Huys Weltevree

[Jonas]

Huys Weltevree is the official residence of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Batavia. Located in the city centre of Keizerswaarde, not far from the Royal Palace. It's a meeting place between the Royal Government and the place to be for people who want to meet with the Prime Minister.

[Jonas]

Zhu Ross, I propose that we start discussing the naval program between our two States. Norfolk, which lies in the south, and Batavia, which lies in the north, are corner stones in the defence against foreign powers. It's our duty to keep the Empire safe and support the Imperial Armed Forces, but for this we need to cooperate and share know-how and industrial power.

What are the things you would like to discuss during this meeting?

[Franklin Ross]

Your Excellency, Batavia sadly lacks a significant coastline. What it does have is mostly along the river Camoleo, and is presently underdeveloped. Norfolk, on the other hand, has inherited two major naval stations, but lacks enough manpower to adequately staff them. Therefore the answer to your query would seem to present itself. If Batavia wishes, she may station her fleet, all or part, at one of our naval stations, and use it as its main base of operations within the Raynor Sea. Further, we suggest a joint investment of naval development to improve our respective facilities and capabilities. With our naval expertise we can assist Batavia in constructing naval facilities in Lake Lamantia so that it may defend the northern borders of the Empire from the sea. And with Batavia's manpower you may assist us by helping to staff and construct our own naval assets until such time as we have enough of our own manpower.

[Jonas]

Zhu Franklin, it's indeed a big concern of us that we possess sufficient funds and manpower but - as you already mentioned - possess lots of undeveloped land. The city of Koningin Siserawerf, located at Lake Lamantia, will one day become an important shipyard (and well protected against any foreign great powers), but that's something which lies in the future.
We are more than willing to deliver the needed manpower to your State in return for your expertise. But, the question remains: how much men are we talking about?

[Franklin Ross]

Your Excellency, what we would suggest is granting Station Halifax to Batavia in its entirety, to serve as a base of operations for the Batavian Navy in the Raynor Sea and along the southern Apollonian Coast. Batavia would then be able to make use of a modern naval facility with all the requisite infrastructure it contains. Station Chatham would then become Norfolk's primary (and only) naval facility.

Batavia is welcome to send as large or small a contingent as it pleases. Our suggestion would be a minimum of 5,000 personnel (officers, soldiers, crew, etc).

(For comparison, NS Norfolk had an active staff of around 16,000)

[Jonas]

We shall, in that case, establish the Batavian-Norfolkian Task Force, or BANOTASK (if you know a better name, please tell me). We could attempt to recruit 5,000 new sailors and an spend an extra 10,000 points to the development of a shared Southern Fleet. In such a case, I would like to receive your advise on what to spend it at.

[Franklin Ross]

We would recommend increasing the number of enlisted sailors according to the needs of the facility (so around 2,000 points on infantry). Batavia may wish to train its own Marines, in which case you may choose to assign a certain number to that enlistment. For both Norfolk and Batavia we also recommend training a small but elite force (special forces/SEALS). As far as ships are concerned, the HMS Black Dragon is the largest ship of the fleet, but its high maintenance requires that we cannot support smaller craft. Therefore it would be prudent to raise a force of support vessels - frigates/destroyers, subs, and cruisers. We would also recommend investment in a single carrier, so that we may conduct air-to-sea exercises.

[Jonas]

Hmm, the Grand Secretariat (the Emperor) has advised against building carriers as long as we have no sufficient fleet of small vessels to protect it. I'm inclined to follow that advise and wait till our fleet has expanded enough to support a luxury like a carrier.

Comrade Franlin, you know the needs a lot better than we. Could you give us a list of specific things (ships, etc.) we should deliver?

[Franklin Ross]

This is Norfolk's wish list:

1,500 Infantry (1,500)
500 Marines (1,500)
100 Special Forces (500)
1 Frigate (1,000)
2 Destroyers (2,000)
2 Diesel Subs (1,000)
1 Cruiser (2,500)

Total: 10,000 points

[Jonas]

Seems more than acceptable. Will these ships be built in our State or does Norfolk have sufficient industrial capacity to construct them?

[Franklin Ross]

Stations Chatham and Halifax have more than enough capacity to construct the vessels. However, if Batavia wishes to utilize the order as a basis for further developing its own port facilities we would be happy to split construction 50/50.

[Jonas]

We already have a decent amount of ships waiting to be constructed, so we prefer letting the Norfolkians handle this.

By the way, what would be a decent name for the shipyard company?

[Franklin Ross]

C&H Shipyards?

[Jonas]

C&H?

[Franklin Ross]

Chatham & Halifax