A Romantic Idea for Iron Stars

[Blackronin]

In 1895 Commander João Miguel Rosa, the Portuguese consul in Durban (South Africa), visits some diamond mines with his stepson Fernando Pessoa who is 7 years old. Horrified with the treatment given to the indigenous workers in the mines, he writes to Portugal to his friend and mentor, Manuel de Arriaga, describing the horrid way the African people is treated and comparing it to the Portuguese Colonies, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea and Cab Verde. He tells Manuel de Arriaga that his stepson cannot quite forget what he saw and for some time they argue the future of the Portuguese Empire. Manuel de Arriaga is a humanist and a republican, yet he has monarchic friends and he delivers João Rosa's letters to King Dom Carlos I. The King himself continues to write to Manuel de Arriaga and João Rosa, creating the base for a better future for the Portuguese colonies.
In 1901, the Martians invade Earth and João Miguel Rosa is called back to Lisbon. After the threat is gone, he is invited to join a meeting of men that will decide the path for the backwater Portuguese Empire. After several weeks of arguing and planning a project of future emerges. A very bold and dangerous plan of action. Yet, Commander João Miguel Rosas can again look into the eyes of his stepson with hope. Fernando Pessoa is 13 years old and he writes some of his first poems:

I am nothing
I shall never be anything
I cannot wish to be anything.
Aside from that, I have within me all the dreams of the world.

In 1903 after a complete reformulation of the colonial politics, 2000 teachers are sent to the colonies to start what it would be the greatest literacy program ever done by a country. In Portugal and Portuguese colonies start a program to develop the industries, agriculture and the sciences.

In 1904, the leaders of the several indigene nations in the colonies are approached to represent a movement to give the colonies the status of autonomous regions. All this is made in the utmost secret, fearing what the colonial potencies would do if this knowledge would get out too soon.

In 1905, a "soba", the chief of a Bantu tribe in south Angola reveals to the Portuguese administration a metal monster fallen from the sky. Portuguese put their hands into a Martian artefact. In secret it is sent to Portugal to be studied. Overwhelmed with the changes that must be made and the huge problems that will present themselves, Dom Carlos bids for help. He sends emissaries to Brazil and Canada. Both the countries reply warmly to the king request.

In 1906 Portugal decides to not recognize the Orange Free State and some border skirmish starts in south Mozambique. Very slowly and without publicity, the army, navy and the new "Marinha do Éter" start to modernize.

In 1907, the Light "Éter" Cruiser “Cidade de Lisboa” is launched from a dock in London. Two more cruisers and 7 frigates and destroyers will be launched that same year.

[Blackronin]

In 1908 is given Portuguese nationality to all the indigenous inhabitants of all Portuguese colonies. As this is done in a very orderly fashion the stir generated in all the colonial powers is low. Great Britain lifts its eyebrows to the entrance of native Africans and Indians from Goa into the Portuguese army and navy. An alarming quantity of indigenes from all the Portuguese colonies that started education in 1903, go to Portugal to advance their studies.

The German East Africa colony sends spies to watch what is being done in Mozambique and report it to the Kaiser. The German ambassador visits D. Carlos I in order to "understand" what Portugal is doing in Africa. D. Carlos, being a philanthropist, convinces the Germans of the small importance of the work being done with the natives. Portuguese special forces, raised among the Cuanhamas tribes from Angola, the last of the great warrior tribes, are secretly send to the north of Mozambique to stop the entrance of German spies and troops. After some months, the Leopard Men myth starts to spread throughout Mozambique and German East Africa. Still it isn't enough. In December 1908, the Germans photograph the construction site of the first Portuguese ether battleship near Lourenço Marques, Mozambique provincial capital. A "stolen" blueprint and very modified Bantam Class design.

In 1909 just after the battleship "Vasco da Gama" is launched to the ether, the German and Great Britain governments protest against the armament run started by the Portuguese. Waiting for this, the Portuguese make a dangerous gamble. They offer Great Britain some of the information collected in the Martian site in Angola and ask for help in the international community against the German threat. Canada and Brazil immediately reply siding with Portugal and taking with them the rest of the ABC powers. Great Britain drops it's complains leaving Germany alone. Germany attack several Portuguese ships in the Indian ocean and in reply the Cuanhamas special forces attack several military outposts in German East Africa and incite the local tribes to do the same. The Germans agree in stopping the attacks against Portugal.

