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Logistics and the Coming Year

This fascinating series is a combination of historical seafaring, swashbuckling adventure, and high technological science-fiction. Join us in a discussion!
Re: Logistics and the Coming Year
Post by DMcCunney   » Fri Aug 19, 2016 5:56 pm

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Keith_w wrote:
DMcCunney wrote:Germany had a fair number of Marxists, but Mark thought a developed nation like Germany was where Communism would develop. The notion is might take root in still agrarian and feudal societies like Russia was not one that occurred to most Marxists.

The Marxists were hardly the only ones the existing ruling classes worried about. Socialists were seen as a greater threat, as were major industries not under the control of the existing nobility, with industrialists amassing fortunes that exceeded the nobles, and a middle class that increasingly expected a voice in how things were run. Religion was also in that mix, with Catholic versus Protestant one of the major cleavages.

<Snipped for Brevity not because I disagree with or dislike anything not included>

Although I cannot tell you where I read it, I recall reading that Marx was terrified at the thought of marxism being implemented in agrarian societies such as Russia's.

You may well be right. I was reading some histories of the period and believe I saw similar sentiments.

As for fear of Marxists and Socialists, let us not forget Anarchists as well. I was just reading up on Anarchism and see that Marxism was originally included in that political spectrum although true Anarchists believed that Marxism would simply replace one set of rulers with another and it looks as though they were correct.

Quite right. I left out the Anarchists because my point was simply that the Marxists were far from the only concern of the ruling classes.

Marx foresaw that sort of thing withering away as True Communism came to fruition, but did see a period of leadership required to guide it to that point. Anarchists would not have been pleased at the notion.

I was also somewhat grimly amused at the process that produced what we think of as Germany, which was a political effort by Bismark to unify a batch of independent polities whose main thing in common was that they all spoke a dialect of German. Bismark was concerned with how not to include German speaking areas like Austria, because his goal was a German federation dominated by Prussia and ruled by the Prussian monarchy.

He was a classic reactionary, who wanted the King and the Junkers to remain firmly in control.
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Dennis
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Re: Logistics and the Coming Year
Post by DMcCunney   » Fri Aug 19, 2016 6:09 pm

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Captain Igloo wrote:
DMcCunney wrote:SNIPP

Machine guns were major causes of the horrendous casualties in WWI, as "over the top" attacks were made on fortified positions. That sort of nonsense is the last sort of thing Charis wants to do, and it the Mighty Host is foolish enough to try that sort of mass attack, well, that's what angle guns, mortars, and Katyushas are for, not to mention Shan Wei's Footstools and the like.. Troops with magazine fed Mahndrayns using aimed fire can do for MHoG troops that survive the artillery and mines.

So no, I don't expect to see machine guns.

The main cause of death/ injury was down to Artillery fire. 58% of deaths/injuries on the battlefield were caused by Artillery fire as opposed to 32% caused by bullets (Rifle or Machine Gun).

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't have those numbers at hand.
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Dennis
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Re: Logistics and the Coming Year
Post by lyonheart   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 3:17 am

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Hi Dennis,

I've argued for years that thanks to the ICA's 3" mortars and Mahndrayn rifles, they don't need machine guns, but RFC is so flexible he might change his mind. ;)

Addendum to below; I'd still like a better map to see where the Black Wyvern Hills are, since that's where the southern MH is.

L


DMcCunney wrote:
lyonheart wrote:Hi Dennis,

Quite right. ;)

We don't know where the southern MH is [not on map], and we have no textev orders that it move towards Dohlar.

Clyntahn is still focused on preserving his gains in northern Siddarmark and protecting his concentration camps. We're seeing how well that's working out. (And Earl Rainbow Waters is quietly grateful as camps farther out are liberated, reducing the demands that he Do Something to protect them.)

This another plea for more and better detailed maps, if anyone can do anything about that at this late date.

Hmmm. I wonder if Openstreetmaps can be adapted...

