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[frostgiant]

Attack:
[3] Sea : 10ebbor10, Stabby, MoP
[6] Fjords : 10ebbor10, Kashyyk, Stabby, NUKE9.13, Happerry, MoP, Frsotgiant
[4] Badlands : Kashyyk, NUKE9.13, Happerry, Frostgiant

Showoff:
[3] Hippo : 10ebbor10, Stabby, MoP
[2] Rhino : NUKE9.13, Frostgiant

UN Argument:
10ebbor10

[NUKE9.13]

Also, switched from Rhino to Hippo since it's been a few days, I've read a few other AR threads so my memory's fuzzy, and after looking up the differences between the two, found no evidence that the Rhino exists. I'm also tired and worked a 12 hour shift today, so I could be missing it. If it does exist and is generally better than the Hippo though, I'll slide my vote right back over.

lolwut
You must be really tired. The Rhino is our medium tank that we built last turn as an upgrade to the Hippo. And it's right there in the equipment list of the last battle report:

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].

[Talion]

Attack:
[4] Sea : 10ebbor10, Stabby, MoP, Talion
[6] Fjords : 10ebbor10, Kashyyk, Stabby, NUKE9.13, Happerry, MoP, Talion
[3] Badlands : Kashyyk, NUKE9.13, Happerry

Showoff:
[4] Hippo : 10ebbor10, Stabby, MoP, Talion
[1] Rhino : NUKE9.13

UN Argument:
10ebbor10

[NUKE9.13]

You missed Frostgiant's votes there, mate.

Attack:
[4] Sea : 10ebbor10, Stabby, MoP, Talion
[7] Fjords : 10ebbor10, Kashyyk, Stabby, NUKE9.13, Happerry, MoP, Frostgiant, Talion
[4] Badlands : Kashyyk, NUKE9.13, Happerry, Frostgiant

Showoff:
[4] Hippo : 10ebbor10, Stabby, MoP, Talion
[2] Rhino : NUKE9.13, Frostgiant

UN Argument:
10ebbor10

Could somebody please explain to me why people are voting for the Hippo over the Rhino? I realise there's not much in it, but I can't see how the Rhino isn't a better demonstration of our technology.

[10ebbor10]

Could somebody please explain to me why people are voting for the Hippo over the Rhino? I realise there's not much in it, but I can't see how the Rhino isn't a better demonstration of our technology.

Can't really remember why, actually.

[NUKE9.13]

:I

Ok then. Could you be convinced to change your vote over to the Rhino, which features better armour and a more modern gun?

[10ebbor10]

Sure.

Attack:
[4] Sea : 10ebbor10, Stabby, MoP, Talion
[7] Fjords : 10ebbor10, Kashyyk, Stabby, NUKE9.13, Happerry, MoP, Frostgiant, Talion
[4] Badlands : Kashyyk, NUKE9.13, Happerry, Frostgiant

Showoff:
[3] Hippo : Stabby, MoP, Talion
[3] Rhino : NUKE9.13, Frostgiant, 10ebbor10

UN Argument:
10ebbor10

[Kashyyk]

Attack:
[4] Sea : 10ebbor10, Stabby, MoP, Talion
[8] Fjords : 10ebbor10, Kashyyk, Stabby, NUKE9.13, Happerry, MoP, Frostgiant, Talion
[4] Badlands : Kashyyk, NUKE9.13, Happerry, Frostgiant

Showoff:
[3] Hippo : Stabby, MoP, Talion
[4] Rhino : NUKE9.13, Frostgiant, 10ebbor10, Kashyyk

UN Argument:
10ebbor10

[Man of Paper]

Attack:
[4] Sea : 10ebbor10, Stabby, MoP, Talion
[8] Fjords : 10ebbor10, Kashyyk, Stabby, NUKE9.13, Happerry, MoP, Frostgiant, Talion
[4] Badlands : Kashyyk, NUKE9.13, Happerry, Frostgiant

Showoff:
[2] Hippo : Stabby, Talion
[5] Rhino : NUKE9.13, Frostgiant, 10ebbor10, Kashyyk, MoP

UN Argument:
10ebbor10

Damn I must've been more tired than I realized. Vote changed over to Rhino. I think I was looking for some other animal, but I have no idea.