In 1910 the Cab Verde archipelago receives the autonomous region status. All throughout the Portuguese Empire a stir rises. Even if not everybody is happy about this resolution in the Portuguese empire, live is much better now than before the Martian Invasion. In a historical speech that awakes all the powers to what Portugal is trying to accomplish, King Carlos I doesn't let the Portuguese people forget that "another more advanced species tried to conquer and enslave us, treating us as an inferior race. How can I close my eyes and sleep like a just or look into the eyes of my sons knowing that I represent an Empire that is doing this same thing." In a very wise speech he declares that "we have to arm ourselves, all as citizens of a equal Empire. Not to threaten our neighbours but to stand strong when the Martian return. For the Martians will return." Three months later a German squadron of ships, three cruisers, several destroyers and troop transport ships invade Cab Verde. It’s the powerful German empire reply to the Portuguese king. The Portuguese navy isn't a match for the German might. A strong protest is the Portuguese reply. But soon, another kind of reply will follow. In the capital and in the colonies, men of all conditions offers to join the army and liberate Cab Verde. The King asks for patience and speaks against violence, but accepts all those that want to join.

In 1911 Portugal, Brazil, Japan, Canada and the United States of America launches a mission to Venus. The Portuguese Light Cruiser "Cidade de Lisboa" and Frigate "Moçambedes", the Brazilian Destroyer "Petrópolis", the Japanese Cruiser "Hiryu", the Canadian Freighter "Calgary" and the United States Destroyer "Howard" set their course towards the second planet. It will be a very eventful voyage since the very beginning. Fernando Pessoa, now with 22 years is the civil chronicler of the expedition.

After the launching and at 200.000 miles from earth the convoy is attacked by ether ships without signs of any nationality. To defend the unarmed Canadian freighter, "Hiryu" jeopardizes his own safety receiving several hits that will cripple her. But to enemy surprise, all ships fire back in perfect order, scattering the enemy destroyers that show a big resemblance with German destroyers. Incapable of continuing, the "Hiryu" returns earth leaving the rest of the convoy moving in Venus direction. Returning to earth the "Hiryu" commander reveals a movie showing the German destroyers firing against them. The Kaiser denies any part played by Germany on the event.

[murtalianconfederacy]

Interesting. I've designed a couple of Portugese warships already, but didn't do the history for them.

[murtalianconfederacy]

Here they are. Along with my rationalisation. Know its probably not what you wanted, but anyway...

Also, there are some files of ships I put up (like the Swiss) that have gone missing. Could anyone post them up in a new thread for me, please?

Yet another case of "I want those shiny things my neighbour's got!" even if your neighbour is Spain.

Tejo-class cruiser (42 pts)
Hull: 11
HVP: 2
TR: 6, AV: 2
Primary: 4/d10(x2)
Secondary: --
Light: 6/d4(x1)
Torpedoes: 3/d6(x5)
Equipment:
None
[Hull] [Armour] [Thrust] [Primary] [Secondary] [Light Guns]
[1-11] [12] [13-15] [16-17] [--] [18-20]

(notes: because, IIRC, Portugal and Great Britain has the longest existing alliance (dating back to the 12th century) I decided that Britain would honour that by selling Portugal three hulls based on the Banneret. The Portugese put the guns on for themselves)

Sister ships: Pedro Nunes, Vaya(?)

Golfinho-class destroyer (11 pts)
Hull: 3
HVP: 2
TR: 8, AV: 0
Primary: --
Secondary: --
Light: 6/d4(x1)
Torpedoes: 3/d6(x5)
Equipment:
None
[Hull] [Armour] [Thrust] [Primary] [Secondary] [Light Guns]
[1-6] [--] [7-14] [--] [--] [15-20]

And there you have it, gentlemen--the work of around a week's afternoons and one seriously troubled mind, nine nationalities' vessels.

[Blackronin]

Tejo-class cruiser (42 pts)
Hull: 11
HVP: 2
TR: 6, AV: 2
Primary: 4/d10(x2)
Secondary: --
Light: 6/d4(x1)
Torpedoes: 3/d6(x5)
Equipment:
None
[Hull] [Armour] [Thrust] [Primary] [Secondary] [Light Guns]
[1-11] [12] [13-15] [16-17] [--] [18-20]

(notes: because, IIRC, Portugal and Great Britain has the longest existing alliance (dating back to the 12th century) I decided that Britain would honour that by selling Portugal three hulls based on the Banneret. The Portugese put the guns on for themselves)

Sister ships: Pedro Nunes, Vaya(?)

Golfinho-class destroyer (11 pts)
Hull: 3
HVP: 2
TR: 8, AV: 0
Primary: --
Secondary: --
Light: 6/d4(x1)
Torpedoes: 3/d6(x5)
Equipment:
None
[Hull] [Armour] [Thrust] [Primary] [Secondary] [Light Guns]
[1-6] [--] [7-14] [--] [--] [15-20]

And there you have it, gentlemen--the work of around a week's afternoons and one seriously troubled mind, nine nationalities' vessels.

