Redefining Cruiser Classifications (C, AC, BC, CL, CA)

[kriegsmeister]

So overall I think the way the game handles cruisers is decently well done, covering the wide variety of designs and roles performed by the various types of cruisers throughout the Steam and Steel Era. However I think there could be a few tweaks here and there that could improve it just a little bit and allow better opportunities for ship classes that were prominent IRL but don't really fit into the current categorizations. My main gripe is the conflation between Armored and Treaty/Heavy Cruisers which doesn't really work on multiple levels in regards to both design and utility. As well as where to fit the 30's and 40's Supercruisers/small battlecruisers like the Dunkerque and Alaska-class, which even historically has been up for constant debate

First let's look at the current Cruiser types

CL - This group covers early 2nd and 3rd Rate Protected Cruisers, early (pre-)WWI Light Armored Cruisers, interwar Treaty Light Cruisers, Anti-aircraft Cruisers, Flotilla Leaders, and a wide variety of others. Generally all types are limited to a max displacement of 8000 tons (later expanded to 10000 tons and again to 12000 tons) and a max gun caliber of 6in with two special cases where early ships with the Protected Cruiser armor configuration can carry 7-8in guns in single or dual mounts in positions A or Y, or a single gun up to 13in in either position A or Y. Overall these ships are "intended" to be the backbone of your filling in the most roles as the cheaper option (i.e. more hulls option). These roles include colonial duties, trade protection and/or raiding, and fleet operations as either a fast scout or screen against other cruisers, destroyers, and aircraft. I dont really have much complaint about this category, although I do think it could benefit from being split into C (protected cruisers) and CL (Light cruisers) in the same vein as the split between B (battleships) and BB (dreadnoughts) performing the same roles but once the later type become more prominent the former types will be utilized less often in the battle generator when both are available. It would also open up more design opportunities for the later CL's which I will cover later on.

BC - Battlecruisers are simple and easy, Large ships that are generally of equal tonnage to BB that trades either or both armor and armament for superior speed. The exact boundary between BB, BC, and Fast BB is dependent on time and the specific difference in speed and belt thickness. No complaints here until you get into the mid-30's and beyond where you are building +40kton battleships and Battlecruisers with +15in guns and 14-20kton CA with 9 or 10in guns and you want to build something in between that gap, i.e super cruisers around 30ish kton and armed with 11-13 in guns. Building such ships as BC works out fine for me as at that point I rarely build BC bigger than that and focus more effort on a homogeneous FBB fleet but I know other players like having both BB and BC and want something categorized as a heavy/superheavy cruiser that isn't taking up a potential BC slot and so should be a seperate category of it's own which I will elaborate later on.

CA - This ship type I have the most problems with because it combines a two very different designs that don't blend together nearly as much as the current variety CL category does, that of the Armored Cruiser and Heavy Cruiser. The general limitations of the class is of a tonnage between 4000-20000 tons, gun caliber of between 6-10in, and belt thickness of 2-9.5ins, with some exceptions to increase gun caliber above 10 in to create Tsukabu type armored cruisers, or Deutschland type heavy cruisers/panzershiffe/pocket battleships. At face value this does look like it covers the design specifications of both armored and heavy cruisers throughout the early 20th century, however the real difference reveals itself in the utility of the ships in comparison to contemporary larger and smaller vessels. Armored cruisers (AC) before the turn of the century where predominantly designed as fast, long range, 2nd Rate Battleships. Sacrificing armor, armament, and (usually but not always) overall tonnage for that speed and range while also keeping the price tag down. A cheaper alternative with a bit more utility to send to foreign stations that would otherwise be cost prohibitive for a full fledged battleship. Around the turn of the century during the Spanish-American war and Russo-Japanese war, AC's developed a new purpose as a fast hard-hitting component of the battlefleet. Lessons learned from these wars and new technology eventually lead to the Battlecruiser, a ship while significantly more expensive was quite adept at tackling the newly realized AC role, while being excellent in replacing them in their former role, and also easily capable of dispatching the older ships. The BC obsoleted the AC for the next few decades.

The Heavy cruiser had a very different history and purpose and was only properly defined by treaties. They grew out from the Light Armored Cruisers with the first example being the Hawkins-class Cruisers (not yet called Heavy) designed and built during WWI but commissioned after, they were intended to play the role of other light cruisers but with significantly better armament for dealing with adversaries, while still retaining very light armor and high speeds. While the Americans built the Omaha-class with the traditional 6in gun, the Japanese built a similar pair of ships the Furutaka's with even stronger broadside firepower to the Hawkins, but still very much a Light Cruiser. These are effectively the last light cruisers built before the Washington naval treaty went into effect that caused all kinds of chaos in design and procurement programs. This lead to the treaty cruiser based on the Hawkins-class, 10000 tons and 8in guns. Despite the increase in tonnage and firepower, the first designs from the five major navies were still very much light cruisers. They had almost no hope in an engagement with contemporary battleships that Armored Cruisers would have had with pre-dreadnought battleships. It is in my opinion that these ships should be in a separate category (CA) from the Armored Cruisers (AC)

