Parthian tales and other things

[Kaiser Kirk]

Vache was proud father of two daughters, one only recently welcomed to this world. His wife Anoys was doing well, as were both Cassandre and her elder sister  Anzaze. Vache's younger sister Shirin, 3rd in line, had arrived from an overseas trip to see her new niece and room had been found in officer's country for her, while her entourage paid their respects and continued to the capital of Isfahan.

The City of Flowers and Poets, Ancient Shiraz was home to the First Heir, Colonel Vache Arshakuni of House Arascid , his wife the Learned Anoys of House Soter of Elymais*, and his young daughters Anzaze and Cassandre.  Vache's ascension to First Heir had caused some disruption in his life, as his role in the training command came to an end as he transitioned to his Royal Duties. 

The first heir was traditionally kept inform of the current matters before government such they would be prepared.  Typically they were given a portfolio of some importance. At Iskandar's request, Vache had taken up a a post as Inspector General of the Armed Forces, with a directive to Lead a multi-service technical council to evaluate Technical & Foreign innovations and identify which were suitable for adoption and integration. As was the Parthian way, no honorary rank was given, leaving him at what he had earned by merit, Colonel, which was still overshadowed by his Political rank.

Telephones and telexes meant much of the briefings and conversations with Iskandar could happen remotely, sparing him the need to move to Isfahan.  The train to the Capital of  Isfahan followed a route a little over 200 miles, allowing a journey over night to attend monthly briefings. The mountain training grounds of the Zagros mountains, and the Desert training near Yazd, as well as the Fleet Base at Bushere.  The broad valley of Shiraz was home to an expansive aerodrome for both military and civilian types, and allowed for easy air travel to more distant parts such as the Air Corp's training headquarters in Mashhad. Khorosan, or the naval school and the main Fleet base in Chabahar bay.

The plans for the rare departure of the King of Kings from Parthia disrupted Vache's comfortable life in Shiraz. The Shahashan of Parthia customarily delegated much power to the bureaucracy, and typically collaborated with the Legislature, but maintained an active oversight role, as well as the ability to rule by decree if needed. That could not be done effectively from overseas, and while the machinery of state could certainly whirl smoothly along without, the presence of the First Heir meant it did not have to.

The Royal Train carrying Iskandar, Zenobia, Isias and Shirin stopped in Shiraz enroute to Abbas. Uncle Sanatruck had already arrived. This was an occasion for a procession banquet for the Royals, as well as the notables of the city- Nobles, Guild Leaders and those that had High Honors. Dinner, dancing and well wishes for Princess Shirin's future in far Azteca were said. For Prince Vache, it was a bittersweet moment, Shirin was so happy with her Prince, but her new home was on the far side of the globe, so Vache did not know the next time he would see her, or what he hoped were the nieces and nephews to come. Certainly his girls, and the third still growing in Anoys, would never come to know their aunt. While long prepared for this, functionally the Norse Kingdom was distant as well, the reality of it was an interesting feeling. Still, Vache enjoyed this last night with family, and mused that perhaps in the future, he could find occasion to visit Shirin's new home, perhaps even bring Anzaze.

Two days from now, the Royal Train would depart for Abbas, where the two Vazrya class dreadnoughts would join the Expeditionary fleet.  Vache and Anoys would take their own train to Isfarhan, to take up a figurehead role. Vache would be officially able to make any needed decisions in Iskandar's absence, and they would stand unless Iskandar rescinded them on his return.  There was the expectation that little would need to be done, unless an emergency of some sort occurred. Then of course the role would be the same as a Heir's normal role, issuing Imperial decrees to compel direct action to ensure the labyrinth rules and endless paperwork of competing arms of the bureaucracy did not render the response ineffective or laggardly.



*A Princely cadet line fusing House Soter and House Arshakuni, but not one of the Seven families and so eligible. Elymais having it's roots in ancient Elam, it's capital of Susa among the oldest of cities, having been old when Parthia was born. (Historical note, founded around 4200BCE, razed by Mongols OTL in 1218, not in N7, so in N7 roughly 6,100 years old.)

[Kaiser Kirk]

The Home Fleet base of the Parthian navy was at Tis, in the Northeast portion of Chabahar Bay. Chabahar bay was a circular expanse of water, nine and a half miles deep, and 10 and a half miles wide, it's entrance a pair of points 7 miles apart, separating the bay from the Indian Ocean. Tis first entered the annals of history as Tiz, part of Alexander the Greats return journey.
Archaeologists claimed the bay had been used for millennia before. Tis proper stood to the North of a rocky ridge, jutting out of the bay shore, and crowned by a fortress, still headquarters for the coastal defenses.  This somewhat obscured the Naval base. The Naval base technically was 3nm to the north, enormous area carved out of the deltas of the two rivers entering there, with a giant breakwater to seaward. The western portion of the bay was home to the Naval Gunnery School, and the torpedo practice ranges carved from the Mangroves.  Coastal defenses and MTBs guarded the harbor, while the flat coastal plains allowed for several airstrips nearby.

The fleet had moved here in the late 1800s, when the steel navy was founded. This had led to the closure of the port to general trade, much of that moving to Gwadar.  The bay was outside the Straits of Hormuz, and 150nm NE of Muscat across the Gulf of Oman, giving good access to the Indian Ocean.  A Naval town and base, information did not readily leak to outsides, picket vessels and aircraft watched the approaches for threats, while the fleet could slip to sea unobserved.

The battleships Vazya and Vidyudabhi, like many capital ships drew their names from ancient legends, in their case divine weaponry from the Hindi pantheons.  For this first stage of the journey they were to be accompanied by four Gurg class destroyers. The minesweepers home-ported here did their routine sweep in the hours before departure. The vessels cast off and slowly proceeded past the breakwaters, nets, floating booms, and command controlled mine fields, passing unmolested past the batteries of guns and torpedoes dominating the harbor.  Their screws were clear to the various hydrophones listening, both the coastal defenses, and the picket vessels to seaward.

