Combat PhaseWinter 1951Turn 4The United Nations War Crimes CouncilToskesh has brought the UNWCC's attention to one of Nogrania's latest inventions: the NAF-NMG-51 "Wictor". They claim it is a violation of Protocol VI on
Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Automatic Weaponry, of the
Geneva Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious, Have Indiscriminate Effects, or Greatly Enable and Encourage the Pursuant of Armed Conflicts Between Nations. The UNWCC has taken this claim very seriously and called both Nogranian and Toskesh officials to the War Crimes Tribunal to determine whether or not a violation has occurred.
Both sides have until the Strategy Phase of next turn to submit a
500 word argument explaining why the NAF-NMG-51 "Wictor" does or does not violate Protocol VI of the Geneva Conventions. The UNWCC will listen to both sides, examine the accused instrument, and come to a just ruling. Should the ruling be to find the instrument in violation, the offending side will receive a fair sentence proportional to their violation. Should the ruling be to find the instrument not a violation, then the case will be dismissed; depending on how frivolous the accusation was, this may hurt future cases! Limit of 1 submission per player. Best submissions from each side will be used.
Technological DevelopmentsIn response to Toskesh's Xi-52 Dài-I Zha-Buqiang, Nogrania has produced an assault rifle of their own this turn. Named the
NAF-BC-51 "Rabid", it is designed to replace the Kotow semi-auto rifle modification they've deployed earlier this year. It fires .280 caliber rounds out of a single-column 30-round "banana" magazine. It's a fairly light, narrow gun, and it comes with rails on the perforated barrel shroud to allow grips and sights to be attached. A recoil spring in the wooden stock helps make the kick-back manageable, and overall it is lighter, more reliable, and simply a better gun than their old Kotow. Most notable is the unique trigger system which permits a greater rate of fire. The weapon comes in three firing modes: Full-Reset, Half-Reset, and Semi-Auto. Full-Reset causes the trigger to fully reset into the "ready" position when the bolt cycles, meaning the user simply has to maintain pressure on trigger to fire rapidly. Half-Reset moves the trigger halfway back to the "ready" position, but the user must manually move his finger the last half to allow the trigger to reset for the next firing. Semi-Auto is simply a semi-automatic firing mode. The perforated metal shroud can be replaced with a solid stainless steel shroud, which can then be filled with water in order to prepare tea.
For their revision Nogrania has developed the
Nogrania Soldiers Uniform 1951. Essentially a modern uniform for a modern war, the solid-color uniforms are now partially washed with darker dyes in order to produce blotchy off-color patterns in order to break up the wearer's outline. The helmet is deepened to give it a vague soup-bowl shape, which affords better protection for the wearer. Most appreciated by the troops, however, are woolen gloves. Attempts to build flak jackets are stymied, as Nogranian engineers didn't have enough time to begin development. Their time was instead spent researching Nylon and fibreglass, so they should be set to produce working examples on their next attempt.
Nogrania MilitaryGround Forces
Nogrania Mills Bomb – British grenades, developed in 1915. Features a distinctive “pineapple” shape, a pin, and lever spoon. Relatively heavy grenades with a seven second fuse, which results in infantry typically “cooking” them for a few seconds before throwing. The grooved surface results in unpredictable shrapnel spread. Not terribly useful for anti-infantry use due to the long cook-off time and short range, but can be used to throw off the tread of a tank or clear small areas. 1 Ore. [Cheap].
NG-11 “Earsplitter” Revolver – Standard infantry sidearm, proudly produced in Nogrania. Named after the deafening bang produced by the short-barrel 0.50” rounds. Six cylinder with a stiff trigger, single-action hammer, and smooth-bore barrel. Reloading is slow and requires spent shells to be ejected one at a time, meaning it is rarely reloaded during combat. Recoil makes it difficult to use, but has high stopping power and is accurate out to 40 yards, if the user is a decent shot. 1 Ore. [Cheap].
NAF-BC-51 "Rabid" – A .280 caliber 30-round banana-magazine assault rifle, with Full-Reset, Half-Reset, and Semi-Auto firing options. Features rails on the perforated barrel shroud for grips and sights and a recoil spring in the wooden stock. Reliable, sturdy, and fairly accurate. Can be equipped with a solid stainless steel barrel shroud for preparing tea. 1 Ore. [Cheap].