[stabbymcstabstab]

Attack:
[3] Sea : 10ebbor10, MoP, Talion
[8] Fjords : 10ebbor10, Kashyyk, Stabby, NUKE9.13, Happerry, MoP, Frostgiant, Talion
[5] Badlands : Kashyyk, NUKE9.13, Happerry, Frostgiant, Stabby,

Showoff:
[1] Hippo : Talion
[5] Rhino : NUKE9.13, Frostgiant, 10ebbor10, Kashyyk, MoP, [/size]Stabby,

UN Argument:
10ebbor10

[evictedSaint]

Combat Phase
Summer 1953
Turn 10

The United Nations War Crimes Council

The trial concerns whether Toskesh’s Xi-52 Yīfānfēngshùn Artillery Rocket and Jin Na SMRL are in 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.  Nogrania is prosecuting, claiming that the use of the Xi-52 Yīfānfēngshùn Artillery Rocket and Jin Na SMRL is a War Crime and that the offending nation should bear the appropriate repercussions for their development and continued use of said weapon.

 The article in question:

Spoiler: Protocol V (click to show/hide)

V.    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.

The weapons in question:

Spoiler:  Xi-52 Yīfānfēngshùn Artillery Rocket (click to show/hide)

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.

Spoiler:  “Jin Na” SMRL X-52b (click to show/hide)

“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.

The trial begins with opening arguments from both sides.

Spoiler: Nogrania (click to show/hide)

Ladies and gentlemen of the court. Three questions must be answered to prove the weapons here to be the warcrimes they are. Three questions, that once answered, shall shed light on the issue.

Firstly, Does a name define whether a weapon is lawfull or not, or does the form decide that. The Tokeshians may not call their weapons aircraft, but they are nonetheless airborne machinery that attacks any enemy via it's own destruction, an act explicitly forbidden by the convention. I ask you, is a battleship legal if one where to call it a platform rather than a vessel? Is a tank legal if one where to call it a conveyance rather than a vehicle?

Of course not. And therefore, since the rockets are airborne machines of war, they fall under the conventions.

The second thing we need to consider is if they violate the convention. The convention prohibits the use of air-borne vehicles which use stationary wing planes as their primary method of generating lift for offensive military purposes. A stationary wing plane is an aerofoil attached to an aircraft body that does not significantly move during normal operation. On a normal plane, this would be the wings, tailplane and fin. The propellor is, though an aerofoil, not static, as it moves relatively to the plane during normal operation.

The rockets fins are clearly aerofoils. In addition, they're also stationary. Though they move at the start of the flight, this is merely a storage solution, not a feature relevant to the flight of the craft. Once aloft, the fins are locked and stationary. Weapons need to obey the UN convention during their entire period of operation, not for the fraction of the second in which they're activated.

The other part of this question is whether these fins are the primary source of lift. Lift is the component of the force exerted upon an object by a gas or fluid that is perpendicular to the fluid's direction. This allows us to immediately discard many forces acting upon the weapon. The force produced by the engine is not lift, and neither is the drag or gravity. Only two forces are left. The lift force acting upon the body of the rocket, and the one acting upon it's fins. The latter is clearly greater, otherwise the weapon would not work. The violation is clear.

The last question that needs to be answered is not a question of technicalities, but one of morals. The convention was implemented because of the unacceptable amounts of civilian damage these weapons could inflict, and the fact that they do not allow surrender. The Tokeshian missile barrages have devastated large areas of land, firing their projectiles with reckless abandon. Unlike artillery, they do not resight or aim inbetween shots, instead, they fire as fast as possible. This allows no opportunity for any surrender, and it's only through the actions of the Nograrian army that these weapons have not been unleashed on a helpless civilian populace.

-10Ebbor10

Spoiler: Toskesh (click to show/hide)

"Nogrania has seen fit to demand our rockets, qualifying them as aircraft and arguing that they should be banned in accord to the V Article. This blatant exploitation of the international legal system is nothing more than a waste of this court´s time, as rocket artillery and launchers similar the ones fielded by the proud nation of Toskesh already existed when the Conventions were implemented. This court of law already considered the Soviet Katiusha and the American bazooka and found them legal, establishing a firm legal precedent for their variants, today brought to trial.

However, we must hammer in why this legal precedent was established in order to reinforce it against further attack from any nations that try to sabotage the founding principles of humane warfare.

