Poor Ruralia, if sabre-rattling land neighbours are not enough, trouble is brewing along their rugged western coastline. The coast is as rocky as the western coasts of Norway and Canada, with dozens or old fjords, steep rocky islands and hidden shoals. Some of those fjords have nasty tides! The Ruralian coast is popular for summer vacations, but winter storms can be nasty! It only snows a little along the coast, but fog and sleet make navigation doubly difficult. Coastal mountains are steep enough to force clouds to dump most of their rain, so coastal forests are both thick and tall.
Foreign ships are forced to hire Ruralian coastal pilots to guide them into Ruralian ports. Ruralia only has 3.5 ports. Rumour has it that some Ruralia ports are protected by old coastal artillery, but no foreign navy has a clear answer and locals are not talking. They just tell tourists that a few islands are off-limits because they are nesting grounds for endangered birds.
The smaller ports support Ruralia's strong fishing industry. Ruralian fisheries are strong enough to feed most Ruralian citizens, plus a little for export. However, foreign fishing vessels have been poaching more and more fish from Ruralian waters. Ruralian fishing boats have already traded paint and gun shots with foreign fishing vessels. The Ruralian Fishermans' Union is demanding that the Ruralian Coast Guard push foreign fishing vessels farther off shore. Traditionally, the RCG has used locally-built fishery patrol vessels, but those wooden hulls are getting old. The largest Ruralian shipyard has welded together a batch of river barges, but they still need to import engines, radios and guns.
Ruralia also faces new threats with cigarette and gem smugglers. The RCG has captured a few cigarette boats, but they are proving difficult to maintain.
With sabre-rattling neighbours, RCG is debating whether to also buy a few fast motor torpedo boats.
What type of coastal patrol vessels should the Ruralian Coast Guard buy or build?
Foreign ships are forced to hire Ruralian coastal pilots to guide them into Ruralian ports. Ruralia only has 3.5 ports. Rumour has it that some Ruralia ports are protected by old coastal artillery, but no foreign navy has a clear answer and locals are not talking. They just tell tourists that a few islands are off-limits because they are nesting grounds for endangered birds.
The smaller ports support Ruralia's strong fishing industry. Ruralian fisheries are strong enough to feed most Ruralian citizens, plus a little for export. However, foreign fishing vessels have been poaching more and more fish from Ruralian waters. Ruralian fishing boats have already traded paint and gun shots with foreign fishing vessels. The Ruralian Fishermans' Union is demanding that the Ruralian Coast Guard push foreign fishing vessels farther off shore. Traditionally, the RCG has used locally-built fishery patrol vessels, but those wooden hulls are getting old. The largest Ruralian shipyard has welded together a batch of river barges, but they still need to import engines, radios and guns.
Ruralia also faces new threats with cigarette and gem smugglers. The RCG has captured a few cigarette boats, but they are proving difficult to maintain.
With sabre-rattling neighbours, RCG is debating whether to also buy a few fast motor torpedo boats.
What type of coastal patrol vessels should the Ruralian Coast Guard buy or build?
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