I already love these two designs. Vaya isn't really a portuguese name, more spanish. I could advise you to call it: "Alfama" or "Mouraria". These could be the cruisers and destroyers from the 1907 batch, "the Light "Éter" Cruiser Cidade de Lisboa is launched from an Great Britain dock. Two more cruisers and 7 frigates and destroyers will be launched that same year."

I would think that the visual designs of Portuguese ships should have the resemblance of Portuguese caravelles:

http://br.geocities.com/wbq_visconde/Caravela.jpg

What do you think?

[Blackronin]

March 1912. The Venus mission should have returned, yet, nothing. The Portuguese King is under assault by the republicans regarding his politics. Cab Verde is now under German control for 19 months.

Manuel de Arriaga, a Republican moderate is also being undermined on account of his friendship with the King. The Portuguese colonists in Mozambique that are leaning toward the Germans, helped by German agents, try a coup d'etat against the reformist colonial government. Blood is spilled. General João Martins de Carvalho attacks decisively the colonial pro-Germany Portuguese with the Cuanhamas troops. The pro-German colonist are defeated, but the price is another stain is the king's image.

Advised by his ministers the King implements two plans to improve portuguese image and his own. The liberation of Cab Verde and the assault to expel the Germans from German East Africa.

Two months after, in June of 1912, over the German fleet in the port of Mindelo, in Cab Verde, several Brazilian advanced military Zeppelins drop, during the night, two thousand Cuanhamas and Portuguese troops in a new invention called "softfall", a belt with a small cavorite system that lets a man fall slowly from the sky. Because of the atmospheric turmoil caused by these tiny belts, the Cuanhamas Special Forces start to call themselves "Whirlwind Warriors". The battle is fast and furious. After two hours, more than two hundred Portuguese troops are dead, but all the ships of the German fleet are in the hands of the Portuguese.

In German East Africa, a contingent of German African subjects, trained and commanded by the Leopard Men attack almost at the same time all the German settlements. By 1903, 4,700 Germans civilians were in Southwest Africa, enough Germans for an expansion that drove local people from their tribal lands. In 1904, the pastoral Herero and Nama peoples, who traditionally had warred against each other, rebelled against the Germans. German troops crushed the rebellion, killing local chieftains and one-third of the Nama nation. Five thousand Germans died in the war. Thousands of Hereros were driven into exile, and only one-third of the Herero people remained in Southwest Africa after the war. Still in 1912 there aren't more than six thousand Germans in German East Africa, and the attack kills almost two thousand men. At the very same time, Portugal gives independency to Mozambique. Mozambique offers to mediate conversations between Germany and the New Tanganya state. After a first denial to accept Mozambique as a nation, Germany accepts to retrieve German population through the Beira city port. After two months, and with famine and general chaos going on, the New Tanganya state pleads to become part of the Portuguese commonwealth. Brazil, Portugal, and Mozambique accept this with reluctance. Germany declares war to Portugal.

In 12 February of 1913, an ultra-nationalist, advocate of Portugal forever with colonies, shoots King Carlos I three times in the chest, killing him instantly and after that fires against his son two times, Prince Luís Filipe, who will die three days later from heart failure. Trying to prevent a worse scenario, Manuel de Arriaga and the moderate republicans declare Portugal a democratic republic. Manuel de Arriaga declares D. Carlos I a Portuguese hero and his body is translated to the National Pantheon.

The Germans attack south Angola and demand that Portugal delivers the warships taken in Cab Verde. Portugal denies the request and with German former warships attacks German ships in the Atlantic African coast. To defend its former colonies, Portugal gives it all independence stating that the Germans are only fighting Portugal. One by one, starting with Mozambique, all the new countries declare war to Germany. And surprises rise when also Brazil declares war on Germany. The Portuguese Commonwealth, the King's dream, is now consolidated.

From the Venus mission no word.

[thedugan]

Snipped design stats...

I already love these two designs. Vaya isn't really a portuguese name, more spanish. I could advise you to call it: "Alfama" or "Mouraria". These could be the cruisers and destroyers from the 1907 batch, "the Light "Éter" Cruiser Cidade de Lisboa is launched from an Great Britain dock. Two more cruisers and 7 frigates and destroyers will be launched that same year."

I would think that the visual designs of Portuguese ships should have the resemblance of Portuguese caravelles:

http://br.geocities.com/wbq_visconde/Caravela.jpg

What do you think?

Well, I don't think that Light Cruiser Aethernaughts are going to have QUITE that many sails, I'll see what I can do....