First, the stabilizing fins the rocket uses do not qualify as wings. Wings are meant to help develop enough lift to help an animal or aircraft take off and flight, but that is not the function of our fins. As can be shown in field demonstrations, the fins remain folded and only flip out once the rocket comes out of its container. It doesn´t uses them  to generate the lift to take off and flight, that is the function of the cordite propellant, but rather to develop a spin that helps improve their accuracy as in a rifled gun. Our old rockets didn´t had those fins, but still could fly, although less accurately. Thus, the “primary way of generating lift” relies not in fins, but in the rapid combustion of the cordite propellant. Projectiles from both the Katiusha and bazooka make use of fins in the same way our do.

As remarked by engineer Nikola, the usage of fins improves the accuracy of the rocket, minimizing collateral damage, which was the main intent of the article in question. I would also like extend his wise suggestion of an informal pact in order to only field fin-equipped rocket artillery to avoid unnecessary injury of death of non-combatants.

In addition to all that has been previously said, while rockets are mentioned on the article in question,  the exact wording involved reads: “Such vehicles may not be fitted with offensive or defensive armaments, including but not limited to: bombs, guns, rockets, or flechettes”. Our rockets are explicitly categorized as armament of aircraft who use fixed wings as a primary way to fly, not as aircraft themselves, further reinforcing their role as weapons systems and not airborne vehicles on their own.

Finally, in our conversations with the Nogranian prosecution, they have been oddly fixated in qualifying our rocket as an “airborne vehicle”. Barring that “ airborne vehicle” in the article is merely a pronoun which refers to the aforementioned “fixed wing aircraft”, defined immediately after; and the stupidity of a vehicle which explodes upon reaching its destination, we would ask the court to set out a precedent explicitly dismissing the unheard possibility of unmanned apparatus qualifying as vehicles, to safeguard munitions from being put into trial.  "

-Wizgrot

-Draxis

Judicating the trials are representatives from the Soviet Union, the United States, China, France, and Britain.

As always, the trial is preceded by a fist fight between the two representatives from Toskesh and Nogrania.  As it was expected by this point, the courtroom bailiffs are in position to quickly break up the fight before more than a couple punches and a chair are thrown.  Once settled, both sides give their opening statements.

"A stationary wing plane is an aerofoil attached to an aircraft body that does not significantly move during normal operation....The rockets fins are clearly aerofoils," Chief Prosecutor Ebbor states, pacing calmly before the audience.  "...this question is whether these fins are the primary source of lift. Lift is the component of the force exerted upon an object by a gas or fluid that is perpendicular to the fluid's direction. This allows us to immediately discard many forces acting upon the weapon. The force produced by the engine is not lift, and neither is the drag or gravity. Only two forces are left. The lift force acting upon the body of the rocket, and the one acting upon it's fins. The latter is clearly greater, otherwise the weapon would not work."

Toskesh argues back, claiming that the rocket motor generates the majority of the lift and subtly implicating the United States and Soviet Union in the trial.  "This court of law already considered the Soviet Katiusha and the American bazooka and found them legal,"  Chief Defendant Wizgrot argues.  This has not actually happened, as it turns out - and both the US and USSR shift uncomfortably as their own armaments are brought into question.  They quickly remind those in attendance that they are not the ones on trial and to please keep the discussion focused.  "Our old rockets didn´t had those fins, but still could fly," he continues, "Thus, the “primary way of generating lift” relies not in fins, but in the rapid combustion of the cordite propellant."

Predictably, China and Russia side with Toskesh at the end of the trial.  Less predictably, the United States and Britain deliberate for a surprisingly long time before siding with Nogrania.  Speculation is that both countries field finned rockets in their armories and the prospect of outlawing them is unpalatable, but that is only a baseless rumor as both countries are clearly paragons of law and order.  As before, France is once again the tie breaker. 

"The most crucial matter of this debate," the French Representative starts out, "is how exactly 'lift' is defined, and whether that definition allows for these finned rockets to generate 'lift' from their aerofoils.  Toskesh believes that lift is an 'upward' force to counter gravity, where as Nogrania argues that it is the force generated by an aerofoil by the passing of fluids.  This leads to some rather interesting questions - does an inverted aerofoil no longer generate lift now that the force is acting in a 'downward' direction?  Or does it generate 'negative lift'?"

The French Representative pauses, clearly keen on discussing the nature of aerodynamics more, but manages to focus on the matter at hand. 