If the MH's second wave [~5-600K] is sent south from their training camps in the spring, we may see the ICN gunboats etc go up the Sabana to cut their supplies off, and possibly force the CoGA to destroy the south end of the Holy Langhorne Canal locks, which would force RW to retreat unless they can be repaired quickly.

Given Clyntahn's preoccupations, I think that's unlikely. He wants to finish crushing Siddarmark. Dohlar is a side-show for the EoC, and it's likely a sideshow for him as well. I don't think a threat to Dohlar would make him divert resources. His thinking is likely to be "I've got the Mighty Host of God, and I don't really need Dohlar." He'll want Dohlar to keep fighting to tie down some of the EoC's strength, but I don't think he'll divert the Might Host's second wave to help.

Much as I'd like to see the ICA reinforcements land in Temple Bay this summer, I don't think its going to happen, though having Duchairn or Magwair or both challenge Clyntahn to show them how to trust God and lead his local inquisitors [all that's left]in battle against the heretics, which could be fun to watch them all get slaughtered.

Duchairn and Magwair might well try to take out Clyntahn if they had the ability. But Inquisitors loyal to Clyntahn are firmly in control in Zion and the Temple, and Magwair doesn't have forces he can be confident will back him near enough to do anything.

(I do suspect Clyntanh might get an unpleasant surprise from the Temple Guard still in Zion at some point. Hauwerd Wylsynn had been their commander at one point, and Clyntahn's purge of Hauwerd as well as his brother Samuel along with the other members of the Circle won't sit well with them. They might just decide they've had quite enough of the Inquisition, and Clyntahn might discover his Inquisitors in Zion have suffered unfortunate mishaps... :P)

Will there be ICA machine guns by then? ;)

At a con back in April, I asked David whether we'd see Gatling guns appearing in the ICA, since they are well within the capabilities of Charis to build. David said we wouldn't, because they'd serve no real need.

Machine guns were major causes of the horrendous casualties in WWI, as "over the top" attacks were made on fortified positions. That sort of nonsense is the last sort of thing Charis wants to do, and it the Mighty Host is foolish enough to try that sort of mass attack, well, that's what angle guns, mortars, and Katyushas are for, not to mention Shan Wei's Footstools and the like.. Troops with magazine fed Mahndrayns using aimed fire can do for MHoG troops that survive the artillery and mines.

So no, I don't expect to see machine guns.
______
Dennis
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Re: Logistics and the Coming Year
Post by DMcCunney   » Sat Aug 20, 2016 4:01 am

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lyonheart wrote:Hi Dennis,

I've argued for years that thanks to the ICA's 3" mortars and Mahndrayn rifles, they don't need machine guns, but RFC is so flexible he might change his mind. ;)

He might. But machine guns can be viewed as an area effect weapon. They're useful if the enemy is kind enough to bunch up and come at you in a mob, but everyone has learned the hard way that's a bad idea against massed, dug in rifles, let alone angles and mortars.

I'm just trying to imagine a situation where they might be useful to either side.

Addendum to below; I'd still like a better map to see where the Black Wyvern Hills are, since that's where the southern MH is.

I've collected all the maps I can find, but only mountain ranges are named on the ones I have.
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Dennis
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Re: Logistics and the Coming Year
Post by evilauthor   » Sat Aug 27, 2016 12:17 am

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DMcCunney wrote:I've argued for years that thanks to the ICA's 3" mortars and Mahndrayn rifles, they don't need machine guns, but RFC is so flexible he might change his mind. ;)

He might. But machine guns can be viewed as an area effect weapon. They're useful if the enemy is kind enough to bunch up and come at you in a mob, but everyone has learned the hard way that's a bad idea against massed, dug in rifles, let alone angles and mortars.

I'm just trying to imagine a situation where they might be useful to either side.[/quote]

Anti-aircraft fire. You need the high rate of fire that machine guns offer just to have a chance to even get a few really damaging hits on even slow moving biplanes.

Of course, no one's invented aircraft yet, and the ones that exist are probably invulnerable to something as primitive as chemically propelled lead bullet.
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