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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 9:57:41 GMT -6
September 1904
The Kaiser has informed me that we need to build more armoured cruisers, because every other power has more than Germany. I pointed out that Japan has less than us, but he wouldn't listen. I also pointed out that battleships are more valuable than cruiser and if he waits a year he can have a wonderful fleet of new fast battleships, but he didn't listen that either.
So here is the new cruiser design:
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 10:01:38 GMT -6
October 1904
Siemens have developed a new engine, the steam turbine. We can revise our Sachsen (B) and Friedrich (CA) designs to fit it.
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 13:05:30 GMT -6
February 1903
The Pommerns are like the Preussens but with an extra knot of speed.
Same issue, remove the torpedo tubes since this ship will probably not be within the range of those torpedoes and should stay back and hit the enemy from a distance. I would add some more heavy gun turrets amidship. Try to gain more speed. What I normally do when fighting pre-dreadnoughts is break off one or two of the enemy ships, when they've been fired on and heavily damaged their speed is reduced and I can close in and torpedo them. While early torpedoes are slow, early ships also have no torpedo protection so are very vulnerable.
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 13:07:26 GMT -6
August 1902
Germany is now building 2 new Dresden-class light cruisers. These are designed for colonial work, and also to be effective at protecting the fleet from enemy (i.e. British) destroyers.
There will also be a similarly-armed class but with longer range, for raiding.
Incidently, Grand Admiral Cabatirpitz welcomes critique of German ship designs from the international naval community.
Well my first criticism is that you have too many submerged torpedo tubes which will compromise the hull of the ship and make it vulnerable to direct fire. This isn't a battleship, it has to get close to its targets, that's dangerous. If you remove them, then you might gain some more speed. Reduce the number of 3 inch guns and 6 inch guns. A ship is a balance of speed, firepower and maneuverability but resistance to damage is important. You need at least 25 knots or better. I would not make this a colonial ship, but increase its range to long, it might help more. Keep in mind that a light cruiser is assigned as a fleet scout, raider or a destroyer leader. It needs speed to lead the destroyers and to scout because when it contacts the enemy, it needs to turn around and head back to the main fleet as fast as possible to draw the enemy to the fleet. As a raider, speed will be life. Move in fast, shoot the enemy merchant then disappear as fast as possible. Now I have steam turbines, the next class of light cruisers will be much faster.
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 13:31:45 GMT -6
August 1905
We are now very close to war with Russia. My policy of deliberate provocations including spying, appears to be paying off. I will mobilise the fleet. Now we just need to win.
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Post by dorn on Nov 17, 2019 13:33:29 GMT -6
February 1903
The Pommerns are like the Preussens but with an extra knot of speed.
I would add extended belt armour. Pre-dreadnoughts fights at distance where they are hit by medium batteries and without any armour on extended part of ship they risk too much.
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 13:38:18 GMT -6
26 November 1905
The 18 battleships of the High Sees Fleet make contact with the enemy.
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 14:39:25 GMT -6
27 November 2005
My dear Lord and Emperor,
I am pleased to inform you that yesterday we all but annihilated the Russian fleet in a spirited battle off Gotland. Preliminary reports suggest we sank 8 Russian battleships. We only lost one of our own, my flagship the Preussen3. Fortunately the ship sank slowly while retiring from the battle, so there was minimal loss of life. I enclose in this letter charts from the course of the battle.
Your Obedient Servant, Grand Admiral Cabatirpitz
The start of the battle. With destroyers leading, all ships bear down on the center of the Russian fleet. "Never mind maneuvers, go straight at them" as Nelson had it.
The enemy has scattered, now we concentrate on the enemy battleships to the NW of the flagship Preussen3 (marked in yellow).
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 14:45:29 GMT -6
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 14:48:02 GMT -6
February 1903
The Pommerns are like the Preussens but with an extra knot of speed.
I would add extended belt armour. Pre-dreadnoughts fights at distance where they are hit by medium batteries and without any armour on extended part of ship they risk too much. I wonder how much of an advantage extended armour is? Presumably the idea is to prevent enemy HE shells from starting fires. However, if the Russians can't shoot straight, it's not an issue deither way! (The British will be different)
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 15:27:38 GMT -6
February 1906
Advances in ship design and torpedo protection have allowed us to build the new Seydlitz class battleship-cruisers, which are far superior to the Friedrich class currently under construction. They should be halted so the Seydlitz can be built, since they only have a broadside of 5x10" compared with the Seydlitz's 4x13" and 4x9". The Seydlitz also has far thicker armour. Based on suggestions, I have reinstated extended armour on it.
In other news, the navy is assisting the army in invading Russia's Baltic provinces.
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 15:32:52 GMT -6
March 1906
The government made peace! Just when we had them on the run. We needed to capture the Baltic states to bottle up the Russian fleet but instead they have fobbed us off with the Liaotung Peninsula. Wilhelm is pleased though as it is another colony.
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Post by dorn on Nov 17, 2019 15:53:54 GMT -6
I would add extended belt armour. Pre-dreadnoughts fights at distance where they are hit by medium batteries and without any armour on extended part of ship they risk too much. I wonder how much of an advantage extended armour is? Presumably the idea is to prevent enemy HE shells from starting fires. However, if the Russians can't shoot straight, it's not an issue deither way! (The British will be different) For pre-dreanoughts it is more difficult question. It is more a question against which caliber should it protect. - against heavy guns - same as main belt. As it is heavy, narrow belt could be an option - against medium caliber guns - it could be achievable but questionable as AI has not usually 8" guns protected cruisers and hits from armoured cruisers are less likely and less numerous - against 6" or 7" guns which are usually secondary armament of pre-dreadnoughts. As these hits in pre-dreadnought era are common it could be reasonable level of protection
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Post by cabalamat on Nov 17, 2019 15:59:09 GMT -6
January 1908
Even better than the Seydlitz class is the new Nassau battleship design. With a 9-gun broadside it will revolutionise warfare and beat any other battleship. We must build as many as we can.
My spies tell me the British are building their own battle-cruisers to match the Seydlitz, but I don't have their specification yet. Still, the Nassau with be undoubtedly superior.
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Post by dorn on Nov 17, 2019 16:06:08 GMT -6
February 1906
Advances in ship design and torpedo protection have allowed us to build the new Seydlitz class battleship-cruisers, which are far superior to the Friedrich class currently under construction. They should be halted so the Seydlitz can be built, since they only have a broadside of 5x10" compared with the Seydlitz's 4x13" and 4x9". The Seydlitz also has far thicker armour. Based on suggestions, I have reinstated extended armour on it.
In other news, the navy is assisting the army in invading Russia's Baltic provinces.
Her secondary turrets are quite vulnerable and just 6" shell hit can blow whole ship. For such large ship it is quite a risk.
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