Naval Architecture

[KWorld]

Here's a question:

Should the current rules section on naval architecture be modified so that all it limits is when certain technologies come into use, not how the designers choose to use the available technologies?

Ie, currently, there are rules that say that until 1890, a ship cannot be built with 3 main gun turrets.  Historically, of course, this is nonsense: USS Roanoake was converted from a steam frigate to a turret ship with 3 turrets during the US Civil War, and several French warships of the 1870 and 1880s were build with 3 or even 4 main battery turrets.  Other rules say you can't install turreted secondaries until after 1920, yet the Russians built ships with turreted 6" guns in the 1890s.

I understand that the rules as written were intended to try to enforce the most common period designs, to try to limit the use of hindsight in designs, and to prevent people from building designs that are intended to be refit and to be able to be used farther into the future.  Are those good goals?  Good enough to warrant banning designs that were actually built?

[Walter]

Could be that the 3 turret rule applies to the "turret on barbette" turrets. I've simmed a Prince Albert clone with 4 single turrets and a Royal Sovereign clone with a twin turret and 3 single turrets but both ships use Coles/Ericsson turrets. Both are ships from the 1860s.

Regarding the Russian ships, I'm not quite sure about that. They make up a very small percentage of the pre 1920 ships so perhaps it is best to keep it that way. You can always use 8" turrets. :)

The rules also say "1880: Main guns in twin turrets" while we all know that there were main guns in twin turrets before 1880.