Post by dorn on Oct 6, 2019 1:05:07 GMT -6
Personal log - the 22nd of December
We have Christmas tomorrow and I just get A-H report today.
K.u.K Navy:
pre-dreadnoughts: 9
dreadnoughts: 1 (+2 under construction)
armoured cruisers: 15
battlecruisers: 5 (+1 under construction)
protected cruisers: 15 (+2 under construction)
destroyers: 34
corvettes: 4
submarines: 15 (+2 under construction)
Capital ships of K.u.K Navy
K.u.K navy has 1 battleship of Viribus Unitis class and another 2 under construction with 22 knots, 9.5" belt armour and 12x12" guns with broadside 10x12" guns. They have 9 completely obsolote pre-dreadnoughts. They have 5 battlecruisers up to 23000 tons and another one almost 28000 tons under construction. Their main battlecruiser force is 4 Tirol class battlecruisers with 8x12", speed of 24 knots and 9" belt.
Armoured cruisers of K.u.K Navy
They have 15 obsolote armoured cruisers but most of them are able to achieve 23 knots making our slower protected cruisers liability.
Protected / light cruisers of K.u.K Navy
They have 15 protected cruisers and 2 under construction. Older cruisers used mainly 6" guns as main armament. However K.u.K navy starts constructing modern cruisers with forward and aft guns of 6" caliber and rest guns on broadside with 4" guns. And only Dromedar is capable of 25 knots, rest of cruisers are capable of 22 knots maximum.
Destroyers
All of K.u.K destroyers are older than 13 years making their destroyer force pathetic with 28 knots, 2x3" guns, 4x2" guns and 2 torpedo mounts.
Conclusion:
There is nothing to worry about K.u.K fleet as except battlecruisers our ships are much modern. Their battlecruiser fleet however can be a little dangerous to our operations as they are faster than almost all of our cruisers and superior to all ships except new class of battleship which will be ready in next months.
Personal log - the 23nd of December afternoon
I have just received report on Royal Navy. It is different as I do not ask about whole evaluation of Royal Navy which is just superior in any respect but to have report on their most modern ships.
Battleships of Royal Navy
Bulwark class (4 ships) - 21100 tons, 8x15" guns (6 guns broadside), 9.5" belt armour, 18 knots
Queen class (2 ships, 1 under construction) - 26000 tons, 10x13" guns, 14" belt armour, 19 knots
Battlecruisers of Royal Navy
Inflexible class (4 ships) - 20300 tons, 8x15" guns (6 guns broadside), 6" belt armour, 23 knots
New Zealand class (1 ship, 3 under construction) - 27400 tons, 8x15" guns, 12" belt armour, 25 knots
Light cruisers of Royal Navy
Thetis class (4 ships) - 5800 tons, 8x6" guns (5 guns broadside), 2" belt armour, 26 knots
Tribune class (2 ships, 2 under construction) - 4800 tons, 10x5" guns (6 guns broadside), 2.5 belt, 24 knots
Conclusion:
Battleline speed of 21 knots is enough against Royal Navy, our battlecruisers should be around 26-27 knots.
Personal log - the 23rd of December 1913
I have just issued orders to mothball 15 Turbine class destroyers, 6 Marshala, 2 La Spezia, 3 Messina, 2 Marsala class cruisers, orders should be effective 26th of December.
Another order was changing intelligence priorities to max. efforts against France, medium efforts against A-H and low effort against UK as we do not have any incident with them. All other countries are not in list.
Personal log - the 30th of December 1913
End of year is comming. I have already thought about future of our navy. According to analysis presented to me our battlefleet our battlecruiser fleet is the weakest point. And with analysis of foreign battlecruisers and our limited funds I am start to think that I need to cancel orders for Umbria class as these ships are just too expensive and their speed are not needed. A will list what I think should be our next ships on each type.
Battleships
- 8x15" guns, 10-14x5" secondaries
- 21 knots
- 13" belt armour, 3" deck armour
- short range
Battlecruiser
- 6x14" to 8x15" guns, 8-12x5" secondaries
- 26-27 knots
- 12" belt armour, 3" deck armour
- short range
Light cruiser
- 5-6x6" broadside
- 2-3" belt armour
- 27-29 knots
- short to medium range
Next month I need to decide which ship should be put into reserve fleet, mothball fleet or scrapped. Another thing would be evaluation of coastal fortresses, submarines and research priorities.
Personal log - the 31st of December
I have just received news about delay fuzes. That the first prototypes are look promising with much higher reliability. Another information comes from intelligence that French and K.u.K Navy have started scrapping old ships. It is good news as it can allow me to scrap old ships too.