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Post by callmedelta on Jul 24, 2022 17:33:43 GMT -5
Marshal Zelgius rubbed his forehead, hoping the glass of wine in his hand would cut off the impending headache he could already feel coming on. Running a war was a busy business, but thankfully he'd hit a lull in the immediately important items to deal with, leaving him time to look for the long-term items. One thing his mind particularly jumped to was that of an air arm for the Army. The Marshal had been interested in the concept every since he'd seen his first modern plane in Lusatia all those years ago, but as with everything in Franerre, the dreaded factor of cost stopped any further exploration into the matter. But now with an entire war to fight, the possibility of purchasing old Lusatian planes grew ever more realistic, given that they could immediately be proven effective. Zelgius didn't even imagine it would be that hard to convince the Lusatians, they and Franerre were on such good terms after all. After a quick review of the budget, not quite the amount Zelgius hoped for could be set aside for the project, but it would have to do.
~
A copy of the following letter would be sent to both Stefan Kaminski, the Lusatian Foreign Minister, and Radomił Dziedzic, the Lusatian Defense Minister.
"To the esteemed Ministers Kaminski and Dziedzic,
Given the current conflict in Tafatu, Franerre wishes to inquire about the purchase of planes to test the usefulness of the air in modern combat. Considering the Franerri Army's history of cooperation with the Lusatian Army, you are the natural source for such airplanes, the price for which can be discussed during a meeting if you find the idea amenable.
Matthieu Janos, Ambassador to the United Kingdoms of Lusatia and Jzegrad."
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Post by alxeu on Jul 26, 2022 12:37:02 GMT -5
A brief discussion in a Lusatian cabinet meeting had resulted in a quick agreement that some aid for their former colony in Touli was in order, especially if they were ready to pay. The Defense Minister being busy inspecting garrisons, in addition to being a soldier more than a politician, anyway, left the diplomatic effort to the Foreign Minister after having compiled an inventory of the Lusatian aerial reserve craft.
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Post by callmedelta on Jul 26, 2022 21:04:02 GMT -5
The day after the letter was received, Matthieu stood outside the door to the Foreign Minister's office. He wasn't quite sure whether to be thankful for the specifics of this assignment or not. Normally he'd have a briefcase full of important documents relevant to the deal at hand. Now? He only had a small telegram instructing him to get the best plane possible while staying under the maximum cost also sent along with the message, and to get it done as quickly as possible. Certainly made Matthieu's lode lighter, at least. He checked his wristwatch. 12:01 pm, the technical beginning of the afternoon. Perhaps it would be a bit of a faux pas, but that was the order he was given. Janos knocked on the door to the office, folding the telegram into the breast pocket of his suit.
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Post by alxeu on Aug 14, 2022 18:01:15 GMT -5
An aide to Minister Kaminski answered, and seeing that the man at the door was the Franch Ambassador to Lusatia, turned to another man inside, and after a bit, let Ambassador Janos in. Inside was Foreign Minister Kaminski, reading a copy of the telegram he had sent Ambassador Janos, frowning.
Stefan looked up to see Ambassador Janos enter, and affixed a friendly smile to his face under a weary brow, "It appears an aide failed to specify an exact time this afternoon in the telegram sent to you yesterday, Ambassador, apologies for any inconvenience this caused. Fortunately, the meeting was planned for an hour from now, so I can rearrange it and my lunch without much harm to either of us. Please, sit, and we can get to business."
As Matthieu Janos approached the meeting desk with Foreign Minister Kaminski, he would, as was custom, be offered a drink of coffee, tea, or water, for the meeting.
After Ambassador Janos received his drink, the Foreign Minister would continue, "So what kind of aircraft is Franerre looking to purchase, Ambassador?"
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Post by callmedelta on Aug 14, 2022 23:00:19 GMT -5
Matthieu accepted his drink of water, taking a sip before placing it back down on the table. “It’s more a question of what you’re willing to export,” Matthieu said, “That and the ever-looming specter of cost. I’m sure you know enough of Franerre’s relative wealth compared to Lusatia that I don’t exactly need to spell out the fact that we can’t exactly buy the newest plane rolling off your assembly lines. You know Lusatia’s air stock better than I, what do you think we can afford?”