[Blackronin]

Oh, my! No, sir, Vice Admiral, sir. I meant the hull of the lady, not the rigging!

[thedugan]

Oh, my! No, sir, Vice Admiral, sir. I meant the hull of the lady, not the rigging!

Geez, stop calling me sir! My parents were married....(sorry, old enlisted man's joke)

I'm only an Admiral because I yak so much...

[Blackronin]

No way, sir, Vice-Admiral, sir!

On the old joke, sorry, didn't get it... There must be a portuguese equivalent, but I can't find it. Care to explain?

[Blackronin]

The Magalhães-class Heavy Cruiser is from the 1910 program for laying down a bigger cruiser capable of an extended range and performance in space. Using the hull of the Tejo class cruiser and extended it, the Magalhães has space for 4 small secondary weapons and extra load. The use of a more sloped hull gives the ship a bigger protection than the hull of the Tejo class. But the most interesting feature of this ship is the use of less powerful torpedoes, but more acurate since the role of this ship is protection of convoys and the engaging of smaller vessels. The "Magalhães" was launched in February 1911, followed by the "Diogo Cão" three months later. The most interesting detail of these two vessels is the bust of the two portuguese navigators in the prow of the ships.

Magalhães-class Heavy Cruiser (74 pts)
Hull: 15
HVP: 2
TR: 6, AV: 3
Primary: 4/d10(x2)
Secondary: 4/d6(x1)
Light: 6/d4(x1)
Torpedoes: 3/d8(x3)
Equipment:
Machine Gun(2)
[Hull] [Armour] [Thrust] [Primary] [Secondary] [Light Guns]
[1-11] [12] [13-14] [15-16] [17-18] [19-20]

[murtalianconfederacy]

Tejo-class cruiser (42 pts)
Hull: 11
HVP: 2
TR: 6, AV: 2
Primary: 4/d10(x2)
Secondary: --
Light: 6/d4(x1)
Torpedoes: 3/d6(x5)
Equipment:
None
[Hull] [Armour] [Thrust] [Primary] [Secondary] [Light Guns]
[1-11] [12] [13-15] [16-17] [--] [18-20]

(notes: because, IIRC, Portugal and Great Britain has the longest existing alliance (dating back to the 12th century) I decided that Britain would honour that by selling Portugal three hulls based on the Banneret. The Portugese put the guns on for themselves)

Sister ships: Pedro Nunes, Vaya(?)

Golfinho-class destroyer (11 pts)
Hull: 3
HVP: 2
TR: 8, AV: 0
Primary: --
Secondary: --
Light: 6/d4(x1)
Torpedoes: 3/d6(x5)
Equipment:
None
[Hull] [Armour] [Thrust] [Primary] [Secondary] [Light Guns]
[1-6] [--] [7-14] [--] [--] [15-20]

And there you have it, gentlemen--the work of around a week's afternoons and one seriously troubled mind, nine nationalities' vessels.

I already love these two designs. Vaya isn't really a portuguese name, more spanish. I could advise you to call it: "Alfama" or "Mouraria". These could be the cruisers and destroyers from the 1907 batch, "the Light "Éter" Cruiser Cidade de Lisboa is launched from an Great Britain dock. Two more cruisers and 7 frigates and destroyers will be launched that same year."

I would think that the visual designs of Portuguese ships should have the resemblance of Portuguese caravelles:

http://br.geocities.com/wbq_visconde/Caravela.jpg

What do you think?

Looks interesting. I think I lifted the names of the Tejo-class from a book that I looked through. There was a Tejo-class in real life and two of the sister ships listed, I believe, were the Pedro Nunes and the Vaya or similar.

I must admit I like the Magalhães cruiser. I tended to place heavy damaging but shorter-ranged torpedoes on my vessels because it made them easier to calculate, and because perhaps smaller powers would choose to have more damaging torpedoes to stand up to vessels of the larger powers like the Machtigsten or similar.

[Blackronin]

I searched for these portuguese light cruisers, later after wwII, suffered heavy modernization, mostly anti-air and ain-sub, and changed denomination to frigate, and they were not Tejo-class, but Vouga-class (vaya?) And the ships of that class were five: "Vouga", "Tejo", "Lima", "Douro" "Dão"; It's portuguese rivers names.

When I design a vehicle, starship or otherwise, I try always to give it a role. With all the pros and cons of that role. I don't like superships, and I like stories where you pitch an old design against modern enemies. The Wood exploding because he had a flaw in it's design is what thrills me in the "Hunting the Bismark story". Or the old Swordfish planes. Or the last stand of the polish cavalry against the german tanks.