The squadron proceeded to Abbas, only 300nm away and dominating the  hook on the Hormuz strait.   Across the strait on the point jutting out into the hook were the shallow drowned valleys and the base at Khasab, where the defensive flotilla hid in the shallows. At Abbas the squadron was joined by the vessels of the Expeditionary fleet, drawn from Bushere to the north, and Muscat to the south. Here the Gurg class would depart, leaving the Vazya to join the Expeditionary Fleet. Vazya and Vidyudabhi would embark the Royal Family here, ensconcing them in the Admiral quarters on the respective vessels.  A liner chartered for the purpose would carry the nobility, servants, and guard contingents. 

The Expeditionary fleet was intended to reinforce any of the other three fleets in response to trouble. Centered on the Stormbringer and Mournblade, named from the tales of Melnibone, a Bazdari class fighter carrier provided an aerial shield. An elderly Mus-sag seaplane carrier provided additional reconnaissance abilities.  Steaming in advance of the core force, the scouting force was the 4 Asbara class armored cruisers bolstered by a pair of Royal Nisseans and supported by a Avio Aristabara fighter cruiser. Closer in, 4 of the Maelstrom sentry cruisers and a pair of Bakrclass formed the close escorts, providing  a defensive shell around the battlelines, their 165mm guns able to rapidly engage attacking torpedo-combatants.  The 'corvette' force – the Parthian term for their oceanic destroyers- counted 16 hulls of the Babr and Palang classes, four working ahead with the scout force and the remaining 12 providing the outer protections for the main fleet.  The 2 Hakma, 3 Whale and a sole Hawg class Fleet Supply vessels came along as well.

The combined fleet, featuring 42 vessels, over 395,000 tons (inc liner and support ships), with 60 guns of 365mm, and one hundred guns of 230mm and greater, was not meant to be subtle.  The majority of the vessels had been prioritized for the new AA refits, which had also given opportunity for a through cleaning and painting of the hulls.  The voyage around the horn, across the Atlantic, and through the Caribbean to Veracruz was roughly 12750nm (slightly further than Acapulco steaming East) and  would take 38 days steaming, longer with port calls. The Mayan-Japanese war took longer than the transit time. The force would sail past the Yucatan strait, and even without being augmented by the Atlantic Fleet would still feature  more fire power than the Mayan fleet, as a very clear statement of power projection.

The first stop for this assembled force was the port of Sofala (Beira actually).  Seized from Mogadishian founders by Parthians of Kilwa in 1180, the Parthians had lost possession during the time of the Mongol conquest only to return centuries later. The ancient road inland to the mighty Kingdom of Mwenemutapa and it's gold fields had been supplemented by a double track railroad. The position south of the Zambesi Delta gave a advantageous position for transferring cargo from riverine to oceanic transport.  The Zambesi river draining central Africa was navigable for a considerable distance inland, allowing commerce to flow downstream. The mighty delta had once drained north to the Port of Quelimane, founded by the Parthians of Kilwa before they seized Sofala. The slowly changing delta formed a maze as channels moved, and this had silted up the arm leading to Quelimane in 1830, leaving the Sofala/Biera as the more important hub.

After some time ashore at Sofala (Biera), the fleet will proceed 1600nm to Ikapa (Cape Town). A further port call will occur before the fleet journeys to St. Helena island, which simply serves as a navigation reference for continuance of the 5500nm trip to Trinidad. There in the expansive bay the fleet will refuel and make a port call.   From there, the fleet will continue as if under true threat to Jamaica, and then continue that practice through the Yucatan passage before making the final portion of the journey to Veracruz.

[Kaiser Kirk]

The Gulf of Paria was essentially a bay between the mainland provinces of the Orinoco Satrapy and the island of Liere (Trinadad),  a local word meaning 'Land of the Hummingbirds'.  A pair of straits, 6nm wide, controlled the entrance and extent to the great anchorage. The Orinoco Satrapy was rich, but shared a land border with the Maya, which was uncomfortable. The island, a local source of oil and a natural harbor, was key to retaining the Satrapy, but a forward base for any offensive operations.  The actual naval forces deployed were typically light, as Parthia could not be strong everywhere. They served as a tripwire and harassment force. The main relief would have to come from the Atlantic Fleet, likely reinforced by the Expeditionary Fleet.  The Royal transit had just demonstrated that relief could arrive in slightly over a month.

To help the troops hold out for several months, the past several years had seen the defenses improved, with 120mm guns controlling the straits, serving as overwatch for the minefields.  Batteries of large mortars helped ensure the most likely shores were poor choices.  The harbor now had breakwaters and torpedo nets to safeguard ships in it's care, while harbor forces included both minesweepers and anti-submarine forces, while the sky was safeguarded by Parthian fighters.  Should the Maya commence a build up, it would be met inkind.  That knowledge seemed to have helped deter them.

The beautiful countryside was matched by hot, but lovely weather. Liere had been seized by the Mali Empire in the distant past, used as a base by Iberian adventurers, and fought over as the centuries slipped by. The location on the edge of the Caribbean and the Atlantic had long made it a popular base for 'privateers' and 'adventurers' of many nations. The yao population had retreated to the interior of the island, and engaged in belligerent trade with whomever the recent interloper was. The Parthian arrival had brought peace and stability, turning the rugged town of Cumucurapo (Port of Spain) into a commercial hub. The military port was 18nm south at Point Lisas, near the new oil refineries. Settlers had founded new urban hubs and clusters of government service buildings, while national service youth arrived to build roads to serve Parthian and Yao alike. Enhanced access to goods had brought prosperity to the island. 

