Mayan Storyline War

[TacCovert4]

To Kirk's note, I agree that per the rules with NPCs, the Mayans have a casus belli and given that they recently 'caught up' in technology so that they can fight on land on even terms and actually compete in the air (if not on even terms as the Aztecs and IIRC Japanese still have a tech edge there, it's not so great that it's insurmountable like it would have been when the Mayans didn't even have aircraft worth calling combat aviation).....between 1922 and 1925 is basically their window before they fall back behind.  They also know that the IJN is the one with the most capital ships, but the Aztec capital ships are larger and more capable than their own, and by 1925 the Mayans could have lost so much of their numerical advantage that they're going to be SOL.



For Jef's perusal, here's the running OOB for the Aztecs.  I'm currently in the process of doing a flow chart of the 3 fleets the Sultanate has, and getting the squadrons all set up properly again (after Rome sort of wrecked 75% of the fleet and I haven't had time to reorganize it properly).  The distribution of ships between coasts is correct though.  Notably the RAN is focused in the Caribbean, though with the Monarch twins coming into service, there's been a shift of a single BB to the Pacific, and there'd be further anticipated shifts of the older BBs to the Pacific as the next pair come online.  So by 1925-26, the Mayans would know that there'd be a true '2nd Battle Squadron'.....currently, there's only a single BB as fleet flagship, and the BCF of the 2 Sultan Alis.....with Renown the 'light battlecruiser' as the flagship of the cruiser force.  Also keep in mind that at least 1 of the 5 modern cruisers and possibly 1 of the 3 BCs would be performing duties away from the Ericas.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tTPxBzpNicGf_vydYq13mvgxEf-l8x7ikO4VbsthuLM/edit?usp=sharing

[Kaiser Kirk]

Current Status :

Some time ago, Tac and Fox proposed a war with the Mayans.
A couple ways to do that were sketched out.

On Aug 2, Tac sent the note to all of use saying he and Fox were ready to proceed.
He outlined a war starting with a Mayan invasion of central america, and ending
in the scripted disruption to the Mayan state.

The war concepts were acceptable, the major changes inherent in the scripted resolution were not.
The options were explained and we went to this thread

I put work into developing the Mayan forces available and posted them.
I also wrote up my intepretation of land techs and sent them to Snip for review.
Jefgte has put work into the Mayan Fleet and OOB
Fox has pointed out his OOB, and Tac updated his.

The various ways to have wars have been outlined,
and Fox given the opportunity to choose a lesser conflict,
and while there has been talk, he did not choose to do so.

So it seems like we're ready for the Actual Mayan War ?

I will have to check weather patterns, as they
would probably want to kick off in a drier period,
so it may be in Spring 1923.0 

I will try to structure the war with
Intellegence reports - go out Tuesday Night

Player Objectives and SOPs- to me Thursday Night

Confilicts identified and Battle fine tuning Fridays

Any battles to be gamed out Sat / Sun
Results Monday Night

Each "Turn" will equate to 1 month game time,
and we can hopefully do one a week. 

That way we can keep a 6 week schedule for Turns

...I expect we'll go off the rails, but good to at least start this way ?

So kicking off Tuesday Evening ?

Any further commentary ?

Disclaimer
It's fire season, it's triple digits in much of California,
while I'm not likely to be sent this year because my Forest is
at bare-bones staffing anyhow, it's possible.

I will also be gone the last week in September,
so we'll pause there.

[The Rock Doctor]

I'll submit a plan, but my basic assumption is that I'm not going to be a belligerent in the first month (at the least).

Whether that remains the case depends on what happens, I suppose.

[snip]

Depending on how things evolve, Rome may become involved. I'll advise you Kirk if/when that happens.

[Desertfox]

Lets roll!

[The Rock Doctor]

It would be helpful to have an in-character post about an inciting incident (even a very generalized one) to set the stage for reactions, etc.

I have to do a bit of reading about how America handled wartime canal access while it was neutral and then check that against commitments made to Japan and Azteca (wherever those are posted) before I can land on a final position regarding access.

[Jefgte]

Let's go ahead.

:)

It smells powder.

???

[Kaiser Kirk]

It would be helpful to have an in-character post about an inciting incident (even a very generalized one) to set the stage for reactions, etc.

I will try to find the time generate a bit of a set up news post during the week.

There's a couple of background events that need to get covered, and the Mayan reaction to them.
I can probably work on that Tuesday Night as part of the 'Intelligence' background set up.
Then send it to Jefgte for review/comment/addition.

Maybe get the post up Weds Night as a prelim to the Player Objectives etc.

All PST / GMT+8 of course.

[The Rock Doctor]

Vilnius Union's intelligence report for July 1923:

[Kaiser Kirk]

Vilnius Union's intelligence report for July 1923:

I use the game concept of 'Contested Rolls' on both a monthly and cumulative basis.

A 3:2 advantage means some bonus data, 2:1 a real good data break -

The higher the tech level, the higher the number of dice in each roll, giving a better chance.

As it is, everyone seems to be the same in Signals Int, so all the rolls will be about equal and the cumulative should
not lead to any code breaks, but the monthly could still lead to some data.

Wilno is in range to have radio intercepts, mercantile reports, and possibly some human assets.
And they

[Kaiser Kirk]

Looking at the weather for the Costa Rica area, the 'dry Season' start in December and ends in April,
and May gets ~10" of rain. That is not horrific, and much would go to the soil moisture deficit, but by the end of the month, military operations would be more difficult.

Therefore, the Mayans would be launching their effort in that dry time frame.
Which what I wanted to check before kicking the clock to 1923.5


For "Intelligence" rolls ...
I use an online dice roller to roll 5 D10 for everyone in the area. That gives a range of 5-50 for each roll. The use of more dice means the extremes are less likely.

I also generated 6 months worth of "strategic" intelligence rolls – the back ground.
However since this is a longer span, the dice tend to average out.

If someone had the 1920 tech, they'd get more dice, and have a chance at a strategic intelligence
advantage, and a much better chance at the monthly tactical.

I then write up the intelligence reports, trying to cover matters in way reflecting what the die rolls meant.
The player can follow up with questions if they wish.



I want to stress.... if you think I'm screwing up....say so.

[TacCovert4]

Mayans reported they were attacked by an Aztec battle fleet.

Chuckles.

If a corvette and a gun torpedo boat are a battle fleet,  then I feel bad for their officers.  Because RAN Captains were insane enough to take on the might of a Roman battle fleet at impossible odds and go down swinging hard......they ain't seen an Aztec battle fleet yet.

[Kaiser Kirk]

If a corvette and a gun torpedo boat are a battle fleet,  ...

Why would they let details like that get in the way of hyperbole ?

[The Rock Doctor]

With guns and torpedoes and everything, just absolutely outrageous oppression by the Aztec elite.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Honestly, until Rocky suggested it, I really had not even thought about the concept of the backstory.
So I've scrabbled something together.
Not my best work.

Hopefully it gives an idea of their attitude, and who they are unhappy with ...and why.

Presumably the Japanese and Aztecs made appropriate counter statements / claims.

I will try to summon up something before asking for player orders tomorrow.