So, are the Aankhein and the Jinyiwei a "silent war" in SEA as China runs guns to nationalist rebels in Cambodia and Malaya and the Indians try to stop them?
The Silver Knight, a Lithuania Timeline
- Thread starter Augenis
- Start date
Yes, both secret services have their operatives, proxies, and customers. China is doing its best to support rebels who want equality for all Indochinese regardless of ethnicity or religion, and such people are not (yet) in short supply. India is wondering if it screwed up by picking Chan Sim and is trying to support more levelheaded (but still Indian-influenced Unitarian) factions who can avoid needling the opposition as Chan Sim has.
The good news for them: They got their freedom. Hooray!
The bad news for them: Nouvelle-Lyon and Somalia are still under the French.
Now a cold war between India and China. Great Shun needs to reclaim her sphere in SEA sooner or later before it's too late! The Middle Kingdom must teach the Unitarian scum their place~!
Anyway, how strong are United Indian States and Shun China, individually?
If I read correctly, Shun China is the strongest country ITTL, yes?
Anyway, how strong are United Indian States and Shun China, individually?
If I read correctly, Shun China is the strongest country ITTL, yes?
I was wondering, what are some of the famous landmarks, or for former Revivalist Lithuania, ruins of landmarks in this timeline?
Depends on what you consider to be the measurement for strength.
:thinking:
This I haven't actually considered much. I have described a few landmarks, usually churches, in very early special chapters, but not much beyond that.
The Griffin of Iron
The Griffins of Iron: Crimean Tatars
The Griffin was originally a symbol of the Argin Clan, with the Taraq Tamğa being added after Haci Giray became Khan Qirim.
The history of Crimean Tatars as a separate people began in late 14th century with several tribes moving into the peninsula and ceasing their nomadic lifestyle, making Crimea their new homeland. At this point the Crimean peninsula and the steppes surrounding it were a part and thus governed and protected by the Golden Horde. This fact changed after the substantial territorial changes following the Lithuanian campaign to re institute khan Tokhtamysh.
After this campaign the Crimean steppes, located north of the peninsula, became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This change left Crimea cut off from the Golden Horde. With separatist sentiments prevalent between the clans and with a Christian khan ruling over the Muslim and pagan populace, it was only a matter of time before Crimean clans, like many others, would attempt to split away.
And so in 1398 they did. The various clans united and rose up against their overlords, quickly taking over the peninsula. Those who remained loyal to the Golden Horde and Khan Tokhtamysh were swiftly exiled or killed.
This however didn’t lead to a unified Crimean Tatar state, as the clan leaders, unable to decide upon a singular leader split the territories between themselves. But with every one of them wishing to be the ruler of united Crimea, conflicts soon began.
For prince Gregory of Theodoro this was an opportunity to fulfill his ambitions. He was a devout orthodox Christian, and then believed that the Muslim Tatar population should be either converted or expelled from the peninsula, with their territories rightfully becoming a part of the principality.
After several years of preparation Prince Gregory began his campaign in 1403. While Theodoran army wasn’t numerous it was better equipped and still bigger than the forces of most Tatar clans. Thus they were able to advance and conquer unopposed. Erecting outposts and fortresses in the territories they had conquered.
In 1420 Qirq yer, the second biggest Tatar settlement in Crimea had fallen, and by 1422 Theodoro controlled most of the southwest peninsula. It seemed that it was only a matter of time until the entirety of Crimea would become the domain of the previous domain rump state. But the grand dreams of prince Gregory of Theodoro wouldn’t come to fruition.
In 1424 the leader of Argin clan, which was the biggest Tatar clan at the time, Kutluk Syl-Kyryc conquered the city of Solkhat or Qirin, the biggest tatar settlement in Crimea, from the Barutin clan.
There is a tatar legend, which claims that during his first night in the city Kutluk had a dream. In it, a massive griffon, forged from bruised iron, was standing on the Crimean peninsula, its wings spread across the massive steppes surrounding the chersonese.
It is of course impossible to know if the leader of Argin clan truly had such a peculiar dream. What is known though is that after this victory he began a campaign of unification across Crimea, conquering smaller clans and integrating them into his realm. With the Argon clan now being the biggest one, thus having the most soldiers, and the wealthiest, with the riches of Solhat or Qirim at their disposal, it was a quick, if rather bloody, affair.