NAF-NMG-51 "Wictor" – A modified variant of a copy of the famous Vickers Machine Gun, chambered for .303 caliber rounds. Uses a crank and a semi-auto limited to achieve rapid rates of fire. Frequently jams, terribly inaccurate, produces heated water for tea. Requires six men to move, or a horse. 2 Ore. [Cheap].
NG-31 “Ironcaster” Fieldgun – A 2” light artillery piece developed during Japans expansion in the Pacific, this relatively inexpensive cannon was designed to be quickly moved from place-to-place in order to rapidly defend Nogrania's shores. It finished development an entire month after Toskesh's 50mm “Sunrise” fieldgun, but the design team is quick to point out that it is 0.8 mm larger and therefor superior. Though the range was too short to target ships offshore, it was ideal for hitting beachheads during landings and retreating out of danger. It requires a truck to be towed from place to place, but with the Geneva Conventions that is no longer possible. We’ve taken the liberty of knocking the wheels off the frame and attaching skids to allow it to be pulled by horse, fulfilling compliance with Article IV of the Conventions. It’s still a decent gun, but not ideal for offense any more. 3 Ore. [Cheap].
SPAT-35 “Thatcher” Pattern 4 V3 – The Thatcher was designed soon after Toskesh's first Mobile Artillery piece came to the field and has featured numerous upgrades over the years to keep in step with enemy designs. Featuring a closed-in Ironcaster artillery piece with an extended barrel, the tank is turtle-shaped and low to the ground. It features a reasonably powerful engine, but has thin armor, a cramped interior, and a limited ammo load. The Thatcher does not feature any anti-infantry machinegun ports and relies on support to avoid being overrun. Tends to perform better in rougher terrain with plenty of cover and concealment, in order to make up for its weaker armor and small ammo load. It was struggling to stay relevant, even before it was made illegal by Article IV of the Geneva Conventions. 6 Ore, 3 Oil. [ILLEGAL]. [Very Expensive].
NAF-SPAT-51 "Paradigm" – Nogrania's first attempt at a legal mobile artillery piece. Uses four stumpy legs that make use of hydraulics to move in a crawling zig-zag pattern. Not fast by any means. Makes use of the 2" Ironcaster Field Gun as the main armament. Low ground clearance and exposed engine and crew. Must stop in order to fire, but is surprisingly stable. Can "rest" on its belly if all legs are in "push" configuration. Five crew members. Completely unarmored save for a thin shield mounted on the gun. 5 Ore, 3 Oil. [Very Expensive].
NAF-AFW-51 "Hippo" Hexapod – A six-legged tank walker. Reasonably fast. Light armor on the body, Thin armor on the legs. 2" Ironcaster in a hydraulic-powered turret is the main armament, with optional mountings for machineguns in the coaxial port and pintle mount on the cupola - now filled with Wictor NMG's! Plenty of room inside for ammo, but no tea-making station, thus requiring the greasy water from the Wictor water-cooling jackets to be used instead. Can't turn and move at the same time, and very vulnerable to damage. 7 Ore, 3 Oil. [Very Expensive].
Air Forces
NAF-UH-51 "Draft" – Nogrania's first helicopter. Uses two Shire turboshaft engines for power, mounted in the nose. Engines will flame-out in wet weather, and the craft itself will capsize in inclement weather. Can carry 1 pilot and 5 passengers, or 1 pilot, 3 passengers, and 2 Wictor NMG's mounted on the doors. Tricycle landing gear, no armor, pilot cabin mounted over the fuselage to make room for the engines. Angled tail boom, two blades on the main rotor, and a tea-making station in the pilots cabin. 4 Ore, 5 Oil, 1 Cobalt, 1 Aluminum. [Very Expensive]
Locus 1944 V4 – Originally envisioned as a cheap aircraft, the Locus was ultimately over-designed and exceeded its targeted cost. Reasonably fast with a V12 motor, the Locus is a fixed-wing monoplane. Equipped with two Wickers and a two hard points on the wings to which 110 pound bombs can be attached, allowing it to pull double duty as both a fighter and dive bomber. Guns overheat quickly, and it features a rather sluggish roll rate and stability issues. Rendered illegal by Article V of the Geneva Conventions. 4 Ore, 4 Oil, 1 Aluminum. [ILLEGAL]. [Very Expensive].
Naval Forces
Herald-Class Destroyer – Little more than an upgraded steamboat, the Herald-Class features two 2” Ironcaster field guns mounted in closed turrets; one fore, and one aft. Two Wictor Not-Machine Guns serve as anti-air defense, replacing the previous Wicker machine guns. The ship is powered by two oil-fired boilers. The ship is reasonably well-armored, but its small engine and armament keeps it light at a displacement of 1,100 tons. 6 Ore, 2 Oil. [Very Expensive].