"Even if we go by Chief Prosecutor Ebbor's definition - that "lift is the component of the force exerted upon an object by a gas or fluid that is perpendicular to the fluid's direction" - we find it hard to believe that any meaningful lift is generated by these finned rockets.  The airflow is consistently in line with the rockets trajectory, and though we agree that 'lift' is regardless of whether the force acts in an 'upward' direction, we do not believe that these fins constitute any meaningful amount of this force.  This court rules in favor of Toskesh, declaring these finned rockets to be Legal."

The case is dismissed and the national representatives file out of the court room. 

Spoiler: Other Arguments Presented During The Case: (click to show/hide)

Upon greeting the men and women of the council, Yuēhàn cut straight to the chase: "I have come here today so as to present my case on behalf of the nation of Tondeshe. The opposition will have the UNWCC believe the weapon brought before them is violation of Protocol V, which when dissected, shows a few key concepts inherent to an instance of a breach. An article in breach of Protocol V must be an air-borne vehicle used in military action, firstly possessing the quality of being an aircraft - that is, a machine that is able to fly by gaining support from the air and countering the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil. It must then further accomplish this via the usage of a stationary wing plane as it's primary source of lift. Singling out this section of Protocol V alone adequately describes what a breach would consist of. Let's now look at the Xi-52 Yīfānfēngshùn and the "Jin Na" SMRL X-52b. Both weapons are nearly identical in operational procedure, where-in they counteract the force of gravity with thrust from a solid-fuel propelled rocket engine and deliver a payload to a distant location, as does a gun of any type in general. The weapons are activated, upon which the engine is ignited and the rocket is launched through the tube, which imparts spin to the device, and upon exiting the nose of the barrel, concealed fins are activated and sprung into place, forming vortex instabilities in the airflow around the rocket body to produce a force opposing changes to the weapon's ballistic trajectory upon the exhaustion of it's rocket fuel, so as to reduce the inaccuracy of the device upon firing, to limit collateral damage and to stabilize the weapon in the air so as to deliver the ordinance to the designated target. Looking at even the spirit of this protocol - to reduce the collateral damage induced by imprecise nature of bombing in conflict - we see the accused items are no more dangerous than direct, conventional artillery, while the opposition would have the council believe it to be a suicide unmanned aircraft such as that used by the Japanese in the Second Great War. As an addition, the Tondeshe military complex would like to recommend the usage of fins to all Great Powers in the event of conflict, so as to minimize collateral damage in the event of necessary rocket artillery, so as to avoid the tragic amount of losses seen in the Korean War."

-Thanik


Types of winged aircraft:
Fixed-wing: Derives lift from wings moving through air as the vehicle moves through air.
Rotary-wing: Derives lift from wings moving through the air in a spinning motion independent of the aircraft.
Ornithopter: Derives lift from wing-air motion due to flapping.

"Fixed-wing" refers not to static planes, many fixed-wings could be folded for storage, it refers to interactions with the air to produce lift. Our rockets do not derive "lift" at all, they just thrust away from the ground fast enough to stay up long enough to reach their destination. There are no wings on our design, there is no lift-generating surface. The principals by which it stays aloft are no different than those of a bullet, it simply shoots itself continuously instead of just initially. Perhaps the most damning thing of all is what happens when it exhausts its fuel. A pilot can attempt to glide a fixed-wing aircraft, with a rocket this is impossible. "Wings" create lift due to air-flow and pressure. There are no wings here, they are called "fins" and anyone with a background in aerodynamics can tell you that they have completely different specifications and fins serve to prevent unintended harm.

This protocol was put in place to address the horrific slaughter of civilians seen by heavy bombers and "area bombing" against large numbers of ground forces. Some tragic examples proved that aircraft and bomb could not always be separated. This protocol exists to address the fact that fixed-wing aircraft can efficiently carry very large payloads over very long distances and then drop them for massive and indiscriminate devastation. Our rocket is a projectile weapon, just like any other artillery. Perhaps a protocol should exist to restrain artillery, but such is not addressed today, today we are scratching our heads and asking why a self-propelled shell is being called an aeroplane.