The patrol ships and minesweepers had been out early to ensure the Northern strait was clear of mines and subs while the flying boats took off in the predawn.  With affirmation of a route free of potential hostile forces, the Babr corvettes moved ahead, to do their own hydrophone check. The scouting force Royal Nissean cruisers and Asbara armored cruisers were next, with their covering cruiser-carrier Avio Aristarbara.  The Bakrsentry cruisers were next, followed by the four battlewagons in oblique order,  Stormbringer, Vazrya, Vidyudabhi, and Mournblade.  The middle two vessels were equipped with flag facilities, which carried the Emperor and his wife on one, and Princess Shirin and Aunt Iasas on the other.  The liners taken in service with representatives of the leading families and guard troops followed, followed by the gaggle of fleet supply vessels with the Maelstrom cruisers, Bazdari carrier and elderly Mus-sag seaplane carrier following. Last was the remaining corvettes of the Babr and Palang, who moved swiftly to take up positions on the flanks and stern.

Fleet speed was 14 knots, which placed it at the upper range of what a submarine could manage on the surface in flat seas.  Throughout the journey, the corvettes would take turns steaming ahead of the main fleet, and then damping down the engines to drift. While not able to completely turn them off, this reduced the hull noise sufficiently to allow the hydrophone arrays to be highly effective. A submarine running maximum screws could be heard over the horizon, as could a surface force.   The three aviation ships took turns launching scouts, while the warships kept their seaplanes on board.

There was no real expectation of trouble from the Mayans, or anyone. A series of long planned refits had ensured that the ships were in top shape and featured the new antiaircraft guns, on which the crews had been drilling. The four battleships alone featured sixty 365mm guns, while the formation bore 100 heavy guns, and outgunned the Mayan fleet. With the Emperor and two named heirs on board, and the potential to disrupt the Aztec Royals, it was imagined that any vessel carrying them would be a target of opportunity, thus they were separated and the entire fleet was used, as an indication of how very unwise it would be to interfere.

The course was followed to the North NE until two hours past nightfall. Then a lowpower signal was sent, and the force shook out in a looser formation before ships lights damped, and the force turned in sequence to the West.  The hulesmeyer devices on many of the vessels gave short range (5.5nm) omni-directional reflections off metallic objects, but could be shrouded for directional proximity, greatly assisting in station keeping and helping ensure the ships did not drift to close. This course was held for nearly 800nm, passing through the middle of the Caribbean, far from any land based aerial searches. The turn point was 150nm South of Parthian Jamaica, and 200nm from the Mayan "Corn islands" themselves 200nm off of Mayan coast. Unknown to the Parthians, this meant they were retracing the route of the Mayan fleet on it's journey to and from Martinique. This time the turn was in the early morning hours at 0315, and brought the fleet on a course for the Yucatan straits, 590nm away.

With the major Mayan base at Cancun, and the strait only 113nm across, if the Mayans chose make a mistake, this was their best location. Maintaining course and speed would place the fleet off the Parthian Caymans at 2200hours and would enter the Mayan Aerial search radius an hour later, but would see the Fleet exiting the strait at 0330 hours, and 60nm away by time Dawn came.  Sneaking through during wartime would be highly advisable, but would not help convey the Parthian message, so the fleet steamed at a reduced speed,  passing their reference point of the Caymans at a little past noon, and entering the Mayan aerial search envelope in the hours after that.  The sole search aircraft was encountered by the fleet's own scouts. A lance of fighters was detailed to patrol that way, but the Mayans turned shortly after sighting the fleet. While at high alert for several hours, the fleet passed the strait just as Night was falling, with no further sign of the Mayans.

The next two days were uneventful. Once past the strait, the force continued into the night, before swinging Southwest, keeping well off the Mayan Yucatan.  The nighttime leg once again at 14 knts, followed by an increase to 16knots during the daytime, to adjust the arrival time at Veracruz to mid afternoon....(see Aztec thread)

[Kaiser Kirk]

Shahanan Iskandar was pleased. His Sister seemed radiant with happiness, thrilled to start her new life.  The Aztec Sultan welcoming, the court had been gracious, the ceremony beautiful.  The Aztec cities were well kept and prosperous. There seemed much promise for relations between nations to build on and grow closer, for the prosperity of both.

The Aztec fleet was impressive, and the Wilno squadron's presence as well as that of  others was also appreciated, but he was particularly pleased as the Parthian contribution gave a long salute. Refitted and painted prior to the journey, the visual appearance of the vessels, a grey with forest green trim, steaming in order with their pennants all flying was excellent. The salute, sounding in time like a metronome,  starting with the mid-weight guns of the cruiser-carrier, followed by the armored cruisers, and then the heavy guns of the battlewagons, rippled down the line, one hundred guns in all, thundering their salute of the marriage.

The departure of the fleet started a languid journey.

The first call was not far. The islanders called it Caguay, and it had a fine bay as a harbor (Kingston, Jamaica), rebuilt on the inland side of the bay, the old unstable townsite (Port Royal) on the peninsula having been rejected for development. While that town had been favored by merchants, smugglers and pirates, the islanders told of earthquakes and waves causing devastation. Even the Taino did not know how long they were there, but the Mali merchants had wrested the harbor from them five centuries ago,  planting sugar cane as a cash crop and importing captured workers. (the N7 version of the triangle trade). Those plantations had collapsed when political unrest in the Caribbean and reformation of the fields in Laksmanavati had disrupted and eventually destroyed the trade. The petty states of the Caribbean that arose afterward had been a renowned location for merchants who also opportunistically posed as smugglers or even pirates.  The island held an excellent position in the Caribbean, ably located for servicing the needs of the Parthian mercantile marine operating in the Mericas. The opening of the Trans-Erica canal had been beneficial, as the excellent harbor served as a convenient port of call or shelter for the increased mercantile traffic.