NAF-UV-51 "Whale" – A gutted Herald-class Destroyer, used for transporting goods. No armor, no guns. Conning tower, crew quarters, and deck have been either removed or reduced to allow for cargo space. Has some issues with balance, but is fine for calmer waters. 4 Ore, 2 Oil. +1 TC (Sea). [Expensive]
Misc.
NAF-TS-51 "Shire" – Nogrania's first turboshaft engine. Modern by our standards, and by the standards of other countries from half a decade ago. Reasonably powerful, but with high oil costs. 2 Oil, 1 Cobalt. [Cheap]
Wallace Truck – A simple diesel-powered truck. Four-wheel drive enabled, straight-six engine, and with enough room in the bed for ten soldiers to sit comfortably...although it can no longer be used for such purposes. Originally designed to transport military equipment, the Wallace is now only used for transporting raw goods. 4 Ore, 2 Oil. Provides +1 TC (Land). [Expensive].
NG-AMR "Opera House" Pattern 2 – Surprisingly advanced for our technologically stunted nation, the Opera House is a vacuum-tube AM radio small enough to be worn as a rather heavy backpack. Infantry wearing this radio must forgo any equipment more heavy than their rifle or risk becoming over-encumbered. A handset is attached via cord, allowing the user to communicate quickly and easily. Communications are entirely unencrypted, but luckily the enemy doesn’t speak English. The Opera House can be added to vehicles for no added cost or weight. 1 Ore. [Cheap].
Nogrania Soldiers Uniform 1951 – Uniform distributed to most Nogrania soldiers. Grayish-green in color with blotchy off-colored dyed patches, it features stylish canvas leggings to go over the boots, a bandolier rig to hold ammo, grenades, and anything else the soldier might need, and a light overcoat for colder weather. Helmet is a vaguely soup bowl-style design made of mild steel, and provides minimal protection. Comes with woolen gloves and leather patches on the elbows and knees to make crawling and kneeling easier. 1 Oil. [Cheap].
Heroes
Corporal Ellis Green – A tanker promoted to Acting Corporal when war resumed in Serouda, later promoted to Corporal. His actions prevented the western flank of an infantry assault from being crumbled by artillery fire. Performed admirably in the Battle for the Ridgeline of Questionable Strategic Value. Spearheaded a push to regain a foothold in the Fjords. Fit for Duty.
Starting Resources:
Starting: 2/1
U.N. : 1/1
Available TC: 2
3 Ore, 2 Oil, 1 Cobalt
Economic Development Track:
2/3 -> 1 Ore Import
Available Credits:
1 Resource Credit
1 Research Assistance Credit
Toskesh starts their development this year with an
incredibly ambitious rocket project, which ultimately resulted in a more modest medium rocket artillery piece named the
Type-51w 'Huā zi' MRRL(Muti-Role-Rocket-Laucher), despite having a more singular role than initially intended. The rocket artillery piece features 2x4 steel tubes each containing a single 750 mm long 80 mm caliber rocket with cordite propellant and a modest HE warhead and stubby stabilizing fins. It has a respectable range of about 5 km's with a modest area of affect. Accuracy is comparably worse than either sides field guns, but the Type-51w has a significantly greater range and a much higher instantaneous rate of fire as all tubes can be fired one after another without having to reload each shot. Reloading all the tubes at once takes a long time though, and the exhaust is quite noticeable from a long way off. The back-blast is also quite dangerous and able to set flammable objects such as grass, rubber, or wooden decks on fire. It can be used to swap out the Sunrise cannons on the Qi-Chu and Dogbite destroyer for +1 Oil each, but a large curved steel shielding plate must be put in place to protect the area behind the artillery. Like the Sunrise gun, it must be pulled from place-to-place on a sled by horses.
For their revision they've developed the
“Jin Na” SMRL, a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher that unfortunately does not live up to its Hippo-killing namesake. It "fires" a 105 mm rocket - which is quite literally the biggest SMRL in the world - out of a meter-long muzzle-loaded tube. The propellant charge is necked-down from the massive HE warhead and utilizes cordite and a barely-functional magneto sparkler ignition, but does not feature enough thrust to work properly. Furthermore, without any fins the rocket will corkscrew off in random directions frequently - essentially, it is non-functional as an offensive weapon. However, the Toskesh design team has learned a great deal from the attempt and should be able to produce a more functional weapon on their next try.
