Post by skyhawk on May 16, 2019 23:23:03 GMT -6
The price for converting an old pre-dred or a semi-dred(getting the speed high enough(20-22knts)-usually via a re-engine) isn't that bad price or time wise...and it still provides you with a quick conversion/introduction vessel so that your boffins and flyers can get some experience in. And they typically give you a 20-24 plane airgroup which isn't bad either. Are they worth doing en-mass? No probably not. But they make for decent starters.
First off is the 1920 legacy 23 kn long range 14,000 t displacement CA:
That's a total cost of 1,908, and an opportunity cost of 560 (or keeping a very useful R/FS ship). Maintenance costs are 198/month.
Second is the 1920 legacy 25 kn 14,800 t displacement CA:
That's a total cost of 1,992, and opportunity costs of 592 (or an even better CA than the 14 kt design). Maintenance costs are 215/month. Thanks to being one of the few legacy ships with a TDS, it doesn't need to get bulged.
Next is the 1920 legacy 24 kn 15,400 t displacement BC:
That's a total cost of 1,992, and an opportunity cost of 616 (or, again, keeping what is still a very useful ship). Maintenance costs weren't recorded.
Fourth is the 1920 legacy 18 kn 15,000 t displacement B:
That's a total cost of 18,870, and an opportunity cost of 600. Maintenance costs are 223/month. I wouldn't keep the base predread anyways.
Fifth is the 1,920 legacy 18 kn 15,700 t displacement B:
That's a total cost of 9,984, and an opportunity cost of 628. Maintenance costs are 194/month. It's important to note that this one doesn't have any torpedo protection whatsoever due to the displacement limit, which makes it quite the risky investment.
Sixth is the "high" purpose-built AV conversion:
(I forgot to screenshot in the rebuild screen, but it's just over 200 t spare instead of 600 when built properly)
This is basically pushing the envelope on a AV conversion. It's not cost effective whatsoever, but it's near the realistic upper end of what you can do.
It has a total design and build cost of almost 65,000. Maintenance costs are 248/month. That's the price to pay for baby fleet carriers that outrun some DDs in ~1918.
Second to last is the "low" purpose-built AV conversion:
This is meant to be equivalent to the legacy rebuilds in terms of speed and torpedo protection.
It has a total design and build cost of 20,319. Maintenance costs are 105/month.
Finally, this is the same as the above conversion but when you relax the splinter armour requirement:
Total design and build costs are just shy of 19,000, but it can be built in only 22 months - you can theoretically have purpose-built CVLs in 1918.
The CA and BC conversions are relatively cheap, but the plane capacity is really only enough for 1 strike group and half a fighter group at most. It's not enough to stand up to even a purpose built CVL, so at best it's a bit of spotting support (and an AV or tone-alike can do that better). The predread conversions are better, but they cost almost as much as the lighter AV conversion and have around 10 less planes. When you factor in the scrapping cost, the only advantage for keeping a predread is that you have the ships a year earlier.
Appreciate the break down on this sir. I'll probably still build off a pre-dred hull for at least one of my early CVLs as long as I have a hull available. Otherwise I'll custom build a large AC or two and hope they survive through till conversion time.