Keynes' Cruisers Volume 2
- Thread starter fester
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formion
Banned
Too early for ARMA 3
A couple of Arma 3 developers were arrested and charged with espionage as they were caught filming military bases.
The details of the original locations are astonishing. The copied exactly even the ANZAC cemetary.
Its so weird to play a videogame where you are able to drive a tank in your own backyard.
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Maybe the paratroopers are going to invade some islands in Cyclades (Naxos perhaps?) or some islands in the Dodecanese .
Story 2138
Fort Mills, July 22, 1943
USS Raleigh and USS Richmond made their way through the swept channel. Four wooden minesweepers had made the dash into Mariveles a week ago under the cover a storm and they had been busy since then. Three dozen mines had been destroyed and two channels were now sanitized. The light cruisers converted into blockade runners were deep in the water. They carried enough food to sustain the entire garrison for ten days. Some of it was even fresh and not too salty. They carried enough spare parts to get three truck companies working again. They carried enough shells to make the I Corps artillery commander stop his nervous tic around his left eye whenever a regimental commander asked about pre-planned barrages in support of patrols and probes. They carried enough medicine to give succor to the increasing stream of wounded who were being brought back from the increasingly active front. They carried hope.
Two hours later, the cruisers were beginning to be unloaded. Smoke pots hid the docks from any mid-day Japanese raiders as impressed longshoremen worked quickly. Cranes lifted crates and then sergeants with lists directed the crates to waiting trucks. As Raleigh's bell rang for a short water break, three of the fast destroyer transports left their moorings. They floated high in the channel's water. Soon they skirted to the north, away from Ternate before accelerating to twenty six knots for the run to darkness where they would slow to an efficient sixteen knots for the rest of the journey to Palawan.
As soon as the work gangs aboard the cruisers resumed their work, the rumbling of heavy bombers could be heard. Two groups of Liberators, heavily laden with destruction were being covered by a group of Lightenings and an accompanying sweep of two Mustang squadrons. The rail junction at San Fernando would be shortly ruined.
USS Raleigh and USS Richmond made their way through the swept channel. Four wooden minesweepers had made the dash into Mariveles a week ago under the cover a storm and they had been busy since then. Three dozen mines had been destroyed and two channels were now sanitized. The light cruisers converted into blockade runners were deep in the water. They carried enough food to sustain the entire garrison for ten days. Some of it was even fresh and not too salty. They carried enough spare parts to get three truck companies working again. They carried enough shells to make the I Corps artillery commander stop his nervous tic around his left eye whenever a regimental commander asked about pre-planned barrages in support of patrols and probes. They carried enough medicine to give succor to the increasing stream of wounded who were being brought back from the increasingly active front. They carried hope.
Two hours later, the cruisers were beginning to be unloaded. Smoke pots hid the docks from any mid-day Japanese raiders as impressed longshoremen worked quickly. Cranes lifted crates and then sergeants with lists directed the crates to waiting trucks. As Raleigh's bell rang for a short water break, three of the fast destroyer transports left their moorings. They floated high in the channel's water. Soon they skirted to the north, away from Ternate before accelerating to twenty six knots for the run to darkness where they would slow to an efficient sixteen knots for the rest of the journey to Palawan.
As soon as the work gangs aboard the cruisers resumed their work, the rumbling of heavy bombers could be heard. Two groups of Liberators, heavily laden with destruction were being covered by a group of Lightenings and an accompanying sweep of two Mustang squadrons. The rail junction at San Fernando would be shortly ruined.
I have never been to Lemnos but while the 'Island in Arma 3 is IIRC a 3rd smaller in all dimensions I do feel that having spent many hundreds of hours playing the worlds greatest walking simulator I know it quite well LOL
Story 2139
Aegean Sea, July 22, 1943
The Greek destroyer Kanaris slowed. Her aft turret fired the last shots at a hillside in her homeland. A small boat was lowered and moments later, strong armed men began to dig their oars into the wine dark sea.
Seven minutes later, Major Jaroshek was standing on the deck of the Greek destroyer. Someone thrusted a mug of dark coffee topped off with a shot or two of something that tasted like the spirits of home; the licorice hints brought him back to the Mon Valley for a moment. He had to lift the mug with his left arm as any movement of his right shot pain through his entire body. The early pre-dawn strike had gone well. The Italian and German defenders had scrambled from the airfields near Athens. The Corsairs and Seafires had numbers and altitude. An eighty seven aircraft furball started even as the Avengers, Tarpons and Dauntlesses pounded the already battered airfields that medium bombers from Crete, Rhodes and Cyprus had been visiting for weeks. He was claiming three kills, his wingman had one more, and the rest of the squadron had even more.
And then as the air cleared, he banked left and brought the diminished squadron on a course for home, trailing the bombers. He was almost out of danger as the Aegean Sea was readily visible in front of him. Suddenly, an anti-aircraft battery flung a few dozen shells skyward. One exploded just in front and slightly below his aircraft. The engine began to fail, and he had no chance to make it home to the carrier. He found the Greek heavy cruiser and her escorting destroyers beginning their bombardment, circled around to seaward, and ditched two hundred yards away from the guard destroyer. At least the water had been warm as he treaded and waited for a rapid rescue.
The Greek destroyer Kanaris slowed. Her aft turret fired the last shots at a hillside in her homeland. A small boat was lowered and moments later, strong armed men began to dig their oars into the wine dark sea.