The fleet anchored in the bay, nets out, pickets posted, sweeps active. The harbor mouth was closely guarded by 120mm guns, and airstrips provided aerial patrol, but a certain paranoia reduces the chance of unpleasant surprises.  Despite the garrison and fortifications, it was recognized that if the Mayans chose to they could try to seize it. The Parthians felt such an attempt would pose an excellent chance to catch the Mayan fleet at the open sea. If the Mayans sent insufficient force, the Atlantic fleet could intervene, but that would almost certainly be a trap. So the plan was to fight from Liere and  catch the Mayans away from their bases while the Expeditionary fleet came.

The formal port call only took a couple days, before the fleet could set forth for Liere (Trinadad).

[Kaiser Kirk]

This started as something completely different, nand is basically Parthian History... but it's basically setting forth things I have long 'known' but may not have put down.

One of the Keys to N7s history is most historical events happened with minimal changes.
The existence of Parthia complicates that as historically the Muslims, Mongols and Timur went
charging through the Iranian plateau on their way to effecting history elsewhere.

So Parthia had to be something of a swinging gate, with massive armies running it over, and still persevering. So the Royal Family became the glue that bound the nation. The 'national myth' includes these 'never give up' histories. The nation has been torn to the ground repeatedly and fought it's way back. It is no longer collection of Persians, Kurds, Balochs, Etc, they are all Parthians first, and their regions second.

So here's the history I wandered into typing up this afternoon instead of what I intended to do...

The Parthian Empire had nearly been destroyed on four occasions. The first was the Sassanian rebellion of 224 which had torn the Empire asunder as the large and rich Persian provinces had revolted.  An extensive reformation in it's aftermath had centralized power, both civil and military,  turning the Confederation into a true Empire. 

The Roman invasion of 54 BCE had been crushed at Carrhae in 53BCE but started what was to be two millenniums of intermittent wars, which by 1910 saw the Byzantines still holding the old Capital of Parthia, Ctesiphon. Still, these had not threatened the elimination of the Parthian state.

The second was in 632-651AD. First weakened by the Plague of Justinian 541-549, the 572-591 Byzantine War, and after a 602-628 year war with Byzantine had crested at the gates of Constantinople, only for failure and plague in Mesopotamia sapping Parthian strength, which led to exhaustion and a succession war at home. While Byzantine embraced peace,  from 628-632 the Parthians fought among themselves, as the various male heirs were propped up and then eliminated by rivals. This tattered realm then broke when the Muslim expansion of the Rashidun Caliphate burst forth on the doorstep of the exhausted Empire.

The massacre of the male heirs in the succession wars had led to Queens taking the throne and changing the succession laws. The scattered remnants of the House of Arascid rallied the remnants of the Empire. Queen Boran in Gilan province, Princess Sadira held Herat, while Prince Peroz held Samarkand and formed an Alliance with the Tang Empire.  First just lent troops, later decades Prince Narsieh coleading with Pei Xingjian a Tang Army into battle in 679.  From these three redoubts, they  slowly led the reconquista. The reconquista took 50 years, but forged the people as Parthians first, and their province or family second. The unseen effect was eliminating the source of wealth and manpower the Arab armies relied on to power their wars against Byzantine, Iberia and North Africa, with those fronts slowly fading and their impetus running out.

The struggle forged the the Parthian national identity under Arascid leadership.  Many changes came to the population. As part of the cost of rallying the scattered Empire, Queen Boran also granted a Royal Charter for the landed to meet and pass judgement on the conduct of the Crown and Empire (a Parthian Magna Carta). The new succession laws allowed for  grown and able Heirs to be named, superceding birth order in favor of competence. The results included the designated heirs, the expectation of the eldest child being trained to administer,and the second and fourth eldest joining the military, and the introduction of national service. While from the Tang came merit exams for civil and military promotions, as well as other advances of the Chinese state.

The third crisis came in 1219 and lasted until 1327.  Five hundred years of stability had led to a Royal Court which chose to indulge in the benefits of wealth and power while leaving the messy business of ruling to others. The Crown became mostly a symbol, with the power captured by the Elite (shogun era).  The Royal Charter had led to an elected government of the landed Elite ruled loosely while the Major families had  wrested near complete control of their ancient principalities (imagine a mixture of the Shogun era and the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth). The Imperial army had become nearly all turkish mercenaries, as they were loyal to the High Council that paid them. The Princely houses fielded both their own armies and commanded the local Imperial forces. House Varaz had led an expansion beyond the Trans-Oxus (Khwarizam Empire), while House Suren had led an expansion from their Sakastan holdings to conquer the Indus and Ganges plains (Ghurid Empire). In 1218 the neighboring Qara Khitai (Western Lao) fell to the Mongols, and a Mongol Ambassador was sent to treat with the Parthian Commonwealth. The High Council and it's President sent the head back to the Mongols. Ghengis Khan's invasion saw cities razed, the northern third of the nation slain or forced into servitude. The High Council was captured and slain. The holdings of House Ispahbudhan in Gilan, of House Suren in Sakastan, and the lands around Shiraz in the Zagros mountains became the new redoubts of the nation. Once again, scions of the Arascid Dynasty came forth to lead and coordinate each effort. With the core of Parthia destroyed, the Mongol forces flooded beyond, into the Levant and Indus, assailing Byzantine, and sweeping North of the the Caucus into the Rus and Europe, all while conquering the Jin and Song. As the Mongols spread further, they faced more foes, while Ghengis died in 1227 and Odegai in 1241, and Guyuk in 1248, distracting the Mongols from finishing the Parthians. Mongke Khan returned to finish the destruction of Parthia and Byzantine, razing Bahgdad in 1258 before his death in 1259. In 1256 the Mongol territories in Parthia were formed into the Ilkahnate under Mongke's brother Hulegu. On Mongke's death, a brief civil war broke out, the Ilkahnate became independent,.  Elsewhere the territories went to Mongke's other brother Kublai, who ruled in China . The Reign of Kublai Kahn  was a long one (1260-1294), which was focused on the destruction of the Song in southern China, Korea, then South East Asia, attacks on Japan and Java.  Kublai Khan founded the Yaun dynasty and viewed China as his powerbase, but this Eastern focus saw the rise of the Golden Horde and the Ilkahnate as semi-autonomous.

