Franco-Ashigawan Military Cooperation

[aimway921]

Not so long ago Ashigawan ambassador and Franch officials have done to a deal that Ashigawa will cooperate with Franerre to bring the Franch military up to modern standards. The first attache was supposed to arrive in 4 months - but the recent standoff between the Franch and Kumo navy, and a subsequent rise of tensions, has prompted action to be taken sooner.

General Yamakuchi Korewa has been selected as the first attache. Bringing with him examples of the best modern military equipment, he would arrive by transport ship, accompanied by several transport ships full of disassembled aircraft. A team of 200 soldiers and workers would also accompany him.

To not risk provoking Kumo further than they already are, they would come to port outside of the infamous bay where the standoff happened.

[callmedelta]

General Ranulf and Ace Haar were waiting in Desterque for the Ashigawan attaché, ready to transport the new weapons and planes to the nearby military base via a short train ride. The air around the port was much quieter than usual, the city under lockdown to try and stop the spread of the Venezjan Flu, as it had came to be known. Thankfully, there weren’t any cases at the military base where they were heading to, and the Army intended to keep it that way. Once the Ashigawan ship made port, both men made their way to the ship, ready to receive their guests.

[aimway921]

As the ship was docked, Yamakuchi would be the first to step down on shore. Dressed in his black and red ceremonial uniform, with old-styled epaulets of golden thread, bearing the rank of General. At his left side he carried a ceremonial sword.

Following him were 10 soldiers, dressed in the same ceremonial uniforms, carrying rifles vertically in front of them, gripping them with their pearly white gloves.

As this procession approached the Franchmen, the general bowed, and then saluted.

"Taisho Yamakuchi, attache of Ashigawa to Franerre, arrived and ready to serve," he said promptly.

[callmedelta]

“General Ranulf,” the man said, both Franchmen returning the bow, “My compatriot here is the commander of the Franch Airforce, Ace Haar. I think I speak for the whole nation when I say we’re glad you’re hear. We have a train ready to take your equipment to the nearby Fort de Vaux, where you’ll be staying here in Franerre.”

[aimway921]

"I hope the Fort has an airfield attached," the Taisho said. "I have brought a number of aircraft as well. The rest of my unit that arrived with me is getting everything ready to unload. We have several thousand smallarms, almost 100 artillery pieces of various calibers, around 50 different ground vehicles and 20 planes. Plus almost a thousand crates of ammunition. With this ordeal, see, we finally found a use for our big stockpile that has been sitting in warehouses ever since the standing military was reduced after the Great War ended."

[callmedelta]

"Well," General Ranulf said, "The nearest proper air force base is L'Aizion Airforce Base, but it's about 45 miles north by the city of Cittaer. We have the facilities to store the planes at Fort de Vaux, but the airstrip there is little more than packed dirt. They well be temporarily held here before being moved to L'Aizion later. This way, we can ask any questions about the planes without worrying about traveling up and down the Franch coast."

Ace Haar chimed in. "I suppose that's a silver lining you can find. Guns don't do much sitting in warehouses."

[aimway921]

"Indeed that is true," Yamakuchi replied to Ace Haar. "We can ship in materials to build a temporary airfield at the Fort," he then turned back to Ranulf. "We have used such techniques to set up airbases out in the field where the enemy would not expect them. They can be built in just 4 days. And if you choose so, it can even later be converted into a permanent airfield. I personally would recommend it - any military compound should have at least a small airbase for transport as well as a small air defense unit of fighter aircraft."

[callmedelta]

General Ranulf thought for a moment. "Considering the proximity of L'Aizion, and the Fort's distance from Elenria, High Command hadn't given the idea of a permanent airstrip at de Vaux much thought. We have enough airstrips close to the Elenrian border not to give it much thought there, either. But four days? Forgive me for being a bit skeptical of that claim, but..." the General shot a glance towards Haar.

The Ace shrugged. "The Airforce has never tried to build quick airstrips like the kind General Yamakuchi is proposing. It could very well be possible. I think we should take the General up on his offer."

Ranulf nodded. "Well, I think that settles it. Give a list of supplies to the Engineer Corps, and we will see if can be done."

[aimway921]

"It would obviously take longer without the proper supplies at the ready. See, we are able to achieve such fast construction by using pre-fabricated materials. First a number of plow trucks and tractors would be used to flatten the area. Then we would lay steel planking that would compose into a sort of a mat - which would create the surface of the runway usable in any weather conditions.