Toskesh MilitaryGround Forces
Toskesh Model 24NG Grenade – A cheap copy of China’s cheap copy of Germany’s “Model 1924 Stielhandgranate”. Essentially an explosive charge on the end of a stick, which lets the user throw the device further and harder. Not particularly reliable and does a poor job of damaging anything more heavily armored than sheet metal, but is light and easy for troops to use. 1 Ore. [Cheap].
Meng 35 – Proudly designed and produced in Toskesh. Designed in 1935 during the interwar period, this 9 mm handgun features an 8-round magazine and is accurate out to 20 meters. Does not feature iron sights. Does not feature a safety. Does not feature a trigger guard. Reliable even when dropped in mud, and easy to reload. 1 Ore. [Cheap].
Xi-52 Dài-I Zha-Buqiang – Toskesh's first semi-automatic assault rifle. Fires 8 mm rounds out of a thirty-round magazine. Long-stroke gas piston, stamped-metal receiver, and two rails on the top and bottom. Mostly made of metal, with a sturdy wooden stock. Ammo is red and blue, making it very patriotic. Rarely fires out-of-battery. 1 Ore. [Cheap].
Type-51a Páoxiāo de léi shēng RGL – First repeating grenade launcher in the world. Fires 25 mm rounds out of a box magazine, and features a blow-forward semi-auto chambering system. Has a wooden stock due to high recoil. Heavy, meaning soldiers must give up their rifle to carry it. Struggles to crack Thin armor. Can be mounted as a fixed emplacement. 2 Ore. [Cheap].
“Jin Na” SMRL – A shoulder-mounted rocket launcher, named after the late Jin Na. Does not work. 1 Ore, 1 Oil. [Cheap].
Type-51b Páoxiāo de léi shēng RGL – 45 mm variant of the Type-51a. Too heavy for infantry to realistically use unless absolutely necessary. Can crack Thin armor, and with lots of effort can penetrate Light armor as well. Most useful as a fixed emplacement. 2 Ore. [Cheap].
Type 24.1 HMG – A knock-off of the original Type 24, the 24.1 is chambered in 7.92 mm. It is a top-fed water-cooled fully automatic machinegun. Usually supported by a tripod and a crew of four, it is typically used in defensive emplacements against air and infantry assaults. Already inferior to modern machineguns, the Type 24.1 was recently declared illegal by Article VI of the Geneva Conventions on Conventional Weaponry. 2 Ore. [ILLEGAL]. [Cheap].
TOS-31 “Sunrise” Fieldgun – A 50mm light artillery piece developed during Japans expansion in the Pacific, this relatively inexpensive cannon was designed to be quickly moved from place-to-place in order to rapidly defend Toskesh’s shores. It’s sadly 0.8 mm smaller than Nogrania's 2-inch “Ironcaster” fieldgun, but the design team is quick to point out that it was produced one month faster and therefor superior. Though the range was too short to target ships offshore, it was ideal for hitting beachheads during landings and retreating out of danger. It requires a truck to be towed from place to place, but with the Geneva Conventions that is no longer possible. We’ve taken the liberty of knocking the wheels off the frame and attaching skids to allow it to be pulled by horse, fulfilling compliance with Article IV of the Conventions. It’s still a decent gun, but not ideal for offense any more. 3 Ore. [Cheap].
Type-51w 'Huā zi' MRRL(Muti-Role-Rocket-Laucher) – A medium rocket artillery piece. Range of about 5 km's, eight tubes of 80 mm rockets. Long load times, but high fire rate. Can be mounted on the Qi-Chu or Dogbite for +1 Oil, but requires a steel shield to prevent the backblast from igniting the deck or melting the rubber skirt. Inaccurate. High-Explosive warheads. 1 Ore, 3 Oil. [Expensive].
IFT-29 “Wuhan” Pattern D.3 – Toskesh's most recently developed tank, the Wuhan has featured numerous upgrades over the years to keep it up-to-par with Nogrania designs. It was originally designed as Mobile Artillery but evolved into an Infantry Fighting Tank as warfare evolved on Serouda. It uses a slimmed-down Sunrise cannon for the main armament, and the shells are primarily HE for soft targets or solid shot for enemy armor. It is equipped with a top-mounted Type 24.1 for anti-infantry. It’s reasonably light, but box-shaped and plagued by a faulty and under-powered engine, hand-cranked turret rotation, and poor suspension. It tends to do better in flat, open terrain where the weak engine and poor suspension are less of an issue. It was struggling to stay relevant, even before it was made illegal by Article IV of the Geneva Conventions. 6 Ore, 3 Oil. [ILLEGAL]. [Very Expensive].