With the Ilkahnate independent, and the Mongol attention far away, the Parthians were able to transition from defending their remnants to launching offenses to reclaim Parthia. Fighting between the Ilkahnate and the Golden Horde led to the shattering of the Ilkhanate army in 1262. Pressed by both Parthia and the Horde, the Ilkahnate fell in 1265 with the death of Hulegu. The Parthians claimed the core provinces, but the next 40 years was spent in a succession of campaigns expelling the Golden Horde from the wasteland that was the Northeast third of the nation.

The Fourth crisis came in the century following. First, the Black Death weakened the nation from 1347 onwards. Then in 1383, the leader of the Golden Horde, Timur, invaded. A decade later the Black Death added to the misery.  Timurs campaigns ravaged much of the nation, but in 1385, the northern reaches of the Golden Horde under Tokhtamysh went to war with Timur. Once again, Gilan and Shiraz held out, shielded by mountains. The harsh terrain of Sistan allowed Zaranj to hold fast, as did Yazd and the Southern Coast. While Timur's campaigns would sack Delhi, Baghdad, Syrmnad Ankara, and ravage Byzantine Anatolia, the Parthian Empire survived in the the mountains  and slowly reclaimed it's lands.
By 1405, when Timur died, the Empire had reclaimed all but the Northern Steppe.

These incidents, while ancient, set the path for a Parthian national myth, about who and what they are. The original Parthian tribe was eliminated in the Mongol depredations, leaving that identity open to all.  It is a foundational expectation that the Arascids and Parthia are one and the same. The history of democracy is tarnished, and there is a belief that only those raised to power and privilege can learn to manage it- and not even all of them. First Borns are expected to train for the family business, but may be passed over if not suitable, even inheritance has to be earned.There is an embrace of merit and competence being expected for promotions.  There is an expectation that everyone – excepting first borns- is expected to serve in National Service. Among the Nobility, the 1st child is trained in administration, while  2nd and 4th children are expected to serve in the Military.  There is no debate as to if a strong and military is needed, and it is seen as a core role of the State.  The 3rd child is expected to 'serve the national good', either in education, medicine, or religion. The remaining children are expected to serve the family purpose.   The Zorastorian faith is well established, though diminished since 1848, and the Christians and Jews embraced as part of the fabric of the nation. Tolerance to other religions is a facet of Zorastorians, but until the 1800s, Islam was shunned. Since then, tolerance has broken out and it is seen as an odd but legitimate religion.  The Charter of Queen Boran stands, but the Parliament serves in a mainly oversight role and to provide ministers to oversee the bureaucratic state, the power flowing from the Monarchy. At lower levels of governance – cities and shires- democracy is more vibrant.

edit - if someone actually wants to comment on my blathering, feel free :)

[Kaiser Kirk]

My intermittent storytelling will now become disjointed as well. There are many tales I wanted to tell from 1910 onwards, some I actually started and ran out of time. I'm starting to have time now.

This will be several posts about Colonel Vache observing Parthian tank development. It mainly serves to highlight the Emperor's and High Command's interest and a discussion of what I think "reasonable" tank evolution would be like for Parthia with it's mix of terrain. Philosophy starts German, then goes kinda British/French, then back to German, but I want American drivetrains and serviceability.

I will also attach Tanksharp7 versions of the machines because, well I can.

Tanks for the memories...

Like many second sons, Colonel Vasche's military training had started as a child, but his actual career had started with National Service in 1908 at 15, and he had been a very green lieutenant when the Dragoons went into action against the Kingdom of Kandy in 1910. Twenty-two years later, after many postings as well as Command and Staff colleges, his career had been somewhat derailed by needs of family and the Crown and now the requirements of being First Heir.  The title "Inspector General" was usually bestowed on someone already a General. For Colonel Vasche this led to some protocol issues,  which tended to be resolved when those he was inspecting decided that as 1st Heir they should not regard him as some mere meddling Colonel. The 'Inspector General' normally reported to the General Staff, but in this case the appointment was by writ of the Emperor, who wanted reports as well.

The genesis of this was to ensure that the rapidly changing technology of warfare was being carefully evaluated and vetted to ensure new tactics and logistics were combined with new equipment.

This is why Colonel Vasche found himself outside Konjikala (Ashgabat) an earthquake prone city of low rise buildings built in the reinforced half-timbered style of the Himalayas, the dearth of local trees being overcome by the railroad. An ancient silk road town, Konjikala had been raised by the Mongols when the Northern third of Parthia was substantially depopulated.  Nearby a hill overlooked the vineyard strewn plain. Crowning the hill was a modernized fortress, the latest successor of 2,100 years of fortifications.

This was home to one of the more important Armored vehicle training and testing commands of the Parthian Empire.  Others, at Shiraz, Yazd and Jiroft were the complimentary commands, continuing the typical Four-fold way of the Zorastorian approach. All featured plains for armored vehicle operations, with nearby mountains for more difficult maneuvers, and both Yazd and Konjikala had nearby deserts. The sands of Karakum desert split the steppe and formed a defensive region between the Caspian and Aral seas. The railroads and roads formed strategic corridors through the desert to the Northern regions of Parthia, but it posed a difficult operating challenge, with vehicles needing to traverse both the hot summer Karakum sands, the winter steppe and hill snows, and the spring/fall muds.

Here the newest prototypes were being placed through their paces, testing in heat on first plains, and then the grit of the deserts, then the foothills and finally struggling into action in the mountains. When winter came, the mud, cold and then snow provided their own tests.