Our adversaries have built their own military aircraft, they know wings. They are also keen studies of foreign warfare, they are well versed in the events that inspired these protocols and why an artillery shell is not subject to this protocol. One is only left to stare in disbelief as to what their intentions are in bringing such an obviously illegitimate case before this council. Do they simply wish to waste our efforts here instead of defending our homeland? Or is it something more sinister? Perhaps they seek to manipulate this council. Perhaps they have their own plans to build some bloated rocket, flying over battlefields belligerently spewing ordnance onto the ground below, or maybe they have some arrangement of fins that result in a wing, whatever their plans, it seems more likely that they seek to lead the council into a ruling that would make whatever insidious vulgarities they intend more difficult to prosecute. I cannot claim to know the manners of such malignant minds, I know only that such a blatantly flimsy attack smells of subterfuge...

-RAM


"I believe that this case rests entirely on the definition of 'fixed-wing aircraft' presented in Protocol V. Fixed-wing aircraft are defined as 'air-borne vehicles which use stationary wing planes as their primary method of generating lift for offensive military purposes'. It is clear that this does definition does not apply to our rockets, and thus they are not controlled under the letter of the treaty. Furthermore, the use of fin stabilization increases the precision of these weapons, and is therefore positively in line with the spirit of Protocol V.

"First, the rockets take off under their own power, and only then do the fins extend. Clearly then the fins are not then necessary for flight, but rather for control - no different, might I add, than the rudders on any buoyant airship or naval vessel. Are those craft to be considered fixed-wing aircraft? Second, the fin placement is symmetrical and the projectiles spin rapidly in flight. Therefore, over the course of a single revolution, any "lift" theoretically provided by the an individual fin will average out to zero - thus if aerodynamic lift were the primary means of flight, the rockets would not fly as they would not generate any.

Third, the physical behavior of the rockets in flight demonstrates plainly that they are not fixed-wing aircraft - that is, without constant upward thrust from the motor, the rockets cannot remain in the air. This can be tested by firing one horizontally and seeing that it drops towards the ground on a powered ballistic trajectory rather than being "lifted" by the fins; by removing the fins from a rocket and observing that they the device still potentially flies as far given a set launch angle, simply with a less regular course; or by launching one and observing its behavior after losing power, when it will will behave like any artillery shell rather than gliding like a form which generates lift would.

"For these reasons, and the others advanced by my colleagues, it is patently obvious that our fin-stabilized rockets are not fixed-wing aircraft under the definition outlined in Protocol V or any other reasonable definition."

-Draxis

[evictedSaint]

Espionage!
It's summer in Nogrania, and everyone is on high alert.  The Russians have infiltrated, or so they've been told - acting on behalf of Toskesh, poised for sabotage. 

One particular worker, dressed in a work uniform with the nametag simply reading "Jones Johnson", slips quietly into the factory Director's office.  He notices a cup of tea sitting on the desk, and promptly doses the teacup with a deadly poison hidden on his person.  He scoops up a roll of paper carelessly left on a nearby drafting table, replaces it with a neatly-folded note, and exits.  It's only a few minutes later an alarm is raised - the Director returns to find the schematics for the Emu NMG missing, replaced with a note reading "你的茶的霸权已经结束了" in dark black ink. The factory is locked down, but by then the spy is nowhere to be found.  Hours later, after the security search and interrogations and paperwork, he would return to his office to find his cup of tea gone cold. 

He promptly pours it out and prepares himself a fresh cup.

Toskesh has acquired the plans for the NAF-NMG-52 "Emu"!  They will be able to deploy it next turn, though it is currently [COMPLEX].

Technological Developments

This turn Nogrania has built the NAF-TS-53 "Percheron", a more powerful turboshaft engine.  The Percheron integrates an inter-cooler system, which lowers the temperature of in-coming air to allow it to be packed more densely into the engine, and the power turbine has been separated from the rest of the engine in order to eliminate some of the gearing.  The gas turbine is modified into a two-stage design, which is be very handy for helicopter applications.  The Percheron is swapped into the Draft and Draught, and due to the increased power output the helicopters can reliably function on a single engine now.  Going from two engines to one means they both cost 1 Oil less while maintaining the same general performance.  Due to space constraints, the pilots cockpit no longer includes a tea kettle.

For their revision they develop the NAF-AMR-53 "Kiwi".  It's an Emu NMG with the crank replaced with a semi-automatic trigger and a few modifications for use by infantry in the field as an anti-armor role.  The barrel is fluted to reduce weight, and the bulky box magazines are replaced by 10-round lengths of belt ammo.  The Kiwi also comes with a new "Armor Piercing Ammunition" - that is to say, bullets made of steel rather than lead.  Being lighter means they don't have the same range, but the ability to hold their shape means they can punch through lighter armor more easily.  Features no mechanism for making tea, but can be carried and used by a single soldier.