Seven minutes later, Major Jaroshek was standing on the deck of the Greek destroyer. Someone thrusted a mug of dark coffee topped off with a shot or two of something that tasted like the spirits of home; the licorice hints brought him back to the Mon Valley for a moment. He had to lift the mug with his left arm as any movement of his right shot pain through his entire body. The early pre-dawn strike had gone well. The Italian and German defenders had scrambled from the airfields near Athens. The Corsairs and Seafires had numbers and altitude. An eighty seven aircraft furball started even as the Avengers, Tarpons and Dauntlesses pounded the already battered airfields that medium bombers from Crete, Rhodes and Cyprus had been visiting for weeks. He was claiming three kills, his wingman had one more, and the rest of the squadron had even more.
And then as the air cleared, he banked left and brought the diminished squadron on a course for home, trailing the bombers. He was almost out of danger as the Aegean Sea was readily visible in front of him. Suddenly, an anti-aircraft battery flung a few dozen shells skyward. One exploded just in front and slightly below his aircraft. The engine began to fail, and he had no chance to make it home to the carrier. He found the Greek heavy cruiser and her escorting destroyers beginning their bombardment, circled around to seaward, and ditched two hundred yards away from the guard destroyer. At least the water had been warm as he treaded and waited for a rapid rescue.
Decided it is not broken, just banged up real good with a massive set of bruises turning all sorts of funky colors. His tennis game may never recover, but he should be able to fly in a week or two.
Some Bloke
Agree on Ouzo
My original team leader in 173rd LRRP had just been inducted into Ranger Hall of Fame and we put together a Ranger Punch composed of
1 bottle of vodka since he was born in Ukrain
1 bottle of Hawaiian rum since that is where he met his wife when both were in Special Ops Command (she had been his jump master - “I fell in love as I went out the door!” He was a SGM at the time.
1 bottle of Thunderbird since that is what he could afford as a lowly EM.
Some other pertinent alcohol
1 bottle Ouzo since he felt his assignment with Greek SF and SHM at ROTC at U of Guam were the two most enjoyable assignments in his 30 year career. He was on Son Tay raid
We found that we had neither a larger bowl to mix with a mixer nor a mixer
It was ghastly. A few retired career SF and Ranger (CSMs of 101, 82, Ranger School, Infantry School, SF, and Ft Benning showed up at cookout) said that 20 years previously it would have been eagerly consumed.
The hostess said that it was the only thing that ever killed the snails in rock garden and that “yes, her husband did have a hazardous waste disposal permit
Agree on Ouzo
My original team leader in 173rd LRRP had just been inducted into Ranger Hall of Fame and we put together a Ranger Punch composed of
1 bottle of vodka since he was born in Ukrain
1 bottle of Hawaiian rum since that is where he met his wife when both were in Special Ops Command (she had been his jump master - “I fell in love as I went out the door!” He was a SGM at the time.
1 bottle of Thunderbird since that is what he could afford as a lowly EM.
Some other pertinent alcohol
1 bottle Ouzo since he felt his assignment with Greek SF and SHM at ROTC at U of Guam were the two most enjoyable assignments in his 30 year career. He was on Son Tay raid
We found that we had neither a larger bowl to mix with a mixer nor a mixer
It was ghastly. A few retired career SF and Ranger (CSMs of 101, 82, Ranger School, Infantry School, SF, and Ft Benning showed up at cookout) said that 20 years previously it would have been eagerly consumed.
The hostess said that it was the only thing that ever killed the snails in rock garden and that “yes, her husband did have a hazardous waste disposal permit
SsgtC
Banned
Sounds like me and Long Island Iced Tea. Damn near got alcohol poisoning from those sneaky fuckers once. Now even the smell turns my stomach
Just polished off a new selection from Sierra Nevada brewing out of California - Narwhal Imperial Stout, quite good....
With regards to Greece, I wonder how the Greek Civil War will play out ITTL; the Greek government, having held on to Crete and Rhodes, will have more legitimacy, methinks...
And, also, the worst effects of the Bengal famine have been butterflied away, with the attendant death toll; this will affect Bengal and Burma, methinks (India will become independent; even trying to hold on to it would be a black hole for the British, IMO)...
And, also, the worst effects of the Bengal famine have been butterflied away, with the attendant death toll; this will affect Bengal and Burma, methinks (India will become independent; even trying to hold on to it would be a black hole for the British, IMO)...
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Probably no Greek Civil War, with the government forces nearby and in principal command of material support that can funnelled to resistance groups in occupied lands.
Minor nitpick, Cyprus was not a Greek possession. It was under British rule from late 19th century and was annexed by the UK in 1914.
formion
Banned
I doubt there will be a civil war. First of all, retaining Crete - a fiercely republican island- will lead to the appointment of old Liberal party politicians in the government in a far greater extent than OTL. Remember, the Metaxas regime was basically a royal dictatorship where Metaxas was the useful front as he didn't control the army nor he had a party apparatus such as the fascist/nazi dictators. Now if the King wants to survive politically he has to liberalize the government.
Such a government would have both legitimacy (holds Crete and islands as mentioned) and greater appeal in Greece. Moreover the government will have resources be that military, political or financial, to support pro-government groups in mainland Greece. Lastly, the government will control the weapons supply to the various resistance groups. Only after the Italian Armistice ELAS and EDES found themselves with an independent source of weapons (bounty from italian units). As there is no armistice in TTL up to this point, then all the weapon supply is in the hands of the greek government.
In general, the civil war will be butterflied with enormous repercussions for post-war Greece. From a greek point of view with 20/20 hindsight it is worth it having a battleground in Greece if only to avoid the catastrophic civil war.
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