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[evictedSaint]

Combat Phase
Spring 1953
Turn 9

Economical Developments:
As the war grows more heated, foreign powers begin to grow more and more invested in our little patch of nowhere.  This, in turn, has sparked some economic investors to consider our fledgling nations for exploitation investment.  Both Nogrania and Toskesh have the opportunity to attract a foreign investor to open a new Oil production facility.  These investors, despite being remarkably shady corporations, are interested in acquiring patents to cutting-edge weaponry.  You will need to choose which piece of technology to woo them with: you must pick one piece of weaponry you've developed to present to them.  Assuming the investors are adequately impressed with the technological capabilities of your nation, they may open a new Oil refinement facility in your capitol.  This extra resource will require TC to be utilized, but could be a much-needed boost for your economy.

The United Nations War Crimes Council
Nogrania has brought the UNWCC's attention to two of Toskesh's inventions: the Xi-52 Yīfānfēngshùn Artillery Rocket and the "Jin Na" SMRL X-52b.  They claim they are both a violation of Protocol V on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Fixed-Wing Aircraft, 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 Xi-52 Yīfānfēngshùn Artillery Rocket and the "Jin Na" SMRL X-52b do or do not violate Protocol V of the Geneva Conventions.  The UNWCC will listen to both sides, examine the accused instruments, 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 Developments

This turn Nogrania has built the NAF-AFW-52 "Rhino" Hexapod.  It is virtually identical to their Hippo Hexapod Tank-Walker, but features an increase in armor and cannon size for a correspondingly slower top speed and reload rate. 

For their revision they have developed the NAF-UH-51-A "Draught", a combat variant of their existing Draft helicopter.  Notable changes include forward-facing Emu's, detachable floats, and mountings for a pair of 110-pound bombs.  It also comes with a snazy black paint job.

Nogrania Military

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Ground 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 Emu NMG's! Plenty of room inside for ammo, but no tea-making station, thus requiring the metallic water from the Emu 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].

NAF-AFW-52 "Rhino" Hexapod – Virtually identical to the preceding Hippo Hexapod.  Medium speed.  Medium armor on the body, Light armor on the legs.  4" Duke in a hydraulic-powered turret is the main armament, with mountings in the coaxial port and cupola for Emu NMG's.  Can't move and turn at the same time.  No tea-making stations.  8 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. [Expensive].

NAF-UH-51-A "Draught" – A combat variant of the Draft.  Features two forward-facing Emu's in addition to the side-mounted Emu's, which can be simultaneously operated with each hand of a single passenger.  Comes with detachable floats to allow it to land on water.  Features two mountings for 110 lb bombs, though both must be dropped at once to maintain balance.  Painted black, so it looks really cool.  4 Ore, 4 Oil, 1 Cobalt, 1 Aluminum.  [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. [Cheap].

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].

Winterproofed Equipment – Proper block heaters, snowshoes for walkers, and winter mixtures for fuel and coolant means vehicles can operate without issue in colder climates.  1 Ore. [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: 4 (1 Land)(1 Sea)(2 Air)
4 Ore, 3 Oil, 1 Cobalt

Economic Development Track: Level 3
2/4 -> 1 Unique Resource

Available Credits:
1 Research Assistance Credit

After several turns of dedicated work, disastrous testing accidents, and tedious rework, Toskesh unveils their Project Suànpán to be the Xi-52-02 Xīwàng Kèzhì Xuá-Zhí - literally the most advanced dedicated attack helicopter in the world.  It features two in-line cockpits; one for the pilot, and the other for the gunner/radio operator.  The engine is their new Xi-53 Xìnlài de-series Turbine Engine, which was developed during their revision this turn and features a new innovative heat exchanger and intercooler system to produce a staggering amount of horsepower.  The exhaust is directed out the rear of the helicopter to bolster speed and the twin intakes are located above the cockpit to avoid taking in the exhaust from the Jin Na rockets mounted on either side beneath a pair of stubby wings.  It is a remarkably nimble helicopter despite being fully clad in Thin armor, though it does require a very skilled pilot and has a rather limited ammo supply.  Armament can vary from eight Jin Na rockets to a pair of 45 mm Repeating Grenade Launchers. 

Toskesh Military

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Ground 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. [Expensive]. [Rocket variant Very Expensive].

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].