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].

NAF-AMR-53 "Kiwi" – A .50 anti-material rifle, made from a stripped-down Emu.  Semi-automatic, 10-round belts of steel ammunition.  Single-soldier capable, surprisingly accurate.  Does not feature tea-makng equipment. 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 a single NAF-TS-53 "Percheron" turboshaft engine 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. 4 Ore, 1 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, 3 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 Emu 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 Emu 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-53 "Percheron" – Our most powerful turboshaft engine yet!  Makes use of an integrated inter-cooler, separated powershaft gearing, and a two-stage turbine.  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
3/4 -> 1 Unique Resource

Available Credits:

Coincidentally, both Toskesh and Nogrania have produced new turboshaft engines this year.  Toskesh's is named the Xi-53b Xìnlài de-series Turbine Engine, and it is not unfair to say that it is quite literally one of the most cutting-edge turboshaft engines in the world. Capitalizing on their many turns of turboshaft development, the Xìnlài features reheating, intercoolers, heat exchangers, and a partial-vacuum muffler, giving it not only a high power output but also a remarkable efficiency.  They immediately integrate it into all of their equipment that they can.  The Qi-Chu replaces its engines with the new Xìnlài, eliminating the large air intake and dropping oil costs by 2. The Xīwàng Kèzhì helicopter takes the new engine and drops by 1 oil, as does the Yange. 

For their revision, Toskesh increases the caliber of their Sunrise fieldgun to 75 mm's, naming the new artillery piece the Xi-53 Qīngsuàn 75 mm L/60 Duìzhì gun.  It features larger powder chargers and an elongated barrel, thus improving the muzzle velocity and range.  The gun is thusfar not mounted on their Qi Chu's, navy ships, or tank walkers.

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 some 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-53 Qīngsuàn 75 mm L/60 Duìzhì gun – A 75 mm high velocity artillery cannon.  Makes use of a longer barrel and larger powder charges to throw shells further.  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, 3 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, 3 Oil, 1 Cobalt, 1 Aluminum. [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, 3 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].

Xi-53b Xìnlài de-series Turbine Engines – A highly advanced gas turbine engine, making use of a heat exchanger, intercooler, and partial vacuum muffler to produce a much higher level of thrust at a much higher efficiency.  It is a Really Good™ engine. 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.

Warrant Officer Lin ZengKang – A Xīwàng Kèzhì Xuá-Zhí helicopter pilot.  Scored the worlds first helicopter rocket air-to-air kill in the world.  Fit for Duty.

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
1/3 -> 1 Oil Import


Available Credits:

[evictedSaint]

Combat Report

Note:  Apparently Toskesh's Qi Chu has been listed as [Expensive] when it should have been [Very Expensive].  This doesn't affect anything, and cost is correct now anyways with the new turboshaft.

Nogrania has elected to push the Badlands and Fjords.
Toskesh has elected to push the Badlands and Mountains.


Combat in the Mountains

Toskesh makes a push into the mountains this summer. 

Warm sunshine sprinkles over Nogrania's dug-in emplacements.  4" Duke howitzers rain down Toskesh troops and armor as they move in and Xīwàng attack helicopters promptly strafe their defensive positions.  Emu's and rifle fire fire back, and Nogrania's Draught drops 110 lb bombs from above.  Once in the mountains, Toskesh must deal with Emu's guarding heavily defended chokepoints.  In these valleys and cliffsides Toskesh's helicopter struggles - there isn't much room for fly-by strafing runs, and even when they aren't threatened by NMG's they don't have enough ammo for sustained fights.  Toskesh's new high-velocity artillery cannons can more-or-less match the Duke's range, but has a smaller payload and can't be disassembled in the same way.  Getting them into position is difficulty, and the fact that they don't have the same mobility as Nogrania's Paradigm further limits their usefulness.  Assaulting chokepoints is therefor mostly up to ground forces. 

