SEU has created a new type of Weapon. It is codenamed "Stalin's Organ", a formidable weapon; top secret. Only SEU knows how to manufacture the special explosive that allows it to fire with ease. Mass producible, doom on a truck. Rockets that fire fast. Horribly inaccurate, but accuracy is not the goal. Destroying everything is the goal, and at that it excels 4 Katyushas can, for a few minutes, be equal to 72 artillery guns. They take 50 minutes to load, but their speed and the fact that SEU can make a crap ton of them makes up for it. In order to mount these, SEU is encouraging military truck production. They rain down death, as if Allah has forsaken the warriors that fight. Really, it's demoralizing as hell.
The Caliph has lowered taxes by 2%. As far as religion goes, it isn't really suppressed, Islam, of course, is favoured, and all other faiths and non-faiths aren't permitted to join the Islamic Parliament. There is a special tax on non-Muslims which can only be removed once they convert. People of other faiths aren't attacked and aren't exempt from living a good life in the Sunayyad Caliphate, but there is no doubt Muslims have a little bit of a higher pedestal. Zarat, a tithe from all Muslims usually goes to the poor, sick, needy and broken, it goes to all faiths the same, but it also goes to those who are new Muslims and have converted.
The First Katyushas are being deployed, as well as the BM-8 and BM-31, 8 being codenamed "Nicholas" Nikolays, 31 being codenamed "Andrew", or Andryushas. "Organ" is because the weapons sound like Organs, terrifying. They are nothing short of doom rain. They are being tested, and they are excellent weapons.
The Caliphate's spies are nothing to be underestimated, they know more about the Germans than the Germans know about themselves, and thus the Caliph is incredibly interested in the Ballistic Missile. A prototype has been developed, the X-1, a very deadly missile, fueled by a liquid-propellant engine, it is tested to have a 300 km Operational Range, a max speed of 5,700 km/h. It's under heavy development and heavily secretive, it will be ready within 2 years or so and will be expected to devastate all enemy positions from very far away. It may even have the ability to enter space. The Caliphate prepares thousands more of Artillery guns. They are known as "Allah's Wrath," a reference to the way it sounds like a blood-curdling scream. It relies on good accuracy, fast fire rate, quick reloading, non-stop action and deadly ear splitting explosives, it may not be able to fire a hellish amount of rockets at once onto targets like the Katyushas, but the fact is that it can continuously fire on enemy positions non-stop, for days and even a few weeks. The Katyushas underlying problem is its slow reload speed and inaccuracy. You don't really need to be accurate when firing from hundreds of different launchers, but that 50 minute reload time is crucial, as it gives the targets who are being attacked enough time to re-organize and quickly find cover and fight back. The Katyushas only have the fact that they are flashy and "scary" going for them, and the fact that they can light up the sky and devastate targets, but they won't match Artillery which can fire on one area for weeks, if the shells won't kill them, then the sheer madness and the destruction of their resources and supplies will. The Caliph has ordered 4,000 of these. They aren't as cheap as a Katyushas is, but they are relatively easy to produce, and are being produced at a mass scale. Trucks able to tow the artillery are being produced at a rapid rate as well. [Flame thrower technology handheld and on tanks coming soon]
SEU promptly proceeds to show the Caliphate why that is terribly wrong. SEU stages a mock battle between Katyushas and troops with artillery support. The BM-13's mobility is exactly why the enemy cannot fight back; it is too fast, and by the time the Caliphate/Fascists try to do so, it has already moved to another location. The Katyushas are not merely shock value. They are incredibly destructive devices, which can destroy absolutely everything because of the fact that there are never just 1. There are 30-40 at minimum. Its only shortcoming is aim; but it was never meant to aim. SEU has hired a crazy person named "Robert Goddard".