Air Forces

Xi-52-02 Xīwàng Kèzhì Xuá-Zhí – A cutting-edge attack helicopter.  Features the new powerful Xìnlài de-series Turbine Engine, with intakes located above the cockpit to avoid sucking in rocket exhaust during combat operations.  Two-seat in-line cockpit houses the pilot and gunner, both seats with good view of the ground below.  Thin armored all around, and remarkably fast.  Can be mounted with either eight Jin Na rockets or two 45 mm RGL's, though with limited ammo supply.  4 Ore, 4 Oil, 1 Cobalt, 1 Aluminum. [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.  [Expensive].

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. [Very Expensive].

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].

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].

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].

Xi-53 Xìnlài de-series Turbine Engine – An advanced gas turbine engine, making use of a heat exchanger and intercooler to produce a much higher level of thrust than before.  It is a Very Good™ engine. 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.  His ship was sunk with all hands during the Nogranian push out of their harbor in the winter of 1952.  Killed in Action.

Resources:
Starting:       2/1/1Co (No T.C. Req.)
U.N. :           1/1
E.D.T. :         1/0
Foriegn:        1/0
Available TC: 4 (1 Land)(3 Sea)
5 Ore, 2 Oil, 1 Cobalt

Economic Development Track: Level 2
0/3 -> 1 Oil Import


Available Credits:

[evictedSaint]

Combat Report

Nogrania has elected to push the Fjords and Eastern Seas.
Toskesh has elected to push the Badlands and Eastern Seas.


Combat in the Mountains

The weather in the mountains is quite lovely in the spring, if you don't mind the light showers.  Nogrania takes advantage of the pleasant weather to re-establish artillery positions in otherwise inaccessible locations using their Draft helicopters.  Despite the preparation, there is no conflict here this turn and the soldiers are left to sip tea and shoot at tin cans.

Nogrania maintains their hold on the Mountains and generates +1 to their Economic Development Track.


Combat in the Badlands

The Xi-52-02 Xīwàng Kèzhì Xuá-Zhí Attack Helicopter is a terror in the wide-open badlands.

The strafing runs are brief, brutal, and devastating. Any Nogranian without an Emu in his hands learns quick that once the distinctive staccato of helicopter blades can be heard, the best thing they can do is scatter.  Toskesh attack helicopters fly in quick, empty their rocket racks and RGL's, then turn around and fly home to rearm.  They're difficult to hit due to their high speed and small size, but Nogrania's .50 caliber Emu's can be quite damaging when they do hit.  Nogrania manages to score a few kills, and the fact that the Xīwàng Kèzhì Xuá-Zhí is Very Expensive means each loss is painful - especially considering how effective the attack helicopters are.  Nogrania's Draught is a poor comparison, with lower speed and nonexistant armor, but it does have a few small advantages over the Xīwàng Kèzhì Xuá-Zhí - loitering ability and an Expensive cost level.  Toskesh still relies on rifles for anti-air capabilities, but during Nogrania's raids they can hover outside of their effective range before dropping their bomb load.  Even in closer range engagements the small-caliber guns struggle to land lethal shots, and infantry tend to rely the Jin Na SMRL as it is by far a more powerful anti-air weapon - if they can land a hit.  Lining up the fast-moving helicopter with the slow-moving rocket can be tricky though, and unlike Toskesh's attack helicopter the Draught's mounted Emu's don't run out of ammo in a single pass.  Despite this small advantage, Toskesh still barely hangs on to their air advantage - even managing to score the worlds first helicopter-to-helicopter unguided rocket kill.  Air-to-air combat rarely happens, since Nogrania's helicopters are more plentiful and have the more versatile Emu NMG's and Toskesh's helicopters are fast enough to pick-and-choose their battles.

Both side's Hexapods are Very Expensive this turn, including Nogrania's new up-armed and up-armored Rhino.  The Medium armor on the Rhino can turn most HE rounds that Toskesh can field, and even deflecting solid shot when properly angled.  The Light armor on the legs is still a problem, and they can be knocked out of commission with Toskesh's anti-armor weapons.  On the bright side, the 4" Duke mounted in the turret has a much higher velocity and range than Toskesh's knock-off Piāoqiè guānsī Hexapod.  The four-inch round is certainly overkill for the Lightly Armored Hippo-clone, but Nogranian tank crews feel a certain sense of justice each time they scratch another skull into the paint on their turret.  Most Rhinos are knocked out by rocket barrage or air assault rather than armor-to-armor action, and at Very Expensive costs they certainly hurt to lose.  The Paradigm performs its role as mobile artillery admirably, though the machine is certainly starting to show its age with its slow speed.  Sadly, its duties this turn generally involve covering retreats.