By the year 1429 the last holdouts of other clans were defeated by Kutluk. This angered Prince Gregory whose further expansion plans were thwarted by this development. Yet he still believed that even with the unification of clans under Kutluk, they would be no match against the Theodoran forces. And thus, in 1430 he declared war on the Tatars.
Prince Gregory gathered an army of nearly nine thousand men and hired up to three thousand mercenaries from Genoan cities. Katluk was able to gather up to 16 000 horsemen.
The Tatars were the first to gather their full armies and thus began a campaign into the Theodoran territories. During this campaign nearly four thousand Tatars, who were previously under Gothic rule joined this army. This Tatar host easily advanced until Hreslvs'kyl where the Theodoran forces were gathering.
The Battle of Hreslvs’kyl, which happened on the 20th of June, was the deciding engagment of this war. Nine thousand soldiers under Prince Gregory engaged the fourteen thousand strong Tatar host.
Theodoran army was two thirds infantry, while the Argin army was in its entirety comprised of light cavalry. While usually a greater force, not to mention a cavalry one would mean a decisive defeat, the Theodoran prince had purchased handguns and several artillery pieces, hoping this would change the tides.
It didn’t. Tatars were able to overwhelm the gothic forces, killing or capturing most of the army. Prince Gregory himself was slain.
His brother Alexios became the new prince. But with barely four thousand men at his command he couldn’t launch any attacks and was forced to fortify the capital city of Dorosas the Tatar host swept thru the principality.
By August 1430 both Doros, the capital, and Kalamita, the biggest port were under siege.
In spring of 1432 both of them surrendered. The same year Kutluk Syl-Kyryc was declared Qirim Khan (Khan of Crimea) and ruler of all peoples of Crimea.
After this a short campaign against the Genoan colonies followed. It resulted in a slight change of borders and quite the profit for the new khanate.
To the north of Crimea, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was experiencing instability as Teodoras Jogailaitis and his uncles: Švitrigaila ir Žygimantas fought for dominance over the state. This meant that several regions of the massive realm were barely defended as these territories were stripped of garrisons and soldiers. Khan Kutluk used this in an attempt to expand his realm. He began raids into the steppes near the Crimean peninsula, claiming and taking over more and more territory. He believed that inner conflicts and instability would last long enough to weaken the Grand Duchy so much it couldn’t attempt to reclaim the steppes. Some claim that he even believed it to be his destiny to take over the entirety of the realm and establish a new great khanate. No matter what he believed, he was wrong.
With pretenders to the throne crushed and revolts defeated, the gaze of Teodoras turned to the steppes. And so in 1440 he began a campaign against the upstart Crimean Khanate.
In but a year the Khanate was defeated. There were no great battles; no grand clashes The thinly spread Crimean Tatars were but swatted aside by the armies of Lithuania and their Lipkan counterparts. Khan Kutluk was himself slain, nobody knows by whom, but a popular story claims that the Tatar, himself bearing the iron griffon heraldry, was slain by a noble descended from the Gediminds, who bore a silver knight on his shield.
In the place of the deceased khan rose Haci Giray, a Tatar noble born in Trakai who participated in the campaign, and thus was rewarded by Grand Duke Teodoras with a permission to become the ruler of the state. In 1441 he was declared the new Khan. The same year he married Ida Syl-Kyryc, the daughter of the deceased Kutluk and thus legitimized his rule.
From 1442 to 1494 Crimean Khanate remained a tributary state of Grand Duchy and later Kingdom of Lithuania. During this period the nation was reformed in several ways. A new class of nobility formed from both the Theodoran and Genoan aristocrats living in the territories of the Khanate. Tatar clan leaders were also given the same rights and privileges. Karaites were granted several privileges as they were quite an influential group in the state. As were various European merchants living in the formerly Genoan territories. Cities began expanding as several privileges were granted to city dwellers.
In this way Haci Geray ensured the loyalty of influential groups in the realm.
The millet system, similar to the one in Ottoman Empire was established, ensuring the various religious and cultural groups freedom of religion and culture, as long as taxes were payed and military service provided.
During this time Crimea began trading with Genoan cities present on the peninsula and other states surrounding it to an extent greater than before. Creations of Tatar, gothic and karaite artisans became famous across the black sea region, their kilim (a type of oriental rug) were a sought after item in markets of Lithuania and Ottoman Empire, their knives and other blades were claimed to be the best available in the region. The Crimean wines, produced from grapes grown in the fertile soil of the peninsula were compared to the ones produced by the best winemakers of Europe.