It can't aim. Let me repeat that. It can't aim. It's a weapon with limited uses and made for specific roles. It would be a very bad idea to use Katyushas everywhere, unless you were hell-bent on turning your own country into a wasteland. Katyusha Can-Dos: Saturation Bombardment, Killing everything in a general direction. Katyusha Can't-Dos: Comprehensive Fire Support, not killing something that is in its general direction. See, the Katyusha is good for the sheer vastness of Russia and China. Not so much for urban warfare, because using Katyushas there would kind of defeat the purpose of fighting for the City, because there would be no City.
Allah's Wrath Artillery: Pros: Accurate Can keep firing for long periods of time with minimal breaks Decent fire rate Cons: damaging psychological effects take a while to set in, unlike the hell of the Katyusha Takes longer to eviscerate land positions, unless used in massive amounts
While SEU has many types of artillery and guns, they are mostly high-caliber, low firing rate, unable to continuously fire (needs cooling) but extremely long range and accuracy. They are built to attack armored vehicles. They also have good AA guns, that can serve dual-purpose roles such as the 25mm automatic cannon and 37mm AA gun. The heavy 85mm Air Defense guns can also fight tanks. SEU is planning to create a variant of the 85mm antitank gun as well, but that can wait. There are lighter 45mm Antitank guns as well. SEU standardized the Field Artillery to 107mm and 122mm, as well as some 152mm guns. The 76mm guns have been found to be ineffective against armored vehicles, and SEU is creating a 76mm gun for the express purpose of fighting infantry and lightly armored vehicles, because it is too light of a Caliber to actually fight any Fascist or Caliphate tanks.
The federation has an advantage on other nation in the sense that all f their guns may suck but they can fire fast and reload fast
(I legit spent so long making this just for it to get deleted...) Flamethrowers: Truly devastating weapons, petroleum jelly ignited used to create a mass trail of napalm flame to eat enemies alive. Their advantages are the fact that they can completely destroy bunkers, pillboxes and enclosed defences, either by the fumes, the actual act of burning alive, or the sheer terror. Flamethrowers aren't meant to be underestimated, the fact that they kill you in the most inhumane ways possible literally send hands flying up in surrender. No one wants to burn when you don't have to and you can surrender. Regardless of the religious teachings of a glorious afterlife if fighting is done honourably in the Islamic fighting force, and regardless of if the SEU says their troops are hardened or not, this weapon will alert everyone on the battlefield to give up in an instant. The only case where a soldier can be completely instituted to not fear the flame is through years of brutally selfish engraving of the act of not fearing death since when they were children. The Caliphate, of course, has a higher amount of men who don't fear death, higher than the SEU, but its low, most of the time people are people, they aren't going to sit around and burn, they are going to run as fast as they can, and that is another sign of the effectiveness of the Caliphate's "Make them stop fighting" method of warfare. Introducing the Lahab 34, an upgrade from the Lahab 15, this now features a donut shaped portable gasoline tank with an easy to use and reliable trigger and accurate nozzle system. It holds 18 litres of fuel, that of which is Napalm/Gasoline stored in the tanks, where Nitrogen Gas is used as a propellant. It has a weight of 64 lbs when full a Max range of 127 ft, and an effective firing range of 70 ft. 10 seconds of burn time with the option of short burst attacks and also the ability to shoot a flammable liquid beforehand and then igniting it with a smaller flame. This is a very effective weapon, used to take down bunkers, pillboxes, trenches and defensive systems, although it is as deadly for the operator. Being an operator surely sucks, you're a walking firebomb and a bullet magnet. You don't have unlimited fuel, and you have a low chance of survival, especially if you're captured, you will be given no mercy and will most likely be tortured