Toskesh still suffers from not having any sort of NMG (or corresponding knock-off) of their own, or any artillery larger than a light field gun.  Their rocket artillery, SMRL's, and RGL's help make up the gap, though, and their Qi-Chu's are still the fastest thing on the ground.  Qi-Chu barrages have become rarer now that Nogrania's Draft and Draught are able to chase them down, but the harassment role has been handed off to the Xīwàng Kèzhì Xuá-Zhí Attack Helicopter.

By the end of the season, the two sides are fairly matched.  Toskesh's helicopter is more expensive than Nogrania's, but much more adept at its role.  Nogrania's mobile armor is better than Toskesh's, but they have better infantry support.  The combat seems doomed to be stalemated, but…

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Tails=Toskesh, Heads=Nogrania; Result=Tails]
Warrant Officer Lin ZengKang swooped in low over the dusty plains that made up the badland's plateaus.

"Light'em up," he grunted into his headset, and behind him his copilot gave his trigger a few squeezes.  Down below ZengKang could see orange balls of dust explode out of the dirt, catching a few fleeing Nogranian's.  The Jin Na rockets were usually better suited for Nogranian armor, but in the absence of Hippo's and Rhino's infantrymen would do. 

"One left, couldn't get it out in time," his copilot informed him.  That was good news - usually they never had enough ammo left for a second pass.  ZengKang feathered the joystick to the left and the helicopter followed.  The horizon spun around them just in time to catch sight of a speck on the horizon. 

"One of ours?"

"Nope, that's gotta be Nogrania.  See the nose?"

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yeah, let's give it a shot."


It would later be revealed that not only had they performed the worlds first helicopter-to-helicopter unguided rocket kill, but also that the Draft that they'd shot down happened to be carrying the Nogranian theatre commander. In incredibly lucky shot joined with an incredibly lucky target meant that Toskesh was able to secure their advance in the Badlands this turn.

Due to the actions of one pilot, the scales have tipped in Toskesh's favor and allowed them to make progress in the Badlands.

Toskesh has pushed south and gained a section of the Badlands!  Nogrania has failed to hold the Badlands and will not generate +1 on their EDT this turn.


Combat in the Fjords

Nogrania pushes the Fjords this turn to break Toskesh's EDT development.  It's spring, so the fertile landscape has sprouted into dense foliage with the rains.  This is bad for the Paradigm and even worse for the Qi-Chu, so the turning points in this theatre generally revolve around armor-to-armor games of cat-and-mouse, interspersed with air assaults and artillery barrages.  As with the Badlands, Nogrania's heavier armor means they can usually survive the Piāoqiè guānsī Hexapod's attacks.  The slower-loading cannon is an unfortunate side effect to the increased round size, but Toskesh Hexapods make lovely fireworks when the four-inch HE shell blasts through to the ammo supply.  That being said, even the two-inch shells in the Hippo are a bit overkill; the Emu can knock out Thinly armored legs and crack Lightly armored hulls at close range, and this advantage is critical when playing peek-a-boo around hills and through bushes.  The coaxial mount means the commanders don't have to expose themselves through the cupola, and the higher rate of fire on the Emu over Toskesh's RGL's can be a deciding factor in many battles.

Toskesh supplements their stolen Hexapod designs with copious amounts of air, artillery, and infantry support.  Nogrania still doesn't have anti-tank equipment for their infantry, and though their artillery is still the furthest-reaching thing on the island their air support isn't as well-developed as Toskesh's.  In a straight fight a Nogranian Hexapod can win four times out of five, but with support involved it becomes a much more even fight.  Even worse for Nogrania, Toskesh has naval support in this section of the Fjords.  Their MRRL's dominate shorelines and limit Nogranian movements.  With their control of the coastline they can send Qi-Chu's loaded with soldiers behind Nogranian lines uncontested, often to devastating effect.

By the time summer rolls around, the Nogranian offensive has been repelled.

Toskesh maintains their hold on the Fjords and generates +1 to their Economic Development Track.


Combat in the Eastern Seas

Following up on their push out of the harbor, Nogrania makes strikes as they take back the ocean.