For the first time, Toskesh begins losing their tank walkers to something other than artillery or enemy armor.  The Light and Thin armor on the Piāoqiè guānsī is vulnerable to Nogrania's new Kiwi Anti-Material rifle.  The Thin armor on the legs is particularly vulnerable - a few shots from medium range can knock out the hydraulics and leave the tank walker sagging to one side.  The steel penetrator rounds lose speed (and penetrating power) very quickly - at long range the rounds start to struggle to punch through Thin armor, and Light armor can only be cracked at point-blank range.  Without tungsten cores the rifle can't carry enough energy to hit from long range, but the surprising accuracy makes the rifle a favorite of sharpshooters.  More importantly, Nogrania's infantry can support their tank walkers against enemy armor.  The Rhino was already superior, and with the extra help walker battles generally go in Nogrania's favor, especially with Toskesh's air support being limited in the mountains.

Toskesh has failed to gain ground in the Mountains.  Nogrania maintains their hold on the Mountains and generates +1 to their Economic Development Track.
Nogrania has progressed enough on their EDT to gain a Unique Resource!  They may choose what Unique Resource to gain and it will become available at the start of next turn.  This resource requires TC to be properly utilized.


Combat in the Badlands

Both sides are pressing the Badlands this turn.

The blistering summer sun shines down on the troops unlucky enough to be stationed here this season.  Toskesh is pressing hard this year, making good use of their Qi Chu's on the flat and open ground.  The new turboshafts have decreased the cost quite a bit, but the hovercraft remain Expensive.  However, the rocket variant (recently declared 100% legal) is now also Expensive, and these are primarily used due to their ability to dump eight tubes of rockets in short order in time to pull back.  Nogrania's Draughts continue chasing them down, but with the recent theft of the Emu they may have to soon deal with AA fire.

Toskesh's new 75 mm can more-or-less match Nogrania's Duke, though it doesn't have the same mobility.  Rocket artillery is still ideal for area saturation, but Nogrania can support their advances more easily with better armor and heavier mobile artillery.  Their advances are still harried by Toskesh's Xīwàng attack helicopters, but the Emu's on every tank and helicopter means the attack helicopters still get shot down from time to time.  Despite this, Toskesh's helicopters are merely Expensive - and being dedicated in their attack role means they out-perform Nogrania's Draught in the same capacity.  Their limited ammo supply hurts them, but they have enough that they can accomplish their goals despite counter-fire.  The Kiwi is surprisingly useful in hitting the fast-moving helicopter and doing damage - not quite as useful as Toskesh's Jin Na, but still useful for infantry squads caught without support.

Nogrania's better armor and mobile artillery play a significant role this season, and the fact that their infantry can now participate in armor battles means they have a more flexible ground force.  The Kiwi suffers from not being able to reliably penetrate from further away, leaving it inferior to Jin Na's in the same role.  Ultimately, Toskesh's higher number of Xīwàng helps even the battlefield.  Combined with their cheaper rocket Qi-Chu's and their new 75 mm artillery for defensive measures, they have a small advantage.  Warrant Officer Lin ZengKang adds a dozen marks to his Xīwàng this season - little white hippo and rhino stencils, for each walker he's managed to take out.

Toskesh has pushed south and gained a section of the Badlands!


Combat in the Fjords

Nogrania makes a push into the Fjords this year in an attempt to break Toskesh's EDT point income.

With the adjacent seazone under their control, Nogrania is able to operate with naval support in this section of the Fjords.  The 4" artillery dominates the coastlines, and thanks to the floats Nogrania's Draughts are able to be resupplied at sea before going inland to hit behind Toskesh's lines. 

The dry weather means Toskesh can make greater use of their Qi Chu's this year - especially with the rocket mountings.  Traveling across the water is dangerous when Nogrania owns the ocean, but on land the Qi-Chu can drop rocket barrages from behind hills and ignite swaths of dried grassland.  The Fjords burns quite a bit this year, and the smoke is visible from miles and miles away. 

Nogrania relies heavily on their armor to make their pushes, and are interrupted primarily by RPG teams and attack helicopters.  The Paradigm is still used here, working as mobile artillery support when enemy forces are spotted.  Infantry carry Kiwi's with them when possible, as the ability to do damage to enemy walkers and helicopters is priceless for the otherwise helpless soldiers (when not supported by armor of their own).  The Draught is still vulnerable to enemy Jin Na SMRL's, so it relies on its higher-altitude bombing capability to do damage. 