This period latter became regarded as some sort of a golden age for Crimean Tatars and other peoples of the peninsula. Not due to any particular reason, but due to the reason that this was the only period during which Crimea was truly independent, even if it had to pay tribute to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
And then in 1494 the warlike gaze of the Ottoman Empire turned north. Genoan cities were swiftly subjugated. Crimea followed.
For a second time in a hundred years the armies of Crimea were swept aside by a powerful nation wishing to expand their influence. Menli Giray, the ruler of Crimea at that time was replaced by his pro-ottoman brother Kildysh. A new capital was established,on the border between Tatar and Gothic territories, named Bakhisaray.
From 1494 to 1629 the Crimean Khanate was a vassal of the Ottoman Empire.
This period while prosperous, had massive negative consequences latter on. Some blame this on the fact that it was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire who would appoint the next khan, and thus many of these were incompetent and easy to control, which led to the Khanate stagnating in the long run.
Of course this change also allowed a few new sources of income to appear, the most important of which was slave trade. While before such a source of income would be impossible due to the relative weakness of the Khanate, but now, as the Tatar realm was protected by the Ottoman Empire, thus there was no danger anymore.e33
In the year 1511 Tatar raids into the Ruthenian territories of Kingdom of Lithuania began. During these raids the swift Tatar cavalry would capture as many people as possible, loot what valuables are available and retreat back into Crimea where they would sell the captured people to Ottoman slavers. It is estimated that nearly one and a half million people total were sold into slavery this way.
Of course this period held more for Crimea than just becoming a hub of slave trade. During this period the cities in the peninsula increased further, which lead to the creation of numerous mosques, several libraries and even schools.
Territorial gains were also had, as Ottoman Empire pushed north into the steppes surrounding the peninsula, expanding the Khanate, giving it a land route with Moldova and the entirety of the northern coast of the black sea.
And then in 1625 Kingdom of Lithuania and the Ottoman Empire collided for the dominance in the black sea region and the pontic-caspian steppe.
The Lithuanian army swiftly reached Khadjibey, cuttin the land route between the Ottoman Empire and the Khanate, thus leaving Tatar forces to face the armies of the massive realm alone. Of course, at this point massively outdated Crimean force wasn‘t able to defeat their enemy.
In 1626 Crimea itself was stormed by 25 000 Lithuanian troops. They swiftly conquered the peninsula, finally defeating the last remnants of the Tatar armies in the Battle of Chufut-Kale. Menli Giray, the khan of the Crimean Khanate, as well as many of his courtiers and generals, were captured during the engagement.
After the battle the khan was forced to give up his throne, allow a partial annexation of the Khanate, and pay massive reparations and concessions. The youngest brother of Menli Giray, Selim was placed on the throne, though he was nothing more than a puppet of the Kingdom of Lithuania. This way an illusion of a separate Crimean state was created, even if it was nothing more than an autonomous territory within Lithuania.
In the period stretching from 1626 to 1915 Crimea remained an autonomous realm within Kingdom and later the Empire of Lithuania. During this time many changes happened to the peninsula and its peoples.
Of course slave trade with the Muslim world was cut off, thus ending the stream of Ruthenian slaves to the Ottoman Empire and influencing an increase and return of several traditional crafts. Lithuania traded with Europe after all, and thus a market was found for kilim, Tatar blades and Crimean wines again.
During this quite a long time period the productive capabilities and technologies available to the Khanate advanced and were influenced by what was present in the Lithuanian state. Thus as the time passed and technology advanced firstly manufactories and later factories were built. Of course Crimea wasn’t an integral or highly important region of the Lithuanian Empire and thus only the biggest population centres experienced the progress in ways in production and technology. Only the three biggest cities: Bakhisaray, Solkhat or Qirin and Doros became modern population centres, leaving the rest of autonomous region in almost of a feudal state.
Of course with massive amounts of influence from Europe the ways of production weren’t the only things that changed. More schools and various other institutions of education were established, such as the universities in cities of Bakhisaray and Doros in years 1669 and 1730 respectively. Several printing houses were built and works in Tatar, Karaim and even the slowly declining Theodoran Greek began to be published from the year 1683 onwards. It was Leo this time that the Tatar script changed its writing system from the previously used Arabic to the Cirillic script that was and still is used in Lithuania.
