Design Phase, Late Winter 1915Squadron 2, Squadron 4 and Observer 2 have reached Rookie experience level. Squadron 3 has dropped down to Neophyte experience level.
The generals in the north demand more fighters be sent there to fend off the Verusan Emus and shoot down their balloons. They also call for more aircraft to assist the army, such as Hykib balloons for spotting or Feathers for photoreconnaissance. The current situation may deteriorate quickly if the Sky Crusaders send more aircraft to take advantage of their air superiority, possibly pushing the front back to Derboise.
On the central plains, there is some frustration over the fact that Verusan bombers still fly mostly untouched, but the generals there are for once, thankful for the KPAF’s support. The continuing provision of aerial photography here has helped army intelligence greatly.
In the south, the army and marines are confidant of capturing Basselton next month. Given the lack of Verusan opposition in the skies here, they suggest diverting the bomber escorts to other, more useful tasks such as photoreconnaissance. Meanwhile, the group of junior naval officers has been mostly vindicated by the success of the raid on Risleis. The navy has started a program to retrofit merchantmen to serve as balloon tenders, which will support future shore bombardments. For now, the navy continues to rely on the KPAF for the actual Hykib balloons. For next month, the navy has planned a sortie to engage the Verusan fleet off Basselton, in support of the assault on that city. There is little worry about the status of Mizogorod yet, as it is believed that the Verusans do not have enough troops in the south to overcome the defences.
There are some complaints about the withdrawal of the Crimson Eagles to serve in the south, both from members of the public and our own recruiters.
High command has increased your budget by 3 PP, as the country devotes more factories to war.
Equilibrium Fighter Monoplane | 18/19 progress | 2 PP per die | Rushed 0 times | 10 PP invested
Planes:
-Feather-1914 Scout Plane: A unarmed, single seater biplane. High stability makes it easy to fly, but also woefully inadequate for anything other than scouting. Lightweight wooden fuselage combined with a five-cylinder rotary engine gives it good speed in the air. Now comes with ailerons for improved roll capability. Cost 3/1
-Equilibrium Fighter Monoplane: A single-seater monoplane with a 7-cylinder rotary engine and correspondingly good speed. It’s armed with a Type 11 LMG firing forward through the propeller arc with the aid of a rudimentary synchronisation gear, which reduces the fire rate but allows easier aiming. The synchronisation gear prevents the blades from being shot off, but pilots are reminded not to shoot more than two belts of rounds anyway. Cost 5/2. (In Development)
Balloons
-Hykib Observation Balloon: A single-pilot hydrogen balloon designed for aerial observation. Its elongated and finned shape helps it remain stable even in high winds. The basket has an inbuilt telephone to relay messages from the pilot to the ground, and what can charitably be described as a very rudimentary parachute. Painted a glorious red throughout. Cost 2/1
Equipment
-Lvoc Camera: A glass plate medium camera with a 150mm focal length, coincidentally about the size and shape of a 150mm artillery shell. Requires manual changing of the plate for each photograph taken and is moderately durable. Cost 1 PP.
-Type 11 machinegun: An air-cooled light machine gun firing 7.65x53 mm Argentine rounds at 600 RPM. Sometimes overheats after prolonged use. Cost 1 PP.
-Artillery Spotter Equipment: A set of good binoculars with range markings and a Kolechian ‘comtant’, a combination of compass and sextant for taking precise bearings. Questions of whether a sextant is really necessary for doing so are met with offended looks. Cost 1 PP for 2 squadrons.
-K-09 “Dogbite” Mortar Round: A 155mm high explosive mortar shell, carrying 45kg of high explosive. Is very temperamental when roughly handled. Cost: 1 PP.
-KF-15 Signal-Illumination Flare Pistol: The K-15 fires up to eight Rainbow flares in colours from red to purple for signalling, and a bright white for illumination, allowing planes to signal to the ground. Each pistol is single-shot only but are cheap enough to be issued in bulk.
Pilots:
-Coordinated: Strength in numbers! Kolechian pilots work well together and are better coordinated in combat.
-Uniforms: Red with silver accents. Pilots are issued a thick, flowing red cape which flutters gloriously in the wind, inspiring the men on the ground.
Technology:
-Basic biplane design
-Basic/Intermediate monoplane design
-Basic/Intermediate balloon design
-Wooden frame construction
-Basic control surfaces: wing warping, elevator and rudder and ailerons.
-Foster mount technology
-Rudimentary synchronisation gear
-Pyrotechnics
Resources:
-1 Pilot Training Institute: Teaches new pilots what each lever does. When to pull each lever is up to the student.
-1 Developmental Airfield: Designs new planes and other air-related equipment. Produces five dice worth of progress every turn.
-22 production points base
Squadron 1 | Equilibrium Fighter Monoplane | No Equipment | Air Superiority | Rookie | Piotr | Maintenance Cost 3
Currently assigned to secure air superiority along the Estwice-Dreidansk Road
Squadron 2 | Feather-1914 Scout Plane | Type 11 LMG | Bomber Escort | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to escort Squadron 5 at Basselton
Squadron 3 | Feather-1914 Scout Plane | Lvoc Camera, Type 11 LMG | Air Superiority | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to secure air superiority along the Derboise-Demisonne Road
Squadron 4 | Feather-1914 Scout Plane | Lvoc Camera | Aerial Reconnaissance | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to perform aerial photoreconnaissance along the Estwice-Dreidansk Road
Squadron 5 | Feather-1914 Scout Plane | Type 11 LMG, K-09 "Dogbite" Mortar Rounds | Level Bombing | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to bombing support at Basselton
Crimson Eagles | Feather-1914 Scout Plane | Type 11 LMG, Lvoc Camera | Air Superiority | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to secure air superiority over Basselton
Observer 1 | Hykib Observation Balloon | Artillery Spotter Equipment | Artillery Spotting | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to artillery spotting along Estwice-Dreidansk Road
Observer 2 | Hykib Observation Balloon | Artillery Spotter Equipment | Artillery Spotting | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to artillery spotting at Basselton
Observer 3 | Hykib Observation Balloon | Artillery Spotter Equipment | Naval Artillery Spotting | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to naval raiding
1 x Artillery Spotter Equipment
Prestige: Little
Status: Auxiliary Service
Army Relations: Mostly Friendly
Navy Relations: Lukewarm
Production Points: 22
Total Maintenance: 11
Author
Topic: Knights of the Skies: Kolechia Thread - Early Summer 1916, Production Phase (Read 55516 times)