Combat PhaseWinter 1952Turn 8Espionage!Snow falls in Toskesh. Chunks of ice float in the harbor, bobbing up and down in the dark water. The yellow glow of sodium-vapor lights illuminates the frozen walkways, all vacant save for a single shady figure wrapped in a trench coat against the chill night air. Ahead of him looms the Ziyou-52 Merchant Vessel, the only one in Toskesh’s entire fleet. It’s scheduled to pull out of the harbor this week to receive another shipment of supplies to help aid the war effort, but for now it slumbers by the loading docks. A few unlucky guards stand around it in the cold air, and our friend in the trench coat approaches the one by the gangplank. They exchange a few words. The guard nods and lights up a cigarette as the shady figure boards the ship. Thirty minutes later they nod to one another as he disembarks.
At 6:25 am the next morning, an explosion rocks the harbor. The merchant vessel tilts, and then a secondary explosion rips the starboard side apart when the fuel tank ignites. Alarm bells ring and fire fighters rush into the harbor to save what they can, but there’s little to be done. The Ziyou-52 tips over onto its side and quickly settles on the harbor floor. Reports trickle in of sabotage and a shady figure seen prowling around the night before, but he’s nowhere to be found. The ship – and the cargo it brings in – is gone.
Toskesh is unable to use the Ziyou-52 this turn and loses the TC it provides.Spec Ops Deployments!The swamps are deadly silent in the winter night. The only beacon of light in this particular stretch of emptiness is a small fenced-in square of land. Barbed wire tops the wooden walls and guard towers lazily sweep their spotlights across the undisturbed snow around the compound. Some distance away a few helicopters swoop in low over the twisted trees and settle down on a small clearing. Armed men, dressed in black and moving quickly, disembark. Two helicopters unload a few heavy bundles of metal, which the men quickly assemble into a Duke artillery piece. A couple men stay by the weapon while the rest disappear into the trees.
Back at the compound, a report comes in. Nogranian helicopters, operating under the cover of darkness, have been spotted flying in from the south. The commander chuckles and waves away the message. Nogranians? Out here? What could they possibly have to gain operating this far north? That's when the first artillery round comes sailing in and blasts apart the gatehouse. Instantly gunfire lights up the night and tears apart the guard towers. Men in black uniforms storm into the compound, eliminating guards with surgical precision. Within minutes the helicopters have joined them, circling overhead with NMG's at the ready. The camp is cleared quickly, leaving only the Nogranian Spec Ops and the gulag prisoners. Numerous photographs are taken, and within half an hour all the prisoners are loaded onto the Drafts and evacuated out with the rest of the Spec Ops. The Duke is destroyed to prevent it from being recovered, and by the time Toskesh reinforcements arrive the only thing left in the camp - other than the dead - is a single metal thermos and a note. On the bottom of the thermos is engraved "Property of the National Nogranian Operations Service".
The note simply reads "Cherrio, you twats!"
Technological DevelopmentsThis turn Nogrania has built the
NAF-NMG-52 "Emu", a new NMG to replace their Wictor. It makes good use of the forty-plus years of innovation since the Vickers machine gun, using improved heat-resistant metals and more reliable internal mechanisms. The round is increased from .303 to .50, and when considered with the overall design of the gun the Emu bears a remarkable resemblance to the USA’s M2 Browning. The crank is integrated into the base design and fitted with a speed limiter to prevent enthusiastic gunners from inadvertently causing jams. It’s far more accurate than the Wictor, though cranking the handle causes a noticeable – but predictable – sway. It requires a minimum of two men to crew and carry. An optional water jacket can be used to boil water for tea, but it results in metallic-tasting water.
For their revision Nogrania has put in for a “Winterproofing” modification to their equipment to make it more reliable in the cold. Engines come with block heaters and winter mixtures for fuel, lubricant, and anti-freeze are developed. Walkers are fitted with “snowshoe” attachments to prevent them from sinking into the snow, and troops are given some nice heavy winter coats and thermoses.
