Hi PeterZ,
Permit me a few comments, if you please.
First of all, I don't see the Go4 ordering the MHoG to dig and fortify this spring, not before they ever meet the allied armies, especially when they still outnumber them by ~3-1, despite the obvious qualitative differences, NTM when they are so determined to regain the momentum after their winter defeats, nor will the book stretch through the fall let alone all winter.
At this rate I'll be surprised if we reach October.
Then there's the question of when, where and what would they fortify; RFC made it clear years ago that Haven is too huge for any WWI western front bogged down trench warfare; it's too easy to flank any such fortifications.
Story-wise, I don't see the MHoG surviving as a military force, they're supposed to attack and be variously ambushed, the bulk of the serfs become as POW's before they learn how they've been lied to etc.
Now you're right in that the timing is indeed critical, but for the Go4; because it will be after BGV destroys Wyrshym, so the Go4 will split the MHoGatA into two sub armies; one being Army Group North [to replace Wyrshym], the other is Army Group South [to replace Harless's AoS], each at around 750-800,000 troops, because they think Kaitswyrth is now strong enough to meet the alliance Army of the Daivyn [they don't know Symkyn by name yet] on equal or better terms, so they don't need an Army Group Center.
Imagine when they discover they do!
Given their man-to-man combat power is 3-4 if not 5 times Kaitswyrth's, plus that they expect to outnumber him [a rather unique situation so far for the allied armies], he and his army are 'dead men walking', regardless of any glitches RFC puts in for authenticity's sake.
Post battle, keep in mind you've confused and reversed where DE and EHM are going; EHM is going north while DE stays south of the Daivyn.
May means that the MHoG's AGS could have taken the Sabana river to the coast, moved along the coast to Dairnyth and the Alyksberg canal, possibly as far as the Seridahn River in those 50-60 days thanks to the warmer weather of it's theater of operations, while AGN may not reach Northern Siddarmark until mid-late May when they find out about Kaitswyrth.
AGS is the closest, NTM in the best position to respond quickly, but sending a replacement army, perhaps a third of AGS back then up the Fairmyn River would take a month to get to the Charayn Canal, way too long; so since I suspect the MHoG will have orders to destroy the alliance armies wherever they are, the rest of AGS may move north through the Snake Mountains [rather than marching east or south through lands still wrecked from last year], hoping to get well behind the [assumed] westward moving alliance armies and cut the Daivyn River behind them before they realise its so close to the river when they're too far away.
Of course, the alliance armies are more than ready to meet them and have further surprises in store [like using their own much better rockets first] that demolish the AGS, leaving the south open for the allies to exploit; this is where Dohlar wisely decides to seek terms before armies that destroyed the MHoG's AGS, that was several times larger than the largest Dohlaran army ever, advance into Dohlar proper.
So the allies are then free to march up the AGS's route south in reverse, ie up the Sabana River then west to the KotTL, which being rivers are less susceptible to any sabotage than canals, while supplied via Sharpfield, so by August they're approaching Zion from the south east.
EHM among others cut the AGN's canal supply line as I've previously posted, and BGV sails from Spinefish Bay to Temple Bay [possibly escorted by the KH VII's, no longer needed in the Gulf of Dohlar
], going up the Zion tidal river in his steam powered landing craft when the book ends; and the next book [#9] fills in all the background we've missed, before the next [#10] finishes Clyntahn off and we find out WUtT - [what's under the temple] in a couple of years, instead of next year.
L
PeterZ wrote:n7axw wrote:It seems to me that there is an element in all of this that while it's not nevessarily time critical, still makes time somewhat important. They do need to come to grips with Kaitswryth and finish the business rather than taking the whole campaign season to do it. The same is true for BGV and the Army of the Salmahn. Both campaigns are a clearing of the deck for dealing with the Harchongese.
Don
I believe this is somewhat time sensitive. Not for coordinating against Kaitswyrth, but to lock down the canals before the GH begin moving. If you will notice the dispositions, DE is moving to position himself north of Kaitswyrth and EHM is approaching from the south. Even so, they are not the hammer to crush Kaitswyrth. That is up to Symkyns. Why?
I suspect that the approaches from the South and North are the primary dispositions the ICA will take to address the GH. High Mount approaches from the South and secures the locks along the Charayn Canal and Daivyn river. Eastshare will position blocking forces north of Aivahnstyn and send his more mobile forces to secure the North Daivyn and as far north as they can get. I suspect that BGV will get to lakeside and Sairmeet by the time DE gets to Selyk and Blufftyn.
After Kaitswyrth has been suitably dealt with EHM heads south and takes Dairnyth. Hanth kicks Rychtyr's butt back to Dohlar and follows along the Sheryl-Sheridahn. Silkiah will have either fallen or flipped to that last 50,000 troop ICA contingent from Cherayth in that August departure. Iron clads begin filtering into Salthar Bay and wreaking havoc along the Dohlar coast. The KH VIIs arrive at last as Thirsk deploys much of his forces to cover this emerging southern threat.
Sharpfield will take back Trove Island and will likely take Dragon Island too. Garvai and Windshare have to train up somewhere
Sharpfield might well take one of the islands just outside Shweimouth passage as well. having bases in those four locations will pretty much let ICN steamers control the entire Gulf of Dohlar and the Gulf of Tanshar as well as their coastal cities' waterborne trade. By Fall Dohlar's navy will be toast, Gorath's throat will be bare to Sharpfield's 10'ers and Ahlvarez's army will be bottled up inside Dohlar and waiting the Siddermarkian formations that are building up as King Rahnahld sweats. Of course, the Desnar's Eastern coast will get some tender lovin' care from the new coastal ironclad class.
Now, if the GH decides to be wise and fortifies positions at Mhartynberg, St. Vyrdyn and lake City(less likely) as Brother Lynkyn manufactures his weapons, the CoGA survives the winter. I suspect that Magwair will win that argument with Clyntahn after both Kaitswyrth's and Wyrshym's forces are destroyed. Whether Clyntahn survives the Winter or not is a good question. If he does not survive, the CoGA might well sue for peace and save the Temple Lands from a vengeful Siddermarkian Army that has just witnessed the Concentration Camps and will be up to almost pre-SoS levels but better armed than the GH.
If the GH decides to attack, I just don't see them surviving as any sort of force. They won't have enough breach loaders or rockets to offset the Allies mortars and greater number of rifles. If the St. Kylman's use percussion caps, they will have the same logistics issues as the Allies have with their brass rounds. Try as I might, I don't see the GH surviving anything but defending from seriously fortified positons. They have enough rifles and men to make taking that sort of position very painful for the Allies. Painful enough that waiting until the RSA can completely rebuild and the EoC can fully equip them to ICA standards will be a very attractive proposition.
