|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 16:47:08 GMT -6
September 1904
War has broken out between the US and Germany!
Upon the outbreak of war a cruiser action was fought off Panama, in witch the German armored cruiser Vineta was sunk.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 17:20:49 GMT -6
January 1905
World Situation: On the 28th of December a heavy US task force patrolling off the New England coast stumbled into four German armored cruisers just after sunset off Penobscot Bay. In a furious night action that lasted for over four hours the US navy emerged victorious, sinking the armored cruisers Prinz Heinrich and Yorck while taking no losses. Additionally, the USMC has successfully landed troops on Saipan. Finally, our British allies engaged and sunk a German destroyer.
New Construction: South Carolina-class Battleship Ship Name
| Status | Building | South Carolina
| Scrapped
| Sep 1906 - Oct 1919
| Oregon | Scrapped
| Jan 1907 - Oct 1919
|
The South Carolina-class are basically repeats of the New Mexico-class with slightly upgraded armor on the secondary battery turrets. On acceptance, these ships easily exceeded their designed speed by a full knot.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 17:22:23 GMT -6
Cummings-class Destroyer
In Service: Aug 1905 - Oct 1916
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 17:25:54 GMT -6
February 1905
The German Empire and the United States reached a negotiated peace with no territory changing hands. This was a short sighted decision by the US negotiators as the Germans had not won a single battle and US troops were currently fighting for possession of Saipan.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 17:48:34 GMT -6
January 1906
World Situation: Tensions are slightly elevated between the US and Germany in the aftermath of the war last year. Additionally, tensions are slightly elevated with Italy and France due to an intervention in South America. While not shown on the almanac summary below, Germany and Great Britain have both started construction of a Dreadnaught Battleship, in Germany's case the 17,800 ton Schlesien and in Britain's the 19,600 ton Bulwark. In response, the US Navy has started construction of a pair of Battlecruisers, the 17,600 ton Constellation and Ranger. It had actually been intended to start building these ships nearly a year ago, but due to new technologies becoming available and the need for wartime destroyers it was decided to rework the design and delay construction.
New Construction:
Constellation-class Battlecruiser Ship Name
| Status | In Service
| Constellation | Rebuilt
| Dec 1907 - Dec 1918
| Ranger | Rebuilt
| May 1908 - Oct 1919
|
These ships prioritize speed, adding no additional armor compared to the South Carolina-class battleships, while adding 3 knots of designed speed. They do have a newly designed second main battery turret forward superfiring over the A turret. The secondary battery is composed of sixteen of the new 5" guns in twin turrets. There is no tertiary battery. If these ships make their designed speed the US Navy expects that nothing larger than a destroyer will be capable of outrunning them at their entry into service.
These ships were significantly rebuilt in 1918/1919.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 18:18:27 GMT -6
January 1907
World Situation: Tensions are high between the US and both Germany and Russia. There have been numerous minor disputes between the two nations and the US over the past year that have contributed. Tensions are also still slightly elevated between the US and France, though that seems unlikely to turn into conflict. Germany and Japan have both started construction of Battlecruisers to answer the US Navy's Constellation-class ships.
New Construction:
Lexington-class Battlecruisers Ship Name
| Status | In Service
| Lexington | Rebuilt
| Sep 1908 - Jun 1921
| Saratoga | Rebuilt
| Mar 1909 - Jun 1921
|
The Lexington-class are upgrades of the Constellation-class with the main battery increased to 13" guns and the armor slightly increased.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 18:21:15 GMT -6
Cleveland-class Protected Cruiser Ship Name
| Status | In Service
| Cleveland | Scrapped
| Feb 1908 - Mar 1923
| Fresno | Sunk
| Jan 1908 - Sep 1921
|
The Cleveland-class represent an update on the old Tuscon-class ships with the new turbine engines allowing higher speed and the installation of a couple of additional torpedo tubes.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 18:44:23 GMT -6
January 1908
World Situation: Constant minor conflicts in South America have resulted in extremely high tensions between the US and both France and Russia. War with either is possible at any time. Tensions are also still elevated between the US and Germany.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 18:53:53 GMT -6
New Construction:
Constitution-class Battlecruiser Ship Name
| Status | In Service
| Constitution | Rebuilt
| Jul 1909 - Aug 1922
|
The Constitution-class are repeats of the Lexington-class with slightly increased belt and turret armor. It was originally intended to build a pair of these ships this year, but new technological advancement rendered the Constitution obsolete almost immediately after construction had begun and it was decided to move on to the successor class rather then build another unit that was already obsolete.
Independence-class Battlecruiser Ship Name
| Status | In Service
| Independence | Cancelled
| Scrapped due to the Hague Conference of 1909
| Yorktown | Cancelled | Scrapped due to the Hague Conference of 1909
| Congress
| Cancelled
| Scrapped due to the Hague Conference of 1909
| Essex
| Cancelled
| Scrapped due to the Hague Conference of 1909
|
The Independence-class Battlecruisers are nearly as big an advance in capability over the Constitution-class as the Constellation-class ships were over the South Carolina-class Battleships. They add a fourth center line turret in the superfiring X position aft while adding even more armor and giving up no speed. Two additional ships were laid down to this design during 1908.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 18:56:04 GMT -6
Aylwin-class Destroyers
In service: Aug 1908 - Nov 1918
These destroyers represent an incremental improvement over the preceding Cumings-class ships, adding an additional center line gun mount, and a fourth torpedo tube.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 19:00:28 GMT -6
Dreadnought Comparison:
US vs Germany
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 19:01:30 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 19:44:19 GMT -6
May 1908
France and the US go to WAR!
War has broken out between the US and France over US allegations of sabotage in the destruction of the protected cruiser Baltimore at Midway. Battle broke out almost immediately of of Punta Yeguas. The result was an overwhelming US victory with the French losing the pre-dreadnoughts Friedland and Magenta and the armored cruisers Gloire and Leon Gambetta along with a destroyer while US losses only totaled two destroyers.
October 1908
France and the US make peace!
France agrees to surrender the Antilles and New Hebrides territories to the US. Due to funding cuts the US Navy must halt construction on the Battlecruisers Congress and Essex.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 21:50:08 GMT -6
January 1909
World Situation: Tensions between the US and Italy are slightly elevated. Otherwise the US is on relatively good terms with the major powers in the aftermath of the Five Months War with the French. The US did have to pause construction on the two battlecruisers laid down during the war while waiting for other ships to complete and free up funding.
|
|
|
Post by knightraf on Jan 17, 2020 21:56:41 GMT -6
New Construction:
Two new Independence-class battlecruisers, the Congress and Essex, were laid down this year. See the previous entry for that class for details on these units.
Nicholson-class Destroyer
In service: Feb 1909 - Jun 1924
These ships represent a significant upgrade over the preceding Aylwin-class ships, adding an additional 4" gun mount and 2 knots of designed speed. On trials, the Nicholson-class exceeded it's designed speed by 1 knot.
Annie F. Conlon-class Corvette
In service: Jun 1909 - 1924
|
|