Colonel Vasche's was familiar with the series of Armored vehicles that had come before. The swift scout armored cars (Minerva Armored Car) had been first and entered service in 1910, just after he graduated officer candidate school.  His career preceded the first generation of tracked behemoths. The first  had featured lumbering casement armorclad monsters "Elephant"(German A7V/French Schneider CA1) as mobile assaultgun platforms to crunch across the plains, bridge ditches and destroy field fortifications, followed by smaller, swifter light "Unicorn" cavalry tanks (German LKII /Swedish Strv m/21-29), far more mobile than the armored cars in many conditions.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Oh, for the various equipment I describe, I'll either have a historical analogy in mind - for example I like the Dutch G1 Reaper, and believe it the precursor to the US P-38. Otherwise I'll use Tanksharp 7, or Planesharp to make a hypothetical that I can discuss.

Unfortunately the excel files are too large for the file attachment size...and after I looked up WW2 AT penetration to make the armor results more relevant !

Ultimately, they are points, and if you have the "1935 tech" then that's how your equipment works, but I can work in some hyperbole while expounding on how I think things would evolve. 

[Kaiser Kirk]

The second generation of "Armored Automobile Chariots" had primarily been an evolution on the first. The "Razorback"  (UK Mark VI / VIII/concept~French FCM 1A)  was a lozenge shaped tank with exterior treads to handle all sorts of terrain, with flanking sponsons. Numerous machineguns were fitted, and a howitzer was installed in a dorsal casement. Flanking the dorsal ridge were a pair of couplas for observers/flaggers.  Elevation and depression were aided by a spinal ridge allowed for the breach to recoil and reload when depressed. This utility allowed for use in hilly terrain.

The "Unicorns" were remodeled to include a light cannon, and continued building, but the design scheme had split to support very light machine gun tanks (Carden Llyod Tankettes) and gunned Cavalry tanks (Vickers 6-Ton).  Armored cars had evolved to a half-tracked design (AMC Schneider P16) to allow year-round usage.

Ironically the turreted guns on this small vehicles were seen to imperil the large tanks. The howizters of the 'Razorback' were intended to destroy field fortifications, not track and destroy other armored vehicles. The large hull was well armored against portable weaponry, and the bow against even light cannon, but the smaller vehicles could be built in far larger numbers and operate en masse to flank and destroy the lumbering giants.

So, Vache was here to observe the prototypes and talk to both operators and theorists. Wargames had already been run with speed-governed lorries with portee guns standing in for the hoped for tanks. As usual, the approach had been slow and methodical.  As usual four designs had been sought and built, with four of each.  This was distantly rooted in Zorastorian principals of four being a special number linked to the four elements, but long ago had been adopted within the Parthian bureaucracy. While inherently inefficient to have four "Bureau of Transport", each was assigned different Satrapies, and allowed comparison between them. It was recognized that over time government branches chose to accumulate power, and hire status-padding, while fiscal prudence decayed and corruption- no matter that it could be a capital offense – crept in. Ultimately the parallel branches allowed unfavorable comparisons, and for branches to be singled out for reform or even dissolution and recreation.

[Kaiser Kirk]

The furthest advanced of the new designs was the second generation tankette. The first generation of tankettes had been introduced to service in 1927 been meant as armored, mobile, machine gun posts and had been designed as just a two person hull, seated side by side to limit overall height. Cramped, poorly ventilated, the unpartitioned hull being terrifically loud, and weakly armored, these had proved unsatisfactory in many ways. Limited visibility, combined with the inability to see over virtually anything, Simple rifles firing rounds with hardened steel cores could ventilate the first generation from over 500m away.  The redeeming aspect was the small size allowed proven automobile engines to be used for a reliable and fast platform. Demoted to artillery tractors and 'armored delivery wagons' they had found something of a niche.

The second generation had started development several years before and was a much improved vehicle.
The "Caracal" was twice the mass, at 6 tons. For now, Eight such machines were running. The initial 16 by 4 companies had selected the winning design by Akko Foundaries.  Only Ashkelon Industries design had featured a turret, though with no rotating floor, a single MG through the faceplate and rotation by simple muscle. The other two entrants had produced variations on the 1st generation design. A large cash award went to the winner, and each company was asked to produce 2 copies of the winning design, with license fees going from the three to the one. These editions were both proof of successfully matching the original, but some innovation was allowed, with improvements able to net the innovator either a reward or reduced licensing fees. Failure to produce a viable machine at this stage would loose that company any contract.

The hull was wider, allowing two crew in semi-reclined seats. One served as driver, the other was to work a radio or a 7.5mm machine gun, allowing the vehicle to be used as an observation post. The nose was a wedge shape, with a proven and powerful 90 hp engine driving the front sprocket, but leveling off before the flat deck the hatches for the two hull crew, ensuring deflected rounds would not fly up and hit crew above the hatch. Towards the rear of the machine is a small turret (Profile similar to IJA Type 94 tankette, with similarities to Brit MkVIC). The armor was recognized as resilient but not proof, and would withstand rifle and MG ammunition with hardened steel cores, with the front being reliable over 100m, and the rest at over 500m.  With an interior diameter of just 80cm, the turret had sufficient room for just the commander/observer. The rotating floor supported an adjustable seat, with the normal seated position allowed use of vision blocks, but the seat could be pumped upwards, to allow the commander to look out the split hatch. At this time, the commander was expected to be armored as a dragoon, with a holzter breastplate and helmet to protect against marksman...though trials were proving that the additional bulk, weight and heat was detrimental.  The rotational gearing was attached to bicycle-type gearing to allow the commander's legs to power the traverse when needed. Curiously, the two heavy 15mm machineguns were outside the armor (think Gepard, and will lead to this having an AA version, like the MkVIC AA tank), on a linked armature through the turret, which could be raised/depressed/fired by the commander from inside the vehicle. Small armored hoods covered the connection and breeches, while sliding armor panels inside gave access to affix additional belts or clear jams. While a workable solution, with surprisingly good elevation and traverse rates, problems with having such aspects exposed to enemy fire...and environmental damage, would only become clear in operations. The height of the vehicle was substantially higher, as being a viable observation platform was a particular goal, so it must stand above bushes and scrub.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Another typical aspect was the lengthy planning government departments engaged in. In this case the design arc had started years earlier with the decision that the old 1917 engine design should be refreshed or replaced. So, Engines had preceded other elements, with a competition settling on a newer design.

