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[3_14159]

So, proposals:

Design: Skirmishing Tactics and Equipment

Our experience in the last few years has shown that line infantry tactics are obsolete. This aims to allow our soldiers to remain coordinated even outside of the line and column formations.
Specifically, the main organization for our infantry is the squad, consisting of ten soldiers, one of which is armed with a longer-ranged Modified Patriot Rifle. The soldiers are equipped with a camouflaged uniform, in a spotty green/khaki/gray depending on the terrain. The old uniform is retained as dress uniform.
On the offensive, squads are given specific goals. The soldiers disperse and use cover, moving forward in bounds covered by the other half of the squad.
On the defensive, squads dig in with a small distance between each soldier.
On a higher level, some squads are held back as a reserve and for flanking, and can be used to plug own or exploit enemy weaknesses. The reliance on runners and bugles for communications is a disadvantage, though.

Upgrade: Breech Cannon Ammunition upgrade

To replace the solid-shot armour-piercing round, two other rounds are developed: The High Explosive shell features an impact detonator, and has a thin case in addition to its explosive filling. The new AP shell features a thicker case (to help it penetrate) and less explosive filling.

@evilcherry: Is that an acceptable revision action? Otherwise, leave off the AP shell and only develop the HE one.

Revision: Armed Sloop Upgrade

Replacing the 6-pounder of the armed sloop with a Breech Cannon, the addition in range should hopefully suffice to be more effective. In addition, any upgrade of the sailing platform to eliminate fluttering would be nice.

While I'd really like to build a new ship next turn, it is likely we'll instead spend it on developing cheap smokeless powder. Therefore, Armed Sloop upgrade this turn.

[evilcherry]

There is nothing such as "acceptable for a revision" or not. The main point is always "if there is any new idea/technology/principle in its creation" - don't expect you get something groundbreaking with revise.

[3_14159]

There is nothing such as "acceptable for a revision" or not. The main point is always "if there is any new idea/technology/principle in its creation" - don't expect you get something groundbreaking with revise.

Players - don't expect to get an advantage, or to railroad me into some outcome by asking questions on definitions, and whether such design is permissible by rules or not.

To reiterate, a design action means you can get something new from it; a revise action merely fixes problems or to adapt something you have invented in another situation. I expect some leeway, but there is some leeway in how wide the leeway is, and I hope I don't have to narrow it for you.

This serves as a last warning.

Apologies for that. I wanted to avoid you having to clarify something as not revision-worthy, delaying the turn. I'll try not to ask again.

[Nirur Torir]

. . .

Skirmisher tactics are different from small squad warfare. Skirmishers meet the enemy before battles, in spread out formations, harassing them. If done correctly, we'd have much better tactical knowledge (All those "The enemy are hard to count and being confusing" messages we've been getting?), their morale, ammo, and organization would be hurt before battles start, and we'd pretty much constantly be probing their flanks for weaknesses.

Switching to small squad warfare, with single shot rifles, minimal support, and no radios, would not win us the plains. It really would not.

[H4zardZ1]

Skrimishers:
We don't need a longer-range rifle for them, unless they got rifles that had better range. Sniper skrimishers are basically nearly useless(EDIT: at least when it comes to walls), except when they can kill enough things before the enemies can shoot them(and they can run fast enough when they ran out of bullets/reload). We need to have at least higher amont of shots so more damage is dealt.

Alas, will we need hit-and-run units, and/or those skrimishers are already hit-and-run units?

Arty Shells:
I'd suggest changing the Explosive shell's casing into a more brittle(possibly heavy) material(so when it explodes, it creates sharpnels). I think a thin(cast?) iron case is good enough to create sharp shrapnels.

Arty-armed sloops:
Have those sloops hit the things the 6lb cannon can't, for example the bombardiers. Don't get them to any areas that enemies can shoot at, unless all enemies that can shoot there is distracted. Or, "Kite'em".

[evilcherry]

I guess its time for you guys to agree on something.

[Nirur Torir]

As far as I can tell, 3_14159 is the only one who doesn't want design phase artillery. I want Shrapnel shells, while H4za4d seems to want HE fragmentation shells. 3_14159 wants to retrain our men for small squad tactics. Everyone is busy eating popcorn while we argue.

Design action: Shrapnel shells for the "Breech" and domestic smokeless powder production.

[3_14159]

As far as I can tell, 3_14159 is the only one who doesn't want design phase artillery. I want Shrapnel shells, while H4za4d seems to want HE fragmentation shells. 3_14159 wants to retrain our men for small squad tactics. Everyone is busy eating popcorn while we argue.

