Inside a fortified meeting room in the Kremlin, the most powerful and brightest minds of the Rusviet Union are gathering around a single man, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin. Usually, they would stay in this room, talking at length on end every week about Rusviet's development progress. But this time, it's different. Belka, perhaps their closest ally up to date, has made quite a major wave. And despite their closeness, being important trade partners for years already, the Rusviet Union is frazzled by the degree of Belkan's achievement on the High Sea.

"Allegedly, they sank three battleships and two battlecruisers without a loss of their own."

"This is baffling news."

"It proves that Belka's naval might has advanced by leaps and bounds."

"We will need to reassess our intel, they are obsoleted."

"Of course, they're obsoleted! Our spies have never been able to make a report since years ago!"

"If only the intelligence branch is competent enough to update our files."

"The funding for that department is better off invested elsewhere."

"That's not the point here people, we need to react accordingly to Belka's recent victory. As an ally, a major win is a worthy cause for celebration. But this is not just major, it's a landslide."

"Are we sure that it's not a clever ruse?"

"The Erusean losses are true, that it's certain. Our embassy confirmed the information with them, much to their chagrin."

"Our officials in Belka also confirmed, albeit with more details and pictures. However, none shed light on the Bismarck, we are still in the dark about its appearance. We assumed it to be an improved Scharnhorst-class, but even then, it's highly impossible for them to overcome the Erusean Home Fleet like that."

"Assuming the tale of Bismarck is true, how will our Gangut-class battleships fare against it?"

"Pfft! Ganguts are relics that are barely afloat. They won't stand a chance against older Belkan vessels, much less the newer ones that we don't know anything about. Our Sinop-class, though, will be a different matter. With them still being constructed, we can outfit them with better technology than whatever Bismarck is using. Soon, we will have the most modern fleet in the region."

"Or we can make a whole different class altogether. Sinop is made with the Baltic Sea in mind, but soon, we will need something to traverse the Atlantic and even the Pacific."

"It's a matter for a different time then, comrades!" Suddenly, amidst the incessant discussion, a voice interjected. It's Stalin, who has been silently smoking his cigar, that demands their attention. "We can discuss modernizing our fleet only when our current Five-year Fleetbuilding plan is finished. Currently. the Union can't afford to waste the money our gracious citizens have contributed. Thus we will react only when we have credible information about Bismarck."

Taking another drag of his cigar, Stalin sweeps his eyes across the room. "The elephant in the room right now is not the Belkan's victory. And while that is still a matter worth offering our sincere congratulations for, it's not as important as the fact that we are completely blind to the inner workings of the Reich."

"General Secretary, ever since the attempts at assassinating the current Reich Marshal came to light, our agents can't exist for any longer than a week. No matter their skill sets or how loyal they were, they all ended up disappearing."

Stalin nods, he himself knows just how much of a loss the intelligence department incurred these past few years. "I know full well of your predicament, comrade. I had personally picked a few spies of my own too but regrettably, they are to never be found again. At this point, it's all but confirmed that Belka has replaced its old intelligence agency with something far more formidable."

"It's why I hereby give these directives." Stalin leans back, discarding the ashes in a tray. "We will cut back in trying to infiltrate the inner workings of Belka. Instead, let's see if we can seed our agents among the populace. They won't be as useful, but it's something. The next will be to set up another technological exchange. Despite their recent minor reduction in procuring minerals from us, the treaty between us and them still stands. It has been a while since we visited their arms factory, let's use Bismarck as a cause for us to pay a visit. Of course, I won't be going there in person, but I trust you all can decide between yourselves who is the most qualified."

"That's all for the day., Dismiss."

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Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill is not just mad, he is absolutely livid. "My good friend Pound, tell me, just lay it to me straight, how did we bloody lose 1/5th of our power projection in a single week? And what will be your attempt at regaining your Navy's loss honor?" 

Churchill almost slams his tea cup onto the plate when he says. "We are still recovering from that embarrassing blunder you men committed on the Spanish. And now, we can't even hold a single person in that mess accountable because they're either disintegrated or seventy miles beneath the sea! You have no idea how many strings I have to pull to keep our seats!"