The Red Herring is Cheap with the addition of Nogrania's latest EDT advancement, and with the optional floats for the Draught they can now bring air support out over the water.  The waters are fairly calm in spring, meaning the Draught can land without fear of capsizing.  Supply and rearmament is a difficult task for the helicopter and generally involves setting down near a Whale tender, who then supplies the craft with fuel and belts of .50 ammo.  Resupplying the 110 lb bombs, however, is not a task that can be performed on open water and would require an actual landing pad. 

Toskesh's Yāngē-class Citadel Destroyer is down to Very Expensive this turn, and with the MRRL's now in larger bracket size and greater accuracy they are in better shape than they were a few turns ago.  Despite this, there is little they can do against 110 lb bombs being dropped down from beyond rifle range and 4" guns that out-range anything they can bring to the fight.

Nogrania easily pushes up another section of coastline this turn and is now in position to provide off-shore bombardment in the Fjords next turn.

Nogrania has regained a section of the Eastern Seas!


Russian Espionage:
We have been approached by an American contact from the West with some disturbing news.  They've recently intercepted USSR communications that seem to imply Russian operatives have in infiltrated our nation to enact some manner of espionage on Toskesh's behalf.  While they sadly did not have any specifics, this forewarning is at least better than nothing.  After a rather clandestine conversation about our espionage capabilities, the American contact was quite shocked to find that we had none.  He mentions something about possibly helping us set up a spy network, but he was unable to elaborate at this time.  In the mean time, security has been tightened and all individuals with Russian accents have been put under an increased amount of scrutiny.

Other News:
The U.N. discusses whether or not Hydrogen Bombs violate protocol IX of the Geneva Conventions.  They conclude that yes, it most definitely does, and the U.S. states for the record that they are certainly not building one, at all.  Reports of Stalin's failing health continue to grow, and a number of doctors are arrested in what would be called the Doctor's Plot.  Under torture those arrested confess to the plot, affirming the allegations.  Those arrested were allegedly plotting to assassinate top Russian officials, and by coincidence the majority of those arrested happened to be Jewish.  It is around this time the USSR severs relations with Israel.  Stalin dies soon after on March 1st, 1952.  Albert Einstein announces his revised Unified Field theory.


Theatre Progress:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Mountains:
Nogrania - 3/Toskesh 0

Badlands:
Nogrania - 2/Toskesh 1

Fjords:
Nogrania - 0/Toskesh 3

Eastern Sea:
Nogrania - 2/Toskesh 3

Jungle:
Nogrania - 3/Toskesh 0

Frozen Swamps:
Nogrania - 0/Toskesh 3

EDT Progress:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nogrania: Level 3, 3/4 -> Unique Resource

Toskesh: Level 2, 1/3 -> Oil

[10ebbor10]

Spoiler: Spring (click to show/hide)

Sea : Calm Waters
Mountains : Light spring rains
Badlands : Dry Weather
Fjords : Dense undergrowth due to spring rain (hinders machines, disables hovercraft on land)

Spoiler: Summer (click to show/hide)

Mountains : Dry weather
Badlands : Hot weather
Fjords : Fair weather with dry vegetation

Spoiler: Fall (click to show/hide)

Mountains : Cold and windy
Badlands : Agreeable weather. Wind at dusk/dawn
Fjords: Normal weather

Spoiler: Winter (click to show/hide)

Sea : Choppy water, reduced range  (maybe ice near Tokesh)
Mountains : Severe Machine disabling cold, heavy winds
Badlands : Frigid
Fjords : Light snow, mild machine disabling cold, little wind

[/quote]

[10ebbor10]

NAF-RR-52 "Coppercaster"

The Coppercaster is a 2” Recoilless Rifle, the same caliber as the Ironcaster from which it was derived. It's principle of operation is very simple, when the weapon is fired, a small bag of sand (equivalent in mass to the shell) is launched out of the back negating the recoil. Air friction quickly stops the sand, preventing undue harm.

Most of the innovation of this design is not focused on that however, but on the shells it fires. The Coppercaster launches a HEAT shell, which uses high explosives to create armor piercing jet that can penetrate armor much stronger than currently in operation. Because the Coppercaster is derived from the Ironcaster, it can also fire the Ironcasters HE shell (with reduced range because of lower muzzle velocity), and the Ironcaster can fire the HEAT shell(with additional range).