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 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-52 "Emu" – Nogrania’s newest NMG. Similar in appearance to the M2 Browning. Fires .50 caliber rounds and is fitted with an ergonomic crank for rapid fire. Speed limiters, improved internals, and heat-resistant metals improve reliability. Requires two men to operate and move. Can be fitted with a water jacket to boil water for tea, but gives it a metallic taste. Reasonably accurate, but tends to sway during operation. 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].
NAF-NG-52 "Duke" – A 4” pack howitzer. Can be disassembled and reassembled, in order to ease transport. Range extends out to about 5.3 miles and has a fire rate ranging from 6-8 rpm. A single Duke must be split into two or more loads to allow a Draft to be able to carry it. Comes with a handy-dandy range-finding sheet pasted to the Thin shield giving estimated shell travel times per elevation angle. 3 Ore. [Cheap].
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 4" Duke artillery piece 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. [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-MAB-52 "Condor" Airship – A massive airship, using a duralumin frame. Leaks hydrogen like a sieve, and is highly susceptible to ground-fire. Struggles to fight higher wind-speeds at higher altitudes. Equipped with numerous Wictor AA emplacements, just in case. Six engines and six propellers. Numerous gondolas. Comes with parachutes, life-rafts, and tea-making stations. 6 Ore, 6 Oil, 2 Aluminum, +2 TC (Air). [National Effort].
NAF-UH-51 "Draft" – Nogrania's first helicopter. Uses two upgraded Shire turboshaft engines for power, mounted in the nose. Prone to capsizing 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, 4 Oil, 1 Cobalt, 1 Aluminum. [Very Expensive]
Naval Forces
Herald-Class Destroyer – Little more than an upgraded steamboat, the Herald-Class features two 4” Duke artillery pieces 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. [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). [Cheap].
NAF-PG-51 "Red Herring" – A light Patrol Gunboat. Features an Ironcaster in an open turret and four Wictor NMG’s. Uses three rudders to generate the Lürssen effect for greater efficiency and open-ocean travel. Three diesel engines, non-existent armor, and high speeds. 99 long tons when fully loaded and crewed. 4 Ore, 3 Oil. [Expensive].
Misc.
NAF-TS-52 "Shire" – Nogrania's first turboshaft engine, upgraded for better fuel efficiency and moisture tolerance. Modern by our standards, and by the standards of other countries from half a decade ago. Reasonably powerful, but not cutting-edge. 1 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). [Cheap].
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, 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. Single-handedly repelled an assault on an over-run portion of Nogrania’s front lines in the Spring of 1952, earning him the Military Cross. Tank was destroyed by a Toskesh Piāoqiè guānsī Hexapod Tank-Walker while defending in the Badlands in the Autumn of 1952. Killed in Action.
Dylan McFinnigan – Olympic Heavy-Weight boxer. Did not gain a medal, but held his own for two rounds despite a humble background of barfighting. Lost at sea while defending Nogrania’s port in the Autumn of 1952. Missing in Action.
Resources:
Starting: 2/1/1Co (No TC Req.)
U.N. : 1/1
E.D.T. : 1/1
Available TC: 3 (1 Land)(1 Sea - Blockaded)(2 Air)
4 Ore, 2 Oil, 1 Cobalt
Economic Development Track: Level 3
1/4 -> 1 Unique Resource
Available Credits:
1 Research Assistance Credit
This turn Toskesh has advanced progress on one of their secret projects, renaming it to
“Project Suànpán”. Little else is known about it at this time.
For their revision, Toskesh developed the
Xi-52 Yīfānfēngshùn Artillery Rocket modification. It consists of a number of small improvements to their rockets to increase accuracy, such as fold-out fins on their MRRL and SMRL’s and rifling the barrels. The bracket size for the field and ship-mounted versions of their Type-51w 'Huā zi' MRRL is increased from 8 to 20, and optional drag-fins can be engaged to decrease the minimum range of the rockets. A few other features were unable to be implemented due to time constraints.