Xi-51b Qi-Chu – The first hovercraft ever developed. Uses two Type 51 Turboshaft engines to inflate the skirt, lift the craft, and provide propulsion. Uses two stationary rearward-facing fans with rudders for navigation. Features a 50 mm Sunrise Field Gun as the main armament and four (not very useful) stabilizing legs. Large air intake and fans prevent the craft from firing rearward. Burns fuel at a staggering rate. Skirt is divided into eight sections to make it more resilient against enemy fire. Cannon can be removed to give up to eight soldiers a ride. Quite fast, but fragile. Turboshafts flame-out in wet weather. 4 Ore, 5 Oil, 1 Cobalt. [Very Expensive].
Air Forces
Immortal Mk.III-B – A fixed-wing monoplane. Features a 9-cylinder radial engine, gull-wings, and two Type-24.1’s. Pulls double-duty as both a fighter and dive bomber, with a single hard-point allowing up to 100 kg bombs to be attached. Guns tend to jam in high altitude and cold weather, and elevator will lock up at high speeds. Rendered illegal by Article V of the Geneva Conventions. 4 Ore, 4 Oil, 1 Aluminum. [ILLEGAL]. [Very Expensive].
Naval Forces
TOSN-34 “Dogbite” Destroyer – Little more than an upgraded steamboat, the Dogbite features three 50 mm Sunrise field guns mounted in open turrets; two fore, and one aft. Two Type 24.1’s serve as anti-air defense, but they have been removed in accordance with Article VI of the Conventions. The ship is powered by three coal-fired boilers using their own coal as protection to the port and starboard sides. The ship is virtually unarmored, otherwise making it fairly quick and light at a displacement of 1,100 long tons. 6 Ore, 2 Oil. [Very Expensive].
Misc.
Lingxin-Chao Pattern A Truck – A simple diesel-powered truck. Four-wheel drive enabled, straight-six engine, and with enough room in the bed for ten soldiers to sit comfortably, although it can no longer be used for such purposes. Originally designed to transport military equipment, the Lingxin-Chao Pattern A is now only used for transporting raw goods. 3 Ore, 2 Oil. Provides +1 TC. [Expensive].
Mk.4 Wireless Radio – Surprisingly advanced for our technologically stunted nation, the Mk. 4 is a vacuum-tube AM radio small enough to be worn as a rather heavy backpack. Infantry wearing this radio must forgo any equipment more heavy than their rifle or risk becoming over-encumbered. A handset is attached via cord, allowing the user to communicate quickly and easily. Communications are entirely unencrypted, but luckily the enemy doesn’t speak Mandarin Chinese. The Mk. 4 can be added to vehicles for no added cost or weight. 1 Ore. [Cheap].
Toskesh Standard Uniform 1935 – A standard uniform. Designed to be worn in layers for varying temperatures, going from a drab-green shirt and trousers to a heavy wool overcoat. Belt is equipped with pouches for ammo, hooks for grenades, and pockets for anything else a soldier might need. Helmet is thin, mild steel in a vague bowl-shape, more for show than for actual protection. Does not come with gloves, but does come with a stylish pair of suspenders to help hold up the wearers trousers and heavy belt. Features standard variants for airmen and tank crews. 1 Oil. [Cheap].
Type 51 Turboshaft – A slightly better turboshaft than our first attempt. Meets a more adequate power requirement through a more intelligent and efficient design. Produces more power for the same amount of fuel, but still obsolete by more modern standards. 1 Oil, 1 Cobalt. [Cheap].
Heroes
Private 1st Class Jin Na – Toskesh hero, gained notoriety when she single-handily saved her squad from a Hippo tank walker using nothing but her quick wits and a Xi-52 Dài-I. Fatally wounded by a Wictor NMG mounted on a Hippo tank walker during an assault on Nogrania Ironcaster emplacements in the Badlands. Killed in Action.
Starting Resources:
Starting: 2/1
U.N. : 1/1
Available TC: 1
3 Ore, 1 Oil, 1 Cobalt
Economic Development Track:
1/3 -> 1 Ore Import
Available Credits:
1 Resource Credit
Author
Topic: Arms Race: Iron Behemoths - Toskesh - GAME OVER (Read 47300 times)