Parthia had long ago encountered the problem of concentrating all efforts through a single government or private designer.  The bid process was open to all, but the scale meant only a few could muster entries. From those, a traditional 4 competitors were used,  including the Royal Engine Foundry (originally locomotives) and the (Royal) Buyid Motor Works and two private competitors. The projected contract was large, and the expectation was the winning entrant would be awarded the contract for ½ the total production, while the next two runner ups would be allowed to fill the rest of the order while paying license fees to the winner. The least satisfactory of the four would simply be dismissed. In this manner, manufacturing and design expertise could be maintained in a competitive manner, while room made for new contenders.

At this point the engine portion of the process had been completed. The winning new engines did feature the complex but reliable  sleeve-valve design, but were designed for simple mass manufacture, being modular with two, four or six cylinders configurable in either a straight or 'v' configuration, giving from 2 to 12 cylinders and a much improved power to weight ratio. The hope had been for 180-200hp on the straight-6, and 360-400hp on the V-12 , but trials had found that required reliability required derating the straight-6 to 150hp (133kw) while the design matured. The transmissions designed for them were in two types, a 420kg model suitable for either the straight-6 or a still-developing 660kg beast sized for the V-8 and V-12 configurations, which made it overweight in most cases. This was considered an acceptable penalty, as the total vehicle weights did not approach any transport restriction, and had negligible effects on performance, which seemed a worthwhile trade for simplified logistics and increased serviceability rates. A force of 100 tanks that were 66% serviceable, compared to a force of 95 slightly more expensive tanks that were 80% serviceable, would be an force of 66 vs 76 in service vehicles, allowing the slightly fewer and more expensive option to yield 15% more in-service tanks.

As refineries distilled oil into different grades, with the lightest distillerants suitable for aircraft, and heavier grades for simple gasoline, diesel, and bunker oils, the Parthians had hoped to would like have their wheeled vehicles and tracked run on gasoline and diesel respectively, reducing the demand. However, the diesel ICE engines proved unsatisfactory in power:weight.

What Vache was watching these engines power was not a "tank" as one might consider, but rather the chassis and running gear for them, suitably weighted to emulate the design weight. Parthian railroad gagues descended from 2-draft animal widths, allowing for a fairly wide range of assembled widths in-transit. Broad tracks were fitted to lower ground pressure at maximum weight, to better traverse snow and mud.  The tracks no longer wrapped around the top of the hull, rather the hull was narrower,  wide and long to allow for both crew and a centrally mounted turret.   The chassis were deliberately overbuilt, designed to serve a range of purposes on a common platform to ease maintenance and logistics while vastly boosting the problematic serviceability numbers. There was also the expectation that once this testing settled on the 'best' of the four designs, episodic improvements could be made.

[Kaiser Kirk]

The demands on this third generation were several. There was still consideration for being used as the 25ton basis for the "Rhino" replacement of the 37ton "Razorback", as the much more compact design would allow substantial shedding of weight.  Firing smoke and HE shells, these larger tanks would offer direct fire support, flowing to the point of attack and making the break through. Design work continued on if the howitzer would be mounted in a casement, or a turret, if the latter, this did necessitate a wide turret ring for absorbing the howitzer's recoil. That design option had negatively effected the project by meaning the basic chassis was  3m wide, 3.5m with tracks and with the trench crossing length of 5.75m. This was nearly as wide, but substantially shorter than the "Razorback", though with the addition of the turret, slightly taller. 

That oversized chassis,  transmission, running gear and wide tracks added substantial weight to the designs for the general-purpose "Cavalry" tank, currently called the "Dragoon", and the substantially stripped down version used for a replacement of the "Unicorn".  Unfortunately, even the unweighted chassis was only a little than a ton lighter than the old "Unicorn" weighed.

As such, the results, so far, seemed mixed. The 23mm armed 'Sipahi', which when armored looked to be 12tons, 33% more than the 'Unicorn' and 20% more than the 10 ton target.  This did allow for a low 6.2psi ground pressure, slightly more than a marching soldier. Even at the derated 150hp a speed of nearly 23mph and range of over 170miles.

The 16 ton 'Dragoon' was less than half the weight of the "Razorback", but lacked the howitzer, substituting the new 45mm gun, a shortened version of that developed for the Motor Torpedo Boats.  The greater weight included better protection, but raised the psi to 8.1, while range plummeted to 130miles, and speed was just 17mph. Compared to the 6-8mph of the "Razorback" this was still blazingly fast.

The 20-25ton "Rhino" was expected to take advantage of the chassis's expansion ability, but the weighted chassis were stressing the suspension elements, while the derated engine struggled to propel the assemblage at speed, only slightly exceeding the "Razorback". As the single-banked version of the engine had been fitted, giving the same 150hp, the choice had been to go with the same transmission of the other two tanks, but the lighter transmission had been fitted for comparison and was proving inadequate for the weight, with numerous failures. That was, however, the point of such testing. It was apparent that the "Rhino" would be viable with some further investment, but the platform was likely near the upper edge of it's capability.