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Post by alxeu on Aug 15, 2022 17:07:38 GMT -5
"You and I both know that affordability is subjective, especially when Lusatia is willing to extend credit for at least a portion of the planes you purchase. There's a few different types that the Defense Ministry has greenlit for sale, mostly decade-old craft designs that we believe are becoming too outdated for use against Galra. Our newest craft aren't for sale, due to our newest craft being used for national defense first and foremost." The Foreign Minister produced a folder with a few different specifications of aircraft, before explaining to Janos, "These are the designs of the craft we are willing to sell, along with test specifications." "Now, I don't know what kind of planes you are looking for in particular, but you'll want fighter aircraft if the Union of South Touli has them, but, failing that, they can also act as less purpose-built recon aircraft. The premier craft of our air force was the LAMF VI, so we have have the most of those, in addition to them being our cheapest stock. We also manufactured some of the Ulster-Gaelian aircraft, and their last-generation biplanes are probably more familiar in terms of international usage than our monoplane designs. If there's something that Ulster-Gaelia's airforce has or had that you would rather have, I can put in a notice with their embassy to request permission to newly construct and sell those craft to Franerre. This will probably run a higher tab, however." "There's also the matter of recon planes and bombers, which are probably more akin to what you are looking for, again, excepting the UST having their own air force, though you would know better than us if that is the case. The best recon craft we have is the LAMR III, but we can also special manufacture a biplane design that was phased out when the military moved to solely mono-wing designs, the KBR XIV. As for bombers, given that you are looking for less expensive craft, I would recommend a ground-attack fighter design instead, the MAFB IV, but if you want something more effective, though newer and more expensive, there's the MAFB VII, a design about five years old which is only just now being phased out by our airforce." "In terms of training, the ground-attack fighters will require a longer training time than the fighters and recon planes, which ought to be useable by any trained civilian pilots or any recruit with a couple of weeks of training, though dogfighting would take longer to learn. Due to this, and the likelihood of accident with these craft for undertrained pilots, the MAFB VII is probably better if only because the newer design decisions make it easier to handle." |
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Post by callmedelta on Aug 16, 2022 13:58:21 GMT -5
“Franerre needs something she can fly as soon as the planes hit her shores,” Janos explained, “As far as I’m aware, the Union of South Touli has no Air Force to speak of. Reconnaissance aircraft would be the best for that purpose, but…” Matthieu trailed off. Those ground attack aircraft would have the potential to decimate the Union’s movements, practically uncontested. They would certainly be more expensive, and would take much longer to get airborne than the recons, but they would hopefully be a one-time purchase. Franerre’s guns were already three decades out of date, why couldn’t their planes last for just as long?
“…Franerre would be interested in potentially buying both the LAMF IV and the MAFB VII, depending on two factors. The first would be the LAMF’s ability to act as a reconnaissance plane. You mentioned they were originally fighter aircraft, but you’ll have to forgive my lack of knowledge on the differences between the planes. Franerre wants these planes as in the air as soon as possible. If we’re just using the LAMF as a recon aircraft, we won’t need to train our pilots on how to dogfight. The second, well, it’s going to be a larger ask. If Franerre wants to purchase the MAFB, then we may need to find a few ‘Franerri’ pilots serving in Lusatia who feel the need to volunteer back home. To be paid handsomely, of course.”
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Post by alxeu on Aug 16, 2022 19:15:00 GMT -5
"Fighters like the LAMF VI were designed with a secondary reconnaissance objective. We ideally wanted them to be able to sortie, and if they failed to encounter enemy fighters, they'd at least be able to gather some information on enemy positions. Depending on if you want them all as recon planes or some split of fighters and recon planes, we can go ahead and reconfigure the planes with cameras and adjust the engine power to improve flight stability, at the cost of a lower top speed. It won't be perfect, but it should be serviceable, especially if the Union of South Touli doesn't have anything to intercept your planes, which ought to let you fly lower than the average recon flight."
"We would be glad to send personnel to acquaint your pilots with our craft, but Lusatian pilots will not participate in combat missions. The Prime Minister is wary of direct intervention due to Galra's potential interference, so while we would be glad to send officers and some of our better pilots to help your men train, the men piloting any aircraft you purchase will either be true volunteers, which, frankly, shouldn't be too difficult to recruit due to many having distant ties to Franerre, or your own pilots."
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Post by callmedelta on Aug 17, 2022 21:54:37 GMT -5
“That deal sounds amenable,” Matthieu said, after a quick internal deliberation, “We would like the LAMF VI’s reconfigured for recon use, and we will take the your offer to send advisors and volunteer pilots. As for the total planes, Franerre would like to purchase twenty recon planes and ten bombers, with potential further purchases in the future depending on the planes’ performances. Now, how much would these planes cost to reconfigure and purchase?”
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Post by alxeu on Aug 21, 2022 14:08:28 GMT -5
"The cost would run you about 1,000,000 Jewels, or 5,000,000 Złoty, this price including the cost of modifying the planes. The standard shipping fees will be charged by our shipping companies if you want us to deliver them, but if you have cargo ships or your own companies willing to deliver them, you wouldn't need to worry about that."
The Foreign Minister shifted a bit, "Knowing that your nation is currently at war, and that expenses are surely already running a bit high, the Lusatian government is also willing to finance the purchase in a few different ways. We'd accept an equivalent amount of silver and we'd also be willing to extend loans for both the aircraft purchases and regular equipment purchases. There's a third option, however, that we would like the Franerri government to consider."
