|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 14, 2020 20:03:04 GMT -6
Fleet battle (part 3)
We moved in with a torpedo attack by our destroyers. The enemy had a formation of BBs (including a very powerful Mecklenburg class) isolated at the front of his force, so we concentrated all our firepower on it. Then, knowing we had sunk about 4-5 of is BB/BC and none of ours lost we headed for home, as we didn't want to risk any of our capital ships.
The 2 CVLs proved very useful, their aircraft securing 10 torpedo hits. Possibly this is because the enemy does not yet have strong AA defences. In any case, it means we can profitable have more land-based air power.
The N3 class didn't seem to score that many hits. I'm not sure that 18" guns are particularly useful since they seem to be innaccurate. Also their rate of fire is slow. Maybe it's best to go with more smaller guns.
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 14, 2020 20:05:43 GMT -6
December 1927
We have invaded South West Africa, Germany's only colony in Africa.
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 14, 2020 20:20:59 GMT -6
February 1928 -- inconclusive fleet battle
There was an inconclusive fleet battle in the North sea. As in the historical battle of Jutland I didn't want to risk my fleet by attacking at night.
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 14, 2020 20:25:06 GMT -6
February 1928
The Germans have sued for peace and we get their remaining colonies:
.
The world-wide British Empire:
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 14, 2020 21:18:21 GMT -6
October 1928 -- New Directions
Germany has been beaten, and the G3 battlecruisers are nearing completion, so where now for the Royal Navy? Looking at the international situation, the only real threat is the USA, which has more tons of capital ships than Britain. The best American battleship, the new York, looks like an inferior imitation of the G3 (not surprising, it's 10,000 tons lighter).
The fight against Germany has proved the worth of aircraft carriers, so building a big one seems a priority.
Regarding BB/BC, it's hard to say what Britain would have built in the absence of the Washington Treaty. Obviously the G3 and N3 classes, but what after them? Possibly repeats of those ships but with bigger/more guns, more speed and/or more protection. I don't think they would have kept the same turret layout, since they didn't on the KGV, Lion and Vanguard classes. They also used quad guns on the KGVs; possibly they would do so, but with 16" guns on a bigger hull, since the 14" guns and 35,000 ton displacement were limits imposed by politicians for the London Naval Treaty, not what the Navy particularly wanted.
For CAs, historically they build the Kent class with 8x8" guns. But that was built to the WNT limit of 10,000 tons and wasn't very well armoured. A better-armoured ship with 9.2" guns (which the RN had used on earlier cruisers) would have been bigger, maybe 15,000-18,000 tons.
Britain produced both small and large CLs, armed with twin 6" guns for the smaller ones and triple 6" for the larger ones. Without the WNT, Britain would probably have done the same: the smaller cruisers were in order to build a lot, the larger ones because they are more effective. Britain did want to build quad 6" turrets but they couldn't make them work reliably.
Britain would probably have gone for the 5.25" DP gun, both on BBs and CLAAs.
Destroyers? Probably much the same as what they actually built. They might has standardised on one gun (maybe 4.5" DP) for all their destroyers.
So what sort of ships do YOU think Britain would have built, in this timeline, and with the restrictions of the WNT?
Post your ships designs to this thread, giving reasons why you think Britain would have built that kind of ship.
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 14, 2020 21:31:01 GMT -6
Save File
Here's the game save file (as a .7z) for use in designing ships.
|
|
|
Post by aeson on Sept 18, 2020 19:50:12 GMT -6
A set of proposed (by me, not historically) G3 derivatives with a more conventional turret layout: Basically, an attempt to replicate the capabilities of the G3 class at a (slightly) lower unit cost. The 6" secondary battery has gained two guns and been consolidated into six triple instead of eight twin turrets, but has had the armor reduced from 3" to 2"; three seaplanes are carried, with hangar facilities and a catapult provided. Belt armor has been reduced slightly in all cases, as has deck armor for the (a) and (b) variants, as a cost-cutting measure; the (a) variant additionally sacrifices some of the torpedo protection system on the presumption that the ship's high design speed of 31 knots will help safeguard it against torpedo attacks.
Design file for the (c) variant is attached; the (a) and (b) variants were not saved since only minor changes are required to obtain them from (c).
Attachments:H3c.90d (8.52 KB)
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 26, 2020 17:30:42 GMT -6
December 1928
To counter the threat from the USA we are building our first large aircraft carrier. Note that the USA has 2 CVs already.
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 26, 2020 17:46:24 GMT -6
January 1929
Naval intelligence has uncovered links between the rebels in Middle Congo and the USA. This is unacceptable, and we must put them firmly in their place!
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 26, 2020 17:53:55 GMT -6
February 1929 -- new Furious BC
There was a lot of debate within the Admiralty about what to build after the G3s. In the end it was decided to simply build a larger, improved version of the same design: gun calibre increased by 1", 1 extra gun per turret, 1" thicker belt armour. The 1929 programme only includes one of these ships as it's bigger thasn the G3 class, and we are also building a CV and hope to build cruisers.
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 26, 2020 17:56:29 GMT -6
June 1929 - new destroyersThe naval secretary wants a class of new destroyers, so we'll be building 18 Comet-class. This puts paid to my hopes for new cruisers.
Also we have caught an American spy! The Admiralty are making a big thing about this, as we have to get the money out of the treasury somehow.
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 26, 2020 18:11:17 GMT -6
October 1928 - Mobilisation!
I have ordered the mobilisation of all our ships to counter the threat of an American surprise attack.
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 26, 2020 18:17:58 GMT -6
April 1930 - war averted, for now
The government wants an immediate war with the USA but i persuaded them to let me modernise our battleships with up-to-date fire control and AA equipment first.
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 26, 2020 18:25:52 GMT -6
July 1930 - war(?)
The Americans have gone too far, sinking our cruiser the Sappho. This surely means war!
|
|
|
Post by cabalamat on Sept 26, 2020 18:35:50 GMT -6
August 1930
We plan to invade Panama, to force the American navy to fight.
|
|