For Toskesh, their new Qīngsuàn 75 mm is one of their most useful defensive weapons.  The high velocity and larger caliber means it can knock out Hippo's with ease and Rhino's too, assuming they don't get unlucky.  It's most effective at relatively closer range, where the flat trajectory and higher speeds means accuracy and killing capability is at its peak.  The most significant draw-back is that it's not mounted on their own tank walkers or Qi-Chu's, so they are limited to fairly static emplacements.  While they have other means of hitting enemy armor, Nogrania is still able to use their mobility and more powerful Rhino to spearhead successful assaults into Toskesh territory.  Their naval advantage is key this year, and with attack helicopters harrying their ground forces they would likely have not won without that support.

Nogrania has pushed north and gained a section of the Fjords.


Foreign Investors:
We decide to show off our Rhino to the foreign investors.  The tank walker is able to plod along on six legs and turn, but not very fast or at the same time.  The investors are...not very impressed.  Our walker technology is quite far behind that of more developed countries, and the laughably weak armor makes the vehicle more suited for WWI combat.  Still, our nation shows promise, so they agree to stick around one more season for another tech demonstration in the hopes we will be able to produce something that will be able to "wow" them.  Plans to build the Oil refinery in Nogrania, meanwhile, have ground to a halt.

United States Assistance:
After the disastrous loss of the schematics to our Emu NMG, we've been approached by a representative from the US.  He says that the United States is dedicated to the spread of democracy and limiting the growth of Communism, and our inability to keep ourselves secure against enemy espionage is seriously worrying.  The US is willing to export an additional Ore resource to Nogrania, but they need assurance that we are making steps to protect ourselves against the Communist Scourge to the north.  If we were to - oh, say, develop a registry of suspected Communist sympathizers - they might feel more secure about their resource assistance.  Documenting, investigating, jailing or deporting these dangerous left-leaning individuals would certainly scare the reds.  A "Red Scare", if you will.

Other News:
Does anyone even read this part?


Theatre Progress:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Mountains:
Nogrania - 3/Toskesh 0

Badlands:
Nogrania - 1/Toskesh 2

Fjords:
Nogrania - 1/Toskesh 2

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 4, 0/5 -> Ore

Toskesh: Level 2, 0/3 -> Oil

[Kashyyk]

I'd say that went quite well. A shame about the rockets getting passed, but it means we can safely clone a bazooka without worries.

Now that Tokesh has an NMG, we're going to need something to protect our infantry. Here's a few suggestions:

RNM Megamule Transport Walker: The "Walker" technology developed by the military has caught the interest of the civilian sector. Whilst wheels are great for transporting things over roads, walkers have unique off-road capability- useful for transporting things through the underdeveloped wilds of Serouda. Meanwhile, the military despairs at their own lack of land transport- Drafts are great for moving small amounts at high speed, but if you want to move large numbers of troops or materiel, it's sled and pack horse time.
Thus this joint effort between military engineers and Royal Nogranian Motors* was born. The Megamule is a ten-legged walker, consisting of two sections; a cabin/engine section forwards, resting on four legs, and a large cargo area to the rear, resting on six (more widely spaced) legs. The engine is a powerful if conventional one capable of propelling the unarmoured vehicle at medium speeds. The cargo area is easily configurable to suit a variety of uses; it can hold a large container for moving regular cargo, a passenger section for moving troops, or a flatbed suitable for transporting other vehicles. The Megamule is designed to carry substantially larger loads than the Wallace Truck, and although it is not expected to be as fast, the off-road utility should make it an overall upgrade in terms of transport capacity. Not to mention the fact that it can be used by the military, enabling us to deploy and redeploy far faster than Toskesh.

This Infantry Recon Walker is possibly the world's first bipedal armoured vehicle. Featuring a pair of digitigrade legs beneath a two man armoured cabin, this vehicle is intended to move much faster than the slow hexapod designs currently in action. With Light armour on the front of the cabin and thin armour everywhere else, this vehicle is make the most of break-through opportunities, rapidly striking at exposed support elements, as well as flanking infantry positions and supporting heavy armour. The front of vehicle carries an Emu, equipped with alternating lead and steel rounds for maximum effectiveness against infantry and light armour.

It is completely different to a certain sci-fi chicken walker.

This is definitely not a modernisation of United Forenia's Tiger armour. Nope.

[10ebbor10]

Well, whatever we do it should be impressive. We need to get that oil thing.