimson Marines, would be providing the Hongmenghui with a much needed back-bone. Lacking assault transports, the Crimson Marines had travelled in a number of converted armed merchant vessels, aswell as aboard the Task Force's destroyers. It was well known that this expedition had the potential to end in disaster if a rapid retreat was required, and so overtures had been made to the Carentanian Navy to provide badly needed aerial cover if an emergency warranted it, as Havenshire had no carriers, and had failed so far to secure air-bases in Touzen.
Acutely aware of the lack of air-cover, Havelock's directives to the Crimson Marines is to act as a fire-brigade for the Hongmenghui- in other words, to plug gaps where they develop, and act as they are trained best to do, as a rapid assault force, with light armoured vehicle support. Where necessary, Havelock's fleet can provide direct naval fire support for up to 25km in-land, but beyond that they were greatly limited. Havenshire's somewhat neglected guided missile programme had yet to produce anything that could be reliably used even from a cruiser, though Havelock knew that, if the war lasted into 1954, it was possible the codenamed "Red Rapier" missile might be available in small quantities. But he could not rely on its deployment, or wait for its arrival. He suspected that Havenite presence in Liangang would be in serious jeopardy by October, once the Republicans had been crushed.
His best hope, he knew, was to encourage the Hongmenghui to stabilise, to give them a solid back-bone, and to use his troops to demonstrate through action espirit de corps. He also had to hope like buggery that the Carentanians were successful further north in their up coming offensive into Jurchen, for he would badly need their aid, he was sure.
One thing however, was sure. If Colonel Masters and his Marine Task force could prove their mettle and score some token blows against the Imperial Yu, then Central Congress might concede to dispatch a few more men to stabilise these gains, and perhaps even some propeller planes and disposable pilots to aid the Hongmenghui, provided a secure airfield could be guaranteed.
The constant flow of aid to Vangala had now died to a trickle, as the People's Republic of Havenshire shifted its priorities to deal with the vast short-fall that such oversupply to an ally had created- worse, an ally who was unable to deliver the much-expected rice surplus that was expected. There was now serious concern back home that the prospect of a Famine in November 1953 would destroy much of the good-will and productivity that Premier Macclesfield had been able to wring out of the people on the back of simply not being Premier Walker, and his many extravagant promises. It was felt that a Revolt might even be a strong contigency, and the lack of internal surplus arms to counter it would be a grave liability if this manifested.
The priority now for the entire Toyou Region was a mutually contradictory one. First and foremost, General Trask, commander of the Havenite millitary network in Vangala, was expected to hold the status quo, to appease the Vangalan allies and present the facade that business would continue as normal, and that forces would be available to defend Kilika and the heartland if a second front opened with Sikandara, or if the Imperial Yujiner made a break-through on the Emerald River.
Secondly, Trask was not to commit any more Havenite millitary resources to a vast war of attrition than was absolutely necessary. That well over half of his personnel and staff were ethnically Vangalan was not to detract from the fact that too many Havenites had been committed abroad already. Many Havenite personnel, both civillian and millitary, had succumbed to the heat or local diseases, and the endemic corruption which was rife through much of the People's Republic's support and supply network saw much of the aid being squandered and disseminated wherever the money flow was.
Efforts to provide substantial aid to Vangala had not been completely in vain, however. Under Trask and his civillian counterpart Buller's guidance, a rudimentary supply road network was being constructed from Kilika to the front-line, and Havenite engineers had sweated greatly, with much aid from local workers conscripted to the cause, to ensure a steady flow of ammunition. That the ammunition from Havenshire was now drying up meant little, as the roads could be used for other purposes, including the growing influence of Havenite co-operatives, looking for cheap labour and trading in illicit luxuries and untested medicines.
Although on paper Trask had a substantial millitary force to safeguard this network of traders, con-men, thieves, roadbuilders and opportunists, in reality the few armoured vehicles that had made it to Vangala had immediately been requisitioned to the Vangalan Armed forces, along with all artillery pieces and accompanying munitions. Increasingly, General Trask was relying on the co-operatives and their locally hired security forces to know what was happening across the country, or even on Carentanian intelligence liasons.
What had begun as a heroic outpouring of support was now an embarassing folly, a spider-web of connections, outposts, aid-efforts, labour drives and commercial enterpreneurs that was as thin as spider-silk, and being asked to hold as much weight.
Wether it would snap all depended on what would happen when the Yu finally launched their big push, or if Sikandara entered the war.
Northeastern Front, Admiral Havelock's Theatre
Task Force Argent Dawn, assembled and dispatched in mid-late June, finally arrives in the recently "liberated" port of Najin on July 25, 1953. This expeditionary force has one key purpose- to win a glorious short-term victory against the Yu by the end of August, and to reinforce the nascent Liangang-Seoran state, in accordance with the rough parameters of Carentania's vision of communist-tolerant far-eastern statelets stretching from Boliatur to the Seoras. Admiral Havelock commanded from aboard his flagship, the PNS Glorious July, and liased directly with Colonel Masters, who would be the direct-head of all land-forces now landing in Najin. Roughly 5,000 men, 2,000 of which were combat-ready Crimson Marines, would be providing the Hongmenghui with a much needed back-bone. Lacking assault transports, the Crimson Marines had travelled in a number of converted armed merchant vessels, aswell as aboard the Task Force's destroyers. It was well known that this expedition had the potential to end in disaster if a rapid retreat was required, and so overtures had been made to the Carentanian Navy to provide badly needed aerial cover if an emergency warranted it, as Havenshire had no carriers, and had failed so far to secure air-bases in Touzen.
Acutely aware of the lack of air-cover, Havelock's directives to the Crimson Marines is to act as a fire-brigade for the Hongmenghui- in other words, to plug gaps where they develop, and act as they are trained best to do, as a rapid assault force, with light armoured vehicle support. Where necessary, Havelock's fleet can provide direct naval fire support for up to 25km in-land, but beyond that they were greatly limited. Havenshire's somewhat neglected guided missile programme had yet to produce anything that could be reliably used even from a cruiser, though Havelock knew that, if the war lasted into 1954, it was possible the codenamed "Red Rapier" missile might be available in small quantities. But he could not rely on its deployment, or wait for its arrival. He suspected that Havenite presence in Liangang would be in serious jeopardy by October, once the Republicans had been crushed.
His best hope, he knew, was to encourage the Hongmenghui to stabilise, to give them a solid back-bone, and to use his troops to demonstrate through action espirit de corps. He also had to hope like buggery that the Carentanians were successful further north in their up coming offensive into Jurchen, for he would badly need their aid, he was sure.
One thing however, was sure. If Colonel Masters and his Marine Task force could prove their mettle and score some token blows against the Imperial Yu, then Central Congress might concede to dispatch a few more men to stabilise these gains, and perhaps even some propeller planes and disposable pilots to aid the Hongmenghui, provided a secure airfield could be guaranteed.