to death. That doesn't mean it isn't effective though, it is very effective, even as a moral weapon, you don't even need to fire your weapon and the enemy will surrender for you. To remove the obvious disadvantage of having to get close to the enemy positions and avoid getting hit, flamethrowing operators never work alone, they will gain cover fire and suppressive fire from their allies and will work with other flamethrower operators to increase the brutality. In 1 year over 4,000 will have been made. M4 Saladin Crocodile Flamethrowing Tank: In its basic form, it's an M4 Saladin with a flamethrowing nozzle and a huge tank carriage of fuel behind it. The 6 and a half ton gas tank pulled behind the tank holds over 1,800 litres of fuel, as well as 5 cylinders containing compressed gas propellant, enough for 80 1 second bursts. The fuel tank itself is very heavily armoured, no regular bullet could even dare to pass through it, and only large calibre bullets and even small tank shells make less of a difference. Once it is hit though, you better not be standing near it, lest you be engulfed in a sky high glory of Napalm. The nozzle has a range of up to 110-140 m, it can also shoot liquid fuel and then ignite it after. If you're in a trench and get covered in wet stuff, its not your girlfriend, RUN. Refueling takes around 90 minutes and pressurizing takes around 15 minutes, it shoots around 18 litres a second, it can burn on wood and on water. The Tank and the fuel tank are transported on trucks, making transportation much easier and losing the hassle of long travel and fuel usage just to get to the action. If terrain is horrible and cannot be fixed, if the tank is empty or if there is a hazard, then the fuel tank can easily be unhitched and left. The M4 Saladin can then be used as a regular M4, the only difference is that it has a nozzle system in place for a machine gun. The obvious problems is any massive blow to the fuel tank, such as rockets and bombs. Even if the carriage is heavily armoured, a fatal and lucky shot from a massive weapon could destroy the entire tank. It does have the most morale-crushing properties, again, it's more effective than the portable flamethrowers in this right, it has the ability to shoot 150 yards of burning fuel into any enclosed structure, and you can't do anything about it, because its a TANK. Soldiers will flee once they see the M4 Saladin Crocodile, there is no hope at that point, no bullet could damage the tank or the fuel tank, if you don't surrender or run you'll burn to death. Obviously, there are ways to get in close and eliminate the Saladin, and that's why they only work in platoons, from 3 to 12 tanks and infantry support, they are nearly unstoppable until fuel runs out. Due to its inhumane nature, tank crews even suffer from PTSD and the horrible actions, if captured, they will be shown no mercy.
SEU Shore Defense Batteries: Midway Island (SEU filled in much of the Atoll with Sand): 12 127mm guns 4 205mm guns 4 280mm guns many 40 and 20mm Oerlikon-Bofors cannons 1 Airfield and 18 Fighter Jets 4,000 Marines Jarvis Island (SEU heavily expanded the Island, roughly 25% bigger than IRL): 5 127mm guns 2 205mm guns 1 280mm gun many 40 and 20mm Oerlikon-Bofors cannonsWake Island (SEU filled in much of the Atoll with Sand): 8 127mm guns 1 205mm guns 2 280mm guns 1 Airfield and 12 fighter jets many 40 and 20mm Oerlikon-Bofors cannons4,500 Marines
The federations west shore defenses: 75 pill bunkers 150 127mm guns 75 280 mm guns 150 torpedo launchers
SEU dislikes fighting with fire because it is inhumane. However, SEU soldiers, especially the anti-Japan veterans should not be underestimated. They fought against the most savage army in the world and won. The Caliphate is just a less extreme version of that to them, but they are mentally unstable (obviously. there is a price to pay for being able to stare down flamethrower-carrying men) and must be kept in line by more stable soldiers. SEU is training snipers, and UBR soldiers are being taken in to train SEU snipers, as UBR Snipers are the best in the World.
Flamethrowers arent meant to go against tanks, its suppose to go against bunkers and enclosed defensive positions. Any tank can survive a flamethrower, unless the hatches are opened.