With the appearance of the printing press in Crimea and the increase in the amount of educational institutions more literature of various genres was started to be produced. Greatest creations of Crimean literature were produced during this period.
The system of law was also changed to be more like the one present in the Empire of Lithuania, as while Crimea was autonomous they were still part of the Empire and thus had to abide by the same laws and use the same systems of government. Lithuanian authorities were of course also installed, both to control the puppet khan‘s and most of the new government institutions.
Such presence of somewhat European systems of production, education and law would leave an interesting effect on Crimean culture in the long run.
The military of the Khanate didn‘t remain idle and stagnant during this time either, differently from the Ottoman period. More modern tactics and weapons were introduced and the armies were more modern to fit the Lithuanian and European standards. This was done due to the fact that the Crimean Tatar forces were reorganized by the standards and doctrines of Lipka Tatars and thus were reforged into a capable fighting force.
These forces were well equipped as the previously present iron mines were expanded further, which combined with an old tradition of blacksmithing and modern production methods allowed for the Crimean armies to not only be trained and drilled in the same way as their elite Lipka brethren, but also to be equipped with weaponry of comparable quality.
After these reforms Crimean forces participated in several campaigns under the Empire of Lithuania, including such conflicts as The Four Years war and the expansion east during the 18th century, mostly as a supporting force to the main Lithuanian armies, though there have been several recorded occurrences when entire armies were organized purely from mixed Crimean-Lipkan light cavalry.
As the wave of nationalism spread through Europe in the 19th century Crimea wasn't left untouched. Though Crimea was an autonomous realm within the Empire of Lithuania and neither their language nor culture were oppressed, there was still a massive movement of national revival.
The period of 1429-1494 became regarded as some sort of a golden age. This era was idealized due to the claimed prosperity that the Crimean’s experienced during it. The fact that during most of this time period Crimea was but a tributary state to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was ignored or dismissed.
Many new works of art and literature, promoting an idea of independent Crimea were produced and spread thru not only the peninsula itself, but also the surrounding territories which were inhabited by mostly Tatars or mixed Ruthenian-Tatar, or as was the case in the territories to the east, Circassian-Tatar populations.
What is unique about this wave of nationalism is Crimea is that the definition of who was a true Crimean is rather different from the typical clarification of unified culture, language and territory. It began as such, with various Tatar nationalists wishing to establish a purely Crimean Tatar state. However due to fears that enacting such a concept would result in losing territories inhabited by the Gothic people, this concept was later discarded. It was replaced by the concept of “Crimean nationalism“ which was devised by one of the most influential Tatar political figures of the 19th century - Idas Devlet. In his text „Julliari tatar, karaim näm gotlar“ (ways of Tatars, Karaims and Goths) he defined a Crimean as someone who „Stands under the standard of Iron Griffin“. This idea was later expanded upon in his book “Qirim il“ (Crimean nation). In this piece he stated that the goal of Crimean nationalism is not a creation of independent Tatar, Gothic and Karaim states, but rather a birth of an unified state of all these peoples based on the principles of historical and partly linguistic (Theodoran Greek had been almost replaced by Crimean Tatar at this point) unity. A huge importance in this idea was on the monarch, as they were the representative and the uniting element of all the Crimean people. After all, would such a people even exist without the Giray Khan‘s?
This concept would later be called „Three nations under one banner“.
Due to being the symbol of such unity, as mentioned by Devlet himself, the Iron Griffin became a widespread symbol of Crimean nationalism, unity and strength. After all, it was the symbol under which the first Crimean state was born, and as many wished would be the symbol under which it would be born again.
Idas Devlet
On March 16th, 1911 the world was lit on fire as the Great War began. Millions were mobilised during the conflict by the Empire of Lithuania, including the Crimean people‘s. These troops were mostly deployed on the southern part of the Lithuanian front with Visegrad and thus were subject to the bitter defeats Lithuanian armies suffered against the forces of both Visegrad and the various organizations fighting for Russian independence. They were pushed back until they were defending Crimea itself from the advancing Baltic-Adriatic forces.
Crimeans were loyal, they were enduring, but this was enough. They didn‘t want to die for Lithuania anymore. They were tired of dying for the Emperor. They were tired of dying under the flag of the silver knight; it was time to drop it. It was time to raise the standard of the iron griffin.
