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History of Urcea (1902-1955): Difference between revisions
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Urcea's performance in the [['97 Rising]] and [[First Great War]] was noted by most observers to be relatively poor, with both factions fighting using lackluster equipment with poor logistical support and antiquated tactics. [[Patrick III of Urcea|King Patrick III]] spent a considerable amount of time during the early restoration rebuilding the [[Royal Navy (Urcea)|Royal Navy]] such that by the 1920s the Navy was among the world's finest and also the most modern branch of the [[Armed Forces of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea|Urcean military]]. The [[Royal Air Force (Urcea)|Royal Air Fleet]] also remained relatively state of the art, but the newly rechristened [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal and Imperial Army]] was woefully unequipped for another Great War, and most observers and policymakers in Urcea knew it. The newly elected Emperor Niall II knew that Urcea's ground forces would be called into some kind of action in [[Dericania]], and when - not if - that conflict came, he sought a significant reform to the Army to ensure it was ready for the next war. Consequently, the [[Government of Urcea]] spent considerable funds and effort bringing about army reform during the early 1920s. | Urcea's performance in the [['97 Rising]] and [[First Great War]] was noted by most observers to be relatively poor, with both factions fighting using lackluster equipment with poor logistical support and antiquated tactics. [[Patrick III of Urcea|King Patrick III]] spent a considerable amount of time during the early restoration rebuilding the [[Royal Navy (Urcea)|Royal Navy]] such that by the 1920s the Navy was among the world's finest and also the most modern branch of the [[Armed Forces of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea|Urcean military]]. The [[Royal Air Force (Urcea)|Royal Air Fleet]] also remained relatively state of the art, but the newly rechristened [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal and Imperial Army]] was woefully unequipped for another Great War, and most observers and policymakers in Urcea knew it. The newly elected Emperor Niall II knew that Urcea's ground forces would be called into some kind of action in [[Dericania]], and when - not if - that conflict came, he sought a significant reform to the Army to ensure it was ready for the next war. Consequently, the [[Government of Urcea]] spent considerable funds and effort bringing about army reform during the early 1920s. | ||
[[File:Renault FT 17 pic3.JPG|thumb|right|The [[Burgundie]]-designed SAV-1 tank was the first armored ground vehicle in Urcean service. It would see almost no service during the [[Second Great War]].]] | [[File:Renault FT 17 pic3.JPG|thumb|right|The [[Burgundie]]-designed SAV-1 tank was the first armored ground vehicle in Urcean service. It would see almost no service during the [[Second Great War]].]] | ||
Urcea had been an early pioneer in the area of {{wp|military planning}}, logistics, and supply, [[History_of_Urcea_(1575-1798)#Army_reform|building a major supply hub in the 18th century]]. The Royal and Imperial Army was still largely reliant on the 18th century model of supply, one intended to provide for the nation's defense rather than power projection beyond its borders. The existing supply hub also only barely made use of railroads, instead primarily basing itself around the nation's rivers. A new series of depots and forts began construction in the early 1920s along commercial rail lines, including in the region of [[Transionia]], where the Army would likely be heavily deployed in the years to come. Many accomodations would need to be made for developments and technology and the requisite doctrinal changes that come with new technology. The Government provided for the hiring of many military experts from [[Burgundie]] who had fought in various overseas colonial conflicts for the [[Imperial War College]] - these experts would prove extremely influential on the officers that would emerge during the [[Second Great War]]. These experts collaborated with leading thinkers in the Army to help drive doctrinal developments going forward. Many senior officers from the [[First Great War]] were also quietly forced into retirement or reassigned to foreign colonial duty in the early 1920s in order to prevent calcification of the military. | Urcea had been an early pioneer in the area of {{wp|military planning}}, logistics, and supply, [[History_of_Urcea_(1575-1798)#Army_reform|building a major supply hub in the 18th century]]. The Royal and Imperial Army was still largely reliant on the 18th century model of supply, one intended to provide for the nation's defense rather than power projection beyond its borders. The existing supply hub also only barely made use of railroads, instead primarily basing itself around the nation's rivers. A new series of depots and forts began construction in the early 1920s along commercial rail lines, including in the region of [[Transionia]], where the Army would likely be heavily deployed in the years to come. Many accomodations would need to be made for developments and technology and the requisite doctrinal changes that come with new technology. The Government provided for the hiring of many military experts from [[Burgundie]] and [[Yonderre]] who had fought in various overseas colonial conflicts for the [[Imperial War College]] - these experts would prove extremely influential on the officers that would emerge during the [[Second Great War]]. These experts collaborated with leading thinkers in the Army to help drive doctrinal developments going forward. Many senior officers from the [[First Great War]] were also quietly forced into retirement or reassigned to foreign colonial duty in the early 1920s in order to prevent calcification of the military. | ||
During the [['97 Rising]], forces on both sides were still largely using mid-19th century artillery pieces, and no pieces with {{wp|Hydraulic recoil mechanism|hydro-pneumatic short recoil systems}} would enter standard usage until after the Rising. Accordingly, the interwar Royal and Imperial Army had almost no experience with modern warfare centered around heavy artillery and had to relearn tactics and basic military engineering from foreign experts. Since the last military experience had lacked the heavy artillery that lead to trench warfare, the Royal and Imperial Army had almost no experience with armor to speak of as of 1920 and no armored vehicles in service. Urcea began to license early tanks from [[Burgundie]] beginning in [[1922]], but many of these were already antiquated by the time a large number had been amassed, making them largely only suitable for training and doctrinal developments. | During the [['97 Rising]], forces on both sides were still largely using mid-19th century artillery pieces, and no pieces with {{wp|Hydraulic recoil mechanism|hydro-pneumatic short recoil systems}} would enter standard usage until after the Rising. Accordingly, the interwar Royal and Imperial Army had almost no experience with modern warfare centered around heavy artillery and had to relearn tactics and basic military engineering from foreign experts. Since the last military experience had lacked the heavy artillery that lead to trench warfare, the Royal and Imperial Army had almost no experience with armor to speak of as of 1920 and no armored vehicles in service. Urcea began to license early tanks from [[Burgundie]] beginning in [[1922]], but many of these were already antiquated by the time a large number had been amassed, making them largely only suitable for training and doctrinal developments. By [[1923]], it was clear to the new experts of the Imperial War College that the Royal and Imperial Army was, in the words of Yonderian general XX d'XX, "totally unsuited for modern warfare...completely unable to implement or execute combined arms tactics", not only including the various armored forces but incorporating any element of the [[Royal Air Force (Urcea)|Royal Air Fleet]] in either a combat or logistics capacity. Between 1923 and 1926, from his position at the War College, XX d'XX gained increasing influence and authority over the armed forces, initially in an unofficial capacity and finally in 1926 in an official capacity. Being named "[[Ministry for the Armed Services (Urcea)|Deputy Lord Marshal ]] for the Renovation of His Majesty's Forces", XX d'XX would institute major reforms and implement doctrinal changes between 1926 and 1930, when he returned to [[Yonderre]]. For his role in this effort, d'XX has sometimes been called the "father of the modern Royal and Imperial Army." | ||
Between 1923 and 1930, the Royal and Imperial Army was transformed from a fundamentally 19th century force into a rudimentary 20th century force that would be well positioned to learn and develop throughout the earliest years of the [[Second Great War]]. | |||
==Imperial reign of the de Welutas== | ==Imperial reign of the de Welutas== | ||