Laying his cap on a corner of the table while smoothing his half-bald head, Admiral Dudley Pound struggles to keep his voice level. "You already know the answer to your first question, Churchill. We don't know, not when MI6 keeps flopping at their jobs. And clearly not when our scouts are either shot down or missing whenever they come close to a Belkan ship. Frankly, none of our airmen are willing to fly and take a picture of the Belkans. The brave ones are all gone in the first waves."

Sighing, Pound continues. "Patrols are intensified. We are pulling whatever vessels we have to uphold prior directives before the Hunt for Bismarck. However, I have given strict orders not to antagonize the Belkans anymore. I reckon it will be the smart move considering that those wankers somehow recorded everything that is implicating us right now."

Squinting his eyes at the Admiral, Churchill contemplates a scalding sentence about bravery and such but ultimately relents. "So we can't fight them right now, not militarily nor diplomatically. The entire world is asking for the Royal Navy to be hanged and I for me to explain about the need to antagonize Belka. I need something, something concrete, something that can reinforce the trust of the people in you salty sailors, and by extension, me."

"It's not ideal, Churchill, but we have decided to expedite the construction of our Vanguard-class battleships."

Raising an eyebrow, Churchill replies. "Are you sure?"

Nodding, Pound elaborates. "It's the only way we can regain our naval projection in the short term. The Vanguard-class battleships were laid down in response to the US and Japan going ahead with constructing their large warships with 406mm guns. This means a Vanguard is supposed to receive the same armament. Yet, recent events have forced us to react accordingly. Instead of 406mm, we will be fitting them with 381mm guns and contemporary equipment and armor. I would have hoped for a better fire control system to be developed but at least with this setup, we can cut down on construction time by a lot. At least a year can be saved. I have also taken the liberty to halt the construction of the aircraft carriers. Their recent failures have highlighted the lack of returns from fielding these vessels, especially when we don't have much of a capital presence at sea."

Hearing that, Churchill nods. "Good, we need a proven idea to bank on right now. Not some underdeveloped concept. I presume the resources will be allocated to the Vanguards?"

"That's correct."

Sipping his tea, Churchill then says. "Do what you must, but I need a Vanguard to be sailing by the first quarter of next year. The people need something and the most modern battleship that can triumph over the Bismarck will be a great headline. We can think about retrofitting the Vanguards later when the storm dies down."

"What about the Spanish and Sardegna?"

"Appropriate remuneration has been given to the Spanish. Continue on the embargoes of Sardegna but I have no doubt that we will be short-handed. This will no doubt lower our already abysmal influence in the region even further."

"Blast those pilots! If only those Swordfishes weren't so blind, things would have been much easier by now."

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"Lady Lyssa." Pope Mussolini said while dismissing his serving nuns. "As the matter stands, the Meds are wide open for us to retake. The Royal Navy is scrambling their ships around, vulnerable to a surprise attack. If a single Belkan warship could take the enemy fleet out, then what's say our finest fleet? We will soon be able to dominate the region!

"I would advise not jumping the gun, my dear Pope." Said a disembodied voice. The mysterious Lady Lyssa is unavailable in person today, it seems. "Need I remind you that a major part of the Papal Navy is still in the process of being rebuilt? Furthermore, most of our active ships are being retrofitted with better anti-air equipment due to the regular Spanish air raids. The best we can do right now is to focus on getting supplies to our army on Spanish soil."

Lady Lyssa then says. "To ensure proper delivery, we will be needing blockade runners, very fast ones to be exact. And preferably those that are armed with good AA suites."

Pope Mussolini crosses his arms, posing in front of a vanity mirror while replying. "I think I remember signing for the construction of fast destroyers and light cruisers with anti-air artillery and only fitted with the finest God's Navy has to offer. They will be a fine addition to our cause against the heretics very soon. For now, though, we can use our available ships, utilizing the opening in the blockade, to reinforce our troops."

Lady Lyssa exclaims. "Good! Good!" She then chuckles ominously. "But before that, my dear Pope, I will be needing more materials, preferably fresh and active materials."

"The recent batch of Jews isn't enough?"

"Not quite, I need more materials that are... Lively. The Jews are more subdued than usual, much to my dismay. Efficiency has thus been reduced. Maybe the unruly Spanish will be fine specimens?"

"Then I will arrange for their transfer. Their sacrifice will serve the Will of the Lord."

"Deus Vult." Lady Lyssa smirked.