In 1914 the peninsula was completely cut off from any contact with Lithuania by advancing Russian and Visegradian forces and the Circassian rebellion in the Caucasus. With this perfect opportunity, the Tatar battalions tuned on their former comrades in arms. Lithuanian garrisons and loyalists were defeated and pushed out of the peninsula. Kati Giray, the previously powerless ruler of Crimea was crowned Khan. The previously autonomous province of the Empire of Lithuania was reorganized into the Khanate of Crimea.
Of course the constitutional monarchy based on the European model was in no way similar to the Khanates and Hordes of old, but it was the name which held a significant meaning to the Crimean populace.
Flag of the Crimean Khanate. The horizontal stripes represent the three Crimean peoples: Blue for Karaims, Green for Tatars and Yellow for Goths. The red symbolizes the blood all of these peoples spilled for their motherland.
There was a lot of work to be if Crimea were to become a proper state. But that could wait for the populace wished not for an establishment on democratic systems, elections or reforms. They wished for the unification of all the Crimean people‘s, and so did the Khan.
And thus as the 1914 was nearing its end, Crimean army began marching north. This was their time of triumph, their time to finally break the eternal cycle of defeat and become a proper power. The Crimean army, formed from the Tatar divisions was a professional and an elite force, trained to high standards and equipped with the best equipment available. It was expected that they would easily overwhelm whatever forces Krajina could muster. Peace treaties were prepared, plans on territorial divisions made, further expansion, this time against Empire of Lithuania was also planned.
The first engagements with various garrison forces near the „border“between Crimea and Krajina were major success for Khanate forces. The few Ruthenian soldiers present were swiftly overwhelmed and khanate forces made preparations for a massive outward push, meant to secure the territories that were rightfully theirs.
And then a letter came from King Ferenc III von Luxemburg of Visegrad. It stated that either Khan Kati Giray orders his forces to stop their actions and return to the peninsula, or Krajina gains quite a few new ports. Understanding that he stands no chances against the might of Baltic-Adriatic coalition, Kati choose the first option. The Crimean army began their retreat the same day.
Crimea was defeated again. And again a greater power exerted their dominance over them. They lost their rightful territories without fighting. And to pour salt on the wound the remaining Crimean Tatar territories which belonged to the Lithuanian Empire were captured by Volga Russia.
Several diplomatic attempts were made trying to appeal to the countries of Baltic-Adriatic coalition. Crimean diplomats tried their best gain the favour from this grand alliance, hoping that they would be given back the ethnically Crimean territories. But this fell onto deaf ears as the Khanate was considered an aggressive and dangerous entity and thus were to be contained. Crimean diplomats returned with nothing.
The Iron Grifffn broke free only to be locked in a cage again…
The populace was outraged. But as the Khanate was unable to do anything against such powerful states, they backed down. There were other problems to be taken care of. After all with recent events, Crimea was mostly isolated in the black sea region; much would need to be reformed for it to be able to sustain itself properly.
In 1915 the Parliament or Zhijo gathered for the first time. In the same year the Crimean constitution was written.
Several reforms were enacted. Such as the land and industry reform, which put a focus on industrialising and modernising the backwards systems present in the rural parts of the peninsula. Land in several regions was redistributed to provide more efficient results. Plans were made for new towns and industrial centres to be created to act as population and region centres for the more rural parts of the country.
Education was also reformed with more universities and schools established all through the country. Attendance until the age of 16 was made mandatory in an attempt to increase literacy. Religion was officially split away from the system of education, though religious studies were still left as a possible part of the curriculum.
The previously used Lithuanian currency was replaced by the Crimean som.
Khan Kati himself didn‘t remain idle. He personally funded further expansion of the iron mines in the eastern part of the peninsula, not to mention his monetary contribution to the discovery of oil in Crimea and the beginning of its exploitation.
With these reforms the goal of Crimean self-sustenance was achieved.
But this exceptional performance of the first Zhijo wasn‘t followed up. Some blame it on the death of Kati Giray due to heart failure in 1919. His 6 year old son Iskandar Giraywas of course incapable of ruling and thus the Zhijo had to do without a Khan.
This seemingly wasn‘t the best idea as the Zhijo wasn’t able to properly accomplish anything during this time. Constant re-elections didn‘t helps this situation as the population started slowly losing faith in the system.
In 1931 Iskandar Giray, 18 at the time, was crowned the new Khan.
The following year in the elections of 1932 the Democratic Unitarian party of Crimea gathered the majority of the votes thus becoming the dominant group in the Zhijo. This was the first time in the last dozen years that a singular party gathered the majority.
