To: Rheinland Federalists || From: MNG

[Kiith]

Provisional Federal Army

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Transmission received
Code recognised as NNA-419A-PFA
Decrypting....

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Recipient: Commandant Pierre Vaillant, MNG
Sender: Walter Kappmann - Provisional War Office, PFA
Date: 05.05.827 A.S.
Subject: RE: Cologne, Karlsruhe
Priority: Medium

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Greetings, Commandant Vaillant,

I am Walter Kappmann. In these troubled times I have taken on the difficult task to organise the war effort in this conflict against the illlegitimate imperial regime. While I cannot assure you to speak with absolute authority - or confirm that there is even such a thing amongst the yet regrouping federal government - I would like to think that I can at the very least provide some insight. So let me briefly share my view on this.

First off, there is no doubt about how dangerous the gains the Red Hessians have made in Cologne could become in the future. The Hessian movement has been a threat to the safety of Rheinland and the Omega regions for a long time, and little about their modus operandi or their views has changed up until today. I still consider them brigands with dangerous communist ideas and a past of terrorism. Our eyes need to be on them, and wherever possible they need to be kept in check.

However, there are much, much worse problems at hand right now. I am not sure if you are aware of them, but there is the Unioner movement, for example. A similarly extremist and merry band of criminals and terrorists, only that with this coup, they have been absolved of all their sins. Where the Hessians at least have to strike from the safety of the shadows and wait for their opportunities, you will soon find the emperors new lap dogs march on New Berlin, their heads held high. Pirates and Radicals, now emboldened by the favour of a new regime. And their is of course the imperial insurrection itself, which has had many supporters in the highest ranks of the military caste. This has not only left us with uncountable acts of treason by friends and colleagues, but also with a strong opposing force to fight.

In light of this we have come to agreements with the Hessians - not solely endorsed by me - to abstain from hostilities, at least for the moment. While they are a foe to consider, the emperor, his junta and his paramilitary are a much bigger threat in my eyes, and a mutual enemy one could say. Keeping our momentary capabilities in mind, I consider it vital that such agreements are honoured, if only temporarily.

However, these considerations are all somewhat academic, considering the current status of our forces near Cologne. Only a little earlier we managed to reestablish contact with the Karlsruhe, and I am not very delighted about the situation it is in. During the battle of Stuttgart Karlsruhe was involved in a prolonged close range engagement with battleship Altenburg, during which both ships suffered considerable damage. Karlsruhe eventually had to retreat from Stuttgart - for lack of other escape vectors straight into Zürich.

While the damage does not seem to pose an immediate threat to the ship's structural integrity, I will be honest with you: At the moment I consider it too risky to take Karlsruhe right back into another engagement. After something like the battle of Stuttgart, the optimal measure would have been at least several days of work in a proper drydock - something that in the current situation is understandably difficult to arrange. But without at the very least some field repairs I find it unlikely for the ship to be valuable beyond the point of a diversionary target.

To give you the clear answer you requested: While I agree with you fully that the Hessian problem has to be dealt with eventually, at the moment I cannot offer my support for such an operation. Neither would it be wise to risk a fragile ceasefire nor to risk a valuable military asset like the Karlsruhe on an operation to secure a system that we might not be able to keep secure with only a damaged battleship and what remains of its escort.

Should the circumstances change, however, then my opinion might as well.

Yours sincerely,

Walter Kappmann
Provisional War Office
Provisional Federal Army of Rheinland

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