NationStates Jolt Archive

The Russo-Turkish War

I. Historical Backround

Since the rise of the Ottoman Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries, a Moslem influence has extended over the southern reaches of the Balkan Peninsula. As the Ottoman State, strengthened under the rule of Mehmed II and Suleiman the Magnificent, ramaged throughout the world and the once unknown Turks became the superpowers of the Near East, the once patchwork kingdoms of eastern Europe, one by one, fell to the Ottoman banner.

At first, the nations of Europe, caught in the throes of feudal chaos, could not rally against such campaigns of conquest. However, with the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of Powerful Austrian and Russian states, the Moslem menace, over the course of three centuries, was pushed back towards its initial borders, although its precense still lingered among peoples of the Balkans.

With the arrival of the 19th Century came the tidings of Pan-slavism and National Pride, which upon taking hold in these once docile kingdoms, began to threaten the remaining fortunes of the Sultan. Starting with Greece in 1821, the European possessions of Ottoman Turkey have risen in revolution, demanding the return of the soverignty stolen from them centuries ago.

Now, the fires of revolution have once again risen, licking at the heels of the Dying Moslem empire. A Russian nation compelled by its commitments to its little Slavic 'brothers' and a Greece simmering with Ottoman hatred have answered the call for liberty and, in response to the recently adopted ethnic policies of the new Sultan, have declared their entrance into this escalating struggle, a struggle that is soon to define the course of history.

II. Area of Operations:

Balkan Peninsula (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/ward_1912/balkan_peninsula_1878.jpg)

III. Participating Powers:

Slavic Allies:
- The Empire of All Russias
- The Kingdom of Greece
- The Principality of Rumania
- The Principality of Bulgaria (NPC)
- The Principality of Serbia (NPC)
- The Macedonian Leigion (NPC)

Moslem Allies:
- The Sublime Ottoman State

Non-Belligerent Participants:
- The Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary

IV. Recent Events:

OOC: You forgot about Romania..

OOC: You forgot about Romania..

OOC: Added.

A significant portion of the Austro-Hungarian Army is ordered into Bosnia, lead by units drawn from mainly Slavic regions. They are ordered to shoot on sight any foreign troops or local militia that might stand in their way. Following behind them are officers with large amounts of money to pacify anyone who might be angered by damage done in the process of the pacification.

Secret IC:
Naval units are dispatched to the lower Balkans with the express orders to draw out the Ottoman fleet and sink it at all costs.

OCC: Link Broken

IC: The Swedish Kingdom again reissued its statement of neutrality to the nations of the world.

EDIT: Also heres a link about the Russian-Turkish war and the forces involved.
http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/romeo/russoturk1876.htm

The Ottoman Empire cancels orders to remove troops from Bosnia and Bulgaria and mobilizes its army. The Bosphorus is immediately closed to Russian shipping.

State of the Ottoman Empire's Army

Has not been paid in over a year, has not been fed, only through sheer brutalness have they been able to hold any soldiers within the army. The Ottoman Empire will have to nationalize its railroads to even move troops, and area's around where troops live are reguraly scavenged and looted for food and basic supplies. Discipline is a major problem in the Army and Desertion is at an all time high. Ammunition is scarce and equipment is in poor repair. There has been no active training either as there has been no funds for it.

Many soldiers have sold equipment for money or food.

June 11th, 1876

Athens, Greece
Ministry of Defense

In a well furnished office on the second floor of the Ministry of Defense, a group of Generals, their voices silent, brooded over a large table in the center of the room. Upon the table which was so closely observed, the soft yellow light of the morning sun illuminated a tattered beige map of the Balkan Peninsula, decorated in colorful marks of red and blue, signifying the precense of both friend and foe.

For a long time each gentleman sat, occassionally grumbling some random thought that came to their mind or, in a quick gesture, adjusted their ornately decorated uniforms. In truth, each General, so dumbfounded by the randomness of His Majesty's call to arms, was quite confused and as a result, no progress was made.

As the bell on the cherry grandfather clock towards the back of the room struck the 9 o'clock hour, the humble wooden door that served as the only enterance into the chamber bust upon, the Lord-Protector himself filling the breech.

"Good morning, gentleman." he cheerfully noted, setting down his officer's cap on the small nightstand opposite the clock. "I trust that you have been fully briefed on the matter at hand."

"Of course, Your Majesty." noted one of the older generals with a hearty grin. "The instructions you provided were..."

Shifting to each of his comrades with a worrying glance, the old man, fearful of what fate might befall him in the event he noted the illegibility of the the documents they were presented, could not muster a suitable resoponce. However, the sharp nudge to his abdomen by a fellow officer re-affirmed his commitment to such lies.

...Brilliant. Yes, quite Brilliant." he stammered quickly.

"Good, then what is the status of our current operations?" asked Kapodistrias curiously.

Again, the older general was the first to reply.

