Iberian News 1914 - Onwards

[Desertfox]

Whats the exact date for that? Cause a lot is happening in that area in the Spring.

There's pirates and battles going on in their backyard, but the Italians are watching a peaceful convoy...

[miketr]

The weak SOS goes out on May 30th, note the Iberians had trouble picking up about 150 to 170 nm away.  So Adan didn't get it and its debatable what if anything else in the area did.  Now other ships would have heard it and word would get out very quickly. The Iberian troops land and are in the firefight on on May 31st.

[TexanCowboy]

HOLY SH*T! You just declared war on the DKB. They have a Class 1 port there, and were building a sub there.  :o

[Sachmle]

HOLY SH*T! You just declared war on the DKB. They have a Class 1 port there, and were building a sub there.  :o

HUH?

[Desertfox]

March 30th is exactly when the Swiss convoy is crossing that precise area. The situation in that area is rapidly becoming very confusing.

[TexanCowboy]

They invaded Socrata....

[miketr]

Per Mario (Maddox) Socotra is French, he approved the story.  To be technical Iberia declared war on France or rather an Iberian Captain is killing a bunch of Pirates who happen to French citizens and any poor civilian slobs caught in the cross fire.

[Sachmle]

They invaded Socrata....

1. Socotra is an island archipelago NE of the East tip of Italian East Africa (OTL Somalia). I have not now, nor at any time in the past held Socotra. I have a place called Sarawak, which is in the NOI.

March 30th is exactly when the Swiss convoy is crossing that precise area. The situation in that area is rapidly becoming very confusing.

The weak SOS goes out on May 30th, note the Iberians had trouble picking up about 150 to 170 nm away.  So Adan didn't get it and its debatable what if anything else in the area did.  Now other ships would have heard it and word would get out very quickly. The Iberian troops land and are in the firefight on on May 31st.

2. Dates aren't even close people.

[TexanCowboy]

Really now, because when I tried to buy a base in the Indian Ocean, I was told that Socrata was DKB terriory. That lead to Masahri....

[miketr]

It was leased by DKB in N2 but when the game was rebooted in N3 it reverted to France.  You can see here where the old DKB player Swamphen is dropping the claim during the reboot talks.

http://www.navalism.org/index.php?topic=9.msg2139#msg2139

[TexanCowboy]

Ok....

[maddox]

Glorious France never reclaimed Socotra after the Bavarian Revolt in 1905 and the Big Sell-out of 1906-1907.

If Paris hears about this some eyebrows will rise and heads will be scratched.

[The Rock Doctor]

Hmm...

[Sachmle]

Umm..OK so Swampy HAD it, but gave it back, but France never took it back? No wonder there's pirates running out of if. Hmm... Brandenburg would be...less than amused to hear that France never took it back and that it could have been retained, nor that their are pirates running amok off the coast of Aden and Ost Afrika. We'll have to see how long that information takes to make it back east. I'm sure Madrid would share this info rather quickly (The Pirates that is).

[miketr]

Two hours after the action began in front of the Mosque

Ali Abdullah Mujur Bey, "I am the headman of Had?b? young Kafir."

Capitán de Corbeta Portillo, "I require that you surrender the town in the name of Capitán de Fragata Antonio Calderón, commander of His Iberian Majesties Ship Gibraltar.  Also you are to turn over the crew of the freighter Kobayashi Maru.  Lastly I want hostages from the largest families in town."

The Bey's eyes narrowed and reached up to stroke the long white beard that went nearly to his waist, "You demand many things young Kafir."

Portillo shrugged, "Shall I signal my captain that you refuse his terms?"

Ali's hands returned to his side and his hand closed into a tight fist, "I surrender the town and will get you your hostages Kafir.  As to the freighter I have no control over the Somali pirates."  Ali turned and spit in the direction of the ocean for emphasis.

Portillo has equal amounts of question and sarcasms as he asks, "And you attacked my men out your dislike of the Pirates?"

Ali glares, "Kafir they like you took hostages including my grandson when they came here last year.  We ordered to fight if any soldiers came while a captured ship was in port."

Portillo raises one of his eye-brows, "What of the French?  Why didn't you ask them for help?  There was once a coaling station here and there still is the cable relay station."

Ali shrugged, "The Frenchmen left fifteen years ago and we haven't seen a French Warship stop here for ten.  The only Frenchmen we see are the ones that stop by once every two years to check on their cable relay.  If we asked for help the Somali's made clear that they would kill the hostages."

Portillo nods slowly, "I see and where are the Pirates now?"  

Ali points towards the sea again, "They left after they dropped off the freighter.  Some of their men are on it now.  They might be back in a day or it might be as long as a week depending on if they sail off to sell what they have taken."

"I see and do you know where they go to sell their loot?" Portillo asked.

Another shrug, "They always leave and return from the East.  Except twice they headed West, I think they were going to Somali where the Italians rule to recruit more of their people."

Portillo paused in thought and then said, "Very well Ali Bey I will tell my Captain what you have told me.  If what you told me is true and if we can we will return the people that the Pirates have seized.  In the mean time show these men the cable relay."

An hour later on the Gibraltar

"Pirates on the Kobayashi Maru surrender now!" Capitán Calderón called over in his accented French.

A reply came a short while later in broken French, "Leave now!  We kill hostages!"

Capitán Calderón snorted when he heard the reply, "Put a shot across her bow."  A gun crew on one of the 75's fired a round as ordered.  "No more warnings!  Surrender or I will hang every Pirate we find on that ship!"  Leaning forward he shouted down to bandaged officer in the motor launch, "Lieutenant López take your men and seize that ship."

As the launch headed over to the seized freighter a single shot rang out from the freighter and a body was dumped into the water, "HOLD YOUR FIRE!" Capitán Calderón bellowed.

A new voice called out, "No kill! We Surrender!"

That afternoon in the Captains Cabin

Lieutenant López said, "The Pirates story matches what the wogs said in the town.  Their mother ship headed east to look for more ships to seize they are expected back in a few days.  These idiots claim to have no clue where things are taken to be sold."

Capitán Calderón leaned back in his chair, "I see and the crew and passengers?"

A look of pure disgust passed over Lieutenant López's face, "Most are still alive but wouldn't have been for much longer if we didn't get here I think.  The freighters captain and purser were killed, tortured when they refused to 'give up the gold'.  These idiots thought there was gold on board.  There were some passengers including some woman... they ah... have had a rough time.  It appears that their 'captain' doesn't let them take any of the women from the town as they are afraid that might provoke them into screaming for help hostages or no.  This restriction doesn't apply to woman on ships they seize.  The ship itself is fine and I have the crew being looked over by my medic."

Capitán Calderón nodded, "Good report Lieutenant, dismissed."

Lieutenant López came to attention but before he left he asked, "Sir what are we going to do now?"

Capitán Calderón paused before he replied, "Good question Lieutenant, we need some help that much is clear but the Cartagena is way back at the Chagos.  No I need to get a message off to Madrid and ask for some help.  Perhaps contact Aden also it's near by and the Brandenburgers don't care much for pirates either."

To be continued...