Thirdly and lastly in regards to the CA category, is the fact that after the 1917 technology of Superimposed turrets on CA in conjunction with the More Centerline Turrets and Triple/Quad Turret technologies, you can build completely ahistorical ships with several 9 or 10in guns, even without the treaties ships of this type probably would never come about (though this purely conjecture and we could never know for sure). And I'm not so much complaining about the ahistoricaliness of the designs, as thats my favorite part of the game in tinkering with what could have been, its more so a complaint of the conflation of these designs with both Armored and Heavy Cruisers.

Now to my actual suggestion portion. I believe the current 3 cruiser types should be further split into either 4 (CL, CA, AC, BC), 5 (C, CL, CA, AC, BC), or possibly 6 (C, CL, CA, AC, BC, CC) different types. I mostly favor the 5 option but I will further detail each type and why I think they should be what they are.

C - This would just be the current CL with all the 1900 start rules applied to it. The only thing is that it better distinguishes between early Protected cruisers and later Light Cruisers when the technology Light Cruiser Armor Configuration is unlocked. This is not as big a deal as other changes, just something I think would better reflect historical evolution.

CL - Not much would change with this category following the same design rules and upgrades as currently, minus all the specific design quirks of the Protected Cruisers (C), so no AY double turrets or 7/8in guns until technologies allow. Though I would like to see added an additional technology between 1916-1920 called "Medium Caliber guns for Light Cruisers" or "Early Heavy Gunned Light Armored Cruisers" or something similar, which would allow building of light cruisers with up to 7x 8in guns in single turrets to allow the construction of Hawkins/Furutaka style ships (because honestly, who's gonna build such ships as CA's in the current state of the game in anything but a pure historical playthrough). These would be powerful ships up until the 1921 Tech of Double Mounts on CL's and the later triple turrets in 1925, allowing players to make that wonderful historical argument amongst themselves of cruisers armed with a handful of 8in guns vs a crap ton of 6in guns. Additionally, while double mounts are unlocked 7/8in guns would still be locked to single turrets, but with the triple turret tech, Light cruisers could be built with up to 6x 7in or 8in guns in twin turrets to mimic the Furutaka refits, Aoba-, York-, and Veinticinco de Mayo-class ships with such layouts. These heavy-gunned cruisers would still be limited to the 3in maximum armor restrictions of other CL's

CA - While the same designation as the current category of ships, this would be a new type with different design parameters and the same battle generator logic as the CL as opposed to the current CA. A new technology circa 1922-24 called "Heavy Cruisers" would allow the construction of ships of up to 12,000 tons, 7-9in guns, and armor between 1-6in. Sometime in the late 1930's the tonnage limit would go up to 16000-18000 tons but with the same caliber and armor restrictions. This would allow the construction of proper Treaty cruisers utilizing the ingame logic of Light cruisers to parallel their IRL use as such.

AC - This would be the new designation for the current CA design and construction, which eventually becomes obsolete as Battlecruisers and Light/Heavy Cruisers start to come into service. Some may find the 20000ton 12x10in gunned Armored cruisers viable but this type would otherwise be relegated to the first decade or so of the game as do the B's and C's. However, I see this designation could get new life around 1930 with a technology such as "Large Armored Cruiser". This Technology would up the weight limit up to 35000tons and the gun caliber to 13in, basically removing the special conditions for the panzerschiffe/Tsukuba style cruisers, armor however would still be limited to 9.5in. This would allow the construction of ships like Dunqerque, Alaska, and (somewhat) Scharnhorst style Super cruisers/2nd Rate Battleships (I say somewhat Scharnhorst but really more like the P- and O-class cruiser designs). These could be there own separate category under a CC designation, however I think they better fit under the Armored Cruiser design philosophy in that they are akin to 2nd Rate Battleships being generally lighter in displacement, carrying smaller guns and thinner armor, but also being significantly faster. These ships would generally be smaller than their contemporary Battlecruiser/Fast Battleship sisters utilizing the same Armored Cruiser battle generator logic. This would free up BC/FBB slots for those who already choose to build such ships under the BC desgination.

BC - No changes here, battlecruisers are pretty good

CC - Possible separate designation for the 1930 technology ships I described in the AC portion. Though I find it better suited for such ships to be designated AC, I though I'd leave the option up for debate.

I think this would make gameplay a litttle bit more historical and allow players a little bit more flexibility in their designs. Expecially in regards to Armored (AC) and Heavy (CA) Cruisers which the mixing of which has always bothered me, as well as the not so much ability, but more so logical push to build ships like Hawkins, Furutaka, Alaska, and Dunqerkue.