DGNT
December 7th, 2006, 05:39 AM
(OOC:
WH40k refrences FTW, fools ;))
Somewhere East of Crete
The Aegean Fleet, for the first time in its short existance, was going to see some action. Hulls gleaming in the fresh morning sun, fourteen combat ships and ten transports made their way east, bearing a steady course towards the island of Cyprus.
Admiral Andrei Maleshenikov wasnt terribly happy with the newer ships of the Russian fleet, but he accepted them. Anything that didnt rely soley on sails and was powered by what he called 'angry water' was no good. At least the damned things were fast though. Too bad they had to wait for the transports, Maleshenikov wanted to relive the great naval battles of the early Crimean War, in which Russian guns soundly thrashed just about everything that came their way.
Glowering over the horizon towards his destination, Maleshenikov waited impatiently for the inevetable arrival. Behind him, six Ships of the Line, three of the new 'steam powered' sort, along with their various escorts, were arrayed, sails billowing to catch a steady Eastward breeze which was allowing them to make good time.
Tblisi, modern Georgia
It was, as one might well guess, a stereotypical military parade. Nearly 10,000 men were tramping past the Govonors house, where stood several generals and, of course, the govonor himself.
It was still damned impressive.
At least, to the Generals. The Crimean War had taught the Russian Army a hard lesson, that parade ground performance no longer equated to battlefield bravery. You could beat a man all you wanted, but that would not improve his aim.
So it was that these men did not march in perfect cadence, nor did shining bayonettes gleam in the sun. They marched in loose order, but with their heads held high and their rifles shouldered. The army was inspired with a certain confidence in this war, this was an enemy they knew well. Russia had fought the Turks in nine declared wars and innumerable skirmishes, border fights and naval engagements. They were ready for this foe.
The call to Jihad by the Muslims had only stiffened the resolve of the public in general. This was a THREAT to Christianity itself, not only to the nation. Patriotism was great, but religion was a central figure in many Russians lives and when the Ottoman Sultan brought it into play...well...
A direct result had been the Imperial Russian Army having to deal with voluntiers on an unprecidented scale. They didnt come from far and wide, but from those cities in the South, who felt the threat of the Turks, and from the Balkans.
True, the various peoples of the Balkans had no love of the Russians, but compared to the Turks they were worlds better. And none of them wanted to experience this new Turkish desire for religion.
Thus the Russian army had swelled, it had hit nearly 500,000 in the first week and then topped that. Fourtunatly most of the inventory of Napoleonic-era weaponry had been retired, the only remaining examples were manning the forts in central Siberia, where the greatest threat was usually a bear.
Of course, not everybody received top of the line gear, but the standing Russian army (numbering some 200,000) were generally equipped with modern weapons, several regiments had even begun to receive breechloading and repeating weapons. There was initially talk of favoritism, but when those regiments with modern weapons were the first ones on the trains south, it became clear that favoritism was not going to play a role in this new war.
Another new feature of this parade was the crowd. They were cheering.
This was not terribly unusual in the North, where the ethnic Russians felt the tug of nationalism, but again, here in Christian Geogria the people felt less love of the Ottomans than of the Russians. A few held signs with variations of 'Baghdad or Bust!' written on them.
But Georgia was not the sight of the main thrust. Although it would be stereotypically Russian to force-march a million men across a huge range of mountains, this was not the plan. Such a vast march might come later, but at this stage in the war it was relativly small and self-sufficient groups of 100 or so men who crossed the mountains, doing their best to keep out of sight. There were lots of them, yes, but the Caucuses happen to be a big place.
Along the Antolian border, the Russians were content to wait, for now. Cities were kept bristling and the shores were well guarded. Any Turk foolish enough to show his face within range of the Russian rifles was going to get an earful.
WH40k refrences FTW, fools ;))
Somewhere East of Crete
The Aegean Fleet, for the first time in its short existance, was going to see some action. Hulls gleaming in the fresh morning sun, fourteen combat ships and ten transports made their way east, bearing a steady course towards the island of Cyprus.
Admiral Andrei Maleshenikov wasnt terribly happy with the newer ships of the Russian fleet, but he accepted them. Anything that didnt rely soley on sails and was powered by what he called 'angry water' was no good. At least the damned things were fast though. Too bad they had to wait for the transports, Maleshenikov wanted to relive the great naval battles of the early Crimean War, in which Russian guns soundly thrashed just about everything that came their way.
Glowering over the horizon towards his destination, Maleshenikov waited impatiently for the inevetable arrival. Behind him, six Ships of the Line, three of the new 'steam powered' sort, along with their various escorts, were arrayed, sails billowing to catch a steady Eastward breeze which was allowing them to make good time.
Tblisi, modern Georgia
It was, as one might well guess, a stereotypical military parade. Nearly 10,000 men were tramping past the Govonors house, where stood several generals and, of course, the govonor himself.
It was still damned impressive.
At least, to the Generals. The Crimean War had taught the Russian Army a hard lesson, that parade ground performance no longer equated to battlefield bravery. You could beat a man all you wanted, but that would not improve his aim.
So it was that these men did not march in perfect cadence, nor did shining bayonettes gleam in the sun. They marched in loose order, but with their heads held high and their rifles shouldered. The army was inspired with a certain confidence in this war, this was an enemy they knew well. Russia had fought the Turks in nine declared wars and innumerable skirmishes, border fights and naval engagements. They were ready for this foe.
The call to Jihad by the Muslims had only stiffened the resolve of the public in general. This was a THREAT to Christianity itself, not only to the nation. Patriotism was great, but religion was a central figure in many Russians lives and when the Ottoman Sultan brought it into play...well...
A direct result had been the Imperial Russian Army having to deal with voluntiers on an unprecidented scale. They didnt come from far and wide, but from those cities in the South, who felt the threat of the Turks, and from the Balkans.
True, the various peoples of the Balkans had no love of the Russians, but compared to the Turks they were worlds better. And none of them wanted to experience this new Turkish desire for religion.
Thus the Russian army had swelled, it had hit nearly 500,000 in the first week and then topped that. Fourtunatly most of the inventory of Napoleonic-era weaponry had been retired, the only remaining examples were manning the forts in central Siberia, where the greatest threat was usually a bear.
Of course, not everybody received top of the line gear, but the standing Russian army (numbering some 200,000) were generally equipped with modern weapons, several regiments had even begun to receive breechloading and repeating weapons. There was initially talk of favoritism, but when those regiments with modern weapons were the first ones on the trains south, it became clear that favoritism was not going to play a role in this new war.
Another new feature of this parade was the crowd. They were cheering.
This was not terribly unusual in the North, where the ethnic Russians felt the tug of nationalism, but again, here in Christian Geogria the people felt less love of the Ottomans than of the Russians. A few held signs with variations of 'Baghdad or Bust!' written on them.
But Georgia was not the sight of the main thrust. Although it would be stereotypically Russian to force-march a million men across a huge range of mountains, this was not the plan. Such a vast march might come later, but at this stage in the war it was relativly small and self-sufficient groups of 100 or so men who crossed the mountains, doing their best to keep out of sight. There were lots of them, yes, but the Caucuses happen to be a big place.
Along the Antolian border, the Russians were content to wait, for now. Cities were kept bristling and the shores were well guarded. Any Turk foolish enough to show his face within range of the Russian rifles was going to get an earful.