"As you know, Galra has occupied some of the Union of South Touli for their own colonial possessions, and given their posturing, it is unlikely that they'll be satisfied with just that territory forever. As it stands, while Lusatia is willing to support Franerre in any defensive conflict it finds itself in, outside of equipment and economic support, there isn't much Lusatia is able to do in Touli, our nearest possessions are an ocean away. To that end, Lusatia would like to purchase a lease for a Franerri port, be it small, large, or somewhere in between, and be invited to station a garrison and fleet at said port for use in the defense of Franerre against Galra. This isn't the only benefit such a base would provide, however. If Lusatia has a military base in Franerre, it has a military supply depot in Franerre. It's a lot easier to justify significant cost reductions in arms sales to Franerre if the government can drape a cost-saving mantra over giving equipment from the base to Franerre rather than shipping it back across the ocean into storage; that the equipment was only delivered to the base for Franerre to buy it is immaterial."
"To clarify, Lusatia would like a Franerri port leased to it, say for a period of 20 years, renewable upon future renegotiation, and in exchange, whatever equipment Franerre needs to prosecute war against the Union of South Touli and other threats will be offered at 50 percent below cost."
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Post by callmedelta on Aug 21, 2022 22:19:49 GMT -5
“Such a large matter is for people far above me in the government to debate,” Matthieu said, though in truth he knew the answer. The answer would be an absolute and immediate no, despite the danger to Franerre and how much sense the Lusatian offer may make. They may not be Inselni, but the Franerri people still remembered colonization well. In fact, there may be many in Franerre who would prefer Galra to Lusatia. “For the time being, it would be best to purchase the planes in silver, which I believe totals in the area of 150,000 tones of silver.” Janos cringed internally at the total. “If Franerre decides to accept your offer for a port lease, then perhaps Lusatia may be willing to reimburse Franerre, either directly or with even further discounts on military purchases. Are there any other matters you wish to discuss while I am here?”
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Post by alxeu on Aug 27, 2022 20:10:45 GMT -5
"Unless there are any further extraordinary purchases Franerre wishes to make at this time, no, I believe we are done," the Foreign Minister said, "Though I would encourage your government to consider our proposition. While the idea may be unsavory, without such an operating base in Franerre, it would be difficult for Lusatia to provide anything beyond the aid it has thus far provided your nation. If a foreign power were to attack Franerre, any possible Lusatian intervention would be significantly delayed due to the distance between our shores. With a base, there would at least be some Lusatian ships and troops ready to aid at a moment's notice, should the need ever arise."
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Post by callmedelta on Aug 28, 2022 10:13:19 GMT -5
That eerie proclamation gave Matthieu pause. A war between either Kumosenkan or Galra and Franerre would be costly, certainly, though with the large quantities of manpower at Franerre’s disposal, Franerre could certainly hold them back at great cost. With with the war in Tafatu…no. Matthieu couldn’t let himself think about that. “I’m sure His Majesty will keep that in mind, thank you.”
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Post by alxeu on Aug 28, 2022 12:10:56 GMT -5
After the meeting, the Lusatian government would create an official document detailing the terms of the trade and send it to the Franerri embassy for the Ambassador's signature:
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Post by callmedelta on Nov 27, 2022 22:10:03 GMT -5
Esrellia 13th, 3:22 p.m. Pareau, Franerre/10:22 p.m. Kazimierzgrad, The United Kingdoms of Lusatia and Jzegrad
FRANERRE AMBASSADOR ONLY STOP
GIVE TELEGRAM TO THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE STOP
KUMO THREATENING WAR UNLESS CEDE ELENERRE IN MONTH STOP
LUSATIAN BASE LEASE IS LAST RESORT STOP
AMBASSADOR M J HAS BLANK CHECQUE AUTHORIZED BY KING STOP
ANY MAJOR AGREEMENTS MUST PASS NAT CHAMBER STOP
FRANERRE GLORIA STOP
Matthieu Janos calmly dug into the pocket of his suit, producing a lighter and cigarette. He was surprised that his hands weren’t shaking, surprised at how…nothing he felt, given the startling news Janos had just received from Pareau. It just didn’t feel quite real. It was all a million kilometers away from where he was right now, but Mattheiu knew that it was all too real for everyone back home, if they even knew yet. Matthieu lit the cigarette, taking in a draw and blowing the smoke out to hang in the air. It was late, too late for anything this damn important to be happening. Janos took his suitcase in one hand, opening it up and thumbing through the documents inside. With the other, he began to dial the Lusatian Foreign Ministry. Matthieu was already thinking of ways to pitch it to Kaminski, provided he was still awake.
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