I was thinking more about packet movement, and moving away from line infantry since I figured a revision would be enough for our artillery. Using it as a design action, however, works.

Design action: Shrapnel shot for the "Breech" and domestic smokeless powder production.

Can we add HE shells? I.e.

Design action: Shrapnel shot and HE shell for the "Breech" and domestic smokeless powder production.

Or do you believe that to be too ambitious?

[Nirur Torir]

I really want to keep it as simple as possible. If we're trying for two shells and the other half or so of smokeless powder, I fear that we'd need to use a revise action or two to make them safe to use.
If we have AP shells for ships and fortifications, and shrapnel shells for infantry, does HE-frag fills an immediately needed role? We might be able to fit them into a revise action after we have more experience with shell design, or use them in a design action combined with better explosive compounds.

(Correction: I meant shrapnel shells, not shrapnel shot. Sorry.)

[3_14159]

I really want to keep it as simple as possible. If we're trying for two shells and the other half or so of smokeless powder, I fear that we'd need to use a revise action or two to make them safe to use.
If we have AP shells for ships and fortifications, and shrapnel shells for infantry, does HE-frag fills an immediately needed role? We might be able to fit them into a revise action after we have more experience with shell design, or use them in a design action combined with better explosive compounds.

(Correction: I meant shrapnel shells, not shrapnel shot. Sorry.)

I do believe that HE shells are a better long-term solution (they mostly did obsolete shrapnel shells, after all). However, they require certain manufacturing capabilities, which might make shrapnel more immediately useful. So, +1 to your proposal.

[H4zardZ1]

Sorry, i meant if you use HE shells, i'd suggest one of it is a HE-Frag shell.

Also, since shrapnel shells shoot shrapnels in a single direction, it won't hit our skrimishers unless they missed the shot/exploding the fuze (way?)too early.

[evilcherry]

I guess its a Frag shell and somehow trying to invent some HE inside. Hang on...


HE shells for Breech Cannon
By using imported smokeless powder, a functional HE shell was designed. The main catch is that due to the limited barrel strength and propelling capacity of the Breech cannon, the shell has to be made as light as possible. The solution is to encase a lot of gunpowder in a thin layer of iron alloy, which is strong enough for firing, but not really adequate in shrapnel-production. A fickle time fuse controlled everything, just like the original design of the breech cannon, and premature explosions or duds are relatively common.

You also successfully converted some of your distillery into chemical plants, which should make smokeless powder complex this turn, and not complex the turn after.

[Nirur Torir]

Well, it's still better than AP shells.

To do list:
Artillery:
 Revise to fix the artillery shell fuse.
Rifles:
 Design metal rifle bullets and a (possibly revised) magazine-fed rifle.
 OR
 Revise to fix the rifle sights so they'll be simple next turn.
Doctrines:
 Design Skirmishers and camo.
 (?)Design trench warfare.
Navy:
 Design a bigger ship, with lots of cannons.
 OR
 Revise the armed sloops to use a rifled cannon.
 AND
 (2-3 design actions)Design an ironclad.
Other:
 Design steam engines, hopefully including trains.


What are we designing next turn? I'd like to go for the semi-automatic rifle, but we're technologically alright on the land front. If we revise our rifles and the artillery fuse now, I could be convinced to vote for 2-3 turns spent getting ironclad ships.
I'd prefer to revise the armed sloops to use rifled cannons and fix the artillery shells, then design rifle ammo + revise to semi-auto rifles next turn.
Rifles + sloop revision this turn with skirmishers next turn would also be pretty nice. I do want skirmishers, now that our cannons are more than just giant, slow reloading rifles.

[3_14159]

You also successfully converted some of your distillery into chemical plants, which should make smokeless powder complex this turn, and not complex the turn after.

I admit, that's the best outcome we could hope for. For reference, we can, in the next turn, issue:
- One modified Patriot Rifle per soldier, up from one per ten
- Enough field guns, up from enough for 1/10th
- Enough rotary cannons.
That's extremely awesome.

I'd prefer to revise the armed sloops to use rifled cannons and fix the artillery shells

Seconded.

[Nirur Torir]

I think our modified Patriot Rifles will still be complex, from the metal sights.

Fix the fuse problems for our the "Breech" cannons.
Revise the armed sloops to use "Breech" cannons.

GM Question: Will we need an action to switch the basic Patriot Rifles from black powder ammo to the smokeless powder ammo the modified version uses?