Fixed-Wing Aircraft:
Protocol V on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Fixed-Wing Aircraft prohibits the use of air-borne vehicles which use stationary wing planes as their primary method of generating lift for offensive military purposes.  Such vehicles may not be fitted with offensive or defensive armaments, including but not limited to: bombs, guns, rockets, or flechettes.  Additionally, the use of fixed-wing aircraft itself as a weapon against enemy targets is prohibited.  The reason is that the imprecise nature of bombing results in unacceptable amounts of collateral damage against civilian objects, and such vehicles do not permit chance for military personnel to surrender during combat. This protocol does not recognize the pilots signal flare as an armament, nor does it prohibit the use of unarmed fixed-wing aircraft for observational purposes.

It is our contention that the weapons mentioned above are in violation of Protocol 5. The rockets in question are machines capable of flight, and therefore fall under the rules of the Protocol.  Perhaps our opposition may try to argue that their devices do not posses a pilot, or are too small to be aircraft, or are powered in a different way and therefore not vehicles, but the protocol does not require aircraft to be manned, large or powered by conventional engines.

Protocol V was written "because the imprecise nature of bombing results in unacceptable amounts of collateral damage against civilian objects, and because such vehicles do not permit chance for military personnel to surrender during combat". We have photographic evidence of the widespread and random destruction caused by the enemy artillery rockets, including the complete destruction of a former fishing dock in Autumn 1951. Given that information, it is clear these weapons were always intended to fall under the rules.

The last question is whether or not these rockets utilize stationary wing surfaces to provide the majority of their lift. Both weapons are equipped with fins, which can fold to be stored. Once unfolded, these fins are static and locked in place. In that configuration, these wing planes provide aerodynamic lift, which is essential to the functioning of the rocket. No other source of lift is present.

[Chiefwaffles]

Here's my UN argument. I'll probably do designs and whatnot at a later point.

Ladies and Gentleman of the Council, we regret to bring you the proof of Toskesh's war crimes; for they have created a terrible, terrible weapon.

Here, is Toskesh’s rocket. It has found itself a mainstay in Toskesh’s arsenal. It may seem ordinary, but we can assure you that Toskesh’s engineers knew full well of the laws they were breaking as they designed this, hoping that no one would notice; or even hoping that the nations of the world would be afraid to ban such a flagrant violation against our established conventions for the humanity of war.


In particular, I would like to call the council’s attention to the fins. The source of this weapon's illegality.
Article V of the conventions “prohibits the use of air-borne vehicles which use stationary wing planes as their primary method of generating lift for offensive military purposes.” And before I continue, I’d like to state my assumption that the council is aware of the definition of a wing – a type of fin that produces aerodynamic lift.

Toskesh’s rocket matches this definition perfectly. It is, of course, an air-borne vehicle; it flies through the air delivering its lethal and hazardous explosive cargo. Its fins produce aerodynamic lift (fitting the definition of wings), in order to stabilize, guide, and extend the range of the rocket.
The fins are clearly the primary generator of lift. The rocket body itself serves as a primitive lifting body but, unlike the fins, isn’t intentionally designed to generate lift; its provided aerodynamic lift pales in comparison to that produced by the fins.

I hope that my attempt to summarize our argument has been effective, but I believe this requires a finer understanding of what exactly lift is, and how finned rockets use it to stabilize themselves.
Thus, I direct you to this short explanatory article on the matter from the Nogranian Aeronautical-Space Agency, going into further detail about the matters.

Toskesh may attempt to argue semantics. Their engineers may attempt to claim that their rocket isn’t technically a vehicle. That their fins aren’t technically a wing. That their rocket isn’t technically air-borne; that it isn’t technically military purposes. They could even ignore conventional definitions and attempt to claim that the rocket's thrust somehow counts as aerodynamic lift. But the people of the council can surely see past their deflections and look at the facts.
Toskesh has created an airborne weaponized vehicle, using fixed-wings as a primary generator of lift, to increase their capacity to indiscriminately bomb civilians and soldiers alike, without the opportunity for surrender, with immense collateral damage, at such a range that their soldiers won’t even feel a thing other than the pressing of a button.

[10ebbor10]

Okay, designs.

NAF-BFG-52 "Vicious"  Equipped with a powerfull scope, the Vicious is a high velocity, long range anti-material sniper rifle. It fires a powerfull 20 mm round, wit a recoiling barrel and other tricks to allow it to be easily handled by soldiers.