The Inspector General's job was multifaceted, but in this matter was mainly seeking the truth behind the numbers. The different designs had varying clean weights and handled the terrain differently, and the crew fatigue and maintenance needs after a full fuel tank cross-country maneuver spoke volumes. Matters such as crew size for maintenance, comfort at speed for fatigue, how coordination was to work, were all still being explored. While there had already been a great deal of resources put into the engines and suspension work, and bureaucratic inertia would happily work to expand them, one must also evaluate if a new platform designed from the beginning for the 40ton ranges\ might be a viable hedge against the future. The structural elements would be much heavier, and more interior room would be required for engines and drivetrain to propel the beast at a reasonable speed, but having this foundational work would make fielding very large vehicles viable. The value of a 'Breakthrough' tank was hotly debated, but the same chassis could be used for self propelled artillery, or heavily armored assault guns for strongpoints. While wargames could establish the specific needs, they could not be realized without the proper platform. This recommendation would be the one Vache took to the design bureaus, and his elder brother, Emperor Iskandar. 

[Kaiser Kirk]

 The last vehicle inspected was already in production as an ostensible tankette....
but the escalation of design demands had more than doubled the intended weight and the change orders had bloated the cost.The proper category was undoubtedly 'Light Tank'.  This was present as a comparison vehicle, as it was moderately successful, but had lessons in what was not desired. 

The production specifications had pursued casting as a production technique,
but it proved difficult to cast the entire hull in two sections, so the bow of the machine was cast in a top / bottom clamshell arrangement. The bow was curved, and the upper and lower hull sections arched. The viewport for the  lonely driver had deflectors built in around it, as did the front lip before the turret ring. The sectional arrangement was continued aft, with cast sections secured with massive bolts along the hull. Placed in the interior, all bolts were torqued in place prior to the drivetrain being installed.  The bow of the tank was curved
The turret was a single casting, with holes for the mantlet and other elements.
The turret was to host the Commander/Observer/Signaler, and the gunner/loader for the 23mm cannon.

With a top speed of 27mph on roads, and an 8.5psi ground pressure, the 8.5ton vehicle was highly mobile, and surprisingly heavily armored.
With over 25% of it's weight devoted to armor, it was still at best resistant to ATRs over the frontal arc, and helped push the awareness that better was needed for this role.
The vehicle had also highlighted some deficiencies.  The 3 person crew size had been found a little small for the maintenance tasks even the small vehicle demanded.  Engines, weapons, and equipment needed daily maintenance taking hours, thrown tracks were an 'all hands' matter, and watch standing would be easier with more crew.  The firewall between the engine compartment and the crew area helped terrifically on noise and fume reduction, but ear protection and better airflow was desired. The suspension, while 'better', still exhausted the crew on long runs- though a change in seat suspension mid produciton had helped matters.  The Commander/Observer was too exposed, and needed some protection while ' unbuttoned' or a method of watching from under armor. This meant various hatch designs were being trialed. One of the contentious ideas was set the hatch so it could be elevated and the commander could look out the gap between the turret roof and hatch. Some were then suggesting that should be transformed to a rather expensive armored ring with viewing blocks. Experiments with viewing scopes were also being tried.
The lack of a radio was a hindrance to coordination and observation.  Various signal flags, running lights and even flares
were stowed in a small bustle, but the vehicles deficiencies had placed an emphasis on wireless short ranged communications, which might take a specialist crew.

[Kaiser Kirk]

The tests of the competing chassis were primarily about how they handled cross country travel when weighted to capacity. This location had been chosen for the variety of terrains to allow evaluation of climbing and passage ability on different surfaces. While wide and long tracks, and the running gear to support them, were heavy pieces of kit, low ground pressure was deemed a mission critical element. The snows of winter, bracketed by the mud seasons, made ground pressure a critical element in the Northern plains. The same considerations mattered during flood seasons along the Indus and Tigris, it effected hill climbing ability on the Anatolian plateau, and how well deserts could be traversed. The weight absorbed did rob the armored vehicles of speed, and add to maintenance woes, and of course costs.

The last tests from the various road marches were meant to evaluate serviceability, while various suspension elements meant to lower crew fatigue also could be tested. How long could they run between maintenance periods, the percentage that fell out on a road march, and ...as Vache was learning from observation, how easy it was to repair them, were serious considerations. The 'leading' design, with the engine placed in the front,  was cleverly arranged, with a compact engine compartment and running components tucked behind each other, and appeared to require removing large chunks of the engine to reach certain things that failed at a much higher rate. There simply was not access room. While the designers talked about adding floor hatches that could be opened from a hastily dug mechanics pit to allow better access, the feasibility of this in rock, snow, mud, and boggy environments was dubious. A longer design with a rear mounted engine, and space for a slender mechanic allowed most repairs to be done without removing anything, and allowed for a the engine to be replaced far more simply.

Decreasing the hours and days spent out of service meant an increase in actual numbers fielded.  Numbers allowed concentration of firepower at decisive spots. Winning at those points would allow the enemy front to be pierced and flanked, but if the damaged or simply broke down  vehicles could not be returned to service, the soft underbelly of the foe could not be found. There was still debate over all this, as Parthian doctrine called for a deep belt of strongpoints that soft underbelly could fall back on, a critical consideration on wide open steppes and swift horse mounted armies, but unlike the horsed armies, heavy artillery – the Rhinos and their successors – could be brought along to reduce these strongpoints, many built in the late 1800s. Further, the modern airfields and their fuel dumps were too large to readily fit in these facilities.

Vache had grown up with horses, Parthia had a tremendous history with Horse Cavalry,  he had been a Dragoon – mounted riflemen, able to swiftly concentrate all over the battlefield – but as these vehicles- both armored and aerial- turned from dozens to hundreds to thousands, the wide battlefields shrank, and he readily appreciated the proper roles were shrinking. Sad in a way, but fascinating to see what the exploration of knowledge brought.