New Ships of the Mark: H1/1906

[Ithekro]

Snowmane is an experiment.  Battleship guns on an armored cruiser (with slightly better armor than my current combat cruisers) as a fleet level scout and cruiser killer.  I may work, it may not be viable when its competition is a 12 x 9" gun combat cruiser that is a little bit cheaper to build than the 9 x 12" gun battlecruiser.

But the Helm Hammerhand with confederate 6" guns is probably the best choice in terms of firepower, but the 4.5" quickfires allow for better rate of fire for torpedo boat defense and the vessel is slightly more survivable (4.1 torpedo hits and 26.6 x 14" shell hits verse 3.9 torpedo hits and 24.8 x 14" shell hits).  However the 4.5" gun version is presently designed to a higher standard (Cross-sectional: 1.00).  I image if I overbuild the 6" gun version to that standard it could be just as survivable, but more expensive.

Considering that historical dreadnoughts and super-dreadnoughts were armed with 4" guns in the British Navy until the Iron Duke-class with 6" guns and the American stuck with a 5" gun for all but the first class of vessel, a 4.5" gun is not all that off from normal..and a 6" gun is not too far off from standard predreadnought armament.

[Borys]

Ahoj!
The USN 5/51 was very, very powerful weapon. Almost like the Russian 130/50.

Borys

[Ithekro]

This then will probably be the next Battleship of the Mark.

Helm Hammerhand
Fengel

Rohan Battleship laid down 1907 (Engine 1909)

Displacement:
   21,522 t light; 22,623 t standard; 23,750 t normal; 24,556 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   515.00 ft / 510.00 ft x 97.00 ft x 25.00 ft (normal load)
   156.97 m / 155.45 m x 29.57 m  x 7.62 m

Armament:
      8 - 14.00" / 356 mm guns (4x2 guns), 1,372.00lbs / 622.33kg shells, 1902 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
      12 - 6.00" / 152 mm guns in single mounts, 108.00lbs / 48.99kg shells, 1891 Model
     Breech loading guns in casemate mounts
     on side, evenly spread
      8 - 1.50" / 38.1 mm guns in single mounts, 1.69lbs / 0.77kg shells, 1897 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
      8 - 0.75" / 19.1 mm guns in single mounts, 0.21lbs / 0.10kg shells, 1902 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 12,287 lbs / 5,573 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 90

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   14.0" / 356 mm   335.00 ft / 102.11 m   11.00 ft / 3.35 m
   Ends:   5.00" / 127 mm   175.00 ft / 53.34 m   11.00 ft / 3.35 m
   Upper:   7.00" / 178 mm   335.00 ft / 102.11 m   11.00 ft / 3.35 m
     Main Belt covers 101 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   14.0" / 356 mm   7.00" / 178 mm      14.0" / 356 mm
   2nd:   5.00" / 127 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 3.00" / 76 mm, Conning tower: 14.00" / 356 mm

Machinery:
   Coal and oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 3 shafts, 28,500 shp / 21,261 Kw = 20.14 kts
   Range 5,750nm at 10.00 kts (Bunkerage = 2,028 tons)

Complement:
   956 - 1,243

Cost:
   £2.235 million / $8.941 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 1,536 tons, 6.5 %
   Armour: 9,189 tons, 38.7 %
      - Belts: 3,831 tons, 16.1 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 2,985 tons, 12.6 %
      - Armour Deck: 2,123 tons, 8.9 %
      - Conning Tower: 250 tons, 1.1 %
   Machinery: 1,370 tons, 5.8 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 9,377 tons, 39.5 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,228 tons, 9.4 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 50 tons, 0.2 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     34,551 lbs / 15,672 Kg = 25.2 x 14.0 " / 356 mm shells or 4.0 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.05
   Metacentric height 5.2 ft / 1.6 m
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.72
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.40

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.672
   Length to Beam Ratio: 5.26 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 22.58 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 49 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.89 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      26.00 ft / 7.92 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   20.00 ft / 6.10 m
      - Mid (50 %):      20.00 ft / 6.10 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   20.00 ft / 6.10 m
      - Stern:      20.00 ft / 6.10 m
      - Average freeboard:   20.48 ft / 6.24 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 67.6 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 152.4 %
   Waterplane Area: 38,255 Square feet or 3,554 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 98 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 184 lbs/sq ft or 899 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.93
      - Longitudinal: 1.97
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

[Earl822]

I like it, certainly something to be scared of, and a design to get the French Shipyards, and Government thinking I reckon, but that is up to Maddox.

[Ithekro]

Considering Helm Hammerhand and the new Fengel won't be finished until at least the last half of 1909 and probably not finish trials until 1910, Rohan will need to design another battlship for 1909.  It will probably have to seriously think about reconstruction of the Theoden and Goldwine along with the rebuilding of Elfwine (to match Brytta and Eomer).  Eomer might need a refit to mount the newer model 12" guns that Brytta and Arcadia are armed with (better quality guns, same caliber).

I'm wondering on the Theodens however.  They are the oldest of the "modern" battleships and are slower and have an older gun type (12"/36 cal).  Would it be possible to reconstruct these battleships to  mount a superimposed "B" turret, the new model 1902 12"/42 caliber cannons, oil fired boilers, and maybe increase her speed with a new VTE engine to at least allow her to match the Eomer and Elfwines 16.5 knots?

The four Bregos will probably be placed in reserve as soon as there are enough capital ships to allow them to do so.  They probably don't warrent a refit, as they make be scrapped soon after they become reserve vessels?  That is unless someone wants to buy four used pre-dreadnoughts (1889 models).  They are great on firepower but weak on speed and armor.

[Ithekro]

Note on the Bregos:  They will likely not be sold until 1909 or 1910...when Rohan will have enough capital ships to replace these four vessels. (two Snowmanes and two Helm Hammerhands)...if Fengel was still intact we might be willing to let them go in 1908 when the Snowmane is finished, but since Fengel is with Davey Jones, anyone who wants some serious firepower will have to want until the Mark can afford to part with them.

A refit would take one half year to one full year if the work requested requires a rebuild.
Price plain is $13.60 for the lot of four ($3.40 each), $27.20 for the lot refitted and $40.80 for the lot all rebuilt.  (Reconstruction would be $54.40 and at least a year and a half in the docks for all of them)