I like to write the story around a ship or starcraft.

[Blackronin]

These are the most important ships in the Portuguese War Fleet since 1900 to 1923:

Battleship: "Vasco da Gama";

Cruisers: "D. Carlos I", "S. Gabriel", "S. Rafael", "Adamastor", "Rainha D. Amélia", "Almirante Reis" and "República";

Auxiliar Cruisers: "Pedro Nunes" and "Gil Eannes";

Light Cruiser: "Vouga", "Tejo", "Lima", "Douro", "Dão";

Corvettes: "Bartolomeu Dias", "Estefânia", "Duque da Terceira", "Sá da Bandeira", "Rainha de Portugal" e "Mindelo";

Colonial Corvettes: "Save", "Lurio", "Pátria", "Chaimite", "Limpopo", "Açor", "Bengo", "Mandovi" and "Beira";

Destroyers: "Tâmega", "Sado", "Rio Lima", "Quanza", "Bengo", "Mandovi",
"Rio Ave", "Guadiana", "Tavira", "Faro", "Lagos", "D. Luís", "Diu", "Zambeze", "Liberal" and "Zaire";

Fleet Transports: "Guiné", "Fulminante" "Álvaro de Caminha", "Salvador Correia", "Pêro de Alenquer", "Chinde", "Pébane" and "Pungué".

Class-Espadarte Submarine: "Espadarte";

Class-Foca Submarines: "Foca", "Golfinho" and "Hidra";

Mine-Layers: "Vulcano" and "Rio Sado";

School Ships: "D. Fernando II e Glória", "Duque de Palmela" and "Sagres".

I may have forgot and misplaced some ships. These were the times where the designations changed a lot and a frigate could be no bigger than a corvette or as big as a battleship. Then I had to translate to english with the right designation, so I might be in error somehow.

[Blackronin]

From the diary of the Lt-Captain Afonso Miranda Teles, Captain of the Light Cruiser "Cidade de Lisboa" and Commander of the Venus Expedition:

September 23, 1911.
The crystal planet, as everybody now calls Venus is almost at my hands grasp. Today we stopped all engines. It was difficult to relay the order to the other ships, but we managed to do it. Between us and the planet a small satellite floats in a high orbit, seeming to look at us. I sent the Frigate "Moçambedes" to investigate and as she was at range, the satellite spitted a coherent beam of fire revealing it's true nature. The Martians are, or have been, here. I guess that our fleet of four warships and one civil ship isn't a match for the beast. We will now start to circumnavigate the satellite in order to reach the Venusians atmosphere. I'm not happy at all with this and the crew, after these months of monotonous travel, with the exception of the 12 August incident, is in a terrible mood.

September, 24 1911.
We have made our first low orbit observation of this planet. Where the clouds have let us peek the surface, we saw almost only water. This is a water world. There is a large island, of continental proportions in each of both poles, but all over the planet we have found only smallish archipelagos of islands. Tomorrow, if we don't find any threat, we'll land in the North Pole continent. The bad humour seems to have abandoned the crew of all our ships and I ordered the opening of a casket of wine. Even I long for a sweet sip of it...

September 25, 1911
Even now, that the night has fallen over us, even if only because I close the entrance of light in my quarters, as the day and night in Venus have almost the same duration of half an year, I can't calm down. We met one of the two intelligent species that inhabits this strange planet. And happily now we know that there are no Martians here. Oh, but I must start from the beginning, for the information in my head is much and so new that I fear I will not be able to put it all on paper. We decided to go down as a fleet over a peninsula in the North Pole continent. There is no ice here and the poles are the places where it seems that the weather temperature is more acceptable to us. Then, when we were at six miles over it, the clouds opened and we saw a small city. We were astonished and I almost pulled back. But then curiosity stayed my hand and we started to see huge fires and signs of fighting. At almost one mile over the city that is very near the sea we could watch the battle. It was easy to understand who were the opposite contenders, since they were so different. At one side we watch strange vehicles, almost like giant amphibians, rising from the wave and shooting enormous catapults that spilled a dark fire into the city and against big mechanic walkers that fired back explosive arrows from strange ballista like arms. We were astonished. Mr. Correia was magnificent with his steady hand over the controls as we hovered over the battlefield. And then, they took notion of us. It couldn't be helped, since by then, the air being jogged by the permanence of the ship in the atmosphere was starting to build quite a few whirlwinds. The battle came to a stop and the creatures from the sea retired hastily. The others just stared at us and us at them. And then... then Mr. Fernando Pessoa told us with a very thin voice that we were being invited to land. They were politely asking it in his head. There's so much more but I'm most tired so I'll write the rest after I sleep a pair of hours.