As their first action they reduced the military budget.This was a big mistake as it put a massive strain on the relationship between the Zhijo and the Crimean army as they believed that the peninsula was always under the danger of invasion and thus decreasing the budget would be suicidal.
After this the party implemented several reforms concerning the welfare of workers and social security. This way they attempted to gather support for their further plans.
Several changes to the system of governance were also implemented. The power of the Zhijo was increased while the Khan‘s was decreased. The party justified such a decision by claiming that the Khan was still too inexperienced to efficiently rule the nation.
And then in 1934 the Democratic Unitarian government decreed that Zhijo has decided to remove the Khan from the positions of power completely. They believed that the success of their reforms and the comparatively minor resistance to their changes of power balance meant that they had the support of the majority of the population. But they underestimated how much the Crimeans were devoted to their Khan. Riots started all over the peninsula as the populace demanded the reinstitution of the monarch.
The army didn’t remain idle either as a battalion of the Crimean army, led by General Ilfat Karim, stormed the Zhijo building, barely a week after the announcement. The members of democratic Unitarian government were executed for treason while members of other parties were forced resign. Iskandar was re-established as the khan with his powers restored and even increased while the Zhijo was replaced by a military council lead by the general Ilfat, who was granted the ancient title of Amir for his service and became the supreme leader of Crimean armed forces.
Ilfat Karim, Amir of Crimean Khanate
Iskandar Giray, Khan of Crimea
The main goal of the new military leadership became the conquest of the southern territories of Krajina and the western territories of Volga Russia, which were, as mentioned previously, considered stolen Crimean territories. Thus preparations for this speculated conflict began. Military spending was increased again, mandatory service in the military was instituted, heavy industry was expanded and the production of equipment was increased. New military technologies, such as the landship were also invested in.
Of course, alone Crimea would not be able to achieve such a goal, thus a search for possible allies was begun, if reluctantly. Revivalist Lithuania was considered, so was The Union, but due to ideological differences these options were never pursued. Other nations and states were looked through, but there simply weren’t that many countries with even remotely similar interests as Crimea. The only possible ally the peninsular nation found was the newly dictatorial Circassia, which itself had claims in territories belonging to Volga Russia.
While of course there was some tension due to the contested territories between both nations, but this was solved by quite the unorthodox means suggested by Khan Iskandar. A population exchange was initiated by both sides as Crimean Tatars and Karaites were encouraged and even paid to leave their homes in Circassia and travel to the peninsula. It has been estimated that over a hundred thousand people moved to Crimea due to this program. With this exchange Crimea relinquished their claim to the territories and in 1935 signed an alliance with Circassia.
This alliance was followed by a series of seeming successes as in 1936 the first successful Crimean landship prototype was tested. It was a light machine, meant for swift battles across the steppes and fields of the regions surrounding the black sea. This machine was named “Griffin” and was the first machine of a line of landships that the Crimeans would create in the future.
With this new machine becoming available to the forces of the Khanate a new military doctrine was devised. Created by a Gothic general Alexios Plesoios and named "Yк" (The arrow), it was centered on an idea of a completely mobile army. By this doctrine soldiers would be organized into units of ten fighters, with each such unit receiving a transport vehicle. Such units would then be organized into companies of a hundred soldiers, ten transport vehicles and a single landship (Though as time went on and such machines could be built in bigger quantities and faster than before the number of landships in a company started rising) . During a military campaign each of these companies and units, either singular or in groups, could strike out on their own, swiftly engaging enemy groups or positions for short periods of time, wiping them out completely or retreating after inflicting enough damage, depending on the size of opponent compared to the Crimean force. Such units could also be used to destroy various strategic objectives due to their mobility. Landships would be crucial in this strategy as such it required for the companies to be supported by heavy weapons and artillery was simply unsuited for such a mobile war. Alexios claimed that this way the Crimean army would bleed their foe out until it couldn't fight anymore. Just like a torrent of arrows which could cripple an enemy far more powerful than the ones who released them.
Both Amir Ilfat and Khan Iskandar were fascinated with such an idea, and thus the entire army of Crimea was slowly motorized as transports and tanks began to be produced and integrated into it en masse. Differently from Lithuanians, the Crimeans had the resources for such an endeavor.
