KuK Wiener Zeitung 2/1907

[swamphen]

(Hmm. Looks like that convoy of "labourers" is not going to make it to Phoenix before things go pear-shaped...)

[Borys]

OOC
The contractors have been delivered. Period. The green cross and Riddermark escorts were part of such a contingency. I can bring it forward to October 29th, as the ships' speed allows for that. I delayed it by "heavy seas" due to lack of reaction.

"May the pyres of sinners illuminate your soul's path towards rightneousness" - I've had that in another game :), where I was on the side of the "less Evil" Empire.

Borys

[Borys]

October 19th Vienna,
Kriegsministerium

- "Now that we are going to war with the Swiss, are we holding those manouvres with the Iberian on the Baleares or not?"

[Borys]

1st November, Wien, Kreigsministerium, Foreign Navies Inteligence Office

Officer going through report before filling in buldging folder marked "Red French Fleet"
... The French continue their experiments with red painted warships. But this time a new colour seems to have been used. Reports from Indian Ocean clash uniformly used the name "rouge" to denote the colour, whereas the ship bound for the West indies was painted "bordeaux". Experts* pointed out that the first is "pink-red", the latter being "deeper red". Further observations ....

* wife

[Borys]

1st November, All Saints Day, Viraca Garrison Church

KuKK officers smoking cigarretes before entering the church

Meine Herren, With no news from the Iberians about the Flottille sent to attack Tarakan, I believe that we can add Fregatten-Leutnant San ... he'd prefer it the other way around - where was I? Oh, yes, we should add Fregatten-Leutnant Csepel Sandor to our prayers for those no longer with us.


ADDED FROM OTHER THREAD FOR COMPLETENESS

[Borys]

FOR COMPLETNESS POSTED IN THREE THREADS

Letter from Kaiser Stefan to Principe de Asturias Jaime, dated 3rd November.

Dear Jaime,
Events are pressing me to ask you to make up your mind about the AFL Halb Brigade I wrote you about. And quickly, over the next few days. I repeat my offer of reinforcing Iberian forces in the Chagos Archipelago.
Habsurg experience with Orange makes me expect the worst from them. Nor do I fully trust the Dutch.
The Foreign Legion will be put under Iberian command, and intructed to shoot any non Iberian forces landing on the island - without asking questions. It will be removed the moment Iberia judges their presence unnecessary.
How is your Father's health? The news reaching us at Vienna ...
God Bless
Stefan

[Borys]

5th November, Austrian press in general

Today the Empress made her first public appearance since her misfortune. No longer needing constant medical care, Her Majesty, with her black clothes beautifully offseting her still pale complexion,  attended a fund riasing event for the Fallen Maidens Salvation Society at ...

[Borys]

5th November

All papers:
The Kriegsministerium disclosed that 7 GTBs of the so-called "Catanduanes Flotilla" in the Philippines are declared to be MIA, presumed destroyed.

[Borys]

8th November
SMHS Erszebet Bathory, off the coast of Maoria.

Kapitaen Schlachtiger looked at the three seniormost men in the AFL he had on board the two troopships. Each was as different as night and day from the other.
The short and wiry Oberleutnant Zygmunt Kura-Bagienna, a solid platoon commander, but not the brightest boy on the block, as testified by holding this rank at 45 years of age.
The slim, darkfaced, with delicate hawkish features and coal black moustache Feldwebelluetnant Duarte Francesco Hidalgo de las Naranjitas y Almondegas - one of the "originals" of the Legion. He was the real commander of the AFL on the ship, not being a "full officer" only because he lacked 6 full years in the Kaiser's service. Considering that when given the choice - firing squad or service in the Legion - he had been a Capitain in the Spanish Royal Guard, his unnoficial leadership was quite natural.
The third was the very dark skinned, with face covered by tatoos. Shaving his head to reveal even more whirl shapped tatoos made him look ... menacing. Titokaworu, of Zugfuerher rank in the AFL, seemed to command much more respect among fellow maoris than his rank entailed. As long as Discipline did not suffer, the Officers pretended not to notice.
Between the two ships, his AFL strenght was about 50 Maoris - going home on leave, a 10 men section to keep them from getting "too playful", and 8 fresh New Swiss recruits. Three of the later - two natives of the Japanese islands, and one Australian of Norman descent - had already declared not to mind fighting for the Kaiser anywhere.

To be continued when inspiration strikes.

[Borys]

Marineamt, mid November

- So you are telling me that the French are planning to build a ONE HUNDERED THOUSAND TON ship?
- Yes sir, the source in Paris was adamant - one hundered thousand battleship.
- That's half of our whole fleet. If we count the troopships ... What would a monster like that look like?
- The boys from the STT that didn't want to stay under Mad Monk Max ..
- Silence! Respect! He was a good Emperor, in his day.
- My applogies. The boys at Danubius joined forces with the EAM from Malta, and are working their way up. As of today they have come up with a "light" version, of 50,000 - here you are sir http://www.navalism.org/index.php?topic=1142.0, then a "medium" version - here - http://www.navalism.org/index.php?topic=1143.msg9668#msg9668
- They are now trying to figure out what to do with 20,000 tons ...
- Keep them at it. Maybe will manage to sell the design to them, like those crappy cruisers four years ago.

[Borys]

12th November
The Habsburg Navy discloses the loss of Kuestenschlachtschiff SMS Sava in the Solomons Sea, of the Admirality Islands.

[Borys]

9th November onwards, Maoria
The 50 odd Maoris were released on a fortnightly leave. During this time they were asked to try to talk as many men as they could into enlistment.
Schlachtiger, de las Naranjitas y Almondegas and the Habsurg resident frentically travelled from chief to chief within reach, distributing 10,000 rifles, the dozen 3 inch artillery pieces, some money and lots of promises, to drum up support or at least non interferrence to recruitment.
The saling date was set for the 30th, with the two hags to sail - with whatever recruits showed up - for Nue Brandenburg. Any stragglers would be sent by a chartered slowboat to Parana.

[Borys]

The closer to the month's end, the more edgy Schlachtiger got. Time was short, he well knew. Seeing the trickle of recruits he lost hope of filling both ships and decided to send the SMHS Salome first, keeping the SMHS Elspeth Bathory for himself and the recruits.
Eisenschnitt, the Habsburg resident, by now fully fluent in the local language, was to keep up the drumming up  of volunteers for the Melon-Eaters, as inexplicabely the Habsburgs were known among the Maoris.
- Well, that's better than being known as "fruits" - Schlachtiger mused.

******************

On the 30th he sailed for Neu Brandenburg, with some 3000 Maoris on board.
During the time at sea the warriors were to be organized into oversized platoons they favoured - 70 men to each. There was enough of the turnbolt rifles left to make them acquainted with their use. Uniforms and weapons were to be supplied by the Brandenburgers.
Schlachtiger took overall command of the 21st Ersatz Halb-Brigade, plus of one of the provisional battlaions. In an attempt not to make a total fool of himself he made the Spanish ex-Guards officer his second in command. The other two battalions were given to Kura-Bagienna and Tanikawa. All the AFL personell and the three ex-POWs were used for NCO positions.

But still the Fregatten-Kapitaen hoped that he will NOT add battlefield command of an infantry regiment to his interesting personal file.