Kingdom of Italy, HY2, 1904

[Kaiser Kirk]

Budget of the Kingdom of Italy, HY2 1904

Budget Table

With the freedom not to do a 50/50 budget split, I was able to plow more into Military purposes this turn, to help fuel my expansion into Africa.

Money continues to be spent in the Italian territories, the $0.40 on scientific represents the crop and livestock experiments, the sample village erecting sawmills to try to process local wood, doctors studying diseases, this is a boost over the normal ~$0.25 as they prepare to receive actual colonists. 

The 0.25 in IC for the territory represents the roads the steam traction engines (paid for previously) are punching in.

Technology
The 45mm boat gun finishes, now when I research 1905 MTBs I have something to arm them with.
Since my 300L45 turned out to be using the wrong Muzzle energy and so was illegal (oops) I've substituted the 120mm and 150mm. The ME per sq.inch of bore was figured out and then scaled down from 10inch to these bores, and then I used  Logi's Ballistic tool for Muzzle energy/shell weights etc.
At 890m/s the velocity will strip the barrels faster than desired, but bores this small last longer anyhow.
The resulting guns will fire heavier shells on very flat arcs, giving them a high danger space.

Otherwise, I am digesting tech from Germany, now at $1 /HY, and I have Tech from France on standby and an agreement for a future French tech on standby.

Naval construction
The port at Nacala starts expansion.
Ports at Conakry, San Pedro and Walvische Baye (all West Africa) start construction.

The Two new Transports, the new Collier, the 4 new cruisers, all move forward.

The two Regina Margherita class are finally complete. Commenced in 1900, like most Italian Battleships they took a great deal of time, further extended when they were reconstructed in the ways.

The first, and apparently last, of the improved Regina- the Regno De Italia "Kingdom of Italy"  now sporting the 180mm in turrets rather than casements, allowing the casements to be used for the anti-torpedo boat guns, where the flat firing low over the water will easily intercept the incoming torpedo boats.

Note that there IS a 8mm torpedo bulkhead in the vessel, AND I have not completed that tech. At 8mm the bulkhead is ineffectual, and won't stop anything except leaks. This is meant to be a tonnage waste and a "mistake", reflecting a rush to provide improved torpedo defenses- in the wake of the British experience- before the Italians quite figure out what is required to achieve the goal. In terms of damage it makes 0.7 torpedoes of difference. It also forces my machinery to take up a longer section of hull, increasing my minimum belt length from 88m to 124m. Take all of that out and I have 1.11 Comp Hull, so overall a costly mistake. Torpedo nets are also thickened. Armor was already reverting to Re Umberto levels as a reaction to improvements in guns.

Also note, I've started putting 'construction reserve' weight- which most of my vessels have – in the Void spot, as that seems best, after all it's weight that isn't actually there. 

Naval Maintenance
One unresolved matter hinges on Darman.
Discussions between the UK and Italy included the possibility of Italy sending Re Umberto class battleships to Malta to backfill for Royal Navy ships sent to the Americas. From a distance the Re Umberto should look like RN vessels, including the distinctive twin side-by-side stacks...because RN battleships were what the Italians were modeling them on. There is an additional aft stack, but paint it sky blue and don't fire those boilers and it should be missed at a distance.

This should have been resolved in HY1, but budget wise I put it in HY2 because of all this..anyhow, IF that storyline came to pass, the St. Bons and Garibaldies would sail to Naples/Castlemarre be idled to provide stokers and loaders for the Re Umberto s- which would be quickly painted while waiting. The St. Bons and Garibaldis would be anchored to screen the empty Re Umberto berths and the Italians would sail at night to aid the Royal Navy.

Anyhow, that's why the Re Umberto  are active, and the St. Bons/Garibaldis not.

Army Construction
On the 1 Div ->5 Brigades → 25 Regiment → 50 Battalions model,
The final elements of the 1st African Legion are transported to Africa. Jungle troops are 20% oversized, so that makes 30,000 men.

The Marines are brought to full mobilization and transport to Africa starts. 1 Regiment is retained in each Brigade base, 3 have already been sent to Africa, leaving 17 for deployment, of which 2 will arrive in HY2 1904, and the rest in HY1, 1905.

Of the 3 in Africa :
1 regiment is scattered down the West African Coast, 1 Regiment Patrols the coastal areas, 1 Battalion is in Berbera, and 1 Battalion is in Nacala as Garrison. 

Other Tabs
No change

Type : In Service (In refit) + Building
Battleships (BB): 12 (0) + 1
Monitors :  (CB): 2 (0) + 0
Armored Cruisers (AC): 7 (0) + 0
Protected Cruisers (PC): 7 (0) + 4
Unprotected Cruisers (SC) : 8 (0) + 0
Destroyers (DD) : 12 (0) + 0
Torpedo Boats (TB): 112(0) + 0
Submarines (SS): 1 (0) + 0

Collier/Tender (CT): 1 (0) + 1
Hospital Ships (Hos): 1 (0) + 0
Transports (TT): 1 (0) + 2
Tugs, Harbour (Tug): 4 (0) + 0
Tugs, Fleet (TugF): 2 (0) + 0