As for not bothering with an airfield just because it's far from a border with a potential enemy - that is unwise. If there's anything that the opening months of the Great War have shown, when Galra unleashed their Blitz, it's that long range high altitude bombers would fly very deep into enemy territory to destroy bases and logistics lines...

But there would be much similar topics to discuss, which I believe would be smarter to do after we settle in. Please, lead the way.

[callmedelta]

"Of course," the General said, taking the short walk from the pier to where the Ashigawan equipment was being loaded onto a freight train, though several passenger cars could be seen at the train's front. Ranulf lead Yamakuchi to the first car. Inside, it had a layout reminiscent to a dining car, with several tables littering the cart, though instead of plates and food, the tables were filled with maps, files, graphs, and reports.

[aimway921]

As Yamakuchi entered the train car, he took off his webbing that held the sword and pistol holster, and handed it to one of the accompanying honor guards. Shortly before they entered the car, they were joined by another Ahsigawan officer who stepped off the ship several minutes later - a Captain, Yamakuchi's adjutant. He brought with him a leather suitcase, no doubt filled with documents.

"So..." Yamakuchi said as he looked over the paperwork on the tables, while he was taking a seat. "Tell me of your general situation here."

[callmedelta]

General Ranulf stood on the opposite side of the map as the train lurched forward. "Most of our military is at or near the Elenrian front, naturally. Based in Ft. de Vaux, we currently have three divisions, two infantry, and one motorized we were able to pull away from the front. As for the Estiere Barony as a whole, another three divisions are based in Fort. Portail, guarding the coast." Ranulf pointed to the entryway to the bays that made up the majority of the Franch coast. Then, he dragged his finger back down to the southern boarder. "There is one other division based closer to Caragel, but otherwise that is it. In total, that makes 60,000 infantry and 10,000 motorized and support crews in the Barony. In Marias, we have 5 light divisions garrisoning the boarder, totaling 37,500 soldiers, and another 10,000 stationed elsewhere in the province, but we don't expect any trouble from the south." The General then pointed his finger to the Elerian border. "In Bordemer, we have 8 divisions, including one motorized. Three stationed directly on the border itself, one stationed in Setange, and three in the east of the Barony, ready to respond to either front, totaling 80,000 infantry and 10,000 motorized and support crew." Then the General turned his focus to the Elenrian front. Whereas the rest of the map had been mostly clean, this section had been written on and erased many times. "We have 50,000 soldiers directly on the boarder, matching Kumo's own. In Elenerre, we have another 20,000 infantry and 10,000 motorized on standby. Further back in the Barony is where the rest of our forces lay, ready to move out to the front whenever the word goes out."

[aimway921]

"That's relatively good," Yamakuchi said, as he was closely following Ranulf's explanations. "Once we settle in the fort, I would like to review the positions along the Elenrian and Elerian borders. See how the troops are positioned, quality of fortifications, and any other details that would not be evident on a map. Before we wrap up for now, however, I did not hear you mention the Airforce. What is the status of it?"

[callmedelta]

The General looked to the Ace. Haar stepped forward, saying, "The Franch Airforce, at least the land-based portion of it, has three main bases of operation. The first, as I told you, is L'Aizion, covering the eastern part of Franerre. It's also the least staffed, due to the distance from the front, holding 50 fighters and close air support each. The Franch Airforce's main base of operation is at Sairleán, Airforce Base, outside the city of Setange." Haar made sure to point the western city out on the map. "Normally, most of the airforce is stationed there, but due to the recent tensions, only 100 fighters and close air support are stationed there. If it was needed, they could help run defensive air support over the front, but they can't reach Elenria and go back to Sairleán. The last of the airforce is stationed at the front, divided between Thaiven Airfroce Base outside Elenerre and Reairo Airforce Base outside the city of La Nours." Haar pointed to the city in the north of the Bordemer Barony, about three dozen miles south of the border. "Both bases have 75 fighters and close air support each, to make sure that we Franch air support on the border can't be crippled with the destruction of one base."

[aimway921]

"While it is not entirely up to Ashigawan standards, you are holding a valid tactic," Yamakuchi said. "I am sure the planes I brought with me would be a good supplement. I would love to also see a demonstration of the capabilities both of your pilots and of your planes' technical ability."