"My Lord, the call has already been relased for general mobilization of the armies. I can assure you that your forces will be assembled and ready to march north by the 25th."

"And as for our conscription orders?"

This time a younger general, more confident in his stance, stood ahead of the crowd.

"The recruits of 1876 have been ordered to their respective positions and the recruits of 1877 shall be placed in the secondary-reserves. With the numbers provided, we should easily be able to organize another 2 Divisions of Infantry by late July."

"Good work, gentleman. It appears as if we are right on schedule. I trust that our campaign will be a successful one under your leadership." responded His Majesty with a grin.

A chorus of 'Yessir's!' filled the room.

"Then I bid each and every one of you farewell and good luck."

Promptly turning to his right side, Kapodistrias stepped back through the door upon which he entered, leaving a wake of nervous silence in his path.

OCC: I'll have my orders to you as soon as possible, clan.

OOC: Lachenburg, I don't know if you checked your Factbook, but the Ottoman Empire is still willing to just sell you the Greek territories it holds.

OOC: Elite Battle Hordes, you should probaly check your as well.

OOC: I know about that. I am just waiting for Greece to reply before responding to that.

OOC: I know about that. I am just waiting for Greece to reply before responding to that.


I need your war orders, where you have your troops deployed etc, tg them to me.

OOC: Being that you don't have an NS homepage (or if you do, I can't find the link), I really can't TG my plans to you. Perhaps there's another medium by which I could send them to you?

http://www.nationstates.net/of_the_council_of_clan

http://www.nationstates.net/of_the_council_of_clan

OOC: Thank you, kindly.

OOC: Well, I would like an answer from Greece first, to know if I will be fighting them. I am busy right now too. I will get you the orders later today.

OOC: Well, I would like an answer from Greece first, to know if I will be fighting them. I am busy right now too. I will get you the orders later today.



I want to know where your armies are BEFORE this whole mess popped up.



Your actuall combat orders can come later, and besides the other countries have the initiative. You'll be spending most of the time reacting, unless you can regain the initiative.

OOC: Well, I would like an answer from Greece first, to know if I will be fighting them. I am busy right now too. I will get you the orders later today.

OOC: You already have my answer. His Majesty wishes for war and he will not stop until he is drinking wine from the skulls of Moslems atop the bastions of Constantinople.

OOC: Sorry, just found the link.

Initial results

Early raids of the Ottoman shipping lanes are very successful, yielding several Ottoman civilian owned freighters and with only one armed merchant vessel offering resistance.

Feb 15th

The Alexander Nevsk, opperating along the Turkish coast and accompanied by two torpedo boats, comes across a broadside ironclad, in the process of shaking down a coal carrying transport. This Ottoman Ironclad, the Mahmudieh, ditches it's prey, and streams towards the Russian vessels.

The Russian commander sends flags up, announcing his intent to fight, and signals via flag telegraph to the torpedo boats to flank the Ottoman ship while he gives orders to close and deliver a broadside to the Ottoman vessel.

The two vessels close, and begin to fire at one another. The Ottoman commander, ignoreing the torpedo boats due to their lack of large guns, concentrates his broadside against the Alexander Nevsk. The two lay down half a dozen volleys before the torpedo boats close along the flanks.

The Alexander Nevsk suffers several major leaks, and takes on quite a bit of water before the crew manages to patch the cracks. The Mahmudieh suffers a cracked mast.

The Ottoman commander, seeing his mistake, attempts to manuver his ship to escape or deliver a blow to the torpedo boats before they can close the gap towards his ship. His manuvering, however, allows the Alexander Nevsk a free volley at his aft, one lucky shot damaging his propeller. With the Mahmudieh dead in the water, but still fireing valiently, one torpedo boat manages to close and detonate it's warhead, opening the Ottoman vessel up to the water.

The Mahmudieh still manages to go out swinging, smashing up the other torpedo boat with it's large guns, forcing the Alexander Nevsk to tow the smaller vessel back to the fleet.

All ships remain on station long enough to fish Ottoman survivors out of the water. The coaling ship manages to flee.

Losses:

Ottoman Empire: Several merchant vessels captured, 1 Ironclad Broadside sunk.

Russian Empire: 1 Torpedo Boat incompacitated, 1 Ironclad Broadside heavily damaged.

Bump...is this still on?

Bump...is this still on?


Yeah, IRL is kicking my ass right now.

Yeah, IRL is kicking my ass right now.

OOC: If you want, Clan, I could take over the War Modding responsibilities for this war until you have cleared up your RL dilemmas. Of course, you may argue that this would be a conflict of interest, but I can assure you that my impartialness has no limits. ;)

I'm with Clans on the RL Ass-kicking. One bloody day off a week is NOT COOL. But I suppose I've no one to blame but myself.

I'll be dealing with the Libya bits of the war, since they're mostly Naval based affairs. (Clans and/or Italy kindly direct the troop movements my way)