SEU is calling back an old rifle back into service. The Mosin-Nagant, now in 1938 edition. While it has largely been surpassed in main Battle roles by Semiautomatic Rifles that are nearly as reliable and rugged, while at the same time being far more effective, it remains unsurpassed in one role. Accuracy. It is more accurate and reliable than most Rifles. This makes it ideal for Snipers, and SEU is creating the M-N 1938S, or Mosin-Nagant 1938 Sniper Rifle, fitted for accuracy and reliability as well as a scope. The Finnish have trained them, but some are simply not talented enough and use scopes. Nevertheless, they are nothing short of deadly; unlike in the Desert where there is nowhere to hide and even less places to shoot undetected, there are plenty of places to hide in Russia and China; this means the Caliphate will have a hard time training Snipers, while SEU will enjoy an advantage. Conversely, SEU will be unable to use flamethrowers without burning down something important; the Caliphate can use them with impunity. The SEU sniper corps are the second most deadly in the World, second to the Finnish Snipers from which they learned. They are the Scissor to the Caliphate's Paper, Flamethrowers vs Sniper Rifles. These two are going to have a very long rivalry.
The Caliphate attempts to train their snipers to the best of their ability and they do. They are good snipers, but not as good as SEU snipers. Due to the massive terrain difference, SEU snipers enjoy the luxury of the bush. Jungles, forests, many ways to hide. The Sunayyad Caliphate indeed has forests, even if it sounds weird for the Middle East, yes there are definitely forests, those of which Caliphate snipers train in, but the problem is that isn't the entire terrain. Since most fighting will involve rocky, sandy and hot climate with some shrubbery, maybe some wilted trees here and there, snipers aren't the most ideal. Desert snipers are being trained through in the roughs of the Saharah. They wear beige robes with headscarves and turbans and endure rough conditions. They are directly recruited from their hometowns, as most of the Desert snipers have lived in rural Sahara and Arabian desert villages their whole lives, they are quite hardened. They can hide in rocky mountains and crevices and manage to take down enemies, but without the leisure of fauna to hide behind and change positions, it isn't effective, although a Desert sniper could definitely match a sniper from the SEU in a complete desert environment, the more trees means the SEU sniper is definitely elite. Sometimes, the heat and the rough terrain is a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that only the Sunayyad Caliphate can capitalize on it and become the best fighters and the most adaptable in that terrain and become hard to invade, but it also means economic problems and the fact that they have a desert in their backyard, not immense jungles where every leaf is a hiding spot.
Flamethrower advantages and disadvantages: Advantages: A gun that literally shoots flame. Nuff said everything will burn Extremely effective against bunkers and pillboxes, or any defence for that matter, just shoot in the opening and watch your enemy burn to death in their small location If need be, can burn a crowd of soldiers up at one time, not common in most cases, but it happens. If the fire doesn't kill them, the fumes and the lack of oxygen in enclosed bunkers will Kills morale, just the sight of it will make you consider surrender, especially if you're right in front of it, maybe not if you're far out of range. Can burn down villages with ease, as well as farms which could be burned down quickly and destroy an entire settlement. Can easily burn wood and burn on water Disadvantages: Limited fuel, only 10 seconds of burn time Really heavy and awkward to carry and run with A literal walking bomb, if the fuel tank is hit you're going to burn like your enemies Everyone will see you because you'll have to be in the open, and they won't think twice about shooting you. Snipers are lethal Need sufficient range to be utmost effective Operators that survive wartime will suffer major PTSD from the inhumane burning Need to be close to the bunkers to be able to be effective against them Does little to tanks, or anything with a gun that doesn't have an opening and good defense. AKA a tank. Flamethrowing and the Caliphate mix very well. Accidently ignite a house on fire in the Caliphate? Don't worry, stone doesn't burn. Accidently ignite a house in the SEU, India or Europe? Damnit, wood burns too well... Flamethrower operator lives are rough, the fumes are harmful and the chance of survival is low, PTSD is also a factor, but the Caliphate is like the SEU, people are replaceable, as bad as it seems, both the SEU and Caliphate have these thoughts and will use whatever it takes to win a war.
800 kits for the M4 Saladin Crocodile Flamethrower are being made. They are somewhat easy to apply, but it does take long and harder work. It is a flamethrowing vehicle with a 6-ton fuel tank anyway... The M4 is expected to enter the army in full combat mode in 2 years.
