Paris Temps

[maddox]

Somewere november, Paris, Premier Galpoux's offices.

Bonjour Admiral Geon.  I'm glad you found time to join me.

Premier, if you send a request as civil head of state, I have to obey. So here I'm, far away from my flagship and duty.

Don't overdo it Geon, soon you're rid of me, as I won't run for another term as Premier. But that isn't the reason I asked you to join me.
No, the reason is the report send to me by one of your subordinates.  It seems you don't enter the conning tower, not even when heavy shells are flying around. Care to explain to me why we add such a heavy, expensive part to our warships, if the people ain't using it?

That is very simple Premier. I want to see the enemy, if I can't see the enemy, I'm a blind boxer windmilling my arms. the conningtowers, their virtue is protection, but the tiny viewslits don't allow for a good overlook. Also, the internal dimensions of the conning tower on Occitanie are about the same as the conning tower on Magenta, 4 men and it's overcrowded, overheating fast due lack of ventilation, harsh electrical lighting and claustrophobic too boot. Even a 140mm twin gunhouse has more space.
How can a captain command his ship if 1 is the helmsman, 1 doing the reports flooding in from all the speaking tubes and another busy with the rest of the things that make a warship fight. No, the bridge is a better place to do such a task.
And why a conning tower. I guess it's tradition by now.
But yes, we could do it differently, using a dedicated command room below the armored deck, behind the belt armor, larger than what we now have, and to make a bridge-hit less of a disaster, as we have seen with the Malta Crisis,a secundary bridge or conning position far enough from the bridge to be out of damage caused by a bridge hit.

I thank you for your input on this matter. I'll relay that to minister Lebrun.
So, admrial how are your plans concerning your retirement next year?

I'm not concerned Premier, and it's more like 2 years. Also, it depends if the Premier then accepts my resignation or not.

[P3D]

AFAIK SS2 calculates CT armor weight based on ship beam.

[maddox]

Tricomalee, Mid november, a dark and windy night, the 4 sisterships of the Danton class sail out. But Voltaire peels of the small convoy once the 4 are out of sight.

On the bridge of Voltaire.  Southeast, bearing 270° magnetic, captain. 
Steady as she goes helm. We have a lot of seamiles in the open.

[maddox]

written by demand


Requim for an interlude


The evening was just glorious. A multitude of stars were bejewelling the night sky. The birds had all gone to roost. The warmth of the past day was not yet replaced by the chill of the night. A soft wind caressed the senses. And if there was a human soul awake it was because he was standing guard. Jean-Louis Gribouille didn't curse fate tonight. Under his watchful eye the crew of the De Crem that wasn't right now harrassing the bars on shore leave could sleep restful. Such a calm calm night.

He didn't see the shadow walking inside one of the turrets. He didn't see said shadow gently opening the breech of one of the big guns that made the De Crem look so magnificently imposing at day and even more gloriously menacing at night. As well, he hadn't seen the shadow climbing the turret earlier this evening, removing the tampon on one of the guns.

Jean-Louis Gribouille also didn't see the shadow taking out of a suitcase a long object, pointing it towards the opened breech, then sticking it in.

What he did hear next however, were the gentle tones of an oboe softly wafting from the gun. Hummmmmmm-hum-hum-hum-hum-hum-hum-hummm-humhumhum-hummmmmmmmm... A strange yet compelling and haunting little tune, repeated over and over and over... Gribouille forgot to sound alarm. He forgot to alert his officer on duty. He could only undergo what he would later call a "mesmerising bewitchment of sound".

The culprit was caught of course. Upon interrogation he admitted that he wanted to find out if it was possible to play an instrument through a gun barrel and pleaded simple curiousity of what it would to do the sound. He was acquainted through the Consérvatoire with a famous composer, the boy confessed, and had heard him trying that tune once on a piano. His officers didn't know what to do with this case, but in the end it was decided to put the truant on guard detail for the rest of their stay in Djibouti. And confiscate the oboe.
Later, one of the officers wrote a letter: "Le plus estimé Maître Ravel; Je vous écrit au sujet d'un de votre étudiants..."

Didn't found the real deal, but this comes close.