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 X-52b – A shoulder-mounted rocket launcher, named after the late Jin Na. 80 mm warhead, cordite propellant. Reasonably accurate. Barrel is rifled, rockets are fed in through the front and come with fold-out fins. Magneto sparkler ignition, wood-padded steel tube. 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].
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].
Xi-52 Yīfānfēngshùn Artillery Rocket – A medium rocket artillery piece. Range of about 5-6 km's, with either eight or twenty tubes of 80 mm rockets. Long load times, but high fire rate. Can be mounted on the Qi-Chu (max eight tubes) or Dogbite for +1 Oil, but requires a steel shield to prevent the backblast from igniting the deck or melting the rubber skirt. Reasonably accurate. High-Explosive warheads, fold-out fins, rifled tubes. 1 Ore, 3 Oil. [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, or be replaced by a Yīfānfēngshùn with a steel backblast shield for +1 Oil. Quite fast, but fragile. Turboshafts flame-out in wet weather. 4 Ore, 5 Oil, 1 Cobalt. [Very Expensive]. [Rocket variant National Effort for 1 more turn].
Piāoqiè guānsī (Copyright Infingement) Hexapod Tank-Walker – A reverse-engineered copy of Nogrania’s Hippo Tank-Walker and our first post-Geneva Convention mobile armor piece. A six-legged tank walker. Reasonably fast. Light armor on the body, Thin armor on the legs. 50 mm Sunrise cannon in a hydraulic-powered turret is the main armament, with optional mounting for a machinegun in the coaxial port (left empty for now). A Type-51a Páoxiāo de léi shēng RGL (25 mm) is pintle mounted on the cupola. Plenty of room inside for ammo, but no tea-making station. Can't turn and move at the same time, and very vulnerable to damage. Features the insult "From Toskesh, with Love to [Insert Nogranian Hero here]" etched into the right flank in Mandarin Chinese. Also features handles and stubby platforms to facilitate troops hitching rides. 7 Ore, 3 Oil. [Very Expensive]. [National Effort for 1 more turn].
Air Forces
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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. [Expensive]. [Very Expensive for 1 more turn].
Yāngē-class Citadel Destroyer – A large destroyer/small cruiser. Features twelve 50 mm Sunrise cannons mounted in pairs in Medium-armor turrets, of which only 4 can be brought to bear at any one time. A Xi-52 Yīfānfēngshùn Artillery Rocket is mounted amidship for off-shore bombardments. Thin hull armor but Heavy citadel armor. Uses two super-sized gas-turbines and "Foldable Hanging Beds™". Can keep pace with the Dogbite. 8 Ore, 4 Oil, 1 Cobalt. [National Effort].
Zìyóu-52 Merchant Vessel – A massive merchant vessel at 20,000 long tons. Features three up-sized Type-51 turboshaft engines. Minimal crew and crew accommodations. Features no armor, weapons, or cranes, and requires docks equipped to help off-load cargo. Cargo capacity is approximately 18,000 long tons. 10 Ore, 5 Oil, 1 Cobalt. +3 TC (Sea). [National Effort]. [Theoretical for 1 more turn].
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 (Land). [Cheap]. [Expensive for 1 more turn].
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.
Commander Zhao De – A naval hero. His quick-thinking allowed Toskesh to cement their control over the sea bordering the Fjords, sinking an enemy Herald with a vicious close-range rocket barrage. Eliminated Nogranian Hero McFinnigan while enforcing a blockade around the Nogranian Capitol. Fit for Duty.
Resources:
Starting: 2/1/1Co (No T.C. Req.)
U.N. : 1/1
USSR: 1/0
Available TC: 1 (1 Land)(3 Sea – Blocked for 1 turn)
3 Ore, 1 Oil, 1 Cobalt
Economic Development Track: Level 1
2/3 -> 1 Ore Import
Available Credits:
Author
Topic: Arms Race: Iron Behemoths - Nogrania - GAME OVER (Read 53468 times)