Of course there always the possibility that such a tactic would fail, and thus in 1938 a wall of fortifications began to be erected near the border with Krajina. It would be finished in the year 1942, and would receive the nickname of “Iskandar’s wall” as the young Khan was particularly interested in its creation.
In 1939 the first Crimean ship began patrolling the Black Sea around the coast of the peninsula; this was the beginning of the “Doros Fleet”.
Surprisingly Crimea remained neutral during the following conflicts raging around them as the complete modernization of the army and the fortifications were still unfinished. There was also the fact that Crimea had nothing to gain from joining either side of the conflict and rather spent its resources in continuing to modernise its armies, and as a need now arose, civilian technologies and institutions.
And Crimea continued to wait, slowly advancing their technologies and strengthening their alliance with Circassia with combined scientific endeavours and resource and technological exchanges.
They were waiting for their moment, and in 1949 it may have come.
The nation of Krajina had broken their ties with Germania. Germania had itself chosen a non interventionist path. They wouldn’t help Krajina. Visegrad, the great defender of the nation was no more. And both Russias weren't in a position to help their neighbor.
The Crimean Khanate had a fully motorized and modern army; they had a relatively powerful fleet. And they had an ally with an army big enough to compensate the relatively small size of theirs.
The Griffin of Iron gazed north… Maybe it was time...
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Ok, so who invented Blitzkrieg? did one nation steal the other's work? Are they seprate stratagies?
Both doctrines do sound marginally different.
Besides, both ignore the fact that Blitzkrieg Doctrine did not exist under those terms and was not clearly developed in the ways sometimes envisaged by the alternate retellings of the update.
Make it happen.
Also, none of the images on the Crimea post seem to have uploaded correctly. I can't see them D:
Crimean Wars Episode 3: Revenge of Giray, coming soon in a border near you... 
So, what's tech like ITTL compared to OTL? How's development of jets, rocketry, and atomic technology compared to OTL?
That was actually the intention for these strategies to be similar. The basic idea is the same: a quick and mobile army which could overwhelm their enemies quickly. The implementation of this strategy and army compositions are different. Crimea and Lithuania contrast each other here. Lithuania had a population of 33-34 million, which means they have access to quite the manpower pool, which means that they can easily create and army which could overrun their enemies and execute encirclements as they would have enough soldiers to accomplish such tasks. But Lithuania lacks resources for the transports and landships needed to support such a grand army. Crimea on the other hand has enough resources to build both landships and transports for it's army, but they lack the manpower. Even in 1949 Crimean population would be around 3.1 million at best. So their understanding of a "Mobile army" is different.
I edited the description in the chapter as it seems I have mistakenly uploaded an older version of the text and didn't notice.
As Augenis mentioned previously, technology is a decade behind OTL.
Well this also depends on which field we are talking about.
Nuclear physics in TTL, for example, are purely theoretical, while on the opposite side, I'd imagine that TTL tank designs do not fare any worse than OTL 1949, as numerous countries across the world have been developing landship technology and tactics.
OTL Crimea gets (or one got, before the Ukrainians dammed it up) much of their water from the North Crimean Canal, which connects to the Dnieper. With a population of 3.1 million people to keep healthy and hydrated, water is just one more reason for the Tatar hordes to ride to Kherson and beyond :^)
EDIT: They could also settle things diplomatically like Singapore and Malaysia but that's boring.
Also, isn't Alexei Krutov basically at death's door right now? The man founded Russia in the 1910s. Still, it's stated that Russia doesn't get any more democratic or pro-Germania in the coming years, so it looks like his successor won't be too different from him?
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Alexei Krutov was born in 1875, so he is roughly 75 years old at the moment. So he doesn't have much left, but there have been people in OTL who ruled countries while much older than that.
It's not only the water. If population growth continues, there might be a problems with food, as while Crimean soil is either fertile or suitable for cattle, the peninsula can't support much more than it currently does.
OTL Crimea gets (or one got, before the Ukrainians dammed it up) much of their water from the North Crimean Canal, which connects to the Dnieper. With a population of 3.1 million people to keep healthy and hydrated, water is just one more reasonfor the Tatar hordes to ride to Kherson and beyond :^)
EDIT: They could also settle things diplomatically [URL='https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/importedwater' said:
I am not sure that's even possible at this point. Besides Krajina wouldn't just give up almost the entirety of their coast and massive parts of their south.
And this isn't like the situation in Circassia where the region was only claimed due to ethnic reasons, and isn't considered part of true borders of the Khanate.