NAF-NG-52 "Steelcaster" The steelcaster is an extensive re-engineering effort of the original Ironcaster. The new gun features a longer barrel and higher muzzle velocities, in addition to a semi-automatic loading system. This allows for a far greater firing rate. The Gun is intended to fit in Red Herring's, Hippo's and Rhino's as well as an elevated mount on Paradigm for anti-air use.

NAF-IFV-52 "Toad" An infantry fighting vehicle, the Toad is suspiciously also the most armored vehicle in the Nogranian arsenal. It's equiped with Medium armor on it's legs and hull, with Frontal Heavy armor protecting the driver and engine. Additional slat armor and an internal anti-spalling layer provide defenses against all Tokeshian armaments. The Toad is lightly armed, with 2 turreted EMU's instead of a main tank cannon.  Thanks to this light armament, it's reinforced propulsion system is capable of propelling it at higher speeds.

NAF-UH-52 "Brabancon" – A heavy transport helicopter, the Brabancon utilizes a twin rotor setup to greatly increase it's carrying capacity and stability. It's equiped with a forward facing EMU gun controlled by a gunner (who in this case can se where he's shooting) and has wide sideloading doors from which 2 EMU's can be mounted on either side. By default, it has thin armor only on cockpit and engines, but it also includes slots where additional armor can be fitted for combat applications. When used to transport troops or goods, this armor can be left out to increase range and payload.

[stabbymcstabstab]

NAF-IFV-52 "Toad" (1): Stabby

This seems like it'll be the most useful since we can revise it to further roles decently easily such as if we get a Crank-cannon.

[frostgiant]

NAF-IFV-52 "Toad" (2): Stabby,Frostgiant

[10ebbor10]

NAF-TS-53 "Percheron"

A highly advanced derivative of the original Shire, the Percheron is a very powerful yet efficient turboshaft engine. The utilization of a multi-stage compressor, combined with intercooling of the air between stages,  allows the engine to reach an unparalleled pressure ratio without overheating the engine. This results in a vastly lower specific fuel consumption, but a significantly higher mass throughput, which translates into a higher total power output. We've also redesigned the core gas generator, which now uses a more efficient and reliable reverse flow combustion system. The last changes can be found into the turbine generator. Here we have mechanically seperated the power turbine from the rest of the engine. This allows us to remove a large amount of heavy gearing systems. In addition, we replaced the simple turbine with a 2 stage design allowing for vastly more efficient energy recovery.

As should be obvious, the Percheron is designed to replace early engines in Draft and Draught, as well as being used as 1:1 replacement on Condor to increase it's speed and ability handle high winds. Use in ground vehicles (Rhino,Hippo,Paradigm) is also considered.

[Chiefwaffles]

Would do us a lot of good in a lot of areas. We should also just use our research credit that's been lying around.

NAF-IFV-52 "Toad" (2): Stabby,Frostgiant
NAF-TS-53 "Percheron" (1): Chiefwaffles
 -  Use Research Credit (1): Chiefwaffles

[10ebbor10]

NAF-IFV-52 "Toad" (2): Stabby,Frostgiant
NAF-TS-53 "Percheron" (2): Chiefwaffles, 10e
 -  Use Research Credit (2): Chiefwaffles, 10e

[Happerry]

NAF-IFV-52 "Toad" (2): Stabby,Frostgiant
NAF-TS-53 "Percheron" (3): Chiefwaffles, 10e, Happerry
 -  Use Research Credit (3): Chiefwaffles, 10e, Happerry

[BBBence1111]

NAF-IFV-52 "Toad" (2): Stabby,Frostgiant
NAF-TS-53 "Percheron" (4): Chiefwaffles, 10e, Happerry, BBB
 -  Use Research Credit (4): Chiefwaffles, 10e, Happerry, BBB

[Kot]

NAF-IFV-52 "Toad" (3): Stabby,Frostgiant, Kot
NAF-TS-53 "Percheron" (4): Chiefwaffles, 10e, Happerry, BBB
 -  Use Research Credit (4): Chiefwaffles, 10e, Happerry, BBB

Stop votiiiiiiiiiiing

[3_14159]

NAF-IFV-52 "Toad" (3): Stabby,Frostgiant, Kot
NAF-TS-53 "Percheron" (5): Chiefwaffles, 10e, Happerry, BBB, 3_14159
 -  Use Research Credit (5): Chiefwaffles, 10e, Happerry, BBB, 3_14159